Chapter 453
Chapter 453
The Ashbourne family was seething with anger, on the verge of eruption, but one among them was
even more incensed.
Thaddeus’s brawny arms tensed like a fully drawn bow, his eyes bloodshot, and hisrge iron–like fists
clenched in cold fury, ready to charge at Gary and teach him a lesson. Just then, a soft and delicate
hand enveloped his bulging, veiny fist at the right moment.
“Thaddeus, don’t.”
His breath hitched as he met Evadne’s bright star–like eyes. It was as if his whole being had plunged
into the crisp rity of a mountain spring, calming him down gradually.
Evadne stepped forward, a haughty smile ying on her lips, “Gary, when Thaddeus gets down to
business, you can rest assured. He won’t let any wrongdoers off the hook, nor will he wrongfully
use the innocent.”
Her words were a clear jab at the Fairhaven group!
“As for the Duke’s usations, saying Thaddeus is just following my lead to smear and frame your
Fairhaven family. Ha! In this day and age when surveince is everywhere, if I really wanted to frame
someone, wouldn’t I leave behind some trace? Would there be no clues pointing to you, and I’d just
randomly pick on one of your people as the culprit? You keep insisting that I hold a grudge against Ms.
Edith Fairhaven; then why wasn’t it your Fairhaven family’s horse that got injured? Why wasn’t she the
one in harm’s way? Am I supposed to hurt myself to amuse your whole family?”
Evadne’s speech was indeed rousing. Everyone around couldn’t help but nod in agreement, even Mrs.
Fairhaven subconsciously thought there was some sense in her words!
“You impudent girl.” Barry was so choked up his eyebrows quivered with rage.
Evadne’s eyes were cold and defiant, her gaze sharp, and her lips curled into a mocking smile, “Let me
be blunt, and I don’t care if it’s unpleasant to hear. If I really wanted to harm Ms. Edith Fairhaven, I
wouldn’t have waited until today. I have no virtues, but I’m known for being ruthless.
Framing someone is so boring. If it were me, whatever fate befalls my horse, she’d have to face the
same!”
The crowd gasped. Ms. Ashbourne was truly hardcore!
“Evadne! You’re outrageous! How can you harbor such malicious thoughts?!” Mrs. Fairhaven, already
frail, was so infuriated she clutched her chest, struggling to catch her breath.
“Mom, please don’t get upset; you can’t take it,” Edith quickly supported her mother, her face a picture
of grievance, but her eyes shot a venomous nce at Evadne.
“Malicious? Mrs. Fairhaven, do you think it’s appropriate for you to say that?”
Myra’s expression was serious, her usually gentle voice chilling, calm but undeniably intimidating,
“Evadne was merely speaking hypothetically, but your daughter dared to act. Before the horse racing
event began, the incident with Ms. Fairhaven pping herself and trying to frame Evadne is still
trending online. Have you forgotten? We remember it clearly. Who’s truly malicious and who’s started
the provocation? Don’t you know it deep down?”
The mother and daughter from the Fairhaven family looked flushed in embarrassment and then pale in
fury, unable to formte a defense.
Emeric watched Myra’s dignified profile, surprise flickering in his eyes and eyebrows arching slightly.
Myra, after more than two decades by his side, had always been gentle and reserved, timid and weak.
To see her disying such a formidable presence was unprecedented.
That’s right, he thought, that’s how it should be. It’s time the world see that no one in the Ashbourne
family is to be trifled with.
“Hmph! Ms. Ashbourne’s verbal finesse is truly remarkable; for every word I say, you have a myriad in
response. The education of the Ashbourne family is truly astonishing!”
Gary, as Barry’s mouthpiece, was determined to bite back at every opportunity, ying the role of a
seemingly loyal hound, “But no matter how eloquent you are, Ms. Ashbourne, it doesn’t change the
facts! That is, you have ndered the innocence of our Fairhaven family and damaged our reputation,
and we will not let this go!”
“Ms. Ashbourne, you’re already the champion of the horse racingpetition; what more could you
possibly want?”
Barry, unable to contain himself, sneered darkly, “Do you have to dirty our Fairhaven Group to elevate
your own status, so that nobody can stand in your way of coborating with Mr. William Morris, and
only then will you be content and at ease?”
Evadne remainedposed, but William’s face showed aplex mix of emotions. Clearly, he had
been swayed by the Fairhaven family’s words.
Suddenly, almost simultaneously, everyone’s phones began to ring.
“Ladies and gentlemen, aren’t you curious about the content of the notifications you’ve just received?”
Thaddeus’s deep–set eyes narrowed slightly, radiating a chilling yfulness.
Confused looks were exchanged as people took out their phones to check. Even Evadne was
extremely curious and took out hers.
The next second, her eyes widened in shock and her heart raced. A grand event like the horse racing
competition would undoubtedly be live–streamed. So the footage of Evadne’s fall at the finish line had
spread quickly online.
Netizens were concerned about Evadne’s injuries, assuming it was an unfortunate ident, and no
one suspected any foul y. But the video that had silently appeared online gave everyone a massive
“surprise“!
“W–What is this?!” Barry, his vision failing him, did not immediately grasp what was happening. But the
faces of the other members of the Fairhaven family resembled a war–ravaged wastnd, fazed, and in
disarray!
Edith, the instigator, took a sharp intake of breath, her hand trembling, and the phone dropped to the
ground with a tter!
This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.
Although the video was shaky, it was still unmistakably clear. The video circting online showed
Duke, looking around furtively, sneaking into the horse stables.
Then he whipped out a switchde, shing a quick, deep line across Wind’s left nk before slinking
away from the stable like a shadow retreating into
the night.
Clear as day, Duke’s face was stered across the video feed, the camera angle squarely framing the
front of the stable. The evidence was irrefutable; he was caught red–handed!
“Ha, Mr. Barry, Mr. Gary, got anything to say for yourselves now?” Cassius’s eyes red with a
bloodthirsty crimson, watching Wind suffer at the hands of a viin.
Moments ago, he had managed to keep a lid on his emotions for the greater good. But witnessing the
savage cut on Wind’s beautiful, muscr leg, the visual and psychological assault was too much,
stirring the demon within him.
Cassius itched to draw his own cross pendant de, grab that bastard by the hair, and sh his throat
wide open! Barry and Gary’s faces twisted as if they’d swallowed live cockroaches. As bold and brash
as they were minutes ago, they were now equally mortified. They couldn’t possibly im the man in the
video was a digital fake. No one was born yesterday!
Gordon chuckled dryly, shoving the screen right up to Duke’s face. When Duke saw the video,
capturing his every move during the crime, his face fell, shaking his head in disbelief, muttering,
“Impossible, there were no cameras, how could this.”
“Of course, we had convincing evidence to nab you. Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy is renowned for his
wisdom and wit, never picking a battle he’s not sure to win, never letting the likes of you get the upper
hand,” Gordon gloated at Duke’s dumbstruck expression.
Only then did Barry and Gary snap out of their daze. Thaddeus had held onto the video until now just to
watch them squirm, bluster, and make fools of themselves before him. And the more blustering and
vicious they had been, the more painful the p of truth would sting!
Evadne gazed at the strikingly handsome man with a relieved smile, her heart finally settling after the
turmoil. She should have known. Thaddeus was never one for recklessness; he was a confidante for
secrets, arade–in–arms, a lover for life.
“Ladies and gentlemen, including Duke himself, you must be curious. How did we get such a perfectly
angled video from a supposed blind spot?”
Thaddeus shot Gordon a nce, and Gordon momentarily stepped out. Soon after, he ushered in a
man in riding attire, anotherpetitor in the equestrian event.
“Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy,” the jockey greeted with a respectful bow.
“Sorry to trouble you toe exin in person, but your testimony is crucial to me. Please
understand,” Thaddeus said courteously, absent of any high–and–mighty CEO air.
The jockey, ttered, nodded vigorously, turning a serious gaze to the crowd.
“I’m a jockey for L Group. When our horses were stabled, they were ced opposite the K Group’s
space. Our boss has an unusual hobby; he likes observing the horses‘ daily lives from their point of
view. So, he fitted micro cameras into the headgear of every racehorse we own. Especially today, for
such a significant event, he upgraded them to high–definition cameras for monitoring the surroundings,
fearing any harm mighte to his beloved steeds.”
The crowd was gobsmacked. Even Evadne, worldly as she was, was taken aback.
Heard of dash cams for cars but never ‘dash cams‘ for horses! She suddenly found herself wanting to
meet the boss; what a genius.
Duke, devastated, heard a buzzing in his ears and darkness clouding his vision. He’d walked the
razor’s edge all his life without a scratch, only to be undone by a horse!
“Duke, the Ashbourne family has no quarrel with you, and before this event, I had no dealings with you
whatsoever.”
Evadne’s eyes darkened with a somber weight, “You understand the principle of leniency for those who
confess, severity for those who resist. I’m still alive, but had my riding skills beencking, had Wind not
held up, I could’ve been thrown and shattered to pieces. Then, it would’ve been premeditated murder.
As it stands, it’s attempted murder, plus charges of property damage, animal cruelty, and so on. You
know the kind of sentence that awaits you.” Duke, drenched in cold sweat, twitched at the corners of
his mouth uncontrobly.
“So, I urge you to think of your own interests and reveal your aplice. If you disclose who sent you
after me, the K Group will request a reduced sentence on your behalf.”
Reason mixed with emotion, the youngdy was a master at negotiations. Edith struggled to keep her
composure, but beneath her skirt, her legs quivered like jelly, her heart squeezing tight with dread.
Duke fell silent, his gaze drifting involuntarily towards Edith. He just wanted onest look at her. But the
girl he’d watched grow up, forever innocent and cheerful in his memory, now regarded him with a gaze
cold, distant, threatening.
Duke let out a bitter, forcedugh, then through gritted teeth, he spat out, “No one put me up to this,
Evadne. I wanted you dead of my own volition. The Fairhaven family is not to me. You had no right
topete with Miss Fairhaven for a man’s affection. You deserved to die. My only regret is not being
thorough enough, but I never regretted my actions. Spare me the speeches. Do with me what you will!”
He was ready to take the fall, determined to stand his ground to the bitter end. Evadne’s gaze was
unflinching, yet a chill crept up from the depths of her being
She knew the mastermind was Edith. From the start, in cahoots with this man, they had been out for
her blood! The more she thought, the deeper her hatred grew, the greater her fear!
“Very well, Duke. I’m d you’vee clean about your crimes. Everything you’ve just said has been
broadcast live to the nation. In court, your own words will stand as undeniable evidence, Thaddeus’s
thin lips twisted into a mocking smile, his voice dripping with icy derision.
The crowd gasped, their eyes wide with shock. What did Thaddeus mean?
The Fairhaven family was utterly bewildered, their faces disconnected as if they’d lost all signal,
clueless on how to react.
At that very moment, Gary’s secretary let out a yelp, much like someone who’d stepped on a Lego in
the dark.
“Mr. Barry! Oh, this is bad – really bad! Everything that just went down has been broadcast live for all to
see!”