?<strong>Chapter 347:</strong>


    Initially, Lanny basked in contentment, savoring wine and reveling in the melodies that filled the air. But the tranquility shattered as soon as Glenda returned home, unleashing a storm of confrontation upon him. Impatiently, he inquired, “Are you out of your mind? It’s none of my concern whom you encounter at the hospital.”


    Glenda’s countenance darkened, her words slicing through the air with icy precision. “I crossed paths with that madwoman.”


    Impatiently, Lanny interjected, “Which madwoman exactly?” After a briefpse, he snapped back to attention, straightening his posture with newfound seriousness. “Who did you say you encountered?”


    “Dorothy Conner, the very woman you’ve been searching for,” Glenda replied with a disdainful sneer. “Dorothy has divulged to Elyse that I’m not her mother. Your worst fear is materializing.”


    Undeterred, Lanny maintained hisposure, chin held high. “She is simply not in her right mind. Does Elyse truly believe her words?”


    “Jayden has requested a maternity test,” Glenda revealed.


    Lanny’s eyelids twitched, apprehension evident in his voice. “Did you agree to it?”


    Glenda nodded resignedly. “Refusal wasn’t an option. They’vepelled me. I had no choice but to return to you.”


    Unable to find sce in his wine, Lanny ced the ss down, raking his hand through his hair in agitation. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced. “Where is Dorothy?”


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    Observing Lanny’s restlessness, Glenda took her time replenishing her ss with red wine. “She’s under care in the emergency room. Originally on her deathbed, but we were careless and allowed her to flee.”


    Lanny pondered silently. “Under care… If only she were no longer among the living, but her continued existence… She must be eliminated.”


    With a swift gulp of wine, Glenda regarded Lanny with chilling resolve. “Aren’t you concerned that her continued presence could spell trouble?”


    Indeed, Lanny harbored no desire for Dorothy to further disrupt their lives by revealing their secrets. Pouring herself another ss, Glenda continued, “I’ve contemted it. Even if the maternity test disproves my parenthood, Elyse need not know the truth of her lineage.”


    Lanny nodded in agreement. “You’re correct. Our priority is to deceive Elyse, ensuring she doesn’t dwell on this matter. Then and only then can we be secure.”


    Glenda and Lanny coborated, pondering their next steps for hours. Three hourster, Peyton arrived at the hospital with the maternity test report in hand


    Elyse and Jayden were in a private room, keeping watch over the olddy, Dorothy.


    Despite being transported out of the operating room, Dorothy’s condition deteriorated, necessitating the use of a venttor as her body struggled to cope. She now resembled a yellow leaf clinging to a branch in autumn, devoid of vitality, on the verge of drifting away to decay upon the earth.


    Elyse lifted her gaze as Peyton approached, her eyes filled with anticipation. “Has the report been released?” she inquired.


    Peyton solemnly nodded, passing the test report to Elyse.


    With bated breath, Elyse scanned the document, her heart racing as she reached the final verdict. It read: “After careful consideration, it is concluded that Glenda Lloyd and Elyse Lloyd are not biologically rted.”


    A wave of realization washed over Elyse, leaving her feeling adrift in a sea of uncertainty. “She’s not my mother,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Peyton was ovee with a twinge of sorrow. The revtion left him utterly astonished; what he had casually mentioned while pulling Glenda’s hair had been nothing more than a jest. He never fathomed it would turn out to be true.


    The news struck Elyse like a heavy blow, her eyes rimmed with red from tears shed. She felt as lost as a solitary deer wandering through the forest, suddenly devoid of the maternal bond she had always known, uncertain of her path forward.


    Elyse’s eyes, simultaneously clear and confused, stirred a sense of guilt within Peyton. “In light of the current report, this appears to be the case,” Peyton said reluctantly, bracing himself for the response.


    Receiving an affirmative reply, Elyse’s vulnerability deepened. Seeking sce, she reached for Jayden’s hand.


    With a reassuring grip, Jaydenforted her. “Compose yourself first. We’ll meet with the coupleter and seek rification.”


    Lost in her tumultuous emotions, Elyse remained oblivious to everything else. Only Peyton discerned the chilling undertone in Jayden’s words.


    Silently shaking his head, Peyton realized the impending ordeal awaiting the Lloyd couple. “I need to use the restroom,” Elyse announced abruptly, rising from her seat and striding out of the ward towards the restroom.


    Peyton was taken aback. Gesturing towards the bathroom within the ward, he queried, “Isn’t there a bathroom here? Why did she opt for the one outside?”


    Jayden was momentarily at a loss for words. “She’s seeking a moment of respite outdoors, not just a restroom break.”


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