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Chapter 553
Jack’s victory in the Byron case was a triumph indeed.
Though both Evadne and Thaddeus came from wealthy dynasties and possessed
extraordinary talents, life was no fairy tale. With the deep–rooted Chambers Corporation
throwing obstacles in their path, it took considerable effort and time to topple the
domineering Bertha and cunning Byron.
But the outcome was worth celebrating, and all that hard work had paid off.
They were in high spirits tonight, giving their housekeeper Alva the evening off to whip up
a celebratory dinner themselves. “Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy, you’re too kind, giving me days
off left and right and paying me so generously. I’m feeling a bit guilty like I’m making
money in my sleep.”
.
Alva chuckled from the kitchen doorway, admiring Thaddeus‘ impressive knife skills as he
prepped vegetables beside Evadne, “Gosh, Mr. Abernathy, you’re so good at cooking. You
used to be all thumbs around the house, and now look at you, slicing and dicing like a
pro.”
“All thanks to Evadne’s fine training.” Thaddeus replied, his attention divided between the
vegetables and Evadne. His eyes sparkled with adoration.
“Hey, Thad, how many times do I have to tell you to focus when you’re chopping?” Evadne
teased, her focus never wavering from the sizzling pan, “You want to give your fingers a
taste of the chopping board?”
Thaddeus pressed his lips together, pulling his gaze away from Evadne’s stern yet striking
profile to concentrate on his cutting board.
Alva held back a giggle.
Thaddeus was truly tamed only by Evadne.
“Alva, we were thinking of keeping you for dinner, but since you’ve got plans with your
girlfriends, we wouldn’t want to keep you from a fun night out,” Evadne said, turning to
smile brightly at Alva, “Have a blast.”
“Will do, Mrs. Abernathy!”
With a bounce in her step, Alva left for her evening plans.
“Have you seen Gordon today?” Evadne mused as she plated the dishes, a puzzled
expression crossing her face, “Wasn’t he supposed to join us for dinner to celebrate?”
“He’s been out not just today but almost every evening this past week,” Thaddeus said,
helping her with the dishes. A smile tugged at his lips, “Ever since Ms. Higgins cleared
your name at the precinct, Gordon hasn’t stopped talking about it. I appreciate her help, of
course, but if I have to listen to him one more time, I think I’ll go mad.”
“I see,” Evadne chuckled, deciding not to delve further.
“I’ll call him to come back.”
Just as Thaddeus reached for his phone, Evadne stopped him, “No need. I know where
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇthe’s been sneaking off to. Let him be.”
Thaddeus asked, “Where’s he been going?”
Evadne fed him, her smile knowing, “Silly, you really don’t understand him at all. Gordon
has found himself a springtime romance.” Under the moonlit willow tree, Gordon stood
alone outside the Higgins family building, his left hand holding a bouquet of flowers, his
right a tastefully wrapped gift. He gazed up at the small, bright window, his heart heavy
with hesitation and the delicate lilacs in his grasp.
Inside, Beverly and her mother had just finished a cozy homemade dinner, complete with
a cute birthday cake. It was Beverly’s birthday and, with Byron finally brought to justice,
she couldn’t have asked for a better gift.
As they prepared to cut the cake, there was a knock at the door. Beverly opened it to find
their neighbor, Beatrice.
“Grandma Beatrice! You’re out of the hospital. How are you feeling?” Beverly greeted her
warmly.
“Sweetheart, I’ve got something worrisome to tell you,” Beatrice said, her expression a
mix of concern and seriousness, “I saw a man in a suit loitering around downstairs, and it
gave me an uneasy feeling.”
“A man in a suit?” Beverly’s delicate features tensed with surprise.
“Yes, that rascal who came with that young couple to see you last time. It’s him. Always
up to no good, that one,” Grandma Beatrice declared.
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At her words, Beverly’s heart lurched, and she darted out the door without a second
thought.
Gordon, defeated by his own timidity, was about to leave when a sweet, soft voice called
out, “Mr. Gordon!”
He turned to see Beverly, her hair tied up with a pencil and dressed in a bunny–themed
apron, rushing toward him. “Ms. Higgins, good evening.”
His heart skipped a beat, the gloom lifting from his face as he awkwardly handed her the
flowers and gift.
“Happy Birthday!”
Beverly’s neart fluttered, but she only accepted the flowers, recognizing the gift as too
extravagant for her to keep.
“Thank you for the flowers, Mr. Gordon. But I can’t accept the gift,” she said gently, “I
know you’re doing this because I helped, well, because of Ms. Evadne. What I did was
nothing, especially compared to how kind she and Mr. Abernathy have been to me.”
Overcome with emotion, Beverly’s voice wavered, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
Gordon couldn’t hold back his fiery emotions any longer, his eyes brimming with tears as
he pulled her into his embrace. His once empty heart was suddenly filled to the brim with
her presence.
Their hearts, resonating with a powerful intensity, thumped against each other, nearly
shattering the lilacs nestled between them.
“Mr. Gordon.” Beverly called out to him with flushed cheeks, melting his heart into a
tender mess.
“Everything I’ve done has nothing to do with Mr. Abernathy or Mrs. Abernathy.”
Gordon’s warm breath brushed her ear, his impulse like none he’d ever felt before, making
him hold her tighter with a resolve not to let go, “Everything I’ve done was for you. Ms.
Higgins, I missed you, so I came to see you.”
The table was set with fine food and wine, and all the guests had arrived.
Their love nest buzzed with activity, as vibrant as a New Year celebration.
Evadne wrapped her arm around Marilla, chatting with Jason, the sweet couple in the
living room.
She had also invited Cassius and Dr. Bright, but when she called, Cassius said he was busy
and wouldn’t make it.
However, just as the call ended, she distinctly heard Chasel’s seductive whisper, “Cassius,
my back aches, give it a rub, will you?”
“Lie down.”
Evadne was shocked, her mind conjuring images that needed to be censored.
So Cassius really was too busy to come.
Or
was he just avoiding being the third wheel?
Jareth felt too awkward to join in, leaving him to mingle with Thaddeus.
Upon entering the dining room and seeing Thaddeus with rolled–up sleeves and an apron
tied around his waist, Jareth couldn’t help but burst into laughter, “Thaddeus, have you
turned into the domestic god? Evolved, have you? Not only in bed but now in the kitchen
too.”
“Jealous, are you jealous?” Thaddeus replied coolly, wiping his hands on the apron with
practiced ease.
“Not at all. Why would I? I’ve got a Michelin–star chef at home. Why would I bother with
this?” Jareth replied with disdain.
In truth, Jareth was very fond of Marilla.
“If the sky falls, your diamond–hard mouth will hold it up,” Thaddeus retorted, unbothered
by the mockery.
“Hey, spice up your night with Evadne, do something exciting,” Jareth nudged him, his
eyes narrowing mischievously, “Just wear the apron, nothing else. See how she reacts.
With your muscular body, man, I guarantee she’d want you right then and there.”
Thaddeus’s cheeks flushed, his voice husky with embarrassment, he growled, “Get lost!”
Back in the living room, it was all warmth and laughter.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Nydia, this is for you.”
Marilla’s cheeks were rosy as she handed over a bouquet of fragrant lilies to Nydia, her
expression full of admiration, “You and Evadne, both of you are my idols. One day, I want
to be brave like you.”
“Stop it.” They exclaimed in unison.
Nydia, fearing Marilla might get the wrong idea, quickly clarified, “Marilla, I’m so happy
you look up to me. But what I’ve been
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through. I hope you never have to face it.
If possible, I wish Evadne, Thaddeus, and Jareth could protect you forever. No need to be
brave, no need for risks, and that’s what we all want to see.”
“Okay.”
Marilla scratched her head, adorably confused, endearing her even more to Nydia.
Even though they were close in age, Marilla still gave off the vibe of an innocent young
girl, making Nydia want to kiss her.
Nydia cupped Marilla’s face and planted a firm kiss on her soft lips.
Marilla’s face turned crimson.
Her lips had only been touched by Jareth before.
She hadn’t expected a kiss from the beautiful Nydia to feel so wonderful.
Their kiss brought joy to them, but it left Jareth and Jason with a sour taste in their eyes.
True love was even if Marilla kissed a girl, he would feel jealous.
“Alright, everyone’s here. Let’s sit down and eat, see how Thaddeus’s cooking turns out,”
Evadne said, linking her arm with Thaddeus and resting her head sweetly on his shoulder.
Nydia clapped, “Thaddeus can cook? That’s impressive. Evadne’s got it made.”
Marilla clapped along. “Thaddeus’s amazing.”
Jason and Jareth were speechless.
Thaddeus was setting the bar too high. It seemed like learning to cook was becoming a
necessity.
“Evadne! Starting dinner without us? The family bond’s getting thin.”
With that, two striking figures entered the living room. It was Arnold and the
commendable Aaron.
Aaron’s eyes instantly found Marilla, sitting demurely like a porcelain doll on the sofa, and
he couldn’t help but smile.
Jareth’s heart tightened defensively as he wrapped his arms around Marilla.
“It seems like you’re ready to forget all your brothers,” Arnold complained.
“She forgot us today, and will the others be far behind?” Aaron sighed dramatically.
Evadne blinked, then whispered to Thaddeus, “Arnold, the walking stomach, is here. Do we
have enough food?”
He paused, then laughed softly, embracing her closer.
“We’ve got plenty.”
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