Chapter 1263:

Fiona sat on the bed, her body barely covered by a thin blanket. Disheveled hair framed her weary, fragile face. Elyse stood outside the room, gripping the iron bars, her emotions tangled as she watched Fiona.

After a long silence, Elyse spoke softly, “Fiona.” At first, Fiona didn’t hear her. Elyse stepped closer and repeated her name.

This time, Fiona lifted her head, her face a portrait of exhaustion. Her eyes were hollow, lifeless, as if the spark within had long since vanished.

Startled, Elyse called her name again, her voice thick with emotion. “How are you? Are you holding up?”

Fiona fixed her gaze on Elyse, her expression cynical. “What’s with the fake kindness? I know exactly what kind of person you are.”

Elyse chuckled. “Oh? And what kind of person is that?”

Fiona’s voice was low and bitter. “You’re jealous, greedy, deceitful. A liar.”

Elyse laughed, the sound mocking and cold. “Is that how you see me, or is that just a reflection of you? Strange… seems like you know yourself better than I thought.”

Fiona’s shoulders sagged, her voice heavy with defeat. “Say whatever you want. It doesn’t matter. I’m done. I won’t escape this prison.”

Elyse sighed, exasperation and sympathy warring in her eyes. “You really think you’re fighting alone?”

Fiona narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering in her voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Elyse’s gaze shifted to Fiona’s bandaged hand, a sardonic smile tugging at her lips. “When you injured your arm and couldn’t afford treatment, when the hospital turned you away—did you think some random kind soul covered those bills? Someone made sure you got the surgery you needed.”

A wave of dread washed over Fiona. “What are you getting at?”

“What do I mean? I’ve given you all the clues to figure it out.” Elyse’s eyes hardened. “Oh, come on, Fiona. It was Mr. Tucker. He’s been watching over you this whole time.”

Fiona felt her world tilt. Her voice quivered. “What do you mean?”

“Fiona, you’ve done so much wrong, but he still cares about you. He got you back into the hospital, paid for the surgery, and covered your living expenses.”

Fiona’s face went ghostly white. She shook her head, refusing to accept it. “No! That’s impossible! He doesn’t care about me anymore. He wouldn’t spend a dime on me.”