His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 500

Chapter 500 

Edgar felt his world crumbling as the prosecutors approached him. His legs turned to jelly, and in full view of everyone, he collapsed to the ground! 

All over social media, headlines blared the same news – Edgar was under arrest. 

Quick to react, reporters swarmed Jeff. 

“Mr. Chambers! What’s your take on your son–in–law’s arrest?” 

“Were you aware of Mr. Gardner’s shady dealings?” 

“Has Mr. Gardner been scratching your back during his tenure? Has he been funneling benefits to the Chambers Group under the table?” 

Jeff felt his blood boil, his face ashen. 

He’d thought Matthew would handle everything, but people from the DA’s office had still broken through, led by none other than Emeric’s second son, Arnold! 

Both prominent moguls, yet here was Emeric’s boy, arresting his son–in–law, making a mockery of him! 

If only he’d known, he would have sl*pped away in the confusion. What a blunder! 

“Dad! Let’s get out of here!” Matthew rushed over, helping his father towards the exit. 

The reporters were relentless, trailing them closely as Jeff struggled forward. In the chaos, Jeff’s shoe was trampled off! 

“Oh, my shoe!” Jeff awkwardly lifted his bare foot. 

“Dad! Who cares about your shoe at a time like this? We need to move!” Matthew, sweating profusely, dragged his father onward. 

So Jeff hobbled away with one shoe, fleeing the scene in a sorry state. 

“Look! Why’s there a shoe here?” 

“Is that Jeff’s shoe? Was he so panicked that he lost it? So funny!” 

The reporters snapped pictures of the shoe and erupted into laughter. 

As Edgar was escorted out of the venue by the DA’s men, his legs dragged behind him as if stricken with polio, too terrified to 

move. 

Across the street, Evadne and Thaddeus watched everything unfold. 

Gordon had already brought out the champagne, his face beaming. “Congratulations, Mr. Abernathy, and Mrs. Abernathy. A power couple, indeed!” 

The couple clinked their glasses, a sparkle in their eyes as they looked at each other with affection. 

“Thank you, Thad, for lending me a hand. It’s been a pleasure working together,” Evadne said, her eyes shimmering with unspoken emotions, her beauty taking his breath away. 

“I didn’t do much, it was all-” 

Thaddeus nearly sl*pped and called her his “wife“, his heart skipping a beat. He quickly corrected himself, “It was all you, Evadne, with your careful planning and strategy. I just did my bit to support.” 

He envied those like Jareth who could so openly embrace Marilla and call her his wife, without a care in the world. 

But he had no right to complain. He had missed too many chances at happiness. 

Now, reunited, it was a miracle. 

He would be content just to be by her side, even as an unnamed protector. 

Evadne saw her brave knight flustered over a slight sl*p of the tongue and moved closer, her graceful arm wrapping around his neck as she planted a k*ss on his jaw. 

Gordon discreetly stepped out of the car, the mark of a good secretary being to see and hear nothing. 

Thaddeus’s breathing deepened, his strong hand caressing her waist. “Evadne, stop tormenting me. My iron will crumbles before you.” 

Her voice, soft and sweet, whispered promises into his ear, “As my man, you have been strong. Tonight, I’ll reward you 

The gala, crucial for Elmsworth, ended in a bizarre spectacle. 

Edgar’s corrupt career was laid bare, igniting public outrage. Even the President took notice, ordering a thorough investigation of Gardners and any officials connected to them, to purge the rot of corruption. 

The political arena was on edge, and Edgar was despised more than ever. 

The Chambers Group also suffered, its reputation tarnished, under close scrutiny. 

Jeff, scrolling through social media on his way home, saw his lost shoe turned into a viral meme – “Mogul’s Choice: You Deserve It!” – and in a fit of rage, he threw his phone, shattering his car’s windshield. 

Arriving home late at night, Jeff couldn’t sleep. He summoned everyone to the living room for an emergency meeting. 

Byron stumbled in, still drunk, until a sharp slap from his father sobered him up. 

Avery watched with detached amusement, propping his head with his fist, enjoying the spectacle. 

“Someone’s clearly behind this! Who dares to target the Chambers Group?” Jeff roared, nearly smashing the expensive coffee table. 

After decades of commanding respect, he had never been so humiliated. His face and even his shoe were lost. His anger wouldn’t be quelled without repercussions. 

“Dad, with Edgar arrested, it’s a big hit for us,” Matthew mused darkly. “First things first, we need to cut all ties with him. Anything we gained through his position that could benefit the Chambers Group, we must destroy the evidence, and fast. The President’s involved now. It won’t be long before they’re knocking on our door.” 

“What? Arrested? Why?” Byron, bleary–eyed and clueless, struggled to understand. 

“You damn fool! All you care about is booze and women. You couldn’t hold a candle to your brothers, not by a long shot! For the love of God, can you tell me how I ended up with a son who can’t even get it up?” Jeff’s patience with Byron had evaporated, and in a fit of rage, he hurled the insult like a dagger straight for Byron’s pride. 

The very mention of impotence made Byron’s blood boil. He despised comparisons to his brother Avery, and despised even more any insinuation of S**ual inadequacy. 

Well, there his father went, doing the jitterbug right on top of his landmines. 

“It’s all thanks to that quack, Evadne!” Byron spat out, his eyes ablaze and breathing like a bull in a ring, “If that self–righteous hack hadn’t botched my surgery, how the hell would I be in this mess? She’s to blame, that witch!” 

“And who did you just call a witch?” Avery’s voice sliced through the tension, his pale l*ps barely moving as he locked his icy gaze on Byron, a chilling threat simmering in his eyes. “Say it again. Who’s the witch?” 

Byron’s heart skipped a beat, and he stumbled back into the couch, his voice suddenly weak. “It’s all Evadne’s fault! She operated on my leg for heaven’s sake. How does that mess with my manhood? She must have sabotaged me!” 

In the past, Byron wouldn’t have flinched at Avery’s provocations. But now, crippled and out of favor both in the company and with their father, he didn’t have the guts to confront him. 

“Hah, Byron, Dad says you’ve got crap for brains, and you’re in such a rush to prove him right?” Avery adjusted his glasses, a scornful smirk on his l*ps. “If Evadne wanted to harm you, she wouldn’t have saved your leg. She’d have left you paralyzed. Are you suggesting she cured your leg only to cripple your S** life? Hilarious. Keep that kind of stupidity within the family, will you? Don’t go embarrassing the Chambers Group in public.” 

“You!” Byron was seething, his face as red as a beet. 

“Enough! Stop buzzing around like an annoying fly!” Jeff rubbed his temples, headaches splitting his head. “Who has the guts to leak such damning evidence? Who can sidestep security and broadcast it for all to see? Who has this kind of power?” 

“Who else but the Bartley family? They’ve always been at our throats, especially with the elections coming up. They’re out to get us, that’s for sure,” Byron muttered bitterly. 

“No, it’s not the Bartleys.” 

Matthew’s voice was certain, “From what I know, they don’t have the means. Even if they had some dirt, they wouldn’t release it during such a crucial meeting. It’s not in their interest, and it would only bring them trouble.” 

Suddenly, it clicked for him, and he clenched his teeth, “I have this nagging feeling, this kind of sneaky, ruthless move smells like Evadne’s work.” 

“Evadne? That little brat?” Jeff was taken aback. 

“Matthew, do you have proof?” 

Avery’s eyes darkened with suspicion. “You’re not throwing mud at a girl just because she put you in your place over Byron at the Ashbourne’s, are you? You’re the CEO of a major corporation. Is that really all the composure you’ve got?” 

“I’m not making wild guesses. After that incident with Byron, we pretty much declared war on the Ashbournes. You heard what Evadne said, didn’t you? With her vengeful nature, she was bound to come after us. And look, here we are.” 

Matthew’s eyes narrowed with cynicism, “Avery, at this point, you can’t still be dreaming of being the Ashbournes‘ son–in–law. Can’t you be a little more ambitious? The Ashbournes are dancing on our heads, and who led the charge to nab Edgar? Evadne’s brother Arnold. They expose everything, and Arnold swoops in. Coincidence? I think not.” 

Avery clenched his fists, fury taking his breath away. 

“If Evadne was to strike, why go after him?” Byron began, but as the words left his mouth, it dawned on him, and a cold sweat trickled down his back. 

Originally, he and Bertha had conspired against Nydia. Could it be that Edgar was just a decoy? Was Evadne’s real target Bertha? 

“Dad! Matthew! You have to help Edgar!” In a frenzy of tears and smeared makeup, Bertha burst into the room, her plea filled with despair. “Edgar has worked for the Chambers family for years. You can’t abandon him now!” 

“And you have the nerve to come crying here?” Jeff rose furiously, pointing an accusing finger at his daughter. “Edgar’s finished, and if you have any sense, you’ll distance yourself from that mess! If you don’t let go, I’ll disown you. Don’t drag the family down with you!” 

Bertha stood stunned, swallowing her grievances, unable to utter a word. 

“Bertha, the prosecution will summon you soon. Be prepared,” Matthew said as he placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. “And we’ll arrange a press conference. First, you’ll publicly apologize for Edgar’s actions and show your willingness to do what’s right. Second, you distance yourself from him, deny any involvement in his deeds. Lastly, you’ll speak for the Chambers Group, try to salvage our reputation.” 

Bertha’s mind was a mess, blindly nodding along to Matthew’s instructions. 

Avery stayed silent, the reflection on his glasses concealing his thoughts. He despised his family’s crooked ways, but he had no desire to see the Chambers Group crumble. Otherwise, he’d inherit nothing but ruins. 

Let Matthew clean up the mess. 

He’d just wait and reap the benefits.