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 <b>edges </b><b>to </b><b>the </b>untrained eye, <b>but </b>he always paid attention <b>to </b><b>the </b>little things. Before heading over, he’d stopped to pick up some treats for Evadne <b>and </b>Nydia, enduring <b>a </b><b>nearly </b>two–hour queue <b>to </b>get their favorite sweets.
<b>What </b>he <b>hadn’t </b>anticipated was that Mari <b>would </b><b>be </b><b>there too</b>.
Had he known, <b>he’d </b>have grabbed an extra portion. <b>It </b><b>almost </b>seemed <b>unfair </b>now.
“Wow! <b>Is </b>this pastry <b>a </b>new thing from their <b>bakery</b><b>? </b><b>It’s </b><b>so </b><b>adorable</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>Nydia eximed<b>, </b><b>her </b>eyes <b>lighting </b><b>up </b>at <b>the </b><b>sight</b>. <b>She </b>was <b>a </b>sucker for snacks and didn’t <b>hesitate </b><b>to </b>gobble one down <b>in </b><b>a </b><b>single </b><b>bite</b><b>. </b>
Jason chuckled <b>to </b>himself. <b>Nydia</b>, <b>usually </b>so <b>poised </b><b>and </b><b>eloquent</b><b>, </b><b>revealed </b>her <b>true </b>colors when it came <b>to </b>food. He <b>hadn’t </b>quite hit the spot <b>with </b><b>her </b>yet.
Evadne couldn’t resist <b>and </b><b>had </b>one too, her <b>smile </b><b>radiant </b>and contagious. Thaddeus took mental note of <b>the </b>bakery’s <b>name</b>. He’d <b>have to </b><b>make </b><b>it </b><b>a </b><b>regr </b><b>stop </b><b>to </b><b>keep </b><b>her </b>happy.
<b>From </b><b>now </b>on, <b>he’d </b>have to pick the brains of her brothers for all the things about her. While Emeric might not have been the one to <b>know </b>Evadne best, <b>her </b><b>brothers </b>were undoubtedly the ones who understood her the most. Having taken on <b>the </b>solemn <b>duty </b><b>to </b>care for her <b>from </b>the Ashbourne family, Thaddeus vowed to excel in every aspect.
He wanted her <b>to </b>feel<b>, </b>every single day with him<b>, </b>that she had never parted from her kin. He was ready to y every role <b>she </b>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, <b>you </b>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 <b>it </b>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.
“<b>Dear</b>, 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 <b>to </b>the Fairhaven group in front of his rival. His pride and his wife Mari had to be protected at all costs<b>. </b>
“No need to snatch,” Aaron said, augh barely concealed, “And do you
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, “<b>If </b>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.
<b>07-17 </b>
“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 <b>luxury</b>, 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 <b>her </b><b>dignity</b>. He probably ns to get her out.”
“Oh, let her have her special meals <b>and </b>her makeup,” Evadne interjected <b>sharply</b><b>, </b><b>“</b>Just take away her diapers.”
“Frederic is not <b>my </b>father,” Thaddeus said, his eyes bloodshot with bitterness<b>, </b><b>“The </b>moment <b>my </b>mother ceased <b>to </b><b>breathe</b><b>, </b><b>he </b>ceased to <b>be </b>my father<b>.</b><b>” </b>
“Thaddeus.<b>” </b>Evadne <b>gasped</b><b>, </b>her breath <b>caught </b><b>in </b>her chest.
“All these years, <b>I </b>stayed with the <b>Abernathy </b><b>group </b>because <b>it </b>was <b>my </b>mother’s <bst </b>wish<b>. </b>She wanted <b>me </b><b>to </b>never be <b>bullied </b>again<b>, </b><b>to </b><b>earn </b><b>Frederic’s </b><b>respect</b><b>, </b><b>to </b>stand out<b>, </b>and <b>to </b>make my grandfather proud. Since <b>then</b><b>, </b><b>I’ve </b><b>been </b>obsessed <b>with </b><b>surpassing </b><b>Chad</b><b>, </b>proving myself<b>, </b><b>and </b>fighting <b>for </b><b>power </b><b>within </b>the <b>Abernathy </b>group. But <b>it </b><b>had </b>nothing to do <b>with </b>them. <b>I </b>just wanted <b>to </b>fulfill <b>my </b>mother’sst wish, to be strong, <b>to </b>make her proud once <b>more</b><b>.” </b>
Thaddeus closed <b>his </b>eyes, overwhelmed by grief<b>, </b><b>as </b><b>if </b>an invisible force was pounding his aching heart<b>, </b><b>“</b>But in the <b>end</b><b>, I </b><b>became </b><b>a </b>clown, living <b>under </b>the same roof as the killer Elspeth for years, ving away <b>for </b>that cold–hearted <b>man </b><b>Frederic</b>. <b>If </b>it wasn’t for <b>Evadne’s </b>unwavering <b>support</b><b>, </b><b>if </b><b>it </b>wasn’t for Erica’s sacrifice to bring us critical information, <b>my </b>mother would never <b>rest </b>in <b>peace</b><b>.” </b>
<b>Thaddeus </b><b>felt as </b>though he didn’t have <b>the </b>right to stand in front of his mother’s grave as long as Elspeth drew breath. “Thaddeus, what are you getting <b>at</b>? You’re not seriously considering ditching the Abernathy Group to be a trophy husband for the Ashbourne family<b>, </b><b>are </b>you?<b>” </b>
Arnold’s brow furrowed as he gave him a once–over, “Evadne hasn’t seen a day of happiness since she married you. Are <b>you </b>really going to make her start <b>from </b>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
<b>pure </b>Emeric through.
Jareth pped a heavy hand on Thad’s shoulder, his frustration palpable, “Thaddeus, nob*dy 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 fl*pping 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
07:47
us.”
Jason paled suddenly<b>, </b>taking a deep breath <b>“</b>This time, I’ll be appearing in court as Erica’s attorney of record,”
Arnold and Aaron looked shocked<b>, </b><b>“</b>Jason, you’re <b>going </b><b>to </b>court?”
But Evadne <b>and </b>Thaddeus were unfazed<b>, </b>even casting trusting nces his <b>way</b>.
They had been privy <b>to </b>Jason’s ns <b>days ago </b>and <b>had </b><b>given </b><b>their </b>full support.
Jason had been <b>the </b>family secretary <b>for </b><b>the </b>Ashbourne family for years<b>, </b>and many had forgotten his potential, <b>perhaps </b>even <b>Cedric</b>.
Jason was a top graduate of Elmsworth Law School. If he set his <b>mind </b><b>to </b><b>it</b><b>, </b><b>Cedric </b><b>wouldn’t </b>have <b>a </b><b>leg to </b>stand <b>in </b>Elmsworth’s legal circles.
“This trial will also be my showdown <b>with </b><b>Cedric</b>.<b>” </b>
Jason’s gaze was fiery <b>and </b>resolute, “I know what Cedric <b>can’t </b>stand the most<b>, </b>the feeling of utter defeat. <b>Especially </b><b>losing to </b><b>me</b><b>, </b>that would <b>be </b>worse for him than <b>death </b>itself<b>.” </b>
Evadne nodded, her <b>brow </b>furrowed in agreement.
With a single phone call, countless top–tierwyers would flock to represent the Abernathy Group and <b>fight </b><b>their </b><b>battle</b>.
But when it came to striking Cedric where it hurt<b>, </b>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 <b>as </b>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 <b>a </b>warm surge <b>in </b>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, everyb*dy, together!<b>” </b>
Six sses raised high, filled with the glow of hope for victory.
“To the fight!” they cheered in unison.
<b>3/3 </b>