Chapter 622
Avery’s eyes darkened, his cheeks burning with a searing shame.
Chasel’s sharp tongue could shred one’s dignity without a single curse word – an art form in its own
right.
Ultimately, Avery had no choice but to leave behind the things he brought, taking Harvey and departing
the hospital.
“Why did you snake Avery’s stuff, Chasel? We Ashbournes don’t need his charity!” Evadne’s anxiety
was palpable, her thoughts racing with suspicion. “Besides, how can we be sure Avery’s offering
medicine and not poison?”
“I can be sure,” Chasel said, his expression suddenly grave.
It was rare to see him so serious, and it silenced both Evadne and Thaddeus.
“I can have the drugs tested. And he wouldn’t dare bring poison to the hospital to see his lover’s father.
He’s not that foolish,” Chasel said, arms crossed, shaking his head in
disbelief.
Cassius, with his deep-set, dark eyes, coughed softly, a glint of amusement in his gaze.
This little fox had certainly learned some tricks.
Evadne’s eyes reddened, her stubbornness unwavering, “Even if it is legitimate m won’t accept
anything from Avery!”
Chasel grew impatient, blurting out, “We have to try it, don’t we? What if it works.
In moments of crisis, Thaddeus was the more composed one. His mind racing, he pressed, “Dr. Bright,
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtwhat do you mean by that? Isn’t Mr. Emeric past the critical phase there something else?”
Evadne’s heart clenched, breath hitching, unable to calm the tumultuous waves of emotion as she
gripped Thaddeus’ hand for support.
Chasel, ever the candid one, had struggled to keep this secret for days, especially in front
of Cassius.
Now that he’d accidentally let it slip, he decided to lay it all out.
“Chairman Emeric is only temporarily out of danger, but his prognosis isn’t good. At his age, after one
stroke, the next one is likely to be more severe. I’ve spoken to my aunt about his previous condition
and reviewed his medical records. He’s been experiencing numbness and motor difficulties for the past
couple of years, managing only with targeted drugs developed by Bright Biopharmacy. But that’s just
control, not a cure.”
Suri looked downcast, her heart aching with sorrow.
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She was a proud and strong woman, striving for perfection in all things. Yet, she couldn’t protect the
man she loved from his sufferings.
She had tried everything, to little avail. She would have gladly borne the pain herself.
“Moreover, after the recent emergency, Chairman Emeric has been unconscious for three whole days.
This is the longest he’s been out since his stroke. If he doesn’t wake up in the next couple of days,
we’re looking at a dire situation.”
Chasel’s words sent shockwaves through the room!
Cassius, the eldest and typically the most composed, went pale, and Arnold felt as if he had been
struck, leaning weakly against the wall.
Elvis, who never quite considered this family his own nor Emeric his father, had retreated to a dark
corner, surreptitiously wiping away the moisture at the corners of his eyes.
“How can this be? I thought everything was fine. How can this be?” Evadne’s eyes bulged, nearing
hysteria.
The bad news weighed heavily on her chest, crushing her with its relentless pressure.
“Evadne, don’t despair! Medical technology is advanced these days, your father will recover!”
Thaddeus wrapped her in his arms, his hand cradling the back of her neck, pressing her flushed face
against his chest, cooing reassuringly, “If not here, we’ll take your father abroad, search for the best
doctors around the world. He’ll get better, just you wait, everything will turn around!”
“I’m sorry. Evadne, kids.” Suri couldn’t hold back any longer, closing her eyes as tears fell. “Don’t blame
Chasel. It was me who told him to stay silent. I feared you would be scared and heartbroken. I thought
we could keep it under wraps until we found a proper solution. I was powerless, blame me if you must.”
Chasel’s heart ached, “Suri, don’t say that.”
“Suri, we understand your intentions,” Cassius managed to keep his voice steady, “This isn’t Chasel’s
fault, nor yours. If there’s blame, it’s on me. I failed as a son to care for our father. It’s all my fault.”
“And me. I’m just as useless.” Arnold sniffled.
“If Arnold said so, then count me in,” Elvis, usually so full of bravado, was deflated.
“Suri, brothers, how is this your fault?” Evadne’s pale, tear-streaked face was a mask of fierce anger,
“Isn’t it Bevis who’s brought our father to this state? The one who should be responsible, who should
be repenting, isn’t it him?”
“That’s true, but we all know what kind of man that scoundrel is; you can hardly expect him to take
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmresponsibility. We should count ourselves lucky if he doesn’t provoke dad into another hospital visit,”
Arnold sighed with resignation.
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“Evadne, if you want revenge, it’s easy. I will cut out Bevis’ tongue for you to vent your anger.” Elvis’s
lips curled slightly, a vein throbbing on his forehead, “Let’s see how he dares to anger Dad then.”
Evadne, her lashes wet, shook her head, “No, you don’t have to. Once dad’s condition is stable, I’ll
handle it myself. He can run from the law, but not from me!”
In the hospital parking lot.
Avery sat motionless in his car, his handsome face as cold as chiseled ice.
Recalling the humiliation at the hands of Thaddeus and the Ashbourne brothers, anger surged through
him, threatening to burst forth from within.
He was close to breaking point.
He had mastered the art of concealing his true self, playing possum in a world where only the cunning
thrive. For years, he had donned a façade so convincingly, he almost believed it was etched into his
very DNA. But witnessing Thaddeus brazenly wrap his arms around Evadne, claiming his territory right
in front of him, was more than he could stand.
It was all coming apart at the seams. The demons within, long caged by his artifice, threatened to
shatter his composure.
After wrestling with his thoughts, Avery couldn’t hold back any longer. He reached for his phone and
dialed the one number he had hoped he wouldn’t need again.