<b>Chapter </b>763
Edith’s eyes widened in disbelief as she <b>red at </b><b>Alston</b><b>. </b>
That <b>face </b><b>she </b>stared <b>at </b>was now flushed <b>with </b>anger because of Mari<b>! </b>
She sensed a subtle shift in <b>Alston’s </b>demeanor <b>towards </b>the girl who was once <b>dismissed as </b><b>a </b>fool. Previously, <b>he </b>had looked down on her with <b>disdain</b>, <b>but </b>now, <b>he </b>seemed to <b>seethe with </b><b>a </b><b>jealous </b>rage.
<b>“</b><b>No</b>, I <b>won’t </b>let <b>this </b>go!<b>” </b>
Alston’s <b>temples </b>throbbed with <b>fury</b>. “We <b>had </b>an agreement. Mari was <b>supposed </b><b>to </b>marry <b>me</b><b>. </b><b>She </b>must be my woman, and <b>no </b>one’s going <b>to </b>take her from me!<b>” </b>
Before he could finish, Edith straddled him; with her naked body pressing against <b>his </b>waist, she pped him hard across the <b>face</b><b>–</b>twice<b>! </b>
“Edith, <b>what </b>the hell are you doing?!” Alston waspletely taken aback.
“Alston<b>, </b>you’ve gone too far! Didn’t you swear you’d only ever love me? That I was the only one in your heart?”
With her eyes aze<b>, </b>Edith choked him, and her hands tightened with fury. She wished she could strangle him to death. “But all the signs point to it, you’ve fallen for that idiot! Tell me! Have you fallen for Mari?!”
<b>“</b>No, I haven’t. Edith, I swear! My marrying her was just to get back at you. It’s all for you!” Alston wrapped his arms around her waist, struggling to speak as the suffocation grew more intense.
Yet, it only fueled his excitement further.
“Alston, I’m warning you.”
Leaning in close, Edith patted his cheek and hissed through clenched teeth, “The Fairhaven family rose from the streets. Making someone disappear without a trace isn’t hard for us. If you betray me, I’ll make sure you won’t even know how w you died, got it?”
Alston shivered with fear, but his thoughts uncontrobly drifted to the girl with the graceful dance moves, soft as a whisper, held in Aaron’s arms.
His fists clenched in secret.
Just then, Edith’s cell phone rang with an unfamiliar number.
Getting up and wrapping herself in a bathrobe, she answered the call irritably.
“Who is this?”
Silence came from the other end.
“Speak up, you mute?”
“Edith<b>, </b>living the good life, huh?”
Glynnis‘ voice sounded as if it was filled with gravel, deep and hoarse, which sent a shiver down Edith’s spine. Gly.Glynnis? Aren’t you supposed to be…”
“Heh, you thought that with Thaddeus shipping me off, I was gone for good and I’d nevere back, right?”
Glynnisughed bitterly, “Unfortunately for you, I’m like a bad penny. I always turn up. I’m back!”
Edith’s hand trembled on the bathrobe.
She knew Thaddeus and Evadne had reach and influence everywhere. Without high–level help, how could Glynnis made ite back?
But she didn’t have time to dwell on it. She asked coldly, “What do you want?”
Glynnisughed maniacally, “In this world, the meek ones are trampled, and the kind ones are bullied. I was too
10.56
<b>I </b><b>should </b><b>have </b><b>had </b><b>a </b><b>bunch </b><b>of </b><b>thugs </b><b>take </b><b>care of </b>Mari!
<b>And </b>I <b>should </b><b>have </b><b>her killed</b><b>, </b><b>have </b><b>her </b><b>body </b>crushed <b>into </b><b>pieces</b><b>, </b><b>ground </b><b>and </b><b>chopped </b><b>slowly</b><b>, </b><b>so </b><b>I </b><b>could </b><b>make Jareth</b><b>, </b>Thaddeus, and everyone in <b>the </b><b>Ashbourne </b><b>family </b><b>suffer </b><b>for </b><b>life</b><b>, </b><b>and </b><b>regret </b>for <b>life</b><b>!</b><b>” </b>
Edith felt a chill in her chest, feeling convinced <b>that </b>this <b>woman </b><b>had </b><b>gone </b>mad. “Your <b>n </b>sounds <b>solid</b><b>, </b>but murder <bes </b><b>with </b><b>a price</b>. If you dare, <b>what’s </b>the point <b>ofing </b><b>back</b>? For enjoying <b>the </b><bforts </b>of <b>a </b><b>prison </b><b>cell</b><b>?</b><b>* </b>
<b>“</b><b>You’re </b>right, <b>so </b><b>what </b><b>I </b><b>said </b>was just <b>out </b><b>of </b>anger. I <b>have </b>my <b>ns</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>Glynnis </b>stoppedughing and said with a <b>voice </b><b>cold </b>as ice, “This <b>time</b><b>, </b><b>it’s </b><b>only </b>about <b>revenge</b>; <b>I </b>got <b>to </b>make Mari suffer like I did<b>. </b><b>So</b><b>, </b>old partner<b>, </b>we need to work <b>together </b>one more time – probably it would <b>be </b>thest time<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Edith’s brow <b>furrowed</b>. Now, with the Bartley family’s deciding to break off the engagement<b>, </b><b>her </b>ns had been ruined.
Now Glynnis was <b>as </b>unpredictable as <b>a </b>rabid dog<b>, </b>perhaps even worse.
<b>If </b>Glynnis was used wisely, she could solve all her problems once and for all. But if mishandled, <b>it </b>could<b>. </b><b>backfire</b>.
As she hesitated, Mrs. Fairhaven’s call came through.
Edith steadied her breathing, “I’ve got an important call; wait for my arrangements, and I’ll get back to you.” After hanging up<b>, </b>she immediately picked up her mother’s call, and her tone shifted to a coquettish purr: “Hello, Mommy~”
Mrs. Fairhaven sighed with worry, “Edith,e with me to the hospital to see your uncle tomorrow. Your grandfather will be there, too.
“Uncle was in the hospital?”
IT
“Your uncle was seriously injured by your brother–his arm’s broken and forever maimed. He’s been in and out of consciousness, not doing well. I didn’t want to scare you, so I kept it from you.”
“What?!” Edith was stunned.
It was not exactly Gary but herself she was worried about. When the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. Jareth was truly out for blood this time.
+
With her knowledge of her brother, this was just the beginning of his vengeance. He wouldn’t let Gary off the hook so easily.
It was clear that messing with Mari came at a high price!
“Edith, your brother has changed; he’s ruthless now, and doesn’t recognize his family anymore!”
Mrs. Fairhaven was deeply concerned for her daughter, so she advised earnestly, “I know you’ve suffered a lot, and your brother has been too hard on you. But now he’s in charge of the Fairhaven group, so fighting him is just asking for trouble!
Listen to me, stop making trouble for that Abernathy girl. In a while, I’ll help you emigrate to Aetheria, and we’ll never return to Elmsworth, okay?“/
Upon hearing of the Bartley family calling off the engagement, Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy excitedly popped open a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
Evadne sat perched on a wine cer table; with her slender frame draped in Thad’s oversized white: button–down, and her shapely legs shimmering, she clinked sses with the man across from her.
“Mr. Thaddeus, we’ve won the first battle, and we can finally catch some Z’s tonight,” she said with her cheeks rosy <b>and </b>a <b>yful </b>glint shining in her eyes.
<b>2/3 </b>
Thaddeus, bracing himself against the table with one arm, drew her <b>into </b>his embrace; his eyes were swirling with restrained desire. Unable to hold back any longer<b>, </b>he captured her lips with ferocity.
After a tangle of teasing caresses, Evadne’s <b>had </b>her waist, slight enough to circle <b>with </b>his hands<b>, </b>soften under his touch. The wine ss wobbled precariously<b>, </b><b>spilling </b><b>red </b>wine <b>onto Thad’s </b>shirt <b>and </b>trickling down the smooth skin of Evadne’s legs.
“Are you sure we’ll get that good night’s sleep?<b>” </b>Thaddeus <b>murmured </b>against her flushed lips, his voice husky and enticing.
“You’ve been working hardtely, haven’t you? And you’re not getting any younger. <b>Can </b>your back <b>handle </b><b>it</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>Evadne teased<b>, </b>and her face was warm withughter.
“I bet even at <b>eighty</b>, I’ll still have an edge over the other gents<b>,</b>” Thaddeus replied with a smirk, while nuzzling her cheek with his thin lips.
Evadne decided to stop their yful banter and turned serious. “Speaking of which, Suri told Emeric about Aaron’s fondness for Mari.
Cassius called today and said Emeric was over the moon – he didn’t sleep a wink. He ordered Dn to prepare the engagement gifts list first thing in the morning and mentioned flying back to see Grandpa to discuss Aaron and Mari’s union.”
Thaddeus‘ eyes narrowed.
He knew that once this news reached Chairman Emeric, the charade would have to be reality.
After all, Thaddeus had heard from Evadne that Chairman Emeric would stop at nothing to see his sons married off.
–
The man himself had married four times there was nothing he wouldn’t do.
“Hey, I don’t mind Mari bing my sister–inw. Just not sure if Mr. Thaddeus would mind calling his own sister ‘sister–inw,” Evadne teased him with a mischievous squint in her eyes.
“As long as Mari is happy, I don’t mind a thing, but.”
Thaddeus‘ gaze turned somber, “I still hope to give Jareth another chance. Theiring together wasn’t easy.”
“I know, that is why I had Cassius hold Emeric off,” Evadne said; it seemed she was attuned to his thoughts.
He smiled in relief and leaned in for another kiss when a knock on the door interrupted them.
“Miss, Mr. Thaddeus, may I have a word? There’s news from the States!”
Evadne, dressed rather provocatively, clearly hadn’t expected Jason toe to discuss business at such ate hour.
Thaddeus quickly wrapped his suit jacket around her before opening the door to let Jason in.
“Miss, Mr. Thaddeus, I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” Jason said, noting the couple’s flushed faces. Having known the signs, he couldn’t help but let his imagination wander.
“It’s fine. Business first,” Thaddeus said while kneeling in front of Evadne and carefully buttoning up the suit jacket for her to prevent any indiscretions.
“Miss, just as you predicted, Glynnis did go to the hospital for tests, and our people got a sample of her blood. We conducted DNA tests both locally and back home to leave no stone unturned,” Jason said.
Taking a deep breath, he ced the report before them. “The results show that Glynnis and Frederic have no blood rtion whatsoever!”