His Ex Wife is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus)

Chapter 324

At this moment, Edith, towering beside her mother, was dressed to kill, looking every bit like a princess.

The pitiful image she displayed earlier in front of Jareth, shedding crocodile tears and apologizing

profusely, was nowhere to be seen now. She glared at Marilla with a sinister look, as if she wanted

nothing more than to pounce on her and tear her throat out!

“Mom, let me introduce you.”

Edith kept a false smile on her face as she locked eyes with Marilla, “This is the person I mentioned to

you, Ms. Marilla, my junior high school classmate. Now, she’s my brother’s girlfriend. Funny how things

turn out, right? It’s like we’re one big, happy family.”

When Edith said the word “girlfriend“, Marilla’s heart felt as if it had been pierced by a sharp needle.

She blushed furiously, lowering her head in embarrassment.

Overwhelmed by a sense of inferiority, she instinctively wanted to pull her hand away from Jareth’s

warm grip.

However, Jareth seemed to hear her unspoken wish and stubbornly refused to let go.

“Edith, have you said enough?” The man’s eyes darkened, and his voice carried a hint of anger.

Relying on her mother’s support, Edith laughed brazenly, “Jareth, what did I say wrong? Why are you

so angry? Or is it that you only dare to pamper Ms. Marilla outside, but are afraid to bring her home to

meet Mom? Because deep down, you also despise her for being sick, and you know she’s not worthy

of becoming the lady of the Fairhaven family, right?“;

“Edith, shut up!” Jareth couldn’t stand anyone insulting his beloved, and his anger flared, making his

eyes bloodshot!

Lily, standing behind them, clenched her fists tightly..

“Jareth, look at how angry you are.”

Edith chuckled, “If I didn’t hit a nerve, would you be this angry?”

“I don’t have time to argue with you.”

Jareth, being the mature man that he was, couldn’t possibly argue with his sister in front of their

mother. Suppressing his anger, he said in a low voice, “Marillá, Lily, let’s go.”

Hold on.”

At this point, the icy Mrs. Fairhaven suddenly spoke up.

Jareth paused mid–step, gripping the cold hand in his even tighter.

Mrs. Fairhaven didn’t say anything, just walked up to the couple with a slight, inscrutable smile on her

face.

And it was this smile that made Jareth temporarily lower his guard.

However, as soon as she approached Marilla, Mrs. Fairhaven’s eyes turned cold and fierce, and she

suddenly raised her hand,

Slap!

“Uhm!” Marilla’s head jerked to the side, her cheek stinging with pain. Tears filled her eyes from the

humiliation.

“Mom! What are you doing?”

Jareth stared in disbelief, his eyes bloodshot with rage. His fury was threatening to overwhelm his

reason!

Lily bit her lip in anger, but she didn’t dare say anything. After all, she was just a subordinate in the

Fairhaven Group.

“Do you think you’re worthy of being with my son?”

Mrs. Fairhaven ignored Jareth’s rage and stared coldly at the silent, weeping Marilla, “Don’t think that

because you’re the lady of the Abernathy family, I will tolerate you dating my son. I wasn’t even

satisfied with your sister Glynnis, how could I possibly let you, a mentally ill woman, become the lady of

the Fairhaven family? You might as well give up!”

“Mom! I won’t allow you to hurt Marilla any further, don’t say another word!”

Jareth stepped in front of Marilla, his eyes full of rage and resentment. His fists were clenched tight, as

if he was ready to fight, “if you still want me to recognize you as my mother!”

Edith was taken aback and covered her mouth.

She thought that bringing their mother into the situation would be her trump card. Everyone in

Elmsworth knew that her big brother was a dutiful son who listened to their mother above anyone else.

She didn’t expect that, for the sake of Marilla, her brother was willing to turn against their mother! How

could this be?

“Jareth, you would disown me for this mentally ill girl?” Mrs. Fairhaven’s chest heaved with emotion,

her eyes filled with heartache.

“Marilla is not mentally ill. She is the woman I love!”

Jareth took a step closer to Mrs. Fairhaven, his controlled voice trembling slightly, but it couldn’t hide

his passionate feelings,“I love Marilla, and I don’t want any other woman. If you insult her again, or lay

a finger on her again, then you don’t want me as your son anymore.”

*Jareth! Are you crazy? For this woman, just for this woman? You’re willing to give up your mother?”

Mrs. Fairhaven was practically faint from anger, she kept repeating herself, incapable of saying

anything else.

Her always obedient son, just a few days without seeing him, and just for the sake of this silly girl, he

had turned into a disobedient son!

*Jareth! You know mom has poor health, how could you make her so angry?”

Edith, supporting Mrs. Fairhaven, changed her tactics, “Jareth, how many women have you played with

from childhood till now? It’s like a never–ending cycle! You’re arguing with mom over Marilla now, but

it’s just because you’re still caught up in the ty! Once you’ve had your fill, and you remember the

words you said to mom today, when you’ve made mom sick, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”

Marilla, who had been standing timidly behind Jareth, holding her teddy bear, recoiled a step back

when she heard these words.

Her long, delicate eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Jareth’s broad shoulders and strong back.

This man had given her a sense of security, but for some reason, her heart was filled with unease,

confusion, and fear.

“Mom, from childhood till now, I’ve hever asked you for anything, nor have I made any demands. And

you and Edith, whatever you want me to do, or whatever you want, I’ve always satisfied you

unconditionally, helped you achieve it.”

Jareth’s voice was strained and hoarse, and he asked with a bitter smile, “I’ve lived for twenty–eight

years, I don’t want anything, I just want Marilla, can’t you agree?”

“No, I can’t.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Mrs. Fairhaven erupted at him, “Over my dead body, you won’t be

marrying her. You won’t let this dimwit step foot into the Fairhaven household!”

Jareth’s eyes were aflame, “Mom!”

“You’re my only son, the hope of the entire Fairhaven Corporation! If you end up with a woman like her,

how could I face your father after my death?”

Mrs. Fairhaven was losing control, her cultivated composure nearly shattered. “How dare Elspeth and

that scheming Glynnis to plot against Edith! Like mother, like daughter, the one you’ve chosen can’t be

any good either, she’s just a wolf in sheep’s clothing!”

Edith, feigning concern, was laughing uproariously inside.

“Ma’am, you’ve been calling Ms. Marilla a fool, but how could a fool deceive anyone? She’s more likely

to be the one deceived.” Lily could no longer hold her tongue, coolly chiming in.

“What do you know? Shut up!” Edith pointed a sharp finger at Lily.

She had long been peeved by this woman who was always following her brother around, and now was

the perfect opportunity to vent her spleen. “I don’t need any of you to tell me what Marilla is like.”

Jareth took a deep breath, not wanting to argue any further, “No matter what you say or do, you won’t

change my decision. I only want Marilla.” Mrs. Fairhaven’s blood pressure skyrocketed.

“Mr. Jareth! Ms. Marilla is gone!” Lily exclaimed, hurriedly scanning their surroundings for Marilla.

“Marilla, Marilla?”

Jareth paled, his long strides carrying him swiftly away.

“Jareth has lost his mind!” Mrs. Fairhaven held her chest, gasping for breath.

*

“Mommy, the more he acts like this, the more we can’t just let it go!” Edith watched Jareth’s retreating

back, her teeth gritting in frustration.

“He doesn’t even respect his own mother anymore, what more can we do?” Mrs. Fairhaven’s face was

full of disappointment.

“What about Grandpa? Do you think he would accept such a granddaughter–in–law?”

Edith’s eyes darkened, her schemes brewing for some time, “We just need an opportunity to show

Grandpa that this woman is a complete fool, and he’ll surely intervene.”

“Edith, will that really work? Your brother is so stubborn. I doubt even your grandpa can.”

“No, he won’t.”

Edith’s voice was adamant, her face cold, “Jareth’s entire journey has been to gain Grandpa’s

approval, to honor his father, to earn the Fairhaven Corporation. If he offends Grandpa, he’ll lose

everything. The corporation will end up in my uncle’s hands. Then won’t his father’s hopes for him be in

vain?”

Jareth alerted the Fairhaven security team, and they spread out to search for Marilla.

Under the pitch–black night sky, the snow was falling softly, like a shower of white blossoms.

It should have been a beautiful winter scene, but Jareth couldn’t appreciate it. His only concern was

Marilla’s safety.

Eventually, he found her at the swings in the town park, sitting alone and lost in thought, his girl.

“Marilla.”

Jareth gazed at the delicate figure a few steps away, her dark hair topped with white, her red coat also

covered in frost, looking for all the world like a little snowman.

He thought, “Silly girl, how long have you been sitting in the snow?”

His heart ached unbearably, his eyes reddening as he approached her step by step.

“Marilla, I’ve finally found you.”

Jareth knelt before her, his large hands, warm and wet with worry, covering her icy ones.

“How did you find me?” Marilla asked, her eyes blinking in surprise.

“Marilla, because our hearts are connected. No matter where you go, I will find you.”

Jareth’s voice was choked, his hand caressing her reddened cheek, his heart aching. “You won’t be

getting rid of me so easily, silly girl.”

Marilla lowered her long lashes, remaining silent.

“It’s cold sitting here. Let’s go home,”

“I want to stay with Grandpa, Jareth.”

Marilla slowly pulled her hand from his, “I called Frank, Grandpa’s right–hand man. He’s sending

someone to pick me up.”

“Marilla, don’t you want me anymore?” Jareth asked, his eyes wide and pleading.

Marilla quickly shook her head, her lips pursing, “I don’t want to cause you trouble. I don’t want you to

fight with your mom. Jareth, she’s your mother, you should listen to her.”

“But I only want to listen to you.” Jareth’s gaze was tender, brushing the snow off her shoulders.

He cupped her flushed face with his cool palm, knowing that it must be hurting, hoping this could

alleviate some of the pain.

“Jareth, you should go home, Frank will be here soon to pick me up.” Marilla said, urging him to leave,

despite the reluctance in her heart.

“Marilla, I want to ask you something.”

Jareth swallowed, a smile on his face, but his eyes were reddening, filled with unshed tears, “Do you

love me?”

Love.

Love?

Marilla looked up, her pupils trembling slightly, her pink lips moving slowly, as if she had lost her voice,

and for a long time, she couldn’t utter a word.

Jareth’s heart ached.

What was he thinking? Wasn’t it enough that he loved her?

He thought, “Jareth, you’re in love with a special girl. You shouldn’t pressure her like this..”

“Jareth.”

Marilla called his name softly, then slowly raised her hands, gently, cautiously, covering the man’s

broad hands.

“I love you, Jareth.”

She thought, “You’ve taken root in my heart a long time ago. Maybe it was when you kissed me for the

first time. Maybe it was when I hid in my room, secretly sketching your portrait. Maybe it was when you

stood by my side, time and time again, regardless of societal judgment. I don’t quite understand what

love is, but I suppose, it must be this feeling I have for you. This must be love, right?”

Jareth was so moved that he was on the verge of tears, his heart pounding against his chest..

This man, who had spent half his life as a bachelor and seen countless faces, was for the first time

experiencing what it felt like when a man’s spring has

come!

In the midst of a snowy storm, the two lovers held each other tightly.

He wrapped her trembling body in his coat, but it still didn’t seem enough.

He wished he could wrap her into his heart as well.