Chapter 1136:

Then, his tone shifting, he asked, “Don’t you trust her?”

Edward jabbed a finger at Jayden, his hair practically bristling with irritation. Jayden had initially proposed the plan, and now he was twisting the situation to make himself appear the villain. What a cunning man!

As Edward opened his mouth to retort, Elyse emerged from the bathroom, toweling her damp hair. Her curious gaze flicked between them. “Since when did you two become so chummy that you’re having private chats?”

Edward’s mouth twitched. “There’s no way I’d ever get close to him. You’re the only one I want to be near.”

Jayden sneered. “Delusional. You won’t get close to her either. Go play by yourself.”

“Hey!” Elyse interjected calmly. “If you two want to argue, do it outside. I’m drying my hair and going to bed.”

She strode between them, entered her bedroom, and slammed the door shut with a resounding bang. Her demeanor made it clear she had no interest in their squabbles.

Once she had gone, Jayden turned to Edward, his patience wearing thin. “What will it take for you to give up on Elyse?”

Edward sneered, crossing his arms. “Why should I be the one to give up? Why not you? You’ve already divorced her and left her hurting. What gives you the right to think you deserve another chance?”

A tense silence hung between them, neither willing to budge. Jayden’s gaze slid to the window. His voice was cold. “So that’s it. Neither of us is stepping down. Fine, then. Let’s settle this the old-fashioned way. We’ll duel it out. Loser walks away—for good.”

Edward’s eyes gleamed with fierce determination. “Fine by me. But don’t come crying when you lose and start sticking to Elyse like a leech.”

Jayden snorted, his disdain evident. “That sounds more like something you’d do.”

Teeth clenched in frustration, Edward felt a strong urge to knock Jayden down. Jayden’s arrogance grated on his nerves, especially since Elyse had made it abundantly clear she was done with him. If not for her, Edward would have landed a punch by now.

The two men left the hotel and found an empty spot nearby. Under the faint glow of a streetlight, they faced each other, tension thick in the air.

Jayden gave a slight smirk. “One rule—no hitting the face.”