?<strong>Chapter 377:</strong>


    Elyse’s brows furrowed deeply. “Why is it automatically assumed that any man seen with me must be romantically involved with me?” Her retort crackled with a blend of incredulity and disgust. “It seems like you’re the one with a twisted imagination.”


    Kaelyn felt a surge of frustration at Elyse’s newfound boldness. In the past, Elyse had been a pushover, easily swayed and eager to please. Kaelyn could have yed her like a fiddle, but now it seemed Elyse had grown a backbone.


    Gavin, intrigued by the tension, set his phone aside and chimed in. “Do you two have some sort of history?”


    “No, she’s more like my nemesis,” Elyse retorted impatiently.


    Gavin, oblivious to their past, nced between them and offered a pragmatic reminder. “Stay focused on what’s important. Don’t waste energy on insignificant people.”


    Elyse nodded in agreement. “Got it, noted.”


    With her arms crossed, Kaelyn shot them a cold re as they entered the elevator. Suddenly struck by inspiration, Kaelyn swiftly dialed Theo’s number. As Kaelyn heard the busy tone, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Theo must have cklisted her, she reasoned. Casting a quick nce at a nearby staff member, she extended her hand. “Could you lend me your phone? I need to make a call,” she requested.


    The staff member, sensing the urgency in her demeanor, handed over his device without hesitation. With deft fingers, Kaelyn dialed Theo’s number once more, her heart skipping a beat as the call connected without rejection.


    “Theo, you’ll never guess where I just spotted Elyse,” she began, her toneced with a mix of excitement and mischief.


    However, Theo, still immersed in his work and nursing residual irritation from their past encounters, responded with guarded skepticism. His patience snapped, irritation oozing from every word. “Can you please stop bothering me? I won’t entertain any of your ims,” he snapped, his tone tinged with frustration.


    “I’m telling you it’s true. Elyse is definitely with another man at the TV station. Who is he? And why is Elyse acting so cute towards him?” Kaelyn persisted, her tone growing more insistent by the second.


    Theo’s response wasced with exasperation, his anger simmering beneath the surface. “Are you kidding me? Do you honestly expect me to believe this nonsense? Elyse barely acknowledges my existence these days. How on earth could she have a new me out of the blue? If you bug me with this again, you’ll regret it, believe me.”


    Kaelyn quickly changed her tack, adopting a softer tone. “Hey, that’s not what I meant. I just thought you might want to reconnect with Elyse. If that’s the case, I can set up a meeting for you two,” she offered, attempting to diffuse the tension.


    But Theo wasn’t having any of it, his tone firm and resolute. “Enough, Kaelyn. Spare me the drama. I’m not interested in wasting my time on your wild theories. Just steer clear of me from now on, okay?”


    Confusion tinged Kaelyn’s voice as she questioned, “But didn’t I offer to help you patch things up with Elyse? Why the sudden change in attitude?” Her words carried a note of hurt, her disappointment palpable.


    Theo’s words cut through the air like icy des. “So what? I’m simply concerned that you might end up hurting her. She’s nothing like you. She’s gentle, kind. She’s just better than you at everything,” he dered, his tone chillingly indifferent.


    Frustration bubbled within Kaelyn, her desire to argue further warring with Theo’s abrupt end to the conversation. With a surge of anger, she hurled the phone to the floor.


    “No! That’s my new phone!” The staff member’s anxious exmation came as he scrambled to retrieve and check the fallen device for any damage.


    Kaelyn responded with a dismissive wave, barely ncing at him. “It’s just a phone. I can rece it for youter,” she said coolly, her mind clearly preupied with more important matters.


    Her anger still simmering from the earlier incident involving Elyse, Kaelyn turned sharply towards the staff member, her tone both firm and enticing as she made an offer. “I’ll triple your payment for a favor I need.”


    The staff member, wary yet intrigued by the proposition, replied cautiously, “What do you need me to do?”


    Upon entering the dressing room, the makeup artist quickly guided Elyse to a seat in front of arge mirror. Elyse, visibly tense, caught her reflection looking back at her with a nervous expression. Sensing her unease, Gavin offered aforting reassurance. “Don’t worry, I’ve already spoken to the host, and I’ve made it clear that we’ll avoid any topics that might make you ufortable.”


    “Thank you,” Elyse responded with a relieved nod.


    As the makeup artist worked their magic, they made their way to the set where Elyse, though still a new apprentice, was greeted with a special segment crafted just for her to introduce her to the audience.


    After the filming concluded, Elyse’s part was done, and she retreated to the lounge to wait for Gavin. She took this quiet moment to send Jayden a message, keeping him updated on how her day was unfolding. As she typed away on her phone, a staff member entered the room carrying a ss of water, deliberately avoiding eye contact.


    “Ms. Lloyd, you must be thirsty. Have some water,” the staff member murmured softly, cing the ss carefully on a nearby table.


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