?<strong>Chapter 157:</strong>


    Elyse kept her appointment with Theo, but she wasn’t alone. Jayden’s men apanied and protected her throughout the journey, and she carried a specially made rm device from Jayden. If she pressed a button, Jayden’s men would immediately intervene.


    Arriving on time, Elyse rang the doorbell. Theo opened the door, dressed in a housecoat that made him seem more approachable than usual. He noticed the violin case in her hand and raised an eyebrow, asking, “Just finished your practice?”


    Elyse nodded and asked, “What do you need from me at your ce?”


    “Come in,” Theo said, leaning against the door framezily.


    With a sigh, Elyse walked in reluctantly and bent down to change her shoes. Theo’s gaze drifted to her waist, noticing for the first time how slender and well-proportioned she was. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed it before.


    “Doesn’t Jayden mind youing here?” Theo asked, half-jokingly.


    After slipping into slippers, Elyse gave him a cold nce and said, “You know he would mind, yet you insisted Ie alone. Did you do that deliberately? Just drop the act.”


    Her response caught Theo off guard. Elyse had always been gentle and amodating, never openly defying him. Now she seemed quite cranky. It was then that he realized she was no longer the person she used to be. Her character and temper had shifted, influenced by Jayden. Theo thought ruefully that Jayden had changed her.


    Your imagination starts at g ? ln σ ν?? ??s?conn


    Yet it had only been three months since her marriage to Jayden. Had she really forgotten their three years together in such a short time? Theo struggled toe to terms with this change.


    “You’ve developed a sharp temper, Elyse. You should work on that,” Theo remarked with a hint of malice.


    Elyse snorted and retorted, “Why should I listen to you? What right do you have to demand that I change?”


    Taken aback by her defiance—she had once been sopliant—Theo felt a surge of displeasure. Meanwhile, Elyse, feeling irked, sat down on the sofa and dered, “I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”


    Reading her intentions, Theomented, “You n to leave right after the meal, don’t you?”


    Elyse shook her head, giving Theo a contrived smile, and replied, “No, I take this meeting seriously. The meal isn’t ready yet,” Theo said, ncing toward the busy chef in the kitchen.


    Elyse didn’t lie. She was indeed hungry. She surveyed the room and noticed some berries on a te. Pointing at them, she looked questioningly at Theo. He gestured for her to help herself. After expressing her gratitude, Elyse started eating the berries.


    Mid-bite, Theo posed his question, “When did you fall in love with me?”


    Choking on the fruit, Elyse coughed violently. After catching her breath, she looked at him with disbelief. “Is that really why you asked me toe here?”


    Theo nodded affirmatively and continued, “If you truly loved me, how could you so quickly develop feelings for someone else? You never really loved me, did you?”


    Elyse rolled her eyes and countered, “Theo Ward, consider how I treated you in the past. I gave you love, care, and never disappointed you, right?”


    Theo reflected carefully. During their time together, he couldn’t recall any significant problems. “You should know whether I loved you or not,” he said.


    Elyse, frustrated, responded, “Don’t ask such foolish questions again. You’ve never loved me. While you were with me, you were always looking after Kaelyn. Why didn’t you just date her?”


    Theo frowned and exined, “I’ve told you many times I was kind to Kaelyn out of gratitude, not love.”


    “Gratitude? You’re willing to do anything for her,” Elyse retorted, clearly not convinced by his exnation. Previously, this topic had often led to arguments between them. Unable to tolerate it further, Theo eximed, “Remember when we were camping on a hill and encountered a mudslide? Kaelyn carried me all the way down the hill,” he added, feeling helpless. “Kaelyn saved my life. I can’t just abandon her.”


    Upon hearing this, Elyse’s face took on a peculiar expression. Shaking with emotion, she yelled, “It was me who carried you down that damned hill!”


    .


    .


    .