Chapter 554


    Chapter 554


    Arnold burst through the front door with the urgency of a storm, not a moment to waste on pleasantries


    or supper. He had pressing matters to discuss, and every second counted.


    Aaron might have seemed rough around the edges to the untrained eye, but he always paid attention


    to the little things. Before heading over, he’d stopped to pick up some treats for Evadne and Nydia,


    enduring a nearly two–hour queue to get their favorite sweets.


    What he hadn’t anticipated was that Mari would be there too.


    Had he known, he’d have grabbed an extra portion. It almost seemed unfair now.


    “Wow! Is this pastry a new thing from their bakery? It’s so adorable.” Nydia eximed, her eyes lighting


    up at the sight. She was a sucker for snacks and didn’t hesitate to gobble one down in a single bite.


    Jason chuckled to himself. Nydia, usually so poised and eloquent, revealed her true colors when it


    came to food. He hadn’t quite hit the spot with her yet.


    Evadne couldn’t resist and had one too, her smile radiant and contagious. Thaddeus took mental note


    of the bakery’s name. He’d have to make it a regr stop to keep her happy.


    From now on, he’d have to pick the brains of her brothers for all the things about her.


    While Emeric might not have been the one to know Evadne best, her brothers were undoubtedly the


    ones who understood her the most. Having taken on the solemn duty to care for her from the


    Ashbourne family, Thaddeus vowed to excel in every aspect.


    He wanted her to feel, every single day with him, that she had never parted from her kin.


    He was ready to y every role she needed.


    And if the day ever came that she wanted to let loose, he’d even y the fool to keep her smiling.


    “Ms. Mari, you should try one too,” Aaron said, offering a panda pastry to Mari with a warm,


    affectionate smile, “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight, got a bit less. I’ll make it up to you next time.“.


    Mari’s heart fluttered with joy at the sight of the pastry, her hands eagerly reaching out.


    But out of nowhere, Jareth’srger hand swept in and snatched the treat, wolfing it down in one gulp.


    Mari was bbergasted.


    Aaron’s sharp eyes narrowed, and his outstretched hand slowly clenched into a fist.


    “Dear, supper is about to be served, if you fill up on snacks, you won’t have room for the feast Evadne


    and Thaddeus prepared.” Jareth managed to say between coughs, his face turning a shade of crimson.


    He was choking on his pride and the stolen pastry, but he had to maintain his decorum as the heir to


    the Fairhaven group in front of his rival. His pride and his wife Mari had to be protected at all costs.


    “No need to snatch,” Aaron said, augh barely concealed, “And do you


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Damn! Aaron was insinuating he was a monkey. in some water?”


    The Emeric family’s words never ceased to amaze Jareth. He was seething and wanted to retort, but


    his throat was blocked by the sticky mass, threatening to erupt with each word he attempted to utter.


    Jason and Nydia, oblivious to the tension, went about their business, but Evadne saw everything.


    Jareth’s wariness towards Aaron was on full disy.


    The evening meal went on unaffected by the earlier drama, with the hosts‘ cooking skills leaving


    everyone in high spirits.


    Afterward, Nydia took Mari upstairs to y board games, giving the men the privacy needed for


    serious discussions.


    “Thaddeus, I don’t know how you can still eat,” Arnold said after draining his ss of ice water and


    mming it down on the table, “If I were you, I wouldn’t be able to swallow a single bite. Elspeth’s case


    officially goes to trial next Friday.”


    The mention of Elspeth, long out of sight, cast a shadow over everyone’s faces.


    “I know, I’ve been counting the days,” Thaddeus replied, his voice tight with suppressed agony. “Not a


    day goes by that I don’t remember how my mother died. And not a day goes by that I forget the need


    for vengeance for her and all the innocent lives Elspeth has destroyed.”


    Evadne’s heart pounded, her eyes brimming with tears. Under the table, she reached out her warm


    hand to sp his trembling one.


    Like grasping a lone ray of light in the dark, Thaddeus intertwined his fingers with hers, gazing deeply


    into her luminous eyes.


    “I recently heard through the grapevine about Elepeth’s life in the detention center. She’s settled in


    nicely using her status as a tycoon’s wife to get special treatment, and even has herckeys.


    Apparently, she’s living in luxury, with gourmet meals, skincare products, and cigarettes at her


    disposal.”


    Aaron sneered, “It seems Frederic hasn’tpletely given up on Elspeth. He’s still protecting her


    dignity. He probably ns to get her out.”


    “Oh, let her have her special meals and her makeup,” Evadne interjected sharply, “Just take away her


    diapers.”


    “Frederic is not my father,” Thaddeus said, his eyes bloodshot with bitterness, “The moment my mother


    ceased to breathe, he ceased to be my father.”


    “Thaddeus.” Evadne gasped, her breath caught in her chest.


    “All these years, I stayed with the Abernathy group because it was my mother’sst wish.


    She wanted me to never be bullied again, to earn Frederic’s respect, to stand out, and to make my


    grandfather proud. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with surpassing Chad, proving myself, and fighting


    for power within the Abernathy group. But it had nothing to do with them. I just wanted to fulfill my


    mother’sst wish, to be strong, to make her proud once more.”


    Thaddeus closed his eyes, overwhelmed by grief, as if an invisible force was pounding his aching


    heart, “But in the end, I became a clown, living under the same roof as the killer


    Elspeth for years, ving away for that cold–hearted man Frederic. If it wasn’t for


    Evadne’s unwavering support, if it wasn’t for Erica’s sacrifice to bring us critical information, my mother


    would never rest in peace.”


    Thaddeus felt as though he didn’t have the right to stand in front of his mother’s grave as long as


    Elspeth drew breath. “Thaddeus, what are you getting at? You’re not seriously considering ditching the


    Abernathy Group to be a trophy husband for the Ashbourne family, are you?”


    Arnold’s brow furrowed as he gave him a once–over, “Evadne hasn’t seen a day of happiness since


    she married you. Are you really going to make her start from scratch with you?”


    Aaron chimed in with a scowl, “Exactly. Do you think we’d let you marry Evadne easily? We might be


    okay with living on bread and water, but she’s not about to skimp on a single luxury.””


    Evadne was speechless.


    Her brothers were the kings of hassle. No DNA test was needed, and they pure Emeric through.


    Jareth pped a heavy hand on Thad’s shoulder, his frustration palpable, “Thaddeus, nobody knows


    better than me how hard you fought to get to the top. If you’re really ticked off, you should be wrestling


    control of the entire Abernathy Group from Frederic instead of looking like you’re about to give up. Man,


    take a leaf out of Avery’s book. Learn from his cold–blooded, cutthroat ways. Stop looking back and


    just take the whole damn thing by storm.”


    “You guys don’t know what it’s like toe from a broken home, so easy on the judgment.”


    Evadne’s piercing gaze swept over Jareth’s face, “And you, you think that’s the way to talk? Avery’s


    favorite pastime is screwing over his own kin. Why don’t we have Thaddeus here practice on you first?”


    Jareth immediately mmed up, a flicker of fear in his eyes.


    “Thaddeus, they don’t understand you, but I do.”


    Evadne sighed, her warm palm resting gently on his hand, “If I were in your shoes, I’d do everything in


    my power to fulfill my mother’sst wishes too. But I also get what your mother really wanted for you to


    be able to protect yourself, to be strong. The path you’ve chosen isn’t wrong, and even though you hate


    Frederic, remember that Hamilton adored you and gave you a second chance at life. For his sake, your


    perseverance and hard work are far from meaningless.”


    “Evadne, thank you.” Thaddeus’s voice trembled slightly as he struggled to hold back his emotions.


    “I just understand you.” Evadne smiled sweetly at him.


    “Now, with Ward flipping to a cooperating witness, fingering Elspeth for hiring a hitman on top of drug


    possession and trafficking, her sentence won’t be light.”


    Arnold’s expression darkened, “But I know it’s still not enough. We want capital punishment for Elspeth.


    After all, it’s not just one life she’s taken.”


    “That’s tough.”


    Aaron grimaced and shook his head, his face reflecting the gravity of the situation,


    “Instigating murder without direct evidence is tough. Plus, Erica’s recordings before her death were


    made secretly, and they won’t stand up in court. And another thing, the case involving Thaddeus’s


    mother has been cold for over twenty years. Even if that maid testified, it would hardly be conclusive.


    Furthermore, Elspeth’s defense attorney is still Cedric. No telling what kind of underhanded tactics that


    snake will use against us.”


    Jason paled suddenly, taking a deep breath “This time, I’ll be appearing in court as Erica’s attorney of


    record,”


    Arnold and Aaron looked shocked, “Jason, you’re going to court?”


    But Evadne and Thaddeus were unfazed, even casting trusting nces his way.


    They had been privy to Jason’s ns days ago and had given their full support.


    Jason had been the family secretary for the Ashbourne family for years, and many had forgotten his


    potential, perhaps even Cedric.


    Jason was a top graduate of Elmsworth Law School. If he set his mind to it, Cedric wouldn’t have a leg


    to stand in Elmsworth’s legal circles.


    “This trial will also be my showdown with Cedric.”


    Jason’s gaze was fiery and resolute, “I know what Cedric can’t stand the most, the feeling of utter


    defeat. Especially losing to me, that would be worse for him than death itself.”


    Evadne nodded, her brow furrowed in agreement.


    With a single phone call, countless top–tierwyers would flock to represent the Abernathy Group and


    fight their battle.


    But when it came to striking Cedric where it hurt, Jason was the sharpest de.


    “Jason, we’re grateful,” Arnold said with a heartfelt sigh.


    “Thaddeus and I share an unusual simrity. He hated her father a long time ago and I stopped seeing


    Cedric as my brother a long time ago.”


    Jason poured himself a drink, raising his ss to Thaddeus, “Mr. Abernathy, given our simr fates,


    shall we toast to that?”


    Thaddeus felt a warm surge in his chest, stood up, and raised his ss, “Jason, thanks for always


    looking out for Evadne, and for your willingness to help. To our shared desiresing true.”


    “They wille true.” Jason’s eyes brimmed with emotion as he nodded emphatically.


    Evadne stood up, smiling as she lifted her ss and wrapped an arm around Thaddeus’s waist. “Come


    on, everybody, together!”


    Six sses raised high, filled with the glow of hope for victory.


    “To the fight!” they cheered in unison.