Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge
Chapter 116: Diamonds and Destinies

Chapter 116: Diamonds and Destinies

With the assurance of Scarlett, Aveline focused on her life while her father, who had returned that day, promised to keep an eye on Damien and his actions.

It was time to put her planning into vision and begin working.

Aveline first finalized the office space, then designed the interior that encourages one to be creative. The building that should become a landmark.

Mike Wilson followed her until she got a new assistant in her line of work. The hiring process began with his help while Aveline began making calls and taking appointments from florists, caterers, stylists, photographers, venues, and artists from the list she had prepared during her two months of marriage.

Another week went by with busy Aveline. She visited Ivy Orphanage in the morning and was lounging with her family in the afternoon on the weekend. Henry asked, hearing Aveline sigh at a message, "Lina, don’t exhaust yourself."

She smiled instead, "But it’s fun, Dad. I set myself a set of small goals. I get happy when I achieve them. If not, I will work hard to achieve it."

Henry shook his head in resignation. He was proud she was doing everything on her own, but felt bad to see her start from scratch. He had offered help, also suggested some easy options, but she declined and refused all kinds of help other than letting Mike Wilson assist her for the time being.

Charles chuckled at her simple method to keep herself motivated, "Did you register your company?" They hardly had time to sit together in the past.

Aveline nodded, excited to share the details with them. "I have registered the company as an LLP, trademarked my brand name and logo, drafted contracts, NDAs, and client intake forms with my lawyers."

She paused just to take a breath and continued, "I have a meeting tomorrow with an insurance company. I’m currently working on packages and pricing. I’m planning tiered packages with à la carte services for high-end customization. Hiring is almost complete, the marketing team has started working, and is waiting for the opening event. I’ll be connecting with designers, hotels, and venues for brand partnerships."

When she stopped, she looked at their expressions, hoping for them to fill her in on something she might have missed.

Charles was impressed with how quick she was. "Woah, there are no brakes on your vehicle." Because that’s a lot of work in a week for someone who didn’t have experience.

Aveline grinned sheepishly. Though she was new, she had run through all the details several times before she regressed. And Damien had nitpicked so many times about her project proposal that she got the whole idea.

On the other hand, Margaret was overwhelmed. She had joined Aveline for a day that was filled with back-to-back meetings, interviews, and discussions. Now she realized it was just the basics, and she had done a lot of things.

Whereas, Henry was set on helping his daughter. So he said, "Lina... why don’t you..."

Aveline cut him off, "No pain, no gain. I won’t take any event from Laurent’s until I feel worthy of it."

Henry: "..."

He gave up. His daughter was set on not taking the easy route.

Charles stood up when he noticed the time on the clock, "Ladies, time to get ready." They were displaying red diamonds in an exhibit with their new, limited design that was up for auction.

Aveline usually skipped those events. But this time, she needed to attend for networking event. She gave a heads up, "Dad, Bro, don’t mind if I drop my cards on your guests."

Margaret also wanted to make things easy for Aveline, so she suggested, "Actually, let’s announce Lina’s company."

Aveline ran away before her mother used her emotional intelligence on her with a dose of emotional blackmail.

Charles, who waited until Aveline disappeared upstairs, revealed, "I have a plan for it, Mom. Just act surprised when the time comes."

Henry became excited about the plan. "We are Laurents. If she can’t use the name, what’s the use of me working and networking?"

Charles smiled knowingly and nodded before heading upstairs to get ready.

..... freeNovelFire

At the Emeralds hotel,

Like every time, the Laurents bypassed the media and entered the hotel. The huge hall was sparkling, and the board in the middle of the hall was hard to miss.

The Heirloom HourBy the Laurents.Venue: Hall Sapphire, 4th floor.

Holding her brother’s arm, they were following her parents, hearing the event manager and assistants reporting to the two men.

When there were details that needed their attention, the men paused, "Rest in the suite. There is still time for the event to begin," Henry said.

"Lina..." Charles turned to Aveline, "A model isn’t coming. Can’t hire a new one due to security reasons. Could you wear the bracelet?" He lied.

Aveline didn’t think too much about it. "No problem."

She was entering the elevator after her mother, but she felt it. A gaze. Her instincts asked her to take a look.

Her gaze casually flicked to the far side of the lobby, and there he was. Damien. The man who had once walked through her life like he owned it. Now, he just watched.

Her expression didn’t change. She had given him hope, only to get his signature on the divorce. To make him believe that he was the one who was divorcing her. She had achieved it.

Thus, she had no plans to give him hope or nurse his ego. She turned away from him and stepped into the elevator.

Damien just stood there, his stare turning into a glare. Even Henry and Charles walked away, merely glancing at him.

He had been waiting for more than a week. A meet, a call, or just a message from Aveline, but she didn’t do anything. Now that he had witnessed her ignoring him, he went blank.

Why did she ignore him?

He was certain she looked at him, then? Was anybody forcing her? Henry?

He wasn’t ready to think otherwise, because part of him still believed in the way she had teared up when he mentioned the divorce.

"Director Ashford, everything is prepared." His secretary’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Giving a nod, he got in the elevator. He wasn’t invited to the event. Simple reason—they didn’t want to divert attention from jewelry to their relationship when there were already a lot of rumors.

That doesn’t mean they could stop him.

.....

At Sapphire Hall, Emerald Hotel,

The hall was a masterpiece of opulence and sophistication. The crystal chandeliers cascaded from the vaulted ceiling like frozen waterfalls, casting light across every surface. The space was divided into two distinct sections, each serving its purpose in the evening’s grandeur.

The first section welcomed guests with various round tables scattered strategically across the polished marble floor, each draped in ivory silk and adorned with centerpieces of white roses and gold accents. At the far end, a raised dais commanded attention, where the evening’s presentations would unfold.

The second section was accessible through ornate double doors flanked by discreet security personnel. Various jewelry pieces were showcased in individual glass cases, each piece priceless, impossible to replicate, and worthy of becoming family heirlooms for generations. fre eweb\(n)ovel(.)co(m)

Among all those treasures, everyone had their eyes on six rare red diamonds that were secured in the Vantex Sentinel.

The guests were in awe because these weren’t modest carat-sized stones, they had expected.

When it was time for the event to begin, everyone, men in perfectly tailored suits and women in evening gowns, took their seats to wait for the hosts.

First to enter the hall was Charles, who nodded graciously at the tables as guests greeted him, and he proceeded to the dais. Then entered Aveline.

She didn’t just walk into the room; she claimed it.

The bold red gown was a sculpted silhouette with an off-shoulder neckline and a daring slit that whispered danger and allure in equal measure. Each step was graceful, the fabric gliding like silk fire across the floor.

But it was the red diamond earrings, blood-hued brilliance set that stole the breath of every onlooker. They didn’t just sparkle; they stamped memory into the eyes of everyone present.

However, her eyes widened slightly when she saw her name appear on the screen behind Charles, and the emcee announced her arrival, "Aveline Laurent. CEO of Bloom and Grace."

The shock on her face was genuine, but she recovered quickly, offering a gracious smile to the applauding audience. Charles had orchestrated this moment perfectly, giving her the introduction she deserved but wouldn’t ask for.

However, her eyes unintentionally shifted when she felt him.

Alaric Lancaster.

Once she looked, her eyes refused to look away.

He stood near the entrance to the exhibit section, distinguished in his midnight blue suit, his presence commanding even in stillness. Their gazes met across the room, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause.

Just two people seeing each other clearly for the first time in what felt like forever.