?<strong>Chapter 473:</strong>


    Elyse tucked into her meal with gusto, shoveling bites down with an urgency that surprised even her. She didn’t care whether Jayden was still like a child or not. The tiny tenant within her most definitely was.


    Driscoll, mistaking her ravenous appetite for starvation, fretted, “There’s plenty more. Please, pace yourself.”


    Elyse fought down the nausea churning in her stomach, forcing another bite down. A sudden rity washed over her. Jayden’s opinion was relevant, of course, but it wasn’t the deciding factor. This child, this little miracle blossoming inside her—she wanted it.


    Driscoll hesitated. “How will you face Mr. Owen?”


    Elyse kept her gaze firmly on her te. “It depends on his intentions, I suppose. If he wants to be with me, then we will be.”


    “And your intentions?” Driscoll pressed gently.


    Her hand stopped. Finally, she met his gaze, confusion clouding her features. “Do my intentions matter? Didn’t you say Jayden controls everything? If you want to know if we have a future, shouldn’t you be asking him?”


    A flicker of unease crossed Driscoll’s face.


    Undeterred, Elyse dered, “I want fruit. A whole te of it, and make it snappy.” A rebellious glint sparked in her eyes. Just because Jayden said she couldn’t eat, didn’t mean she wouldn’t. She intended to eat, and eat a lot!


    “Certainly.” Driscoll nodded and hurried out to fulfill her request. Elyse continued eating, but a wave of weakness washed over her. She slumped back in her chair, staring listlessly at the ceiling as she chewed.


    Meanwhile, Driscoll reached Jayden’s study and knocked.


    “Come in,” came Jayden’s muffled voice. He looked up from hisputer screen as Driscoll entered. “What is it? Refusing her food again?”


    Driscoll blinked, startled. How had Jayden known he was bringing food to Elyse? As if reading his mind, Jayden scoffed. “If I told you not to provide her dinner, would you actually obey?”


    Driscoll felt a surge of helplessness. “Sir,” he ventured carefully, “if you don’t truly want to harm her, why restrict her food in the first ce?”


    Jayden’s jaw clenched. “She made a mistake,” he muttered, the image of Elyse wrapped in Pearce’s arms shing through his mind, a fresh wave of anger washing over him. He’d hoped she’d stay away from that man, yet here she was, the very next day, cavorting with him again. Did she even care about him, her own husband? Did she remember his warnings?


    Fury bubbled up inside him. “Does she even care about me?” he roared, mming his fist on the desk.


    Driscoll chose his words with care. “Perhaps there’s a misunderstanding. She isn’t that type of person. We’ve all witnessed how much she cares for you.”


    Jayden red at him. “You’re still defending her? She hurt me, and I’m not allowed to be angry?”


    Knowing better than to argue, Driscoll held his tongue. Just as he was about to leave, Jayden’s voice stopped him.


    “Wait. Give her whatever she wants. You think I’d actually starve her?” His stubborn expression betrayed his words.


    Driscoll bowed slightly. “Of course.” With that, he exited the study, already picturing a te piled high with juicy cherries, Elyse’s favorite.


    Ten minutester, the fruit arrived. Elyse picked at it, her voice barely a whisper when she spoke, “You mentioned Jayden’s parents didn’t care for him. Why is Bryce so loved?”


    Driscoll, caught off guard, offered a bittersweet smile. “In families with two children, the firstborn often shoulders the burden of expectations and bes a pawn in inheritance battles. The younger one, naturally, bes the recipient of all the affection, free to live a carefree life.”


    Elyse frowned thoughtfully. “So that exins Tess’s bias?”


    Driscoll nodded. “Precisely. Especially since Jayden disyed exceptional intelligence at a young age, he became their golden ticket to sess. Bryce, on the other hand, was free to bask in their love.”


    Elyse frowned. “But then Jayden’s leg injuries took away his inheritance rights.”


    Driscoll shrugged. “The firstborn failed, so they shifted their hopes to the younger one.”


    Elyse rubbed her temples, a wave of sadness washing over her. “The Owens seem cold and ruthless. Everyone seems consumed by their own agendas.”


    Driscoll spoke softly. “When wealth reaches a certain point, love bes a luxury and money bes the driving force. That’s the tragedy of the opulent.”.


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