?<strong>Chapter 346:</strong>


    Perched on the bench outside the operating room, Elyse’s gaze fixed on the empty bench across from her, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. Beside her, Glenda, eager to engage, found herself repeatedly silenced by Elyse’s apparent detachment.


    Breaking the silence, Jayden approached Elyse, asking, “What are your thoughts?” Elyse, her fingers nervously clutching her dress, struggled to articte her response; the elderly woman’s words had stirred chaos within her. After a moment, she shook her head in dejection.


    Unable to restrain herself any longer, Glenda interjected into the conversation, “Are you truly going to lend credence to the ramblings of that entric woman? She’s lying. I am your mother.” Elyse frowned, feeling an instinctual aversion towards Glenda’s forceful demeanor rising within her.


    Jayden stroked his chin thoughtfully before suggesting, “If that’s the case, why don’t you two consider undergoing a maternity test?” Both Elyse and Glenda were startled by the unexpected suggestion. “A maternity test?” Elyse’s uncertainty was palpable. “Is that really necessary?”


    Glenda’s jaw clenched, her re directed at Jayden, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. With a determined nod, Jayden responded firmly, “Undoubtedly, it’s imperative. Should the results affirm your biological rtionship, it will unequivocally debunk thatdy’s usations as mere ramblings. You can then dismiss her words without hesitation.”


    Jayden’s gaze briefly shifted towards Glenda, its intensity a silent inquiry. “What are your thoughts on my suggestion?” Within Glenda, a tumultuous desire to silence Jayden simmered, yet she suppressed her anger, forcing a smile as she reluctantly agreed to his proposal.


    Jayden’s scrutiny remained fixed on Glenda’s face, observing every subtle nuance of emotion that crossed her features. Since Glenda’s arrival at the ward, Jayden had harbored an uneasy suspicion that something was awry. He was convinced of a connection between Glenda and the elderly woman—they exchanged unspoken cues upon their first encounter, as evidenced by Glenda’s initial words, “What are you doing here?” This, coupled with Jayden’s lingering doubts about Glenda’s rtionship with Elyse, presented an opportune moment to initiate the maternity test.


    Jayden summoned Peyton, entrusting him with overseeing the process. After providing Peyton with a thorough briefing, Jayden was met with astonishment at Peyton’s question, “If this test disproves your connection, where are your biological parents?”


    As Elyse handed the nurse a sample of her hair, Peyton’s question lingered in the air, her eyes clouded with bewilderment.


    It was a notion that had never crossed her mind before: If Lanny and Glenda weren’t her parents, then who were the individuals who had brought her into this world?


    Jayden’s eyes rolled at Peyton’s inquiry. “Let’s hold off on those questions until we have the results. Now, back to your duties.”


    Peyton’s lips tightened slightly in dissatisfaction as he made his way to Glenda’s side. Glenda fiercely resisted Peyton’s attempts to obtain a hair sample. Despite the intervention of two nurses, they couldn’t extract a single strand from Glenda’s obstinate head. Yet Peyton, with skillful precision, reached out and plucked a hair.


    Glenda stomped her feet in frustration, threatening to report Peyton’s bold action. Unperturbed by her threat, Peyton shrugged indifferently. This hospital belonged to his family. What did he have to fear from a mereint?


    Filled with apprehension, Glenda felt her body tense, unable to find stillness. Sheprehended the inevitable truth awaiting Elyse once the maternity test results were disclosed. She was consumed by fear, dreading the moment when Elyse would receive the report and confront her about her true parentage. How could she possibly respond?


    Glenda’s grip on her handbag tightened as panic surged through her, urging her to flee. epting the hot water Jayden offered, Elyse warmed her cold hands and took a cautious sip. Suddenly, she remembered Glenda’s likely thirst. Hastily lifting her head, she scanned the room. To her dismay, Glenda was nowhere to be seen. Elyse hastily rose and searched the area, but there was no sign of Glenda on that floor.


    “Looks like she got cold feet,” Jayden remarked casually as he approached her.


    Elyse shook her head almost involuntarily, still grappling to fullyprehend the notion that Glenda might not be her mother. “Perhaps she just went to the restroom,” Elyse suggested tentatively.


    Jayden’s conviction remained steadfast. “I have my doubts she’ll return,” he asserted. “If you’re hesitant to trust my judgment, simply stay put.”


    Elyse’s emotions swirled as she trailed Jayden back to the operating room’s entrance. As Glenda exited the hospital, she headed straight home to reunite with Lanny.


    Jayden had leveled their opulent vi, leaving only a single-level dwelling intact. Faced with no alternative, Lanny and Glenda released their household staff and temporarily relocated to the remaining residence.


    Upon stepping inside, Glenda discovered Lanny lounging on the sofa, casually sipping a ss of wine. Anger surged through her as she approached, abruptly silencing the music. “Why didn’t you respond to my calls?” she demanded, her voice tinged with indignation. “Do you realize who I encountered at the hospital?”


    .


    .


    .