His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 447

One hour ago, Edith quietly summoned Duke, one of Barry's most trusted aides, to a secluded corner, their heads bowed in secret conspiracy.

"Duke, you’ve been with us since my grandpa's time. You're part of the family furniture. I know you’ve been always loyal to the Fairhaven family," Edith's eyes shimmered with tears, quite a pitiful picture.

"Indeed Miss Fairhaven, I watched you grow up. My loyalty to the Fairhaven family is unwavering; tell me, what needs to be done?" Duke's voice was firm, but his face etched with concern as he asked, "Miss Fairhaven, what's troubling you? You look so unwell!"

Edith spun a tale of deceit and woe, painting herself as the victim of Evadne's cruel manipulations, "And to add insult to injury, she's trying to steal my fiance!"

Her sobs were heart-wrenching as she continued, "Mr. Abernathy and I, we love each other and we were on the brink of announcing our engagement. That Evadne simply swooped in and snatched him away. If I can't secure my engagement with Mr. Abernathy, I'll be the laughing stock of the whole Elmsworth! How will I ever show my face again? I might as well die!"

"Don’t, Miss Fairhaven! You're the apple of Mr. Jareth Fairhaven's eye, the precious sister he dotes on. Don't hurt yourself over that Evadne!" Duke, childless himself, looked upon Edith and her brother as if they were his own, his anger flaring at the injustice, "Miss Fairhaven, that Evadne is so evil! To think she'd set her sights on your man. She's really twisted her bonnet!"

"Duke, isn't there something we can do to take her down a peg? To ensure she loses the equestrian contest, to stop her from competing with the Fairhaven Group for the project and to keep her away from Mr. Abernathy?" Edith's tears were laced with a sinister glint.

She knew Duke was clever and not afraid to play dirty. He would surely grasp the unspoken intent of her words.

But she couldn't afford to be explicit; such conspiracies should never leave her lips, lest she give someone leverage against her. She trusted no one.

Duke paced back and forth before he spoke in a low ominous tone abruptly, "To ensure Evadne loses, we'll need to tamper with her horse."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"When racehorses burst forth, they do so with terrifying power. They'll keep running on the jockey's command even if they're injured, until they collapse. I've got something in mind that should do the trick. If luck isn't on her side, Evadne might end up a crumpled mess on the track. And even if she makes it to the finish line, her horse will be done for!"

The race was in its final lap, the deciding moment!

It was now down to a three-way battle between the Ashbourne Group, the Abernathy Group, and the Fairhaven Group.

The Chambers Group's horse, Whirlwind, had already fallen hopelessly behind, a disappointing loss.

"Damnation! That nag really let me down!" Jeff stomped in frustration, realizing his chance at a partnership with the J Group had slipped away, "I've treated you like royalty, and this is how you repay me? From now on, you're nothing but 'Dungheap' to me!"

The crowd couldn't help but snicker at his remarks.

"Mr. Ashbourne's Wind is quite the steed, though." Avery added, seizing the opportunity to flatter and bridge the gap between their families, "Evadne claimed Whirlwind was in the same league as Wind, but they're worlds apart. Dad, we should ask Mr. Ashbourne for advice on picking racehorses. Aim to outdo them next time."

His words were a clear case of ingratiation, but Jeff didn't take offense; instead, he found the timing perfect.

Emeric smiled warmly at Avery, "Your father has never taken a single piece of advice from me in his life. I'll eat my hat if he starts now. But it's not just Wind's natural talent; Evadne's skills as a jockey are also a key factor."

"Indeed, Evadne's truly the perfect girl in my eyes," Avery's gaze followed the captivating figure on the track, his adoration transparent.

"Damn, that bastard's schmoozing is making me want to punch him!" Jareth clenched his fists at Avery's blatant buttering up of Chairman Ashbourne, "Hey, you can't just stand there. If you keep this up, she'll be snatched by someone else! Get in there and schmooze a bit, sweet talk 'em!"

"I'm not good at that," Thaddeus mumbled, his heart racing along with Evadne on the track, distant and distracted.

"There's always room to learn, bro! You're not good, yet you can learn. Take me as your mentor. I'll make you my protege, pass on my secret techniques!" Jareth nudged him with a wink.

"Jareth, something doesn't sit right with me," Thaddeus felt an inexplicable weight on his heart as he loosened his Windsor knot.

"I feel the same, seeing that ass-kisser makes me want to hurl last night's dinner," Jareth pretended to gag.

"It's not that. I have a feeling something's about to happen."

Thaddeus's eyes were clouded with a heavy mist, and whether it was due to his concern, he felt an oppressive sensation that was hard to articulate.

Evadne, whether you win or not doesn't matter. Just come back to me safely; that's all that counts.

"Matthew, Avery's cozying up to the Ashbourne family; seems like he's got Emeric eating out of his hand." Bertha whispered to Matthew, her face etched with worry, "What if Emeric actually considers giving his daughter to Avery? We can't have that! If that snake marries Chairman Ashbourne's beloved daughter, won't the Ashbourne family back him in a power grab at the Chambers Group?! I'm already married off, and Thad's incapacitated, leaving you without any support. With Emeric's backing, Avery won't give two hoots about us. It could even threaten your position of CEO."

"Enough, stop talking!"

Matthew's voice cut through the air, steely and cold as a winter's blade, "Worrying about that now is premature. Evadne isn't your average damsel. She once pulled a fast one, marrying in the Abernathy family behind Chairman Ashbourne's backs. Do you really think she'll just meekly follow her parents' wishes?"

"Yeah, but still."

"And besides," Matthew continued, his voice taking on a darker edge, a smirk tugging at his lips, "I'm almost looking forward to the day Emeric tries to force Evadne to marry Avery. It'll be a spectacle, chaos in the making."

Evadne's brow was slick with sweat as she urged her horse into a wild gallop, her speed a thrilling spectacle that had onlookers gripping their hats in awe.

"Wind! Come on, boy!"

Wind charged with all the fury of a storm, leaving everything in his dust.