SWNOVELS Chapter 343
Chapter 343
Meanwhile, at the Fairhaven Estate.
Just like Hamilton, Mr. Barry didn’t live with his sons, but had his own sprawling estate. It was a tad smaller than the Abernathy’s Windermere Estate, but it was still one of the top ten estates in the country.
By now, the whole Fairhaven family, from the highest to the lowest, knew about the situation. Even the servants were gossiping about Edith’s scandal over their coffee breaks.
Given that Thaddeus and the Abernathy family hadn’t said a peep about it, Edith came off like a woman who’d been used and discarded. The Fairhaven name was dragged through the mud with no dignity left.
“Hey, has Ms. Edith arrived?” The maids huddled together, whispering.
“She’s here, crying in Mr. Jareth’s study, oh dear. She’s really having a rough time!”
“What’s the use of crying? As the Fairhaven heiress, how could she be so reckless? A woman’s reputation is everything. She’s been caught in an ambiguous situation with the CEO of Abernathy, her clothes all askew. Who would want such a woman?”
“Thaddeus might. They were seen at a hotel together something must have happened. Now that it’s out, Thaddeus has to take responsibility!”
“Hmph, I don’t see him stepping up. It’s clear he’s trying to shirk responsibility.”
“Aren’t Mr. Jareth and Thaddeus friends? How awkward this will be.”
“Shh! Quiet down, here comes Mr. Gary!”
The servants quickly retreated, bobbing curtsey as they greeted him, “Good day, Mr. Gary!”
The man walking up the stairs, with his meticulously combed hair and dapper navy blue suit, was none other than Barry Fairhaven’s second son, Jareth’s uncle, Gary Fairhaven.
With a smile on his face, Gary passed by them, leaving a word of warning, “You gossiping hens, I may let it slide, but if my nephew hears you, beware your tongues.”
The maids were silenced, shivering in fear.
“Grandpa, Grandpa! You must stand up for me! I can’t face people anymore!”
Edith flung herself into Barry’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes swollen like little fishballs.
“My dear granddaughter, don’t cry anymore! You’re gonna ruin your eyes!”
Barry patted Edith’s trembling back, his own eyes filling with tears. “Don’t worry, your mother can’t handle this, Jareth can’t handle this, but I will!”
“Dad, you’re absolutely right.”
Gary strolled in, feigning seriousness. “Edith is my brother’s pride and joy, the apple of your eye. Now that she’s been mistreated by that Abernathy brat, we can’t just sit back.”
:
“Uncle Gary.” Edith cried even harder.
“Gary, you know about this?” Barry looked troubled.
“You know our stature in Elmsworth. Any whisper of scandal turns into a storm.”
Gary lounged on the sofa, casually peeling an orange from a fruit bowl. “In my opinion, we should have Thaddeus marry Edith.”
Barry’s thick white eyebrows shot up.
Hearing this, a smile flickered on Edith’s lips as she hid in her grandfather’s arms.
“Despite being an illegitimate child, Thaddeus will inherit the Abernathy Group. If Edith marries him, she’ll be the lady of Abernathy. It’s not a bad deal.” Gary popped an orange slice into his mouth.
“Uncle Gary! What are you saying.” Edith’s cheeks burned red.
“I’ve thought it all out. We’ll tell the media that Edith and the Abernathy boy have been seeing each other for a while. They didn’t want to use public resources, so they kept it private. It’s normal for young, unmarried people to have their own space. The public doesn’t need to make a fuss. Look how they’ve scared our Edith.”
Gary owned entertainment and PR firms, so he was a pro at spinning tales and whitewashing scandals,
“You truly have a way with words. Your ability to spin tales is truly exemplary, a lesson for us all.”
A mocking laugh echoed in the room as Jareth strode into the study, his towering figure exuding an intimidating aura.
“Jareth.” Edith shrank further into Barry’s arms.
Gary’s smile froze for a moment, the orange in his hand squished. “Jareth, are you not in a good mood? Are you taking it out on your uncle as soon as you see me?”
“Jareth, mind your manners when speaking to your elders.” Barry’s voice carried a hint of annoyance.
Jareth lifted the corner of his lip in a cold sneer, his handsome face stern and icy. He sat down opposite Gary, smiling in a way that was both eerie and irresistibly charming. “Ever since you became CEO, Gary, you’ve been sticking your nose into every aspect of the business. Is it because you don’t have children of your own that you’re so keen to meddle in the marriage arrangements of Edith? Looking to live out your paternal fantasies, are you?”
Gary felt as if someone had punched him in the throat. A surge of anger roared up inside him.
Being childless was his lifelong regret, his eternal disgrace!
Publicly, he blamed his wife, claiming it had nothing to do with him. But only his wife knew the truth: he was impotent, unable to perform!
But he couldn’t lose his temper in front of Barry, so he bottled up his rage, his eyes turning bloodshot.
“Jareth! How dare you speak to your uncle like this? You’re being insolent!” Barry slapped the armrest of the couch.
“Grandpa, I was just kidding with Uncle Gary. He’s always been so good to me, he wouldn’t get mad at me, right?” Jareth immediately put on an act, grinning cheekily at Gary.
It was so infuriatingly smug.
Gary kept smiling, but inside, he had already ‘shot‘ this annoying nephew a thousand times over.
“As for Edith’s marriage, Uncle Gary, you don’t need to worry about it. I’ll find a worthy suitor for Edith, but it definitely, absolutely, won’t be Thaddeus.”
Jareth finished his sentence, emphasizing each word, and the atmosphere in the study instantly dropped.
1
Edith’s expression went from smug satisfaction to gloomy disappointment.
“Jareth, I don’t understand what you’re saying. If Edith’doesn’t marry Mr. Thaddeus, then who should she marry?”
Gary assumed a senior demeanor, his expression serjous, “With things having escalated to this point, if the Abernathy Group refuses to accept Edith, it would be a direct insult to our Fairhaven Group, a clear message to our Fairhaven family, that even your own sister is nothing more than a plaything for Mr. Thaddeus, to be discarded after he’s had his fun. Does he think our Fairhaven family are pushovers?”
1
Before he could finish, Edith burst into tears again, crying out, “Grandpa, Uncle Gary: I’m so ashamed! I might as well just die!”
“Calm down, my dear! I will seek justice for you!”
Barry, who had been influential all his life, certainly wouldn’t take this lying down. He was so angry he slammed his teacup down, shattering it, “Thaddeus thinks he can just play around and then deny everything? He’s really pushing his luck! Jareth, is it true that your mother was also hurt by all this? Is she in the hospital now?”
Jareth swallowed hard, staying silent.
“As soon as your mother is discharged, you should immediately go to the Abernathy family to propose. If you won’t go, I will!”
“Grandpa! Can you please calm down?” Jareth completely lost his cool when he heard they were going to make a scene at the Abernathy’s, his eyes flashing with anger.
“Jareth, if I remember correctly, Mr. Thaddeus and you are close as brothers, right?”
Gary crossed his legs, looking thoroughly entertained, “Edith marrying Mr. Thaddeus would be like cousins marrying – keeping it in the family. I really don’t understand why you’re so against it.”
“It’s precisely because Thad and I are so close that I know what kind of person he is.”
Jareth, in his desperation, could only say coldly, “Thad already has someone he loves, the lady from the Ashbourne family, Miss Evadne!”
When they heard the name “Evadne“, the expressions of the three Fairhaven family members froze.
Even the formidable Barry’s gaze showed a hint of apprehension.
“Edith, you’ve confessed your feelings to Thad several times, haven’t you? You’ve done everything possible, haven’t you? Do you think it worked? Has Thad ever given you a second glance? You had to pull out all the stops just to get a fleeting glance from Thaddeus, so how could he possibly have been with you in a hotel room? Edith, do I really need to spell it out for you? When will you learn?” Jareth’s voice grew louder and angrier, a vein throbbing in his forehead.
He could tolerate Edith’s wild and willful behavior, but he couldn’t stand her scheming and manipulation!
“Grandpa, did you hear what Jareth is saying about me?”
Edith decided to play the victim to the end, “I’m his own sister, but look at how he describes me, like I’m some cheap seductress! I did have feelings for Thaddeus, but it takes two to tango. If he didn’t have feelings for me, then why would he come to that hotel with me?”
She stopped, her face turning red as she started sobbing.
The unspoken words left a lot to the imagination.
“Even if Thaddeus does like Evadne, as you said, I don’t think he has any chance with her now.”
Barry gently stroked Edith’s hair, gritting his teeth, “Since Edith is in love with that Abernathy boy, there’s nothing more to discuss. I only have one granddaughter, and whatever she wants, I will make sure she gets!”
Edith looked up at him, tears in her eyes, but she was secretly thrilled.
“Grandpa!” Jareth clenched his fist, veins popping up on his forehead.
“Oh, it would be such a joyous occasion if our Fairhaven family could form a matrimonial alliance with the Abernathy family.”
Gary stood up leisurely, bowing slightly to Edith, “Congratulations in advance, Edith. When the time comes, I will give you an expensive wedding gift.”
Gary had just left Barry’s mansion, and his face was as downcast as a rainy day
His secretary followed with a puzzled look, “Mr. Fairhaven, I overheard some of your conversation with Mr. Jareth. Why would you support a union between Miss Edith and Mr. Thaddeus?”
“Do you really think Thaddeus would marry Edith?” Gary chuckled sarcastically, “Thaddeus has raised hell over the Ashbourne girl, even took a blow to the head for her recently. Almost lost his life. It’s pretty clear to anyone with eyes that they have a thing for each other. My niece is simply chasing after a dream. Thaddeus won’t marry her. I know Thaddeus too well to believe otherwise, and that’s exactly why I’m stirring the pot, supporting this supposed union. The more chaos, the better it is for our side.”
“You’re so clever!” the secretary exclaimed with admiration.
A cunning glint passed through Gary’s eyes, “Since the beginning of time, the best way to cause dissent between friends is through the use of a woman. Friends? How laughable.”
As he was about to descend the staircase, something occurred to him, “By the way, what’s the name of that Abernathy girl Jareth’s been keeping on the side?”
“Marilla!”
“Right. Keep an eye on her. She could be our trump card.”
“Ah! Jareth. It hurts! Let go!”
Jareth’s eyes were cold and harsh as he dragged Edith by the arm into an empty room, treating her like an unwanted burden.
As soon as the door was shut, he flung her onto the floor.
“Ah!”
Edith landed painfully on the ground. Not only did her body ache from the fall, but her arm was also turning a nasty shade of purple from his grip.
“Edith, you’re going to tell me what happened at the hotel that day!” Jareth fought to keep his temper in check. If it was anyone else, he might have lost control completely.
“What are you talking about? I don’t know what you mean!” Edith grimaced in pain, but she remained stubborn.
“Your brain isn’t capable of such a complex scheme. I don’t believe for a second that you didn’t have help!”
Jareth leaned in close, his eyes burning with rage, Tell me! Who set this up? Who’s pulling the strings behind all this?”
Edith’s heart pounded in her chest, and sweat trickled down her face.
How could she possibly tell Jareth? Besides, she didn’t even know who was behind all this. All she did was follow the plan.
So, she clenched her teeth and defiantly said, “No one helped me. It was all my idea!”
“Edith! You dare to lie even now?”
“What’s wrong? You don’t like what you’re hearing?”
Edith laughed mockingly, “What are you going to do? Hit me? Kill me?”