His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 558

"It couldn't have been Matthew."

Thad, with a decisive tone that cut through Evadne's confusion like a knight's advisor to his queen, said, "Now that he already got what he wanted, there was no point for him to overplay his hand. Sneaking into a jail to kill someone is a huge risk. He's already been burnt by acting on impulse once; he won't be that foolish again."

"Yeah, I agree," Evadne nodded, feeling convinced.

"Although we have no proof, I can't shake the feeling that this has Avery's fingerprints all over it. Given his clout in Helgen and the network he's been quietly building in Elmsworth, bribing someone to take out Byron wouldn't be a tough job for him," Thad continued with a grave look in his eyes.

"Sounds plausible. When in doubt, blame Avery!" Evadne's lips tightened, fully on board with his line of thinking.

Thad's rough fingertips gently lifted her chin, his gaze indulgent yet proud.

"You know, now that you mention it, I'm starting to suspect him too. I checked Byron's visitation logs this morning, and the last person to see him was indeed Avery!" Aaron chimed in with this crucial piece of information, which immediately lightened up the couple's eyes.

"Mr. Ashbourne, isn't there surveillance in the visitation room? Can we review the footage?" Thad asked eagerly.

"We can, but due to privacy regulations, there's no audio, just video."

"Then let's get a lip-reading expert to decipher what Avery and Byron were talking about," Evadne immediately suggested.

"I was thinking the same. Unfortunately, Avery's face isn't visible, and only Byron's is recognizable, but we should still be able to get some useful information from it. You'll hear from me as soon as I have something," Aaron promised before ending the call.

Evadne's long lashes lowered as she fell into silence.

"Evadne, what's the matter? You seem down," Thad asked, while wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her onto his lap, snuggling her against him and soothingly stroking her back. "We were hoping for a death sentence for Byron, thinking it would take some doing. Now, he's gone in a way far worse than a firing squad. No matter how you slice it, that's not bad news."

"It's not bad, it's just..."

Evadne sighed, brows knit in frustration, "What I really wanted was for Byron to stand trial, in the full glare of the public, and to answer to the law. That would have been true closure for Beverly, Nydia, and all the other girls he hurt. This just seems too easy for him."

Thad looked down at her with deep and affectionate eyes and kissed her earlobe.

"Evadne, you always set the bar high for yourself and everything else. Any slight deviation, and you feel let down. But life is full of imperfections. You just have to do the best you can and let go of."

"Let nature take its course?" Evadne mumbled gloomily.

"No, leave it to me," Thad's voice was low and gentle, a comforting echo in her ear, "or don't do anything at all. With me here, you can rest easy knowing I've got everything under control."

A warm glow filled Evadne's chest, and she nuzzled into him, "I know I can rely on you, but you know me - I'm a worrier by nature. I can't stand not being hands-on with things; it's just who I am."

"I get it. I'm the same way. That's why I've personally overseen everything at Abernathy Group over the years. I can't trust anyone else to handle it," Thad sighed in understanding.

"Your dad, though, really goes too far. You're such a capable and responsible CEO, one he'd be hard-pressed to find anyone better, and yet he's always on your case, poking holes in everything you do!" Evadne blurted out her inner thoughts, and then quickly covered her mouth, realizing her slip.

Thad chuckled softly and gently removed her hands from her mouth, kissing her lightly, "You're right, so why the panic?"

"But he's still your father. It's one thing for you to say it, not for me."

"Evadne, I've told you before that my relationship with Frederic is strictly professional now. The father-son bond is long gone. As for Abernathy Group, the only person I care about is my grandfather."

"And what about your half-brother, the one who saved your life?" Evadne asked softly.

Thad's gaze faltered for a moment, as childhood memories of terror flashed before his eyes.

"Despite being half-brothers, he did save my life, and I owe him a debt I can never repay," he admitted.

Evadne knew his sense of loyalty and duty was his strength, but sometimes his burden.

"If your brother came back to fight for control of Abernathy Group, would you step aside for him?"

Thad laughed gently, "Are you that worried I'll end up working for your family?"

"I've been thinking about it a lot."

Evadne said earnestly, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I'm pretty materialistic, you know. I'm all about ambition and success. I can't be content just being a supportive spouse. I want to dominate the business world and be a shining queen.

Since I'm involved in your life, I have to take responsibility for you. I need to know what you're thinking so I can help you as much as I can."

A surge of emotion filled Thad.

She was a phoenix meant to soar to great heights, yet for him, she had clipped her wings to be the unnamed woman behind him for three long years.

All he felt was indebtedness.

"Looking at the moves your brother has made, he doesn't strike me as someone indifferent to power and wealth. It's just his health that's kept him out of the picture. But what if he recovers? As the eldest son of Abernathy Group, he is competent, and has connections with both the government and William and his son. He's cast a wide net, laid a lot of groundwork; there's no way he won't fight for it. I don't buy it."

Thad frowned, "My brother's health is critical; he's in a wheelchair most of the time."

"Did the kidnapping leave him paralyzed?"

Thad shook his head and took a deep breath, "We were young, and he spent too long in a cramped shipping container. The lack of oxygen caused organ failure and damage. His health is hanging by a thread, you know? He's popping pills like candy and toting around an oxygen tank; he's also got this wheelchair because he can't stand up for too long."