CHAPTER 163: WHEN SILENCE BURNS

At Blackwood residence,

Aveline rushed to her parents’ place. She had yet to enter the house when her mother rushed up to her. Cupping her face, she frantically scanned her cheeks and cried out, "Your cheeks are still swollen."

Aveline didn’t get to respond. Margaret continued, "How dare that woman raise her hand to you?" She looked over her shoulder to gaze at Henry when she continued, "We never raised our hand to Lina. She should pay for it, Honey."

"She will." Aveline’s calm voice cut through before Henry could respond to Margaret. "I will make sure of that." Her voice held no warmth, and her tone was unyielding.

Her parents didn’t take care of her so well to get humiliated and abused by somebody. She would make sure Margaret wouldn’t have to live with bitterness in her heart.

Charles spoke, "You didn’t have to spread the footage from the station." Though she got slapped in public, they could have avoided the video from leaking. Now the whole world knows.

"Why should I give them the chance to use it against me?" Aveline asked back, "Why should I hide it when I did nothing wrong?"

Charles opened his mouth to say something, but went quiet. She had a point, but she was way too bold.

Henry had thought she didn’t have to go through another humiliation or make her heart steel because of somebody. But she was back to the same, heart of stone and tongue sharper than a blade.

That carefree and jovial Aveline was gone again.

He gently caressed her head as he spoke, "Let’s get inside first."

By the end of his voice, another voice with a hint of worry but mostly aloof sounded, "Get a warm throw and a cup of tea."

Aveline could identify that voice even in her sleep. She tried to peek beyond Charles, and Charles moved aside. There he was.

Alaric Lancaster!

Brows tightly knitted, his gaze mysterious yet fixed on her, and his lips pressed into thin lines. His eyes sparkled when she smiled, but he held himself back in front of her family.

"Give us a moment," Aveline said.

Henry, Margaret, and Charles didn’t interfere. They quietly went to the living room to wait for them.

Alaric hesitated for a split second before he took steps forward. Aveline went on her toes and hugged him. His arms wrapped around her in silence, tightening with every passing second as if she would spill out of his arms.

The silence deepened, but it was more comfortable and assuring than any word could describe.

He had lots of questions, but they faded having her in his embrace. Though his blood boiled that somebody hurt her, she was safe there, wasn’t angry at him, and that was all that was needed in that moment.

Whereas Aveline’s emotions were complex, thinking of his childhood, his relationship with his family, and Seraphina, his sister-in-law, plotting such an obnoxious scheme against him.

Before she discussed anything with Alaric, she needed to talk to her family and ease them. So she first apologized, "I’m sorry for ignoring your calls. I wanted some time alone." She needed to clear her mind and think things through.

Unwrapping her arms, she added, looking him in the eyes, "I would have reached you after meeting my parents. Have that trust in me." She assured him in a soft voice.

Alaric didn’t worry about it. He gently caressed her cold hands to warm them as he nodded. "It’s alright if you want time alone. Just let me know you are safe."

Aveline hummed, agreeing to update him about it in the future. She was glad he was patient with her.

Holding his hand, she took him to the living hall where the three were eagerly waiting for her.

The Laurents just glanced at the couple’s clasped hands and didn’t react. Even if the problems rose because of the Astors, due to Alaric, they weren’t going to point at Alaric if Aveline chose him unconditionally.

"Where were you?" Charles wasn’t able to hold back as soon as she entered the living hall.

Henry didn’t get to help Aveline when Alaric took the warm throw from his hand and made sure she was tucked in. After handing her a cup of tea to warm her hands, Alaric sat down when she patted beside her.

Though there was delight in watching her being spoiled by Alaric, their eagerness to know the situation was high.

Aveline briefed them on what happened at Grace and Bloom, filing charges against Oscar Astor at the station, then the slap.

"Yes, I was the one who asked to release the video on vandalism and the slap footage. I know politicians aren’t scared of us. But their clean images are everything for their career. What’s better than the public’s attention?"

Henry added his opinion, "Lina, politicians aren’t easy to handle. They play dirtier and cheaper than businessmen."

Alaric broke his silence, "Only if they get the chance."

The three turned to him, confused. They barely understood what he meant.

Whereas Aveline guessed, "President Astor is on the way to Velmora?" After whatever happened, she knew Alaric wasn’t going to be quiet.

"He’d better be here." Alaric’s voice was cold. He was taking it slow because he didn’t know what Aveline was planning. "He should be happy I didn’t rip off his title." His words lingered heavy in the air.

Charles’s voice cut in, low but weighted. "What did you do, Alaric?"

Alaric leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. His tone was calm, but it landed like a blade. "I sent some documents to Lucien Astor."

The silence clackled, disbelief flashing across the Laurents’ faces. What kind of documents? That’s what they wanted to know.

Alaric continued, eyes darkening. "His entire scam. Ghost projects, siphoned budgets, contracts signed to his shells. Roads that were never built, hospitals that exist only on blueprints. Money bleeding straight into the Astors’ pockets."

Margaret clutched the armrest. "And you... sent that to him? Why?"

Weren’t they triggering Lucien by doing it?

Alaric’s lips curved faintly, though the chill in his eyes didn’t reduce. "Because panic makes men careless. He’ll rush to cover the tracks. By the time he realizes, it won’t be about silencing us, it will be about silencing his own scandal before it explodes."

The Laurents exchanged tense glances. The silence that followed was not disbelief. The Laurents knew this was no mere chess move. For years, the Astors had set the board. Tonight, Alaric set it on fire.