Revenge In Repose (Valerie and Aiden) novel Chapter 37

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Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Brody and Aiden were both part of the Walker family, but they couldn’t have looked more different.

Where Aiden exuded a cold, reserved aura, Brody, though handsome, carried himself with an air of careless charm, unmistakably the type of man who lived a hedonistic lifestyle.

As he approached Valerie, his face was all apologies. “I’m sorry, Valerie,” he said, with a sincere smile. “I may have come off a little harsh when I first arrived, but I didn’t mean anything bad by it. Please, let me make it up to you.”

He raised his glass in a toast toward her, grinning with a striking handsomeness. “Just do me a favor and let me off the hook, okay?”

With a light, amused smile, Valerie replied, “It’s all just a misunderstanding.”

“But I really feel bad about it,” Brody continued, his tone almost dramatic. “If you don’t forgive me, I’ll feel guilty for a long time. Sigh…”

Valerie smiled, half in amusement, half in disbelief. “Brody, you’re truly making a mountain out of a molehill. It’s nothing to forgive.”

Brody sighed dramatically. “Well, since you’re so kind, let me just have one more drink with you, okay? Let’s drink and forget all about it. It’ll make me feel better.”

Valerie raised an eyebrow and glanced around. Brody didn’t seem to care who was watching, as if he wanted to show off in front of everyone.

With so many eyes on them, Brody couldn’t afford to make a scene. If Valerie refused to drink now, it would make her seem unreasonable. So, she took the glass and downed it.

Brody, satisfied, quickly moved on.

But Valerie knew exactly what they were up to.

One by one, more young people approached, all smiling with what seemed like genuine interest, offering her drinks. It became clear–this was a deliberate strategy, a full–on attempt to get her drunk.

Valerie grew more cautious. After a few drinks, she politely claimed she was done, but her refusal only led to an immediate shift in the atmosphere.

One man, his face suddenly turning sour, snapped, “You drank when, others offered, but now you won’t drink from me? You think my family’s power isn’t as strong as theirs, so you’re too good for me?”

The moment the words left his mouth, others around them jumped in, as if rehearsed, each chiming in with their own accusations.

“Why is it okay for everyone else to offer drinks, but not for us?”

“You’re looking down on me just because I’m not as powerful as the others?”

With each remark, the group’s criticism of Valerie grew louder and more pointed, shifting the blame onto her, accusing her of being ungrateful, of playing games, of using her family’s influence to make others feel small.

Seeing the situation escalating, Kelly’s anxiety spiked. She rushed to find an elder to intervene and rescue Valerie from the mounting pressure.

By this time, Valerie had already drunk more than enough.

Sariah happened to pass by, and she helped Kelly guide Valerie to the rest area.

Frustrated, Kelly muttered, “This isn’t about making friends. They clearly want to get you drunk on purpose.”

Valerie, though, wasn’t unaware. She grabbed Sariah’s arm and replied quietly, “They’ve already said it. If we don’t drink, it’ll just make things worse. There are so many of them. One by one, their words and stares could crush us. Don’t forget, there are plenty of relatives watching, waiting for a chance to bring my brother down.”

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13:36 Wed, 4 Jun D

Chapter 37

Valerie’s head was spinning. The more she tried to focus, the less clear everything seemed. She could barely make sense of what the people around her were saying.

It wasn’t until Sariah leaned in, speaking softly to both her and Kelly, that Valerie’s senses sharpened. “This whole drinking game was Renata’s Idea She definitely wants to get you drunk. But do you remember if anyone who offered you drinks was Billy or Alonso?”

The names rang through Valerie’s mind like a loud bell.

She especially remembered, from her previous life, how Renata had stolen Kelly’s fiancé, leaving Kelly heartbroken. In her sorrow, Kelly had gone to a bar to drown her sorrows, only to be drugged by someone she trusted.

That night had marked the beginning of Kelly’s downward spiral, and eventually, it was too much for her to bear. She couldn’t escape the trauma, and it led to her tragic suicide.