His words brought the atmosphere in the hallway plummeted to freezing, making it feel as though they had already stepped into the morgue.


    Facing Avery''s unabashed and shameless confession, Evadne felt nothing but repulsion.


    Her gaze towards the man was icy and filled with loathing, as if she were staring at a grotesque monster.


    "Well, Mr. Chambers, I''m almost embarrassed just listening to what you''re saying."


    Arnold, ever blunt and genuine, had no tolerate for this brute. "Time and again, you''ve targeted my brother-inw to reach Evadne. Do you think your actions have gone unnoticed?"


    Each mention of "brother-inw" by Arnold caused Avery''s face to darken visibly.


    "Enough, young man. Keep your petty jealousies to yourself. As the gentleman my brother-inw is, he forgives you, so we might as well leave it at that.


    But what you did to my father before, don''t think that we, the Ashbourne family, have forgotten!"


    The more Arnold thought about it, the angrier he became. His eyes aze with anger, and the veins on his neck throbbed, "When my father fell ill, you brought medicine under the pretense of helping. But what the hell did you actually give him? His condition worsened after taking it. Dare you say you had no ulterior motive?


    Just because my father didn''t support for your rtionship with Evadne, you''ve held a grudge and sought revenge, exploiting his illness, haven''t you? Do you see the Ashbourne family as pushovers?"


    Arnold had been holding it in for too long, and now that he saw Avery himself, he didn''t hold back anymore.


    The Brights also red at Avery, sharing the same resentment.


    Normally, Cassius would have intervened when his younger brother caused amotion.


    But this time, he chose to remain silent.


    "Arnold, let''s not bring this up today," Emeric said with a soft reprimand.


    "I honestly didn''t know the medicine would have such severe side effects. If I had known..."


    "Mr. Chambers," Emeric interjected, "I''ve been friends with your father for decades. He even saved my life once. Although our rtionship was not that close these years, I, Emeric, always remember his kindness to me, so I won''t dwell on the medicine matter anymore." Emeric''s tone was indifferent as he stared at Avery, who looked both innocent and aggrieved.


    Avery''s breath caught in his throat, and his fingers curled tightly.


    Emeric''s unspoken message was clear: he was only tolerating him for the sake of his deceased father.


    To put it more bluntly, Avery was even lower than the dead!


    "Where is your father? Let me see him onest time." Emeric said, implying that this would be the end of their conversation.


    The group arrived at the morgue and stopped at the door.


    "Mr. Emeric, my father''s lying in there," Avery said, his eyes red with grief, ying the part of the filial, bereaved son to perfection.


    From hearing the news to arriving here, Emeric had prepared himself mentally.


    Nheless, his tall, usuallyposed frame now trembled uncontrobly, his heart was heavy with a myriad of emotions.


    "He lived a glorious life, alwayspeting with me and now, he''s gone just like that," Emeric muttered hoarsely.


    Cassius and Suri steadied him as they entered the morgue.


    Just as Avery was about to follow them in, Evadne''s cold voice stopped him: "Avery."


    Avery''s heart raced, and he turned around hurriedly, "Evadne."


    Evadne cut him off, her gaze sharp as des:


    "Let''s talk."


    In the hospital stairwell, the motion sensor lights were off, leaving only the safety lights to cast a subdued green glow.


    In the dimness, Evadne and Avery faced each other, the air between them cooling rapidly.


    "Evadne, it''s been a while since west met at the Fairhaven Group''s funeral. How have you been?" Avery took a step closer, his gaze intense.


    Evadne took a step back, her lips curving into a merciless smile, "Avery, do you think you''re so clever that you can manipte everyone around you without w?


    What exactly are you and the Bright Group''s eldest son, Warner, up to? What have you done to the people at S-Star Group? Do you really think I''m oblivious to it all?"


    She only mentioned Warner, not Wayne, because she intended to keep Director- General Wayne. He could undoubtedly be a more significant breakthrough than Elsie in the future!


    Moreover, given Avery''s ruthlessness, if Wayne were exposed, Avery might eliminate this threat at the first opportunity, effectively destroying crucial evidence! "Evadne, I know you don''t like me, but you''ve misunderstood me." Avery said, his voice soft and calm as he admired her face, which even after countless times, he still found irresistible, "Even if I have dealings with the Bright family, they are undoubtedly legitimate business transactions. Now that I''ve fully taken over the Chambers Group, I want to expand into the healthcare industry, establishing hospitals and pharmaceutical nts. My dealings with Warner are strictly business-rted. As for the S-Star Group you mentioned, Mr. Lionel Griffith is now in trouble, and the internal situation is in chaos. That''s all I know."


    "You and Warner aren''t just doing business; you''re testing drugs on living people!" Evadne''s anger red as she pulled a packet of blue pills from her pocket and threw them at Avery, "The members of the S-Star Group are just your guinea pigs.


    You chose them because you packaged the drugs as narcotics and sold them to street dealers. Even if the police caught on, you could pin everything on S-Star Group ande out clean!"


    Avery lowered his gaze, casually picking up the pills.


    His eyes lifted slowly. There was no hint of resentment in his gaze, only deep affections and indulgence reserved for her alone.


    It was no wonder she was the love of his life. She was indeed brilliantly sharp and insightful.


    Yet, even so, he had to be cautious-his Evadne was shrewd, and who knows if she was carrying a recorder device on her?


    "Evadne, I honestly don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Avery smiled at her, but tucked the pills into his zer pocket.


    That gesture alone gave Evadne a chilling confirmation.


    "Avery, what will it take for you to stop?" Evadne took a deep breath, shifted to a negotiation stance.


    She knew he was beyond reason, his morals eroded.


    But she was curious to see just how low a person could stoop.


    Consider it a learning lesson.


    With a thud-


    Avery''s left arm, muscles tense under his suit, forcefullynded beside Evadne''s


    head, his chest heaving as he pinned her down.


    Evadne''s pupils contracted, her expression cold as ice, yet fearless.


    At such close quarters, she wasn''t afraid of Avery''s physical aggression.


    If he dared to touch her, she was prepared to slice through his limbs with her butterfly knife!


    "Whoever started the trouble should end it."


    Even though they were alone, Avery still whispered in a voice only they could hear, his tone hoarse yet tender, "Evadne, leave Thaddeus and be with me. I promise you, I''ll be the Ave in your memories."