Chapter 539
Emeric’s voice cut through the chatter, and suddenly everyone stood rooted to the spot and got enveloped in an
unexpected hush. Evadne’s eyes went round as saucers, and her rosebud lips were parted in utter disbelief as she
stared at her father.
“What did you just say?”
Thaddeus‘ chest heaved with barely contained emotion, and his eyes were a deep well of fervor as he gazed upon
Emeric’s distinguished and handsome face. His breath hitched, and his heart were ticking down.
“You’re going to be dragging yourself home at the crack of dawn at this hour. If you’ve got nothing on the agenda
tomorrow morning, why don’t you just crash here tonight?” Emeric said, giving out a soft rumble before he
coughed discreetly to clear his throat.
This time, everyone heard him. Evadne heard him, and Thaddeus heard him.
A tidal wave of relief crashed over Thaddeus; he felt his heartbeat skyrocketing, and his eyes shimmering with
unshed tears of gratitude. He swallowed hard and then bowed deeply,to Emeric.
“Thank you, Chairman Ashbourne, for taking me in.”
The words ‘taking me in‘ humbled this towering man, a scion of the top consortium in Elmsworth, to the dust.
Evadne felt a pang of sadness, hating to see him so diminished, and quickly stepped forward to help him back to his
feet.
“Come on, it’s just for one night. It’s no big deal.”
“It is, Evadne.”
Thaddeus‘ voice was thick with emotion, and a hint of tears glistened in his eyes. “I’m overwhelmed. All the
accomplishments of my life combined don’t measure up to the happiness and contentment I feel at this moment.”
To others, it might be a simple sleepover.
To Thaddeus, it felt like a new lease on life.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEmeric gave Thaddeus a meaningful look and then led the way into the villa.
“Jason, Does this mean my dad’s forgiven Thaddeus? Has he finally accepted him?!” Nydia, clutching Jason’s arm,
whispered excitedly on tiptoes.
“I hope so. This might be acceptance.”
Jason’s gaze softened as he looked down at b
and he tenderly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Any progress, even the slightest bit from yesterday, is a
step in the right direction.”
Moved, Evadne cupped his chiseled jaw and pressed her soft lips to his in a kiss as if there was no one around them.
Initially, Thaddeus was stiff with shyness, but soon he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her kisses
with an urgency that spoke volumes.
The elders of the Ashbourne family, embarrassed to witness such a display, turned away with awkward chuckles.
Jason tightened his grip around Nydia’s waist, with his Adam’s apple bobbing, before he hurriedly led his beloved
inside.
“Hey. Jason, slow down!” Nydia’s slender legs scurried to keep up beneath her flowing white dress.
Jason’s jaw clenched, and his muscles were taut with desire.
Slow down? Not a chance.
He wanted her, fiercely so.
That night, the air over Silverlake Harbor was thick with the sweet scent of happiness, like honey drizzled over warm
bread.
Thaddeus had been swamped with work at the consortium, juggling the search for Eden with Jareth and staying on
top of Elspeth’s case. He pushed himself to the limit, so as to free up as much time as possible to be with Evadne.
Though often exhausted to the point of being unable to keep his eyes open, once in bed, he came alive, lavishing
love and satisfaction upon his woman.
He was determined not to let her feel even a hint of weakness in him.
She was twenty–five, and he had reached the prime of his life.
His rivals, each and every one of them, might not match his wealth but were younger than him. He couldn’t afford
to let Evadne
Chapter 539
sense even a hint of inadequacy.
Although their marital union was a known fact, Thaddeus was as disciplined as a monk seeking shelter, meditating
in his own room as if stepping beyond would plunge him into a world of temptation.
And wasn’t that the truth? His sweet and fragrant wife was just a floor away, an irresistible lure.
Tonight, Chairman Ashbourne had unexpectedly extended a hand of acceptance toward him. If he didn’t behave
and dared to overstep and climb into Evadne’s bed, he might never see tomorrow’s sun.
Leaning against the headboard, Thaddeus worked on urgent business matters sent by Gordon on his laptop,
Gradually, his eyelids drew heavy, and he dozed off, still seated.
After an indeterminate time, a gentle breeze teased his senses; it felt like tickling and tantalizing.
Though he was exhausted, his military instincts kept his vigilance and sensitivity above average.
The man’s eyes snapped open, cold light flickering within them, as if he was a lion roused from slumber.
“Ah!”
A delicate exclamation echoed in the dark.
The next moment, Evadne, who had replaced the laptop on his thighs, lost her balance and toppled backward.
Thaddeus, now fully awake, caught her with a swift move, supporting her slender waist effortlessly and pulling her
soft body against his warm chest.
“Darling, how did you get in here? When did you?”
His mind was still foggy, but his hands, accustomed to caressing her, wandered to her sides and stroke gently up
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmand down.
Evadne clutched her chest, pouting, “You scared me to death. Do you realize how terrifying you looked just now? As
if you were
about to devour me.”
“I’m sorry, Evadne. It’s a reflex from my military days, an uncontrollable response,” he apologized.
With her eyes filled with compassion, Evadne caressed his cheek.
Feeling a twinge of guilt, Thaddeus kissed the palm of her hand, but his heart raced with anxiety. “Why did you
sneak in here? What if someone found out.”
“Sneak? This is my home. I walked in with my head held high,” Evadne countered with a mischievous squint, while
playfully tapping his nose. “Hmm? Mr. Thaddeus seems a bit flustered, doesn’t he?”
“This is my first time in your home, truly your home, Evadne. I want to make a good impression on your family,”
Thaddeus confessed, his lips curving in a stunning smile, and his voice was deep with sincerity.
“Pfft, so that’s what this is all about,” Evadne chuckled, her slender fingers playfully undoing the top two buttons of
his shirt. “My family, they’re a tough bunch to deal with. The hardest there is. Otherwise, Snakey Avery, that sly fox,
would’ve wormed his way into the inner circle by now, wouldn’t he?”
“Evadne,” the man sighed with a weary smile.
“They’re warming up to you, so there’s no need to be scared. Just be yourself.”
As she spoke in gentle tones, Evadne had already undone his shirt to the last button. “You’ve been burning the
midnight oil behind my back again. You’ll end up with a slipped disc if you sleep slouched over like this until morning.
Get changed into your pajamas and lie down properly.”
“Alright, fine,” Thaddeus agreed obediently. But as he changed, he stretched his back and felt a soreness that spoke
to his age.
“Evadne, you should go back to your room.