Chapter 343


    Chapter 343


    Meanwhile, at the Fairhaven Estate.


    Just like Hamilton, Mr. Barry didn’t live with his sons, but had his own sprawling estate. It was a tad


    smaller than the Abernathy’s Windermere Estate, but it was still one of the top ten estates in the


    country.


    By now, the whole Fairhaven family, from the highest to the lowest, knew about the situation. Even the


    servants were gossiping about Edith’s scandal over their coffee breaks.


    Given that Thaddeus and the Abernathy family hadn’t said a peep about it, Edith came off like a woman


    who’d been used and discarded. The Fairhaven name was dragged through the mud with no dignity


    left.


    “Hey, has Ms. Edith arrived?” The maids huddled together, whispering.


    “She’s here, crying in Mr. Jareth’s study, oh dear. She’s really having a rough time!”


    “What’s the use of crying? As the Fairhaven heiress, how could she be so reckless? A woman’s


    reputation is everything. She’s been caught in an ambiguous situation with the CEO of Abernathy, her


    clothes all askew. Who would want such a woman?”


    “Thaddeus might. They were seen at a hotel together something must have happened. Now that it’s


    out, Thaddeus has to take responsibility!”


    “Hmph, I don’t see him stepping up. It’s clear he’s trying to shirk responsibility.”


    “Aren’t Mr. Jareth and Thaddeus friends? How awkward this will be.”


    “Shh! Quiet down, herees Mr. Gary!”


    The servants quickly retreated, bobbing curtsey as they greeted him, “Good day, Mr. Gary!”


    The man walking up the stairs, with his meticulouslybed hair and dapper navy blue suit, was none


    other than Barry Fairhaven’s second son, Jareth’s uncle, Gary Fairhaven.


    With a smile on his face, Gary passed by them, leaving a word of warning, “You gossiping hens, I may


    let it slide, but if my nephew hears you, beware your tongues.”


    The maids were silenced, shivering in fear.


    “Grandpa, Grandpa! You must stand up for me! I can’t face people anymore!”


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Edith flung herself into Barry’s arms, sobbing uncontrobly, her eyes swollen like little fishballs.


    “My dear granddaughter, don’t cry anymore! You’re gonna ruin your eyes!”


    Barry patted Edith’s trembling back, his own eyes filling with tears. “Don’t worry, your mother can’t


    handle this, Jareth can’t handle this, but I will!”


    “Dad, you’re absolutely right.”


    Gary strolled in, feigning seriousness. “Edith is my brother’s pride and joy, the apple of your eye. Now


    that she’s been mistreated by that Abernathy brat, we can’t just sit back.”


    :


    “Uncle Gary.” Edith cried even harder.


    “Gary, you know about this?” Barry looked troubled.


    “You know our stature in Elmsworth. Any whisper of scandal turns into a storm.”


    Gary lounged on the sofa, casually peeling an orange from a fruit bowl. “In my opinion, we should have


    Thaddeus marry Edith.”


    Barry’s thick white eyebrows shot up.


    Hearing this, a smile flickered on Edith’s lips as she hid in her grandfather’s arms.


    “Despite being an illegitimate child, Thaddeus will inherit the Abernathy Group. If Edith marries him,


    she’ll be thedy of Abernathy. It’s not a bad deal.” Gary popped an orange slice into his mouth.


    “Uncle Gary! What are you saying.” Edith’s cheeks burned red.


    “I’ve thought it all out. We’ll tell the media that Edith and the Abernathy boy have been seeing each


    other for a while. They didn’t want to use public resources, so they kept it private. It’s normal for young,


    unmarried people to have their own space. The public doesn’t need to make a fuss. Look how they’ve


    scared our Edith.”


    Gary owned entertainment and PR firms, so he was a pro at spinning tales and whitewashing scandals,


    “You truly have a way with words. Your ability to spin tales is truly exemry, a lesson for us all.”


    A mockingugh echoed in the room as Jareth strode into the study, his towering figure exuding an


    intimidating aura.


    “Jareth.” Edith shrank further into Barry’s arms.


    Gary’s smile froze for a moment, the orange in his hand squished. “Jareth, are you not in a good


    mood? Are you taking it out on your uncle as soon as you see me?”


    “Jareth, mind your manners when speaking to your elders.” Barry’s voice carried a hint of annoyance.


    Jareth lifted the corner of his lip in a cold sneer, his handsome face stern and icy. He sat down opposite


    Gary, smiling in a way that was both eerie and irresistibly charming. “Ever since you became CEO,


    Gary, you’ve been sticking your nose into every aspect of the business. Is it because you don’t have


    children of your own that you’re so keen to meddle in the marriage arrangements of Edith? Looking to


    live out your paternal fantasies, are you?”


    Gary felt as if someone had punched him in the throat. A surge of anger roared up inside him.


    Being childless was his lifelong regret, his eternal disgrace!


    Publicly, he med his wife, iming it had nothing to do with him. But only his wife knew the truth: he


    was impotent, unable to perform!


    But he couldn’t lose his temper in front of Barry, so he bottled up his rage, his eyes turning bloodshot.


    “Jareth! How dare you speak to your uncle like this? You’re being insolent!” Barry pped the armrest


    of the couch.


    “Grandpa, I was just kidding with Uncle Gary. He’s always been so good to me, he wouldn’t get mad at


    me, right?” Jareth immediately put on an act, grinning cheekily at Gary.


    It was so infuriatingly smug.


    Gary kept smiling, but inside, he had already ‘shot‘ this annoying nephew a thousand times over.


    “As for Edith’s marriage, Uncle Gary, you don’t need to worry about it. I’ll find a worthy suitor for Edith,


    but it definitely, absolutely, won’t be Thaddeus.”


    Jareth finished his sentence, emphasizing each word, and the atmosphere in the study instantly


    dropped.


    1


    Edith’s expression went from smug satisfaction to gloomy disappointment.


    “Jareth, I don’t understand what you’re saying. If Edith’doesn’t marry Mr. Thaddeus, then who should


    she marry?”


    Gary assumed a senior demeanor, his expression serjous, “With things having escted to this point, if


    the Abernathy Group refuses to ept Edith, it would be a direct insult to our Fairhaven Group, a clear


    message to our Fairhaven family, that even your own sister is nothing more than a ything for Mr.


    Thaddeus, to be discarded after he’s had his fun. Does he think our Fairhaven family are pushovers?”


    1


    Before he could finish, Edith burst into tears again, crying out, “Grandpa, Uncle Gary: I’m so ashamed!


    I might as well just die!”


    “Calm down, my dear! I will seek justice for you!”


    Barry, who had been influential all his life, certainly wouldn’t take this lying down. He was so angry he


    mmed his teacup down, shattering it, “Thaddeus thinks he can just y around and then deny


    everything? He’s really pushing his luck! Jareth, is it true that your mother was also hurt by all this? Is


    she in the hospital now?”


    Jareth swallowed hard, staying silent.


    “As soon as your mother is discharged, you should immediately go to the Abernathy family to propose.


    If you won’t go, I will!”


    “Grandpa! Can you please calm down?” Jarethpletely lost his cool when he heard they were going


    to make a scene at the Abernathy’s, his eyes shing with anger.


    “Jareth, if I remember correctly, Mr. Thaddeus and you are close as brothers, right?”


    Gary crossed his legs, looking thoroughly entertained, “Edith marrying Mr. Thaddeus would be like


    cousins marrying – keeping it in the family. I really don’t understand why you’re so against it.”


    “It’s precisely because Thad and I are so close that I know what kind of person he is.”


    Jareth, in his desperation, could only say coldly, “Thad already has someone he loves, thedy from


    the Ashbourne family, Miss Evadne!”


    When they heard the name “Evadne“, the expressions of the three Fairhaven family members froze.


    Even the formidable Barry’s gaze showed a hint of apprehension.


    “Edith, you’ve confessed your feelings to Thad several times, haven’t you? You’ve done everything


    possible, haven’t you? Do you think it worked? Has Thad ever given you a second nce? You had to


    pull out all the stops just to get a fleeting nce from Thaddeus, so how could he possibly have been


    with you in a hotel room? Edith, do I really need to spell it out for you? When will you learn?” Jareth’s


    voice grew louder and angrier, a vein throbbing in his forehead.


    He could tolerate Edith’s wild and willful behavior, but he couldn’t stand her scheming and


    maniption!


    “Grandpa, did you hear what Jareth is saying about me?”


    Edith decided to y the victim to the end, “I’m his own sister, but look at how he describes me, like I’m


    some cheap seductress! I did have feelings for Thaddeus, but it takes two to tango. If he didn’t have


    feelings for me, then why would hee to that hotel with me?”


    She stopped, her face turning red as she started sobbing.


    The unspoken words left a lot to the imagination.


    “Even if Thaddeus does like Evadne, as you said, I don’t think he has any chance with her now.”


    Barry gently stroked Edith’s hair, gritting his teeth, “Since Edith is in love with that Abernathy boy,


    there’s nothing more to discuss. I only have one granddaughter, and whatever she wants, I will make


    sure she gets!”


    Edith looked up at him, tears in her eyes, but she was secretly thrilled.


    “Grandpa!” Jareth clenched his fist, veins popping up on his forehead.


    “Oh, it would be such a joyous asion if our Fairhaven family could form a matrimonial alliance with


    the Abernathy family.”


    Gary stood up leisurely, bowing slightly to Edith, “Congrattions in advance, Edith. When the time


    comes, I will give you an expensive wedding gift.”


    Gary had just left Barry’s mansion, and his face was as downcast as a rainy day


    His secretary followed with a puzzled look, “Mr. Fairhaven, I overheard some of your conversation with


    Mr. Jareth. Why would you support a union between Miss Edith and Mr. Thaddeus?”


    “Do you really think Thaddeus would marry Edith?” Gary chuckled sarcastically, “Thaddeus has raised


    hell over the Ashbourne girl, even took a blow to the head for her recently. Almost lost his life. It’s pretty


    clear to anyone with eyes that they have a thing for each other. My niece is simply chasing after a


    dream. Thaddeus won’t marry her. I know Thaddeus too well to believe otherwise, and that’s exactly


    why I’m stirring the pot, supporting this supposed union. The more chaos, the better it is for our side.”


    “You’re so clever!” the secretary eximed with admiration.


    A cunning glint passed through Gary’s eyes, “Since the beginning of time, the best way to cause


    dissent between friends is through the use of a woman. Friends? Howughable.”


    As he was about to descend the staircase, something urred to him, “By the way, what’s the name of


    that Abernathy girl Jareth’s been keeping on the side?”


    “Mari!”


    “Right. Keep an eye on her. She could be our trump card.”


    “Ah! Jareth. It hurts! Let go!”


    Jareth’s eyes were cold and harsh as he dragged Edith by the arm into an empty room, treating her like


    an unwanted burden.


    As soon as the door was shut, he flung her onto the floor.


    “Ah!”


    Edithnded painfully on the ground. Not only did her body ache from the fall, but her arm was also


    turning a nasty shade of purple from his grip.


    “Edith, you’re going to tell me what happened at the hotel that day!” Jareth fought to keep his temper in


    check. If it was anyone else, he might have lost controlpletely.


    “What are you talking about? I don’t know what you mean!” Edith grimaced in pain, but she remained


    stubborn.


    “Your brain isn’t capable of such aplex scheme. I don’t believe for a second that you didn’t have


    help!”


    Jareth leaned in close, his eyes burning with rage, Tell me! Who set this up? Who’s pulling the strings


    behind all this?”


    Edith’s heart pounded in her chest, and sweat trickled down her face.


    How could she possibly tell Jareth? Besides, she didn’t even know who was behind all this. All she did


    was follow the n.


    So, she clenched her teeth and defiantly said, “No one helped me. It was all my idea!”


    “Edith! You dare to lie even now?”


    “What’s wrong? You don’t like what you’re hearing?”


    Edithughed mockingly, “What are you going to do? Hit me? Kill me?”