Revenge In Repose (Valerie and Aiden) novel Chapter 85

Valerie’s eyes lit up. “Sure, I’d love that.”

Kelly nudged her teasingly. “What? No special treatment for Valerie?”

Vivian tapped her forehead. “Opportunity and capability must go hand in hand. Even if you do deserve it.”

get

a backdoor in, you’d better be strong enough to

Valerie smiled, her tone sincere. “I’ll do my best.”

Vivian studied her for a moment. She was surprised to find Valerie far more agreeable than she had expected–at least, she seemed like someone who knew how to seize an opportunity.

After some casual chat, Vivian asked, “So, you’ve been married to Aiden for a while now. How are you adjusting?”

“I’m doing well,” Valerie replied politely.

Vivian sighed. “Aiden… that boy, he’s always been hard to read. Even as his mother, I rarely know what he’s really thinking. He might seem a little gloomy now, but he wasn’t always like this.”

“Was it because of what happened when he was a kid?” Kelly chimed in.

Valerie leaned in slightly, clearly intrigued.

Vivian’s expression softened with sadness. “Yes. He used to be quiet but cheerful enough. Then he was kidnapped.”

Valerie’s heart clenched. No one had ever told her this.

“He was only eleven or twelve. They asked for seven million dollars in ransom. His father gathered the money and went to the drop–off point, but the kidnappers raised the price last minute. They even threatened to cut off his hands if we didn’t pay. I cried for days, praying nonstop. By the time we scraped together enough cash, we found out… Aiden had already escaped.”

Vivian’s voice trembled. “He’d fled into a nearby forest. When they found him over a month later, he was nothing but skin and bones, covered in dried blood. I couldn’t even recognize my own son when I saw him.”

“I nearly fainted. After bringing him home, he refused to speak, refused to bathe, wouldn’t even look at us. He just locked himself in his room like a little wolf cub, his eyes cold and fierce. I was so frightened, I eventually had to send him to stay with his grandfather,”

Valerie felt a pang in her chest. Her heart ached.

Vivian’s eyes grew misty. “Later, the psychologist told us Aiden had been betrayed–by a close friend who revealed his hiding place. That’s how the kidnappers found him again. After he escaped, he survived on wild rabbits and chickens, eating raw meat torn apart with rocks. Can you imagine a child doing that for a month?”

Valerie felt her scalp go numb. Her heart, already tight, now throbbed with pain.

Kelly sniffled. “He even cut open all my dolls back then. I was heartbroken. But he’s much better now.”

Valerie felt a lump rise in her throat.

No wonder Aiden always warned her, “Don’t betray me.”

He had lived through such darkness as a child…

Vivian met Valerie’s gaze. “I blame myself for not protecting him better. Even now, that guilt never goes away. He can be temperamental, yes, but deep down he’s not a bad person. I can tell–he truly cares about you. So even if I’m not entirely comfortable with you yet… I will accept you.”

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Chapter 85

They chatted and strolled for a while. By the time they got back, it was nearly ten at night.

The closer they got to the house, the more Valerie’s emotions surged. She suddenly wanted to give Aiden a hug.

But when she returned to their room, he wasn’t there.

She showered, dried her hair, and waited–but he still hadn’t come back.

Eventually, Valerie drifted off to sleep.

When she woke in a daze, Aiden was lying right beside her.

Wearing soft loungewear, he looked more relaxed than usual. The warm amber light in the room gently lit his face, casting shadows that made his features seem even more mysterious, more striking.

His eyes were closed. He was fast asleep, right next to her, completely unguarded.

Valerie watched him for a while, then slowly reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist.

His breathing paused briefly, but he didn’t wake.

Valerie nestled closer and whispered, “Good night.”

The words were so soft, they barely stirred the air.

Aiden slowly opened his eyes. Looking down, he saw the top of her dark head.

She seemed to be asleep again, but her arms held him tighter, as if afraid he’d disappear.

He closed his eyes again, and the firm line of his lips softened just a little.

By the time Valerie woke the next morning, Aiden was already gone.

She glanced at the clock. 7:10a.m.

Panic shot through her–breakfast at the Walker estate started at seven sharp. She scrambled out of bed in a frenzy.

Seriously? She’d tripped up on these small details in her past life more than once–how could she mess up again?

After rushing through brushing her teeth, she started undressing to change when suddenly, the door opened.

Startled, she grabbed her discarded nightgown to cover herself and took a step back.

Aiden stood in the doorway. His gaze immediately landed on her bare skin, his eyes darkening.