His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire? novel Chapter 30

In the end, Frederic promised his father he wouldn't interfere with the Stirling family's affairs anymore. Only then was the matter considered closed.

He and Elspeth left with gloomy faces. Hamilton looked at the mess around him, his eyes filled with bitterness. "We're bloody cursed, I tell ya. We Abernathy men are all getting screwed over by those scheming Acacia harpies."

Thaddeus bent down to pick up something from the floor, his mind racing. Could someone have gone to Aetheria in place of Cassius?

But there was no way Frederic could have mistaken the person. They had squared off countless times in the business world. He couldn't have mistaken the person unless he was going senile.

At that moment, Thaddeus picked up a folding fan. "Grandpa, is this yours?"

"Ah! Yes...I'd forgotten. Hand it over.” Hamilton's face softened. "This fan was handmade by Ilana. She even did the painting and calligraphy on it. It's all her work."

She painted?

Thaddeus suddenly froze, like his soul had left his body. When she was by his side, she was always well behaved and dull. Compared to Acacia who could play the piano, dance, and sing, Ilana was nothing special. Apart from being gentle and having a pretty face, she had no special talents. She was no different from a maid.

But once she left him, she bloomed like a pearl emerging from dust. Not only did she shine brightly, she also exuded confidence. Her talents, which he had never known about, emerged one by one like surprises, leaving him unprepared.

Did she think Thaddeus didn't deserve her talents and that only Cassius did?

So her feelings for him weren't true love, but a compromise for his sake. Her true love was Cassius, wasn't it?

"Every weekend, Ilana used to visit me. Sometimes she'd accompany me for a walk, sometimes she'd sit with me in my study for an entire afternoon. She never found it boring. She'd just sit there reading or drawing. She's excellent at drawing. I can tell she's been practicing for at least a decade. She looks so beautiful when she draws. She's confident and graceful. She's no ordinary girl, but a lady from a noble family." Hamilton sighed, looking gloomy. "She's much better than that Acacia who only know how to put on a façade. It's a shame you're such a blind fool, Thaddeus."

Thaddeus clenched his jaw and unfolded the fan.

A smooth, flowing sentence caught his eye—

If I could return to my youth, I would exchange wealth for a gentle breeze.

Suddenly, Thaddeus felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. His chest trembled, and his eyes scanned the sentence over and over again. The style and charm of the calligraphy was exactly like the painting hanging in Evadne's office.

He suddenly remembered seeing Ilana at the hotel where Evadne worked. And the sound of Ilana's footsteps in the corridor after he left Evadne's office. Did Ilana know Evadne?

Could it really be such a coincidence? Could it be that Evadne is Ilana? That was impossible!

Ilana could be indecisive at most, but she could never be as cunning as Evadne.

Meanwhile, Skyrim, Silverlake Harbor.

Cassius had returned from his trip to Aetheria and was having dinner at home with Arnold and their father.

During the meal, Cassius reported on his work progress in Aetheria. Emeric nodded in approval, a hint of pride appearing on his stern face. His eldest son was excellent in many ways, but he preferred a life of religion. Power, wealth, and shares couldn't sway him from becoming a priest.

"Cassius, it's unlike you to snatch away Abernathy group's business like that," Emeric said after a sip of red wine. "You've always advocated for solving problems in a fair and peaceful way. This aggressive move is more like my style when I was young."

"Peace is like a human body. It appears healthy, but you never know when it'll fall sick." Cassius provided a profound response and elegantly took a sip of water.

Arnold chuckled. He knew Cassius had made this move to avenge his sister.

"Business requires flexibility. As long as it's legal, the means can vary. You did well this time." Emeric patted Cassius on the shoulder, his gazes sharp and excited. "Besides, Frederic is my enemy. His grandfather wronged your great-grandmother. Revenge can wait a long time."

Arnold gave a resigned laugh. The Ashbourne family had a tradition of holding grudges for a hundred years.

"By the way, how is Evadne doing in Elmsworth? Her decisive actions against the Stirling group were good, but if she mishandles it, I'm afraid she'll earn people's hatred and bring trouble upon herself. You two need to protect her, understood?" Emeric's tone was casual, but his eyes were filled with concern.

"We got it, dad."