**Thaddeus ensured Verna''s safety before he hurried back to Elmsworth through the night.**


    His heart was heavy with worry as he returned to their shared home, only to be greeted by the sound of Evadne''s clear, pleasantughter mingling with Alva''s as they watched a si.


    Thaddeus''s heart settled, and a gentle smile graced his lips. He draped his zer over one arm and quietly made his way towards them.


    "Mrs. Abernathy, after a whole day of hustle, you still haven''t taken a moment to rest, and here you are, making snacks for the young master. You''re working too hard."


    Alva handed Evadne a cool slice of orange, his eyes filled with concern. "Leave these tasks to me. You should take every chance to rest."


    "It''s okay, I don''t mind. Making snacks allows me to focus on something simple. It''s actually quite rxing," Evadne replied, smiling as she enjoyed a slice of the orange and offered one to Alva. "Thaddeus hasn''t had a good rest in a while. Let him have some snacks, take a bath, and get some sleep when he gets back."


    "Ah, back at the Windermere Estate, you took care of him day in and day out for three whole years without a break. And it seems nothing has changed."


    Alva couldn''t hide his dismay. "Mrs. Abernathy, you should take better care of yourself. Don''t spoil him too much. You''ll make a bad habit out of it!"


    Thaddeus stood in the shadows, lips pressed tight, heart pounding.


    "My man, who else should I spoil if not him?"


    Evadne''s words sent a shiver through him, as if they were newlyweds, the excitement undiminished. "Besides, Thaddeus is worth it."


    His eyes welled up, throat tight with emotion.


    He had never felt so valued.


    To him, it was all about being lucky, nothing more.


    "Ah!"


    Evadne, startled by Thaddeus''s sudden presence, nearly choked on her orange slice. "Thaddeus? When did you get back? Standing there silently like a ghost, you scared me!"


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to eavesdrop."


    Thaddeus approached her, and she him, as if drawn by a maic force.


    "Missed me?" His warm hand cradled her neck, his nose brushing against hers.


    "You''re stealing my lines..." Evadne''s eyes twinkled, yful.


    "Missed you."


    Before she could finish, Thaddeus''s breath deepened, his desire to tell her overwhelming. “Evadne, I missed you so much."


    Seeing the dark circles under his eyes, she knew he wasn''t lying.


    She reached up, her slippers barely touching the ground, and kissed his cool lips.


    Thaddeus was not content with a simple kiss. He pulled her closer, his palms warm against her back, their lips and tongues intertwining until she was breathing him in.


    Evadne melted into his embrace, her cheeks flushed.


    Alva had discreetly left for the kitchen to check on the snacks.


    Just then, Evadne''s phone rang.


    "Wait... Let me take this call."


    She pulled it from her pajama pocket, saw it was Aaron, and answered, trying to catch her breath.


    "Evadne, there''s a problem."


    "What''s wrong?" Both Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy were instantly on edge.


    "Avery wants to see you."


    Aaron''s voice was tight with frustration. "No matter how we interrogated him, he remained silent. Then he told hiswyer he''d only speak if he saw you."


    "Evadne, don''t go."


    Thaddeus''s eyes reddened, shaking his head slightly. "This could be Avery''s trap! I can''t let you see him!"


    "Oh, my man jealous?" Evadne''s eyes curved, her fingertips drawing circles on his chest.


    "Evadne, seriously, don''t go," Thaddeus''s voice was deeper, more earnest.


    "I have to. I''m serious too."


    Evadne''s gaze was firm. "Venturing into the tiger''s den is a tradition in the Emeric family. I can''t be the one to break it."


    At the police station.


    Aaron came out to greet Evadne. Thaddeus walked her as far as he could before stopping, his steps heavy.


    In the detention center, Avery upied a solitary cell with nothing but a hard bed.


    Despite his bleak circumstances, he sat upright, impably dressed, not a hair out of ce, though his usually fair and handsome face was shadowed and stubbled, hinting at his fall from grace.


    Hearing the familiar sound of high heels, Avery slowly opened his eyes.


    Through the bars, his gaze was intense, fixed on Evadne, the woman who always seemed to exist in a different world from his.


    He waited, longing for the woman he loved most.


    "Evadne, you came."


    Avery''s voice was hoarse with emotion, "So soon."


    Evadne''s expression was cold. She nced at the surveince camera, knowing Aaron and Thaddeus were watching over her, and felt reassured.


    "You said you''d talk if I came. I''m here, so speak up. Let''s not waste each other''s time."


    Avery''s gaze softened, filled with a tender darkness. "You''re as cold as ever."


    "Any decent person, knowing the atrocities you''vemitted, would be colder than I am," Evadne replied, her gaze as still as a quiet well, an invisible barrier of ice between them.


    "Evadne, it''s my birthday today."


    Avery''s eyes brimmed with hope as he rose, moving closer. "Could you wish me a happy birthday?"


    Separated by the bars, their eyes met, but Evadne remained silent.


    In the surveince room, Thaddeus clenched his fists, veins bulging.


    "Thaddeus, don''t worry. That snake is caged. He can''t hurt Evadne."


    Aaron patted his broad shoulder. "Even if he were free, I doubt he would harm her."


    "Aaron, how can you be so sure?" Thaddeus''s chest was a storm of emotion, his voice a husky whisper.


    "When we were kids, they were really close."


    Aaron stared at the surveince footage, memories flooding back, a mix of nostalgia and sorrow coloring his tone, "Avery, back then, was the ck sheep of the Chambers family, the one who never got any attention. Each of the Chambers kids had their own grand birthday bash every year, except him. Mr. Chambers couldn''t even remember his birthday.


    For three years in a row, Avery celebrated his birthday at our ce. Evadne would bake him a cake from scratch every year and save up her allowance to buy him presents. She was his only friend.


    It''s just tragic, that such a bright and gentle soul turned into this... this monster, causing chaos and pain. It''s infuriating and deeply saddening."


    Hearing this, Thaddeus felt a deep, sharp pain in his heart, his eyes reddening as if they were about to spill blood.