?<strong>Chapter 351:</strong>


    Lanny frowned, feeling cornered. “It’s not that we refuse your request, but after you bulldozed my vi, it’s really difficult to find two small urns of ashes in all that rubble.”


    Jayden poured himself a ss of water, calmly took a sip, and then asked, “So you’re ming me?”


    Lanny’s expression shifted quickly, and he offered an awkward smile. “Of course not. It’s my fault for not securing the ashes properly.”


    Elyse remained expressionless, deep in thought. As Glenda and Lanny became restless, Elyse spoke up. “I want photos of my parents.”


    Lanny looked embarrassed. “I only have photos of your mom, not your dad.”


    With a frosty demeanor, Elyse demanded, “Why?”


    Lanny sighed and exined, “Didn’t I tell you that your mom hated your dad? That’s why I have no photos of them together.”


    “Then give me the photos of my mother,” Elyse stated without showing any emotion.


    Lanny nodded and began to walk away, but after a few steps, he turned back and gave Elyse an awkward smile. “Elyse, after knowing we’re not your real parents, are you still willing to consider us as your parents?”


    Elyse stared at them for a long moment before responding slowly. “I only have one set of parents. They are dead.”


    Lanny’s expression darkened slightly, but he maintained his smile and offered thoughtfully, “I understand. From now on, you can call me uncle. We haven’t treated you well, and we don’t deserve to be called your mom and dad.” After his final words, he hurried out of the ward. Before he left, he cast a lingering nce at the unconscious Dorothy, his eyes briefly shing with malice.


    Glenda was a step behind Lanny. As she exited the ward and caught up to him, she overheard him muttering curses under his breath. “What an ingrate. I raised her, yet she disregards our past kinship.”


    Glenda pursed her lips in disapproval. “You’ve never treated her well. It’s only natural she doesn’t recognize you as her father.”


    Lanny shot her a sharp look. “If she disowns us, we’ll lose any connection to the Owen family, and our resources might dwindle.”


    Glenda bit her lip, troubled. “Then what can we do? The maternity test is done. It’s all because of that damned Dorothy. Despite being so tortured, she’s still alive.”


    Lanny’s expression darkened, a hint of viciousness creeping into his demeanor.


    Sure, here’s the revised text:


    “But why did you say Elyse’s father was a nobody? I remember him being quite powerful. He had a good rtionship with Jasmine, and Jasmine loved him deeply, didn’t she?” Glenda voiced the doubts weighing on her heart.


    “Are you an idiot?” Lanny snapped, his teeth clenched in frustration. “That man was not ordinary. He managed to gather the funds so quickly. He must hold a prestigious status.”


    Taken aback, Glenda replied, “I didn’t think too much about it. Not ordinary people have his kind of aura and resources.”


    Lanny scoffed, “The reason I maligned him was to keep Elyse from seeking out her father’s rtives.”


    Glenda still didn’t understand. “What harm was there in Elyse finding her real family?”


    Lanny scoffed again, “Now Elyse has married into the wealthy Owen family. Can you handle it if her father’s rtives turn out to be famous and influential, and she climbs the socialdder again?”


    Glenda was taken aback. She couldn’t ept it. Now that Elyse was married to Jayden and leading a luxurious life, she regretted their actions. If Elyse’s father was indeed a prominent figure, Elyse would be far from ordinary—she could be a woman of influence. Glenda gritted her teeth. She couldn’t stomach this reality. She wanted Elyse to remain as downtrodden as they were.


    Glenda’s frustration was soon reced by worry. “Jayden asked us to find the ashes. It’s been so long, and we still don’t know where they are. We need to look for them,” Lanny replied. “If we don’t find them, we can’t report back to Jayden. He might bankrupt us directly. He was primarily concerned with hispany.”


    Back in the ward, Elyse had slumped into her chair, her head bowed in silence. Jayden brought her a ss of hot water and asked with concern, “Are you all right?”


    Elyse nodded. “I’m fine. Just a little disappointed.”


    “What are you disappointed about?” Jayden inquired.


    Elyse’s fingertips were cold as she rubbed the ss, savoring the warmth. “I was a bit happy learning that Glenda wasn’t my mother because I thought I could meet my biological mother. I wanted to talk to her about my hardships and have her hug and kiss me so I wouldn’t hold any grudges about her not raising me.”


    After a pause, she smiled bitterly. “But since she is dead, those hopes will stay just that—hope. I have no parents left.”


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