Chapter 602:

Elyse sneered, snatched the paper from the table, and began reading Mabel's story. "What do you think you're doing? Give it back!" Mabel lunged, but Elyse stopped her.

Embarrassment and anger flared in Mabel's eyes. "You're out of your mind! Get out of my mother's room!"

After reading the story, Elyse sneered. "Mabel, if you can't behave, I'll teach you some lessons."

Elyse's domineering stance ignited Mabel's long-buried resentment. She snatched back the paper. "Wasn't I telling the truth? Aren't you an ungrateful bitch? My mother is ill, lying in bed, and you haven't even glanced at her since you arrived! Don't play the victim; you don't deserve it."

Elyse, her temper flaring, tore the paper to shreds and scattered the pieces on the floor. "You have no right to say that," she spat, her voice sharp with fury. "And your mother doesn't deserve my respect."

"I'll thrash you!" Mabel shouted, her eyes blazing.

Mabel considered Elyse cold and ruthless, showing little consideration or gratitude to those who had raised her. She wondered why someone as terrible as Elyse lived in luxury while she struggled.

The room erupted into chaos as Elyse and Mabel grappled. To save money, Mabel had placed Glenda in a shared room with three other patients. As Elyse and Mabel wrestled, the others backed away.

Peyton and Irving arrived, witnessing Mabel pinned to the floor while Elyse rained blows upon her. "Hey, little tyrant, do you still value your health?" Irving exclaimed frantically. Cody and Gavin had assigned him to Elyse's protection; any injury to her would be his fault. He rushed to help Elyse to her feet, but she resisted, proving too strong. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be weak? Where's all this strength coming from?" he asked, bewildered.

Elyse, consumed by rage and hatred, ignored him. Her loathing, festering for years and intensified by Mabel's constant oppression and the revelation that Lanny had murdered her parents, had finally boiled over. She had delayed vengeance only because of her pregnancy. With her baby gone, her thirst for retribution was unleashed.

Mabel, initially holding her own, was overwhelmed. Collapsing to the floor, she sobbed and cursed, "Elyse, you wretch! How dare you hit me? I'll ruin you on TV!"

Elyse's voice was icy. "Go ahead, expose me. If you dare, I'll have your entire family thrown in jail!"

"You're using your influence for personal gain! I can sue you!" Mabel threatened, aware of Elyse's connections to Jayden.

"Enough!" Glenda, regaining consciousness, struggled out of bed and crawled to shield Mabel. Her voice trembling, she said, "Take your anger out on me, not my daughter! She doesn't know anything."

Elyse's face hardened. "Just because Mabel's ignorant, she gets to act with impunity? How did you treat me when I was in the dark?"

Glenda met her gaze. "If you have grievances, aim them at me. I can withstand your wrath, but Mabel can't."

Elyse seethed. Glenda was flaunting her maternal love. A murderous glint appeared in Elyse's eyes. She licked her lips and sneered. "Spare your daughter and only target you? Did you ask my mother's opinion when you decided that? Would my mother agree to target only you and not your daughter?"

Glenda was stunned. "How could you say such a thing?"

Elyse looked down at Glenda with icy detachment. "You want me to let Mabel off the hook? Fine. Go ask my mother. If she consents, I'll spare Mabel. But if you can't get her consent, I'll make sure your whole family suffers!"