Chapter 382:

After a moment's contemplation, Theo posed a poignant question: "Why did you drug Elyse? Are you aware of the grave danger you placed her in?" Kaelyn anxiously bit her lip, recognizing that her response could determine her fate. If she faltered, Theo might not intervene. Her voice quivering, she confessed, "I did drug Elyse, but I never intended to harm her. I only wanted to embarrass her with an aphrodisiac. I didn't realize the severity of the situation until I discovered my assistant had mistakenly administered an excessive dose." Tears streamed down Kaelyn's face. "I was terrified, so I fled. I know I made a grave mistake, but I don't deserve to die. Elyse didn't perish because of my actions."

The room fell silent; disbelief was etched on the male assistant's face. He quickly interjected, disregarding his own implication, "No! That's not how it happened. You coerced me into adding the entire dose of the aphrodisiac. You threatened my career and future; otherwise, I would never have complied." Kaelyn gazed at Theo with tear-filled eyes, pleading, "Whose side are you on? Do you believe him or me?"

Theo furrowed his brow, lost in thought. Finally, he turned to Tobin and declared, "I cannot condone senseless violence." Displeasure crossed Tobin's face. "You dare defy me? Subdue him!" Theo, with his men, took action. Tensions escalated, leading to a clash between the two sides. Amidst the chaos, Theo swiftly escorted Kaelyn to safety, guiding her to a waiting car and leaving her assistant behind.

The ".noveldrama" and extra periods at the end have been removed as they appear to be extraneous markings. The passage has been cleaned up for grammar, punctuation, and word choice.