His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 528

"It's no secret that Ms. Evadne has always been a beacon of integrity," Matthew's words cut through the room like a knife, "Would she lift a finger to operate on my brother if he were the monster everyone claims? That would make her an accomplice to his crimes, wouldn't it?"

His statement sent shockwaves through the community.

Byron had been nothing but a wreck from the get-go. The world knew Byron was no saint, and Matthew never tried to sugarcoat his brother's reputation; instead, he deftly aimed to absolve him of guilt. What the world thought of Byron didn't matter in the least.

But Evadne was different.

By making her surgery public at this sensitive juncture, he was essentially declaring—

Evadne, behind closed doors, was in cahoots with the Chambers Group.

Don't be fooled by her smooth talk. When push comes to shove, her loyalties lie with the Chambers family.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my brother's situation has consumed far too much of our public resources, and for that, on behalf of him and the Chambers Group, I offer our sincerest apologies," Matthew bowed deeply, as the press conference came to an abrupt halt.

Evadne's face was stoic, her beauty as crisp and untouchable as the frost on a winter's dawn.

"Damn that Matthew, he's trying to drag Mrs. Abernathy into the mud with him!" Gordon was livid, his eyes red, voice trembling with barely-contained rage.

Yet, Evadne herself, though clearly upset, seemed to regain her composure amidst the turmoil.

But Thaddeus was far from calm.

The strong hand she held turned ice-cold with fury. She could feel the tension in his veins, a silent testament to his mounting wrath.

They were cut from the same cloth.

Harming their loved ones was crossing the line.

Evadne lifted her lashes to meet Thaddeus's stormy gaze, his chest rising and falling against her back in silent fury. The quieter he became, the angrier he was.

"Thaddeus, don't get too worked up over this," she soothed, her voice a soft lullaby against his rage, "He's just a lowly cur, barking from the safety of his screen. I don't give a damn, and neither should you."

"How can I not?" Thaddeus's breath was erratic, his fists trembling within her gentle grasp, "Byron suffered because of him, and I'll make sure Matthew pays double."

"That's exactly how I feel, but we can't lose our footing over a few barks."

Evadne, with a worried frown, lifted her hands to his temples and massaged gently, "You know how serious your migraines are, and stress only makes them worse. Think about yourself, but if not, think of me."

Her words hung in the air, but.

When it came to Evadne, his entire being blazed with a fire that left no room for reason.

Love trumped logic every time.

"Mrs. Abernathy, the online backlash is starting! It's likely Matthew's doing, with his hired trolls," Gordon gritted his teeth, scrolling through the onslaught of vitriol as if he could crush the hate with his bare hands.

"Let's have the PR team handle it," Thaddeus commanded, his voice cold as ice.

"Let it be. We can't control what others say; Matthew thinks he's hurting me, but he's sorely mistaken."

Evadne lifted her chin with unaffected grace, "We do nothing."

"Evadne," Thaddeus's voice was heavy with concern, his grip tightening on her hand.

"A little infamy just proves my celebrity, doesn't it?"

Evadne waved off the concern, "Remember, defending oneself is the most foolish act. If someone accuses you of having a dirty heart, do you rip it out to prove them wrong? Let's not bother with that stirrer Matthew; rotten fruit will fall on its own."

With a resolute expression, Evadne continued, "Right now, I'm more concerned about those girls. Their sudden change of heart could be due to pressure from the Chambers Group."

"Those girls come from humble backgrounds. How could they possibly stand against the Chambers Group?"

Thaddeus's voice was somber, "And the minors involved, should this escalate, not only would they face threats from the Chambers Group, but they'd also be thrust into the public eye, hounded by media and social scrutiny.

Even as victims, they could become the subjects of mockery and slander, labeled as 'willing participants' in their own abuse."

"Forced. 'willing participants'?" Evadne felt a chill, her heart clenching at the brutal honesty of his words.

The idea that the girls, the actual victims, could be subjected to the world's cruelty, their suffering compounded by vicious rumors, was unbearable.

"The girls have their whole lives ahead of them, and to their parents, protecting them from the world's greater evils is more important than seeking justice. I may not agree, but I understand their dilemma."

“Tsk, can't even dream about it now?” Byron licked his lips in a sleazy manner.

Matthew shook his head in disgust. If this man weren’t his own brother, he’d feel demeaned by every word exchanged.

Byron continued to revel in the blistering comments, his laughter unable to be contained.

“You sure are in good spirits.”

Matthew swirled his wine glass, sneering, “The whole internet is cursing you, and you still find it funny?”

“Why wouldn’t I laugh? That I’m a beast, do I need them to tell me that? I know it myself!”

Byron’s lips curled into a wicked smile, stroking his chin. “But this way, Evadne gets dragged through the mud with me. I just love pulling the goody-two-shoes down with me. She prides herself on her integrity, tries so hard to distance herself from the Chambers family, but look, she's getting more entangled with us by the day. She's probably hiding and crying in her bed right now! Matthew, you gotta seize this opportunity and make that little vixen as despised as Elspeth!”

“I’ll keep controlling the media narrative. You don’t need to remind me.” Matthew glared at him, arrogantly smirking.

Jeff was moved to tears when he saw his son return, the father and son embracing in a clichéd display of family reunion.

“Byron, your safe return is all thanks to your big brother!”

Jeff looked at Matthew with renewed trust and esteem. “Matthew, you’ve done very well! You've lived up to my expectations! The Chambers Group truly can’t do without you!”

“Dad, you flatter me.”

Matthew smiled humbly. “Byron is my own brother and your darling son. Of course, I’d do everything in my power to help our own family, to ease your worries.”

“Dad, look! The one who truly thinks of you, who thinks of the Chambers family, is only Matthew! Without him, I’d be finished, and I wouldn’t have the chance to honor you here!”

Byron sneered bitterly. “On the other hand, what has Avery done for you since the trouble started? He’d probably love to see our family in chaos, so he could swoop in and take advantage!”

“Byron, don’t be so harsh. The stability of the Chambers Group’s stocks, the smooth progress of the Helgen project, we owe a lot of that to Avery’s help,” Jeff said gravely.

Just then, a knock at the door preceded Avery’s entrance, his smile beaming as he strolled in.

“Byron, your safe return home is truly a cause for celebration.”