Chapter 1080:

Garret shrugged nonchalantly. “Doesn’t matter, as long as we get what we need.”

Elyse, standing off to the side, looked at Brook with concern. “Jayden, you’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

Jayden placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Relax. I know more about the Owens than he does. I don’t need him to spill any secrets. Just keeping him locked up will suffice.”

Elyse exhaled in relief.

With Brook secured, Jayden turned to Elyse and said, “Want to come with me into town? I can take you to see Corrie.”

Elyse hesitated, her eyes widening. “How can you see her? Didn’t you say she’s under heavy guard by the Owens’ men?”

Jayden’s expression remained calm. “Now that we have Brook as a hostage, I’ll convince them to back down. And since Corrie’s injured, I’m the perfect one to visit her.”

Elyse, her tone cautious, asked, “Can we stop on the way to buy a violin?”

Jayden gave her a knowing look, his eyes amused. “I figured you couldn’t wait to get one. Fine, buy whatever you want.”

Elyse’s face lit up with joy.

The following day, they drove into town and headed to the hospital. Elyse finally saw Corrie after so much time.

Corrie’s condition was grim. Although she had survived the surgery, she still had a long road to recovery before she could stand or walk again.

When Corrie saw Elyse, her eyes widened in disbelief. She had been convinced Elyse was long gone. After all, once someone was taken by black market traffickers and sold off, who would return intact? Most would never make it back. But there stood Elyse, unharmed, staring calmly at her. In stark contrast, she herself looked pitiful and broken.

“Elyse, why are you still alive?” Corrie shouted from her bed, her voice laced with fury.

Elyse harbored no love for Corrie. She despised her for the suffering she’d caused, especially for what she had done to her unborn baby. So Elyse didn’t hold back; her voice was cold and cutting. “If you’re still breathing, why wouldn’t I be?”

A twisted grin spread across Corrie’s face as a dark realization dawned on her. She let out a piercing laugh. “I know why you hate me so much. But what can you do? Your baby is gone—just like that.”

The words were designed to slice through Elyse’s heart. Corrie deliberately provoked her, aiming straight for the deepest wound.