"Impossible... That''s absolute bullshit!"


    Evadne''s red-rimmed eyes red. Like a wild, uncontroble force, she broke down entirely, losing every ounce of her usualposure in a fit of agonizing hysteria. "The Ashbourne family has money! All we have is money! I want my brother''s eye back to the way it was! I want it perfectly healed, and you''re going to fix him, damn it!"


    "Ms. Evadne... we truly did everything we could."


    The doctor hung his head in defeat. He didn''t fault her forshing out; hepletely understood her devastation. "You have to look on the bright side. Mr. Ashbourne still has one good eye. Plus, our hospital''s prosthetics are state-of-the-art. The surface looks almost identical to a real eye, so it won''t affect his appearance..."


    But Evadne couldn''t hear a word of it.


    She cried, she thrashed, she screamed. Her devastating sobs echoed down the length of the corridor.


    "Don''t do this, Evadne. You need to calm down, please calm down!" Thaddeus wrapped his arms tightly around her, his own eyes red as he pulled her flush against his heaving chest.


    "Thaddeus... what do we do..."


    The dam broke, and Evadne''s scalding tears soaked into the man''s firm, reassuring chest. "What''s my brother going to do... what is he going to do... He''s not whole anymore..."


    Thaddeus''s breath caught in his throat. Suddenly, his icy heart gave a violent jolt, and an indescribable warmth flooded from its very core.


    His trembling hand pressed against the small of her shaking back, rubbing soothing circles as his lips parted slightly, his breathing growing increasingly ragged.


    The rest of the Ashbourne family hung their heads in grim sorrow. Even a hardened, iron-willed man like Hans had tears welling up in his eyes.


    "I''m sorry... Thaddeus, Evadne... This is all my fault. I''m to me..." Chasel was already sobbing uncontrobly. His chest felt like it was being ripped apart. He was a doctor, yet he was powerless to fix Cassius''s eye.


    He had never felt so useless, so entirely ipetent in his entire life.


    "Don''t me yourself, Chasel. It''s not your fault. You''re a victim here too."


    Elvis stepped forward and pulled Chasel into a tight bear hug. "You have to live a good life. Only if you''re okay will my oldest brother have the will to keep going."


    Hans''s voice was hoarse. "This is all on that animal,n. But at least he''s dead. We avenged Cassius."


    "No... not even close."


    Going limp in Thaddeus''s arms, Evadne slowly stopped crying, her eyes radiating an overwhelming, murderous hatred. "I want... Chad to die!"


    She wanted him to suffer a gruesome death.


    "Don''t waste your thoughts on that filth."


    Thaddeus''s breath shuddered as he lowered his head, his lips brushing against the soft crown of her hair. "I will avenge your brother. Whatever you desire, I will make it happen for you."


    Exhausted from crying to the point of hyperventtion, a dizzy Evadne was carried back to her hospital room by Thaddeus.


    The manid her carefully on the bed, but her slender fingers immediately locked onto his shirt cor, refusing to let go.


    "Last time... you broke your promise. You said you''d be here when I woke up in the morning."


    Evadne stared up at him with


    tear-filled eyes, refusing to let him


    off the hook, looking just like a


    wronged, stubborn little girl.


    "Thaddeus, this time... don''t lie to


    me okay? Yo


    V believed


    whatever you say...


    Thaddeus''s Adam''s apple bobbed heavily as he fought back the surging tide of


    emotion in his chest.


    "Stay with me... until dawn."


    Evadne''s voice trembled with a quiet sob. Her eyes and the tip of her nose were flushed red, looking just as delicately sweet as she always did during their most intimate moments. "As long as I can see your face when tomorrow morning, I''ll be happy..."


    I wake up


    "Okay."


    Thaddeus agreed in a low, husky voice, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding her watery exhausted gaze without blinking "Youte wor out. Get some rest and focus on getting better. Don''t we still have a lot of things left to do?"


    "Don''t call me..."


    Evadne spoke through her tears. "You''re being so cold. Don''t call me ''you''... Call


    me...


    Evadne."


    The man swallowed hard. "Evadne, go to sleep. Good night."


    "Good night."


    Evadne slowly let her heavy eyelids droop shut, a soft smile gracing her pale lips. "My most beloved Thaddeus."


    Most beloved.


    Thaddeus visibly trembled, as if a tiny arrow had pierced his chest, and his heart melted entirely.


    Evadne had wanted to stay awake a little longer, at least until midnight, but within five minutes of closing her eyes, she was fast asleep.


    She felt so safe.


    With Thaddeus by her side, she always felt an overwhelming sense of security. It made her feel like there was no obstacle they couldn''t ovee.