Chapter 297

Hearing Lanny's words, Glenda shivered but remained silent. He glared at her intensely and commanded, "Come into the room with me." Lanny entered a room first. Mabel pulled Glenda aside, whispering anxiously, "Mom, once this is over, you should divorce Dad."

Glenda's eyes widened in disbelief. "Divorce him?"

Mabel nodded firmly. "He's bad-tempered. He hit you hard earlier. I saw it. It broke my heart. You'd be better off without him."

Glenda wrung her hands, her voice tinged with worry. "But what about afterward? I don't have any money. How will I manage?"

Lanny had a notorious temper, often taking his frustrations out on Glenda. However, he compensated by giving her a substantial allowance each month. This allowed Glenda to afford expensive items daily, living a life of luxury. How could she maintain this lifestyle if she left him?

Mabel noticed her mother's concern and said earnestly, "Mom, once I'm back in show business, I'll have plenty of opportunities for ads and endorsements. I can help you financially if you need it."

Glenda felt a flicker of temptation. Mabel's potential earnings suggested a more comfortable life without Lanny. Yet, a sudden thought stopped her. Her expression softened into an awkward smile as she suggested, "Maybe we should drop the idea of divorce for now. Your father and I are managing, and there's really no pressing need to separate."

Mabel's brow furrowed in confusion. "Mom, what's holding you back? What are you and Dad so afraid of regarding Jayden? Isn't Elyse your daughter and Jayden your son-in-law? Why does he intimidate you?"

Glenda was at a loss for words. Elyse was not actually their daughter, which complicated their relationship with Jayden. "It's not something for you to worry about. I need to discuss this with your father," she said, trying to soothe Mabel before entering the room.

Mabel sighed in frustration as she watched her mother walk away. The gravity of the situation baffled her. Inside, Lanny caught Glenda's nervous glance and mocked, "Scared now, are you? Why weren't you scared when you supported Mabel yesterday? You directly defied Jayden's orders. Do you want to get us both killed?"

Glenda lacked confidence. "We're okay, aren't we? Jayden didn't do anything to us. Maybe Mabel's right. It was just a threat. He won't actually harm us."

Lanny laughed bitterly. "Mabel is naive. Why are you acting just like her?" He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and inhaled deeply. "If Jayden were truly lenient, would he have demanded we wait outside his villa all night and apologize to Elyse? Is that how a son-in-law treats his parents-in-law?"

Glenda's face tightened, the memory of Jayden's menacing demeanor from the previous morning clouding her expression. She snapped back to reality and asked anxiously, "What do we do now? Is Jayden actually going to harm us?"

Lanny sneered. "So now you realize you've messed up, huh?"

Glenda's fear was palpable. "What should we do?"

"You've openly offended him. If things escalate as Mabel suggested, we'll have to rely on Elyse. She's our daughter; she can't just ignore this," Lanny took another drag of his cigarette and spoke calmly.

Glenda paused and voiced her concern. "What if she finds out one day that we're not her real parents?"

"Don't ever let her find out," Lanny interjected sharply. A moment later, his expression changed as he remembered something and narrowed his eyes. "Have you checked if that old woman is at the nursing home?"

Glenda replied with a hint of embarrassment, "I went there, but I couldn't figure out a way to sneak in."

"Useless," Lanny's eyes flashed angrily. "We can't let her spill our secret."

Glenda trembled and nodded in agreement, overwhelmed by fear. That secret, known only to them, had to remain hidden.

Fresh from a shower, Elyse picked up her phone and dialed Darren's number. When Darren answered, he asked casually, "What's up?"

"It's about the surveillance footage. I want to check it myself. Can I get into the monitoring room?" Elyse was currently suspended and unsure if she could access the monitoring room.

Darren responded with concern, "You can get in, but it might be better if you didn't. There are paparazzi outside the building waiting for you. If you show up, they might follow you."

Elyse felt frustrated. "Isn't there another way? I'm feeling anxious just sitting at home. I'd like to come over and help you guys."

After a moment's thought, Darren replied, "Okay, I'll work something out. Just let me know when you're about to arrive, and I'll come out to meet you."

Elyse nodded, relieved. "Alright, I'm leaving now." . . .