CHAPTER 170: AN APOLOGY

At Lancaster Mansion

President Lucien Astor arrived at the Lancaster mansion with his entourage, but the Lancaster security refused to let Lucien’s security enter the mansion. Nevertheless, his security stayed behind when Lucien entered the mansion.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed at the man clad in a tailored business suit, sitting on the couch without bothering to move his gaze toward him despite his position and power.

Edward had been informed of Lucien’s arrival through his secretary and had cancelled his meetings to remain at the mansion.

Isabella stood up with her trained smile. Whatever might be happening between Alaric and the Astors, she chose to be respectful to the father of their daughter-in-law. She greeted him, "President Astor, how are you doing?"

Lucien ignored Isabella and fixed his eyes on Edward. The latter had never treated him this way, and he could see where Alaric got his arrogance from.

Edward’s jaw clenched when he didn’t hear Lucien’s response to his wife. Yet he closed the file as if he had only just realized Lucien’s arrival after hearing his wife speak.

His voice unreadable, "President Astor," he said, passing the file to his secretary and signaling him to leave. "Is this a surprise visit to see your daughter?" He barely expressed his emotions.

"Chairman Lancaster, playing dumb doesn’t suit you." Lucien’s tone was hard and his voice low.

Edward’s lips curled sharply as he extended his hand toward his wife, though his gaze stayed on Lucien.

As Isabella took his hand in confusion, Edward’s tone changed. "When you just played dumb to the greetings of my wife, why can’t I play dumb to the mess of your life?"

Isabella remained silent, surprised. Edward was always protective of her, but she hadn’t expected him to stand for her when the situation with both Alaric and the Astors was spiraling out of control.

Lucien fell silent as well. Edward’s actions and words instantly reminded him of another man.

Alaric Lancaster.

Lucien had always found Edward to be cordial, amiable, and diplomatic. It was the first time he witnessed how protective Edward was of his wife. Irrespective of how many decades they had been married, ready to offend anybody for her sake.

Why were Lancaster men so obsessed with their women?

Now, Lucien doubted if Edward would play into his manipulation to hold the leash on Alaric and his actions.

But of course, triggering Edward would do him no good. So he turned to Isabella, "My apologies, Chairwoman De’Conti. I didn’t mean to ignore you. I’m just stressed."

"I understand," Isabella responded with composure.

"It won’t be tolerated next time," Edward’s voice followed immediately as he pointed to the couch for Lucien to sit.

Lucien almost realized he had made a mistake meeting them. Though diplomatic, if Edward could be so protective of his wife, he wondered how protective he could be of Alaric.

"Things are going out of hand," Lucien started.

Edward smoothly interrupted him, "Exactly. Beg for forgiveness before it’s too late."

"Edward Lancaster!" Lucien roared, springing to his feet. His pride would never let him ask for forgiveness, much less beg.

Edward merely looked at the man who had lost his temper with just those words. If Lucien couldn’t handle hearing it from his mouth, Lucien would throw up blood if he heard it from Alaric, or worse, from Aveline’s mouth.

Isabella’s cold voice slashed through the air, "Mind your tone, President Astor." Lucien could be the president of the Country, she wouldn’t let him behave as he pleases in her place.

"Mom..." It was a loud voice from the stairs.

Nicholas rushed downstairs, looking angry, his voice almost raised, but the sight of Edward toned him down. "You are disrespecting my father-in-law." His tone was carefully measured.

Isabella and Edward: "..."

The silence deepened for longer than necessary. The click of heels was muted on the carpet as Seraphina came downstairs.

They had rushed downstairs because they heard her father scream at Edward. It was almost hilarious to watch Nicholas getting angry at Isabella. However, Seraphina hated how Nicholas buried his emotions in front of Edward.

"Dad... are you alright?" Seraphina said as if she wanted both Lucien’s and Edward’s attention, since she addressed Edward as Dad, too.

However, Edward didn’t spare her a glance, as if he knew her scheme.

Everything was happening because of Seraphina. Though his blood boiled and his rage roared, Lucien just nodded at his daughter. He hadn’t told his family members about the files Alaric had sent him. He wondered how much the others were aware of the situation.

"You should be the last person to be talking about disrespect here, Nick," Edward shot him a glare. As a person who was a link between both families, he should be the one managing the situation.

If anything, Edward realized Isabella’s sacrifices, her love for Nicholas, and her silent tears had earned nothing in return. Nicholas didn’t just dislike Alaric, he also didn’t like Isabella, even when he always took advantage of her. And though Alaric had lifted the restraining order, he preferred Isabella to be away from his life.

Nick could only grit his teeth. He would rather run into a wall than argue with his father when things were heated. His father would leave them with nothing if he triggered him.

Seraphina tugged her father to sit as she asked, "What is happening?" Though she looked calm and composed, she hadn’t dared tell anybody that Aveline didn’t fear her.

Lucien finally broke the silence, his gaze locked on Edward. "Just as you’re protective of your wife, Chairman Lancaster, my wife was protective of our family. Out of anger, she slapped Aveline. What’s the big deal in that?"

The words landed like a rock thrown in still water. Isabella’s hand froze on Edward’s sleeve. Even he blinked once, not out of shock, but because the stupidity of the statement took a moment to register.

A hush fell over the room.

First, Astors used media against Aveline, vandalism in her office, and then she was slapped. How was that a simple thing?

Edward leaned back, his voice cutting sharply, "The big deal, Lucien Astor, is that you should be grateful Alaric is staying quiet. Because if he wasn’t, this wouldn’t end with an apology."

That froze the air. Even Seraphina’s expression cracked for an instant. She glanced at her father, but Lucien’s expression was carved with stone pride. He wouldn’t show fear here, not in Lancaster territory.

Edward’s voice dropped lower, dangerous and calm. "If it were me, I wouldn’t stop until I wiped that family from history."

His words were like knives cutting across the air, their weight sinking into everyone present. Nicholas flinched first. Seraphina stilled. Isabella didn’t so much as blink.

Lucien understood the meaning behind those words. It was a silent declaration that Edward wasn’t going to help them convince Alaric. He was siding with Aveline.

Seraphina’s voice cut the silence with carefully measured words. "Mom was angry. Aveline Laurent could forgive her as the younger one."

Isabella suddenly laughed. It wasn’t warm but contemptuous. The smile that followed chilled, more than Edward’s threats. "Forgive? Tell me, Seraphina, hasn’t Aveline Laurent already shown her kindness to Dahlia Astor?"

Seraphina’s fingers curled slightly, but her smile didn’t falter.

Edward continued smoothly, his tone almost conversational. "Do you know why Ric and Henry Laurent are staying quiet instead of digging graves?" He continued with the answer to his question, "It’s because of the kindness of Aveline Laurent."

Seraphina’s chest rose in a subtle, steady breath. Avelien Laurent!? The couple in front of her hardly met Aveline, yet their unconditional support for her was unbelievable.

Isabella’s voice followed, softer but merciless: "And now it’s time the Astors learn to repent their actions and apologize before it’s too late."

Nicholas’s hand tightened around his phone in his pocket. He couldn’t stand the way the situation was turning, couldn’t digest the thought of his wife’s family bowing to Alaric and Isabella. Slipping aside, he pressed the phone to his ear.

Edward’s eyes flicked to his son with a hint of disdain. Nicholas sensed the gaze but waited for Alaric to answer his call.

Lucien had clenched his jaw so tight it looked painful. He hadn’t told Nicholas or Seraphina about the files Alaric had dropped into his lap, and now Nicholas was inviting the wolf to their door.

Lucien’s tone was deceptively measured, but every syllable carried the weight. "I went to meet him," he said at last, his voice low yet cutting through the air.

"Not only did Alaric Lancaster keep me waiting as if I were some ordinary man, but when he finally arrived, he treated me with ridicule I do not tolerate. A man who thinks himself untouchable."

He let the words linger, his gaze shifting deliberately toward the couple before him.

"Perhaps Lancasters have forgotten what it means to stand against a president of the country. Forgotten how swiftly power can turn when I choose a target. Should I remind everyone?"

His eyes narrowed, glinting with cold amusement. "Or should I take action against Aveline Laurent instead?" It was a pure threat.

He snickered, "Sometimes, one must bow, even when they are not wrong, even when they are the victim. Because power does not wait for fairness."

Lucien leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping low to a threat. "So tell me, Chairman Lancaster, who should be apologizing now?"

The question hung in the air, poisonous and heavy.

Edward’s expression didn’t so much as twitch. The audacity of the Astors was unbelievable. What if he was tied as an in-law? Alaric wasn’t.

He reached for his phone, dialed with deliberate ease, and when the line clicked open, his tone was light, almost amused.

"Ric," Edward said smoothly. "Lucien Astor believes you owe him an apology. In fact, he expects you to bow to his power and ignore the fairness. You should come here and give him a respectful response."

He ended the call after hearing the response. Sliding the phone back into his pocket, he turned his head toward Lucien with a smirk that cut sharper than a knife.

"Be prepared," Edward murmured, each word slow and deliberate, "for an apology."