His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 489

Thaddeus stood stoically outside the gates of Silverlake Harbor, where he had been for more than a full day and night.

He was stubborn as such, determined not to rest until he saw the woman he loved or got the answers he was after.

Last night, he had spied the Chambers father and son making a beeline for the harbor, clearly on the warpath about something involving Byron. Thaddeus had watched from the shadows, not out of fear, but to avoid causing a scene that might upset Jeff and bring trouble down on Chairman Ashbourne's head.

It was one thing to deal with the aftermath for the Ashbourne family in private, but making a public spectacle of himself would be unwise.

The evening was dark and stormy, fierce winds howling through the air, hitting him with a force that rivaled the punches he'd taken the night before.

Thaddeus's deep-set eyes, shadowed and brooding, were framed by a chiseled jaw now rough with stubble. He looked every bit the rugged soldier he once was.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed inside his car, pulling him momentarily from his pain. He opened the door and picked up the phone. It was Gordon.

"Gordon, what's up?" His voice was hoarse, as if every ounce of energy had been drained from him.

"Mr. Thaddeus Abernathy! I finally got through to you!"

Gordon sounded like he was on the brink of tears, "Mr. Hamilton Abernathy has taken ill and been rushed to the hospital! You've got to come back!"

A sharp pang shot through Thaddeus's chest, and cold sweat soaked his already damp suit.

Meanwhile, in the wine cellar of Silverlake Harbor.

Evadne's brothers were gathered, their usual banter replaced by somber silence and the dull glug of spirits being poured. Bennett, in particular, was knocking back whiskey like water, much to Arnold's distress.

"Bennett, you can't keep this up. It's killing you," Cassius took the glass from his hand.

"Seriously, man, you haven't even tied the knot yet. Don't drink yourself into an early grave," Arnold added.

Bennett clenched his fist, slamming it on the table.

"You were too hard on Evadne today, too damn forceful." Cassius patted Bennett's shoulder with a gentle sigh, "You know how she is. She doesn't respond well to pressure. The more you push, the more she'll resist. You care her to bits, and you don't want her to resent you, do you?"

“Cassius’s right. You haven’t had any row ever since you were young; this time it’s too much.”

"Then what do you suggest I do, just let her keep entangled with that jerk?" Bennett rubbed his face with both hands, his voice thick with emotion, "I'd take all the pain for her; I won’t grimace at any cut. Just can’t bear to see her suffer. That’s miscarriage! She could've been a mother, experienced that joy. But now,"

The thought of their unborn niece or nephew silenced them all, hearts twisted in grief.

"It's all Thaddeus's fault, all his fault!" Bennett, a usually composed soldier, was on the verge of tears.

"Let's never bring this up in front of Evadne again." Cassius's voice rough with emotion. He handed Bennett a tissue, "Maybe it's for the best. Pregnancy is tough; kids are a handful, and it's one more worry. Let's just let Evadne live carefree like a child. We'll protect her, and she'll get through this."

Suddenly, the door banged open.

"We have a problem!"

Dylan burst in, panic-stricken, "Ms. Evadne Ashbourne's gone!"

The brothers jumped to their feet in disbelief, "Gone? How is it possible?"

"She's gone! Jumped out the window!"

They rushed to Evadne's room, only to find the window wide open, the curtains flapping wildly in the storm. Their sister was no where to be found.

"Damn it! How does a person just vanish into thin air?!" Arnold covered his head with both hands, his heart racing.

Cassius and Bennett saw the chaos in the room, her clothes and belongings tossed about, and instantly headed for the balcony.

They gasped at the sight - tied to the railing was a makeshift rope of knotted dresses, hanging down to the ground below.

"Cassius. She's lost her mind! This is the fifth floor!" Bennett's voice trembled with fear, his face pale in fright.

"Evadne! That crazy girl! She's quietly courting disaster!"

Cassius's voice was filled with terror as he pictured the worst, his heart pounding, head throbbing, "If any part of that makeshift rope had snapped, she'd be dead on impact!"

"Stop, I can't take it. My heart isn’t working well!" Arnold pressed a hand to his chest, feeling faint.

Dylan was beside himself with worry, "Ms. Evadne Ashbourne, you have to be okay! I can't live with myself if something happens!"

"Does dad know about this?" Cassius asked urgently.

"Chairman Ashbourne's already troubled over Ms. Nydia Ashbourne; I didn't dare add to his worries."

"Let's keep it quiet for now. Dad's health can't take another blow."

Cassius clenched his fists against his racing heart, "Don't alarm anyone else. We'll organize a search team right away."

"With this storm raging, and Ms. Ashbourne without a phone or money, what will she do out there?"

Dylan was frantic, "It's my fault! I should have stayed right outside her door!"

"Which is exactly why she won't have gone far. We should be able to catch up with her." Cassius peered out into the storm, "Is Thaddeus still out there?"

"Mr. Abernathy left already! It's been a while!" Dylan replied truthfully.

Arnold couldn't help but let out a string of expletives, "Damn it! That rat Thaddeus picked the worst time to split! Little sis must've gone looking for him, and now they won’t meet each other!"

"You wanted to have a go, didn't you? Go ahead then."

With a sickening snap - Evadne broke the man's arm, her gaze fierce and unforgiving, "I'll end you all!"

Back at the hospital, Hamilton had been admitted again due to his old nemesis, a stroke, but thanks to Mr. Murray's timely intervention, he was out of danger.

The old man was restless and distressed over Evadne's situation, worn down to the point of exhaustion.

With Frederic away from Elmsworth and the crisis unfolding so suddenly, Thaddeus and Mr. Murray were the only ones by Hamilton's bedside.

Thaddeus was holding a bowl of porridge, blowing on a spoonful to cool it, and bringing it to Hamilton's lips.

But how could the grandfather eat, knowing his grandson returned beaten and disheveled? Despite his concern, his tone was stern, "What have you done to yourself? Did you go looking for Ilana?"

Thaddeus swallowed hard, "Yeah."

"Got roughed up by the Ashbourne boys?"

The man's lips pressed tight, unable to speak.

Hamilton saw right through his grandson's heartache, his brow furrowing with anger, "Don't tell me, your ex-father-in-law did this to you?"

Thaddeus silently acknowledged this.

"Hmph! You deserved it! If I were Emeric, I would break your legs! You should be grateful they let you off so easily!" This time, Hamilton had no sympathy for his own flesh and blood.

"Grandpa Hamilton."

Thaddeus lifted his head, lips dry, his voice cracked with emotion, "Please tell me, what should I do? How can I make Evadne come back to me?"

Hamilton shook his head helplessly, "My boy, it's not just you who's wronged Ilana. Even I don't know how I'll face her again. She could've lived a carefree life if she hadn't married into the Abernathy family. We're the ones who ruined her."

The hospital room fell into a suffocating silence.

"If there's no way to make it right, then stop trying. Start with a sincere heart and slowly make amends."

Hamilton's withered hand rested heavy on his shoulder, "Thaddeus, from now on, don't think about winning her back. What you need to consider is how to protect her."

"Grandpa Hamilton, I don't want to let go."

Thaddeus hung his head, fighting back tears, "But I know I truly don't deserve her."

Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket.