Morning at Ivory Heights,
The golden rays of the sun kissed her pearly skin, bathing her in a soft glow. Her hazel eyes sparked like scattered stardust filled with pure delight. Her pink lips curled in a surprised gasp, widening in happiness as the kite continued to soar higher into the endless sky.
Around her, the children cheered, their exclamation ringing through the air, their tiny fingers clinging to her dress in admiration.
The gentle breeze fluttered the hem of her yellow floral dress, her silky, long hair locks swaying, grazing her flawless shoulders.
But then confusion flickered in her eyes as the string slipped through her fingers, the kite spiraling out of control.
A mischievous boy giggled, proudly revealing the severed string in his small hands.
And then, it happened.
She laughed, a sound so pure it could make anyone fall for her. She glowed so radiantly that she made the golden sun bow before her.
The children joined her, unbothered by the lost kite, basking in the joy of the moment.
Alaric's breathing was steady, but his chest tightened as the dream twisted into something darker.
Aveline was still there.
But she wasn't laughing anymore.
She wasn't glowing in the golden sunlight, carefree or happy.
Darkness was drowning her light. Her radiance fading, her warmth fading.
This time, she was crying.
She was kneeling in the cold, her arms wrapped around herself, her shoulders trembling violently. Her delicate fingers clutching her nightdress as if trying to hold herself together. Her breath came out in puffs, too shallow, too weak.
Then redness began bleeding into the scene. It spread across the cold ground, creeping towards her hands, across her hands, staining the tips of her hair.
Alaric's entire body jerked awake. He sat up, his breath uneven, his heart pounding violently against his ribs.
He wasn't a man given to nightmares. And he sure as hell wasn't a man given to fear. But for the first time in years, he felt something dangerously close to it.
He regretted it.
Why had he only watched her from afar?
Why had he never taken the chance to get close to her?
He could have warned her. He could have protected her. But he had let her slip through his fingers.
It was too late. Yet, better late than never.
He wouldn't let it happen again. Especially when she was being stabbed in the back, especially when she was in pain, especially when she had a battle to fight.
Especially when she needed to be safe from her husband, who wasn't her protector but a predator.
Throwing the blanket aside, he grabbed his phone and dialed.
"Ezra." His voice was cold, sharp, and unyielding. "Find out everything Vivienne Sinclair is up to. I don't care what it takes."
It was time, he prepped another prey for Aveline to take down.
––––
Afternoon, at NexGuard,
'Knock, knock.'
Ezra pushed open the door, stepping into Alaric's office. His gaze instinctively flicked to the black leather chair at the grand desk. It was empty. His eyes brushed over the dark, commanding space, which was a statement in itself.
Every inch of the office spoke of power, from the sleek black marble floors that gleam under the soft glow of lighting to the bold "NexGuard" emblazoned on the wall, a silent declaration of dominance.
Plush leather, gold accents, and a sprawling desk at the heart of it all, exuding quiet authority. This was where Alaric was building his own empire.
The rhythmic sound of rapid typing caught Ezra's attention. He moved forward and pushed the glass door to find Alaric seated before an advanced system, fingers flying over the keyboard, and the dark screen glowed with a string of unfathomable codes.
Alaric glanced over his shoulder, but his speed of typing speed didn't slow down even for a moment.
"Ms. Laurent met Ms. Sinclair," Ezra reported.
The typing sound ceased.
Alaric's fingers froze in mid-air. Numerous thoughts were racing through his mind. One that bothered him was whether Aveline was prepared to face Vivienne.
A single misstep could put Aveline in danger.
Was she aware of it?
He turned sharply to Ezra, his face unreadable, but his eyes betrayed him in a second. He was ready to set off to strike first, to ensure Aveline wasn't cornered by the couple.
Ezra twirled the iPad in his hand, tapping the screen to play a video. As the footage from the parking lot of Powerluncher played, he quietly watched Alaric's eyes easing and his lips curling into a slow, satisfied smirk.
Alaric leaned back, crossing his legs. He had been right. Aveline was going to be nothing short of phenomenal. But… How did she stay so calm while facing Vivienne?
He had seen her cry, completely heartbroken. But somehow, she had pulled herself together.
Was she just pretending to be strong by hiding her pain?
Or had she already accepted things as they were?
Giselle's words rang in his mind. 'Then let's see if you and your little sunshine are really on the same page.'
Were they truly on the same page?
As the video ended, Ezra continued, "Ms. Laurent started working at Laurent Industries today."
Alaric's eyes flickered with confusion.
Ezra caught the confusion in Alaric's eyes and responded, "No, she hasn't received the letter from Daniel Anderson yet. And she is appointed to his position."
Alaric was impressed by the news and her moves. Instead of crying, she was quickly acting behind the scenes.
Does that mean she has learnt about Damien's conspiracy against Laurents?
Ezra continued to deliver the next piece of information, "Vivienne Sinclair is at Obsidian." He paused, watching Alaric's reaction. He was pretty sure Damien would run to the Obsidian to coax his damsel.
"Shall we make a move? Ezra asked, "Or wait for Ms. Sinclair's biography?"
Alaric's fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of his chair. His mind calculated every move.
Damien's weakness was Vivienne. Alaric found it easy to ignite fire between them, especially when they were under his roof.
However, quick fire douses in a blink.
Cunning Vivienne had a strong grip on Damien. To break them completely, he needed more than just an opportunity. He needed Vivienne's weakness.
And they weren't aware of Aveline's plan either. Thus, they need to play smart and choose each move wisely.
Alaric mused, "There will be plenty of chances." He wouldn't present half-prepped prey to Aveline. He turned back to the dark monitors. "Dig into that man."
Ezra arched a brow, 'That man?' Then he glanced at the iPad screen, where Aveline was with her assistant. He only knew the name and role of the man, so he remained quiet to learn more about her assistant.
He dropped another piece of news he learnt from the secretary team, "By the way, we got an RSVP yes from the Manager of Modernization and Innovation taskforce, Laurent Industries."
Alaric's fingers stilled, his heart skipped a beat just by the thought of finally meeting her.
Ezra smirked at Alaric's quiet reaction. Shaking his head, he left the office room, wondering if Alaric would actually speak to Aveline or remain in the shadows.
But another thought struck him.
What if Aveline Laurent turns their grand product launch event into a show of her family drama?
Ezra froze mid-step when a realization struck.
Why was he more eager about Alaric meeting Aveline than being worried about his own increased workload?