Chapter 484


    Chapter 484


    Cassius’s brow twitched with ferocity as he stepped forward, disarming Bet with a swift and deft


    move.


    Colonel Bet, too, was known for his prowess inbat, and to think of disarming him was usually


    nothing short of a pipe dream,


    But Cassius had covered the gun’s muzzle with his own hand; Bet feared an idental discharge


    that could injure his elder brother and ultimately had to let go.


    “Cassius, if you really care about our sister, you wouldn’t stand in my way!” Bet’s eyes, bloodshot


    with rage, bore into Thaddeus as if they were daggers, ready to tear the man apart at a nce.


    The usation was harsh, especiallying from the usually gentle and upright Mr. Waverley. Its


    impact was doubly potent yet Cassius felt no


    resentment.


    If this rage could be vented in such a manner, then perhaps it was for the best, lest his brothers do


    something truly terrifying.


    “Bet, I care about Evadne, but I care about you too, and Arnold, Elvis. We grew up together. Which


    one of you do I not care for? I just don’t want you to throw away your lives over some scoundrel. You


    may feel vindicated, but have you considered Evadne’s feelings? You’ll let our parents down, you know


    that?!”


    At the mention of their mother, a wave of sorrow surged through the brothers, moistening their eyes.


    “You’ve finallye home after so long; we all missed you, and Evadne must have been delighted to


    see you.”


    Cassius closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the pain in his heart, “Let bygones be


    bygones; Evadne. has moved on. The person involved doesn’t want to pursue it, and our incessant


    fixation only inflicts additional pain on Evadne, forcing her to live in the shadow of her loss.”


    The shadow of her loss. It was the loss of her kid!


    Thaddeus panted heavily as if on the brink of death, tears welling up beneath his reddened eyes, only


    to be washed away by the cold rain.


    His and Evadne’s child, had he still been alive, would have been three years old. What had he done.


    What had he done!


    /:


    “The rain is pouring down, and you’re already exhausted from your journey. Getting soaked will only


    make you sick. Go home,” Cassius grabbed Bet’s rigid arm and pulled him toward the front door.


    “President Ashbourne.”


    Thaddeus’s voice trembled like that of a grievously wounded man, his broad shoulders drooping,


    “Please let me see Evadne just one more time.”


    “In your dreams!“.


    Bet exploded with rage, struggling against Cassius’s restraining arms, “Thaddeus! Get the hell out


    of here and don’t defile the Ashbourne family’s home ever again! If I see you one more time, I swear I’ll


    kill you! Get out!”


    “President Ashbourne. I need to see Evadne.”


    Thaddeus’s eyes were filled with agony, yet he stood his ground, stubborn as if the world falling apart


    would not make him flinch, “The past, our child, so many things, I need her to tell me face to face.”


    “Thaddeus, Evadne said she’s let it go; it’s all in the past.”


    Cassius’s eyes were dark, his voice hoarse, “All of you, stop being trapped in past sorrows; look ahead.


    Go back, and don’te here again.”


    As the brothers turned to leave, they froze in ce,


    “Dad?”


    There, stepping out from under the umbre held by Arnold, was Emeric, pale–faced, moving towards


    Thaddeus through the pouring rain.


    The air pressure seemed to drop, the chilling aura emanating from this dignified man threatening to


    freeze the falling rain into ice


    Thaddeus watched as Emeric approached him, expressionless. He opened his pale lips, wanting to say


    something but faced with the father of the woman he loved most, words failed him.


    But then, suddenly a sharp pain scorched Thaddeus’s cheek as Emerded a punch squarely on his


    face!


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    “Dad?!“.


    “Dad!”


    The Ashbourne brothers were stunned!


    For the first time in thirty years, they saw their father strike someone other than his own sons. Their


    father, a proud tycoon, had never needed to dirty his hands; he was more haughty than a king.


    But this time, Emeric was truly enraged. Not satisfied with a single punch, Emeric’s fists pounded again


    and again onto Thaddeus’s face, his body.


    J


    Thaddeus’s cheeks were swollen, his mouth bleeding, yet he felt no pain, only a numb agony in his


    eyes.


    “Dad! Your health! Anger like this can bring on an attack!”


    Cassius and Arnold both tried to restrain their father, who was barely able to stand, but Emeric fiercely


    shook them off and grabbed Thaddeus by his blood–stained cor.


    “Thaddeus, do you realize the woman you’ve trampled on, hurt time and again, she is my life? Myst


    shred of hope in this world left by the woman I love the most; she is my everything!”


    “Chairman Ashbourne, I’m sorry.”


    Thaddeus repeated, dazed, the acute pain in his chest boiling like a nest of ants, “Give me another


    chance. I want to make it up to Evadne”


    If you couldn’tmit, why did you marry her? And if you married her, why hurt her?!”


    Emeric abruptly pulled back, the strong and resilient man staggering weakly, “Go back to Elmsworth,


    back to your despicable family! From now on, K Group will be the number one enemy of the Abernathy


    Group! Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy, if you have what it takes, protect your own turf. Otherwise, wait for me


    to tear down your den myself! Get out!”


    The men of the Ashbourne family left, the door mming shut behind them.


    Thaddeus stood in the rain, soulless, as if between him and the Ashbourne familyy an


    insurmountable chasm.


    Time passed, and atst, he slowly bent his knee, kneeling in a puddle, his back heaving, sobbing


    uncontrobly.


    Footsteps approached from behind, halting beside him. Panting heavily, Thaddeus, inch by inch,


    struggled to lift his gaze.


    “Need an umbre, Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy?”


    Dapper as ever, Avery’s lips curled into a mocking smile, his eyes looking down on Thaddeus as if he


    were nothing more than a stray mutt.


    Thaddeus’s breaths came in ragged gasps, his fingers soaked in the rain trembled and slowly clenched


    into fists, veins standing out in stark relief!


    “Looks like you don’t need one.”


    Avery towered above him, his cold lips curving with the arrogance of victory, “Considering the grave


    error you’ve made towards Evadne, I dare say Mr. Emeric Ashbourne must loathe you to the bone by


    now. At this point, do you really think your little act of penance is of any use?”


    Harvey, who held Avery’s umbre, let out a derisive chuckle, “Had you not mentioned it, I never would


    have guessed this was Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy’s self–getion! To the uninformed, it would seem


    Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy fancies himself the Ashbourne family’s loyal hound.”


    Thaddeus had no strength left to quarrel with Avery’spdog. Or perhaps, he was inflicting this self–


    imposed ughter as punishment. As if only by tormenting his flesh, shattering his dignity, could he find


    some sce in his heart, to keep the guilt at bay, to keep going..


    “It’s gettingte, Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy. Aren’t you going home? If you don’t, I shall be entering.”


    Avery chuckled lightly, his eyes icy, “I know it’s hard being the man everyone kicks when he’s down.


    But in the end, didn’t you bring this upon yourself? Had you treated Evadne better, you wouldn’t be in


    this sorry state. Just kneel here and savor the pain.”


    As they turned to walk towards the grand gates of Silveke Harbor, Thaddeus finally spoke in a low


    voice, “Are you the one pulling the strings behind Edith?”


    Avery stopped, his sses shing ominously as he gave Thaddeus a cryptic smile. Silence was his


    answer.


    “It was you, who exposed Evadne’s condition through Edith’s lips to everyone? You did this to tear us


    apart, to take revenge on me? For vengeance, you’d reopen Evadne’s wounds and let her suffer.


    Avery, is this your so–called love?”


    Thaddeus’s voice, hoarse and subdued, was a cold line, tears mingling with the rain on his chiseled


    features, “Your love is truly hideous.”


    “What are you on about? I can’t make heads or tails of it.”


    Avery’sugh was sinister, “Aren’t you the one who brought misery upon Evadne? What does it have to


    do with me? Have you been out in the rain too long, got water in your brain? Thaddeus, don’t think


    you’re the only one I despise, nor that I’m the only one wishing for your demise. Someone as jinxed as


    you should stop clinging to Evadne. Let her be.”


    The cold moon hung high as the downpour ceased.


    Elvis stood against the wind on the rooftop balcony, his ck trench coat billowing. He had gone


    through an entire pack of cigarettes, but still, his emotions were in turmoil, his fingers quivering as he


    held onto his smoke.


    “Elvis, have you reached Skyrim yet?”


    Bet’s worried voice came through the handset, “Flying solo, did you encounter any trouble?”


    “No, Bet,” Elvis gripped the phone tightly, trying to steady his breathing.


    Bet was silent for a moment, his voice low, “Elvis, please, don’t do anything rash. If anyone has to


    be the viin, I’d rather it be me.”


    “Ha, Bet, if I were set on ‘something foolish‘, you couldn’t stop me.”


    Elvis took a drag of his cigarette, his darkshes fluttering obscurely, “Take care of Evadne. I’ll go see


    herter.”


    Elvis had not yet returned to Skyrim from Elmsworth for two reasons: first, he was too distraught over


    Evadne’s condition to face her, and second, Evadne had sent him a message before the banquet


    ended:


    [Elvis, by any means necessary, help me find the woman who looks almost exactly like me! Only by


    finding her can we expose the mastermind. This is crucial for me, tor Thaddeus, for all of us!]


    Alone in the bustling lounge, Elvis stared at the wallpaper on his phone – a photo of him and Evadne,


    bitterness and sorrow mingling in his chest.


    Above him, unnoticed, a‘ camera quietly swiveled in his direction. At the other end of the camera was


    the Velvet Haven!


    Avery had established a sizable intelligence hub in the subterranean level of this den of iniquity.


    Hundreds of screens monitored the movements of Elmsworth’s power yers and certain key locations


    around the clock.


    Many big shots died without knowing they were under constant surveince, their privacy as illusory as


    the Emperor’s New Clothes.


    “Ms. Archer! The target you’ve been looking for has appeared!”


    Elsie’s heart clenched, and she immediately looked to the screen her subordinate was pointing at.


    As Elvis’s handsome face appeared before her, her heartbeat quickened. She focused on the man


    intently gazing at his phone screen.


    On it, unmistakably, was her face. No, it was Evadne’s. The darling, doted upon, cherished daughter of


    the Ashbourne family.


    Elsie’s gaze grew colder by theyer, a hint of blood slowly spreading in her eyes, “Keep a close watch


    on him. I’m on my way.”