Chapter 424

Peyton glanced at a relieved Elyse and asked curiously, "Jayden's got thick skin. What's worrying you about him?"

Elyse, browsing the medical records, looked up and replied, "He's not as tough as you think. He can be quite fragile, so be kind to him."

Jayden cocked his head, looking at Peyton with a mix of defiance and smugness.

Peyton tugged at his ear, wondering if he'd misunderstood. "Do you really think Jayden is fragile?" he asked.

Elyse paused, realizing her words weren't precise enough, and clarified, "He gets hurt easily."

Peyton fell silent, observing Jayden trying to suppress a chuckle, then glanced enviously at Elyse. He felt trapped watching their public display of affection.

Jayden composed himself and said sternly, "Let's hurry and buy the ointment so we can go home early."

"Okay," Elyse said. Putting away the medical records, she gave Peyton a sweet smile. "Thank you for your effort. You should come over next time."

Peyton pocketed one hand and waved with the other, smiling at Elyse. He believed Jayden spent his days deceiving his wife.

Elyse and Jayden exited the hospital, climbed into their car, and headed home. Elyse checked her phone and found a message from Gavin inquiring about her tune choice for the semifinals. This surprised her, and she chatted with him, unsure what to pick.

Beside her, Jayden felt neglected and tapped his fingers irritably on the armrest. Moments later, he leaned over and asked, "Who are you texting?"

Engrossed in her chat, Elyse overlooked Jayden's frustration. She answered casually, "I'm figuring out the tune selection with Gavin. Once we decide, the grueling practice begins."

Jayden, not well-versed in the music industry, usually didn't involve himself in Elyse's career unless she needed his support.

"Is choosing the right tune that important?" he asked.

Nodding, Elyse opened a video from a previous Champions Cup and scrolled through it casually, explaining, "I need to pass the semifinals to reach the final. The final determines how many compete internationally. Everyone shows their true capability in the final to secure an international spot."

Jayden rested his chin on his hand, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Do you have a tune you're particularly good at?"

Elyse looked up seriously and said, "I excel at smooth tunes, but in competition, I need to perform technical pieces to score well." The competitive arena wasn't like her solo concerts, where technical prowess often determined the rankings. This was her weakest area.

Thinking about this, Elyse felt a growing sense of dread. She resolved to practice intensely once they got home, fearing defeat.

Seeing Elyse's serious expression, Jayden underestimated the gravity of the situation. He assumed she would relax and enjoy her usual routines once home.

Once home, Elyse asked Driscoll to call her for dinner later, then took her violin case to the small garden.

Inside, Tracy was depressed. Hearing the music, she went downstairs and into the living room. She asked curiously, "Elyse made it to the next round, didn't she? Why is she practicing so diligently?"

Jayden expected Elyse to dote on him, especially since they'd been inseparable since she learned Brook had beaten him. Now, having been assaulted by Theo, he wondered why he wasn't receiving the same attention. The more he dwelled on it, the angrier he became. By nightfall, he'd lost his temper.

The bedroom light was off. As Elyse lay half-asleep, a heavy weight pressed down on her. She opened her eyes and asked groggily, "What are you doing?"

"I'm claiming what you owe me," Jayden replied harshly.

Almost immediately, Elyse felt her nightgown being tugged. Her eyes snapped open to see Jayden's handsome face close in, and then he kissed her.

"Stop! When did I owe you? Haven't you been overindulging yourself lately? You're supposed to be healing. Shouldn't you be abstaining?" she asked, flustered, quickly pushing him away.

Jayden scoffed, "Abstain? All I know is I want you, and you're going to comply." He moved toward her aggressively.

Suddenly, Elyse found herself exposed, her body pressed closely against his. While enduring his advances, she marveled at his energy, given his injury. With this thought, she pinched his arm and demanded fiercely, "Are you really hurt…or not? Are you pretending?"

Elyse's words broke through as Jayden realized she was getting wise to his lies. It seemed he couldn't rely on this tactic much longer.

The ellipsis at the end suggests more text follows, but that's all that was provided.