?Chapter 638:


    With just a few sentences, she spun the whole thing around, painting Jeffry as rude.


    Before Jeffry could say a word, Malcolm let out a chuckle beside him. Elyse pressed her lips together, clearly annoyed, and shot Malcolm a re. “Care to share the joke, Mr. Johnson?”


    Was heughing at her? After everything she’d been through, she wasn’t the same woman anymore. Her heart had turned colder, her mind darker. To her, Malcolm’sughter was a direct insult. Her boyfriend was the deputy mayor’s son, for God’s sake—who the heck did Jeffry and Malcolm think they were to mock her? If Keith wanted to, he could make life a living hell for the Johnsons and the Harpers. And yet, they still had the nerve tough at her?


    Elyse forced herself to keep up the act, continuing to project herself as gentle andposed as ever.


    Malcolm hadn’t expected today to be so entertaining. Was Elysepletely out of her mind, or just stupid? Putting on a show in front of Jeffry? Did she really think she had the upper hand? Out of all of them, Jeffry was the hardest to fool. Elyse’s little performance was downright pathetic.


    Malcolm smirked, his tone light but cutting. “Jeffry, is she actually trying to threaten you? Why is just anyone running their mouth like this? I mean, wasn’t she the one who poisoned her grandmother before getting kicked out? Has she conveniently forgotten her own misdeeds? How could she just act like none of that ever happened?”


    Malcolm didn’t hold back, putting all of Elyse’s dirtyundry on disy. He had no patience for her antics.


    Malcolm kept his hands in his pockets, his expression bored but full of contempt.


    Elyse’s hands balled into fists, veins popping beneath her skin as she shot Malcolm a murderous re. She knew quite well he despised her. Wesley, Malcolm, Jeffry—not one of them had ever given her an ounce of respect. One day, she’d make them all pay for it.


    Elyse’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she turned to Keith, her voice soft and pitiful. “Keith, I just didn’t want you to be upset. They’re twisting my words, making me look bad.”


    Jeffry and Malcolm walked off without a second nce, leaving Elyse feeling like she’d just swallowed a thorn. Her face burned with embarrassment. How could they brush her off like that? Didn’t they fear Keith’s retaliation?


    Lаt?st chαpt?rs in g??l??ov??ls.ｃοm


    Elyse’s expression soured, and her grip on Keith’s arm tightened involuntarily, almost pinching him.


    “What the hell are you doing?” Keith shot her a sharp look, clearly annoyed.


    Elyse blinked, snapping out of it. She let go in a hurry, her face full of panic. Forcing a weak smile, she blinked back the redness in her eyes, ying the part of someone strong and understanding. “Keith, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I must’ve said something wrong and upset Jeffry. He wasn’t trying to go after you, I swear. Please don’t take it the wrong way.”


    If Elena were around, she’d probably have something mocking to say about how Elyse’s acting had leveled up. The fake warmth, the carefully ced sadness—it was almost impressive how well Elyse sold it.


    Keith, being as straightforward as ever, didn’t pick up on the act. In his mind, Elyse was the bigger person—kind and understanding, even when she was mistreated.


    Keith pulled her close, scoffing. “Humph! Let them enjoy their moment. Soon enough, the Harper family will be on their knees, begging us for mercy.”


    His eyes darkened with determination, his voice cold and certain. Elyse didn’t need to ask—she knew Keith was about to make his move. Perfect. Watching the Harper family crash and burn? That was exactly what she wanted.


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