Chapter 296


    The next morning. Evadne was still in a daze, barely awake.


    Suddenly, she bolted upright in bed, her eyes wide open!


    The room was a blend of ck, white, and grey. The air was filled with an aroma that seemed to calm


    her nerves and rx her body. “A man’s room, Avery?”


    The realization hit her like a sucker punch, causing a sharp pain in her head.


    She remembered arguing with Thaddeusst night, but everything else was a blur, like missing scenes


    from a drunken night.


    Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly got up and left the room.


    Downstairs in the kitchen, Avery was dressed in a pristine white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows,


    preparing breakfast for Evadne


    The warm morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow on his handsome face,


    making him look like a beautifully colored painting.


    He often cooked without wearing an apricot.


    He never wore the same suit twice


    “Mr. Avery


    Upon hearing Evadne’s cold voice, Avery looked up, his eyes filled with warmth, “Good morning,


    Evadne How do you feel?”


    “Mr. Avery,st night?”


    “Evadne, we agreed, didn’t we? Call me Ave”


    Avery’s voice was tinged with mild annoyance, his hands never ceased their work, “You fainted in my


    housest night due to low blood sugar and emotional stress. Don’t worry, I didn’t touch you while you


    were sleeping in my room.”


    “I know” Evadne massaged her temples, exhausted. She was no innocent girl


    She wasn’t sure about the low blood sugar, but she did remember feeling terriblest night Memories


    she’d rather forget still haunted her, causing an unbearable pain with the slightest touch.


    She hadn’t expected such a violent reaction, enough to make her faint.


    “Breakfast is ready, Evadne. Come and eat, Avery gently urged, arranging the dishes neatly


    It was as if they were a newly married couple, with the husband cooking breakfast for his sleep loving


    wife.


    Tm not hungry. Thanks for the offer.”


    Staying overnight at a man’s house she barely knew was improper enough, so she wouldn’t have


    breakfast here


    She wasn’t that kind of woman.


    “Thank you for your hospitality. I have to go.”


    Then Evadne bit her lip nervously and headed for the door.


    Avery’s heart clenched as he followed her, “Evadne, did I upset you?”


    “No, I’m just notfortable spending the night at a man’s house I barely know, let alone having a


    meal. It’s not my style,” Evadne replied, her voice distant and her smile perfunctory


    Avery’s heart ached. Why was it that Thaddeus could get so close to her, even hold her, but he couldn’t


    even have her for breakfast?


    Just then, Evadne’s phone rang. It was Cassius.


    “Hello, Cassius.”


    “Evadne, Arnold, Aaron, Jason, and I are outside Avery’s vi, Cassius’s voice rumbled like distant


    thunder


    Without saying anything more, he conveyed a sense of both security and pressure.


    “Cassius, I’m fine. You guys are really making a big deal out of this.” Evadne rubbed her throbbing


    temples, picturing the army of cars outside.


    “A big deal? Evadne, you spent the night at another mar’s house! We were all worried! Arnold’s voice


    was hoarse from shouting.


    Tvadne did that Chambers boy touch you? Was it consensual or did he trick you? I’ve got handcuffs


    ready for him!” Aaron was ready to burst into action, assuming the


    worst


    Calm down Everyone, calm down!”


    Evadne humedly put on her high heels and rushed out the door


    Outside a fleet of luxury cars had surrounded Avery’s vi


    “Miss Evade


    Jason was the first to rush to her, his hands gripping her shoulders, his eyes filled with tears, “Are you


    okay? Did Avery do anything to you?”


    “Who dares to mess with me? Aren’t they afraid of the Ashbourne Group wiping them out? Evadne


    thought they were all overreacting


    “Evader”


    Her three brothers also crowded around her Seeing that she seemed normal and her clothes were in


    order, they all breathed a sigh of relief


    “Cassius, Arnold Good morning”


    Avery approached them with a friendly smile. He looked at Aaron, “Hello, Aaron. It seems the police


    station isn’t as busy as I thought”


    Aaron clenched his teeth, wishing he could handcuff Avery night them and then


    Arnold was also angry. “Don’t call me Arnold We’re not that close. Call me Mr Ashbourne or Prosecutor


    Arnold


    “True, I haven’t been back home for a long time Our friendship from our younger days has indeed


    faded”


    Avery didn’t seem bothered by their hostility He looked at Evadne, “No matter how you see me, my


    feelings for Evadne have never changed”


    !?


    This was the second time Avery had hidden their beloved sister from them.


    Even though he hadn’t done anything, his actions were challenging the brothers‘ patience!


    “Cassius, Arnold, let’s go home.” Noticing the tense atmosphere, Evadne stepped forward, tugging at


    Cassius and Arnold’s sleeves, signaling them with her eyes.


    “You two take Evadne home.”


    Cassius’s handsome face hardened. He held his sister’s hand gently. “Mr. Avery, can we have a word?”


    Avery smiled, “Of course, Cassius


    Evadne tried to persuade Cassius to no avail, finally escorted to the car by her two older brothers and


    Jason


    As the car was about to depart, she nced out the window and her heart skipped a beat


    There, on the snow–covered roadside, was a dried pool of blood. It was a chilling sight!


    Inside the vi, the atmosphere was tense.


    Cassius sat upright on the sofa, his long legs crossed, and his demeanor stern.


    His gaze at Avery was not as friendly as before.


    “Cassius, care for some tea?” Avery personally offered.


    “No need for formalities, I have a few things to say and then I’ll be on my way”


    Cassius checked his watch, his expression cold. “Mr. Avery, I know my sister well. She would never


    casually spend the night at a man’s house, not even once since she was a child. And yet,st night,


    she stayed here. You owe me an exnation”


    “You wouldn’t let Evadne stay, but you supported her secret marriage. For three years you kept it from


    Mr. Emeric, letting her suffer in a loveless marriage,” Avery replied. maintaining his calm demeanor.


    Cassius was taken aback, “Are these the same? Are you switching the topic? Evadne’s marriage to


    Thaddeus was her own choice. As her brother, I may not agree, but I respect her decision. But you, Mr.


    Avery, you’re different.”


    Avery’s calm facade tensed


    “I know Evadne doesn’t have feelings for you. Pressuring her will only push her away, and I will have to


    reconsider my opinion of you.”


    Avery adjusted his sses, a faint smile on his face.


    “Last night, I simply invited Evadne over for dinner. My mother and I enjoyed our time with her


    Later, Thaddeus called, and whatever he said upset Evadne so much she fainted” Avery recalled the


    previous night, his eyes filled with anger.


    Cassius listened, his eyebrow raised in doubt.


    He believed Avery wasn’t lying, but he couldn’t fully trust him either.


    “Even so, you had no right to let Evadne stay overnight without informing us. As her older brother, I


    have to protect Evadne. You’ve crossed a line, Avery


    Cassius stood up slowly, an intimidating aura surrounding him. “Mr. Avery, even though you have


    feelings for Evadne and our fathers are old friends, I’m here to tell you clearly. You can be friends with


    Evadne, but not her lover, I don’t agree, and neither does my father. You’ll never be part of the


    Ashbourne family.”


    Just as Cassius was about to leave, Avery chuckled, “President Ashbourne, one day Evadne will be my


    wife. You’ll all be eating our wedding cake.”


    “If you and Evadne ever get married, it must be in your dreams.”


    With a scoff, Cassius strode out.


    The moment the door closed, Avery’s smile faded into a cold stare.


    He thought. “Do I need your approval for anything I do? What a joke”


    At that moment, his phone rang. It was his secretary.


    “Mr. Chambers, I have two things to report. First, Miss Edith is returning from abroad.”


    Avery smirked, “And what’s the second?”


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “You asked me to look into Thaddeus’s health. I couldn’t find much, but I did discover he was seriously


    injuredst month and hospitalized at Elmsworth Second Hospital He was discharged after a couple of


    days”


    “That’s enough. Knowing he was severely injured is plenty Avery raised an eyebrow in interest


    “Mr Chambers, what’s your next move? his secretary asked cautiously


    “I want him dead” Avery’s eyes were filled with malice


    “It’s a shame this isn’t happening in our territory If it was in Helgen, you’d have Thaddeus chopped up


    and fed to the dogs by now” The secretary sighed.


    “Anyway I will kill him eventually I have all the patience in the world”