His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 1381

Without another word, Evadne abruptly ended the call.

She stared at the darkened screen. Her chest rose and fell with every tight, shallow breath, struggling to steady her racing heart.

Go.

Don't go.

Staying away was the safest play, effectively dodging every snare and potential trap he might have laid for her.

But burying her head in the sand and pretending the threat didn't exist wasn't in her nature as Ms. Ashbourne.

Now that Chad Abernathy was out on bail, his influence, his sheer depravity, and his weaponized mental illness were an unfathomable abyss of dangerous variables. As long as he had breath in his lungs, he would rise from the ashes to strike again.

Years ago, his uncle, Mason Austin, had been sentenced to death for murder. That sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment after he supplied evidence of a mental illness. Later, with the help of a mastermind pulling the strings behind the scenes, a scapegoat had taken his place in prison, leaving Mason free to roam untouched for years.

Although the justice system had evolved significantly since then, it was entirely possible for Chad to use his medical bail to manipulate the situation and escape legal retribution once more.

So, she had to go. There was no other choice.

She wasn't afraid of plummeting into endless darkness. She was only afraid of losing her grip on this venomous snake, failing to sever its head, and letting him slip away again. A suffocating wave of dread washed over her—if Chad escaped this time, they might never catch him.

Evadne closed her eyes, inhaling a deep, ragged breath. When she opened them, her gaze burned with fierce determination.

"Ms. Evadne, did... did something happen?" Jason stared at her rigid back, a knot of worry tightening in his chest.

"It's nothing."

"Did something else come up with Chad?"

"Jason, cancel all my appointments for tomorrow. I want to go to the hospital to visit my grandfather." Evadne's tone was flawlessly steady, betraying nothing.

Seeing her calm demeanor, Jason didn't push the issue. He simply nodded. "I'll drive you."

...

Night fell over Silverlake Harbor.

Evadne had returned home noticeably quieter than usual. She managed to avoid her family, slipping into her bedroom and locking the door behind her.

She hauled out her surgical kit. Opening it, she methodically sterilized the instruments one by one, seamlessly slipping back into her identity as the legendary Dr. Eve.

Perching on the edge of the sofa, Evadne took a deep breath. She slowly hitched up the hem of her skirt, baring her thigh.

Pulling out a syringe, she administered a dose of local anesthetic directly into her inner thigh.

After a few moments, her gaze darkened with resolve. She picked up the gleaming scalpel and, without a shred of hesitation, sliced a half-inch incision into her own flesh.

Hans was walking toward her, dressed in casual loungewear. He wore a finely textured, off-white tailored shirt paired with crisp, dark brown slacks that perfectly accentuated his striking build. It was exactly the kind of everyday outfit he used to wear around the house.

The cold, ruthless, and sinister aura he used to carry had melted away. Right now, Hans was increasingly finding his way back to the gentle, refined man he had once been.

A sudden warmth rushed to Evadne's eyes. "Hans, you look so good in that."

"Do I?"

Hans glanced down at himself and let out a soft laugh. "Myra said these were my old clothes, but I don't remember them at all. Was I always this formal at home?"

"Pfft... It's not formal, it's elegant!" Evadne couldn't help but chuckle.

Hans's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Finding myself again has been an interesting process. Though I have to admit, expensive clothes really do feel nice. At this rate, I'm going to get spoiled."

"Spend all you want! If your sister here has no other talents, she is definitely number one at making money. My only fear is that you'll reach old age without spending it all, so you'd better work hard at it."

Evadne's brow twitched slightly as a sharp throb flared from her wound.

The subtle grimace was instantly caught by Hans's predatory gaze. He closed the distance between them with a sudden step and lowered his voice.

"Evadne, what's wrong?"