Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge
Chapter 68: Who to discard?

Chapter 68: Who to discard?

At Starlink Apartments,

If Elliot knew about Damien’s marriage status, then Damien’s lies could only complicate things further. He calmly got off the bed, but Vivienne was frozen.

She shook, imagining the worst. Her father had only recently begun warming up to her, even praising her work. This wouldn’t have been a problem if Elliot didn’t already know Damien was married.

"How- How did you know Damien is married?" She stuttered.

However, Damien looked Elliot in the eyes and said, "We’ll speak downstairs." His composure was solid. He walked past Elliot like he had done nothing wrong.

Elliot’s eyes flared at Damien’s behavior. He turned to Vivienne and snapped. "How did I know!? You knew he was married."

It hit him like a slap to the chest. He almost thought Damien must have deceived her. He couldn’t believe Vivienne was with Damien despite knowing he was married. He stormed inside the room and struck her across the face.

’Slap.’

Her head snapped to the side by the force. Her cheeks burned red, tears welling in her eyes from the sting.

Elliot’s jaw clenched. He said through gritted teeth, "Are you just worth being a mistress? Do you have no shame?"

He paced the bedroom, seething, breathing heavily. He tried to suppress his anger but failed. He turned to her and spat, "Do you even know who his wife is? Who are his in-laws?"

Enduring the pain, bearing his harshness, she caught something in his words. Her eyes widened. He knows!

Elliot saw the recognition dawn in her face. He laughed in disbelief at her stupidity. He couldn’t believe she knew everything and still slept around with Damien.

"They’re Laurents." He hissed. And raised his hand again without a hint of mercy to his own daughter, who braced herself for another strike.

But before his hand could land on her cheek, a strong grip caught his wrist.

"Enough." Damien’s voice was low, commanding. "I said, we will talk downstairs."

Elliot stared at Damien in disbelief. Who was throwing weight around whom? He growled, "Damien Ashford, how dare..."

"Shhh..." Damien hissed, "Think before you speak."

Elliot: "..."

Damien’s power was intimidating, even to someone like Elliot. As much as he wanted to slap Damien for taking advantage of his daughter and showing no hint of guilt, he couldn’t afford to offend him.

Damien turned and walked out of the bedroom, making sure Elliot followed.

Vivienne’s knees gave out. She collapsed onto the floor.

Why? Why were things going wrong?

Their plan was supposed to be foolproof. But more and more people were learning about Damien’s marriage. Her father was supposed to be proud of her, celebrating in joy. Instead, it was the exact opposite. He was disgusted.

When did it all start going wrong?

Vivienne knew. The moment Aveline stepped out of the Sterling villa, the day she started working at Laurents Industries.

She scrambled to her feet and rushed out to the living hall where Damien sat like he owned the place, because he did. He sipped water while her father fumed.

Vivienne hated how cold Damien was to her father. But a part of her felt safe and protected. After all, Damien had just shielded her.

Well, she didn’t know, he was only protecting his interests.

She wanted to speak, but Damien began. Not with confession. Not with apology.

"Your largest uniform project is mine." He started.

Elliot frowned without understanding where it was going.

"The vendors Takeda Silks, Montcrest Leather, and Helena Dyes are working with you on my orders. Your prime outlets are in eight locations? My territory. That business loan? Approved on my recommendation. Your entry into the Obsidian elite? I arranged it. Your daughter’s PR? I pay for it. And this apartment?"

Damien took another sip, calm but chilling, "Mine." He leaned back and snickered. "So, CEO Elliot, before you talk rubbish, I suggest you think. Carefully."

Because he could erase Sinclair overnight.

Vivienne was never part of his plan to begin with. She clung to him, not the other way around. He had considered keeping her around for convenience.

Because one day, he would need to marry and have children. Better with someone already obsessed with him.

But how could he trust a woman who drooled over luxury goods and status?

So he had to keep his plan alive. He wove the web around Sinclair Lifestyle so tightly, one tug and they would vanish from the face of the earth.

Compared to them, Laurents were untouchable. Their network was too tight, too clean. Everything was difficult about them. Except their daughter.

That’s why he married Aveline.

But now, things were changing. Damien began reevaluating his plans. He was having second thoughts on whom to discard from his life.

Aveline Laurent.

Or

Vivienne Sincalir.

Sinclair’s had sprawling land on the outskirts of Velmora. But Aveline had the prime piece in the city centre.

Aveline was easier to fool. He could sell her a dream, promise her an event company, their future, and another lie. She wouldn’t ask for power. She was born noble, unlike greedy, power-hungry Vivienne.

However, he didn’t find it advantageous at all times. Because greedy ones were easier to manipulate.

So he didn’t decide on a whim. He would watch and see who behaved.

Aveline Laurent.

Or

Vivienne Sinclair.

While his mind spiraled, Vivienne’s hand flew to her mouth. Apart from the apartment and outlets, things she thought Damien did out of love, she had no idea he had started controlling Sinclair Lifestyle.

A question began haunting her.

Was he helping them? Or trapping them?

Elliot sat frozen. To Vivienne, it might look like control disguised as care. But he knew what Damien was up to. This was either an acquisition or leverage.

He glanced at Vivienne, his rage boiled again, and his urge to choke his daughter rose rapidly. But in front of Damien, he had to bite his tongue.

No. He wasn’t going to threaten Damien with Laurents or reveal this to Laurents to tackle Damien. Either way, they would destroy him first.

"What do you want?" Elliot asked.

Damien could’ve demanded the land right then, but he still had time to make the decision. He simply said, "Get out."

Elliot gritted his teeth. Damien didn’t lack wealth. The detached, calculative version of Damien wasn’t about love. Not even lust over his daughter.

So he knew Damien would come back one day to demand what he wanted. Until then, he has to be quiet and start planning.

He stood and hissed, "Vivienne, let’s go."

She stiffened. She was scared of Damien and also terrified to go with her father.

"She stays." Damien’s voice thundered.

Elliot didn’t argue. Not this time. He walked out of the apartment, rage and helplessness buried within.

After the door shut, Vivienne didn’t move. She stood there with her head low and silent, afraid to look Damien in the eyes.

She just wanted to hear, ’Relax, I was trying to protect you.’

However, Damien didn’t look at her with affection or desire. He studied her calculatively.

He truly wanted to be a good guy in both ladies’ lives. Looks like he didn’t need to act anymore in front of one.

"Vivienne." His low and calm voice was deadlier than any shout.

She shuddered. She looked at him and understood his silence. She rushed to his side.

"Sit."

She tried to sit beside him, but he shoved her.

She dropped to the floor by his leg. Her eyes burned red in humiliation.

Could she scream? Ask questions? No.

His reveal wasn’t just for Elliot but for her.

Her career was over. The Sinclairs were at his mercy. She had no escape plan. She would be nothing without him.

Damien grabbed her chin, almost crushing it beneath his fingers. Her pretty face, her lissom figure, once her greatest assets, now looked small and pathetic to him.

All his efforts to maintain peace with her felt like a waste.

"Defy me, and you lose everything." He warned her and let go. He stood and walked without another glance over her..

Vivienne just sat there, uttering nothing or even crying. She just sat there, as the reality swallowed her whole, breaking her in ways she never imagined.