Evadne pressed her lips together, brows furrowing as she sank into a stifling, oppressive silence.


    Elspeth was out of her mind, Chad tormented animals for sport, and then there was Chad''s uncle-the Austin family heir-who had murdered his lover in a fashion so brutal it still echoed in whispers...


    A chilling thought crept over her, making her blood run cold-


    Could it be that everyone in the Austin family was, in some way, unhinged?


    Was Chad''s mother''s mental illness something he inherited too? Was that what drove him to these extremes?


    "Is Chad... truly unstable?"


    Jason shook his head, stunned, as if the idea wouldn''t fit. "But he never seemed off, not at all. He always looked perfectlyposed, almost coldly so!"


    "That''s exactly what scares me most." Alva''s voice was raw with worry, her eyes rimmed red. "What if he''s just been pretending all these years, hiding his true nature so he could draw close to Mrs. Abernathy? What if he''s nning something? What if he means to hurt you?"


    "Hurting animals like that-it points to violent tendencies, a cold-blooded nature, maybe even something sociopathic. But right now, there''s no real proof he''s suffering from any diagnosed mental disorder," Evadne said, forcing herself to steady her thoughts, her eyes dark with contemtion. "Still, mental illness can run in families. It wasn''t just Elspeth. I suspect her brother wasn''t exactly... normal, either."


    "Ms. Evadne, wait-I just remembered something my father once mentioned!"


    Jason''s eyes widened. "Back in the day, my father''s colleague was assigned to the case when the Austin''s eldest son, Mason, was charged with murder. He was sentenced to death at the first trial, but on appeal, hiswyer submitted a psychiatric evaluation that changed everything. The sentence wasmuted to life in prison.


    Our justice system is thorough-if Mason slipped through all those evaluations, it could only mean one thing: he was severely disturbed, through and through!"


    Evadne lowered her gaze,shes casting shadows over her eyes. She didn''t disagree.


    "In short, Mrs. Abernathy, you need to stay as far away from Chad as possible! There''s an old saying ''the child is father to the man''-people rarely change at their core! After disappearing for twenty years, do you think he''d just suddenlye back and behave himself? God knows what he''s plotting..."


    Alva suddenly pped her own forehead, rmed. "Oh no! What if he''s here topete with Master Thaddeus for the inheritance? He''s unstable enough—what if he turns on him?!"


    It was all spection, but the fear was real-Evadne''s throat felt tight, as if invisible hands were squeezing the air from her lungs.


    After a long moment, she looked up at Alva, her eyes shining with fierce resolve.


    "If that''s the case, then I have even more reason not to avoid him."


    Alva and Jason stared at her, dumbfounded. "Why?!"


    "If he''se back and intends to y by the rules, then I have no quarrel. But if


    he means Thaddeus harm, I won''t stand by and let it happen."


    Evadne lifted her chin, her


    In


    midnight-dark eyes calm but unyielding, like ake hiding secrets beneath its surface. "Now that Chad''s returned to the Abernathy Group, I know he''ll keep his real ns hidden from Thaddeus and the rest of the family. Bubif he wants to get close to me and I reach out to him, he won''t be able to keep everything a secret.  s


    Even if he tries, the only way I''ll ever know what he''s up to is by getting close myself. If I stay away, I''ll know nothing. So, whatever happens, I can''t back down."


    "But Mrs. Abernathy! That''s too dangerous!"


    Alva''s voice wavered, and tears threatened to spill. She''d heard about the separation from Gordon and the worry showed in every line of her face. "Now that Master Thaddeus....can''t be there to protect you, what will you do? You cant take this risk alone!"  s


    Evadne forced a small, reassuring smile, pushing down the sharp ache in her chest. I never nned to rely on Thaddeus for the rest of my life. In the end, there''s only one person anyone can truly depend on and that''s themselves."  s


    Just as her words faded, her phone rang. Aaron''s name shed on the screen.


    A strange, electric dread gripped her heart. She answered, voice steady, "Aaron." "Evadne, the DNA results are in."


    Aaron''s voice trembled with emotion, barely holding together. "Hans... is Hubery!"<fnf72e> Checktest chapters at FιndＮovel</fnf72e>