Chapter 1336:

Elyse’s smirk was tinged with scorn. Her reply came swift and sharp, laced with venomous glee. “Oh, absolutely. Seeing you fall from grace would be the cherry on my sundae.”

Shaun felt a chill creep up his spine, a silent witness to Elyse’s malicious satisfaction at his downfall.

With little appetite for further verbal sparring, Elyse took a careful sip of the water Driscoll handed her. Setting down the cup, she quizzed, “So, what wind blew you here? What dire need drives you to seek me out?”

Shaun’s lips were dry, and he licked them nervously, his expression darkening. “I saw Tracy.”

The water went down the wrong pipe, and Elyse erupted in a fit of coughing. Driscoll was at her side in a heartbeat, offering tissues with a worried frown. “Are you all right?”

Elyse dismissed him with a wave, still coughing, as she wiped her mouth. Her voice was raspy as she recovered. “You saw who?”

Shaun took a moment, his hands rubbing his weary face before he looked up, his eyes earnest and troubled. “I swear, it was Tracy. In Cedarvale, dressed in the newest fashion. And she wasn’t alone. There was a man with her.” His voice cracked as he continued, “They looked… happy. She was holding his arm, laughing freely.”

Elyse’s expression shifted, a storm of confusion and skepticism brewing. She hesitated, then asked, “Are you absolutely sure? You know, Tracy was supposed to be…”

Shaun interrupted, his denial fierce. “No, it can’t be! Lowell wouldn’t… There must be some mistake. Maybe he hid her away only to release her later!”

The sight of Shaun, so utterly heartbroken yet fiercely hopeful, was almost too much for Elyse. It was painful to watch, especially knowing his own role in Tracy’s past agony.

Her face darkened and her tone grew icy. “What makes you think Lowell would let Tracy go? Neither he nor Dolores have hearts of gold. Why would they spare her?”

Shaun, resolute in his belief, countered passionately, “I’ve known them my whole life. You think I don’t know them? They aren’t monsters!”

Elyse’s frustration nearly boiled over. She leaned back against the couch, lifting her gaze to the ceiling as if searching for patience. “All of you are the same. The only true victim here was Tracy, killed by all of you.”

Shaun’s expression tightened, his eyes a mirror of the pain swirling within.

Elyse pressed further. “The woman you saw in Cedarvale — did you actually talk to her? Did she acknowledge you?”

Shaun nodded, a trace of sorrow flickering across his face. “Yes, I approached her right away, trying to reconnect. But she denied being Tracy. She insisted I was mistaken and claimed she’d been married long ago.”

Elyse paused, then said, “Do you have a picture? Let’s see if it really was Tracy.”

Shaun handed her a photograph. Elyse studied it, her expression shifting to surprise. “She does look like Tracy.”

Shaun’s voice grew fervent, almost desperate. “It is Tracy! She must be angry with me, refusing to recognize me.”

Elyse’s skepticism lingered. She shook her head slowly. “If Tracy is alive, it’s only because Lowell had a change of heart. But it’s hard to believe he would show mercy.” She handed back the photo.