?<strong>Chapter 379:</strong>


    Theo’s inquiry with his TV station contact revealed Elyse’s location in a specific lounge. He approached the door and knocked, but was met with silence from within. Perplexed, he knocked several times more, but the door remained shut with no sign of anyoneing to open it. Theo tried the doorknob, but it refused to budge as it was locked from the inside. “Elyse, are you in there? Can you open the door for me?” he called out.


    As Elysey on the floor, her ears perked up at the sound of Theo’s voice outside the door. Her heart sank, filled with a tinge of disappointment. She had been waiting for Jayden, not Theo. She didn’t want to be seen in this state by anyone but Jayden, but her worsening difort left her no other choice. Her unease wasn’t due to her burning desires, but rather the sudden pounding rhythm of her heart. She had an ominous feeling that the peril she faced now was far more menacing than any she had encountered in the past, and it sent a chill down her spine.


    Theo received only silence in response. Frustrated and worried, he ran out of options and resorted to force, kicking the door with all his might. His loud kicks on the door attracted a crowd of TV crews who came to see what themotion was all about. After dozens of kicks, the door finally swung open. Theo rushed in and found Elyse lying weakly on the floor. “Elyse!” he yelled. “Are you fine?”


    With a worrying rosy glow on her face, Elyse’s lips parted with effort, her voice faint andbored. “I’ve been drugged. Please, get me to the hospital. I feel like I’m slipping away.”


    Theo was shocked into silence. No sooner had Elyse uttered those words than her body went limp, her eyes closing as she fell into a deep, unresponsivea. Unbeknownst to her, the drug’s effects would kick in within thirty minutes after consumption.


    “Ambnce! Call the ambnce!” Without wasting any time, he scooped up her limp body, pushed through the throng of people, and sprinted towards the ambnce on standby. As the ambnce rushed to the hospital, Theo called someone to check on the empty ss from the lounge, hoping to identify the drug that harmed Elyse.


    No sooner had Theo whisked her away in the ambnce than Jayden arrived at the TV station, having recklessly run four red lights in his haste to get there as quickly as possible. His driver’s eyes welled up, fearing his driving days were over after getting four tickets at once.


    M??? ?ρ?α??? ?? ?α??σν???.?σ?


    Jayden arrived at the TV station, but Elyse was already gone by then. He inquired about her whereabouts, trying to determine which hospital she had been taken to. Meanwhile, he collected her personal belongings—her phone and purse—which she had left behind.


    Storming into the lounge, he found a man holding Elyse’s phone. Suddenly, it clicked that she had mentioneding to the TV station with Gavin to record a show. Jayden’s eyes locked onto the man, his voice firm and direct as he asked, “Are you Gavin?”


    Gavin hesitated, phone in hand, and turned to Jayden with a curious expression. “Who are you?”


    “I’m Elyse’s husband,” Jayden exined, his voice firm and urgent. “She texted me for help, and I came as fast as I could. But when I arrived, she was already gone. Someone had taken her away.”


    Gavin’s expression barely flickered in surprise before he pointed to the empty ss on the table, his tone turning serious. “Elyse drank from that ss, but no one knows where the water came from. The TV station is reviewing the surveince footage to identify who brought it to her.”


    Jayden’s gaze fell on the empty ss, his brow furrowing in concern and suspicion. He took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm, his voice steady as he asked, “Do you know which hospital she was taken to? I need to find her.”


    Gavin’s expression turned sympathetic, and he apologized. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea anything had happened to Elyse until after the filming. I’ve been trying to find out more information myself, but so—” At that moment, Theo had already taken her.


    Elyse was rushed to the hospital. Peyton was taking a sip of water when a nurse called him to the emergency room. He quickly set the water down and rushed to the ER, only to be met with a shocking sight: Elysey on the hospital bed in need of resuscitation. Peyton rushed to her side, shouting, “What’s going on?”


    The nurse quickly exined, “She has ingested an unknown substance and is experiencing heart failure. We’ve administered initial treatment in the ambnce, but her heart rate is still dropping. We need to act fast.” Peyton ordered, “Get the defibritor ready and find out what she took.”


    After waiting at the TV station for what felt like an eternity, Jayden finally decided to head to the hospital where Peyton worked, hoping to find some answers. Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang. It was from the hospital. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief upon learning that Peyton was treating Elyse. However, his relief was short-lived as he soon discovered that the mysterious liquid had caused her heart failure. Without hesitation, he called for an analysis of the water from that ss, determined to uncover the truth behind Elyse’s sudden illness. The staff at the inspection agency informed him that the analysis would take around 12 hours toplete. Hearing that, his expression turned fierce, his calm facade shattering. He clenched his fists, his anger nearly boiling over as he growled, “I don’t care how many people or resources it takes. We need those test results tonight. Whatever it takes, you’re analyzing those medicinal ingredients now.”


    Gavin’s expression turned worried as he beheld Jayden’s intensity. “What’s going on? Is Elyse’s condition worse than we thought? Can I help with anything?” Jayden’s expression turned grim, his lipspressing into a thin line. “Whoever did this showed no mercy,” he said, his voice cold and detached. “They meant to kill Elyse.”


    “What? Kill Elyse? Who could this enemy be?” Gavin’s face remained neutral, but his mind raced back to the afternoon’s events. He recalled the tense encounter between Elyse and a woman. “I think I saw something relevant today. Elyse had a spat with a woman. She mentioned that this woman was her nemesis,” he said hesitantly.


    A nod from Davey prompted the servant to ce the ss on a nearby surface. Once the servant had ced the ss down, Raegan directed, “Refill it, please.” The servant refilled Raegan’s ss, and she raised it toward Davey, saying, “Here’s to you, Mr. Glyn.” As if showcasing the safety of the drink, she downed it in one gulp. As she finished, Raegan’s heart raced. The wine had beenced with a substance inducing sleep for hours. Having preemptively taken an antidote, she could prove they shared the same bottle, a ploy to lower Davey’s guard.


    Dealing with someone as shrewd as Davey, mere conversation posed risks; rendering him immobile was the safest recourse. Yet even after Raegan emptied her ss, Davey showed no inclination to sip from his. Raegan motioned for a refill, subtly hinting, “Another toast, Mr. Glyn.” Both being from Ambrosia, Davey would grasp the significance of a double toast as the pinnacle of respect. Davey, as an elder, couldn’t outright decline a toast without repercussions, since refusal would tarnish his reputation. Slowly, he raised his ss, a smile barely reaching his eyes.


    Just as Davey was poised to drink, he abruptly set the ss down, remarking, “I just recalled I’ve taken medication as prescribed by my doctor, rendering me unable to consume alcohol or anything else for three hours.” With firm resolve, he ced the ss down on the table. Though infuriated, Raegan found his excuse usible, leaving her no grounds for objection. So, n A had failed conspicuously. It was time for n B.


    As Davey prepared to depart, Raegan hastily interjected, “Mr. Glyn, I’ve heard of your expertise in cross-border trade, and as you’re aware, my family delves into international shipping. I have a few pertinent inquiries if you’d spare a moment.” Davey paused, nodding gently. “Please proceed,” he said. Raegan delved into a series of intricate inquiries regarding international trade, steering clear of the elementary queries that might raise eyebrows and ensuring her questions didn’t betray her intentions.


    Davey remained patient, responding with impable logic. Upon addressing her queries, he made to leave once more. With no other recourse, Raegan identally spilled her wine onto him. “Oh! Apologizing profusely, Raegan feigned distress. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Glyn. Your suit. It’s entirely my fault.” She retrieved a handkerchief to dab at the stain, but Davey visibly recoiled from physical contact, taking a step back to evade her touch.


    Flushed with embarrassment, Raegan withdrew her hand, continuing, “Mr. Glyn, allow me to rectify this. Our fashion designer prepared additional suits for this asion. I’ll arrange for you to select one that suits you.” Her reasoning was sound. Davey couldn’t refuse given the strong scent of wine and the difort of the sticky residue. Despite his displeasure, he had no alternative, having not brought a spare suit. Reluctantly, he nodded his assent.


    Raegan gestured, summoning a servant. She instructed, “Escort Mr. Glyn to the guest room for a change.” The servantplied, addressing Davey, “This way, Mr. Glyn, please.” Davey followed the servant’s lead. Observing Davey’s departing form, Raegan murmured discreetly into her headset, “Erick, he’s on his way.”


    .


    .


    .