Just as Evadne finished speaking, she spotted Mr. Zade, looking grim and carrying a briefcase, hurrying toward the gate of his courtyard.


    "Mr. Zade, please wait!"


    Evadne and Jason quickly got out of the car and approached Baron from both sides.


    "You... you''re... Ms. Evadne?" Baron recognized her stunningly beautiful face, and rm bells went off in his head. He quickly took a step back. "What... what can I do for you?"


    Everyone in Elmsworth knew that Evadne and Thaddeus were inseparable. Having plotted against Thaddeus, Baron was consumed by guilt and couldn''t even meet her bright, clear eyes.


    "Mr. Zade, please get in my car. There''s something I''d like to discuss with you," Evadne said with a faint smile, her expression unreadable.


    "I have nothing to discuss with you."


    Flustered, Mr. Zade fumbled for his keys and turned to rush inside. But Evadne''s voice,ced with a mocking tone, stopped him. "The moment you decided to move against Mr. Dempsey, you should have known you weren''t just making an enemy of him, but of the entire KS Group that stands behind him. You should have expected me to find you sooner orter."


    Mr. Zade''s back was to her, but his body was trembling violently.


    "You bitch! What are you trying to do to my dad?! How dare you threaten him!"


    A furious roar erupted from the house as Baron''s son, n Zade, stormed out. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn''t slept in days, and he red viciously at Evadne''s calm face.


    Evadne met the brute''s gaze without flinching, her fingers quietly tightening into fists, the veins on the back of her hands pulsing.


    Baron''s face went pale. "n! Get back in the house now and lock the door! This has nothing to do with you!"


    "You damn tramp, I can tell you''re up to no good! I''ll fucking kill you!"


    Like a madman, n bent down, grabbed a ceramic nter from the corner, and without a second''s hesitation, hurled it straight at Evadne''s head.


    "Ms. Evadne, watch out!" Jason yelled, his heart pounding in his chest as he saw the nter flying toward her. But he was standing a few feet behind her and knew he couldn''t reach her in time.


    Evadne hadn''t expected the animal to resort to lethal force immediately. *Damn it, am I really going to get hit right off the bat?* So be it. It was just a nter. At worst, she''d end up with a bleeding head. She wouldn''t de. It was nothingpared to what Thaddeus had endured.


    Her heart hammered against her ribs as she gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut.


    Suddenly, she felt a familiar, powerful wave of masculine energy wash over her.


    The next second, her body was pulled into a strong, unyielding embrace. She could feel the frantic beating of a man''s heart against her chest hear the deep, ragged breath drawn from his throat. His maie vorce held a fatal attraction she could never resist.


    *Thud.*


    Evadne''s tear-filled eyes flew open.


    She was met with Thaddeus''s direct, intense, and captivating gaze.


    "Mr. Dempsey?!" Jason cried out in shock, his heart nearly leaping out of his


    throat. He had just watched therge nter smash squarely against Thaddeus''s


    broad back before shattering into pieces of ceramic and dirt.


    Yet, the tall man''s body didn''t even flinch, as if nothing had happened.


    "Evadne, are you okay?" Thaddeus''s dark eyes were locked on her trembling ones, his gaze fixed on her pale face. He thought she must be terrified. "Are you hurt? Did that you nywhere?" he asked in a low voice, his concern impossible to hide.


    Evadne''s lips parted, and a wave of overwhelming sorrow stung her eyes, instantly turning them red.


    Thaddeus froze for a second, his longshes fluttering. The hand resting on the small of her back tightened instinctively, his voice growing deeper and hoarser. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here."