Chapter 352
Chapter 352
Everyone was like they had been hit by a powerful earthquake. Their pupils shook, and in disbelief, they turned their eyes towards Elspeth!
This included Frederic and the members of the Fairhaven family.
But there was one person who remained just as calm as Evadne, and that was Thaddeus.
Because back when Evadne started having doubts about Elspeth, he had already begun suspecting her too. But back then, he had sustained a severe head injury and had undergone a life–threatening brain surgery. Then, Edith started causing a scene, which delayed his further investigation.
Tonight, when Evadne came to confront Elspeth by herself, he had tried to stop her.
He didn’t want her to get into trouble. If Elspeth dared to attack Myra in front of so many people, she could also carry out a dangerous attack on her!
He could help her. She wouldn’t have to get her hands dirty, no mud on her shoes.
He could deal with all the dirt and all the evil. He could be her executioner.
He admitted that he was angry. He blamed her, and even somewhat hated her for not trusting him.
But he still loved her. This love made him extreme, no longer weighing pros and cons, only wanting to make her the center of his life.
“Elspeth, is it true that you and that villain are old acquaintances?” Frederic’s heart tightened, as he asked in a deep voice.
“Frederic, are you questioning me too? An outsider like Evadne comes here and starts accusing me out of nowhere, and now you’re going to follow her lead and step on me too?” Elspeth’s eyes widened, her finger jabbing sharply at her own chest, a look of sorrow and grievance in her eyes.
This reaction was a bit over the top, like something out of a cheesy daytime drama.
At this moment, Glynnis, who had sobered up in the room, also staggered out.
She had heard every word of her father’s question to her mother, and her heart pounded like a drum in shock!
In her memory, her father had always cherished her mother.
When her mother repeatedly provoked Hamilton, her father, as the biological son of Hamilton, unconditionally protected his wife, almost falling out with Hamilton several times! But what happened this time?
Just a probing word from Evadne, and her father started suspecting her mother?
“I did not mean to question you, you’re overthinking.” Frederic frowned, his fingers clenched.
“Of course it’s not true! How could I know such a person?”
Elspeth’s meticulously styled hair was soaked with sweat. She glared angrily at the frosty–faced Evadne, “Evadne, I know you hate me, and we’ve indeed had some unpleasant encounters before, but I’ve let it go! Now when something happens to your family, you want to put the blame on me! I’m not an insurance company, why do I have to take the blame every time something happens to your family? Do you think I’m easy to bully?”
Evadne laughed slowly, “Elspeth, are you getting anxious? I only asked if you two were old acquaintances, I haven’t asked anything else, why are you so nervous? Could it be, a guilty conscience?”
“Evadne!”
Elspeth was so angry that smoke was practically coming out of her mouth, “I’m showing you some respect because of Chairman Emeric and Mr. Hamilton’s friendship. Don’t push your luck!”
Jareth’s eyes turned red, and if it wasn’t for the fact that the elders were all present, he really wanted to give her a good scolding.
Thaddeus’s fist tightened instantly, his pupils shrouded in a chilling shadow, “Elspeth, if you really consider yourself as Mrs. Abernathy, you should watch your tone.”
Bastard! Thaddeus’s just a gun that this bitch pointed wherever she wanted!
In front of so many people, she’s still an elder, and he dared to confront her like this!
“Precisely because I am the hostess of the Abernathy family, I have to properly educate this junior!”
Elspeth glared fiercely at Evadne, “Evadne, this is Windermere Estate, not the Ashbourne family’s Silverlake Harbor! As the wife of the chairman of Abernathy Group, the hostess of the Abernathy family, how can I allow you to slander me here, spouting nonsense?”
Thaddeus couldn’t take it anymore, his charming eyes filled with a shocking bloodlust, just as he was about to open his mouth, Evadne beat him to it, laughing scornfully, *Hostess? Does Mr. Hamilton acknowledge you as the hostess?”
Everyone was shocked.
She dared to speak so brazenly and provoke Elspeth, truly befitting of the Ashbourne family’s young lady!
Glynnis saw her mother’s face turn from red to white, almost unable to stand, feeling as if they were being shat on.
She originally wanted to jump up and defend her mother, but she saw Jareth and Thaddeus were both present. They would definitely unconditionally side with Evadne.
What scared her the most was Frederic. He hadn’t even spoken up to defend her mother, her anger suddenly deflated by a large margin.
She decided to continue observing the situation in secret.
“And also, you have the audacity to claim here that you are the hostess of the Abernathy Group, but it’s all because Mr. Frederic spoils you. As far as I know, whether it’s in the entire Abernathy Group or the upper class people in Elmsworth, no one truly recognizes your status as the hostess of the Abernathy Group, right?”
Evadne had her hands in her suit pockets, slightly tilting her head, her bright and arrogant demeanor as if there was no one in the world who could be her opponent, “If we’re talking about the hostess of the Abernathy Group, it should be Mr. Chad’s biological mother, Mr. Frederic’s lawful wife.”
Everyone was shocked.
Elspeth felt as if she’d been stabbed in the heart, but even before she could register the pain, Evadne’s second blow came. “Otherwise, it should have been Mr. Thaddeus‘ mother, Mrs. Cynthia Winter.”
Cynthia.
Mother.
Thaddeus‘ lips were pressed into a thin line, his gaze fixed on Elspeth’s pale face, his clenched fists felt as if they would sink into his own flesh.
His heart throbbed heavily, as if it was being brutally extracted and crushed by a ruthless hand, as if every drop of blood was being squeezed out.
Years ago, when he and his mother were brought back to the Abernathy family by Frederic, Chad’s mother, a lady from the Austin family, had just passed away a year ago.
At that time, the Austin family was flourishing in Elmsworth, ranking among the top six families in the country. The Austin family and the Abernathy family had deep collaboration in all aspects of the business world. The Abernathy family certainly couldn’t afford to fall out with the Austin family.
So when the Austin family heard that Frederic was planning to marry another woman, a woman of low social standing with a five–year–old son, they were enraged. They withdrew billions of dollars In Investment and halted the cooperation on three projects. The two families fell out, and the Abernathy Group’s stock evaporated by several billions overnight.
It was only when Hamilton personally stepped in and negotiated with the Austin family that the collaboration was restored.
The condition was that Frederic could not bring anyone new into the house for three years, the woman could only live as a servant in the Abernathy family, and her son would always be considered the illegitimate child of the Abernathy family, not allowed to be included in the family tree!
The last condition was immediately rejected by Hamilton.
The child of the Abernathy family, even if illegitimate, was not to be dictated by the Austin family. After all, Frederic’s infidelity had hurt two women, the adults were to blame, not
the child.
This was why even though Chad’s mom had passed away. Thaddeus‘ mother was still not given the rightful status.
Because of her lack of status, and not being recognized by the Abernathy family. Thaddeus spent his childhood and youth under the shadow of rumors, living a life full of humiliation.
Two years later, Elspeth, pregnant with a large belly, was openly brought back by Frederic. Inside her belly was Glynnis.
Cynthia was naturally gentle and kind, treating everyone with generosity. Such a pure and good woman was doomed to be no match for Elspeth.
In the end, this absurd and cruel power struggle ended with Cynthia’s depression leading her to jump from a building.
The year Cynthia died was exactly the year the Austin family’s three–year wife limit ended.
Elspeth, having the upper hand, was legitimized by Frederic, taking over the position that should have belonged to Cynthia and becoming Frederic’s second wife.
“Thaddeus, don’t be heartbroken. It hurts us all that your mom passed away.”
“From now on, I am your mother, and Glynnis is your real sister.”
“Ah, your mother was a good woman. It’s a pity she wasn’t as lucky as me. I hope she is not suffering anymore, and I don’t think she would blame me for taking her place. She was so kind. She could never blame me.”
Thaddeus could never forget the mocking words Elspeth had said to him at his mother’s funeral.
Even as a young boy, he could feel the insincerity behind this woman’s friendly smile.
In a blink, more than twenty years had passed.
Over these years, it seemed like he was the only one in the Abernathy family, the only one in the entire world, who had not forgotten his mother.
Now, when Thaddeus heard his mother’s name from Evadne, his eyes reddened inexplicably, and he felt like crying.
“Cynthia. Cynthia.”
Frederic seemed lost in thought, muttering the name of the person long gone.
In front of him, from the depths of his memory, emerged Cynthia’s gentle and radiant face.
The deepest, softest part of his heart was suddenly pierced with pain.
Elspeth was closest to Frederic.
At this moment–she too heard him repeatedly calling out that long–forgotten name, that woman who had once made her so angry. Red with rage, she directed her fury towards Evadne.
“Cynthia? Cynthia was not legitimate, she was just Frederic’s old mistress! When she came into the house, she was nothing more than a servant of the Abernathy family! How on earth could she be considered the lady of the house? The lady of the Abernathy family is me! She’s not in my league!”
“Elspeth! Enough!”
Frederic, as if a dormant nerve had been stirred, roared at her in fury, completely forgetting that there were others present. “Cynthia was not a mistress! She wasn’t a servant! And she’s gone now. You have no right to speak of her like that!”
“Why don’t I have the right?”
Elspeth’s eyes were wide open, her anger mounting. “Am I wrong? She was nothing more than a mistress who could never be accepted by high society!”
Before she could finish, she suddenly felt a chilling shadow envelop her, as if she was on the edge of a precipice!
Elspeth was taken aback and looked up to find Thaddeus standing in front of her.
Suddenly, there was a sharp, ringing slap that echoed through the hall!
Everyone was shocked, including Evadne, all dumbfounded with their mouths agape.
Thaddeus‘ starry eyes were dark, his thin lips pressed together like a blade. He raised his hand and slapped Elspeth hard!
“Ugh!”
Elspeth’s cheek instantly turned red and swollen, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth. Her ears were ringing and she felt so dizzy!
“Elspeth, you’ve gone too far!” Thaddeus snapped, his face pained. “Cynthia was not a mistress. She’s my mother. And you have no right to insult her!”
Frederic looked stunned, repeating the long–forgotten name. “Cynthia. Cynthia.”
On the other side of the room, Elspeth’s face was a mask of shock. Her eyes were wide and disbelieving, her mouth agape. She reached up to touch her stinging cheek, her fingers coming away smeared with blood.
Her gaze turned to Thaddeus, her face a mixture of disbelief and fury. “You dare strike me?”
“Yes, I dare,” Thaddeus shot back, his eyes flashing with anger. “Because unlike you, I respect the memory of the dead. Especially when the dead is my mother.”
The room fell silent, the only sound was the heavy breathing of the people present. The tension was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words and hidden emotions.
And in that moment, it was as if the past was resurrected, the old wounds reopened, and an old battle was set to be fought once again.
Elspeth stumbled back two stens bracing herself against the back of the couch to avoid an ungraceful fall.
*Thaddeus.” Evadne’s pupils involuntarily contracted, her heart pounding in her chest for this man.