Chapter 201

Tracy was taken aback by the revelation. Glancing around, she lowered her voice. “So, did you two really have a fight? From an outsider’s perspective, it seems like you and Jayden deeply care for each other. You’re a perfect match. He’s always so attentive to your needs and emotions. Honestly, despite his leg issue, he seems like the perfect husband.”

Elyse’s bitter smile betrayed her inner turmoil. “You think we’re a perfect match, huh? Sometimes I do, too. He supports me through everything, like a pillar. Even in our intimate moments, there’s a strong connection.” She paused thoughtfully. “But there’s always a distance between us. I never know what’s on his mind, how he’s feeling, or what his plans for the future are.”

Tracy hesitated, then cautiously prodded, “Are you saying Jayden’s wary of you? That he hasn’t fully opened up to you?”

“That’s what I think,” Elyse admitted, uncertainty tingeing her voice.

Tracy had a realization. “Could it be that Jayden’s been too guarded since his accident, maybe even suspicious?”

Elyse pondered for a moment. “It’s possible. But then again, maybe not. I can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something from me.”

Tracy paused, then asked curiously, between bites of her food, “Hiding what? What secret do you think he’s keeping?”

Elyse confessed, “Sometimes I wonder if he’s capable of standing.”

Tracy nearly choked, hastily swallowing her food before responding hoarsely, “That’s absurd. If Jayden could stand, he’d be just like anyone else, wouldn’t he?”

She struggled to find the right words. Having known Jayden for so long, she couldn’t imagine him being physically impaired. He seemed perfectly normal. But without evidence, doubts lingered.

“Perhaps rushing into marriage was a mistake,” Tracy concluded, opening a bottle of her beverage and taking a few sips. “You need time to truly understand each other. It’s all about learning to accept one another.”

Elyse found Tracy’s perspective reasonable. She raised her beverage, clinking it with Tracy’s. “Perhaps I’m being overly sensitive. I’ll try to talk to him when I get the chance.”

“That’s a good plan. Make sure to cherish him,” Tracy smiled, about to take a sip of her beverage, when her phone rang.

Elyse glanced at the screen. “Call from Liverton. Recognize the number?”

Tracy took her phone back and promptly ended the call, adding the number to her blacklist. With a grim expression, she muttered, “Who else but Shaun?”

Elyse’s eyes widened. “Shaun again? Is he trying to stir up trouble for you?”

Tracy impatiently ran a hand through her hair. “No clue. Last time, it wasn’t from this number. I picked it up by mistake. He had the audacity to claim the wedding wasn’t off.” Her chest rose with agitation. “Who does he think he is? Does he expect me to pine for him forever? I have a right to choose. Since he’s still hung up on Dolores, I’ll let them have their way.”

Tracy’s anger flared, punctuated by a forceful bite of food.

Elyse drew closer. “Calling off the wedding was the right decision. Let’s focus on brighter things.”

Tears welled in Tracy’s eyes, but she held them back, mindful of her makeup. Rolling her eyes, she quipped, “Your words are truly touching.”

Elyse remained still, cautious not to disrupt Tracy’s makeup. At that moment, several people approached carrying large boxes. Elyse observed their actions, puzzled. “What’s going on here?”

“Probably an artist’s treat. Not sure who, though. Let’s join the line and find out,” Tracy suggested, preparing to stand. However, she noticed others passing by with human-shaped cutouts on their shoulders.

Elyse glanced at the cutouts, then turned to Tracy with a puzzled expression. “Are you treating the crew?”

Tracy’s lips twitched. “With such a large crew, it’d cost tens of thousands. I don’t have that kind of money.”

As if on cue, Elyse’s driver approached with two bags of food. Elyse was shocked. “Why are you here?”

Handing the bags to Elyse, the driver explained, “Mr. Owen tasked me with delivering food to the crew under Miss Tracy Bernard’s name.” With that, the driver left to distribute the snacks.

Tracy nudged the stunned Elyse. “Thanks to you, I’ll be quite popular today.”