Chapter 1246:

Elyse sat on the bed, watching Louise hurriedly pack. After a moment, she sighed. “Once you’re gone, the room will feel so empty.”

Not liking Elyse’s somber mood, Louise stood up and said firmly, “I have to go, but you don’t have to feel lonely. Don’t let someone passing through your life leave you feeling alone.”

Elyse’s expression turned wistful. “When we met, I didn’t expect to become so close to you.”

Louise, feeling a slight pang of guilt as she remembered their rocky start, softened her tone. “It’s not like I planned to like you either,” she replied, feigning defiance.

They exchanged looks and laughed, the tension easing between them. “Alright, finish packing. I’ll see you in a few days,” Elyse said.

Louise scoffed. “Wait and see—I’ll impress you then.”

“Fine, I’ll put on a good show for you,” Elyse replied, just as a knock sounded at the door.

She opened it to find Garret and Jayden waiting. She looked at Jayden first, then turned to Garret and asked, “What brings you here?”

“I’m here to pick up Louise. Is she ready?” Garret glanced at his watch, clearly in a hurry.

Elyse shook her head. “She’s still finishing up.”

“Mind if I come in?” Garret asked.

Elyse hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside. As he entered, Louise sneered, “I told you I could handle packing myself. Why on earth are you here?”

“I’m here to lend a hand,” Garret replied, resigning himself to the task.

Observing them, Elyse’s mind briefly lingered on a single word: couple. Quickly shaking off the thought, she turned to Jayden and asked, “So, you brought Garret here for Louise?”

“Yes,” Jayden answered. “She’s been acting strange lately, so Garret came to check on her.”

Turning his gaze to Elyse, he asked, “Tired from today’s rehearsal?”

Elyse sighed. “Completely. With the performance coming up, I haven’t been sleeping well. The pressure’s overwhelming.”

Jayden offered a small smile and asked, “Want a massage after Louise leaves?”

Elyse paused, hesitant. “A massage? What kind of massage? Don’t mess around—I’m not in the mood.”

Shaking his head, Jayden clarified, “Just your shoulders and arms.”

Elyse gave him a skeptical look. “Are you really that considerate?” …