<b>Chapter </b><b>492 </b>


    Jareth felt every hair on his b*dy stand or end as he saw Evadne’s brother, Elvis, stride into the room with the casual swagger of a rockstar.


    People called Jareth the “Grim Reaper,” but in the presence of Elvis, Jareth might as well have been Casper the Friendly Ghost. And since Elvis was Evadne’s brother, well, Jareth wouldn’t dare lift a finger against him.


    “Mr. <b>Fairhaven</b><b>, </b>I’m so sorry.” Lily panted, her gaze filled with regret as she looked at Jareth.


    Jareth swallowed hard, his voice rising urgently, “Don’t be foolish! The mighty Elvis doesn’t stoop to brawling with women. That’s just bad form!”


    “So what, I’m supposed to stand here and let she beat the daylights out of me?”


    Elvis yawned with the indifference of someone who had seen it all, “Do I look like a masochist to you?”


    His words left Jareth without aeback.


    He knew Lily too well; fierce and loyal, with eyes only for her master. Anyone who dared cross her boss would face her wrath, no holds barred.


    “But you’re right, I don’t hit women.”


    With a devil–may–care shrug, Elvis released his grip and raised an eyebrow suggestively, “Lucky for you, dollface, you’re a woman. Otherwise, I would’ve snapped those kitty ws of yours already.”


    “Jerk!”


    Lily was fiercely proud and couldn’t tolerate such humiliation. She clenched her fists, ready to go another round, but Jareth’s stern voice halted her.


    “Lily! Stand down! He’s Ms. Ashbourne’s brother!”


    Lily froze, her eyes wide with realization.


    Her brother?


    –


    –


    The man before her wild and untamed like a lone wolf was Evadne’s brother, the scion of the Ashbourne family?


    Elvis yfully stuck out his tongue at the stunned Lily before turning a cool, hard gaze on Jareth.


    “Evadne and Thaddeus, they’re with you, aren’t they?“.


    Inside the room, there was a tender atmosphere.


    Evadne noticed a bruise on Thaddeus’s face, a mix of shock, anger, and concern flitting across her features as she cradled his face, “Who did this? Tell me!”


    “I fell on the way here,” Thaddeus offered a weak, wry smile, caressing her hands gently.


    “Bull! You fell face–first? Are you that clumsy?”


    Evadne’s cheeks flushed with anger, “When you visited the other day, did Emeric and my brothers rough you up?”


    Thaddeus hastened to assure her, “No, really, it wasn’t that.”


    “It was them! It had to be! You were in the peace corps, for crying out loud, you can handle yourself. Even Elvis could only hold his own against you! Who else could’ve done this to you unless you stood there and took it?”


    Tears swirled in Evadne’s eyes as she hesitated to touch the bruise, not wanting to cause more pain, “Even if you have a beef, there’s no excuse for hitting the face! What’s wrong with them?”


    Thaddeus’s eyes were soft with affection, already over the incident.


    Yet seeing his girl in such distress, he was a maelstrom of happiness, sadness, and regret. His eyes reddened as he tightly grasped her hand, unwilling to let go.


    “Evadne, none of that matters. Nothing is as important as having you back by my side.”


    His voice thick with emotion, Thaddeus nearly choked on thest few words.


    With tears streaming down her face, Evadne threw herself into his arms, “Thaddeus, I’m back. I never want to leave you again.”


    Suddenly, urgent knocks disrupted the moment.


    “Thaddeus! Evadne! Open up!”


    Evadne and Thaddeus exchanged puzzled nces, “Is that Mari?”


    Thaddeus lifted her from the bed, supporting her waist as they approached the door and opened it-


    Mari stood there, eyes red–rimmed and cheeks smeared with frosting, “Thaddeus! Evadne! Trouble! Someone’s after Evadne<b>!</b><b>” </b>“Trouble?” The couple was taken aback.


    The next second, Elvis’s tall, fean figure materialized behind Mari, his eyes clouded with a frosty mist.


    “Evadne.”


    “Elvis!”


    Evadne paled, crying out, “Thaddeus! Close the door, quick!”


    Thaddeus, usually calm and collected, was momentarily flustered at the sight of Elvis.


    But Mari snapped to action, beads of sweat on her forehead as she scrambled to help close the door.


    Yet, no matter how fast she was, she wasn’t faster than Elvis, whose strong hand forcefully stopped the door from shutting. Mari pushed with all her might, but couldn’t close the gap.


    Seeing his once close sister now as terrified and resistant as if seeing a ghost, Elvis sighed deeply, a <i>wry </i>smile on his face. “Evadne, don’t hide from me. I didn’te to drag you back.”


    Thaddeus’s eyes trembled, and Evadne stared in disbelief, “Huh? Elvis.”


    “I never intended to keep you two apart.”


    Elvis looked at the couple who had suffered so much yet couldn’t find peace together, his heart heavy, “I came to make sure you were safe, not sick, or hurt. Don’t be afraid.”


    Those simple words struck straight to Evadne’s heart!


    Elvis was visibly moved, his l*ps pressed tightly together.


    After all this time, he never would have imagined that among Evadne’s family, there would be someone willing to stand by him, someone willing to trust him.


    “Elvis!<b>” </b>


    Evadne stepped forward and embraced him, and he returned the embrace warmly, tenderly stroking her hair, “You silly girl. Jumping from a five–story building to get away. If you had hurt yourself, how could we live on?!”


    “Evadne!” Thaddeus’s eyes widened in shock!


    “I’m fine, aren’t I? It was just five floors.” Evadne sniffled, unabashedly wiping her nose on Elvis’s ck shirt.


    “I know you too well. Who could ever stop you from doing what you set your mind to? Forget about five floors. You just jumped out


    of an airne on Star Ind!” Elvis scolded, his eyes filled with affection as he pulled out his tie and tenderly wiped her nose.


    The one woman who could make Elvis melt had always been, and would only ever be, her.


    “Can we please stop the nonsense now!”


    Evadne sniffled, her nose a bright shade of red from crying.


    Just then, Jareth rushed in, anxiety creasing his forehead.


    Relieved to see that things were rtively calm, he took a deep breath and pulled Mari into his embrace.


    “Uh. Jareth, did I misunderstand this gentleman?” Mari lifted her innocent face, filled with guilt. “I thought he was a bad guy.”


    “Indeed, this gentleman is not a bad guy.”


    He’s the devil himself! Even the bad guys would call him ancestor!


    After calming Evadne down, Elvis coolly raised his eyelids and approached Thaddeus.


    “Mr. Ashbourne, thank you for giving me a chance,” Thaddeus rasped, his voice low.


    Suddenly, everything went dark before his eyes!


    Elvis’s brow twitched violently, and he threw a punch straight at Thaddeus’s face!


    “Thad!”


    “Elvis! Stop!” Evadne tried <b>to </b>intervene, but it was toote!


    Thaddeus remained unfazed, ready to take the blow.


    But just half an inch from his nose, Elvis stopped, letting out a coldugh. “Don’t tter yourself too much. I’m just making <b>sure </b>my sister isn’t heartbroken over you. Did you really think your <b>d*rty </b>tricks would fly with me?”


    Thaddeus felt as though his heart was crushed by a heavy stone, trembling with pain, “I’m sorry. I know I deserve the worst, but still, thank you for not taking Evadne away. Even if it’s just for a little while. Being with her, every second, every minute, is a treasure to me.”


    Elvis paused, slowly withdrawing his hand.


    Evadne, unable to wait any longer, returned to Thaddeus’s side, interlocking their fingers tightly.


    “Let’s talk about something happier,” Elvis said, his voice softening as he didn’t want to y the viin in his sister’s eyes. “Evadne, that woman who looks almost exactly like you, I’ve found her hideout.”


    The news Elvis brought was a monumental gift for Evadne and Thaddeus<b>! </b>


    Jareth perked up as well, but he didn’t want Mari tangled up in this mess, so he sent her back to her room with Lily and stayed behind for the juicy details.


    Thaddeus held Evadne close on the sofa, listening intently as Elvis recounted his encounter and skirmish with Elsie.


    Including how Elsie had hidden weapons, tried to seduce him, but ended up being outwitted by him–all wasid bare.


    However, he didn’t tell them-


    That night, Elsie had given him a sudden electrifying k*ss, a gentle nibble that turned passionate.


    Amidst the deep k*ss, he remembered her soft sobs, tears streaming down her face.


    She came for his life, and she was the one crying?


    “Damn, this is so freaking mystical!” Jareth was dumbfounded.


    Elvis nced at him with disdain, “There’s always one fool in a crowd.”


    Jareth clenched his teeth, his face screaming “patience.”


    He couldn’t beat Elvis. Elvis was Evadne’s brother and Thaddeus’s brother–inw. Picking a fight would make him the viin inside


    and out!


    “Look at you, rejecting a seductress who came knocking. Didn’t take the bait, Elvis? Haven’t you been off the wagon for a while? What a rare opportunity, a night of spring worth a thousand gold,” Evadne teased her brother, her mood lightening as she leaned into Thaddeus’s arms.


    “Do I look like I’ve never seen a woman before? You think I can’t keep it in my pants every time one throws herself at me?” Elvis‘ retorted, taking another jab at Jareth, “I’m not him.”


    “Damn it!” Jareth’s face turned red, cursing inwardly.


    “But she looks so much like me. You always said you wanted a wife who looked like me, and our brother called you a freak for it,” Evadne continued, though Thaddeus beside her felt a surge of jealousy.


    His face reddened, too, much like her brother’s.


    “I’ve never used a counterfeit for anything in my life, why would I start with a woman? Am I sick in the head?” Elvis finally lost his


    cool.


    “Alright, alright, I’ll stop,” Evadne said, her tone turning serious despite her attempts to keep it light, the fear still lingering in her heart. “You said you used that woman as bait at the hotel, lying in wait for the person pulling the strings. So, who does she work for<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    Elvis’s l*ps curled into a scornful smirk as he pulled out his phone and ced a picture on the coffee table.


    All three leaned in to get a closer look.


    The atmosphere <b>in </b>the room dropped, the air almost freezing over!


    The man in the photo leading Elsie away was all too familiar to them-


    Avery’s secretary, Harvey!


    “It’s him. It had to be him!”


    Evadne seethed with rage, trembling with cold fury, “He wasn’t content with trying to kill my brother and Debby, now he’s targeted you, Elvis! He’spletely heartless and vile!”


    But this time, Avery had miscalcted.


    They say Avery was a cold–blooded snake, but they have a python in their midst – Elvis!


    Thad moved to soothe Evadne’s trembling form, his warm palms continuously caressing her delicate shoulders,forting her without words.


    In truth, he had suspected this all along, and now with confirmation, <b>he </b>wasn’t surprised.


    “That time, Thad, you were lured to the hotel by this woman and then fell into Edith’s trap. Now everything makes sense. Avery was behind it all, using this woman and my naive sister to drive a wedge between you and Evadne, forcing you to marry Edith! Such a twisted, venomous plot, it’s just like the Avery style!”


    Jareth ground his teeth, “He almost made Evadne misunderstand you, made everyone think you were a scoundrel, and made you a thorn in Chairman Ashbourne’s side. He almost seeded! Too malicious, too despicable!”


    Evadne felt a sharp pain in her chest, hershes drooping<b>, </b>filled with remorse.


    “He won’t seed.”


    Thaddeus lowered his gaze, nting a tender k*ss on the rosy apple of her cheek, “My girl knows I’d never deceive her. She’lle to trust me in time.”


    “You’re such a fool.”


    Evadne hunched her shoulders, a yful pout in her voice as embarrassment flushed her face, “And what if I can’t figure you out? What if I refuse to turn back to you?”


    Thaddeus‘ eyes curved into a beautiful arc as he gazed <b>at </b>her, brimming with adoration, “If you don’t turn back for a day, I’ll wait for a day. If you never turn back, then I’ll wait a lifetime.”