Chapter 909:

As Jayden drove away, unaware he was being watched, Kaelyn stood on a distant tower overlooking the town, her binoculars trained on him. Mabel, Elyse’s sister, stood beside her.

“Jayden isn’t easy,” Kaelyn said calmly. “To get to Elyse, we need another approach.”

Mabel’s eyes flickered with jealousy, but her anger burned brighter. “How is Elyse so lucky? Why did she marry him?”

“Who knows?” Kaelyn replied, equally perplexed.

At the wedding, Kaelyn had expected Elyse to fall into disgrace. Instead, Elyse had formed a powerful bond with Jayden.

Had Kaelyn known the disastrous outcome, she never would have called Theo. What she’d hoped would be a swift resolution had created more obstacles, compounding her frustration. “Since we can’t strike yet, let’s use someone else.” Her voice was smooth and calculating, a sly smile curling her lips. A new plan ignited a spark of renewed determination.

Meanwhile, Jayden entered the house and saw Elyse on the sofa, clutching a pillow, lost in thought. He hadn’t seen her so contemplative before, so he paused to observe her.

Feeling watched, Elyse looked up and met Jayden’s tender gaze. Startled, she set aside the pillow and hurried to him, concern etched on her face. “How did it go? Are you alright? Did Charlie hurt you?”

Jayden averted his gaze, touched by her worry. He truly grasped what it meant to be cared for.

Elyse, puzzled, waved her hand before his face. “What’s wrong? You’re so quiet. Are you injured?”

Jayden shook his head. “I’m fine, but some crazy sex might speed up my recovery,” he half-joked.

Shock registered on Elyse’s face. “Is that all you ever think about? Is intimacy the only way you respond?”

His words took Jayden back to Aarya.

In a dimly lit basement, Aarya struggled, blood dripping from her lips. Her eyes, wide with fear and sadness, fixed on Jayden as she asked, “Did you ever truly love me?”

Taken aback by her question, even in her final moments, Jayden responded lightly, cruelly, “Are you worried about my love now?”

Tears in her eyes, Aarya persisted, “It doesn’t make sense. You were always kind and tender, sharing bedtime stories. If you didn’t care, why all that tenderness?” . . .