Chapter 1229:
“I’ll help you,” Jayden said, leaning forward, his tone pleading. “Whatever you need, I’ll do it.”
Elyse looked at him for a long moment, then said softly, “I just want to rest. Can you give me that?”
Jayden nodded eagerly. “Of course. Anything you need. Just… don’t leave me.”
Seeing his vulnerability, Elyse felt an ache tugging at her heart. After everything with Enzo, she’d come to understand the depths of Jayden’s guarded heart—filled with helplessness, uncertainty, and a quiet, long-buried pain. These emotions, which Jayden kept hidden from the world, were buried under layers of wealth, status, talent, and the flawless masks he wore. A decaying soul dressed in the finest clothes. Jayden believed that by cloaking himself in a perfect image, no one would ever see how fragile and broken he truly was beneath it all. But after hiding behind the facade for so long, he had forgotten his real self.
Elyse remembered something George had once said to her. It struck her that she needed to consider what Jayden truly meant to her.
As Jayden sat beside her in the lounge, he stole a glance at her profile. She was lost in thought, her face softened by the sunlight streaming in, giving her an almost ethereal glow. He opened his mouth, about to speak, but then stopped. Somehow, right now, everything felt just as it should. With Elyse beside him, even in silence, he felt a rare sense of peace.
Upon his return to the city, Edward quickly gathered a few friends to search for Elyse. Elyse, surprised to see them, asked, “Why are you all here?”
“Well, you vanished, and we were so worried until Edward told us where you were,” Darren said, sounding anxious.
Elyse looked around at everyone and, with heartfelt gratitude, said, “Thank you all for caring so much about me.”
Darren sighed. “We’re all in this together. Stop crying, and let’s go back to the hotel so you can rest.”
Elyse nodded, linking arms with Geraldine, and began walking towards the hotel. Following them, Darren walked alongside Jayden.
Jayden glanced at Darren. “Just say it.”
Scratching his nose, Darren asked curiously, “So, have you and Elyse made up?”
Jayden made a face. “No, things are actually worse than before.”