Chapter 776:

Gleefully, Aarya taunted, “I told you Jayden only cares about me. You never should have schemed against me. Looks like you’re learning that the hard way, aren’t you?”

With a fond smile, Jayden reassured her, “There was never anything to worry about. Haven’t I always told you that you’re the one I love? But you kept doubting me. Do you believe me now?”

Wrapping her arm around Jayden’s, Aarya beamed up at him. “I was foolish, honey. It won’t happen again.”

Jayden tenderly held Aarya’s hand, lifting it to his lips for a gentle kiss. His lips curled into a warm smile, radiating serene elegance. “Remember, you are my one and only in this life,” he murmured softly.

Aarya’s cheeks flushed deeply, her eyes full of love. She responded with a shy, sweet smile. “I’ll remember that,” she whispered.

“Let’s head inside. It’s getting cold out here,” Jayden suggested, casting a significant glance towards Elyse as they turned to leave.

Elyse, lying on her side, appeared frail and disheveled. She watched Jayden with a look of profound bitterness as his indifferent expression met her gaze. She had been kneeling in the snow so long that her knees felt as though they were stung by countless icy needles. Drenched and freezing, she felt her blood slowly icing over, her shivering uncontrollable. Snowflakes gently descended upon her, each one seeming to hasten her transformation into what she imagined might soon be the garden’s most exquisite ice sculpture.

Gazing in the direction Jayden had gone, Elyse felt a surge of despair. Her body felt numb, her spirit crushed by the betrayal of her deepest affections, leaving her heart too weary to feel.

Inside, by a cozy fireplace, Aarya played idly with her phone while Jayden sat on the sofa, stealing glances out the window towards where Elyse lay. Despite his discretion, Aarya caught on to his frequent looks outside.

Setting her phone aside, she fixed a piercing gaze on him. “Honey, you’re not worried about Elyse, are you? Do you still have feelings for her? Are you lying to me?” she asked, her voice trembling with vulnerability.

Her demeanor shifted suddenly, her eyes widening in a mix of fear and anger. “Do you still love Elyse? Was everything you told me a lie?”

Jayden faced Aarya’s intense scrutiny head-on, admitting, “Yes, I am worried about Elyse.”

“So you do still care about her. You liar!” Aarya’s response was immediate and visceral. She snatched up her phone and hurled it at him, hitting him squarely in the chest.

Silence hung in the air before Jayden spoke again. “Consider the chaos it would cause if Elyse were to die here, especially now,” he reasoned.

Aarya’s fury abated slightly, yet her voice remained strained as she retorted, “It’s just one person’s death. My father can handle it.”

Jayden’s expression turned serious. “Elyse isn’t just anybody. She’s tipped to win the upcoming violin competition, and she’s caught quite a bit of attention. I know your father can handle situations like this, but…”

He paused, his voice taking on a graver tone. “You’ve matured. This isn’t the time to burden your father with more risks, is it?”

Aarya was initially persuaded by Jayden’s argument but felt a nagging sense of unease, as if something didn’t sit right.

After a brief silence, she asked somberly, “So, you want Elyse to stay alive?”

“Yes, until everything is settled, I want no uncertainties troubling your family,” Jayden affirmed.

Aarya responded with reluctance, “Alright, I understand. Let’s just send her away.”

She walked over to Jayden and touched the spot where the phone had struck him, her voice filled with concern. “Are you hurt? I didn’t mean to harm you.”