Chapter 620:

Weary from violin practice, Elyse sank into a chair in the villa's garden, cradling a steaming cup of tea. The phone on the table buzzed. She picked it up to find a message from Irving: "Gavin's future girlfriend!" Attached was a photo of Gavin and Freda together; the angle suggested it had been taken secretly.

Elyse's curiosity was piqued. "What's going on between them? Are they seeing each other?"

Irving replied almost instantly: "No idea. But relationships are unpredictable. Let's see how things unfold."

Elyse smiled and replied, "Okay."

After sending the message, Elyse leaned back, lost in thought. Just then, Tracy approached, looking downcast and distracted. Seeing Tracy's troubled expression, Elyse asked gently, "Tracy, what's wrong? Is it about Shaun again?"

Tracy shook her head, her voice quivering. "No, it's not that." She covered her face and sobbed, her anguish palpable. Elyse, feeling helpless, knelt beside her and asked urgently, "Are you in trouble? Please tell me. I'll do whatever I can to help."

But Tracy just shook her head, refusing to speak.

Just then, Driscoll appeared. "Mrs. Owen, Shaun is here again. He says he misses Tracy and wants to see her."

"Let him in. I'll talk to him myself," Elyse said, standing and heading toward the living room.

Shaun entered shortly after. As soon as he saw Elyse, he asked, "Where's Tracy? Is she around?"

Elyse's anger flared. "What did you do to her? She's a wreck today. Did you hurt her again? Tell me the damn truth!"

Though Shaun bristled at the accusation, he picked up on the key detail. "Tracy's in a bad mood today? Where is she? I need to see her."

Elyse's voice was sharp with irritation. "How dare you ask? Wasn't it you who upset her?"

Shaun's expression was as cold as ever. "I've been nothing but respectful. I haven't done anything to her. If she's upset, it's certainly not because of me."

Elyse sneered. "And what gives you the gall to claim that?"

As they squared off, Tracy approached, her face as pale as a ghost. She glanced briefly at Shaun before turning to Elyse. "I'm fine. Don't fuss over me."

Then, addressing Shaun, she said, "You wanted to talk to me, right? Let's go to the garden."

Shaun nodded and followed Tracy quickly.

Elyse, stewing on the sofa, thought Shaun was a real thorn in her side. Driscoll approached, noticing Elyse's sour mood. He spoke with gentle concern: "Don't let this get to you. You need to take care of yourself."

Elyse's eyes flashed. "Don't you think Shaun's gone too far? If he truly loved Tracy, why did he put her through so much heartache before? Now he's realized his mistakes, but Tracy wants nothing to do with him."

Driscoll sighed. "At my age, I've seen things differently."

Elyse's curiosity was piqued. "How do you see Tracy and Shaun's situation?"

Driscoll smiled softly. "It seems like fate is playing a cruel joke on them, but perhaps it's all part of their journey. You think they should part ways for their good, but sometimes the pain they're enduring now might forge a stronger bond in the future."

Elyse frowned. "But what if they keep hurting each other, tangled in a web of pain, proving time and again they're not meant to be, and eventually split up?"

Driscoll sighed more deeply. "That's fate too. We can only go as far as it allows. Those who wish to stay might find they cannot, and those who want to leave might find it impossible. That's the nature of relationships."

Elyse mulled over Driscoll's words, a new thought taking root. How far would she and Jayden go? They were married, seemingly destined to be together forever, but why did she feel an undercurrent of uncertainty? It was like Jayden loved her, but not wholeheartedly.

Elyse fell silent, lost in her thoughts, oblivious to Jayden's return. She snapped out of her reverie and looked up at him. "Not at all," she pouted.

Jayden found her expression adorable. He explained, "Lowell and Dolores are still in Watsear. I'm not sure why they haven't left, but it seems related to Shaun."

Elyse, touching her chin, pondered, increasingly convinced Lowell and Dolores' presence involved Shaun. She sighed deeply. "Dolores and Shaun are truly tough nuts to crack. I can't figure out what they're thinking."

Jayden remarked lightly, "If you understood their thoughts, you wouldn't be sighing like this."

At that moment, Elyse heard a sharp, angry voice: "Get out! I don't want to see you anymore!" It was Tracy, her voice piercing the calm.

Startled, Elyse set down a bouquet, slipped into her shoes, and dashed outside. Jayden watched her hurried exit with a sigh, grabbing her coat as he followed.

Outside, Tracy was visibly upset, hitting Shaun frantically, while he stood silently, absorbing the blows like a statue. To any onlooker, it might seem like Shaun was merely enduring a tantrum, but Elyse knew the truth—Shaun was the asshole.

Elyse intervened, pulling Tracy into a protective embrace. "I'm here now. Calm down, I'll take care of you." She then shot Shaun a piercing look. "What did you say to her?"

Shaun's lips were a tight line, his eyes lingering on Tracy, who was struggling to breathe. Elyse stepped between them, shielding Tracy. "What did you say to her? Can't you see how upset she is? Are you trying to drive her mad?"

Jayden arrived, draping the coat over Elyse's shoulders. He turned to Shaun, his voice firm. "You'd better explain yourself."

Shaun glanced at Jayden before addressing Elyse, his tone flat. "I told her to come back to Liverton with me. After all, we've been together multiple times. Who else would have her?"

Hearing this, Elyse's expression darkened. "How could you say such a thing? Don't you realize how much you've hurt her? If you truly want to be with her, how can you act in ways that hurt her?" Her voice was laden with disbelief.

Tracy placed a calming hand on Elyse's shoulder, her face pale, her voice quiet. "He doesn't understand. People like him can't grasp what love is." She paused, her eyes settling on Shaun with a mix of sadness and resignation. "He doesn't know love, nor how to love. He follows his instincts, thinking that keeping someone close in that way is enough. He believes that if he feels comfortable, that must be love. But that's not love. It's just hurt."