<b>Chapter </b><b>461 </b>
Frederic red at his wayward son, his expression as stormy as a raging sea.
And trailing behind him, besides his loyal right–hand man Dennis and a phnx of b*dyguards, was Glynnis, looking like she’d just eaten a fly.
Truth be told, Glynnis would rather be anywhere but here to face Elspeth; she hadn’t set foot outside the Windermere Estate since the horse race debacle,
Elspeth, as her flesh and blood, had hung their d*rtyundry out for all to see!
These days, she couldn’t even nce at the TV without cringing. A quick scroll through Facebook, and there they were<b>, </b>snidements and jabs at Elspeth.
She even had to mute all those groups. But they never stopped gossiping about the mother–daughter duo.
[Now when I think about <b>it</b>, I feel sorry for poor Elspeth. Frederic probably hasn’t touched her in ages. Who else would be so desperate to touch themselves, and with such fervor?]
[Well, once you’ve had kids, you’re just another piece of furniture to men. Even Elspeth, with her star–studded past, couldn’t escape that fate.]
[What does middle age have to do with it? Elspeth’s on drugs, wetting herself. If I were Frederic, I’d be six feet under from the shame. What a family tragedy!]
[The real victim here is Glynnis. No decent beau and now her mom’s been carted off by the cops in broad daylight.]
[Which respectable family would want to tie the knot with that kind of scandal hanging over them? Talk about embarrassing.]
Those so–called friends of hers sure didn’t pull any punches when kicking her while she was down. More like ‘frenemies‘ if you might ask!
But right now, Glynnis had to y the part of the concerned daughter. No matter Frederic’s stance on Elspeth, she had to show her father that she was the dutiful, caring daughter, better than that simpleton Mari by miles!
She had just witnessed Thaddeus throw a punch at Cedric, their words as clear as day to everyone present. Inside, she smirked.
Go ahead Thaddeus, make a spectacle for that woman. In the end, you’ll just be another disappointment to dad, and that CEO position will sl*p right from under you.
“What am I doing? You saw it clear enough,” Thaddeus said, icy and unyielding, his eyes narrowing with authority.
“Haven’t you realized who you are? This is a precinct! How are you any different from a street thug when you hit someone? It’s disgraceful! Foolish!”
Frederic had recently warmed slightly to his son, feeling <b>a </b>twinge of guilt for mistreating Cynthia. But seeing him now, so reckless <b>and </b>impulsive for Evadne’s sake, he found his son utterly repulsive.
The officers around, including Aaron, heard the patriarch of the Abernathy Group spout such nonsense and shook their heads in disdain.
“What sort of leadership is this? He runs a corporation? Ridiculous is what it is.”
“Yeah, hitting’s wrong, but to him, it seems more about losing face than morality. His values are all out <b>of </b>whack!”
“Elites really are heartless, parasites on society. Hopeless!”
Frederic wasn’t deaf. He caught snippets of their words and grew even angrier, looking at Thaddeus with fire in his eyes.
“I know who <b>I </b>am,” without hesitation Thaddeus returned to Evadne’s side, gripping her hand firmly.
His striking gaze softened as he looked at her, “I’m the man of the Ashbourne family’s eldest daughter. My woman was bitten by this cur. I hit him is that not justified?”
–
Evadne’s heart skipped a beat, her fingers curling within his grasp.
“You!” Frederic was taken aback.
<b>“</b>If it were your <b>woman </b>who’s insulted to her face by such scum, could you swallow that pill and remain indifferent?<b>” </b>
Thaddeus smiled thinly, “But of course, you value your pride over everything else, so you would certainly be above it all.”
The crowd gasped! The Ashbourne father–son feud had escted to an open war!
Frederic<b>, </b>speechless from his son’s retort, was caught off guard when Glynnis stepped in, defending her father, <b>“</b>Thaddeus, how
<b>can </b>you speak to dad like that?! You’re <b>in </b>the wrong <b>for </b>fighting, and you’ve tarnished thepany’s image. What’s wrong <b>with </b>dad giving you a talking–<b>to</b><b>?! </b>Are you going to degrading yourself until everyone hates you and spits <b>at </b>you for only a woman?<b>” </b>
Evadne couldn’t stand <b>to </b>see her man chastised by someone like Glynnis, but this was an Ashbourne family affair. Though she and Thaddeus weremitted to each other<b>, </b><b>it </b>wasn’t her ce to intervene.
Her meddling in would only worsen the tie between the Abernathy father and son. She didn’t fear Frederic’s disdain, but she worried for Thaddeus, who was already walking on thin ice at the Ashbourne Group, that his situation would be only harsher.
“Hated and be spat at by everyone? You must mean Elspeth.” Thaddeus didn’t even nce at Glynnis, his voice threaded with a chilling threat, “I advise you to behave. If you persist in whitewashing your mom’s crimes, <b>I’ll </b>make sure you follow in her footsteps, and you two can keep each otherpany behind bars.”
His words were not just for Glynnis but also for Frederic. The implication was clear: Elspeth was beyond saving.
“Thaddeus! how dare you!” Glynnis stomped her foot in frustration, clutching at Frederic’s arm, tears brimming, “Dad! What’s he talking about? He wants to kill my mom, your wife! He wants to kill not just mom but me too! What did I ever do to him, why does he want us dead? Who’s the cruel one?!<b>” </b>
Frederic, dizzied by her shaking and more confused than ever<b>, </b>could barely muster a response.
“Mr. Frederic Abernathy.”.
Cedric saw the <b>rift </b>between the father and son as his golden ticket.
Scrambling to his feet<b>, </b>wiping the blood from his nose while donning a sorrowful visage, he stood before Frederic, “Mr. Frederic Abernathy. I’ve been utterly devoted to you, to the Abernathy Group. I’ve worked my fingers to the bone, given my all. You know this. I’m aware of the bad blood between Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy and your wife, but as awyer, I was merely doing my job. Yet Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy, because of his grudge, has taken it out on me Mr. Frederic Abernathy, I’m so wronged!”
Frederic, catching sight of Cedric’s bloody face, couldn’t bear to look again and simply said, “Mr. Dempsey, I’m truly sorry for this. I’ll handle it.”
Thaddeus was utterly fed up with everything rted to the Abernathy family.
“Evadne, let’s go home.”
He didn’t want to share the same air as Frederic any longer. Taking Evadne’s hand, they walked out unabashed, ignoring the stares of the onlookers.
As they passed Cedric, Thaddeus paused and casually said, “Your medical expenses, just bill them to my secretary. Getting punched by me isn’t an everyday affair, make sure you im a good amount.”
Cedric’s face contorted in anger, his wounds throbbing painfully, almost making him cry out.
Evadne followed Thaddeus, her eyes fixed on his broad shoulders and strong back, stepping lightly behind him.
Aaron watched, utterly dumbfounded. His little sister had always been unconventional, not like other girls – bold and generous, shining bright like moonlight on a frosty night.
Yet now, in Thaddeus’s presence, she was the picture of gentle and demure femininity – a sight he’d never seen before, almost worth snapping a picture tomemorate!
“Ms. Ashbourne,” Frederic called out coldly, stopping them in their tracks.
Thaddeus immediately tensed, pulling her into his embrace as if to protect her from the world.
“Mr. Abernathy, is there anything else?” Evadne asked, her tone neither servile nor overbearing.
“Do you dare im that the public exposure at thest horse race, her arrest, and that doctor’s testimony had nothing to do with you?<b>” </b>Frederic’s voice was tight with anger, <b>his </b>teeth gritted.
Thaddeus’s brows knitted together, <b>“</b><b>If </b><b>you </b>have something to say, say it to me directly. Don’t make it difficult for Evadne.”
But Evadne<b>, </b>unruffled, shed Frederic a/radiant, disarming smile, “How can it has nothing to do with me? It has everything to do with me.”
The crowd gasped. The Abernathy Group’s people were stunned, and even Thaddeus was surprised by her candor.
Glynnis, seizing the opportunity<b>, </b>spat out bitterly, “Evadne<b>! </b>It was you all along, working against my mom! I knew she was innocent<b>; </b>it was all your doing! How could you be so cruel?! You’ve turned our family upside down and now you’re ensnaring my brother, using him <b>for </b>your vile schemes! You’re a scourge<b>, </b><b>a </b>disaster<b>!</b>”
Aaron could no longer stand it and was about to defend his sister when Evadne, ever poised, replied with a slow smile, <b>“</b>Mr. Abernathy, Victor indeed works for me. But from your wife’s approach to him <b>for </b>drugs, her addiction<b>, </b>and even her desperate actions at the horse race<b>, </b><b>it </b>was all her choice. No <b>one </b>ever forced her. Indeed<b>, </b><b>it </b>was a trap, but Elspeth had the option to <b>walk </b>
<b>212 </b>
away from the <b>start</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
With <b>that</b>, Thaddeus tenderly wrapped his arm around Evadne and they left the station.
“Dad! You’re just letting her go<b>?! </b>She’s the mastermind behind mom’s downfall<b>!</b><b>” </b>Glynnis cried out in desperation.
Dennis, unable <b>to </b>bear it any longer, chided lightly, “Ms. Ashbourne’s words require evidence. If you can’t provide it, I suggest you
be cautious; otherwise Ms. Ashbourne could sue you for defamation.”
Glynnis shot Dennis a venomous nce.
“Aaron, I need to see your Chief,” Frederic gazed at Aaron callously.
Aaron, leaning casually against the wall with folded arms, “The Chief is out; someone higher up needed him.”
“Then do me a favor and call him; have hime see me immediately.”
“Sorry, but as a lowly officer, I don’t have the clout to summon the Chief at will.”
Aaron yawned and waved dismissively, “If you need him, you’ll have to call him yourself.”
This tant disregard added fuel to Frederic’s fury. He knew Aaron was Emeric Ashbourne’s son and Evadne’s brother; he wouldn’t make things easy for him.
Hmph! A child born of a mistress, just as lowly as expected!
Glynnis continued to wail, “Dad, Evadne is walking all over us. Are we from the Abernathy Group supposed to let her manipte us, to be ughtered likembs<b>?!</b><b>” </b>
“Impossible, utterly impossible.”
Frederic’s face turned an ashen hue, his teeth almost grinding to dust, “I know what she wants. She’s deluded herself into thinking she can marry Thaddeus again. I will never let such a scheming woman be a daughter–inw of the Abernathy family. Even if my dad supports her<b>, </b>it’s futile!”
On the ride home, Evadne nestled against Thaddeus, tracingzy circles on his firm chest.
“Don’t keep crossing your dad for my sake.“.
“Don’t worry,” Thaddeus replied in a husky voice, k*ssing her forehead tenderly.
“Mr. Frederic Abernathy, the chairman of the Abernathy Group, still calls the shots. Aren’t you afraid he’ll dismiss you in a fit of rage and hand over the billion–dor empire to your older brother?” Evadne voiced her concern with a serious tone.
“If Frederic really intends to cast me aside, and I’m no longer the president of the Abernathy Group, then I might just have to rely on you to support me,” Thaddeus said with a wry smile.
“Rely on me? The Ashbourne family doesn’t support freeloaders,” Evadne’s eyebrow arched elegantly.
“I can pull my own weight, you know. I’m quite capable,” he replied, his chest muscles tensing, flicking her fingertips.
“Oh? And how capable might that be?”
Thaddeus wrapped hisrge hand around her slim waist and lifted her into his arms, his gaze heavy with desire as he looked into her eyes, “You’ll find out when we get home.”
A blush crept over <b>Evadne’s </b><b>cheeks </b><b>as </b>she wrapped her arms <b>around </b>his <b>n*eck </b>and pulled him into a deep k*ss.
The car pulled up in front of the vi.
Gordon stepped <b>out </b>first to open the door <b>for </b>Mr. and <b>Mrs. </b>Abernathy. That was when he noticed a ck Rolls–Royce parked at the doorstep, its presence dominating even in the dim light.
Just as Thaddeus stepped out with Evadne in his arms, the door of the Rolls–Royce swung open.
“Evadne.”
Both were taken aback, Evadne’s eyes widening in surprise before she quickly hopped down from Thaddeus.
“Dad<b>?</b><b>” </b>