On the way back after parting with Evadne Ashbourne, Thaddeus stared out the window at the deep, dark night, his brow furrowed.


    "What did you say? Alexia... is Acacia Stirling?!" Gordon looked as if he''d been struck by lightning and mmed on the brakes.


    The Maybach lurched violently. Caught off guard, Thaddeus''s tall frame was thrown forward, nearly crashing into the back of the front seat.


    “Have you never met Acacia, or have you never met Alexia? You''ve seen it all, what''s with the overreaction?" The man straightened himself, tugging at his tie with slender fingers, his heart just as agitated.


    "I know both of them, but the thought of them being the same person sends a chill down my spine! It''s a constant source of irritation!"


    Gordon mmed his fist on the steering wheel, identally honking the horn. “This is a curse! Is Acacia''s horoscope a perfect match to ruin yours? She''s haunting you like a ghost you can''t shake. Maybe I should find an exorcist to perform a ritual for you! This is just the worst luck!"


    Thaddeus''s eyes were dark, his voice husky. "In the end, Alexia''s existence is the bitter fruit of my own actions. I have no one to me but myself."


    Memories shed before his eyes like a dark, silent film.


    He remembered the entanglements between him and Evadne when Acacia was still by his side.


    Cruel scenes yed out one by one, sharp fragments of memory cutting into his heart.


    Thaddeus felt a momentary daze and subconsciously clutched his chest, pressing down hard, but the heavy thumping of his heart still made his ribs ache.


    "Mr. Thaddeus, don''t say that. You were deceived by that wicked woman too. You''re a victim!"


    Gordon suddenly wondered, “How did you find out that Alexia is Acacia?"


    Thaddeus''s thin lips parted, the name "Evadne” almost slipping out. Feeling it was too intimate, he quickly changed his words.


    "It was Evadne. She noticed something was off."


    Gordon''s eyes filled with admiration. "How did Ms. Evadne figure it out?!"


    "A person can change their appearance and voice, but their mannerisms and habits are ingrained in their very being. They slip out unintentionally and are difficult to changepletely."


    A glimmer of light, a hint of appreciation for Evadne, crossed Thaddeus''s cold eyes. “Evadne has been observing her for a long time. Once she was eighty percent certain, she had a private DNA test done, which confirmed they were the same person."


    Gordon sighed deeply. "Honestly, sometimes I feel like Ms. Evadne was put on this earth to save you.


    If it weren''t for Ms. Evadne... sigh, I can''t even bear to think about it!"


    Thaddeus said nothing, feeling only a vast emptiness in his chest that nothing could fill.


    "Now that you know, what are you going to do about Alexia?"


    "For now, I''ll just watch her perform. If I expose her now, it will tip our hand and


    make her desperate, provoking even more intense retaliation."


    Thaddeus''s gaze was profound. "I''m not afraid of hering after me. In fact, I wish she would. I''m just afraid.....”


    He fell into a long silence.


    Gordon took a deep breath and nodded forcefully. "Understood. I''ll keep a close eye


    on her every move and report anything back to you immediately!"


    After that Abernathy Group meeting where Evadne officially joined the board of directors with a 10% stake and publicly announced her Withdrawal from the A5 Projectpetition, the explosive news spread like wildfire throughout Elmsworth''s business cómmunity.


    A few dayster, Evadne joining the Abernathy Group dominated the headlines of


    every financial section and even trended on Twitter.


    Previously, KS Group had been the Abernathy Group''s biggestpetitor for the A5 Project.


    Now, with KS Group out of the race, the Abernathy Group stood alone, unrivaled.


    Overnight, the Abernathy Group''s stock price soared, hitting its daily limit. The project bidding hadn''t even started, and thepany had already raked in over a billion!


    Despite a series of scandals, Chad had not only avoided being ousted but had remained firmly in his position as CEO. He had even brought immense profits to the long-stagnant Abernathy Group!


    It was all thanks to Evadne.


    As the saying goes: in business, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.


    But while Chad was triumphant, Evadne''s move triggered a storm of public opinion, and she was heavily criticized:


    "WTF! What''s with this woman? Talk about a hypocrite!"


    "Seriously, just yesterday she was passionately defending Thaddeus at a press conference, and today she''s cozying up to Chad and nning to work with him. What''s her game?"


    "Her game? She


    wants it all! She


    can''t let go of Thaddeus, but she''s also greedy for Chad''s power as CEO hoping to profit from her position in the Abernathy Group. She''s got all the bases covered. Evadne is a piece of work!


    "My guess is Chad made some kind of deal with her behind the scenes. In the end,


    she abandoned Thaddeus and chose to side with Chad!"


    “Wow, Thaddeus just got yed by big money, didn''t he? I feel bad for him for like, three seconds!"


    In the CEO''s office at KS Group, Evadne scrolled through thements, her


    almond-shaped eyes veiled in a cold, somber mist.


    She had expected this oue, but seeing it still stung.


    The price of putting herself in the game was just beginning. There were many dark


    roads she still had to walk...


    Just then, her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.


    "Cassius," Evadne answered, her voice listless.


    "Evadne, do you have ns tonight?" Cassius''s voice was tinged with worry.


    "No, why?"


    Cassius paused, then said gravely, "Dad''s old illness has red up. He''s been admitted to the hospital. I thought about it, and I felt I should tell you."