"No matter what he''s done, as long as he carries the Abernathy bloodline, you''ll do everything you can to protect him."


    Evadne''s words were measured and precise, each one cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "But the truth is, even you think his actions were reprehensible. You''re angry, you''re afraid, and you don''t dare expose him. You''ve been suffocating under the weight of these feelings for years, torn apart inside.


    But I believe you still have kindness in you. If you didn''t, you wouldn''t have braved a snowstorm-sick as you were to visit the grave of that girl."


    Suddenly, it all made sense to her.


    No wonder Grandfather had always acted so cautiously around Chad, his nerves stretched tight as piano wires.


    With a secret that terrible festering inside him, how could his attitude toward his eldest grandson be anything but careful, conflicted?


    Hamilton clenched his jaw, silent.


    With a sigh, Evadne pressed on, refusing to back down. "Grandfather, if you won''t tell me the truth, I''ll have no choice but to go to the victim''s family and ask them myself."


    “No! na... please don''t torment that poor mother any further!”


    Hamilton''s trembling hand gripped her arm, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "The girl''s name was Nora Jones. While I lived at the Windermere Estate, she was the maid who looked after me. Her death... it was connected to Chad, but he didn''t mean it, it was an ident-he panicked, came running to me in tears, fell to his knees and begged me to save Nora!"


    Evadne''s brow furrowed deeply.


    Even now, facing the man she''d always revered, she couldn''t simply take his word at face value.


    "Chad was only fourteen then. The loss of his mother had already devastated him, left him a shell of himself if he''d gone to prison at that age, it would have destroyed for life! He''s my grandson, the O Abernathy heir-I raised him myself. How could I... how could bear to let him be locked away?"


    "So you chose to help him cover up Nora''s death-made it look like an ident?"


    A wave of cold dread washed over


    Evadne, leaving her sick at heart. "Grandfather, you only thought about your grandson''s future, but did you ever consider who should answer for Nora''s lost life? You swept it all under the rug, but did you ever think about the grief f her family would carry forever? Chad is the Abernathy heir, the apple of your eye-but wasn''t Nora her parents'' precious daughter, too? Do you truly believe some lives are worth more than others?"


    Hamilton''s voice broke with anguish. “na..."


    "Grandfather, do you realize what you''ve done? This is a crime. You covered it up, you became an aplice."


    Evadne''s eyes burned with emotion, hershes damp. "If you can''t stand up for that poor mother, then I will. I''ll see that Nora gets justice."


    "No... please, you can''t!"


    Hamilton sat up as straight as he could, desperately trying to rise from the bed "Hana, do everything Lean to make amends to Nora''s family. But you must listen to me-don''t go after Chad. Promise me you stay out of this! For my sake, please!"


    A gnawing sense of unease twisted in Evadne''s gut. There was something more


    he wasn''t saying. "Why not?" she pressed.


    Hamilton hesitated, lips dry and pale as he struggled for words when suddenly, the door burst open.


    Thaddeus strode in, tall and imposing, bringing with him the biting chill of midwinter.<fn7cb0> Latest content published on find?novel</fn7cb0>