His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 330

Evadne could tell by the grimace on Hamilton's face that she was treading on hallowed ground within the Abernathy family history.

She knew better than to delve any deeper, but this matter concerned Thaddeus and she couldn't keep herself from prying. Without a hint of subtlety, she blurted out, "Grandpa, is there some sort of tension between Mr. Thaddeus and Mr. Chad? Is it related to the kidnapping incident from their childhood?"

Hamilton's eyes widened in shock and he stared at her, "Are you aware of the kidnapping?"

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. I didn't mean to pry."

Evadne's throat felt dry as she softly continued, "Thaddeus mentioned something about his older brother. He said he would tell me about it when the time was right. He didn't want to keep anything hidden from me. At that time, I resisted knowing the truth but I was intrigued. I couldn't help it."

Hamilton listened, a smile spreading across his face as he saw the blush creeping up her cheeks. It was as if that shy little girl from years past had returned, dissipating the gloom that had hung over him.

This was a good sign.

It meant that Evadne was no longer resistant towards Thaddeus and was even showing a curiosity towards him. Their relationship was definitely improving!

"Ilana, if Thaddeus is willing to share his past with you, it means he truly trusts you. He's opening up his heart to you."

Hamilton sighed heavily, the pain of the past still evident on his face, "My two grandsons were kidnapped by a notorious group of criminals who were infamous for their heinous deeds: drug trafficking, murder, bank robberies. They've kidnapped numerous heirs of wealthy families across the country."

"I know, you're referring to the notorious gang leader, Morgan, aren't you?"

Evadne had heard about the Morgan gang. Aviana had told her about it.

Morgan used to be a henchman under Aviana's father's control, but due to his insatiable ambition, he left the organization and started his own criminal empire.

Back then, Morgan was audacious and brazen. He even taunted the police, vowing to retire only after accumulating a fortune of ten billion dollars.

When Morgan was arrested eighteen years ago, it was a cause for national celebration. But Morgan showed no remorse. He even smiled for the cameras! It was infuriating to say the least.

Aviana once mentioned that her father's biggest regret was not eliminating Morgan when he had the chance.

"Yes."

Hamilton sighed, "Despite our best efforts and precautions, Morgan managed to kidnap my grandsons!"

As Evadne listened, a chill ran down her spine, "And what happened after that?"

"After Thaddeus and Chad were kidnapped, they demanded a ransom of two hundred million dollars. A hundred million for each child! Back then, that amount was equivalent to one billion today! But I didn't hesitate and prepared the ransom. Nothing mattered more than my grandsons! But Morgan was cunning. He kept changing the drop-off location, playing us for fools! Thaddeus and Chad were held captive for half a month and we didn't dare alert the authorities!"

Hamilton lowered his gaze, shaking his head in pain, "Eventually, Thaddeus managed to escape. He was just eleven years old at the time. I never thought he would make it out."

"Did he escape on his own?"

Evadne was shocked, "How could he have escaped from so many ruthless kidnappers at such a young age? He must've had help, right?"

"Yes. Chad helped him."

Evadne took a sharp intake of breath.

"Chad was a fifteen-year-old teenager then. He was taller and stronger than Thaddeus."

But he was just a teenager, unarmed and ill-prepared to deal with hardened criminals. How did he manage to distract the kidnappers and help his brother escape?

Evadne was filled with questions, but she only asked, "Grandpa, how did Mr. Chad manage to escape?"

"We paid Morgan the two hundred million dollars. Half a month later, Chad was found naked, dumped outside the gates of Windermere Estate."

Hamilton's face turned ashen, his lips trembling, "When the boy came back, he was barely alive. His body was covered in blood and he had been tortured. His health was completely ruined."

"Why?" Evadne asked in astonishment.

"We later found out from Chad that after helping Thaddeus escape, he had enraged Morgan and his gang. But since they hadn't received the ransom yet, they couldn't kill him. So they used him as a punching bag. They starved him, beat him up and locked him in a sealed shipping container. Chad was beaten and deprived of oxygen for so long that by the time he was admitted to the hospital, all his organs were failing. We barely managed to save him! Even now, Chad's health is fragile and his immune system is weak. Many times, he has to rely on a wheelchair to get around. We failed him."

Now, Evadne understood.

This was the source of Thaddeus' guilt towards his brother and why Frederic was so harsh towards him.

When Thaddeus was young, he escaped the kidnappers with the help of his older brother. But because of that, his brother became a cripple.

Thaddeus must have carried that guilt and burden all these years, which was why he tolerated Frederic's harsh treatment. He wanted to repay his brother's sacrifice.

"Listen, Ilana, don't mention any of this to Thaddeus, alright? If he doesn't bring it up, just play dumb," Hamilton implored, his voice laced with worry and concern.

Evadne smiled gently, a reassuring presence. "Don't worry, Grandpa. I understand."

"But Ilana, do you think less of Thaddeus now? Do you see him as a man who only cares about his own survival, without considering his brother?" Hamilton's voice was heavy, his eyes filled with sorrow.

A pang of sadness washed over Evadne as she moved to sit beside Hamilton, laying her warm hand on his cool, aged one.

"Grandpa, I never looked down on Thaddeus. If I did, I wouldn't have married him. He was just as much a victim in the kidnapping as his brother. The only difference is that Thaddeus was fortunate enough to have a brother who was willing to sacrifice for him, and the grace of God to return safely to you. I feel sorry for what happened to his elder brother. But that doesn't make Thaddeus deserving of scorn or blame. I believe that Thaddeus, in his youth, wanted to save his brother too. He just didn't have the ability to do so then, and I'm sure he's blamed himself for a long time."

Hamilton was deeply moved by her words. He hugged Evadne tightly, whispering, "Oh Ilana, with you by Thaddeus's side, I can rest easy. Even if I'm not here one day, I know he'll be in good hands with you."

Evadne was speechless, her cheeks flushed as she struggled to find the words. Instead, she just patted Hamilton's back gently.

After finishing his medical check-up and receiving an IV drip, Thaddeus noticed that it was already dark outside.

Jareth heard Marilla's stomach rumbling and knew that she must be hungry but too shy to say anything. He decided to bid Thaddeus and Evadne farewell.