"Ms. Alexia has been seen with Mr. Abernathy frequently and quite publicly. Rumors are flying that she''s his new me!"


    "You and Mr. Abernathy just broke up, and he already has a new woman by his side. It seems like a seamless transition. Were they together before you split?"


    Evadne''s fingers curled into tight fists. A cold dread, like a venomous snake, slithered up her legs. She forced herself to remainposed, her sharp gaze locking onto the reporter who had asked the question. He flinched under her stare and shrank back into the crowd.


    "I will say this one more time, and it will be thest time," she dered, her voice steady. "My breakup with Mr. Abernathy was amicable and had nothing to do with anyone else. We were together for many years. Even though we are no longer a couple, I still consider him a friend, and I will defend his reputation. I will not allow anyone to nder him or malign his character. No one knows better than I do what a good man he is..."


    As she spoke, her eyes grew misty. She fought back a sob, forcing a smile so bright it was breathtaking. "So, from this moment on, if anyone spreads another rumor about Mr. Abernathy, you will be hearing from mywyer."


    The reporters exchanged uneasy nces. The one who had spoken out of turn was now trembling.


    Evadne took a deep breath and tried to push forward, desperate to escape. But the crowd was too thick, and she could barely move. The air around her felt thin, suffocating.


    Just then, a low, maic voice cut through the mor.


    "Excuse me, please make way."


    Everyone turned, their expressions morphing into shock. Evadne looked toward the source of the voice, and her eyes widened.


    Bathed in the brilliant lights of the corridor, Chad Abernathy stood tall and elegant, his handsome face gentle and refined. Dressed impably in a tailored suit, he parted the crowd and walked directly toward her.


    At that same moment, Thaddeus arrived.


    He saw Chad, free from his wheelchair and looking perfectly healthy, striding confidently toward Evadne. The surrounding crowd stared at the striking pair, a perfect match in their eyes.


    The sight sent a dark flush creeping into Thaddeus''s vision. A turbulent storm of unnamed


    emotions agitation, unease, conflict-crashed within his chest. His towering frame swayed, and had to brace a trembling hand against the wall to keep his bnce.


    "Who is that man? He''s so handsome, so charismatic!"


    "I''ve seen him once before! He''s Mr. Abernathy''s older half-brother, the eldest son


    of the Abernathy family!"


    "Oh! No wonder... he does resemble Thaddeus Abernathy!"


    "If it weren''t


    for his poor health,


    forcing him to recuperate abroad, the control of the Abernathy Group would never have fallen to the second son These powerful families are all about senfority. Without special circumstances, the heir is almost always the eldest


    "Poor health? He looks perfectly fine to me!"


    "You''re right... how strange."<fnbf9b> Content originallyes from find~novel</fnbf9b>


    Evadne watched as Chad, his smile as gentle as a spring rain, closed the distance between them. The thought that this impably dressed man was a monster with blood on his hands made her heart clench She bit her lip and instinctively shrank back.


    Chad observed the pallor of her face, and though his expression remained unchanged, a darkness flickered deep in his eyes. He and Thaddeus were brothers, but they were pr opposites.