Chapter 605

Glynnis’s eyes spun wildly as she staggered to her feet, dusting herself off indignantly. "You're coming back? When will that be? Are you planning to come back just to get even with Jareth?"

Edith clenched her teeth with venomous anger. "He made my life a misery, how could I possibly let him have his way? From the moment he slapped me, not once but thrice, in front of Evadne, Thaddeus, and the entire Elmsworth elite at the gala, there was no longer any brother-sister bond between us, only bitter enemies!"

"Exactly! Jareth's gone too far! He hasn't even put a ring on Marilla's finger yet, and he's already ditched his own sister and disowned his mother! If those two tie the knot, do you think you and your mom will have any standing left?" Glynnis sniffled, her words laced with malice as she backstabbed Marilla, stoking the embers of conflict.

"Hmph, don't pretend you're looking out for me. All this enthusiastic plotting, isn't it just because you want me to return and wield my influence to settle your scores?"

Edith saw right through Glynnis's sordid intentions and laughed coldly. "Without your mom to back you, what fighting power do you have left? All you can do is watch your dimwit sister marry into wealth and lord it over you."

The memory of her collection being plundered by Jareth, now soon to be Marilla's, made Glynnis shiver with rage. She was supposed to be the Abernathy family's cherished eldest daughter, the apple of her parents' eyes!

How had she fallen from grace to let that simpleton sister surpass her?

"No way. Marilla cannot marry Jareth, absolutely not!" Glynnis's eyes burned with hatred.

"Of course, I feel the same. But you know what Jareth is like, he'll never give up on that simpleton. We'll need a meticulous plan to make him give up on her for good."

Edith's smile was sinister. "I think it's time for us to collaborate again. You must have had an epiphany about your mother's situation by now, right?

Pinning all your hopes on someone else is futile. Your own revenge must be sought by your own hands – that's the real satisfaction!"

Glynnis understood the subtext all too well. Edith wanted her as an additional safeguard, someone to drag down with her.

But Glynnis was consumed by hatred.

If it meant bringing Jareth and Marilla down, she was willing to do anything, even stoop to the lowest!

"Ha. All your talk here is pointless. Let's wait until you're back to discuss further!"

Thaddeus and Jareth emerged from the grand Windermere Estate, their luxury cars parked side by side outside the gates.

This wasn't Jareth's home, but it seemed Thaddeus no longer considered it his either.

"If Marilla liked those trinkets, you should have just told me. I could've sourced them for her, as many as she wanted."

Thaddeus's long lashes cast down as he eyed the hefty bag in Jareth's hands. "Why bother giving my sister Elspeth's old things? It's downright unlucky."

"We can't just leave them for that brute of a hen to get her hands on. I'd rather smash them than let her have them!"

Jareth's eyes sparkled mischievously. "I get a kick out of imagining Glynnis wielding a hammer, her face the color of liver, in utter humiliation! The frustration of missing out must be driving her nuts, eh?"

Thaddeus couldn't help but smile, despite his brother's outrageous antics.

"Actually, Marilla doesn't care much for these things."

Jareth's eyes softened as he sighed. "After she said her final goodbye to Elspeth, she's been feeling down, even guilty towards you. So, I suggested we take Elspeth's intended gifts for Marilla and sell them to donate to the charity you're establishing in your mother's name. It might not be much, but it's the thought that counts. Hopefully, it'll ease Marilla's conscience a bit."

Thaddeus felt a sudden tightness in his chest. This was exactly what he feared – that Marilla's goodness would lead her to feel guilty about his mother's pain, potentially straining their sibling bond.

"The feud between my mother and Elspeth is over, and Marilla wasn't even conceived when Elspeth entered the Abernathy family. She's got nothing to do with it."

Thaddeus, his heart aching with empathy, patted Jareth's shoulder. "Find some time to bring Marilla over to our place. Let Evadne comfort her; she's always been persuasive with Evadne. And it just so happens, I've been perfecting a few new recipes. You two can bask in Evadne's glow and sample my culinary attempts."

Jareth's face had gone the color of wilted lettuce. "Are you inviting us over for dinner, or to be your guinea pigs?"

Thaddeus was speechless.

"You're dragging me through the mud and now you want to do the same to my wife? Have you no heart, Thaddeus?"

"I'm inviting you over so you can learn, see how I take care of Evadne. If you do the same, your relationship with Marilla will only get sweeter. To truly love someone, you've got to not only spend time with her but also try to do things you've never done before. And if you didn't know how to before, you learn – for her." Thaddeus spoke with warmth glowing in his eyes.

His vendetta was settled.

His beloved Evadne loved him in return.

He felt his life was complete, that he couldn't be happier.

So, he genuinely hoped his best friend and Marilla would find their happily ever after.

"Of course, I'll learn. I'll spend a lifetime learning for Marilla."

Jareth took a deep breath, his gaze burning with intensity. "Thad, I'm ready. I'm going to formally ask Mr. Frederic for Marilla's hand. I was planning to wait until my CEO appointment was confirmed, but I can't wait any longer. I want to make Marilla mine, to bring her home. I truly deeply love her."

The tremor in his voice betrayed his profound emotions, a testament to his love.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders. You don't need to claw your way to the top of Fairhaven Enterprises to win over Marilla. The business you've built, the nest egg you've got stashed away, it's worth half of Fairhaven already."

Thaddeus met Jareth's gaze, full of warmth and pride, and his heart swelled with determination. "I've made up my mind. I'm going for it. And I've got your full backing, right?"

"Jareth, you've got more than that," he boomed, his voice echoing in the small tavern. "You've got Evadne and me in your corner. Go get 'em, tiger!"

Evadne had received word from Murray that Hamilton wasn't feeling well, so she grabbed Thaddeus, and they made a beeline for Havenbrook.

After some coaxing, Murray spilled the beans.

Turns out, Hamilton had been under the weather for a while—sleeping poorly, hardly touching his meals. The family doctor was at his bedside daily, but to no avail. He chalked it up to old age and indigestion, recommending a diet of traditional remedies.

Hamilton had kept it from the kids, not wanting them to worry.

On the drive, Evadne's face was as pale as the moonlight, her anxiety palpable.

"Don't fret, Evadne," Thaddeus said, his hand finding the small of her back, then gently but firmly pulling her into an embrace. "The doc I hired for Grandpa is top-notch. If he says the old man's okay, it's probably nothing serious. It's just he's getting on in years, and these little aches and pains are part of the package. If it'll ease your mind, let's stay in Havenbrook for a while. Keep an eye on him. You've got medical know-how too, right?"

She was always tuned into others' feelings, and now it was Thaddeus's turn to look after hers.

Evadne, wrapped in his warmth, asked softly, "Would you really want to?"

"Why wouldn't I? As long as I'm with you, as long as it's for Grandpa's best, I'm all in," Thaddeus said, a smile playing on his lips.

"I just feel so guilty."

She wrapped her arms around Thaddeus's neck, her face buried in his shoulder, her voice muffled and soft. "Frank said Grandpa's been feeling rough for a bit now, and I hadn't noticed. Last time at the cemetery, he even tried to stand up from his wheelchair. It kills me to think about it, how could I have been so careless?"

"It's not on you, Evadne, you've done plenty," Thaddeus soothed, his voice a gentle caress. "We'll just be more attentive from now on. Grandpa wouldn't want you carrying this burden. If he knew, he'd never hear the end of it."

Thaddeus sighed internally. He thought, "The kindest girls in the world—had Jareth and I scooped them both up? Luck was truly smiling on us."

Tonight, Hamilton's villa was buzzing with our arrival.

Evadne was all business, checking on Hamilton and then retreating to the kitchen to whip up some nutritious meals, ensuring the chef knew of Hamilton's dietary restrictions. She was the picture of a devoted granddaughter-in-law.

Thaddeus was no good with herbal lore, so he sat by Hamilton's side, feeling useless.

"Thank goodness for Evadne, young and skilled, caring, and a fine cook to boot!" Hamilton remarked, watching Evadne bustling around. He mused, "Ah, I've always had a soft spot for girls. A well-raised daughter can run a family business just as well as any son. Your grandmother gave me two boys. If it weren't for her health... I'd have loved a daughter... I'd have raised her to be just as outstanding as Evadne, ready to take over Abernathy Enterprises. Your dad? Pfft, a bowl of soup to keep him from starving and that's all he'd need!"

Thaddeus listened quietly, his expression inscrutable.

"Your dad's been chairman for years, and what has he really done? If it weren't for your uncle passing too soon." Hamilton's voice hitched, and he fell silent.

His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus)

Chapter 604 A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)

Chapter 2371 Predatory Nature Awake for Love: My Coma Bridegroom Chapter 664 Thaddeus's gaze deepened.

Thaddeus had always sensed Hamilton's disdain for Frederic wasn't just about his marriage to Elspeth. It seemed like he was never too fond of his eldest, always showing a deeper affection for his younger son.

"Luckily, Thaddeus, you saw the light and didn't get led astray by your old man. In the end, you chose Evadne. Otherwise, I'd die unhappy, I'd be flipping in my coffin!" Hamilton's mood lightened again, his humor returning.

Thaddeus's throat tightened. "Grandpa, I'm sorry, I've let you down, and I've let Evadne down. In the past, I..."

Grandpa waved a hand dismissively. "Bah! That old you is dead and gone. Just take good care of Ilana now and in the future, and I'll die with a smile."

Murray came in with a tray of apple pie just in time to hear Hamilton's grim joke. "Mr. Hamilton, really, with all this talk of dying, it's bad luck!"

"I don't believe in that hogwash. I'll live to dance on my grave! And with Ilana looking after me, I've got a good twenty years left!"

Saying this, Hamilton placed a heavy, weathered hand on Thaddeus's shoulder, as if to pass on a weighty mantle. "My boy, your best days are ahead. Mark my words, Abernathy Enterprises will be yours and Evadne's to rule."

Thaddeus's heart skipped a beat, but before he could speak, Evadne rushed over, her eyes icy with urgency.

"Grandpa, Thaddeus, I've just received word. Elspeth was executed ten minutes ago."