?<strong>Chapter 637:</strong>


    “Enough! Just stop.” Cody snapped back to reality. He strode over to Fiona, who had been trying to manipte everyone with her prattle. The moment Fiona saw Cody, she fell silent, not daring to utter another word.


    “Come out with me. We need a proper talk.” Cody’s tone was ice-cold. Turning to the others, he added, “I won’t be joining tonight’s dinner. You all go ahead without me. I’ll make it up to you with a meal next time.”


    With that, Cody gave Fiona a pointed look, and she quickly followed him out.


    Lingering by the door, Gavin wavered, unsure whether to follow Cody. Just then, Morgan approached, pulling Gavin aside and saying, “Come with me.” Gavin instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing Elyse and Jayden, he inexplicably nodded and followed Morgan.


    Tobin had also slipped away at some point.


    Now, only Elyse and Jayden remained in the office. Jayden raised an eyebrow, noticing Elyse’s steady gaze. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”


    Elyse didn’t respond immediately. She walked into the office and shut the door behind her. Jayden asked tentatively, “Do you think I did a good job and want to reward me?”


    Elyse pressed on, “Fiona has been pestering you for a while now. When did she start seeking you out?”


    Jayden raised an eyebrow again, his expression unruffled. “It doesn’t matter. Every time she came near me, I told her to buzz off. My heart belongs to you alone.”


    Elyse continued, “Then why does she keep saying meeting you was fate? When did you two cross paths, and what happened between you?”


    Jayden crossed his arms, his demeanor unchanged. “That’s irrelevant. I didn’t do anything. She’s just daydreaming, making me the hero of her fantasies.”


    Elyse took a deep breath before asking again, “If we hadn’t stumbled upon you and Fiona today, would you have ever mentioned what happened to me?”


    Jayden shrugged, nonchnt. “It wasn’t worth mentioning. Telling you would have only caused unnecessary worry.”


    Elyseughed, but there was no joy in it. At that moment, she couldn’t decide if she was making a mountain out of a molehill or if she was simply forced to tolerate deception.


    “Jayden, I remember you promised to share everything with me, no secrets. It seems that promise didn’t mean much to you,” Elyse said, her strained smile betraying her disappointment.


    Jayden frowned, perplexed. “A promise, but is it really necessary to mention every little thing?”


    Elyse, feeling drained, replied, “Then what does count as important? You didn’t tell me about your chat with Brook either, did you?”


    Utterly bewildered, Jayden implored, “Haven’t I done enough? I stay steadfastly loyal and devoted to you alone. And I always keep women at arm’s length. Isn’t that enough?”


    Feeling powerless, Elyse replied, “Jayden, my concerns have never been about loyalty. I trust that nothing happened between you and Fiona. I know you’re faithful in our rtionship, but what about the issues that lie between us?”


    Jayden furrowed his brow. “Aren’t our issues resolved? What’s there to discuss?”


    Elyse was at a loss for words, her mouth agape. After a long pause, she looked at Jayden with a heavy heart.


    “You’ve built an imprable fortress around your heart, and I can’t find a way in. You never share your past, your pain, your sorrows, or even your uncertainties with me.


    You present yourself as the perfect husband, always wearing a mask of perfection. But I know this isn’t the real you. You never let anyone see the true you,” she said, her eyes welling up with tears and her voice trembling.


    Jayden opened his mouth to respond, but for the first time, he found himself speechless. Because, in truth, he had never allowed anyone to breach the walls of his inner world.


    So many years had drifted by, and Jayden had always worn his masks wlessly. Whether he was the relentless CEO of the Owen Group or Elyse’s devoted husband, he yed his roles to perfection. Yet, Elyse saw through the facade, recognizing the man beneath. But who was the real Jayden? Even he wasn’t sure.


    As Jayden gazed at Elyse, he couldn’t help but admire her for seeing through his carefully crafted personas. She was at the gates of his heart, ready to step inside.


    Yet, Jayden would never admit to being that kind of person. To do so would unravel years of carefully crafted roles.


    Frustrated, Jayden retorted, “You think I’m just putting on an act? Do you see my sincerity as worthless and toss it aside like trash?”


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