Chapter 257:

Noticing Elyse’s discomfort, Pearce said, “Ms. Lloyd, please don't feel down. Getting to know you has convinced me you're truly remarkable. It's your husband's loss if he doesn't see your value.”

Elyse remained silent. In her opinion, while Jayden had flaws and had hurt her, their issues were personal. She didn't think it appropriate for others to judge him. She steered the conversation. “You seem quite keen on learning about me. What's your intention?”

Pearce replied without hesitation, “I find you intriguing.”

Elyse stared at him, nearly thinking him a creep. His bluntness surprised her. She reiterated, “As I've mentioned, I'm married. I have a husband.”

Pearce responded candidly, “I've heard things aren't going well between you two.”

Elyse sounded disheartened. “I have no intention of divorcing him.”

After a moment, Pearce said, “Ms. Lloyd, as someone who admires you, I believe you deserve someone far better. You shouldn't have to suffer through a poor marriage.”

His comment infuriated her. “And so? If it's alright with you, I'd like to meet your parents and see what sort of family raised such an exceptional person.”

While Pearce spoke, his face showed a hint of mischief, emphasizing the last part of his statement. Elyse, however, missed it. Massaging her forehead, she felt a headache coming on.

“Forget about it. There's no way we can be together. And please stop making those comments. If my husband finds out…” Elyse paused, then continued in a somber tone, “…he wouldn't let you off easily.”

Pearce knew Jayden. The Owen family held significant influence, but he pondered a potential clash between the Owen and his own family. He kept these thoughts to himself, realizing Elyse might have misunderstood him. It wasn't a significant concern. As long as he could uncover the relationship between Elyse and another person (presumably Cody), he planned to take her away at the first opportunity.

Pearce remained silent, smiling—a smile that unsettled Elyse. He expressed that he saw her as part of his family. However, Elyse was horrified by his presence, sensing an overpowering aura. She resolved to keep her distance.

After an uncomfortable lunch, Elyse quickly excused herself and left. Pearce let her go without protest. Watching her leave, a smile crept across his face. He lingered briefly before exiting the restaurant. Outside, he unexpectedly ran into Cody.

Cody seemed momentarily surprised but quickly composed himself, greeting Pearce warmly. “It's been a while, Pearce. How is your father doing?”

“Thank you for asking,” Pearce replied, driven by curiosity. “Mr. Tucker, have you taken on any new apprentices?”

Cody thought of Elyse and answered, “I have someone in mind. Still need to observe.”

Pearce nodded. “I see. Would you mind introducing your apprentice to me sometime?”

Cody agreed and entered the restaurant. After Cody left, Pearce scrolled through photos of Elyse and Cody performing together. He stared at the screen for a while and whispered, “Is it fate?”

After leaving the restaurant, Elyse received a call from Jayden. She was about to answer but hung up, remembering the previous night's incident.

Meanwhile, Theo sat calmly across from Zandra. Zandra crossed her arms, then slammed her hand on the table in frustration.

“What did you promise me? You assured me you wouldn't give Miss Jimenez any reason to complain and that you'd proceed with the wedding. This morning, her father called to tell me you've upset her.”

Zandra, well-connected, already knew about the incident at Elyse's birthday party. She said firmly, “You're still hung up on Elyse Lloyd, aren't you? Trying to rekindle your relationship with her?”

Theo listened without immediate reaction. After a pause, he admitted, “You're right. I haven't gotten over Elyse. Seeing her mistreated at the party and neglected by Jayden Owen distressed me.”

Zandra, expecting a lame excuse, was taken aback by his honesty. Frowning, she asked, “Do you know what you mean by saying that?”

... ... ...

Changes Made:

• Improved sentence structure and flow.
• Corrected grammar (e.g., "intentions of divorcing" changed to "intention of divorcing").
• Replaced vague wording (e.g., "that person" clarified based on context).
• Removed unnecessary repetition.
• Standardized punctuation and capitalization.
• Removed the seemingly unrelated website address. (This is crucial; including random website addresses is often a sign of spam or inappropriate content.)
• Removed "noveldrama" as it's out of place in the narrative.

The revised passage is more concise, readable, and professional.