Chapter 254:

Peyton felt a headache coming on. "Don't you think you owe Elyse an explanation?" she said. "She really cares about you."

Jayden's expression remained unreadable. "You know the dangers I constantly face," he replied. "I can't selfishly involve her in that." Elyse was delicate, and Jayden felt it was his duty to protect her from the risks of his world, prioritizing her safety above all else.

Realizing Jayden's firm stance, Peyton stopped trying to change his mind. "I'll take care of Corrie," she suggested. "You should head home."

Jayden looked like he was about to argue, but Peyton cut him off. "You're hurt as well, and you've neglected Elyse today."

Jayden fell silent, confronting the fact that he had indeed let Elyse down. He decided to go home. Peyton saw Jayden off, showing no concern for Corrie's well-being.

As soon as Corrie was alone, she opened her eyes, a self-satisfied smile spreading across her face. Meanwhile, when Elyse woke up, she felt something was amiss and reached for a hand, expecting Tracy's familiar touch. To her surprise, the hand she touched was not as soft. Startled, Elyse's eyes snapped open to see Jayden beside her, causing her to quickly suppress her swirling emotions.

Jayden checked his watch, his brow furrowed. "You're not going to rehearsal today," he said. "Wouldn't you like to sleep a little more?"

Elyse silently turned away, choosing to sleep. Jayden sensed her lingering anger. He pulled her closer and said gently, "Are you still mad? I'm sorry about yesterday."

Elyse's voice was heavy with fatigue. "It doesn't matter anymore," she replied. "I'm no longer interested in your business."

Jayden was disturbed. "Are you serious?"

Elyse replied impatiently, "Yes, I'm staying out of your business from now on. I'd prefer it if you stayed out of mine as well."

Elyse had spent much of the previous day in deep thought, only to be overcome by exhaustion. She grappled with understanding why her relationships consistently ended with her being abandoned by men. First, there had been Theo, and now Jayden. She had thought Jayden would be different. However, Jayden had succumbed to Corrie's manipulative tactics.

After reflecting, Elyse realized that Jayden's lack of genuine love for her was the root cause. His lack of true affection meant he didn't value their relationship. With this new perspective, Elyse decided to let go of any false hopes she had harbored. It was foolish to cling to those fantasies.

Jayden, feeling her pull away, became slightly agitated at her unexpected reaction. He drew Elyse closer, demanding her attention. "Are you this upset just because I wasn't there for you yesterday?" he questioned, his voice tinged with irritation.

Recalling Brook's remarks about the previous day's events, Elyse reflected. Jayden really was clueless about love. Elyse looked him directly in the eyes, unflinching. "As I said earlier," she stated, "Corrie's fainting was a deliberate ploy. She planned it to disrupt my birthday celebration, but you didn't see it that way. Instead, you rushed her to the hospital, prioritizing her first."

Jayden felt a mix of frustration and helplessness. "I've already told you I have no intentions of being with Corrie," he said. "Why can't you move past this?"

Elyse's tone was cold. "I want to know why, despite your assurances, you're still so attentive to Corrie. You never really answered that."

"You're never going to drop this, are you?" Jayden retorted, annoyed by her continuous questioning. He wondered why she couldn't just trust his commitment to her. Why did she always feel the need to question everything?

Suddenly, Elyse noticed the bandage on Jayden's left arm. Surprised, she asked, "What happened to your arm?"

Jayden looked down at his injury, realizing he couldn't hide it and decided to be truthful. He couldn't, however, reveal the real reason behind yesterday's car accident as it was linked to a past event. With a heavy voice, Jayden explained, "I got hurt. There was a car accident on my way back yesterday, and I broke my arm."

Elyse was visibly upset. "Then why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you respond to my calls?"

"My phone was destroyed," Jayden admitted honestly.

Elyse scoffed. "Then why didn't you let me know once you got back?"

Jayden massaged his temples, overwhelmed by her relentless questioning. Annoyed, he retorted, "Why should I have told you? It wouldn't change anything. You couldn't help find the driver who struck me or fix my arm. I knew it would only make you worry."

After a brief silence, Elyse asked, "So you think my concern is pointless?" ... ... ...