Chapter 1343:

With that, Elyse and Jayden exited the hospital together. In the corridor, Dolores realized she had no leverage to take Shaun and, with Jayden’s strict orders, her options were severely limited. Frantically, she called her brother, Lowell. Lowell was taken aback by Jayden’s extensive involvement.

After a brief pause, Lowell advised, “Dolores, don’t do anything reckless. We should wait and see.”

Dolores bit her lip, frustration evident in her voice. “But this is my chance. Shaun’s return to me hinges on this moment.”

Lowell responded soothingly, “Don’t act on impulse. With Jayden’s men watching him and the real perpetrator still at large, any attempt to take Shaun now could backfire spectacularly.”

Elyse collapsed into the car’s backseat, her mind entangled with thoughts of Dolores’s recent actions. Each reflection deepened her suspicion, painting Dolores increasingly as the likely perpetrator.

Desperate to untangle her thoughts, she turned to Jayden, who seemed to anticipate her turmoil.

“Dolores isn’t the culprit,” he assured her. “Remember, when Shaun had the accident, she was in Heathfield—she hasn’t misled us.”

“But then, who is behind this?” Elyse pressed, her voice tinged with frustration.

“The answer is simpler than we think,” Jayden suggested with calm resolve. “We must look at those who harbored a grudge against Shaun. Who truly despised him?”

Elyse’s response came hesitantly, laced with confusion. “I hardly know him. How could I pinpoint his adversaries?”

“You know them better than you think,” Jayden pressed gently. “It’s Tracy.”

The name struck Elyse like a cold gust. “That’s absurd! Tracy? But she’s presumed dead!”

“Yet, didn’t Shaun spot her in Cedarvale recently?” Jayden countered, his voice even. “Consider what she endured before her disappearance; such events could forge a vendetta.”

Elyse grappled with the implications, her rebuttal soft but firm. “You’re basing this on the assumption Tracy is still alive.”

“Consider this—my team scoured the seas for a month; Tracy’s body was never found. She might be alive,” Jayden posited.

Silenced by the exchange, Elyse found herself at a loss.

Jayden, noting her crestfallen look, offered consolation. “Let’s not spiral into these theories now. Go home, rest, and recharge. We’ll revisit this once Shaun wakes up.”

Acknowledging the wisdom in his words, Elyse consented with a weary nod.

After a night fraught with tension, the pair sought refuge in their shared room.

Elyse’s rest extended well into the afternoon; she awoke disoriented and went downstairs to eat.

Mid-meal, the housemaid, standing in for Driscoll, approached with deference. “Debora Owen is here again. Shall we let her in?”

“Has Jayden woken up?” Elyse inquired, hopefully. . . .