Chapter 353

The force behind the slap was brutal, holding back just twenty percent of Thaddeus's full strength.

He knew the power in his hands—honed by years of military training, capable of wielding weapons with lethal precision. Had he struck with everything he had, Elspeth wouldn't just be scrambling for her teeth on the floor. She'd be unconscious.

But he didn't want to give her an excuse to flee. Not when Evadne still had unfinished business with her.

The room froze in shock. No one dared intervene.

In this household, even Frederic couldn't control Thaddeus. Who else would dare?

Glynnis shrieked, hands clapped over her mouth, her entire body trembling violently.

Watching her mother get struck, she didn’t even have the spine to step forward.

The Fairhavens stood stunned.

Elspeth had crossed a line, yes, but she was still Frederic's wife—Thaddeus's stepmother, technically an elder. And he’d just slapped her across the face in front of everyone?

The audacity. This wasn’t just a strike against Elspeth. It was a direct insult to Frederic himself.

Only Jareth watched with admiration, a slow smirk curling his lips.

He knew better than anyone how much Thaddeus had endured in this house.

"Frederic, I—I can't hear!" Elspeth wailed, clutching her ears as she collapsed against him. Blood trickled from her lips, her perfectly styled hair now a tangled mess, her makeup smeared by tears. The dignified lady of the house was reduced to a hysterical wreck. "Your son made me deaf! Are you just going to let him do this? How dare he strike an elder?"

Evadne’s sharp eyes caught the blood seeping between Elspeth’s fingers. She glanced at Thaddeus, his expression unreadable, carved from stone.

No doubt about it—Elspeth’s eardrum had ruptured.

Damn, that felt satisfying.

Frederic’s gaze darkened as he studied Elspeth.

There was pain in his chest, but he knew it wasn’t for her. It was for the woman he’d buried in his heart long ago.

"Thaddeus," he said, voice tight. "What’s gotten into you? Striking an elder?"

Thaddeus smirked, cold and mocking. "Elder? What tree did she crawl out from to earn that title? In this family, my grandfather is my elder. You are my elder. Alva is my elder. She doesn’t even rank among those I respect."

"Mr. Thaddeus." Alva, acknowledged, dipped her head gratefully.

Elspeth’s face burned scarlet, humiliation and fury boiling inside her.

Was he implying that even a lowly maid like Alva outranked her?

This bastard!

"I tolerate you for your age and your service to my father. But elder?" Thaddeus laughed, the sound icy. "Don’t flatter yourself."

The Fairhavens exchanged glances. They couldn’t leave now.

This was too entertaining to miss.

"My mother is my line in the sand," Thaddeus said, voice lethally calm. "Cross it, and don’t expect mercy. I’ll take your life without hesitation."

His gaze flicked to Evadne for the briefest second.

He didn’t say it aloud.

She was his line too.

But in her heart, was he even close to Avery?

The thought twisted something inside him. Anger. Frustration. Loss. He forced his eyes away, refusing to look at her again.

Yet at that exact moment, Evadne glanced at him.

Seeing his cold, distant expression, her chest tightened.

Elspeth trembled, her heart lodged in her throat.

Frederic couldn’t control Thaddeus anymore. Her once-solid shield was crumbling.

What if he found out the truth? That she’d been the one to worsen his mother’s depression all those years ago?

She’d be ruined.

She’d bribed Cynthia’s trusted maid to swap her medication—drugs that stimulated the nervous system, worsening her symptoms, inducing hallucinations, making her final months a living hell.

That secret could never come to light.

The day it did would be her last.

"Frederic," she whimpered, clinging to him, tears streaming. "Are you really going to let him treat me like this? I’m your wife."

If aggression failed, she’d play the victim.

She knew his weakness.

Frederic exhaled sharply, his grip on her stiff. "Go clean yourself up. Glynnis and the secretary will take you to the hospital."

"No." Thaddeus’s voice cut through like a blade.

"Thaddeus," Frederic warned.

"A slap won’t kill her," Thaddeus said coldly. "But the matter between Elspeth and Ms. Evadne ends tonight."

Evadne’s fingers curled into her palms.

"How many times must I say it? I had nothing to do with Myra’s situation! I don’t even know the culprit! Evadne is slandering me!" Elspeth shrieked.

"Elspeth," Evadne drawled, smirking. "Maybe you should take Frederic’s advice. Get checked for early-onset dementia."

Elspeth’s face paled. "Evadne!"

Barry Fairhaven arched a brow. "This Ashbourne girl has quite the sharp tongue."

"Indeed," Mrs. Fairhaven muttered disapprovingly.

Barry chuckled. "Nothing wrong with a little fire. Especially when her pedigree matches her temper. Shame she’s already been married once. Otherwise, she’d make a fine match for Jareth."

Mrs. Fairhaven gaped.

Edith’s jaw dropped. "Grandfather! That woman was discarded by Thaddeus! She’s not worthy of my brother!"

"Discarded?" Jareth smirked, eyes glinting. "A woman like Ms. Evadne could divorce a hundred times and still have men lining up to be her next husband."

He leaned in, voice dropping playfully. "Grandfather, I’ll confess—the moment I saw her, I was smitten. Pursued her relentlessly."

Edith seethed.

"You did?" Barry blinked. "And?"

Jareth sighed dramatically. "She wasn’t interested."

Barry huffed. "Not even you? Does she plan to marry God himself?"

But then again, considering her ex was Thaddeus, losing to him wasn’t exactly shameful.

"Alex," Evadne said coolly, turning back to Elspeth. "The rogue who worked at the TV station thirty years ago. Collaborated with you on multiple shows. Served you tea. Even Myra and the directors knew him. Yet you claim you don’t?"

She tilted her head. "If it’s not dementia, then what is it?"

Elspeth’s lips curled. "Just because he knew me doesn’t mean I knew him!"

"Your memory fails you, Elspeth. Let me refresh it."

Evadne descended the stairs gracefully, poised as a queen.

Then she dangled something in front of Elspeth’s face.

A silver lily-shaped platinum pendant.

Elspeth’s blood ran cold.

How?

How did Evadne get this?

Frederic frowned, feeling Elspeth’s violent trembling.

"What is this?" Elspeth snapped, looking away.

"Elspeth," Frederic said slowly. "Isn’t this your necklace?"

Elspeth’s breath hitched.

"You wore it constantly when we first met. Said it was your mother’s keepsake—the only thing left from your past. Then one day, you stopped. Said you’d lost it during filming." His voice hardened. "It was this lily pendant."

Elspeth’s ears rang.

She’d spun so many lies to climb this far. She couldn’t even remember half of them.

"So," Evadne mused, swinging the pendant. "This was your mother’s keepsake. Precious to you."

Her smile turned icy.

"Then how did it end up in that rogue’s hands?"