His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 435

Evadne's downcast lashes cast twin shadows across her cheeks.

In the past, she might have believed that Avery genuinely cared for her father. Now, she only sensed ill intentions.

After all, if he was capable of causing harm to her sister and brother-in-law, her father would mean nothing to him.

Avery was always ruthless.

However, his desire for her held him back, at least until he could have her, until his lust was satisfied. He wouldn't dare to harm her.

"My father's fine. He's fit as a fiddle at home."

A slight, chilling smile played at the corners of Evadne's lips. "He's always running his mouth, and his stomach can't handle it. Probably ate something he shouldn't have and upset his stomach. It's nothing serious. You can go home."

"Really? Because Mr. Ashbourne looked pretty awful, and he had a severe headache. It seemed serious. Could it be a stroke or something?"

"Mr. Avery, are you cursing my father?"

Evadne cut him off sharply, her eyes flashing with anger. "Or are you trying to sniff out some information about the Ashbourne family?"

"Evadne, I'm not. You misunderstand!"

Seeing her anger, Avery's eyes were red-rimmed with anxiety. He stepped forward and grabbed her slender arm. "I'm just worried about Mr. Ashbourne. I just wanted to see you!"

Evadne recoiled as if stung by a scorpion, jerked her arm away and stepped back, creating a distance between them.

"But I don't want to see you."

"Evadne, what's wrong with you?"

Avery's pale lips trembled, his anxiety gnawing at him. He wanted to approach her again, but her wary gaze held him at bay. "What happened? Can you tell me? Please tell me, don't treat me like this."

Evadne thought, "So innocent. Avery, your eyes are so clear and innocent, it's almost believable."

"Do you want to know? Fine, I'll ask you."

Evadne took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, each word dripping with frost. "You know Eden, don't you? He's your man, isn't he?"

"Eden? Who's that?" Avery looked blankly at her angry face.

But the tension under his well-tailored suit was palpable.

He thought he had hidden everything well. Even if Evadne was astute and connected him to his dealings in Helgen and his close ties with the military and officials in Country T, she wouldn't have been able to find any concrete evidence.

Without catching Eden himself, she had no proof that it was his doing.

But he never expected her to confront him so directly. Did she have no trust in him at all?

"You've done a lot of business in Helgen, with a wide range of connections, and you have close ties with many high-ranking officials and the military in Country T. Eden is a lieutenant colonel in the army of Country T, and he made his start in Helgen. Are you telling me you don't know him?" Evadne crossed her arms and eyed him, full of suspicion.

Her mocking laugh was beautiful enough to steal his heart and soul.

"Evadne, while I do have some connections in Helgen, you're demonizing me. I'm not as powerful as you think."

Avery was frantic, his eyes bloodshot with anxiety. "But if this Eden has caused you trouble, or hurt you, no matter the cost, I will get rid of him for you!"

Listening to his earnest words, Evadne gave a cold laugh. "Of course, you naturally want to get rid of Eden. You want him dead more than anyone else, don't you? As long as he's alive, you're never safe. He's like a ticking time bomb that could expose all your dirty deeds at any moment."

"Evadne, how could you think of me like that?"

Tears welled up in Avery's eyes, his lips turning white from biting them.

He played the pitiful misunderstood victim perfectly, so immersed in the role that he forgot the person who brought all the deadly troubles to Evadne was himself.

Evadne just stared at him, her calm eyes stirring with complex emotions.

"What exactly happened, Evadne? Can you tell me? What did I do to make you misunderstand? At least let me know why!" Avery questioned relentlessly, his forehead slick with cold sweat.

The always dignified Mr. Avery had never been in such a mess.

Evadne knew she wouldn't get anything out of him. Revealing what she knew was just a warning to Avery, a way to pressure him into revealing his true colors out of panic. It was also a brutal way to tell him not to harbor any illusions about her.

They would never be possible.

Their friendship couldn't even continue.

"Fine. You refuse to admit to Eden's matter. Then what about my sister Debby and her husband?"

Evadne's anger caused her shoulders to tremble uncontrollably. "How did you oppress them in Helgen for your own benefit? Are you also planning to deny it?"

"Evadne, it's true that some people in my company did some bad things to your brother-in-law in the past, but when I found out that Darcy's wife was your sister, I immediately ordered them to stop all plans! But as you know, the company isn't just mine. There are several major shareholders with significant say. When I stopped the plan, they opposed it and tried to hinder me in every way. I did my best to appease them, but I couldn't stop their private little moves!"

Avery explained hoarsely, "Evadne, please believe me! I love you, I've loved you for fifteen whole years! How could I bear to see you upset, to hurt your loved ones?"

Evadne just stared at him, a chilling silence spreading between them.

After a while, she finally spoke. "You can go home now. If you don't, I will."

As she turned to leave, Avery suddenly pulled her into his arms from behind. "Evadne, don't leave me."

"Let go! Don't touch me!"

A chill ran down Evadne's spine. She struggled with all her might, like a porcupine bristling its spines.

Avery stumbled back, his handsome face stiff, his eyes filled with sadness.

"Avery, I have someone I love. I have a boyfriend. Even if I didn't, you shouldn't take liberties with me!" Evadne's rejection and disdain for him were clear and cruel.

"Your boyfriend? Thaddeus?"

Avery was stunned, his spirit seeming to shatter. "You're back together?"

"Why not? Thaddeus risked his life to avenge me, captured a villain, and almost didn't come back alive from Country T. We were nearly separated by death because of Eden."

Evadne's voice choked as she recalled how Thaddeus had fought for her, his body covered in wounds. "A man who loves me with his life, why wouldn't I want him? Why wouldn't I love him?

You can leave. I will continue to investigate Eden's case. I hope everything is as you say. But if you are the culprit, Mr. Avery, you know what I would do. I will never let any unrighteous person go, no matter who he is."

As she was about to disappear from his sight, Avery took a deep breath, his tears welling up.

"Evadne, my mother is sick. She is very ill."

Evadne stopped abruptly but didn't turn around.

"She's in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. She barely has any lucid moments now, and even eating has become difficult. Her limbs have shown signs of paralysis. I've put all my work aside these days and have been staying in the hospital with her. I've only managed to attend some important events in the past few days."

Tears brimmed in Avery's eyes, his voice soaked with the bitterness of guilt. "Evadne, these days, I've been so occupied with taking care of my mother and I neglected you. I'm sorry that I couldn't help you with all the major events happening around you. Even if this has led you to doubt me, I'm sorry for causing you trouble. My mother often doesn't recognize me anymore, but she frequently mentions you. She keeps asking when she can see you. Even though I know this is presumptuous, she doesn't have much time left. Could you visit her and talk to her? It might be beneficial for her condition."

Evadne stood with her back to him, not uttering a word.

"Evadne, haven't you slept yet?" Thaddeus' voice was soft and melodious, so charming that it made her heart flutter.

But strangely, it also gave her a sense of peace.

"I'm not sleepy." Evadne stood up and walked towards the balcony, looking up at the moon in the gentle night breeze.

"Is it because you can't sleep without me holding you?" Thaddeus chuckled.

"Cut it out, that's not it! Men are not my everything!" Evadne's cheeks flushed, her words defiant.

"But Evadne, you're my everything."

Thaddeus' sudden confession made her heart race, the blood in her body heating up until it was nearly boiling.

She missed him so much.

She was fine before the call, but hearing his voice made her miss him even more, like a tide that never ceased.

"What have you been up to today?" She changed the subject.

"Besides breathing, I've been thinking about you."

"Thaddeus, sweet words are good, but too many of them will be too cloying." Evadne shrugged, goosebumps forming on her skin.

Thaddeus got to the point, “There’s something I didn’t mention earlier. Today, I received a message from my man in City R.”

“City R? You mean the maid who was manipulated by Elspeth to swap your mother’s depression medication?” Evadne's mind raced, connecting the dots immediately.

"Yes, I've been looking for her for a while. But she's cunning and careful, not staying in City R, and she's even changed her name. The diner she ran was closed half a year ago, apparently because her husband gambled away a fortune and the diner had to be used to pay off the debts. My people searched all over City R and finally found the maid in a small town. Now she's living in poverty, suffering from domestic abuse, and her son has been involved in some shady business. He's been locked up for two years due to theft. Her life is a total disaster."

"Well, she deserves it! Even the heavens are punishing her!"

Evadne, unable to quell her anger, gritted her teeth and said, "Even if she lives the most miserable life in this world, it can't make up for all the evil she's done! A precious life was lost because of her greed. She should pay with her life!"

"But before we get to that, I need to bring her back and control her."

At this point, Thaddeus seemed to have calmed down and was thinking strategically, "And everything must be done in secret. If Elspeth or Glynnis find out about my plan, they might interfere and even resort to murder."

Evadne nodded, fully agreeing.

"Evadne, how's everything on your end? Your father?"

"He's doing well, everyone's doing well." Evadne forced a smile.

"Really? But I can't help but feel that you're hiding something."

Thaddeus cared about her deeply and even over the phone line, he could detect the slightest change in her tone.

"There's really nothing. Don't overthink it."

Evadne took a deep breath and spoke gently, "Rest well, and I'll see you when I get back."

Thaddeus's voice, filled with warmth, wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, reaching straight to her heart.

"I’m always waiting for you."

As Evadne and Thaddeus exchanged endearments over the phone, Avery stood quietly in the shadows, staring at her beautiful silhouette, gritting his teeth, and muttered,

"Evadne, I don't care who you're with. Because soon, you'll be mine, and only mine."