His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 440

The crowd gasped in shock.

"Seriously? Edith, hitting herself?"

Her face was swollen, was she really that ruthless to her own self?

Edith's face drained of color, her swollen cheeks turning ghostly pale, "Evadne, what the heck are you babbling about? Have I lost my mind to hit myself?"

"I think you've totally lost it," Evadne tutted, shrugging her shoulders. "Not only have you gone bananas, but you've also scared the daylights out of me. I'm being generous not hitting you up for emotional distress compensation, and you’re trying to sling mud at me? Just because you're a Fairhaven, you think you can spit venom?"

The room erupted in clamour!

Flashbulbs frenzied over Edith's ashen face!

"Miss Ashbourne's integrity is beyond question, right? She's always been into charity and social work, even helped that poor Abernathy family servant with funeral expenses. She wouldn't frame Edith, would she?"

"Even if Ms. Evadne did lash out, there must've been a reason, right?"

"Maybe it was a catfight over jealousy, but still, hitting someone is not okay! I have my reservations about Evadne's character!"

Evadne was utterly sick of these petty female brawls. If Edith wanted to scheme against her, couldn't she come up with something more sophisticated?

Innocence needed no defense. Being misunderstood didn't faze her.

Besides, someone had swollen her own face; it seemed like a win for her.

Just as Evadne was about to leave the drama behind, an anxious shout came from outside the crowd.

"Edith! What happened to you? Who's messing with you?"

The crowd parted, and Barry, surrounded by the Fairhaven family and flanked by bodyguards, hurried over.

"Grandpa. Mommy." Edith's eyes brimmed with tears, her lips quivering pitifully.

Seeing her daughter with hair askew and swollen cheeks, collapsed on the floor, and Evadne looking down with icy disdain, Mrs. Fairhaven naturally assumed Evadne was the bully.

"Someone help Edith up!"

At Barry's command, bodyguards rushed forward, forming a human shield against the prying cameras.

"Oh, Edith!"

Mrs. Fairhaven embraced her daughter immediately, shooting daggers at Evadne with her eyes, "Ms. Evadne! If you have a beef with me, come at me, but why bully my daughter?"

"Mommy, don't get upset, take care of yourself, I'm okay. I'm fine." Edith comfortingly patted her mother.

Such a heartbreaking scene.

At that moment, the Ashbournes arrived, stirring the atmosphere further.

Edith's crude and dirty tricks had escalated things, pulling in the big guns.

"Chairman Emeric, your daughter sure has a fiery temper, lashing out in broad daylight," Barry leaned on his cane, eyes coldly fixed on Emeric, his tone barely hiding his fury. "Clearly, you dote on her quite a bit. But isn't everyone's child their heart and soul? Evadne is, and my Edith is my treasure too! About this incident, you and your daughter owe me an explanation!"

The Fairhavens were not to be trifled with!

Luckily for them, they were dealing with the Ashbourne heiress. If it were anyone else, it would have been a dead end!

Cassius's gaze darkened as he stared at Edith, unsettling her to the core, driving her closer into Mrs. Fairhaven's embrace.

Myra released Emeric's arm, rushing to clutch Evadne's hand tightly, "Evadne, are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

Her words turned the Fairhaven mother and daughter green with envy.

"I'm fine, Myra, don't worry," Evadne reassured her softly.

"Evadne, I don't believe you'd hit someone. You're too upright for that. Others might doubt, but we never will," Myra suddenly turned, her icy stare piercing Edith's face.

Emeric pursed his lips, his brow furrowed as he looked at his daughter with a complex expression.

He wasn't worried about Evadne hitting someone; if she had, so be it. His daughter had set many a mean girl straight in her time.

His concern was about diffusing this mess.

If this got out, how would others view her?

Reputation wasn't trivial; if she was to take over the conglomerate someday, she needed a solid public image, credibility. Otherwise, people would leverage this against her, creating obstacles to her ascent.

"Mr. Barry, Mrs. Fairhaven, where did you see Evadne hitting anyone? We need evidence for such claims."

A clear voice rang out, devoid of aggression but impossible to ignore.

The crowd turned to see Avery stride confidently toward his flame.

Evadne's gaze was deep and cool, silent.

She didn't want anyone to bail her out; it wasn't necessary. And if it were, she'd prefer it be Thaddeus.

Not Avery.

"Mr. Chambers, what's that supposed to mean? Are you suggesting our Edith framed Ms. Evadne?" Barry asked, his face clouded.

"Whether she did or didn't, that's a question for Ms. Edith. A single lapse in judgment could be her downfall."

Avery stepped before Evadne, his gaze filled with tenderness, oblivious to the onlookers who murmured in awe.

"The Chambers family's young master has eyes for Ms. Evadne, too. It was obvious at the charity auction, and now he's defending her, risking the wrath of the Fairhavens – isn't his stance clear enough?"

"I just can't fathom what Chairman Emeric is thinking. One's the president of Abernathy Enterprises, and the other's the golden boy of the Chambers family."

"If you ask me, it's gotta be Mr. Chambers all the way. The guy's as clean as a whistle, not a single mark on his record. Thaddeus, though? He's like a rotten apple at the bottom of the barrel – nothing but flies and skeeters buzzing around him! First there was Acacia, then Edith. You just can't shake 'em - what kind of parents would push their kid into a swamp like that?"

Edith's heart skipped a beat, and she clutched her mother's arm with a death grip.

For some reason, even though she had never crossed paths with Avery, he gave her a strange sense of familiarity, including his voice.

And then there was this inexplicable fear, almost crushing her, making it hard to breathe.

"Mr. Chambers, are you insinuating that Edith is lying?" Mrs. Fairhaven held her daughter close, her voice trembling with indignation. "My daughter has been beaten to a pulp, and you're still defending that girl? I know your families are tight, but this is too much!"

Edith's face was the picture of innocence, but inside, her mind was racing.

She had checked - that corridor had no security cameras!

It's likely that it wouldn't just be the Chambers Group giving the Abernathy Group a run for its money. And Jareth's position within the Fairhaven Group wouldn't have been so awkward.

"Enough of this. The derby is an annual celebration, a time for everyone to enjoy the festivities. We, the Ashbourne family, don't want to dampen the spirits or attract any more attention over a private matter."

Emeric stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the very image of magnanimity. "Mr. Fairhaven, if your granddaughter would simply apologize to Evadne, we can consider the matter closed."

Edith's mind exploded with rage, her eyes bloodshot with hatred!

To apologize to Evadne was more painful than having a bone scraped with a knife!

"Edith, apologize to Ms. Evadne now!" Barry exhaled heavily, his voice icy with urgency.

Edith almost crushed her molars in frustration, her body shaking as she forced the words out.

"I'm sorry. It was all my fault."

Evadne's lips curled into a disarmingly beautiful smile. "It's okay, as long as you recognize your mistake. Just try not to repeat it. Your so-called capricious actions could ruin someone's reputation. Not everyone has the means to stand up to the Fairhaven Group."

The crowd was stunned.

Evadne's response was a mix of a gift and a slap – utterly ruthless!

At that moment, two trending topics silently took over the internet:

[Edith hits herself.]

[Edith apologizes to Evadne.]

[LOL! I literally can't! Edith hit herself? Really?]

[What kind of avant-garde performance art is this? I think she's onto something new!]

[I suspect Edith has some mental issues. The Fairhavens really should get her checked out. Better to treat these things early!]

Edith's public humiliation was the joke of the day, and the Fairhavens were dragged down with her!

Barry shot Edith a look of profound disappointment and marched off.

Mrs. Fairhaven, her face the picture of defeat, wrapped her arms around Edith and followed, with Gary guarding their side.

"Gary, thank you for helping Edith out of this mess." Mrs. Fairhaven said, tears brimming in her eyes.

"No need for thanks. We're family, and as Edith's uncle, it's my duty to protect her!" Gary replied nonchalantly, a mysterious glint in his eye.

Mrs. Fairhaven, reminded of her late husband, began to tear up. "Without Harlan, no one's left to protect us. Jareth's been ensnared by that Abernathy girl for so long, he hardly thinks of me and Edith anymore. What will we do?"

"Come now, don't say that. Jareth is a dutiful son; he wouldn't forget his mother. And besides, without your blessing, how can that Abernathy girl become your daughter-in-law? You need to assert your authority as the matriarch," Gary said with a meaningful look.

Mrs. Fairhaven, resolute, nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Emeric, indifferent to onlookers, warmly clapped Avery on the shoulder, a smile spreading across his face.

"Avery, I owe you one. If it weren't for your timely intervention, Evadne would have been wronged. You not only salvaged her image but our family's honor as well. How should I show my gratitude?"

Avery, with a gentle yet reserved tone, looked towards the cool and composed Evadne. "Mr. Ashbourne, there's no need for formalities. My loyalty has always been with Evadne, with your family. Seeing Evadne being mistreated, I had to step in. Even if we were in the wrong, I'd stand by her side. If you truly wish to thank me, then allow me the privilege of seeing Evadne more often. Just to see her, that's all the thanks I need."