His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 804

"Madness, I get it, she was never quite right in the head. But excessive bleeding? What's that about?" Evadne nuzzled her lips obediently into the palm of the man's hand.

"They say she was laughing and cursing every day in the detention center, stopping anyone who'd listen, claiming she was an heiress of the Abernathy Group, that her father was the chairman. She took quite a beating in there, and the more they hit her, the more she seemed to thrive on it."

Thaddeus felt his heart soften at her docile behavior, his fingertips unconsciously grazing over her lips, now softened by a milky caress.

"Truly, a madwoman with aspirations as high as the sky," Evadne said with a cold smirk curling her crimson lips.

"Just the other night, Glynnis went off the deep end again, slashed her own wrist, smeared her blood on the face of a fellow inmate, and painted the cell walls with it. That's how she ended up bleeding too much."

"Perhaps she's half-mad, half-lucid—who knows. She still remembers she's got HIV, and she knows how to disgust and retaliate against others in such a vile way."

Evadne's eyes darkened, her gaze glittering with merciless coldness. "But madness works for me, I was wondering how to deal with her. If we went through the normal legal process, Glynnis would be charged with assault and face a few years at most. If she's insane, let her spend her life in a mental institution, clinging to her delusional dreams of heiress grandeur!"

Today was Barry's funeral.

The Fairhavens had been rocked by a shocking tragedy, a tale of blood turned against blood, and a world shattered overnight. All the misfortune had fallen squarely on the shoulders of Jareth.

But, with his efforts, the funeral proceeded smoothly.

Barry, a legend in his own time, had met with such a cruel fate, a fact that moved many to deep reflection.

Yet, even for such a figure, the number of business acquaintances and old comrades who came to his funeral was meager. The folks from the old days were known for their loyalty, never looking back, so despite the commercial world's cold shoulder, Barry's funeral was still a grand affair.

Jareth, Barry's grandson and now the head of the Fairhaven family, walked in the funeral procession, dressed in a simple black suit, holding his grandfather's portrait. His eyes were calm, his steps heavy with sorrow.

Under the shadow of such grief, one's expression often turns numb.

Before the funeral, speculative media had posted articles online predicting the downfall of the Fairhaven Group, doubting the capabilities of Jareth, the prodigal son.

Luckily, the Ashbourne and Abernathy families were there to support him. Thaddeus and Evadne stood by Jareth, lending their presence and ensuring the new patriarch had enough respect.

Jareth was the only family member present, but he stood unafraid of criticism, his posture as unwavering as an old pine, his gaze sharp enough to deter any who wished to stir trouble.

The funeral hall was solemn and respectful. Friends and relatives brought wreaths and shed tears for the old man who had built the Fairhaven Group from scratch.

Evadne and Thaddeus stood aside, witnessing the somewhat lonely Frederic and feeling a spark of anger.

Evadne recalled attending a few grand funerals with her father when she was younger. Even with the Fairhaven family's standing, there were too few mourners.

Those fair-weather friends simply looked down on Jareth, convinced that this young master would only lead the Fairhaven family to ruin.

Just then, a series of footsteps echoed in the hall.

"The Chairman of the Chambers Group, Jeff, and President Avery Chambers have arrived!"

Evadne and Thaddeus' faces darkened.

Jareth's eyes turned red with a cold, piercing look fixed on Jeff and Avery as they approached.

From the moment Avery entered, his eyeing of Evadne was so intense it was as if his gaze was physically anchored to her, impossible to remove.

"Disgusting," Evadne muttered to herself, turning her gaze away in revulsion.

Thaddeus watched Avery with a deadly stare, holding back his anger while clutching Evadne's soft hand in his own, his veins bulging.

Avery's gaze, which had been uncontrollably drawn to Evadne's face, slowly drifted down, finally settling on their intertwined hands. His eyes went cold, but the corners of his mouth curled into a mocking smirk.

In an atmosphere of mourning, Avery's smile was particularly jarring and provocative.

Jareth, of course, saw it too, his fists clenched so tightly they crackled.

If this weren't a funeral, if it weren't for the need to let his grandfather rest in peace, he would have charged forward and smashed Avery's sly face!

"Mr. Fairhaven, my condolences."

Jeff stepped forward with a look of regret, extending his hand to Jareth. "Oh, you are the master of the Fairhaven family now."

Jareth gave Jeff a cold stare, his hand not moving an inch. "I don't recall inviting the Chambers family to this funeral."

Jeff's face flushed with the rebuke, anger surging within him, but as the head of the Chambers family, he managed to keep his composure. He wouldn't stoop so low as to argue with the dead,

"I'm also from one of the four great families. I've known Barry for many years. Even if you didn't invite me, I should be here to pay my respects out of my affection for him."

"Affection? What affection could my grandfather possibly share with you, Mr. Jeff Chambers?"

Jareth tugged at his pale lips, forcing a smile. "Besides, my grandfather probably wouldn't care to see any of you."

The crowd gasped, their eyes darting to the Chambers men.

That bold, in-your-face declaration set Jeff's blood boiling, his face flushing red as he was about to retort, but Avery cut in first,

"Mr. Fairhaven, regardless of any past grievances between our families, today is your grandfather's funeral. The dead deserve respect, and we're here to pay our condolences with the best of intentions. Why the hostility?"

As he spoke, Avery's eyes swept the sparsely attended wake with a smirk that wasn't quite a smile. "Looks like Barry didn't make many friends in the business world. It's just a motley crew, barely worthy of mention. The Chambers family attending to pay our respects is a kind gesture, Mr. Fairhaven. If you turn away the few business acquaintances you have, how do you expect anyone to engage with the Fairhaven family in friendship or business in the future?"

Evadne bit her lip in frustration, itching to stride over and slap that smug grin off Snakey Avery's face!

If Thaddeus hadn't been firmly holding her waist, she might have actually started a brawl with the Chambers family right there in the funeral home.

Jareth's eyes seethed with barely contained rage, his stomach twisting in knots.

He was no coward, but this was his grandfather's funeral, the first major event he had to oversee since taking the helm of the Fairhaven family. If he let Avery's taunts provoke him now, it would only confirm the image of him as an impetuous heir, a laughingstock for the Fairhaven family!

Today, he couldn't afford to lose his composure!

Just as Jeff was smugly thinking his son had salvaged their pride, a robust voice rang out from behind,

"Barry didn't make many friends in the business world? Who's spouting such nonsense, it's downright laughable!"

Avery's eyes narrowed as he slowly turned around, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses.