?<strong>Chapter 767:</strong>


    Elyse was left bewildered by his behavior. A side of him she had never truly seen had emerged—petnt, stubborn, and maddeningly self-absorbed. While she’d caught glimpses of these traits before, they now stood out in stark relief, as if Jayden had finally shed all pretense.


    A sudden jolt of rity struck Elyse as she caught herself lost in thoughts of Jayden again. She shook her head, determined to sever the lingering threads of his influence.


    Divorced meant divorced—no more wasting time on that no-good jerk. She needed to focus on herself, not let him derail her life any longer.


    With renewed resolve, Elyse picked up her violin, tuning it with meticulous care before stepping out of the lounge. As she made her way backstage, a haunting sound reached her ears—the unmistakable cries of someone in deep distress. She followed the sorrowful echoes to their source and found Fiona.


    Fiona was slumped on the floor, her head buried in her hands, sobbing uncontrobly. Crumpled tissues were strewn across the floor around her.


    Darren stood over her, looking utterly helpless, while several other contestants hovered nearby, offeringforting words that seemed to fall on deaf ears.


    Elyse stood silently for a moment, taking in the scene before her. Finally, her gaze fixed on Darren. “You actually beat her?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of disbelief.


    Darren nodded slowly, a wry smile tugging at his lips.


    “Yeah, I won,” he admitted. “But it’s hard to feel good about it given the circumstances.”


    “Don’t even get me started,” Geraldine chimed in, standing close to Darren. “She’s a sore loser. I have no idea why she thinks she even belongs in this contest. Her performance was absolutely dreadful!”


    Darren was taken aback, eyes widening in surprise. He never expected Geraldine, the legendary dark horse, to be so blunt.


    Elyse gently tugged Geraldine’s arm, urging her to hold her tongue. Then, she crouched beside Fiona. “Hey, don’t cry. You still have one more shot. The fighter who survives the Comeback Competition earns another slot.”


    But Fiona didn’t seem to hear Elyse. Her sobs only grew louder.


    With a sigh of exasperation, Elyse snapped, “Are you going to throw away this chance too? You forfeited the Champions Cupst time, and now you’re about to give up on the Swan Cup as well!”


    “How could you ever understand?” Fiona burst out, her voice rising as she faced Elyse. “Do you seriously think that if I go through the Comeback Competition, I’ll actually win a slot?”


    Elyse’s expression hardened, her voice turning icy. “So you’re just going to roll over and ept defeat? Fine, go ahead. Your skills are mediocre at best, and clearly, youck any realpetitive spirit!”


    “Elyse Lloyd! How dare you—” Fiona shot to her feet, her hand raised to strike.


    But the Elyse standing before her was no longer the timid girl she once knew. If anyone dared to attack her now, she’d meet them with equal force, ready to defend herself fiercely.


    Fiona’s strike never found its mark on Elyse. Instead, she was met with a sharp, stinging blow of her own.


    “Did that p finally knock some sense into you?” Elyse’s voice cut through the air, cold and biting. “Fiona, you were once Mr. Tucker’s student, and now, you’re stuck in the semifinals. Doesn’t that make you feel ashamed?”


    “Remember the Champions Cup?” Elyse pressed on, her finger pointing at Darren. “Back then, his skills were nothingpared to yours, yet you lost. And despite that, Mr. Tucker got you a chance at thispetition with his influence. How did you repay him?”


    She drew a sharp breath, her gaze icy and unfeeling. “Darren has left you in the dust, along with other contestants from the Champions Cup. They’ve all surpassed you, yet all you can think about is throwing in the towel!”


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