Chad?


    Was it really Chad, the same man who years ago was left clinging to life after a shocking kidnapping incident, forcing him to relinquish all ims to his family''s fortune as he sought medical treatment abroad?


    He was back?


    The Ashbourne brothers'' eyes widened in disbelief.


    The room, which had just settled into silence, was once again thrown into an uproar. The shbulbs fiercely illuminated the calm and collected visage of Chad, drowning out his features in a sea of light.


    "Oh, Mr. Chad, what a pleasure to meet you."


    Emeric''s eyes narrowed, but as someone who was no stranger to the limelight, he quickly regained hisposure and shook hands with the man of the hour.


    Chad''s hand was cold as ice, his fingers soft and well-maintained—a stark contrast to the rough hands of Thaddeus, which made Emeric wonder if the man was moonlighting as a bricyer on top of his CEO duties. Surely his daughter wasn''t that hard to provide for.


    "I understand you''ve been abroad for treatment. How have you been feelingtely?" Emeric asked, extending his concern, for Chad was after all Thaddeus'' elder brother.


    "I''m doing well, thank you for asking."


    Chad rested his gentle gaze on Thaddeus, who looked somewhat uneasy, "Take care of Mr. Frederic for me, Thaddeus. I''ll be inside."


    "Of course, Chad," Thaddeus responded quietly, feeling an unexpected ripple in his usually imperturbable heart.


    Since Chad''s return, Thaddeus felt like he was on an emotional rollercoaster, full of unpredictable highs and lows.


    Was Chad truly as detached as he seemed, or was he hiding his depth?


    Thaddeus, Cassius and Arnold escorted Chairman Emeric to his car, ensuring his safe departure.


    "Take care, Mr. Emeric," Thaddeus said.


    "Thaddeus,e with me. We need to talk," Emericmanded.


    Hesitantly, Thaddeus got into the car, sitting beside Emeric in the back seat.


    "Your brother''s choice to make a public appearance at the Fairhaven funeral is a calcted move to capture everyone''s attention. Your grandfather and father stayed away to avoid any conflict of interest, but you are Jareth''s best friend. It was only right for you to be here."


    Emeric cut straight to the chase, his eyebrows knitting together in concern. "A man who''s been away from Elmsworth for over a decade, with no ties to the Fairhaven family, shows up at the funeral. Isn''t that a bit too sudden?"


    Thaddeus'' lips formed a thin line; he didn''t know how to respond. He was unaware of his brother''s true intentions and was hesitant to speak ill of him.


    "Tsk, you naive boy, too honest for your own good," Emeric sighed, taking a pitying nce at Thaddeus and deciding not to press him further. "How''s your rtionship with your brother these days?"


    "I was only five when my mother and I were brought into the Abernathy family by my father," Thaddeus'' eyes clouded over with distant memories. "Though I''m not Chad''s full brother, he looked after me when we were children. He never treated me with hostility, even though I was the son my father brought hometer. He fulfilled his duty as an elder brother."


    "And now?" Emeric''s gaze deepened. "He''s in this condition because of you, bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He''s lived quietly abroad for many years. Now that he''s back and sees you nearly controlling the entire Abernathy Group, having achieved sess and taken everything that should have been his as the eldest son, do you really believe he''s content to hand it all over to you and live as a man of leisure?"


    "We''ve stayed in touch through emails and calls while he was abroad. Whenever I needed help, he did his best to assist me. You make valid points, but I truly haven''t seen any resentment from him toward me," Thaddeus confessed to his future father-inw, almost painfully honest.


    Emeric clicked his tongue, "After being a CEO and going through a divorce, how can you still be so naive?"


    Though Thaddeus felt reprimanded, a part of him was pleased with the concern.


    "He''s in his thirties; unless he''s lost his mind, he''s not going to wear his heart on his sleeve."


    Emeric spoke frankly, as if Thaddeus were not an outsider, "Anyway, always guard yourself. In the world of the elite, even full siblings can turn against each other for power and gain, let alone half-brothers like you!"


    "Chairman Emeric, don''t put too much pressure on Mr. Thaddeus. Not all powerful families are like that," Dn, seated in the passenger seat, intervened. "Look at the Ashbourne family. Though not born of the same mother, all thedies and gentlemen treat each other with respect and harmony, right?"


    "That''s because none of my kids have any sense!" Emeric fumed at the thought, shaking his head in disbelief. "Only Evadne is willing to take over my career. In other families, kids are fighting tooth and nail for the throne, but mine? They''d spit out meat fed to them, iming it''s too rich or too fatty!"


    Dn couldn''t help but chuckle at the remark.


    Thaddeus smiled faintly, his eyes reflecting genuine admiration and longing.


    He knew that each Ashbourne sibling was exceptional and intelligent. They chose different paths not because they couldn''t bear the family''s responsibilities, but because they all adored Evadne too much topete with her for the spotlight. After receiving his father-inw''s advice, Thaddeus stepped out of the car and watched the Ashbourne vehicle drive away.


    "Thaddeus."


    Thaddeus spun around at the sound of light footsteps and found Evadne approaching him with a spring in her step. They reached for each other''s hands, their fingers interlocking effortlessly.


    "Why are you out here?" His warm breath tickled her ear as he nted a soft kiss on her smooth cheek.


    "Your brother''s here, making sure everyone knows it," she replied.


    Evadne''s eyes shimmered as she snuggled closer into his embrace. "I couldn''t bear the awkward chit-chat with him, so I came out to find you. I reckon he''s probably left by now."


    Memories of the ornate brooch Chad had gifted Evadne flickered in Thaddeus'' mind, causing a subtle, sharp pain in his chest.


    It still mattered to him. It wasn''t a devastating blow, but it was an insult nheless.


    "I was scrolling through Twitter just now."


    Evadne''s lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Ah, as expected, your brother''s grand entrance has certainly made waves. His first move was quite a hit. He''s proving to be a formidable yer."


    Thaddeus'' expression remained cool. "Let hime if he wants to. It doesn''t bother me."


    "But it bothers me," Evadne countered, her gaze as sharp as a kitten''s ws, fixed intently on his somber eyes. "Have you considered the impact of his sudden, high-profile return after all these years? What consequences it might bring? The kidnapping incident left you unscathed, while he nearly lost his life protecting you. Now he''s confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. How do you think people see that? How do you think they''ll judge you? Would they think that everything you have today was built on the back of your brother''s sacrifice?"