Burn the Marriage, Keep the Crown novel Chapter 61

The figure standing in the doorway exuded an air of elegance combined with an intimidating chill. It was Aaron Vance, the man Bella had heard so much about yet never met until now.

"Mr. Vance..." The moment Bella laid eyes on Aaron, she couldn't look away.

He was strikingly handsome.

No wonder Serena had been infatuated with him for seven long years.

Aaron's gaze fell icily on the jewelry scattered across the table. These were pieces marked by time, astonishingly beautiful, yet they were left carelessly exposed to the air. His eyes narrowed as he strode into the villa, and the atmosphere in the room immediately turned tense and heavy.

Everyone instinctively stepped back, driven by a sudden wave of fear.

Bella, overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, cried out, "Mom! Mom!"

Hearing the commotion, Penelope rushed down from the master bedroom on the second floor. Her expression shifted slightly when she saw Aaron.

She had expected Serena might return. But not Aaron.

"Mr. Vance," Penelope greeted with a forced smile, trying to mask her unease, "What a surprise! To what do we owe the pleasure? You should have called ahead..."

Aaron lifted his cold gaze to meet hers. "I'm here to see Serena's collection."

Penelope's smile faltered. Aaron's words suggested he was here to support Serena, but—

Bella paled at the mention of a conviction, stumbling over her words, "Th-those antiques were originally ours. How can that be theft?"

"Really? Do you think the court will believe that?" Aaron's tone was calm, as if discussing something mundane.

Penelope's smile vanished completely. If this went to court, they would surely lose...

"Return the antiques before Serena comes back," Aaron continued slowly, each word like a dagger piercing Penelope and Bella's hearts. "Otherwise, I can ensure you spend the rest of your lives behind bars."

Penelope's face turned ashen.

The Vance family was a century-old institution in Alderburg, with connections deeply intertwined in society.