Chapter 330
Chapter 330
Evadne could tell by the grimace on Hamilton’s face that she was treading on hallowed ground within
the Abernathy family history.
She knew better than to delve any deeper, but this matter concerned Thaddeus and she couldn’t keep
herself from prying. Without a hint of subtlety, she blurted out, “Grandpa, is there some sort of tension
between Mr. Thaddeus and Mr. Chad? Is it rted to the kidnapping incident from their childhood?”
Hamilton’s eyes widened in shock and he stared at her, “Are you aware of the kidnapping?”
I’m sorry, Grandpa. I didn’t mean to pry.”
Evadne’s throat felt dry as she softly continued, “Thaddeus mentioned something about his older
brother. He said he would tell me about it when the time was right. He didn’t want to keep anything
hidden from me. At that time, I resisted knowing the truth but I was intrigued. I couldn’t help it.”
Hamilton listened, a smile spreading across his face as he saw the blush creeping up her cheeks. It
was as if that shy little girl from years past had returned, dissipating the gloom that had hung over him.
This was a good sign.
It meant that Evadne was no longer resistant towards Thaddeus and was even showing a curiosity
towards him. Their rtionship was definitely improving!
“na, if Thaddeus is willing to share his past with you, it means he truly trusts you. He’s opening up his
heart to you.”
Hamilton sighed heavily, the pain of the past still evident on his face, “My two grandsons were
kidnapped by a notorious group of criminals who were infamous for their heinous deeds: drug
trafficking, murder, bank robberies. They’ve kidnapped numerous heirs of wealthy families across the
country.”
“I know, you’re referring to the notorious gang leader, Morgan, aren’t you?”
Evadne had heard about the Morgan gang. Aviana had told her about it.
Morgan used to be a henchman under Aviana’s father’s control, but due to his insatiable ambition, he
left the organization and started his own criminal empire.
Back then, Morgan was audacious and brazen. He even taunted the police, vowing to retire only after
umting a fortune of ten billion dors. When Morgan was arrested eighteen years ago, it was a
cause for national celebration. But Morgan showed no remorse. He even smiled for the cameras! It was
infuriating to say the least.
Aviana once mentioned that her father’s biggest regret was not eliminating Morgan when he had the
chance.
“Yes.”
Hamilton sighed, “Despite our best efforts and precautions, Morgan managed to kidnap my grandsons!”
As Evadne listened, a chill ran down her spine, “And what happened after that?”
“After Thaddeus and Chad were kidnapped, they demanded a ransom of two hundred million dors. A
hundred million for each child! Back then, that amount was equivalent to one billion today! But I didn’t
hesitate and prepared the ransom. Nothing mattered more than my grandsons! But Morgan was
cunning. He kept changing the drop–off location, ying us for fools! Thaddeus and Chad were held
captive for half a month and we didn’t dare alert the authorities!”
Hamilton lowered his gaze, shaking his head in pain, “Eventually, Thaddeus managed to escape. He
was just eleven years old at the time. I never thought he would make it out.”
“Did he escape on his own?”
Evadne was shocked, “How could he have escaped from so many ruthless kidnappers at such a young
age? He must’ve had help, right?”
“Yes. Chad helped him.”
Evadne took a sharp intake of breath.
‘Chad was a fifteen–year–old teenager then. He was taller and stronger than Thaddeus.”
But he was just a teenager, unarmed and ill–prepared to deal with hardened criminals. How did he
manage to distract the kidnappers and help his brother escape?
Evadne was filled with questions, but she only asked, “Grandpa, how did Mr. Chad manage to
escape?”
“We paid Morgan the two hundred million dors. Half a monthter, Chad was found naked, dumped
outside the gates of Windermere Estate.” Hamilton’s face turned ashen, his lips trembling, “When the
boy came back, he was barely alive. His body was covered in blood and he had been tortured. His
health waspletely ruined.”
“Why? Evadne asked in astonishment.
“Weter found out from Chad that after helping Thaddeus escape, he had enraged Morgan and his
gang. But since they hadn’t received the ransom yet, they couldn’t kill him. So they used him as a
punching bag. They starved him, beat him up and locked him in a sealed shipping container. Chad was
beaten and deprived of oxygen for so long that by the time he was admitted to the hospital, all his
organs were failing. We barely managed to save him! Even now, Chad’s health is fragile and his
immune system is weak. Many times, he has to rely on a wheelchair to get around. We failed him.”
Now, Evadne understood.
This was the source of Thaddeus‘ guilt towards his brother and why Frederic was so harsh towards
him.
When Thaddeus was young, he escaped the kidnappers with the help of his older brother. But because
of that, his brother became a cripple. Thaddeus must have carried that guilt and burden all these years,
which was why he tolerated Frederic’s harsh treatment. He wanted to repay his brother’s sacrifice.
“Listen, na, don’t mention any of this to Thaddeus, alright? If he doesn’t bring it up, just y dumb,”
Hamilton implored, his voiceced with worry and
concern.
Evadne smiled gently, a reassuring presence. “Don’t worry, Grandpa. I understand.”
“But na, do you think less of Thaddeus now? Do you see him as a man who only cares about his
own survival, without considering his brother?” Hamilton’s voice was heavy, his eyes filled with sorrow.
A pang of sadness washed over Evadne as she moved to sit beside Hamilton,ying her warm hand
on his cool, aged one.
“Grandpa, I never looked down on Thaddeus. If I did, I wouldn’t have married him. He was just as much
a victim in the kidnapping as his brother. The only difference is that Thaddeus was fortunate enough to
have a brother who was willing to sacrifice for him, and the grace of God to return safely to you. I feel
sorry for what happened to his elder brother. But that doesn’t make Thaddeus deserving of scorn or
me. I believe that Thaddeus, in his youth, wanted to save his brother too. He just didn’t have the
ability to do so then, and I’m sure he’s med himself for a long time.”
Hamilton was deeply moved by her words. He hugged Evadne tightly, whispering, “Oh na, with you
by Thaddeus’s side, I can rest easy. Even if I’m not here one day, I know he’ll be in good hands with
you.”
Evadne was speechless, her cheeks flushed as she struggled to find the words. Instead, she just
patted Hamilton’s back gently.
1
After finishing his medical check–up and receiving an IV drip, Thaddeus noticed that it was already
dark outside.
Jareth heard Mari’s stomach rumbling and knew that she must be hungry but too shy to say
anything. He decided to bid Thaddeus and Evadne farewell.
“I need to go home and cook for Mari,” Jareth said, wrapping his arm around Mari’s waist. They
were so close that they seemed inseparable. Thaddeus choked on his water at the mention of Jareth
cooking. “Jareth, are you sure you’re thinking straight? If something’s wrong with your head, have
Evadne check it immediately. Don’t keep my sister waiting.”
Evadne looked at Jareth, who was showing off his love to Mari, with a smirk. Did you decide to
be a chef after years of debauchery? It’s simr to a prostituté turning over a new leaf, pretty
admirable.”
“I’m a bit nervous. It’s my first time cooking,” Jareth confessed. He had never cooked before in his life,
he didn’t even know what the kitchen in the Fairhaven mansion looked like.
“Jareth, don’t push yourself too hard,” Mari said, tugging at his sleeve with concern.
Evadne rolled her eyes, clearly not trusting Jareth’s cooking skills. “If you want to kill yourself, you can.
Just don’t drag Mari into it.”
Thaddeus kept his lips pursed, offering a piece of advice. “If the oil in the pan catches fire, remember to
turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Don’t try to extinguish the fire with water.”
“I’ll remember that,” Mari replied, raising her hand obediently.
Jareth was visibly annoyed. “I am not an idiot, you guys! I am a learned man. I know how to handle a
kitchen!”
Before Evadne could respond, Jareth scooped Mari into his arms and dashed out of the room.
The room was quiet again, filled with an awkward yet intimate atmosphere.
It was awkward, ambiguous and sour.
Thaddeus hadn’t been able to shower due to his injuries, so the room had a sour smell.
Despite his odor, Thaddeus was still an incredibly handsome man, even with his hair disheveled.
Evadne cleared her throat to diffuse the tension, her voice calm and steady. “Since it’s just us, let’s talk
about something serious.”
Thaddeus’s voice was low and gravelly, his gaze intense. “Do you mean you want to investigate the
man who tried to attack Mrs. Myra? You want to figure out why he did it, who he really is?”
Evadne’s eyes sparkled with determination and she nodded. “Yes.”
“Evadne, I can handle this. Once I’m discharged.”
“I can’t wait,” Evadne interrupted. “Do you know how badly this incident has affected Myra? How much
it has traumatized her? These past few days, I’ve been busy operating on you and haven’t had the time
to investigate. But I will find who’s behind this and make them pay.”
Thaddeus merely smiled, fully aware that she was capable of doing exactly that.
“Evadne, although you’re eager for revenge, it’s important to be patient. The one pulling the strings
behind the scenes won’t get away.”
Evadne bit her lip, her eyes shing with an array of emotions.
She had another reason to find the perpetrator, a reason she couldn’t voice out loud in front of
Thaddeus.
That man, the one who had tried to kill Thaddeus, had almost seeded. If she hadn’t been there,
Thaddeus might not have survived.
This thought had been tormenting her for days, making it hard for her to sleep or eat. She needed to
get revenge, or she might explode from the pent–up
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anger.
Thaddeus, even though you took the hit for Myra and me, this is still an issue that involves the
Ashbourne family. You should focus on your recovery and leave this issue to us.”
“It’s about the Ashbournes‘ affairs, but Evadne, I’m your man.” Thaddeus’s voice was husky, his
expression stern.
Evadne stared back at him, speechless.
“So, I will help you”
“Cut it out. I’m leaving.”
She couldn’t stand to listen to his nonsense any longer, this man’s words bing more and more
infuriating the more he spoke.
“Evadne! Don’t leave!”
Thaddeus was desperate, suddenly sitting up in bed, ready to chase after her.
But he got up so abruptly that he felt dizzy. A strong wave of nausea hit him out of nowhere.
Just as Thaddeus was about to fall off the bed, he suddenly caught a whiff of roses.
A pair of delicate yet strong arms firmly caught him.
“Evadne.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Thaddeus’s eyes reddened. He wrapped his arms around her in return,
burying his nose in her dark hair and inhaling her unique scent as if he was going crazy.
Before, she was within his reach.
Now, she was far away from him, filling him with regret.
Evadne was held so tightly she could hardly breathe.
She couldn’t understand how a man who just woke up from aa, who just had brain surgery, could
be so strong. It was beyondprehension!
“Thaddeus.”
Evadne pushed against his broad shoulders with all her might, but the man was immovable, as if cast
in iron.
“Stay away from me, you stink!”