Chapter 1384:

Elyse opened her mouth to speak, but Thea cut her off, saying, “Grandma told you she’d always be your support, didn’t she? That’s nothing but an illusion.”

Elyse looked at her, confused. “What are you trying to say?”

“She won’t truly be there for you. You’re being misled, just like I was, foolishly believing in her promises.” A flicker of loneliness crossed Thea’s eyes as she turned and walked away.

Elyse watched her retreating figure and exhaled quietly, mixed feelings settling in her chest.

When she returned to the living room, she chose not to mention anything about Thea. Instead, she continued chatting casually with Felicia. Their conversation lasted until after five when Pearce came back from work.

He handed a shopping bag to Elyse, saying, “Here, take this. I asked my assistant to pick it up for you. Let me know if it suits your taste.”

Elyse opened the bag to reveal a designer handbag, a limited-edition release for the season.

She recognized the brand immediately. Owning one of their bags required being a top-tier VIP. Regular customers couldn’t even place an order; they had to endure a long waiting list.noveldrama

She stared in disbelief.

“This bag is incredibly difficult to get. How on earth did you manage it?”

Pearce ruffled her hair with a warm smile.

“I bought it, of course. Don’t you have faith in what I can do?”

Elyse clicked her tongue in mild surprise. She truly hadn’t realized how resourceful Pearce was and had always assumed only Jayden had that level of influence.

After Pearce headed upstairs to change and Felicia excused herself to the restroom, Elyse finally found a moment to reflect on the thoughts swirling in her mind.

At the start, she had been able to embrace Jayden and all he brought to the table. So why had that changed later on? Who had changed in the relationship—was it Jayden, or was it her?

She tightened her hands into fists, a wave of bitter frustration welling up inside her. The complexities of her emotions felt like an unsolvable puzzle.

Pearce descended the stairs and immediately spotted Elyse perched on the bottom step, lost in her thoughts, a storm cloud seemingly hanging over her.

He slid down beside her, his voice light but concerned.

“Why the long face? You’ve been wearing that gloomy expression every day. Keep it up.”

Elyse lifted her eyes, her tone flat as she asked, “Pearce, do you have a crush on someone?”

With exaggerated confidence, Pearce puffed out his chest.

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