Chapter 505


    Chapter 505


    Bertha’s face contorted with rage, her eyes boring into Avery’s delicate and infuriating visage.


    “Help me, they’re all beasts, but what about you, Avery? Aren’t you one of them? Oh, you’re not, you’re


    the devil incarnate! Even more malevolent!”


    Avery remained unflustered, his smile only growing, “I may not be the epitome of virtue, but even


    beasts have their tender moments with their young. I can’t bring myself to be too harsh on my sister.


    So, I thought I’d lend you a hand, sis. Besides, who else but me woulde to see you here, in this


    godforsaken ce? Do you really think you’re still a part of the Chambers family?”


    Seeing that Bertha was still resistant to his so–called “help,” Avery then added.


    “Bertha, have you ever stopped to think who really brought you and your husband to this sorry state?”


    Bertha’s rage bubbled to the surface as she screamed, “The Ashbourne family, it’s the Ashbourne


    family taking revenge on me! That wretched Evadne can’t escape me!”


    Avery’s cold lips curled up slightly as he shook his head, “You messed with Emeric’s own daughter.


    That old man didn’t end you right there and then out of consideration for the decades of ties between


    our families. But didn’t a


    t all of this start because of Byron?”


    “Byron.” Bertha’s mind buzzed with the name.


    In the days she’d spent stewing, she’d been fixated on the Ashbournes, nearly forgetting that spineless


    weasel!


    “Byron seduced you into the Ashbourne family’s crosshairs. If he hadn’t been so arrogant and full of


    himself from the start, you and your husband would still be living a life of glory. And now, he’s ruined


    everything. From the press conference to your incarceration, did he ever speak up for you? He let you


    take the fall, while he remains safely under the Chambers family’s protection, continuing his charade as


    Mr. Chambers. Are you really going to swallow that bitter pill? I can’t stand to see you like this, Bertha.”


    Reason and emotion – that was the way to get to her.


    Bertha quieted down, clearly contemting her next move, but her eyes grew a deeper shade of red


    with hatred.


    “What do you propose we do?”


    “That depends on how sincere you are about cooperating with me,” Avery said, stretching out


    comfortably, his legs crossed. The ball was in his court


    now.


    Bertha’s eyes were frighteningly red as she ground out each word, nearly crushing her teeth, “I want


    him dead!”


    “Death is too easy, too quick. He’d be free of pain.”


    Avery suddenly leaned closer to the ss, a sinister smile ying on his lips, “You need him to beg for


    death, yet be unable to achieve it. Make him live every day hating you, powerless to act. That’s true


    satisfaction.”


    “I have dirt on Byron, it’s in the encrypted folder on myptop in my study. The password is,”


    “No need for passwords.”


    Avery stood up leisurely, satisfied with the oue, looking down on the woman’s wrathful face, “Your


    so–called encryption is child’s y to me.”


    Upon leaving the detention center, Harvey eagerly approached.


    Averyzily extended his hands, which Harvey promptly sanitized, then spritzed him with a freshening


    spray.


    “It’s awful and oppressive in there. No ce for humans.”


    Avery frowned, vigorously rubbing his hands, his germaphobe tendencies surfacing, “Although, it’s a


    fitting environment for maggots like Bertha.”


    “You graced her with your presence. That’s more than enough honor for her.”


    Harvey inquired tentatively, “Mr. Chambers, will that madwoman cooperate with you?”


    “When I step in, how could it not seed?” Avery said with an arrogant lift of his brow.


    That’s a cause for early congrattions then, another thorn removed from your side.”


    Harvey’s smile was sycophantic, “Once Byron falls, what about Matthew? When your father runs out of


    options, he’ll have to rely on you. The entire Chambers Group will be at your fingertips.”


    “Hopefully.”


    Avery’s eyes gleamed withplex emotions as he looked towards the dark sky, “My father has done


    a lot for me. I just hope to live up to his expectations.”


    “Oh, Mr. Chambers, I’ve just received word that your private jet is ready.”


    “It’s been a wait, but worth it.”


    Avery adjusted his sses, a cold spark in his eyes, “Contact Eden. Tell him everything is ready. We


    can send him and his brothers on their way at any time.”


    Avery’s luxury car cruised toward The Velvet Haven.


    He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the uing events and the grand designs for the future.


    Everything was under his control.


    Except for Evadne.


    At the thought, Avery clenched his fist in frustration and asked, “I had you keep an eye on the


    Ashbourne family. Any news?”


    Harvey pped his forehead, remembering, “Our guys found out Ms. Ashbourne has fled the


    Ashbourne family. Chairman Ashbourne is searching high and low for her, and she hasn’t been found


    yet!”


    “What? Evadne ran away from home? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Avery’s eyes narrowed


    anxiously as he leaned forward.


    “Mr. Chambers, please! The Ashbournes have always been tight–lipped. Our guys have been staking


    out day and night without sleep to get this scoop!” Harvey was visibly worried.


    Avery removed his sses, pinching the bridge of his nose with a frown, “I remember when Evadne


    was a child, climbing walls and trees, doing anything to sneak out and y.”


    “I can’t believe she’s still such a mischief–maker as an adult. And Emeric, knowing full well his


    daughter is too headstrong to bow down, how could he ground Evadne? Isn’t that just like caging a


    bird?”


    “I wonder how Ms. Ashbourne is doing now. But I bet with her smarts and her knack for standing out,


    no one can push her around.”


    “The Ashbourne brothers would never stand by and watch their beloved sister drift about out there. If


    Emeric can’t find her, those Ashbourne men surely.”


    Avery adjusted his sses, but before he could finish his sentence, his eyes were drawn to a startling


    scene outside the window!


    “Stop the car!”


    Harvey mmed on the brakes, sweat beading on his forehead.


    Avery’s palm pressed against the window, his breath fogging the ss in quick, fervent gasps, yet it


    couldn’t obscure the striking figure that pierced his gaze!


    Across the street, in front of a street food cart where hot dogs and pretzels were being served


    A couple, shoulder to shoulder, leaned over their food in earnest, looking up only to share smiles and


    laughter.


    It was Evadne and Thaddeus!


    Who could have imagined that the haughty billionaire, who always prided himself on his refined taste,


    would stoop to join his beloved at a street cartte at night? He, who typically indulged in nothing but


    the finest carbs, was now gorging onte–night snacks and even allowed Evadne to feed him a greasy


    corn dog!


    Anyone witnessing this would think it nothing short of a fairy tale, thrilling yet confounding!


    “Is it good?” Evadne’s smile bloomed like a flower, tenderly wiping his lips with a napkin.


    No sooner had his mouth been wiped clean than he couldn’t resist nting a kiss on her rosy lips,


    ‘Delicious. Anything I eat with my babe is a delicacy of this world.”


    His voice was loud, causing a bashful flush to spread across Evadne’s cheeks, even the olddy


    making the hot dogs couldn’t help but beam a joyful


    smile.


    Such a handsome man, such a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven with love that flowed as


    endlessly as the stars.


    Who could see this and not crack a smile?


    “Pssh. So you’re saying it only tastes good because it’s with me?”


    Evadne feigned annoyance, pouting slightly, “If you don’t like it, just say so. I don’t want you to feel


    obliged to please me. I won’t bring you here again.”


    Thaddeus’sshes fluttered, and his long arm reached across Evadne, grabbing two bottles from the


    far end of the table.


    One bottle was pepper, the other, vinegar.


    He meticulously added these two seasonings to Evadne’s soup, stirring it gently, then urged her softly,


    “Try it now.”


    Evadne blinked her almond–shaped eyes, took a bite of the soup.


    Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at Thaddeus with delight, her hands gesturing


    animatedly in the air,


    “Oh my! This is delicious! Such a simple addition, but it elevates the whole thing. How are you so


    clever?”


    Thaddeus gazed deeply at her, his smile shy as if he were a teenager again, “Evadne, you think I say


    it’s delicious just to please you, but you’re mistaken. Before I was taken back into the Abernathy family,


    these unassuming food carts were a source of great pleasure for my mother and me.”


    A pang shot through Evadne’s heart, her breath catching in her chest.


    She thought she knew much of this man’s hidden past from Alva, but now she realized it was just the


    tip of the iceberg.


    Unless he told her himself, there were many things she might never know, let alone imagine.


    The street food that was a mere diversion in her life was, for the young Thaddeus, a daily recurrence of


    normalcy.


    “As a kid, after helping my mother with chores, I’d always be starving. She’d take me to a cart for a hot


    dog and a bowl of soup, Thaddeus said, idly spinning the stic cup in his hands, lost in memories


    long buried, “To save money, she’d only order one for me, but it always had meat on it. Afraid I’d find


    the taste too nd, she’d create her own seasonings to add. My favorite was with pepper and vinegar,


    sour and spicy, really satisfying. As I grew up, every time I had the chance to eat from a cart, I’d do the


    same. But now, I no longer have the chance to relish those childhood vors.


    A poignant silence filled the air for a moment.


    Thaddeus then came back to the present, his smile apologetic, “I’m sorry, Evadne. Here I am, spoiling


    our meal with these stories.”Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    And with that, Evadne’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she cupped his face in her hands, sealing their


    moment with a kiss.