Chapter 10:

Elyse, speechless, gazed out the window with a cold expression, remaining silent. Jayden was equally quiet, and they returned home without speaking. Driscoll greeted them with a wide smile upon their arrival. "Welcome back," he said.

Jayden, his demeanor expressionless, maneuvered his wheelchair into his study. Noticing Jayden's coldness, Driscoll approached Elyse, who was walking slowly behind. He asked with concern, "What happened? Mr. Owen seems unhappy."

Elyse, still reeling from her parents' betrayal, hadn't noticed anything unusual about Jayden. "Isn't he always like this? His expression never changes," she replied.

Driscoll sighed. "I've watched him grow up. He never shows his feelings, yet I can tell he's not happy today."

Elyse paused, taken aback. Was Jayden unhappy? Walking to the dining area, she noticed the lavish meal on the table. "Who is this for?" she asked.

"It's for you," Driscoll explained. "Mr. Owen waited up for you all night. When he learned you were in trouble, he went to fetch you himself. He was there to support you."

Elyse's eyes widened in surprise. Although married to Jayden, their relationship was devoid of genuine feeling; they weren't even friends. She kept their relationship private, so his going to her family to support her left her with mixed emotions. Setting down her purse, she decided, "I'll ask him to join me for dinner." Bolstered by Driscoll's encouragement, she knocked on his study door and entered at Jayden's invitation.

Jayden was engrossed in his work. She closed the door and approached his desk.

. . .