Chapter 980:

She turned to him, her voice quiet yet piercing. “Do you really hate me that much?”

Quinn’s jaw tightened. He spat out, “You bullied my girlfriend.”

Elyse’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “I don’t like Fiona, that’s true. But do you even know why?”

Noticing the puzzled look on Quinn’s face, Elyse realized Fiona hadn’t been honest with him. She approached him, leaned in, and whispered in his ear.

Quinn’s expression shifted to disbelief, his eyes flickering with doubt.

Elyse shrugged, her smile broadening. “You don’t believe me? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Uncertainty clouded Quinn’s eyes. “Do you even know what you’re talking about?”

“Yes. I worry the truth might be too much for you, and you could react badly, possibly hurting someone,” Elyse replied, still smiling.

Quinn shook his head. “That won’t happen. I need to know who’s lying.”

At that point, Quinn seemed to regain his composure. After a chaotic day, he sensed something wasn’t right.

Elyse and Quinn walked back to the rehearsal room, facing curious glances from their peers, but both remained silent.

Once the rehearsal concluded, Elyse grabbed her instrument case but couldn’t find Edward. Geraldine approached, a curious look on her face. “What are you looking for?” she asked.

Elyse responded, puzzled. “Where’s Edward? Why isn’t he here?”

“He left about an hour ago, claiming a stomachache and needing to go to the hospital,” Geraldine explained with a shrug. “His acting was unconvincing, though. Only the instructor fell for it and let him go. I think he just wanted an excuse to leave early.”

Elyse nodded in understanding. As the governor’s son, Edward might have had an urgent matter. However, she was concerned about being allowed back into the Moon Palace alone. Worry was evident on her face.

Exiting the music hall, she reached the entrance and encountered Louise. Impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, black cloak, and a hat adorned with lace and silk flowers, Louise, in high-heeled black shoes, looked down at Elyse with a haughty expression.

Taken aback, Elyse asked, “What are you doing here?”

Louise tilted her chin up, adopting a patronizing tone. “Edward sent me to fetch you. He was called away on a sudden assignment and had to leave by helicopter. He didn’t have time to say goodbye, so he sent me to look after you.”