Chapter 470:

"You barely know me, and yet you're calling me a hypocrite?" Fiona countered.

Irving crossed his arms, his eyes sparking with annoyance. "Really, Fiona? Do you think you're so benevolent?"

Setting her violin aside, Fiona fixed Irving with a hostile glare. "What have I ever done to you? I bring coffee and snacks to the studio every day. You happily eat what I bring, yet you throw insults my way. Isn't that a bit much?"

"Oh, please," Irving scoffed, miming a gag. "I might as well regurgitate it all." He sneered, adding, "If you were a simple and genuine person, your violin performances wouldn't be all over the place."

Turning to Gavin, he snapped, "And you—stop playing the saint. If you don't like her, just say it. No amount of pretending will mask the discord among us."

Gavin, poised to defuse the situation, paused at Irving's harsh words. He cherished the team spirit, but the frequent spats between Irving and Fiona were disruptive.

"Forget it, just go. I'll stay and help Fiona," Gavin decided, realizing further mediation was futile. Irving was stubborn, and Fiona was equally determined.

With Irving gone, Gavin prepared some tea for Fiona, placing a glass before her. "Take a break before we resume practice."

Fiona accepted the drink without objection, her mind drifting to Elyse's situation. The thought of Elyse's pregnancy made her skeptical about her chances in the final. How could a pregnant woman perform well?

"What will Mr. Tucker do if Elyse doesn't succeed in the final round of the Champions Cup?" Fiona asked.

Surprised by her question, Gavin turned to Fiona. "Why would you assume she'll fail? I'm confident she'll perform well enough to compete internationally."

With a strained smile, Fiona responded, "She doesn't seem to be taking her practice seriously. She's always tired, sleepy, and constantly hungry."

Gavin disagreed, shaking his head. "I believe it's just nerves. Those are all symptoms of anxiety. I hope she finds some time to unwind and rest properly."

Fiona knew the truth but was curious to see if Elyse would embarrass herself in the final, so she remained silent.

Meanwhile, Elyse had just gotten home and noticed Jayden was still out. "Do you know when Jayden will return?" she asked Driscoll.

Driscoll offered a smile but had little information. "I'm not sure. I reached out to him, but got no reply. He might be tied up in a meeting."

"A meeting at Bayzee Group?"

Pondering for a moment, Elyse said, "Okay, just let me know when he arrives."

Driscoll nodded and returned to his duties.

Half an hour later, Jayden entered, heading straight to their room where he found Elyse on the floor, engrossed in her sheet music. As she turned and smiled at him, he quickly crossed the room and, without a word, grabbed her throat. His eyes were bloodshot.

"Elyse, you met with Pearce today, and you're still claiming there's nothing going on between you two? How do you expect me to believe that?"

Elyse was taken aback by Jayden's confrontation. She reached for his hand, struggling to free herself as pain contorted her features.

"You belong to me, Elyse. Do you get that? You're mine!" His voice was a fierce whisper.

Looking into Elyse's eyes, now tinged with distress, Jayden felt an indescribable ache. Why did she continue to see Pearce when he knew it tormented him?

As Elyse's strength waned, her eyes fluttered closed, and she fainted. Jayden released his grip abruptly, watching as she crumpled to the floor.

After a moment, Elyse coughed and gasped for air, slowly pulling herself into a sitting position. Jayden hadn't moved; he was waiting, expecting an explanation.

Rubbing her sore throat, the memory of strangulation still vivid, Elyse wanted to reveal that Pearce was her cousin, her own flesh and blood. But the cold, harsh look in Jayden's eyes made her pause. The realization that he could harm her so deeply was bewildering. Didn't he love her?

A wave of sadness overwhelmed her. Staring at Jayden, her heart breaking, Elyse murmured, "Jayden, did you ever truly love me? Do you even love me the way I love you?"

The changes involve improving sentence structure, fixing punctuation (primarily commas and quotation marks), and tightening the wording for clarity and flow. The story's dramatic tension is preserved.