The barrage of questions left Nicolette speechless. All she could do was shake her head desperately.
I watched her pathetic performance with cold indifference. In my past life, this very act had fooled me into believing she'd made an innocent mistake.
That was why the first thing I did after being reborn was check my family's security footage.
The footage showed Nicolette skillfully unclipping Marshal's collar and luring him out of the house with a pre-prepared meat-scented rope.
When the nanny rushed after them, Nicolette brushed her off with an excuse. "Astrid asked me to take Marshal out for a walk."
She hadn't been clueless at all.
She had planned the whole thing from the start.
Only now did Darius realize just how serious this was.
He wasn't stupid. No one knew better than him what a First-Class Military Merit Medal truly represented.
This wasn't something money could fix.
Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead and he forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace.
"Sir, we truly mishandled the situation."
He lowered his posture, trying to appear humble.
"We're willing to apologize, to offer compensation. Just name your price. The Flint Family won't argue."
Once again, he tried to use money to solve the problem. It was the method he relied on most and frankly, the only one he was familiar with.
Alaric stared at him with eyes full of scorn and contempt.
"Compensation? What could you possibly offer? Will you trade your life for the lives of the hundreds of soldiers I lost?"
He took a step forward, the sheer force of his presence making Darius instinctively retreat.
"Do you even know the crime you're committing by desecrating a military medal?"
Darius's lips trembled. He couldn't get a single word out.
"Darius …"
Nicolette tugged at his sleeve timidly, her voice shaking uncontrollably.
"We ... we should call the police!"
Call the police?
I almost laughed out loud.
She probably thought this was just a regular civil dispute.
Darius, as if grasping a lifeline, immediately pulled out his phone.
Alaric watched him coldly but didn't move to stop him.
The call soon connected.
As if he had finally found some sense of control, Darius raised his voice into the phone. "Hello? I want to report a crime! Someone has trespassed into my private residence and is threatening me!"
He exaggerated the situation wildly, trying to paint Alaric as some kind of violent thug abusing his power.
The operator on the other end listened patiently.
Finally, they asked just one question. "Sir, may I have your current location?"
Darius gave the address.
There was a brief silence on the line before the dispatcher replied in a professional yet slightly odd tone. "Sir, we've noted your situation. However, the area you're in has just been declared a temporary military-controlled zone. Local law enforcement has no jurisdiction here."
"What?"
Darius's voice shot up an octave.
"A temporary military-controlled zone? Are you kidding me?"
"Beep, beep, beep."
The only reply was the busy signal of a disconnected call.
Still holding his phone, Darius stood there in a daze, the color draining completely from his face.
Now he understood. This wasn't a game he could control. He had messed with someone far beyond his reach. His head snapped toward me, his eyes wide with terror and disbelief.
"Astrid, you … "
I watched his panic with icy calm.
This was only the beginning.
I will make you all pay a thousand times over for the pain you caused me in a past life.
Alaric took out his phone and dialed a number. His tone had regained the astonishing, clipped precision of a military man.
"This is Davenport Military District's disciplinary unit, right? I'm Alaric Stroud."
"Location is Yverdon Bay Area, Building A, Jenswick City. A serious case of insulting a decorated war hero has taken place here."
"Yes, it's extremely vile in nature."
"Send personnel over immediately. Lock down the scene and detain everyone involved."
"And inform Victor Flint, the chairman of Flint Enterprise. Tell him to get his ass over here now!"
After hanging up, Alaric turned his gaze back to Darius. The look in his eyes was as if he were staring at a dead man.
"Kid, didn't you want to know who I am?"
"Well, I'll tell you now."
"Davenport Military District, Alaric Stroud."
"Marshal was a soldier I personally handed over to Astrid's father."
