?<strong>Chapter 1548:</strong>


    Edward grinned. “Perfect. I haven’t had a burger in ages. Let’s throw in a cold c too—I’ve been craving one.”


    Elyse nodded and then pulled out her phone, typing a quick message.


    Edward raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”


    “Just letting Jayden know. If I don’t, he’ll be livid,” Elyse said, scrunching up her nose in a way that made her seem unexpectedly adorable.


    Edward watched her with a soft smile, his eyes lingering on her profile. “You and Jayden seem to be getting along better than I expected.”


    Elyse nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t really know why, but it’s like everything just clicked into ce. It wasn’t always this way. We used to have a hard time even talking to each other.”


    Edward muttered to himself, “Yeah, but why was that?”


    Once she finished sending the message, she tucked her phone away and refocused on chatting with Edward.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, Jayden—though annoyed—knew that Elyse wouldn’t make any rash decisions. He grudgingly epted her dinner ns.


    An hourter, when the rehearsal finally concluded, Elyse skipped the bus ride and joined Edward at a nearby burger joint.


    At the restaurant, Edward surprised her by ordering a meal for four. Elyse raised an eyebrow. “So much food? Are we going to finish all this?”


    Edward, without missing a beat, responded, “Why not? I’m absolutely starving. I could eat a horse right now!”


    Elyse paused, finding the phrase oddly familiar, as though she’d heard it before somewhere.


    She took a long sip of the free lemonade and said, “Edward, Louise mentioned that you won’t be performing on stage anymore. Do you regret it?”


    Edward stopped, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. After a moment of contemtion, he spoke slowly. “I’m not sure. I’ve always been aware of my responsibilities since I was young, so when the time came to take them on, I didn’t really have any strong feelings about it.” He continued, his eyes drifting toward her. “But seeing you y the violin on stage today made me think… maybe it would’ve been nice if I could be up there too.”


    Elyse tilted her head slightly, feeling a pang of mncholy.


    She remembered the days when she and Edward used topete on stage. Though they were rivals, they had always shared a mutual respect for one another.


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    Edward noticed the concern flicker across her face and quickly added, “Don’t read too much into it. Sure, I feel a little envious, but tomorrow I’ll be sitting front row. And trust me, that’s not a seat just anyone gets.”


    Elyse pressed her lips together, nodding, understanding his point.


    Edward smiled, as if trying to lighten the mood. “I figured out long ago that life can’t be too perfect. I’ve tasted sess and wealth, so I know I’m not meant to have everything else.”


    He paused for a moment, his gaze steady. “That’s why I don’t waste time chasing after those things that are just beyond my reach.” He looked directly into her eyes as he spoke.


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