His Ex Wife Is A Billionaire

Chapter 564

On the way back from the airport.

Evadne stared blankly out the car window at the scattered neon lights, her words as sparse as the traffic they navigated through. Thaddeus knew she was on the brink of her own emotional abyss, so he let her dwell in her silence. Yet his large hand never ceased its firm, reassuring grip on her icy fingers.

His gaze remained fixed on Evadne’s pallid yet strikingly beautiful profile, his heart held in a state of suspended concern. The suffocating atmosphere lingered as they arrived home.

Barely had they crossed the threshold when a message from Aaron buzzed in.

“Evadne, we’re pretty certain about the identities now. It’s Eden and his goons.”

Evadne closed her eyes, biting her lower lip so hard a droplet of crimson betrayed her pain.

Thaddeus‘ eyes darkened with suppressed rage at the sight of her inner turmoil, feeling nearly breathless with the weight of his own helplessness.

“The forensics team combed through the blast site, found a couple of passports and enough personal effects to tie it back to them. They’re from Country T, and with the CCTV footage, it’s a closed case”

As Evadne remained silent, Aaron quickly tried to console her, “Look, don’t beat yourself up, Evadne. That Eden and his cronies were all bad news back in Country T, each with a hefty rap sheet. I heard that the guy used his military clout to commit all sorts of atrocities forcing innocents into prostitution, taking bribes, the works. Always slipped through the cracks. Him biting the dust is just karma. We’re still searching for the chopper’s black box, but we can’t rule out foul play. The silver lining – no additional casualties. So, chin up, Evadne. Let us handle the rest.”

Evadne’s voice was rough with emotion, “I know, Aaron.”

“You’re pissed ‘cause we missed Avery’s trail again, feeling defeated. Even with Eden gone, the real puppeteer’s still at large, taunting us. I get the frustration, I’m a cop too, remember?”

Aaron’s voice softened, his usually brash demeanor giving way to patience for his dear sister, “But there’s no such thing as an unbeatable general, Evadne. Defeat is part of the game. If you let this setback define you, let it drag you down, then you’re truly letting them win. All your hard work would be for nothing. To win the war, you need unwavering resolve. We haven’t hit rock bottom, Evadne. Catching Avery is just a matter of time. I’ve been on the force long enough to know there’s no case that can’t be cracked. Remember we make our own destiny!”

–

We make our own destiny.

The Ashbournes never believed in fate, never accepted defeat.

“Thanks for the pep talk, Aaron. Don’t worry. I’m not that’fragile.”

–

After hanging up, the dam holding back Evadne’s emotions finally broke. She collapsed into Thaddeus‘ arms, sobbing uncontrollably, her inner fortress crumbling in the presence of the man she loved most.

Thaddeus held her tightly, his hand gently stroking her trembling back, his voice a soothing rumble in her ear.

“My love, let it all out. Don’t keep it bottled up inside, it’ll eat you up.”

“I’m so stupid,” Evadne’s fingers clutched at his shirt, but she couldn’t help berating herself.

“Darling, if you’re stupid, then I’m a complete fool,” Thaddeus said with a regretful smile, wishing he could take back his words as her crying intensified,

“I know what you meant. I’ll be fine after a cry.”

Evadne’s tear–streaked face nuzzled against his chest, and his strong muscles teased her through the soaked fabric, inadvertently playing out a scene of seduction.

She grew a bit embarrassed, her sobs subsiding as her hands brushed over the damp spots she created.

Her endearing vulnerability made Thaddeus‘ heart race, but tonight, he wouldn’t push her further. He simply wanted her to rest and regain her strength in his embrace.

“You haven’t eaten all night. You must be starving. Let me make you something,” Thaddeus said, concern lacing his words as he wiped away her tears.

“Hmm, you haven’t eaten either. I’ll cook. You take forever, and I don’t want to eat at midnight,” Evadne’s voice was still hoarse but determined.

He chuckled helplessly, “Then I’ll ask Alva to prepare something.”

“It’s too late. I’ll do it.”

“Let’s do it together then.”

Evadne’s heart warmed at the thought, “Okay, together.”

With Evadne’s culinary skills joining the effort, Thaddeus was relegated to sous–chef as she whipped up a massive bowl of spaghetti!

Truly massive.

It seemed she planned to channel her fury into her appetite.

“Evadne: ahem, it’s late. Are you sure you can sleep after eating all that?” Thaddeus eyed the mountain of food, suddenly feeling full just at the sight.

Standing by the table with her sleeves rolled up, Evadne viciously stirred the mixed spaghetti with a large fork, “Don’t worry. After I eat, I’ll kayak on the lake for an hour. That should do it.”

Thaddeus swallowed hard, admiring her tenacity.

Once the spaghetti was ready, Evadne shoved a heaping amount into Thaddeus‘ mouth.

“Eat!”

He chewed laboriously, nearly choking on the generous serving.

Evadne scooped up an equally large portion for herself, her delicate mouth expanding comically as she chewed with a vengeance. Had she not been so beautiful, the sight would have been a’s terrifying as a monster’s snarl.

Anger made her appetite fierce.

Together, they managed to polish off the entire bowl.

Thaddeus, a man of minimal late–night indulgences, broke his disciplined habits for her, abandoning years of self–control without a second thought. NôvelDrama.Org copyrighted © content.

“Phew. I feel so much better now,” Evadne sighed, sinking into the couch with her eyes half–closed, unable to muster the energy to get up.

The couple nestled together in the serene living room, savoring the rare, comfortable moments of the day.

“Thaddeus,” Evadne lifted her hand to playfully scratch at his jawline.

“Mmm?” Thaddeus murmured in a low voice, capturing her hand and pressing it against his chest.

“Aren’t you curious about what I said to Avery when I stormed onto his plane?” she finally blurted out after holding it in for so long. Thaddeus‘ lips curled into a faint smile. “What? Afraid I’ll get jealous?”

“Psh, if you got jealous over that, you’d be insulting me!” Evadne poked him firmly in the chest with her fingertip.

“At first, when I saw you two together, I was so crazy with jealousy,” Thaddeus‘ eyes reddened slightly as he lifted her hand and planted a warm kiss on her palm.

“I know, it was so obvious. I’m not blind. How could I not see it?”

Evadne pouted, her expression revealing a hint of subtle hurt. “Back then, we had just divorced, and just seeing you would get my blood boiling. Seeing you upset actually gave me a twisted sense of pleasure. I thought I was different from other women; that I could easily let go after the divorce. But later, I realized that my satisfaction wasn’t because I wanted revenge. It was because deep down, I felt like you still cared.”

Thirteen years of chasing, unrequited love, obsession.

Who could simply turn off their heart and stop loving at will?

Thaddeus‘ breath hitched, a surge of sorrow flooding his veins, churning in his chest, and howling in his head.

The words he had harbored for too long, which could even wake him from his dreams, “Let’s get remarried,” were now forcefully swallowed back.

Did he still have the right?

Did he still have the right to be her husband once more?

“I’ve always cared about you,” he whispered tremulously, then found himself choked up, unable to speak another word.

Evadne felt she had brought up an awkward topic, so she quickly changed the subject. “Honestly, I didn’t say much to Avery, just let off some steam, that’s all.”

“Letting off steam is good,” he agreed.

“I really don’t understand what he went through in Helgen for fifteen years, what kind of people he met, to twist his heart like that.”

Images of Avery’s manic laughter flashed in Evadne’s mind. She shook her head in disbelief. “He wasn’t like that before. I still remember when we were kids, sneaking out to play and encountering a snake in the woods. He was even more scared than I was, but he bravely stood in front of me, shivering as he chased the snake away. There were so many good memories. He really was a good kid.”

“I did some digging into his family background. A lot of his animosity towards the Chambers Group probably stemmed from his mother,” Thaddeus said, wrapping his arm around Evadne’s shoulders.

“Mrs. Chambers always had an awkward place in the Chambers family, being the stepmother to the three children above her. Even being cautious in the Chambers family, she was always walking on thin ice. And back then, Avery was too young, too frail to protect his own mother. Mrs. Chambers was a humble woman who didn’t seek conflict, so she and her son often faced exclusion within the Chambers family.”

Evadne nodded slowly. She was somewhat familiar with the inner workings of the Chambers family from all the gossip she had heard from Emeric and Suri.

“I also found out that the reason Mrs. Chambers fell out of favor with Jeff was because she supposedly had an affair with one of Jeff’s bodyguards.”

Evadne was taken aback. “What? That’s impossible! I met Mrs. Chambers when I was a kid; she was so gentle and compliant. And she truly loved Jeff–how could she have an affair with a bodyguard?”

“Mmm, so there’s likely more to this story,” Thaddeus‘ brows furrowed slightly.

“Jeff might still be in the dark about it, but it’s intricately linked to the other three Chambers children. The bodyguard who was allegedly involved with Mrs. Chambers is now overseas, under surveillance by people loyal to Matthew. Don’t you find that strange?”