Chapter 76: The Edge of Truth
"Alaric Lancaster made me write the letter."
Daniel’s words shocked Henry as well. He hadn’t expected that. He had been doubting Alaric, questioning his motives, and it turned out Alaric was the one who exposed Damien’s true face.
"If Alaric Lancaster hadn’t pushed Anderson, we wouldn’t have seen Damien for what he is," Henry exclaimed. "He didn’t have to help us. But he did."
Aveline turned to her father, hearing him speak about Alaric. Yes, Alaric had helped her uncover Damien’s moves. The mole in Laurent Industries. But she already knew Damien’s truth before the letter.
Henry looked at his daughter, not realizing yet how deep the fracture in her trust ran.
’He could have alerted Charles. Or me,’ Henry thought. Then he could have kept Aveline out of the mess.
’Why did he send it to her?’ He wondered.
Recalling Alaric’s confidence in Aveline when they met in the hospital, "Maybe he knew I wouldn’t sit quietly and cause chaos. Hence, he chose to trust you, Lina." He voiced his thoughts.
"He didn’t trust me." Her voice was barely a whisper. "He used me."
Henry didn’t hear her. He thought she should be relieved. But her face said otherwise.
Aveline’s lips curved into a small, bitter smile. Of course, everything had been falling into place too perfectly. Alaric had gone too far out of his way for her to gain her trust. She should have noticed it. But she didn’t. She let him close. So close that she worried about him.