Chapter 495

“What exactly happened?” Thaddeus’s gaze sharpened as he exchanged a knowing look with Evadne.

“Just now, Jeff and Matthew took him out of the precinct, and that’s not all–they even brought a horde of reporters! Matthew shamelessly whitewashed Byron in front of the media, claiming he was innocent, that it was all a setup, a misunderstanding!” Gordon’s voice rose with anger, cracking with emotion.

“Darn it! How is that even possible?”

Evadne boited upright in bed, causing Thaddeus to blanch as he hurriedly pressed her back down, “Evadne! Easy now, watch the IV!”

“How can Byron that sleazebag possibly get out of lockup?”

Snatching the phone, Evadne shouted to Gordon in desperation, “Thaddeus and I had everything under control, and Emeric was in the loop–he cares about Nydia too. How could he let the Chambers clan pull strings? How could he not intervene?”

“Mrs. Abernathy, please, try to calm down.”

Gordon was equally frantic, “I’m still digging into the details, please wait for my update, you and Mr. Thaddeus!”

No sooner had they ended the call than Evadne, unable to contain herself, decided to reach out to Aaron.

But as if on cue, another call buzzed into Thaddeus‘ phone.

Evadne stared at the screen, her heart pounding furiously, l*ps quivering..

“Evadne, who is it?” Seeing her forlorn expression, Thaddeus asked with concern.

“It’s Cassius.”

Thaddeus too pursed his l*ps, then softly said, “Evadne, take the call. Don’t keep your brother worried.”

Remembering her brothers‘ overbearing control, Evadne felt uncomfortable, and her tone was sharp as she answered the call.

“If you’re calling to take me back, please don’t bother. If it’s something else, make it quick.”

On the other end, Cassius’s expression stiffened for a moment, a stabbing pain hitting his heart.

She used to be so sweet and affectionate, even over the phone, always addressing him with a tender voice as Cassius.

But now.

Their relationship had become strained, the more he tried to protect her, the further she seemed to sl*p away.

“Evadne, Elvis has filled us in on your situation.”

Cassius’s voice was as gentle as ever, “If being with him brings you peace and happiness, then I won’t stand in your way anymore.” “Cassius.” Evadne gasped, breath catching.

“Evadne, you’re right to reprimand me. I was just angry with myself for not protecting you, and in trying to ease my conscience, I tried to shelter you, even at the cost of your right to love.”

Cassius let out a bitter chuckle, “These past few days, I’ve been doing some soul–searching, asking myself what I truly want. All I want is for you to replace real happiness. Happiness that isn’t imposed on you by others, nor measured by them. Isn’t true affection about giving you what you want, letting go if you seek freedom?”

Evadne’s heart trembled fiercely, and she felt a wave of emotion, “Cassius.”

Thaddeus, standing by, heard Cassius’s heart–to–heart and couldn’t help but feel his eyes moisten.

“I’ll try to persuade Bennett gradually. As for Dad.”

Cassius paused, trying to sound nonchalant, “As long as you’re truly happy, he’ll come around someday. So Thaddeus, you know what to do next, right.”

“I understand. Rest assured.”

Thaddeus’s voice was hoarse as he cradled the precious woman in his arms, “Evadne is my everything, and I’ll cherish her with my life.”

A few heartfelt words, deeply engraved.

Nothing more needed to be said.

The siblings reached a reconciliation.

To Evadne, her big brother was as important as Thaddeus, and she didn’t want to be cross with him, but she was simply resisting the pressure from the family.

“Cassius, how could Byron that mongrel be bailed out? Why wouldn’t Emeric stop it?” Evadne’s heart was ablaze with anxiety.

“The reason I called is actually about that.”

Cassius took a deep breath, his voice tight with anger, “Myra, considering Nydia’s reputation and our family’s honor, discussed it with Dad and ultimately decided to drop the charges.”

“Drop the charges?” Evadne and Thaddeus were utterly astonished.

“How else could Byron have been bailed out of the precinct?”

Cassius’s tone could barely hide his frustration, “Not just that, the Chambers Group has bought off several major media outlets in Elmsworth, preparing a slew of articles to paint Byron as a pitiful victim. Even if we strike back, now that the charges have been dropped, legally, we have no recourse against him.”

“Has Emeric gone senile or what? To save face, he disregards his own daughter’s dignity? Are we the Ashbourne family living just for appearances?”

Evadne was so furious she was almost choking, trembling with rage, “Myra’s gentle and meek, this must be Emeric’s doing! She wouldn’t dare defy him!”

“Evadne, you’re actually wrong this time.”

Cassius sighed helplessly. “It was Myra and Nydia who proposed this. Dad was initially strongly opposed, wanting to fight the Chambers family to the end. But Myra insisted on this course of action, and it was the fiercest argument she ever had with Dad. So, Dad had no choice but to swallow his pride and respect Myra and Nydia’s wishes.”

Evadne, already feverish, was now seeing stars from sheer anger.

Though harsh, wasn’t this just like being dragged down by an inept team in a high–stakes game?

Nydia was the darling of the Ashbourne family, an heiress yet to be married. If word got out about the scandal, even as the victim, her reputation would have taken a serious hit. The idea of being the talk of the town and the subject of gossip was certainly not appealing.

Moreover, the current public atmosphere was toxic. Online trolls, particularly harsh on women, were rampant, spewing inexplicable malice at every turn.

If this became public, the one who would be most hurt wouldn’t be the scoundrel involved, but Nydia.

Thaddeus gently soothed Evadne’s back, his calm voice analyzing the situation, “Evadne, don’t be mad at them. Making a choice. like this is a matter of weighing options.”

“Those online trolls are nothing but a bunch of jealous flies buzzing around wealth!” Evadne’s eyes blazed with fury. “As for those self–righteous high society types, who cares what they think! Those greedy vultures. Myra and Nydia are Ashbournes, with fortunes in the billions. Who dares to belittle my sister!”

Cassius stayed silent. He knew his sister well enough to understand that no words of comfort would help when she was this upset.

Thaddeus, however, was patient, looking at her tenderly, “Evadne, you’re right, but you’re overlooking something crucial. Not everyone is as fearless as you, and not everyone has a heart as strong as yours.”

Evadne paused, then looked down, her fingers curling into fists, “Yes, you’re right. But we can’t let this slide. Byron, and the entire Chambers family, they’ll pay a price!”

“If the law won’t punish them, then we will,

A cold smile played on Thaddeus’s l*ps, “Taking matters into our own hands might be more convenient.”

Evadne closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself, “Online trolls, in my room, on my computer, there’s a file about Bertha’s husband–corruption, bribery, abuse of power. Hand it to Arnold. He’ll know what to do.”

Thaddeus and Cassius were stunned by her revelation. This fierce woman, while under house arrest, clashing with the Chambers family, dealing with family disputes, and drowning in the sorrow of a love lost, still had the energy for this!

“Not just that, I’ve been digging into Bertha too. She’s not clean in her private dealings either.”

Thaddeus’s chin rested on the top of her head, gently nuzzling, “My darling wants to start with that woman? Then we must arrange it.”

“Why, Nydia? Why?”

Jason, upon hearing the news about the dropped charges, was utterly shocked. He knelt at the bedside, gripping Nydia’s clammy hand, “I could be your lawyer, I could stand against the Chambers family for you! We could win this case! Why are we backing down? We have to fight them to the end!”

“Jason, I’m so sorry.”

Nydia curled up on the bed, her eyes brimming with tears as she gazed at him, “I know your heart, but I’m sorry.”

The more she apologized, the more Jason’s heart ached as if it were being squeezed and wrung dry.

The real villains were the enabling Chambers Group, the beastly Byron!

“Jason, please, let’s end this here, don’t fight for me anymore.”

Nydia shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks, “I’m still my father’s daughter. The Chambers Group can’t do anything to me. But if the Chambers family targets you, what will happen to you? What if they go after your family in secret? Besides, Byron defiled me. Even though he didn’t succeed, if this gets blown up, how would your family see me?”

“Nydia.” Jason’s voice was hollow with heartache.

In that moment, he finally understood. Nydia’s fear wasn’t the public scrutiny or the media frenzy.

It was the fear of being looked down upon by the Dempsey family, the fear of not leaving a good impression on them.

“Jason, ever since I was very young, I wanted to marry you. And even now, I still wish to take your last name.”

Nydia lifted her hand to touch the face she loved so deeply, “I know your family doesn’t like me. If I can’t stand before them with my honor intact, they’ll never accept me. And you’d be caught in the middle, torn.”

Torn.

She didn’t know that her sister had used the very same word the night before.

Both sisters were too understanding, too considerate of their loved ones. They suppressed their own grievances, nearly bowing down to the dust.

Evadne had made it through, but when would Nydia’s suffering end?

Jason’s throat bobbed with emotion, and he pulled his beloved girl into his arms, holding her as tight as he could.

“If you’re willing, we can get married right now.”

His arms tightened around her, as he vowed with every ounce of his being, “Jason’s wife will be you, and you alone.”

Nydia closed her eyes, moved by the sentiment.

She didn’t know what the future held, but at least in this moment, she felt it was worth all the hardships.

Then, a knock on the door interrupted them, and Aviana’s anxious voice came through..

“Jason, are you in there? Can you come out for a moment?”

Jason paused, rose to his feet, and opened the door.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, his eyes still red.

Aviana glanced inside the room, then pulled Jason out, closing the door firmly behind them.

Jason sensed something was wrong, “Mrs. Ashbourne, what’s happened?”

“Come downstairs and see for yourself.”

Aviana’s voice was laden with worry, “Your mother and your brother have come to the house.”

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