Alexia''s words hit the Ashbourne family like a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone utterly blindsided.


    Evadne shivered violently, her bloodied fingers curling into the bedsheet.


    "What did you just say... Thaddeus broke up with my daughter?!" Emeric stared at Alexia in disbelief, as if hoping he''d misheard.


    "It''s true," Alexia replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "All of the Ashbourne brothers


    know about this. Seems you''re the only one in the dark."


    Myra nearly burst into tears, shaking her head over and over. "No... It''s impossible... How could this be?"


    Suri''s whole body jolted. She stared at Alexia, stunned. "Broke up? Why on earth would they break up? Those two were always so good together—how could this happen?"


    Alexia blinked, a glint of malice hidden deep in her eyes. "That''s really a question for my brother, not me. Because, as I heard, he was the one who ended it..."


    "Bullshit!" Aviana exploded. "You could put a gun to Thaddeus''s head and he''d never do something like that to our Evadne!"


    She rounded on Alexia, who looked so innocent it was infuriating. "Where the hell did you evene from? Quit stirring up trouble with your gossip! If you''re after Thaddeus, I swear, I''ll knock your teeth out and break your legs myself!"


    "Aviana," Alexia responded, lifting her chin, her tone cold. "I''m just stating facts here. There''s no need to yell at me. Don''t you think that''s a little beneath your dignity as an elder?"


    Her lips curled into a thin, mocking smile. "Besides, even Ms. Evadne herself has epted the reality. If you truly care about her, maybe respect her choice instead ofshing out at others."


    "Damn it—!" Aviana lunged for her, but Suri and Myra grabbed her just in time, holding her back.


    Chad''s dark eyes narrowed, his voice cutting through the chaos like ice. "Alexia, that''s enough. Show some respect to Ms. Evadne''s family."


    Alexia immediately dropped her gaze and stepped back, all meekness andpliance. But if anyone had looked closely, they''d have seen a faint, chilling smile tug at her lips.


    She didn''t mind being cursed out. After all, she''d already achieved her purpose: to rile up the Ashbournes, to sow doubt and resentment toward Thaddeus.


    "It was me... I was the one who asked Thaddeus to break up."


    Evadne''s voice was barely more than a whisper, heavy with pain. Seeing her family fighting over here and Thaddeus left her utterly


    drained her heart in shredne


    "Please... Don''t me Thaddeus. Our breakup had nothing to do with him. He... he''s done nothing wrong."  s


    Suri, eyes brimming with tears, pressed on. "Evadne, then why? What happened?"


    Chad stepped in, his tone quiet but steady, knowing Evadne didn''t have the strength to exin. "A month ago, in Helgen, Avery kidnapped Ms. Evadne."


    "Kidnapped?!" Emeric and the three women turned white as sheets.


    He hurried to reassure them. "Don''t worry, she''s safe now. My brother rescued her from Avery''s hands-she wasn''t harmed."


    Chad let out a heavy sigh.


    "Unfortunately, during the standoff,


    Thaddeus fell for Avery''s trap. He was forced to take a drug that. -damaged, his brain it cos ability to feel emotions. That''s... why."  s


    "Stop it!" Evadne''s eyes flooded with angry tears. She tried to sit up, but Chad gently pressed his hand to her shoulder, steadying her, his gaze fixed on her flushed, anguished face.


    "So," he continued softly, "he chose to leave Ms. Evadne. They weren''t married yet-there was still time to turn back. My brother may no longer be able to love her, but he''s always


    been a good man, and Evadne is still young He didnt didn''t want to run her her


    future... so he made that choice


    That''s the real reason they broke


    up."


    s


    Evadne stared at Chad, her eyes filling with tears. Every word he said was true.


    But did he really have toy it all out in front of her father like this, so raw and cruel? After all this time, her father had already epted Thaddeus as a son- how could he possibly bear such a blow?


    The three women could only exchange stricken nces, unable to swallow the bitter reality.


    "Thaddeus... how is he now?" Emeric finally managed, his voice trembling with concern for Thaddeus above all.


    He meant it he truly saw Thaddeus as a son.


    Chad''s gaze softened, a faint smile at the corner of his lips. "My brother is all right now. I promise."


    "That''s good... that''s good..." Emeric murmured, but as he looked at his daughter, the ache in his chest only grew deeper.