abcnovels
Chapter 623
Chapter 623
Chapter 623
Chapter 623
In the moment the line connected, Avery sat up straight, his posture rigid with anticipation.
“Sir.”
“Mr. Chambers, it must be the middle of the night back home, haven’t you gone to bed yet?”
The voice on the other end was Alexia’s!
Avery’s heart skipped a beat, surprise lacing his voice. “Ms. Alexia?”
“It’s morning here. Sir is currently visiting with the Williams and can’t take your call.”
Alexia’s tone carried a smug chuckle, “Whatever you have to say, you can tell me, and I’ll pass it
along.”
Avery’s brows furrowed, his fingers curling into a fist.
He had served Sir for many years, toiling tirelessly with the loyalty of a workhorse, yet he always felt an
invisible barrier between them. He even questioned whether Sir truly regarded him as a confidant.
And here was Alexia, who had only recently entered Sir’s inner circle, already entrusted with such
liberties as to answer his calls!
Could it be that even a man as wise and valiant as Sir could not escape the snares of a woman’s
charm?
“Mr. Chambers, if there’s nothing pressing, I should get back to Sir’s side,” Alexia said with palpable
impatience.
“I’ve delivered the medicine you provided to Evadne’s hands, and she has accepted it.”
“Oh, that’s splendid. Congratulations, Mr. Chambers, on your affections finally being acknowledged by
Ms. Evadne,” Alexia mocked.
Avery hesitated, “The medicine… there won’t be any problems, right?”
“Ha, Mr. Chambers, are you suggesting Sir would sabotage your romance?”
Alexia’s scoff grew louder, “Do you think Sir has that much free time? And if it weren’t for Sir repeatedly
intervening on your behalf, Evadne would have reconciled with Thaddeus. long ago – they’d probably
have kids running around by now, and you’d be out of the picture. Ah, I’d forgotten – Evadne can’t have
children anymore. Thaddeus wore her out, didn’t he? Ha…”
Avery’s clenched fist trembled, “Ms. Alexia, please show some respect. Evadne is the woman I love,
and she has never wronged you!”
“How do you know she hasn’t wronged me?” Alexia’s voice suddenly turned dark.
“What?”
“Ha, I’m just kidding. The medicine is exactly what Emeric needs, even Bright Pharmaceuticals hasn’t
developed anything as effective as what Sir provided you. Rest assured and give it to him, once he
recovers, the Ashbournes will be thanking you. Evadne doesn’t respond well to force. You step in to
save her father, and that’s a huge favor. Her attitude towards you will change.”
Without waiting for a response, Alexia coldly ended the call.
Avery’s pale face was shrouded in the dark, his lower lip bitten until a bead of crimson blood emerged.
Morning came in a blur.
Learning the truth, not a soul in the Ashbourne clan could sleep. They huddled outside the hospital
room, eyes bloodshot and spirits low.
Myra, Aviana, and Nydia brought plenty of breakfast to the hospital, but no one had the appetite, they
just sat waiting for news.
Evadne, wrapped in Thaddeus’ oversized jacket, hadn’t moved in hours. Her slender frame hadn’t even
leaned away from her rigid posture.
Thaddeus had already messaged Gordon and Jareth for help. The situation was grave, and he couldn’t
trust just anyone for fear of leaks.
For now, all he could do was stay by her side, holding her icy hand in his, trying to warm it. The more
silent and stoic she became, the more it broke his heart.
After what felt like an eternity, Chasel hurried over with the test results.
“The results are in.”
The Ashbournes rose as one, with Evadne rushing to Chasel, snatching the test report from his hands.
“Any problems?” she asked, eyes wide in disbelief as she scanned the data.
Chasel nodded gravely, “Surprisingly, the medication Avery brought is flawless. Not only is it free of
issues, but it’s a targeted drug for stroke patients that’s just been released this year, more effective than
the medicine your aunt procured.”
Hope rekindled in the eyes of the Ashbourne family.
Upon hearing this, Thaddeus felt a surge of joy, yet it was accompanied by a deep, bitter sense of guilt.
How he wished he was the one who could help Evadne, but it was Avery who had come through for
her.
“Fantastic!” Arnold exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement, “We should get this for Dad too, then
he’ll stand a chance!”
Chasel’s furrowed brow signaled trouble.
Cassius approached rapidly, “Chasel, what’s the issue?”
“This drug is practically a national treasure; the price is steep, but that’s not the main problem. It’s
scarce, available only to the highest echelons of society and royalty. Moreover, powerful as it is, there
must be side effects. Exactly what they are, it’s too early to tell.”
This news dampened the spirits of the Ashbourne family once again.
“Side effects? That’s not acceptable!” Suri fretted, “We can’t cure a stroke only to introduce a new,
more troublesome condition. Emeric’s body can’t withstand that!”
The other ladies echoed Suri’s concerns.
“Chairman Emeric’s age and condition are serious. It’s a miracle he’s been rescued. What’s critical now
is to rouse him from this coma. Prolonged unconsciousness could cause irreversible damage to his
central nervous system!”
Chasel, a seasoned professional accustomed to life and death, spoke with a severity that left no room
for argument, “I’m Chairman Emeric’s attending physician. At least within these hospital walls, I have
the final say in his care. I’ll administer the medication now. If he can wake up tomorrow, everything
should start to improve. As for any potential effects, don’t worry too much about those right now. Let’s
just focus on keeping we can deal with the rest later. You can’t be greedy when it comes to life and dea
Evadne clenched her teeth, her resolve firm. “Let’s do as Dr. Bright suggests and sta treatment
immediately. We’ll cross the other bridges when we come to them. Besides, dad’s no pushover; a little
illness isn’t going to take him down.”
But her pain was obvious, even if she tried to hide it. Thaddeus could see right through her façade. She
was forcing herself to be strong.
Jareth, too, was deeply concerned upon hearing that Chairman Emeric was seriously ill.
But with his own inauguration as CEO drawing near, he was swamped with work, shuttling between his
office and the boardroom, too busy even to spend some quality time with his Hovely wife. He had no
choice but to delegate the medical inquiries to Lily and promised
to take over as soon as the big projects were off his plate.
Today, Jareth finally managed to carve out some time to visit Chairman Emeric in Skyrim and to catch
up with Thaddeus and Evadne.
But no sooner had he stepped out of his office than his phone buzzed with an urgent call from Lily.
“Is it my wife? Is Marilla okay?” he asked, his voice tense with concern.
“Sir, please rest assured, Marilla is fine.”
Jareth exhaled in relief. “Then what’s the matter?”
Lily hesitated, her tone grave. “I’ve just received word that Miss Edith has been brought back from
Aetheria to Elmsworth by Mr. Fairhaven’s men.”
“What did you say?”
Jareth’s eyes blazed with fury. “How did you let this happen? How could you let her come back?”
Lily was clearly distressed. “We had eyes on her at all times, and everything was under control. But out
of nowhere, she had a cardiac arrest. Our people had no choice but to rush her to the hospital to save
her life!”
“That girl’s as healthy as a horse, no history of heart problems. How could she have a cardiac arrest?”
“I was shocked too,” Lily replied, her frustration palpable. “After the incident, I had our men lock down
the information, but just as Miss Edith was admitted to the hospital, Mr. Fairhaven got wind of it as if it
was all prearranged. With Mr. Fairhaven intervening and Miss Edith in the emergency room, our hands
were tied. Later on, I found out it might have been due to her abusing medication.”
Abusing medication? Jareth instantly knew there was something fishy. His eyes turned cold as ice.
“Has she met with anyone these past few days?”
“She only went out once for an appointment and didn’t meet anyone else.”
Lily sounded as if she was choking on guilt. “Sir, I’m so sorry. I failed in my duties. I a ready to face any
punishment you deem fit.”
Jareth waved his hand dismissively. “This isn’t about punishment. Where’s Edith now?”
“She’s left Aetherian territory on Mr. Fairhaven’s private jet.”
“And who’s with her?”
“Your mother and Gary.”
Hearing that name, Jareth’s heart sank, and his fist clenched tight enough to crack. “Despite all
precautions, I couldn’t keep that bastard and that wretched girl from conspiring. I’m going to see
Grandpa right now!”
By the time Jareth rushed to the family estate, Barry was already waiting for him in the study.
“Grandpa, Edith, she-”
“I had your mother and your uncle go to Aetheria to bring Edith back personally,” Barry cut him off. “I
was going to go myself, but I figured you’d catch wind of it and come running to So, I waited here for
you.”
Jareth was seething, barely containing his anger. “Grandpa, have you forgotten what you promised
me? After the unforgivable mistakes Edith has made, after almost bringing disgrace to the entire
Fairhaven family, how could you let her return? If we don’t punish her severely, she’ll continue her
antics, and who knows what trouble she’ll cause next? As the head of this family, how can you go back
on your word?”
“Edith has been out there alone, suffering enough. She has acknowledged her mistakes and has
already apologized to me and her mother.”
“She’s faking it! The moment she returns to Elmsworth, she’ll show her true colors!”
“You are my only grandson, but Edith is also my only granddaughter. I cannot stand by and watch a
Fairhaven be exiled.”
Barry rose from his chair, his gaze fierce upon Jareth. “Do you know how close to death she was
abroad? As her brother, you should care about her well-being instead of criticizing me for bringing her
home. You seem to have forgotten any familial love. Your father would be bitterly disappointed if he
knew.”
READING FREE LIGHT NOVEL AT NOVEL BIN