SWNOVELS Chapter 377
Chapter 377
His piercing gaze, as red as a bleeding heart, was fixed on her.
Dolores was terrified, barely daring to breathe. She stammered to explain, “Mr. Abernathy, I swear I mean no harm. I’m just concerned about your health!”
Thaddeus, using the arms of the sofa for support, slowly rose to his feet.
As soon as he stood, he felt dizzy, plagued by an indescribable fever that was coursing through his veins with increasing intensity.
Heaving heavily, sweat trickled down his chiseled face. His allure, despite his weakened state, left Dolores almost breathless.
Thaddeus, leaning against the wall, stumbled out of the banquet hall.
Dolores, however, was not ready to give up. She followed him immediately.
Tonight was her rare opportunity!
She had to seize it. If she could tie the knot with Thaddeus, nothing and no one, not Evadne, not Edith, could stand in her way!
Finding courage in the deserted hallway, Dolores made a bold move towards Thaddeus, proving her father’s words true – she had no shame!
“Mr. Abernathy, you can barely stand on your own. Allow me to help you back to your room to rest, alright?”
“Get away. Didn’t I warn you not to touch me? Can’t you understand?!” Thaddeus, using all his strength, pushed her away, his eyes filled with raging anger. His disgust couldn’t have been clearer.
It was as if she was contaminated, carrying some sort of plague.
Frustrated and angry, Dolores gritted her teeth and tried to cling onto Thaddeus.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
A cold voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere, startling Dolores into releasing her grip on Thaddeus‘ arm.
Jareth’s eyes were filled with intense anger as he strode over to Thaddeus, protectively draping an arm around his shoulder and quickly widening the distance between them and Dolores.
“Ms. Ashbourne, what exactly are you trying to do?”
Dolores tried to compose herself, yet the aura of the Fairhaven family’s son was not something to be trifled with, and she could feel a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, “Mr. Abernathy seems to be in a bad mood. He’s had a lot to drink, and he’s drunk. I was just trying to help him back to his room to rest.”
“Drunk? I know Thad’s drinking capacity better than anyone. He was completely sober before you joined him for a drink, and after just few drinks with you he’s drunk?” Jareth eyed her suspiciously.
“Mr. Fairhaven, what do you mean by that?”
Dolores, guilty as charged, blushed fiercely, “I am the daughter of the Ashbourne family. My dad is a highly respected man in the K Group. Are you suggesting I would stoop so low as to drug Mr. Abernathy? I am not that despicable!”
“Oh, who knows? After all, Thad’s charm and talent have attracted many women over the years, some with even more prestigious backgrounds than yours, Ms. Ashbourne.” Jareth didn’t feel frightened at all. If he was not pleased, he wouldn’t mince words!
He didn’t give this so–called Ms. Ashbourne any face.
“Thad, how are you feeling?” Jareth lowered his head, expressing genuine concern for Thaddeus.
“Go, let’s go.” Thaddeus mumbled.
“Alright, right away!”
Jareth, supporting Thaddeus, began to walk forward, muttering under his breath, “You see, without me, what would you do? You can live without a woman, but you absolutely can’t live without me!”
“Wait, wait a moment!”
Dolores, still not ready to give up, called out to them.
Jareth abruptly stopped, shooting her a cold glance, “Ms. Ashbourne, I suggest you let go of any inappropriate intentions. Thaddeus is a man you will never be able to attain.”
“Why?”
“Thaddeus already has someone he loves, and you, you are far from her league.” Jareth chuckled, not bothering to explain further.
“Who? Evadne?!”
Dolores‘ competitive spirit was ignited; beads of sweat dotted her forehead as she persisted. She badgered, “Didn’t they divorce already? If there was truly love between them, how could they possibly divorce?!”
“Ha, what do you know.”
Jareth couldn’t help laughing, his cold gaze softening. “Their marriage ended, but their love didn’t. Thaddeus‘ feelings for Evadne are beyond your comprehension. Even if they divorced, øven if Evadne remarries, no one can replace her in Thaddeus‘ heart. No one.”
Watching their retreating figures, Dolores felt as if all her strength had been drained. She could barely stand.
It was a while before she stomped her foot in frustration and let out a loud yell that echoed down the hallway.
“I don’t believe it, liar. I don’t believe a word you say!”
Jareth quickly helped Thaddeus into his car.
Actually, it was clear to Jareth that Thaddeus was not drunk, but had been drugged.
But Jareth was puzzled, when could the drugs have been placed?
The waiter had brought a tray of champagne, and Dolores had randomly picked two glasses. How could she be sure that the one Thaddeus drank from was drugged?
Had all the glasses been spiked?
That was a rather dark tactic.
“Thad, I’ll take you to your villa. You can’t go home like this.”
Thaddeus‘ breathing became more rapid, his hands tugging at his shirt relentlessly. Two buttons popped off, revealing his chest. His flushed skin was a sight to behold “Damn, no wonder those women can’t resist you!”
Jareth quickly started the car. As he leaned over to fasten Thaddeus‘ seatbelt, Thaddeus murmured a familiar name in a daze.
“Evadne. Evadne.”
Jareth paused, then laughed.
“You always deny your feelings when it comes to her. Still can’t forget her, can you?”
Jareth clicked the seatbelt into place. Looking at Thaddeus‘ vulnerable state, he felt a mixture of amusement and helplessness.
“I understand, Thad. As your only buddy I will definitely help you!”
Evadne had just confirmed the information she needed and was about to leave the hotel with Chasel.
As soon as she got in the car, her phone rang.
Seeing Jareth’s name, she initially had no interest in answering. But the incessant ringing of the phone was just like Jareth himself, unrelenting.
“What is it?” Evadne answered, her tone icy.
“Evadne! Thad’s in trouble!” Jareth’s voice was clearly fraught with urgency on the other end of the line.
A knot formed in Evadne’s stomach, her expression turning serious, “What happened?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but it’s not good! I’ve taken him back to his private villa. You’re a doctor, right? Come over and check on him!”
For a moment, a myriad of terrifying scenarios flashed through Evadne’s mind.
Thaddeus‘ lingering aftereffects had become a perpetual worry for her.
When Jareth mentioned that Thaddeus was in distress, the first thing that came to her mind was post–traumatic stress disorder.
“Send me the address. I’ll be right there.” Evadne’s eyebrows furrowed deeply as she ended the call.
Chasel had just finished a long drag of his cigarette and was about to get into the car when the roar of the sports car’s engine filled the air, and the car door locked! “Hey, unlock the car. Let me in.” He tugged at the door handle a couple more times.
“I have something to do. Go back yourself.” Evadne’s gaze was fixed on the road ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel.
“Hey, Ms. Ashbourne, are you kidding me?! This is Elmsworth, not Skyrim! Where am I supposed to go?”
Chasel was at a loss for words, “Take me back now!”
“Call my brother. Let him pick you up.”
With that, Evadne’s black sports car zoomed past Chasel like a whirlwind.
Following the address Jareth had sent her, Evadne swiftly arrived at Thaddeus‘ private villa.
Standing at the front door of the villa, she couldn’t quite describe the feeling in her heart.
It was a mix of oppression, grievance, and heartache.
This villa was one of Thaddeus‘ personal properties, but it was the one he stayed in most often. She had learned this from Alva.
Alva had once mentioned that when Thaddeus was in a bad mood or didn’t feel like returning to Windermere Estate, he would spend the night at this villa. It wasn’t because
he was staying over at some woman’s place. Alva shared this to console Evadne, who often stayed alone in the empty house.
At that time, Alva had suggested that Evadne visit Thaddeus at this villa, but she had refused.
She felt that his bad mood was because he couldn’t meet the person he wanted to meet. Returning to Windermere Estate would only mean seeing the woman he didn’t desire to see.
Why should she go there to be humiliated? Being invisible by his side should be enough.
It was enough.
Until that day.
Evadne and Hamilton were involved in a car accident, and she lost her and Thaddeus‘ child in that accident.
One night while she was in the hospital recovering, she received a long–distance call from Acacia.
“Evadne, do you think marrying fhad means you really have him? You can never have him. We’ve been together every day recently.”
“Thad even gave me a one–of–a–kind necklace. Has he ever given you anything in all this time?”
“And, the villa was a gift from Thad. We used to date there. Did he ever tell you these?”
That night, due to the emotional upheaval, Evadne suffered a major hemorrhage and her situation was critical.
Although later, Myra, Suri and Aviana arrived in time and took turns to keep her company and look after her, she still left with a permanent ailment.
She might never be able to have children again.
For a woman who had always hoped to have her own children, this was no less than a death sentence.
But fortunately, all that was in the past.
Evadne had gradually healed her sorrow with the care of her family. Her life was not only about marriage and childbirth. She also had her parents, siblings, and the vast -world waiting for her to explore.
It was just that, all her connections with Thaddeus, and all possibilities, were gone.
Evadne took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
No one answered the door after a while, and she wasn’t sure if Jareth was inside.
She frowned in annoyance and pushed the door open.
Unexpectedly, the door was unlocked!
Being a cautious person, Evadne felt a bad premonition and walked into the living room with a sense of alarm.
The villa wasn’t particularly large, not as spacious as her own in Elmsworth.
But this place gave a sense of coziness and warmth, a sense of home. It was nothing like the ostentatious and impersonal Windermere Estate.
As she thought about this, Evadne’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, feeling more oppressed.
“Jareth, are you there? Jareth?”
The villa was eerily quiet, with no response.
Evadne grew increasingly worried and quickly went upstairs, checking each room.
Finally, she opened the door to the last room in the corridor. The air inside was noticeably warmer than the other rooms, and she could faintly sense the potent and virile scent of a man.
This must be Thaddeus‘ room.
They had been married for three years, and the deep-rooted familiarity with each other was impossible to ignore.
Through the slightly ajar door, Evadne could vaguely hear the gradually heavy and hurried breathing of a man.
It sounded excruciatingly painful.
“Thaddeus?”
Throat tightening, she called out nervously, not expecting a response from inside.
“Evadne.”
Evadne couldn’t wait any longer and pushed the door open.
The room was dimly lit. Thaddeus laid flat on the bed, one leg extended, the other bent, his black suit crumpled and thrown aside. His white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his strong muscles to Evadne’s startled gaze. His skin flushed in an attractive red, his chest rising and falling..
“Evadne. I feel awful, Evadne.”
Thaddeus‘ lips parted slightly, his breathing erratic, his handsome face flushed, his gaze at Evadne was both confused and blurred.
He thought he was dreaming. Evadne despised him. Why would she come to see him?
But, he still wanted to keep her, even if it was just a dream..
Always at the most vulnerable state, we saw clearly what it was that we truly desired.
A sinking sensation settled in the pit of Evadne’s stomach as she quickly made her way to the bedside to check on his condition.
Suddenly, he grabbed onto her slender wrist, causing her to gasp as her world began to spin.
In the blink of an eye, Thaddeus has Evadne pinned beneath him, his intoxicating masculinity consuming her. His eyes, red as the richest of wines, bore into hers, and his ragged breaths echoed in her ears, causing a blush to creep up her neck and her body to tremble.
“Thaddeus, what are you doing?-Let go of me!”
“Evadne, someone drugged me. I’m in pain. I feel like my body is about to ignite, about to explode.”
Thaddeus‘ gaze was filled with desire for her, a powder keg ready to spark at any moment and engulf them in a fiery passion.
“You’ve been drugged? How did this happen?” Evadne’s eyes widened in shock as she instinctively reached out to touch his sweat–soaked forehead.
This time, Thaddeus did not pull away.
His gaze softened as he looked at her, so docile it was almost heartbreaking.
“God, you’re burning up!”
Evadne yelped in surprise, hastily trying to pull her hand back. However, Thaddeus was quicker, raising his hand to firmly press hers back onto his forehead.
“Touch me again, just once more.”
Thaddeus couldn’t contain his restlessness, his emotions he thought he could suppress, as he gazed at her, muttering in a daze, “Evadne, do you know how long I’ve waited for this moment, how long I’ve longed for it?“: