Chapter 314:

Elyse was preparing gifts for her friends, grateful for their support, when her phone rang insistently. Despite her urge to ignore it, Mabel’s relentless calls forced her to answer.

“Why are you calling?” Elyse asked, her brow furrowed, irritation coloring her tone.

“I jumped off a building because of you,” Mabel’s sarcastic voice replied. “And you won’t even visit? How could I have such a cold-blooded sister?”

Setting down her sheet music, Elyse’s voice turned icy. “You jumped because of me? Are you saying I forced you to commit suicide?”

“Wasn’t I?” Mabel retorted, her lips twisted in disdain. “Why couldn’t I use your work? You weren’t going to release it anyway!”

“You’ve opened my eyes,” Elyse said, anger lacing her voice.

Mabel’s tone softened. “If you still consider me your sister, come to the hospital. I need to tell you something important.”

“I won’t,” Elyse refused immediately.

“Do you want me dead?” Mabel’s voice rose. “The internet’s cursing me! Do you want me to die? Then I might as well end it now!”

Exhausted, Elyse rubbed her temples. She didn’t want to deal with Mabel, but the thought of another suicide attempt made her relent. “What do you want to discuss?”

“Come to the hospital. I’ll explain then,” Mabel said, abruptly ending the call.

Elyse, somber, grabbed her coat and left. Driscoll, noticing her grim expression and departure, voiced his concern. “Considering your recent knee injury, perhaps you should stay.”

“I’ll be fine,” Elyse assured him, waving away his worry. “I need to see my sister at the hospital. I won’t be long.”

Driscoll, silent this time, instructed the driver to prepare the car. At the hospital, Elyse followed Mabel’s directions to the back entrance. Finding herself alone, she frowned. “What did you want to discuss?”

Mabel met her gaze solemnly, beckoning her closer. Then, under Elyse’s questioning stare, she smiled. “Could you lend me eighty million?”

Elyse gasped. “Eighty million? Why?”

“I owe my agency eighty million because of you,” Mabel accused. “Your actions got me banned, and now I owe liquidated damages. It’s all your fault!”

Elyse seethed. “You’re still as stubborn as ever. You’ve learned nothing.”

Mabel tilted her head, her smile innocent yet cold. “So you won’t help me, even with your wealthy husband?”

Elyse remained silent.

As Mabel’s smile faded, desperation replaced the cold composure in her eyes. “If Dad finds out about my debt, he’ll kill me.”

Elyse’s lips tightened. “And you think I should rescue you? Dream on. You’re hardly worthy of being called my sister. You deserve damnation.”

Mabel’s voice was raw with intensity, her eyes darting around. “Don’t let her escape.”

Elyse, alone, felt a presence behind her. A hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her protest to a whimper.

Mabel grinned maniacally. “Your game’s up, Elyse. But your demise will net me eighty million.”

Before she could continue, a black car pulled up. Two men quickly ushered Elyse inside; two others went to Mabel.

Mabel assumed they were there to help her financially. But they seized her arms and dragged her toward the car, ignoring her injured leg. Crying out in pain, she pleaded, “Why are you taking me? Take Elyse instead!”

Bound and gagged in the car, Elyse seethed, shocked by Mabel’s foolish and malicious actions.