Chapter 841:

Darren replied, “No, discussing this with you actually feels good. It’s a way to thank you for the pizza.”

Elyse looked at the pizza and responded casually, “Don’t worry about it. It’s just pizza. It’s yours to enjoy.”

Then Darren raised an eyebrow and probed, “Does that mean you and Jayden had a disagreement?”

Caught off guard by the mention of Jayden, Elyse shook her head. “No, not that. Lately, I’ve just been puzzled by love.”

Elyse reflected on her troubling situation with Jayden. Her weary, desolate eyes conveyed her disillusionment as she confessed, “I’ve lost my grasp on what love means. It once seemed so clear, but now, the thought of it often repels me.”

Darren, noticing her distress, furrowed his brows in concern and asked, “What’s been going on with you and Jayden? Has this been a long-standing issue?”

Elyse exhaled deeply and replied, “Let’s not dwell on it. These problems persist regardless of our discussions.”

After a brief pause, her curiosity piqued, she asked, “If the woman you have a crush on were to become available, would you pursue her?”

Darren responded with a gentle shake of his head and a smile.

Surprised, Elyse questioned, as she sipped her drink, “Why not? Isn’t she the one you care about?”

Darren laughed softly and said, “Even if she were single, it wouldn’t change her feelings for me.”

Elyse, puzzled, prodded further, “Why are you so certain? You’re a great catch.”

With a solemn tone, Darren explained, “I’m well aware she harbors feelings for another. Even if we were together, her heart would be elsewhere.”

Elyse, momentarily speechless, bit into her pizza, her thoughts swirling.

Darren broke the silence. “There’s no rush to resolve things with Jayden. Arguments highlight differences, giving you both something to ponder.”

Elyse contemplated that she had become the other woman but chose to keep it to herself, finding it too humiliating to discuss.

Changing the subject, she complimented Darren, “Your maturity is evident. Any woman would be fortunate to be with you.”

Darren, visibly buoyed by the praise, grinned broadly. His hunger seemed insatiable; after devouring a whole pizza, he eyed the menu again, ready for more.

As Darren polished off his meal, Elyse watched him contentedly clutch his full belly. She teased, “That was quite a feast. Aren’t you overdoing it?”

Unfazed, Darren chuckled. “I feel like I’ve been reborn.” He then leaned back, patted his stomach, and released a hearty burp, fully satisfied.

As Elyse picked up her violin case, she asked curiously, “Why do you feel like you’ve been reborn?”