Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Hearing this, all the noble ladies were dumbstruck. Their gazes were all focused on Elspeth.
They had no idea that the stunning woman before them was Mr. Thaddeus’s ex-wife. They just thought she must be some high-born princess. Otherwise, how could her family have such wealth to daringly confront Frederic’s wife?
Elspeth trembled with rage, sneering coldly, “Ms. Ilana, you’ve certainly changed now that your status is higher. I never knew you were so articulate.”
Evadne just arched an eyebrow, totally unfazed by Elspeth’s mockery. “I just respond to people the way they talk to me. What does that have to do with status?”
By now, Elspeth was so angry that her face was red and she was completely flustered.
“Ilana! No matter what, my mother is your elder. How dare you be so disrespectful!” Glynnis, seeing her mother humiliated, was immediately angry and seemed ready to charge forward and start a fight.
Evadne just scoffed.
Glynnis was as scheming as her mother but not as dark-hearted. She didn’t even bother to engage with such shallow women.
“Does anyone here have a vision problem?”
Jason, having had enough, stepped in front of Evadne with a cold expression and said, “Everyone saw who started the trouble, who was disrespectful first. Anyone with eyes can see clearly.”
“Wow, Ms. Ilana is really popular. First, you had President Ashbourne to protect you; now there’s this gentleman. Looks like you have quite a few protectors,” Acacia sarcastically commented from the side.
“Acacia, spreading rumors only takes a mouth, but have you thought about the consequences?” Evadne’s cold gaze pierced like ice into Acacia’s face.
Acacia’s heart began to race.
She had previously thought of this woman as a simple country girl who easy to bully.
But now she was starting to fear her because the more she interacted with her, the more she realized how unpredictable she was.
“Ms. Ilana, I truly think it’s inappropriate for you to be here so we’re just looking out for you.” Una spoke with a hypocritical tone, her words laced with insinuation: “After all, you once naively interfered with Acacia and Thaddeus’s relationship. Now you’re very pa**ive. Although it was unintentional, we don’t blame you. But now that Acacia and Thaddeus are together and you’re Thaddeus’s ex-wife, it’s really not appropriate for you to appear in front of Thaddeus. We don’t care; after all, Acacia is about to marry Thaddeus. But if others see it, how will you handle it?”
Hearing Una’s ruthless words, Acacia revealed a dark and excited sneer.
Her mother was indeed the most formidable. People with more life experience were really something!
The noble ladies, after hearing this, looked at Evadne with both surprise and contempt.
So she was Thaddeus’s infamous ex-wife and even a mistress!
Such a disgrace!
“I interfered with their relationship? Ha, Mrs. Stirling, is your mind a bit scrambled, like the furniture your Stirling group produces?” Evadne was not angry at all and she just laughed.
“How dare you!” Una’s face turned red with anger.
“When I married Mr. Thaddeus, he was single. Your daughter broke up with Mr. Thaddeus because she couldn’t handle the pressure. What does that have to do with me? I was married to Mr. Thaddeus for three years, and during those three years, what your daughter did, how she always pestered my husband, do I need to list them one by one here as a show of respect?”
Acacia and her mother’s faces immediately changed. Acacia was so scared that she didn’t dare make a sound.
In those three years, although she was abroad, she still managed to stir up their relationship.
Worse, she had sent nasty texts to Ilana and even called her to curse at her. But Ilana had endured it all silently, never retaliating.
Now if she really dug up those old scores, wouldn’t everyone know?
‘Jason, bring it out; let them see.” Evadne’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Jason understood and took a folder from his briefcase, opened it, and presented it to everyone.
A glaring marriage certificate was a real slap in the face to Una and Acacia!
“See, Mr. Thaddeus and I haven’t officially divorced yet. The procedure hasn’t been completed, and some people are already eager to take over my home.” Evadne’s lips curled up into a playful smile.
Acacia’s face was so red that it was even redder than a pig’s liver.
How outrageous! Who carried a marriage certificate around?
But Evadne was just that kind of unpredictable woman.
Since she was always prepared to break up with Thaddeus, of course she would carry the marriage certificate with her.
And this time, the marriage certificate was like a mirror, leaving these people who twisted the truth nowhere to hide!
Elspeth and Una were completely lost for words. After all, they were still legally married so what could they say? The more they said, the worse it got!
“Who’s the third wheel? Who shouldn’t be here? You guys figure it out.”
With that, Evadne put away the folder and left under the shocked gazes of everyone.
Leaving Acacia standing there, utterly humiliated, her eyes red with anger!
There were less than five minutes before the auction officially started, and almost all the VIPS were seated.
Elspeth and Glynnis sat in the third row. From the moment they entered, Glynnis’s eyes were spinning like tops, full of curiosity about Jareth.
“He’s so handsome.”
“This charity gig the Jareth family is throwing is ma**ive and pretty tight on security. No matter what I say, I can’t get us to the front row.”
Elspeth hummed in slight discontent. “Don’t worry kiddo, I’ll make sure you get close to Jareth. With your talent, beauty, and swell bloodline, Jareth will surely fancy you.” Sure, Jareth was a known play boy around town, but for the sake of allying with the Jareth family, Elspeth decided to push her daughter into that circus.
What’s more, Glynnis actually had a thing for Jareth, which was good news for Elspeth.
“Mom, Thaddeus and Jareth are pals. Can you ask Thaddeus to introduce me?” Glynnis pouted and pleaded.
Elspeth’s expression turned icy at the mention of Thaddeus, that ba stard child. There was no way she’d stoop so low!
“Where’s Marilla?”
“She must’ve skedaddled somewhere. Mom, can you not bring her next time? She runs around making faces at cameras. It’s embarra**ing for the Abernathy family!” Glynnis was clearly not a fan of her sister.
“You know your sister has issues. She’s twenty now so it’s time she faces the world. If anyone is willing to take her, I’ll happily marry her off. That’d solve one problem,” Elspeth sighed.
Gosh, she sounded like she’s selling her own daughter, as if Marilla would be past her sell-by date in a couple of years.
Over at Acacia and her mother’s side, things were equally messy.
At the auction, there were dozens of rows of seats. Acacia and her mother, drèssed to the nines, were stuck at the very back of the room!
“Mom! Thad’s in the front row. I want to sit next to him!”
Acacia, impatient, lifted her dress and started towards Thaddeus, only to be stopped by a bodyguard.
“Sorry, Ms. Acacia, all seats are a**igned. You can’t just switch around.”
“Oh really? And who are you to stop me? Do you know who I am?” Acacia retorted arrogantly.
“Yes, you’re Mr. Thaddeus’s girlfriend,” the bodyguard said coldly.
Acacia was stumped and didn’t know what to say.
“But tonight’s seating has been personally arranged by the Chairman of the Jareth Group. Even if you were Mr. Thaddeus’s wife, you couldn’t break this rule.”
Acacia, fuming, was about to argue when Una grabbed her.
“Enough! It’s just a seat; don’t make a scene!”
While saying this, Una felt a pang of annoyance watching Elspeth and her daughter laugh and chat in the front row, completely ignoring them.
Her sister had always been like this, trying to outdo her in everything and claiming to help her get noticed, but it was all hot air!
The room was filled to the brim, with only Cas sius’s seat still empty.
Thaddeus glanced at the empty seat next to him, then quickly looked away.
“Strange, why hasn’t President Ashbourne arrived yet? He’s not going to bail, right?” Jareth pondered aloud.
Just then, the doors at the back of the room swung open.
Everyone turned to see who it was. Thaddeus, usually indifferent and uncurious, couldn’t help but turn.
His breath hitched, and his heart raced.
His ex-wife, dressed in a sharp black suit and high heels, walked confidently and steadily towards the front row.
She was like a goddess descending.