His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 454

Evadne gasped; it was only now that she noticed the blinking green light in a hidden corner. A camera had been set up without her realizing, and the whole sordid affair with the Fairhaven family’s smug denials and Gary's bully-boy antics had been broadcast live!

Everything had happened so stealthily that even the detail-oriented Evadne had failed to notice in time.

The live chat was exploding with viewers pouring in. The viewer count had skyrocketed past five million!

[Holy smokes! The Fairhaven Group were beyond ruthless! To win a competition they would stoop to harming animals, and they nearly killed Ms. Ashbourne! That's a crime! That's murder!]

[Utterly despicable! Morally bankrupt! They've hit a new low!]

[The Fairhaven family were rotten to the core. Barry's dad was nothing but a dockworker at the Skyrim ports back in the day, hauling sacks for a living before turning into a thug. But he was gutsy and ruthless, and it was that along with a stroke of luck that saw him rise to mob leader. That's how the Fairhaven Group started.]

[Oh, it figures! Just street thugs at heart, no wonder they're so utterly shameless!]

[Indeed, compared to a true blue-blooded dynasty like the Ashbourne family, they're nothing! Edith trying to measure up to Ms. Ashbourne is like trying to touch the moon by standing on tiptoes!]

[Oh dear! Why does Mr. Jareth Fairhaven have to be tied to the Fairhaven family? He's such a looker; it's a crying shame!]

[The commenter above, what are you on about? Since when do we judge good from evil based on looks? Although, I must admit Jareth is quite the eye-candy.]

Thaddeus had been plotting the live stream long before it all kicked off, and he'd given Jareth the heads up.

At first, he had worries, but Jareth was nonchalant, waving his hand dismissively, "Go for it. And don’t just go for it; I want you to make a real show. Gary has high blood pressure; if you can get him bedridden for a couple of weeks, I'd owe you one!"

Thaddeus could only smile wryly, "You're always such a rebel. But you should know, public opinion is a powerful thing - it can float you, and it can sink you."

Jareth flicked his cigarette casually, "I used to think I was one of the Fairhaven family. But now I have my own life, so let the Fairhaven family be the Fairhaven family, and Jareth will be Jareth."

The live broadcast utterly dissipated the Fairhaven family's arrogance. Edith watched as her family was skewered by public opinion, berated and vilified. Rather than worrying about her grandfather who always doted on her, she was relieved that Duke hadn't thrown her under the bus.

And she managed to keep her cool, not showing fear or wetting herself with panic like Elspeth. Imagine if that had been caught on camera - how mortifying! The Fairhaven family might be shameless, but she had to save face!

Mrs. Fairhaven couldn't handle the scandal. Physically and mentally drained, she was sweating bullets and could barely stand.

"Grandpa Barry, Uncle Gary, Mom can't take it anymore; I need to get her to the hospital!" Edith didn't even wait for a response before she escorted her mother out, flanked by bodyguards, looking like a dog with its tail between its legs.

In the parking lot.

Edith helped her mother into the car and Mrs. Fairhaven's color started to return. It was half fright and half not wanting to stay and lose face any longer.

"Duke is usually so cautious and reliable; how could he act so recklessly this time? It's a disaster!" Mrs. Fairhaven murmured non-stop.

"Mom, maybe Duke just didn't want the Ashbourne family to win and wanted to show them who's boss." Edith soothed her mother's back, her eyes filled with a sinister chill, "But now with this mess, it's his own bad luck. Grandpa and Uncle just need to throw Duke to the wolves, let him take the fall as the Ashbourne family’s punch bag. If we insist this was all Duke's idea and nothing to do with the Fairhaven Group, there shouldn't be too much fallout."

"I doubt it's that simple."

Though Mrs. Fairhaven was a sheltered woman, she was from a distinguished family and saw things clearly, shaking her head in distress, "You saw it yourself; the whole thing was broadcast live. Even if it truly is Duke's fault, he's still a member of the Fairhaven Group, and our attitude towards Thaddeus and Evadne was so confrontational. It's like we've provoked a hornet’s nest. The public backlash is going to hit the Fairhaven Group's stock prices and reputation hard; they'll plummet by tomorrow. And your grandpa and uncle's efforts to woo William and his son are probably in vain now."

Edith's face showed concern, but internally she was gloating.

What did the Fairhaven stock's tumble have to do with her? Her father had already tucked away enough money for her and her mother to live lavishly for a lifetime. With plenty of assets and the Fairhaven Group’s shares in her brother’s possession, they had wealth beyond measure! Let her grandfather and uncle deal with the mess; as long as she could walk away unscathed.

The sound of someone tapping on the car window startled Edith. She looked up sharply and met Jareth's icy stare.

"Edith, get out of the car," he commanded with an iron edge to his voice.

"Jareth, Edith is your sister. Can't you speak to her a little more softly?" Mrs. Fairhaven chided, defending her daughter.

"Out. Now," Jareth was unyielding, his tone even colder.

Edith pressed her lips as she stepped out of the car. The siblings had an unspoken agreement to keep their conversation away from their mother's ears, so they distanced themselves from the vehicle before speaking.

"Have you been busy spending time with that silly girl? You were oblivious to the thunderstorm brewing at home. Why show up at this hour?"

Edith threw Jareth a glare; with a flick of her manicured fingers, Edith feigned indifference while appreciating her flashy fingernails, "Why don't you run along to your silly girl? She's probably a mess without you - likely to cry her eyes out."

"Watch your mouth, Edith." Jareth's towering frame stepped closer, his eyes glinting with barely contained fury, "You should count your blessings that I still let Marilla be your sister-in-law. If you keep acting out, you'll find yourself in the same league as the likes of Glynnis. My treatment of them will be a preview of your future. Don't believe me? Just try me."

Edith's heart skipped a beat, but she lifted her chin, questioning, "Do you have something to say?"

"I know it was you. You were pulling the strings," Jareth moved his lips, exuding cold menacing aura all over.