Chapter 244: Balancing a plate of dessert, Tracy beckoned Elyse. "Look what I brought you," she said. "Have a taste. You barely ate lunch—all for this dress!"

Elyse's disappointment deepened at the sight of Tracy.

Sensing Elyse's sour mood, Tracy hurried over. "What's wrong? Why the long face?"

Elyse's fists clenched, anxiety rising in her chest. "Jayden hasn't come back yet. Do you think he's ditching me, like Theo did?"

She recalled similar incidents. Once, on her birthday, Theo had promised a celebration. She'd dressed beautifully in a pink gown, but he never appeared, even after the party ended. She couldn't reach him. Embarrassed and under her friends' pitying gazes, she'd fled. The next day, she contacted Theo; he claimed he'd had an emergency and forgotten, but he'd actually been at the theater with Kaelyn. After that, Elyse never expected another birthday celebration from him.

She feared a repeat. She worried Jayden might abandon her at her birthday celebration, leaving her to endure everyone's pity.

"Tracy, what should I do? I can't reach Jayden. Am I being abandoned again?" Elyse grasped Tracy's hand, looking lost.

Tracy quickly put down her plate and embraced Elyse. "No, Jayden isn't like Theo. He wouldn't do that. Don't worry so much."

After a moment, Tracy offered an excuse. "Maybe something unexpected happened, like car trouble."

Elyse's face paled. "Goodness, no, I didn't mean that. I'll check with Driscoll. Don't worry." Tracy smacked her lips regretfully and left.

Watching Tracy go, Elyse felt distraught. She sat anxiously. Suddenly, the dressing room door opened.

Thinking it was Tracy, Elyse asked gloomily, "Did you find out anything?"

The person entering remained silent.

Suspicious, Elyse turned to find Theo, in a dark blue suit, regarding her with a complex expression.

With a stern expression, Elyse stood and cautiously questioned him, "What are you doing here?"

No one had invited him. She wondered how he knew or dared to show up.

"If I decide to show up," Theo said, "I'll find a way."

Elyse stared at him, wary and uncomfortable.

Meeting her cold gaze, Theo fought back his own emotions. "I remember today isn't your birthday. Does Jayden care so little that he doesn't even know when it is?"

"What's it to you?" Elyse retorted. "You're an outsider. Stay out of it."

Theo persisted, "If you feel mistreated, you can always come back to me."

Elyse scoffed. "Come back to you? Why would I do that?"

"If you divorce Jayden," Theo proposed, "I'd consider getting back together, even marrying you."

Elyse looked at him amusedly. "I heard you're getting along well with your blind date. What would happen to her if we got back together?"

Theo assumed she was considering his offer, believing she'd only married Jayden because of hurt feelings toward him.

"If you marry me, it will just be you and me," Theo said. "I'll cut ties with my blind date."

Elyse found Theo ridiculous. Did he really think he was charming enough to say these things and sway her?

Theo continued, "If you agree to marry me, you'll always be my wife, and I'll give you whatever you want."

Elyse replied, "Jayden has already done what you're offering. Impress me with something different."

Theo was at a loss. He thought hard but couldn't think of anything.

Elyse smiled, teasing him. "What's the matter? Run out of ideas?"

Theo frowned unhappily. "What condition will make you divorce Jayden? Tell me, and I'll do it."

Elyse smiled. "Aren't you my ex-boyfriend? Don't you know me?"

Theo replied unhappily, "I'm not a mind reader. How am I supposed to know what you want?"

Elyse laughed, saying nothing. This man barely knew her but was eager to marry her.

Theo, irritated by her laughter, asked, "What's so funny?"

"I find it amusing that you're the president of a big company, yet you know so little," Elyse answered.