Chapter 489


    Chapter 489


    Thaddeus stood stoically outside the gates of Silveke Harbor, where he had been for more than a full


    day and night. He was stubborn as such, determined not to rest until he saw the woman he loved or got


    the answers he was after.


    Last night, he had spied the Chambers father and son making a beeline for the harbor, clearly on the


    warpath about something involving Byron. Thaddeus had watched from the shadows, not out of fear,


    but to avoid causing a scene that might upset Jeff and bring trouble down on Chairman Ashbourne’s


    head.


    It was one thing to deal with the aftermath for the Ashbourne family in private, but making a public


    spectacle of himself would be


    unwise.


    The evening was dark and stormy, fierce winds howling through the air, hitting him with a force that


    rivaled the punches he’d taken the night before.


    Thaddeus’s deep–set eyes, shadowed and brooding, were framed by a chiseled jaw now rough with


    stubble. He looked every the rugged soldier he once was.


    bit


    Suddenly, his phone buzzed inside his car, pulling him momentarily from his pain. He opened the door


    and picked up the phone. It was Gordon.


    “Gordon, what’s up?” His voice was hoarse, as if every ounce of energy had been drained from him.


    “Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy! I finally got through to you!”


    Gordon sounded like he was on the brink of tears, “Mr. Hamilton Abernathy has taken ill and been


    rushed to the hospital! You’ve got toe back!“.


    A sharp pang shot through Thaddeus’s chest, and cold sweat soaked his already damp suit.


    Meanwhile, in the wine cer of Silveke Harbor.


    Evadne’s brothers were gathered, their usual banter reced by somber silence and the dull glug of


    spirits being poured. Bet, in particr, was knocking back whiskey like water, much to Arnold’s


    distress.


    “Bet, you can’t keep this up. It’s killing you,” Cassius took the ss from his hand.


    “Seriously, man, you haven’t even tied the knot yet. Don’t drink yourself into an early grave,” Arnold


    added.


    Bet clenched his fist, mming it on the table.


    “You were too hard on Evadne today, too damn forceful.” Cassius patted Bet’s shoulder with a


    gentle sigh, “You know how she is. She doesn’t respond well to pressure. The more you push, the


    more she’ll resist. You care her to bits, and you don’t want her to resent you, do you?”


    “Cassius’s right. You haven’t had any row ever since you were young; this time it’s too much.”


    “Then what do you suggest I do, just let her keep entangled with that jerk?” Bet rubbed his face


    with both hands, his voice thick with emotion, “I’d take all the pain for her; I won’t grimace at any cut.


    Just can’t bear to see her suffer. That’s miscarriage! She could’ve been a mother, experienced that joy.


    But now,”


    The thought of their unborn niece or nephew silenced them all, hearts twisted in grief.


    “It’s all Thaddeus’s fault, all his fault!” Bet, a usuallyposed soldier, was on the verge of tears.


    “Let’s never bring this up in front of Evadne again.” Cassius’s voice rough with emotion. He handed


    Bet a tissue, “Maybe it’s for the best. Pregnancy is tough; kids are a handful, and it’s one more


    worry. Let’s just let Evadne live carefree like a child. We’li protect her, and she’ll get through this.”


    Suddenly, the door banged open.


    “We have a problem!”


    Dn burst in, panic–stricken, “Ms. Evadne Ashbourne’s gone!”


    The brothers jumped to their feet in disbelief, “Gone? How is it possible?”


    “She’s gone! Jumped out the window!”


    They rushed to Evadne’s room, only to find the window wide open, the curtains pping wildly in the


    storm. Their sister was no where to be found.


    “Damn it! How does a person just vanish into thin air?!” Arnold covered his head with both hands, his


    heart racing.


    Cassius and Bet saw the chaos in the room, her clothes and belongings tossed about, and


    instantly headed for the balcony.


    1/3


    They gasped at the sight – tied to the railing was a makeshift rope of knotted dresses, hanging down to


    the ground below. “Cassius. She’s lost her mind! This is the fifth floor!” Bet’s voice trembled with


    fear, his face pale in fright.


    “Evadne! That crazy girl! She’s quietly courting disaster!”


    Cassius’s voice was filled with terror as he pictured the worst, his heart pounding, head throbbing, “If


    any part of that makeshift rope had snapped, she’d be dead on impact!”


    “Stop, I can’t take it. My heart isn’t working well!” Arnold pressed a hand to his chest, feeling faint.


    Dn was beside himself with worry, “Ms. Evadne Ashbourne, you have to be okay! I can’t live with


    myself if something happens!”


    “Does dad know about this?” Cassius asked urgently.


    “Chairman Ashbourne’s already troubled over Ms. Nydia Ashbourne; I didn’t dare add to his worries.”


    “Let’s keep it quiet for now. Dad’s health can’t take another blow.”


    Cassius clenched his fists against his racing heart, “Don’t rm anyone else. We’ll organize a search


    team right away.”


    “With this storm raging, and Ms. Ashbourne without a phone or money, what will she do out there?”


    Dn was frantic, “It’s my fault! I should have stayed right outside her door!”


    “Which is exactly why she won’t have gone far. We should be able to catch up with her.” Cassius


    peered out into the storm, “Is Thaddeus still out there?”


    “Mr. Abernathy left already! It’s been a while!” Dn replied truthfully.


    Arnold couldn’t help but let out a string of expletives, “Damn it! That rat Thaddeus picked the worst time


    to split! Little sis must’ve gone looking for him, and now they won’t meet each other!”


    Bet felt his heart lurched ferociously. At this moment, he deeply regretted how harsh he’d been


    with his little sister. Everything was unfolding just as he had feared.


    “If Evadne’s chasing after Thaddeus, she’s headed towards Elmsworth for sure. We’ll find her if we


    search along the way!”


    Cassius was already on his feet, heading for the door, barking orders at Arnold, “Call Elvis, tell him to


    haul his ass back here and help us find sis!”


    Arnold nodded vigorously, “Yeah, yeah! That wild card Elvis, he’s always got a trick up his sleeve!”


    Under the cloak of night, brilliant forks of lightning tore across the sky, followed by the relentless


    drumming of rain.


    Evadne was soaked to the bone, the cold windshing against her slender frame, causing her to shiver


    uncontrobly, teeth


    chattering.


    Her phone was confiscated, she had no money, and she’d lost her flip–flops in the chaos of her


    escape. Her delicate feet were caked in mud and scratched by stones, a sight of pitiable disarray.


    Yet, her solitary trek through hardships could not deter her will to break free, nor could it slow her steps


    towards the love she


    sought.


    All she wanted was to love someone properly. Why, even now, was it proving to be so difficult?


    Evadne knew her family would soon realize she had fled, and her brothers, with their capabilities,


    would surelymence a sweeping search, turning the world upside down to find her,


    Therefore, she dared not take the main roads or visit bustling ces, opting instead for the secluded,


    less–traveled paths towards Elmsworth. But in this pitch–ck, deserted ce, not a single store was


    open!


    After wandering in the cold rain for too long, Evadne was feeling dizzy and alternately hot and cold, her


    strength failing her.


    Suddenly, her bleary eyes caught sight of two dim lights in the distance. With renewed vigor, she ran


    towards the light, only to discover a repair shop that hadn’t closed for the night.


    Evadne couldn’t stand the cold any longer. Without a second thought, she pushed the door open.


    Inside, four men wereughing and cursing over a game of poker.


    At her entrance, their eyes turned towards the door. One nce at Evadne and their eyes lit up, nearly


    popping out of their sockets.


    What a night this was turning out to be! In the midst of thunder and rain, a beauty hade knocking?


    This was a feastnding right in theirps!


    “Hey there, pretty girl, what brings you to us?” One of the men leered at her. To their eyes, Evadne was


    a vision of wet temptation,


    a feast for the eyes.


    “Sorry to intrude.” Evadne gasped, shivering uncontrobly, “May I borrow a phone to make a call? I’ll


    make it worth your while.”


    “Make it worth our while? Ha! How exactly do you n to thank us, sweetheart?”


    The four men licked their lips, grinning lewdly as they closed in on Evadne, “How about this, let us cop


    a feel, give us a kiss, and we’ll let you call to your heart’s content.”


    Evadne’s eyes turned cold as ice, her chest filled with a towering rage. Didn’t they know she’d had


    enough for one day, that she’d almost given her life making her escape, only to encounter these four


    scumbags?


    One of the creeps couldn’t wait and reached out for her chest, but Evadne moved swiftly, grabbing his


    arm and twisting it back viciously!


    Then she kicked the back of his knee, sending the man to his knees in front of her, howling in pain, “Ah!


    It hurts! You’re killing me!” “You wanted to have a go, didn’t you? Go ahead then.”


    With a sickening snap – Evadne broke the man’s arm, her gaze fierce and unforgiving, “I’ll end you all!”


    Back at the hospital, Hamilton had been admitted again due to his old nemesis, a stroke, but thanks to


    Mr. Murray’s timely intervention, he was out of danger.


    The old man was restless and distressed over Evadne’s situation, worn down to the point of


    exhaustion.


    With Frederic away from Elmsworth and the crisis unfolding so suddenly, Thaddeus and Mr. Murray


    were the only ones by Hamilton’s bedside.


    Thaddeus was holding a bowl of porridge, blowing on a spoonful to cool it, and bringing it to Hamilton’s


    lips.


    But how could the grandfather eat, knowing his grandson returned beaten and disheveled? Despite his


    concern, his tone was stern, “What have you done to yourself? Did you go looking for na?”


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Thaddeus swallowed hard, “Yeah.”


    “Got roughed up by the Ashbourne boys?”


    The man’s lips pressed tight, unable to speak.


    Hamilton saw right through his grandson’s heartache, his brow furrowing with anger, “Don’t tell me,


    your ex–father–inw did this to you?”


    Thaddeus silently acknowledged this.


    “Hmph! You deserved it! If I were Emeric, I would break your legs! You should be grateful they let you


    off so easily!” This time, Hamilton had no sympathy for his own flesh and blood.


    “Grandpa Hamilton.”


    Thaddeus lifted his head, lips dry, his voice cracked with emotion, “Please tell me, what should I do?


    How can I make Evadnee back to me?”


    Hamilton shook his head helplessly, “My boy, it’s not just you who’s wronged na. Even I don’t know


    how I’ll face her again. She could’ve lived a carefree life if she hadn’t married into the Abernathy family.


    We’re the ones who ruined her.”


    The hospital room fell into a suffocating silence.


    “If there’s no way to make it right, then stop trying. Start with a sincere heart and slowly make amends.”


    Hamilton’s withered hand rested heavy on his shoulder, “Thaddeus, from now on, don’t think about


    winning her back. What you need to consider is how to protect her.”


    “Grandpa Hamilton, I don’t want to let go.”


    Thaddeus hung his head, fighting back tears, “But I know I truly don’t deserve her.”


    Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket.