?<strong>Chapter 1535:</strong>


    Elyse’s face remained as impassive as marble. “No. I’m too angry to eat.”


    “Shaun’s mistakes in the past shouldn’t be a reason to starve yourself,” Jayden said softly.


    “Is he gone?” Elyse asked, her expression still thunderous.


    “Yes. Driscoll took him back to the hospital.” Jayden shifted slightly before adding, “He was so anxious toe over for dinner. I think he was hoping we’d help him get back together with Tracy.”


    “I’m certainly not going to help him with that,” Elyse scoffed, her loyalty to Tracy unwavering. She wasn’t about to let Shaun hurt her friend again.


    A sudden, chilling thought pierced through her anger. “Any news on Tracy?”


    Jayden shook his head. “Nothing. I had someone pull the security footage from yesterday, around the time she disappeared. It’s gone. Someone wiped it clean.”


    “Does she have such powerful backing now?” Elyse asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.


    “The more powerful the connections, the more dangerous whatever she’s nning might be,” Jayden said, his tone heavy with concern. “The fact that someone scrubbed the footage means they don’t want her found.”


    Horror flickered across Elyse’s face. “You don’t think she’s actually going to… hurt anyone, do you?”


    Jayden’s expression darkened like a storm cloud gathering. “It’s a real possibility. We need to find her before something terrible happens.”


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    Elyse’s fingers found their way to her mouth as she nervously nibbled on her nail, dread coiling in her stomach like a serpent.


    The sharp buzz of Jayden’s phone cut through the tension. He nced at the screen—an unknown number stared back at him.


    “Who’s that?” Elyse asked, leaning forward to peek at the disy.


    “I don’t know,” Jayden replied with a shrug, rejecting the call. The phone buzzed again, more demanding this time.


    With reluctance etched on his features, he answered, “Hello?”


    A voice as sharp as winter frost came through the line. “This is Lowell Ruiz. We need to meet.”


    Jayden’s eyes flickered to Elyse, who sat perched on the edge of her seat, curiosity painted across her features. “Alright. Where?”


    “I’ll text you the address,” Lowell stated curtly before the line went dead with a decisive click.


    “Who was that?” Elyse leaned forward, intrigue evident in her voice.


    “Lowell Ruiz,” Jayden replied.


    Elyse’s forehead creased in confusion, unable to piece together why Lowell would seek out Jayden.


    Rising smoothly, Jayden extended his hand to Elyse, pulling her gently to her feet. “Come on.”


    “Where are we going? I’m not seeing him,” she protested, digging her heels in.


    “I’m not taking you to him,” Jayden said with a touch of exasperation. “But you are going to finish your dinner. You’ve hardly touched it. I don’t want you starving yourself.”


    With gentle insistence, he guided her back toward the dining room.


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