Chapter 1223:

Peyton’s unease showed in his forced smile. “What do we need to talk about?”

“You informed Elyse about my plans, didn’t you?” Jayden accused, his voice tight with anger. “You persuaded her to venture into that danger. Did you realize she could have been killed?”

Peyton’s patience reached its limit. With a forceful gesture, he set his food down, his anger evident. “Yesterday, you were the one in danger, weren’t you? Elyse came to rescue you. You think that place is perilous? Did you ever consider she understood the risks? She did this for you.”

He continued, frustrated, “You were determined to handle that alone. True, I informed Elyse, but I had no idea you were targeting Enzo—I assumed it was Corrie or someone else.”

Jayden’s expression darkened. “You had no—”

Peyton raised his voice. “How could I? You keep your plans close. I wasn’t sure who you were after, but Elyse figured it out. She felt compelled to intervene.”

Jayden, puzzled, asked, “But why did she need to come?”

With a mix of exasperation and disbelief, Peyton explained, “Can’t you see it, or are you just feigning ignorance? Elyse believed if you were aiming to kill Enzo, she should be the one to pull the trigger, not you. Despite everything, Enzo raised you. She didn’t want that guilt on your shoulders.”

He continued, “And yes, she harbors resentment towards Enzo for the pain he caused her and her child. She acted to help you move past this.”

Concluding his tirade, Peyton remarked sharply, “Sometimes, I doubt you’re deserving of Elyse. You two are just too different.”

Jayden tightened his lips. “We’re not that different. I manage well enough in certain respects.”

Peyton scoffed. “Ever wonder what you’ll do if Elyse one day leaves you?”

Jayden responded with a hint of scorn, “Why would Elyse leave me? After all we’ve been through, she stayed. She truly loves me.”

Peyton laughed dryly at Jayden’s assertion. “What makes you so sure Elyse would still have any love left for you after everything?”

Jayden’s eyebrows arched, a flicker of certainty in his voice. “I just know she loves me. That’s enough for me.”

Peyton’s scoff was sharp, laced with irritation. “Well, if you’re that sure, then spare me the drama next time she snubs you. Honestly, I find your romantic troubles more draining than my surgeries.”

With a dismissive gesture, Peyton nudged Jayden aside. “Move, you’re in the way of my breakfast.”