Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge-Chapter 218: A Quiet Farewell

Celeste was shifted to the Laurent mansion that very afternoon. Henry carried her inside carefully, Charles fixed the pillows, and Margaret opened the curtains for soft light. Aveline moved around the room quietly, adjusting blankets, placing flowers, and checking the monitors again and again, even when she knew they were stable.

They talked to Celeste every day. Even if her eyes barely opened. Even if her answers never came.

For five days, she drifted in and out of a light sleep. Sometimes her eyelids fluttered, sometimes she smiled faintly at the sound of their voices.

Henry would tease her about old memories, Margaret would brush her hair, and Charles would read from the newspaper even when she couldn't respond.

And every time Celeste's lips curved, no matter how faint, the entire family felt a small burst of hope.

Aveline never left the mansion. She handled everything on phone calls. Alaric chose to stay with them, sometimes going to the office or attending to work from the Laurent mansion. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

It had already been a week since they silently moved into the Laurent mansion.

Henry couldn't believe there existed a man who could arrange all his work just for his daughter. He had no complaints watching Alaric silently take care of not just Aveline, but them too when required.

Friends and relatives came throughout the week, sitting by Celeste's bedside, talking to her softly even when she didn't wake, filling the room with familiar voices she had loved all her life.

...

On the Seventh Day,

Though it had been more than 36 hours since Celeste woke up or made any movements, the Laurents didn't give up or panic.

At night, Celeste's room was dim and quiet. Sending Henry and Margaret to rest, Aveline sat beside her grandmother, gently stroking the back of her thin hand.

"Grandmother, isn't this the song grandfather always heard? How did it become your favorite, too?" she mused.

She had been playing Celeste's favorite old song on her phone—soft violin, mellow piano.

Alaric pushed the door open, leaning against the frame for a moment as he listened.

"That's a nice song," he murmured.

Aveline smiled faintly. "You know, this is Grandfather's favorite. He used to play it every Sunday, and Grandmother eventually fell in love with it."

Alaric stepped toward her, slipped a hand around her waist, and without warning, lifted her lightly into a slow sway.

Aveline let out a soft giggle. "What are you doing?"

"Dancing," he said simply, guiding her gently as the melody floated around them.

She chuckled at his response and danced to the music with him.

After a minute or two, he suddenly stilled. He leaned in a little, eyes fixed on the bed. "Sunshine," he whispered, "Grandmother is waking up."

Aveline spun around, breath caught. Celeste's eyelids twitched. Slowly, they opened.

Aveline hurried to her bedside, beaming. "Hello…"

That single word was soft, warm, full of love—and it made Celeste smile. Not weakly but beautifully, like she had been waiting to hear it.

Alaric helped raise the upper part of the bed, then quietly went to the doors to call the others.

Celeste lifted her shaky hand slowly and touched Aveline's cheek, then caressed it.

Her voice was a whisper made of breath, but it reached right into Aveline's heart. "You've changed your fate, sweetheart… don't fear the future anymore."

Aveline's eyes instantly filled. She leaned down, gently hugging her grandmother. "I love you, Grandmother… thank you… thank you for everything…" Her voice was soft; it carried nothing but warmth and love.

Footsteps rushed in—Henry, Margaret, Charles. They paused at the sight of Celeste reaching out for Alaric, who was standing beside Aveline.

For a moment, a tiny moment, Alaric was frozen before reaching out to hold Celeste's frail hands.

Celeste smiled at him before her eyes softened… then slowly closed.

Alaric softly tucked her hands into the duvet. Aveline gently let go of Celeste as she chirped, "Should we replay the song?" She replayed the song.

Then she met her father's gaze, zeroed in on Celeste, Charles's eyes narrowing at the monitoring machine, and Margaret's silent tears.

They watched Celeste's soft smile on her face as she drifted back into her sleep… deep sleep… peaceful, serene, as though giving her final blessing before letting go.

The room was silent except for quiet breaths, soft sniffles, and the faint lingering melody of her favorite song.

They didn't wail or collapse when Celeste left them. They dressed her in her favorite ivory dress, placed fresh lilies by her hands, and whispered their goodbyes the way she lived her life—quietly, with grace.

The next day, the ceremony was simple, soft-spoken, held in the garden she loved, surrounded by the people she cherished.

Later that evening, when the guests left and the house finally settled, Henry took Margaret's hand and said quietly, "We'll stay here."

Margaret nodded, eyes still moist but steady. "The home shouldn't feel empty. Not now."

Aveline wanted to stay in the Laurent mansion for a few more days. She wanted to sit with her parents, walk through the quiet hallways Celeste loved. But the calls from Grace & Bloom wouldn't stop. Missed call after missed call.

Henry finally took her phone, placed it in her hand, and spoke with the firmness only a father could. "Lina, stop delaying," he said. "Face it. Even if you shut the business down or build it again from scratch, you decide that. But holding it off won't change anything."

Aveline looked at him, soft-eyed, tired, but still standing. She nodded. "Okay, Dad."

The next morning, she woke early and left for work.

....

At Grace & Bloom

It looked different. Maybe it was the silence. Or maybe it was the weight in her chest as she stepped inside. She paused at the entrance, letting her gaze travel across the place she had built from nothing. Every color, every corner, every design had been something she selected with care and dreams.

Seeing it on the verge of collapse felt like watching a house she built burn down twice. But delaying wouldn't save anyone. Her people were depending on her.

She walked the entire office quietly, touching the desks, glancing at the design boards, running her fingers over the catalogues. One last round before making the hardest decision.