Evadne blinked. Then she responded indifferently. “I’m fine, but Mari might not be.”
Thaddeus’ eyes were as deep as ink. His grip tightened on Glynnis’ wrist.
“Ouch! Let go! It hurts!” Glynnis cried out in pain as beads of sweat on her forehead and tears welled up in her eyes.
Thaddeus pursed his thin l*ps and then said without hesitation, “Let go of her.”
With his powerful force, Glynnis stumbled backwards, finally sitting on the floor in embarra**ment.
“She started it by chucking her shoe at me! Look, I even have a shoe print on my face! That’s proof!” Glynnis sobbed, pounding the ground with her fist. “She barged into our house and attacked your sister! How could you be so biased?!”
However, Thaddeus didn’t even nce at her. He just kept asking Evadne, “Are you really okay?”
Evadne, clearly annoyed, didn’t bother to respond. She quickly moved to Mari’s side, crouched down, and gently stroked her soft hair.
Mari flung herself into Evadne’s arms, crying.
She didn’t even cry when Glynnis hit her, but the sight of Evadne broke her.
“Don’t cry, I’m here. No one will dare to bully you again. Mari, I’ll protect you from now on.” Evadneforted Mari, ring at Glynnis with anger.
What a wicked woman! She was just like the evil stepmother in Snow White!
Watching the two girls huddle together, Thaddeus felt a stir of emotion in his cold heart.
“Glynnis, I have something to tell you.” Evadne looked at Glynnis, her eyes cold. “From now on, I’ll be protecting Mari. Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on here in Windermere Estate just because I’m not here. I don’t care about anything else, but if you dare toy a finger on Mari and I find out, don’t me me for not being polite. The Ashbourne family won’t let the Abernathy family off easily.”
Glynnis’ pupils contracted. A shiver ran down her spine. She looked at Thaddeus for help. Her makeup was ruined by tears.
“Did you hear what Evadne said?” Thaddeus asked coldly, his gaze never leaving Evadne.
Glynnis had lost all hope. She realized he wouldn’t help her. He never considered her his sister.
Then, she had no choice but to swallow her pride!
“Apologize to Mari right now.” Thaddeus ordered sternly.
Glynnis bit her l*p, refusing to speak.
“Glynnis!”
“Forget it. An insincere apology is meaningless.” Evadne spoke firmly, “As long as she stops causing trouble, that’s good enough.”
Rubbing the shoe print on her forehead, Glynnis stormed off to her room.
“Evadne! You crazy woman! I won’t let you off easily!”
Glynnis’ eyes were red and swollen. Her breath was ragged. It took a moment for her to realize why Evadne was at her house. Did Thaddeus bring her? What was he trying to imply?
Was he nning to reconcile with his ex-wife? That was uneptable!
Although Acacia was nasty, she didn’te from a prestigious family and looked worn out. So Glynnis could beat her.
But Evadne was different. She came from a prestigious family and was extremely ruthless. If she reconciled with Thaddeus, Glynnis would be the target of the Ashbourne family’s anger.
Just as she was pondering that, Glynnis had an idea.
“Why not summon Acacia and watch the two of them fight, leaving both of them damaged?” was what she thought.
Once she made her decision, she called Acacia.
“Acacia, we’re in trouble! My brother brought Evadne home, and they’re acting all lovey-dovey. I’m afraid your position in my brother’s heart is in danger!”
Thaddeus ordered the ser vants to clean Mari’s room, while Evadne held her tight, continuouslyforting her.
“Don’t be scared, Mari. I’m here.”
Even though Mari was already twenty, she acted childishly due to her autism. Holding onto Evadne’s clothes, she pleaded, “Sis-inw, don’t leave. Stay, okay? I miss you.”
Hearing Mari call her sis-inw made Evadne ufortable and stiff.
Thaddeus watched their intimate interaction silently, involuntarily moving closer.
“Mr. Thaddeus.” Evadne spoke coldly, “I know you’re busy every day, and you don’t like this house. But you watched Mari grow up, and she’s always respected you. If you’re not heartless or ungrateful, please don’t turn a blind eye to Glynnis’ bullying next time! If I find out that Glynnis is bullying Mari again, I’ll sue her for intentional harm.”
Thaddeus was taken aback by Evadne’s words with his l*ps tightly closed.
He was usually too busy to be home. He really didn’t know Glynnis was so ruthless toward his own sister. Her sisterly love act in front of their grandfather was all a sham.
“I promise you. This won’t happen again.” Thaddeus said firmly.
“What’s the use of promising me? I’m not the one getting hurt.”
Once again, Thaddeus was rebuffed by Evadne, but he was used to it by then.
Afterforting Mari for a while, Evadne and Thaddeus went to the room where she had lived alone for three years.
She walked confidently into the bedroom, opening the wardrobe. Each of na’s belongings was neatly arranged inside.
Evadne thought back to the times she had put her heart and soul into preparing gifts for Thaddeus, going to great lengths just to make him happy. She remembered those lonely nights she spent crafting on her own, looking forward to the moment when she could present her gift to him. Only to have him barely nce at it.
16:49
She stood with her back to him, her heart filled with pain, yet a touch of self-mocking smile yed on her l*ps.
Once, she was head over heels for that man.
But then, there was just an empty void.
“Do you have a suitcase? I came here in a hurry and didn’t prepare anything. Could I borrow a suitcase? I need to pack my clothes.” Before she could finish her sentence, Evadne felt a shadow sweep over her head.
Surprised, she looked up to find a slender, powerful hand holding the cab door shut, which effectively trapped her beneath him.
The man’s suit cuffs shimmered in the dim light, making her shoulders shudder involuntarily.
“Thaddeus, what are you trying to do?”
Thaddeus parted his l*ps, uttering her name in a low, husky voice. “Evadne.”
His voice washed over her like an electric current, sending chills down her spine.
“If you want to take your stuff and leave, tell me why you married me in the first ce.”