Chapter 350:

After discovering that Glenda and Lanny weren't her biological parents, Elyse felt many pieces of the puzzle fall into place. This revelation explained years of neglect and their constant preference for Mabel. Compared to her questions about her biological parents, Elyse was less interested in questioning Lanny and Glenda. She only wanted to uncover the truth about her origins. With a firm voice, she asked, "Where can I find information about my birth parents?"

Lanny stole a glance at Glenda; a silent conversation passed between them. He cleared his throat. "They... they passed away," he mumbled, the words heavy with emotion.

Glenda nodded. "We adopted you after they died," she added, her voice flat.

The news hit Elyse hard. Her breath caught, the air suddenly heavy with an unspoken weight. Jayden, ever the skeptic, was unconvinced. He narrowed his eyes at the couple. "Both of them? How? What's the connection between you and them?"

Jayden's questions caught Lanny off guard. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He crumbled under Jayden's scrutiny, pinching his thigh to regain his composure. He stammered, "Car... car accident. Shortly after Elyse was born. Elyse's mother is my younger sister. I felt responsible, so I adopted her."

Fearing doubt, Lanny raised a hand. "I swear on it. Every word. God as my witness."

"Your younger sister? So you're my uncle," Elyse said, struggling to accept this, clenching her teeth to hide her vulnerability.

"Yes," Lanny confirmed. "We were close. I raised her."

Elyse took a shaky breath, her eyes welling up. "Their names," she choked out.

Glenda started to answer, but Lanny interrupted. "Jazmine Lloyd is your mother. And Rickey Owen, your father... well, he wasn't a good man."

Glenda frowned, shooting Lanny a confused look, but remained silent.

Jayden stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So there was a Rickey Owen, but he's dead. That explains why my searches yielded nothing."

Elyse's face remained impassive. Lanny squirmed under her gaze, unable to read her thoughts. An idea sparked in his eyes. "Your mother," he added hastily, "hated your father. He never gave her a decent life."

Elyse held up a hand, silencing him. "Where are they buried?" she demanded, her voice steely.

Lanny blinked, momentarily stumped. "Where... where are the ashes?"

Noticing his hesitation, Glenda's anxiety increased. "We... we didn't bury them. The ashes are in the storage room."

Jayden picked up on their discomfort. "You threw them away?"

"No," Glenda blurted, panic in her voice. "The storage room. In our house."

Lanny, lost in thought, could only stare at her. Elyse's gaze hardened. "You put their ashes in the storage room?"

Flustered, Glenda stammered, "Your mother didn't want to be buried with your father. We were overwhelmed and forgot about burying their ashes. It's been over two decades." Elyse didn't believe a word, but it didn't matter. "If Lanny truly loved his sister, he would have loved her child, too."

Elyse felt immense fatigue. She could barely move. "I want their ashes."

Lanny's eyes widened. "They're gone, child. Why do you need their ashes? Besides, your mother loathed your father."

Elyse dug her nails into her palms, the physical pain a dull echo of her anger. Her eyes blazed. "They're my parents. It doesn't matter how they felt about each other."

This was the first time Elyse had openly defied him. Lanny, irritated and flushed, swallowed his anger. Jayden, his voice firm, issued an ultimatum. "Two days to deliver the ashes here. Or you'll face the consequences."