<b>Chapter </b><b>168 </b>


    Evadne looked at him in surprise, “What the hell are you doing here?”


    Jason, standing in the background, felt a sinking feeling in his heart at Avery’s sudden reappearance and clenched his fists.


    <b>“</b>They told me this elevator was for your exclusive use, so I waited for you here,” Avery said with a gentle smile.


    Tm not asking about that. I mean why did youe looking for me?” Evadne frowned slightly.


    “Isn’t my dading to your house as a guest tonight? Aren’t you going back to Skyrim?” Averyughed calmly, “<b>So </b>I came to pick you up. Let’s go back to Skyrim together


    Evadne purse her red l*ps, feeling doubtful.


    What he said sounded right, but it wasn’tpletely right.


    “Thank you foring to pick me up, but Ca**ius has already made arrangements with me. He should be here soon. I’ll go home with him.”


    Evadne still smiled politely, “See you tonight at Silveke Harbor.”


    Tve already made it clear to him that I intend to pick you up. He agreed, so he won’t being” Avery said casually.


    “What?” Evadne was shocked.


    “We’re both old friends. Mr. Emeric and my father are good friends, and you and I grew up together. He shouldn’t worry about me taking you away.”


    Although he really wanted to take her away, take her home, pamper her, protect her, and make her his darling.


    “Well, then, you really went out of your way.”


    Evadne was still very polite to him in order to keep their distance.


    Ca**ius, who usually cared so much about her like a hen protecting her chicks, this time was so trustful, handing her over to another man!


    Could it be, like Emeric, he also wanted to pawn her off?


    It was really reckless! What if Avery was a bad guy? What if he had mental problems?


    Evadne sighed silently, thinking she really was a suspicious person, he was her life saver!


    “It’s no trouble, I always have time for you.” Averyughed happily.


    Evadne was used to his suggestive way of speaking. She didn’t think much of it and walked alongside him.


    “Ms. Evadne!” Jason’s heart ached as he called out to her.


    They both stopped.


    Evadne looked at him questioningly, “What’s up, Jason?”


    At this point, Avery adjusted his **es, his deep eyes squinted slightly, and he slowly turned to look at Jason behind him.


    Jason was scared by this threatening gaze, his heart ached, and he stuttered, “Ms. Evadne.”


    “Oh, you didn’t even have to say it. I forgot.” Evadne smiled at him, “You don’t have to follow me anymore. You can get off work early. You’ve been exhaustedtely. Go home and rest well tonight”


    Then they walked past him.


    Jason’s shoulders sagged. Recalling Avery’s imperceptible yet unnerving indifferent gaze, he only felt a chill running up his spine, as if he were in a dark basement, filled with fear.


    Evadne and Avery walked side by side in the lobby, quickly attracting the attention of all the hotel staff.


    “Wow! Look <b>at </b>that! Ms. Evadne has a new friend! Finally, there’s another man besides Mr. Jason!”


    “Really? And this guy is pretty handsome! Mr. Jason has been outdone!”


    “Mr. Jason and this gentleman havepletely different styles, okay? This gentleman is like a noble vampire, while Mr. Jason is like the sunny and healthy male lead in TV dramas. Each has its own good, and they can’t bepared!”


    “I prefer Mr. Jason!”


    “I prefer this vampire hottie!”


    “Only kids choose. Adults want it all!”


    Outside the hotel door, Avery’s private car had been waiting for a long time.


    The secretary respectfully opened the car door, Evadne was about to get in the car when the man suddenly gently grabbed her arm.


    “Ms. Evadne


    “What’s up, Mr. Avery?” Evadne looked at him in surprise.


    Avery’s eyes were full of affection. He smiled gently, took out a brand new clean white handkerchief from his pocket, and reached out to help her wipe off the l*pstick on her l*ps.


    But this time, Evadne didn’t let him have his way. She decisively pulled the handkerchief out of his hand.


    “I can do it myself”


    Avery’s eyes dimmed. He justughed and didn’t say anything.


    The Bentley drove away from the hotel.


    At the same time, across the street, the window of a ck Lamborghini slowly fell, revealing Thaddeus’s perfectly sculpted face.


    His l*ps were tightly closed, <b>his </b>stern eyes slightly reddish<b>. </b>He kept staring at <b>the </b>Bentley disappearing into the distance.


    Thinking about the sight of Evadne and Avery walking side by side<b>, </b><b>he </b>felt <b>his </b>heart suddenly start pounding like it was being electrocuted. It felt <b>as </b><b>if </b>all his blood vessels were filled with <b>a </b>cold sensation.


    He hadn’t slept for two days and nights. Even sleeping pills didn’t work.


    Since they parted ways at the concert that day, Thaddeus’s mind had been restless. Even at work, he couldn’t maintain his usual focus. He even started daydreaming,pletely ignoring the reports


    He didn’t know why it was like this, but he knew it was Evadne who was causing his insomnia.


    So today, without telling Gordon, he drove to the hotel alone and waited from the afternoon until now.


    He couldn’t deny that he wanted to see Evadne.


    Even if <b>it </b>was just to get a good night’s sleep, he wanted to see Evadne.


    But when he saw Evadne still with Avery<b>, </b><b>his </b>head felt like it had been hit hard. <b>It </b>hurt so much that his vision even blurred.


    He didn’t know <b>if </b>it would cure his insomnia, but this scene was almost going to give him a heart attack!


    Thaddeus’s swollen eyes sank. He clenched his teeth unwillingly and stomped on the elerator.


    The sports car shot out like an arrow<b>, </b>chasing after it closely.


    Tonight, Silveke Harbor was once again bustling. The servants were busy preparing to wee the guests.


    To answer Emeric’s call, all the kids that coulde back did. Ca**ius, Arnold, and Aaron were already in Silveke Harbor, and Evadne was on her way home.


    Nydia couldn’t leave because she had to attend an important course, and this gathering wasn’t a big deal, so Myra let her focus on her studies without asking her to take a leave.


    “Ah, there are more men than women tonight.”


    Arnold sat in the living room, cup of coffee in hand .He nced at Ca**ius, then Aaron, and shook his head. “Why is it only you two single guys here? Why is it so hard to see the girls?<b>” </b>


    <b>“</b>Arnold, just be grateful. We just cracked a big case, so the chief gave us a couple of days off. If it weren’t for that, no amount of praying to God would get me here.” Aaron, dressed in a leather jacket. Arm as a pillow, he lounged on the couch with his legs casually crossed. After spending so much time in the force, he’d lost all trace of being a rich kid.


    As the youngest of the Ashbournes, he looked most like Emeric: thick brows, bright eyes, sharp nose, plump and slightly upturned l*ps. His skin had a healthy tan under the sun, which made his big eyes even more radiant.


    “What a dramatic analogy,” Arnoldmented.


    “Be thankful. I was being gentle.”


    Suddenly, there was a crisp sound.


    Ca**ius and Arnold were startled before they could figure out what happened.


    Aaron, lounging on the couch, didn’t flinch, but suddenly raised his arm and caught a walnut flying from who knew where.


    Wow, was that even humanly possible?


    “Thanks, Mom. You know I love walnuts, and you pick such a big one for me.”


    Aaron sat up from the couch, ced the walnut on the coffee table, and smashed it with one hand. There was a big grin on his face as he picked up the walnut and ate it.


    “Look at yourself, you call yourself a cop! Where is the demeanor of the Ashbourne family, did you join the police or have you been undercover in the mafia for ten years?”


    Suri, hands on her hips, walked up to her son in fury.


    “Hey, same difference,” Aaron shed a white smile, chewing his walnut and reaching out to his mom, “Mom, I’m still hungry, any more?”


    “What are you wearing? Go upstairs and change into something decent!”


    Suri, a sensible and well–educateddy, couldn’t take it anymore and kicked her son, “I don’t care what you’re like at the station, but here, you’re an Ashbourne. You should dress like one! Mr. Jeff and the others areing soon. Don’t embarra** your father!”


    In the study, Emeric sat on a vintage leather sofa, reading **es perched on his sharp nose, looking at the photos in his hands.


    The people in the photos were Evadne and Avery.


    “As per your instructions, I’ve been keeping a close eye on Ms. Evadne’s dating situation.”


    Mr. Dn reported respectfully, “She hasn’t been in contact with the others on the list, but she’s been seen frequently with the young heir of the Chambers family.”


    Emeric scrutinized the photos, as if about <b>to </b>see through them, and he asked seriously, “This young man from the Chambers family hasn’t done anything inappropriate to my daughter, has he? Hasn’t done anything excessive?”


    <b>“</b>No, Mr. Avery is a gentleman, and he knows his boundaries when he’s with her.”


    “Hmm.” Emeric pondered, without furtherment.


    Then someone knocked at the door, and Myra’s gentle voice came through.


    “Emeric, Mr. Jeff and the young man from the Chambers family have arrived.”