If Jareth, his best buddy, overheard what he was about to say, he''d definitely rip him a new one with a snort and a chuckle.
Loser! A lion in public, amb at home!
"Consort?"
Evadne''s enchanting eyes narrowed seductively as she hooked her fingertip under the man''s chin, tilting it upwards, "Mr. Thaddeus, are you really content with this?"
"Far from it."
Thaddeus'' gaze burned into hers, his Adam''s apple bobbing conspicuously with a swallow, undeniably alluring, "But, I know I''m not worthy."
Evadne thought, "If you''re not worthy, then who is?"
Still, Evadne did have her pride to maintain. Evadne''s heart thumped wildly, but she teased with feigned annoyance,
"Is this what you call a proposal?"
Thaddeus'' lips pressed into a thin line.
"People usually have romantic gestures andvish rings when they propose. Who ever heard of proposing with ab, and a broken one at that?" Evadne stood hands on hips, mockingly upset.
Hisrge hand clenched tightly, the teeth of theb embedding into his flesh.
He remembered when Evadne married him; there was no proposal, no wedding. She simply came to Windermere Estate with just her baggage and settled in without a fuss.
Even that three-carat wedding ring he gave her seemed more like a prop than a token of love. He hadn''t picked it with care, yet she treasured it, wearing it every day.
The guilt was like a debt that could drown him over and over again.
He''d dreamt of marrying her all his life, but even now, he couldn''t openly say those words,
Evadne, marry me.
Just then, Evadne''s phone buzzed.
In the usually quiet Secrecy Bureau chat group, the most reserved Cassius suddenly piped up,
[Cassius: Evadne, heard Jareth''s tying the knot. If you need anything, just tell us.]
Evadne''s eyes twinkled as she typed back quickly,
[Looking for three best men. Limited slots! Seize the day, folks!]
[Arnold: Why only three? Shouldn''t there be four? The four of us brothers would make a perfect team.]
[Elvis: Thad, you''ve got a screw loose. You''re trying to wrap this up like a burrito, always so eager to bundle.]
[Arnold: Ah, right, right, forgot about Thaddeus. Wait, who are you saying has a screw loose?]
[Elvis: Evadne, are you having any of those ''best man trivia games'' at the wedding? Thad''s brain has basically disqualified him from that gig.]
[Arnold: Just you wait till I see you, you''re gonna get it!]
Elvis followed up with a GIF of a dog wagging its tail while sitting on a cat''s face, utterly infuriating.
Seeing Bet silent, Evadne specifically tagged him,
[Bet, can you make it to the wedding?]
[Bet: Of course, no problem. I can help out if needed. It''s just I''m not really acquainted with Mr. Fairhaven, so being a best man might be a bit stretch.]
Indeed, as a high-ranking military official, Bet was under intense scrutiny. He''d had little to no contact with Jareth and only formal interactions with Thaddeus.
Being a best man would indeed be a stretch.
[Cassius: Evadne, what about Chasel?]
[Arnold: Right! And what about my "sister-inw"? Good thing he''s a guy; otherwise, we''d be short on heads.]
[Cassius: If it''s a foreign-style wedding, you''ll need an officiant, right? If I take that role, then I can''t be a best man.]
After a moment''s thought, biting her lip, Evadne pulled Aaron into the chat.
[Aaron, Aaron, code red! Can you fill a best man''s shoes or what?]
Thaddeus, seeing Evadne chatting lively with her brothers, slipped out of the room to cut some fruit for her and make a call.
In the kitchen, as he expertly arranged a fruit tter, he spoke with Gordon on the phone,
"Keep an eye out for any renowned auction houses, domestically and internationally. If they get high-end diamonds, let me know."
"Whoa! Mr. Thaddeus, are you infected with Mr. Fairhaven''s romantic bug? nning to officially pop the question to Mrs. Abernathy?" Gordon cheered from the other end.
"Let''s just be prepared. If the right momentes." Thaddeus'' gaze lowered, his heart swelling with a mix of anxiety and hope.
"Mr. Thaddeus, finallying to your senses!"
Gordon was nearly in tears, "Just thinking I might see you get hitched again in my lifetime, I could die happy tomorrow!"
Thaddeus was speechless.
It was a remarriage, not a second wedding!
"Oh, and about the S-Star Group you asked me to look into, it took some doing, but I''ve got some leads."
Thaddeus'' hand paused, "Go on."
"The S-Star Group''s under the radar now for drugs, and not just one guy, the cops are onto them."
"Mark despises drugs. For decades, his people never touched the stuff. Drug involvement meant a death sentence. And yet, some are still taking the risk?" Thaddeus'' eyes narrowed.
"Times have changed. Mark''s getting on in years, and there''s been constant infighting in the gang. Word is, if it weren''t for Lionel holding things together, the S-Star Group''s situation would be even worse. Underlings are growing restless, seeking wealth by any means behind Mark''s back. It''s either a power grab or setting up their own shop-the inevitable fate of life in the underworld."
Thaddeus, a sessful businessman from a prominent family, was worlds apart from Mark''s underworld dealings. He had no need to concern himself.
But Mark was Aviana''s father, and Aviana was someone Evadne held dear.
He couldn''t help but take extra notice.
And that S-Star Group member who died so gruesomely on the street-Thaddeus had a nagging feeling there was more to his death.
"Regardless of the drug, the symptoms are pretty consistent. But that guy we sawst time, did he really die from an overdose?"
Thaddeus'' eyes were a deep, brooding shade, his brows furrowed slightly in concern. "Why do I get the feeling that he looks more like he''s having an attack, or maybe poisoned?"
"Uh, yeah, that is strange!"
Thaddeus paused in thought for a moment before his voice, deep and maic,
broke the silence. "Where can one get it?"
Gordon was taken aback. "What are you talking about?"
"Drugs. Find a way to get some for me."