Bound Hearts: My Vows to My Disabled Spouse

A Wish For Affection

It had been an evening steeped in discomfort. Elyse couldn't stomach another moment and excused herself from the dinner table after barely touching her food.

Before walking away, she dropped a reminder to Theo, "Don't forget to release Mabel." She couldn't be sure if her words had registered with him, but she didn't linger to find out. Elyse made a swift exit, finding solace in the quiet of Jayden's waiting car.

Jayden glanced at the clock. "Only forty-seven minutes. I take it dinner wasn't to your liking?" I barely touched my food," Elyse admitted, wanting to forget the evening's unpleasantness. She closed her eyes, drained.

Respecting her need for silence, Jayden refrained from disturbing her and simply instructed the driver to take them home.

Upon their return, they found Tess lounging on the sofa, sipping tea with an air of tranquility. Jayden and Tess had never seen eye to eye, their relationship marred by mutual disdain.

Her presence in his home was a rare occurrence.

Jayden's voice cut through the tension, sharp and direct. "Why are you here?"

Tess, composed despite the tension, set down her teacup and replied, "I'm here for a reason, naturally. Your brother has just graduated from college. I intend to offer him a position in the company so he can gain experience before taking the reins."

Jayden scoffed, "And what does that have to do with me?"

Tess scrutinized Jayden for a moment before responding, her tone unwavering. "Despite your disability, your mind is sharp. You must support your brother. In time, he will appreciate your guidance when he assumes control of the company."

Jayden's patience waning, he cut the conversation short.

"Escort her out," he instructed Driscoll, his tone clipped, signaling his disinterest in further dialogue with his mother.

Tess, incensed by Jayden's dismissiveness, said firmly, "Consider yourself informed. Tomorrow, Bryce will arrive. You will mentor him for his future role in the company."

With simmering anger, she added, "We cannot afford to lose control of the Owen Group to your Uncle Seth's or your Aunt Jessie's families. Otherwise, we'll be at their mercy forever. Do you understand that, Jayden?"

With a tired sigh, Jayden rubbed his temples and silently excused himself, leaving Driscoll to handle Tess's departure.

Tess wasted no time lingering, having said her piece. With a disdainful snort aimed at Elyse, she grabbed her new handbag and stormed out of the house.

Elyse glanced at Jayden with concern, wanting to offer comfort, but sensing his desire for silence, she held her peace. However, he asked Driscoll to serve dinner. They ate in silence.

After dinner, Jayden retreated to his study, while Elyse returned to the bedroom. She had barely settled when her phone rang, displaying < Glenda's name.

Resigned, she answered, only to be met with Glenda's accusatory tone. "Why hasn't your sister returned home yet? Did you not talk to Theo? Do you even care about saving her?"

Elyse defended herself, "I did talk to Theo. He promised to release her. If she's not home, it means he broke his word. Why are you blaming me? Why don't you go talk to him

yourself?"

Glenda's curses cut through the air, her frustration palpable. "Mind your tone! I'm your mother. Call Theo and find out when he'll release Mabel."

Elyse's patience dwindled. "No, I won't. You call him."

Glenda erupted in anger. "You don't care about Mabel, do you? You're her older sister!"

Elyse reached her limit. "I do care, but she's the one causing trouble. I warned her to stay away

from him, but she didn't listen and went to him anyway."

Unable to argue with that, Glenda softened her tone. "I should have known better. I'm just worried about her."

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 000005s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! Elyse knew how much Glenda loved Mabel. Over the years, Mabel had received the affection Elyse

had yearned for since childhood.

In amoment of vulnerability, Elyse asked, "If I made the same mistake, would you ask Mabel to help me?"

Glenda's frown deepened. "You would never do such a thing. Don't be ridiculous. Ask Theo tomorrow when he'll release your sister."Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

With that, Glenda ended the call, leaving Elyse feeling the icy chill of loneliness.

She longed for the love her mother showered on Mabel, wishing she could live a carefree life like her sister.

Despite years of trying, Elyse felt invisible to her parents, her efforts constantly overlooked.

Clutching the phone, Elyse sighed heavily before dialing Theo's number.

Repeated attempts to reach him went unanswered, leaving Elyse to assume he was preoccupied. Thus, she decided to call him later.

Meanwhile, Theo sat in his study, staring at his phone.

He knew why Elyse was calling, but he couldn't bring himself to answer.

The courage to face Elyse had deserted him.