Chapter 351:

Lanny frowned, feeling cornered. "It's not that we refuse your request," he said, "but after you bulldozed my villa, finding two small urns of ashes in all that rubble is extremely difficult."

Jayden poured himself a glass of water, calmly took a sip, and asked, "So you're blaming me?"

Lanny's expression shifted; he offered an awkward smile. "Of course not. It's my fault for not securing the ashes properly."

Elyse remained expressionless, deep in thought. As Glenda and Lanny fidgeted, Elyse spoke. "I want photos of my parents."

Lanny looked embarrassed. "I only have photos of your mother, not your father."

Elyse demanded, with a frosty demeanor, "Why?"

Lanny sighed. "Didn't I tell you your mother hated your father? That's why I have no photos of them together."

"Then give me the photos of my mother," Elyse stated impassively.

Lanny nodded and started to leave, but paused after a few steps, turning back with an awkward smile. "Elyse, knowing we're not your real parents, are you still willing to consider us as your parents?"

Elyse stared at them for a long moment before replying slowly, "I only have one set of parents. They are dead."

Lanny's expression darkened slightly, but he maintained his smile. "I understand," he said thoughtfully. "From now on, you can call me uncle. We haven't treated you well, and we don't deserve to be called your mom and dad." He hurried from the ward, casting a lingering, malevolent glance at the unconscious Dorothy before leaving.

Glenda followed, catching up to him as he muttered curses under his breath. "What an ingrate," he grumbled. "I raised her, and she disregards our past kinship."

Glenda pursed her lips. "You never treated her well. It's only natural she doesn't recognize you as her father."

Lanny shot her a sharp look. "If she disowns us, we'll lose our connection to the Owen family, and our resources will dwindle."

Glenda bit her lip, worried. "Then what can we do? The maternity test is done. It's all because of that damned Dorothy. Despite being tortured, she's still alive."

Lanny's expression darkened, a hint of viciousness creeping in.

"But why did you say Elyse's father was a nobody? I remember him being quite powerful. He had a good relationship with Jasmine, and Jasmine loved him deeply, didn't she?" Glenda voiced her concerns.

"Are you an idiot?" Lanny snapped, his teeth clenched. "That man was extraordinary. He managed to gather those funds so quickly; he must hold a prestigious position."

Taken aback, Glenda replied, "I didn't think too much about it. Not ordinary people have his kind of aura and resources."

Lanny scoffed. "The reason I maligned him was to keep Elyse from seeking out her father's relatives."

Glenda still didn't understand. "What harm was there in Elyse finding her real family?"

Lanny scoffed again. "Now Elyse has married into the wealthy Owen family. Can you handle it if her father's relatives turn out to be famous and influential, and she climbs the social ladder again?"

Glenda was shocked. She couldn't accept it. Now that Elyse was married to Jayden and living luxuriously, she regretted their actions. If Elyse's father was indeed prominent, Elyse would be a woman of influence. Glenda gritted her teeth; she couldn't stomach this reality. She wanted Elyse to remain as downtrodden as they were.

Glenda's frustration turned to worry. "Jayden asked us to find the ashes. It's been so long, and we still don't know where they are. We need to look for them," Lanny said. "If we don't find them, we can't report back to Jayden. He might bankrupt us. He's primarily concerned with his company."

Back in the ward, Elyse slumped in her chair, head bowed. Jayden brought her a glass of hot water. "Are you all right?" he asked with concern.

Elyse nodded. "I'm fine. Just a little disappointed."

"What are you disappointed about?" Jayden asked.

Elyse's fingertips were cold as she rubbed the glass, savoring the warmth. "I was happy learning Glenda wasn't my mother because I thought I could meet my biological mother. I wanted to talk to her about my hardships and have her hug and kiss me so I wouldn't hold any grudges about her not raising me."

After a pause, she smiled bitterly. "But since she is dead, those hopes remain just that—hopes. I have no parents left."