Chapter 67

Kenny offered reassurance. "Don't be scared."

Instinctively, he wanted to hold Elissa close,but an image from the school's equipment room flashed through his mnind-Elissa with the vagrant. Nausea churned in his stomach and he edged away.

Elissa's eyes filled with tears as she stared at him,confused."Kenny,what's the matter?"

Kenny struggled to find the right words,forcing a small smile. "It's nothing, really."

Her heart grew coldat the look on Kenny's face."Do you find me disgusting now?"

Kenny used to gaze at her like she was the only person in the world.

Now,he would not even try to hug her.

For Elissa, that change stung deeply.

She had always thought of Kenny as someone

to string along, but losing his interest was a completely different story.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she shoved him away. "Just leave. I get it. Even if none of this was my fault, people will always blame me. You should go to Joyce instead. She's a better match for you."

Seeing that disappointment in her eyes, Kenny felt something twist inside his chest.

He had been completely taken with Elissa the moment he met her.

Joyce came from a respectable family, but she didn't have Elissa's looks, and in bed, it was Elissa who pushed him over the edge.

As Elissa kept crying, her shirt slipping from her shoulder, Kenny felt a rush of desire he could not fight.

"That's not true. You know you're the one l want!" Kenny stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. The way her body pressed against him sent his heart racing. He touched her cheek,drew her close, and kissed her.

Elissa teased him at first, her touch just out of

to string along, but losing his interest was a completely different story.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she shoved him away. "Just leave. I get it. Even if none of this was my fault,people will always blame me. You should go to Joyce instead. She's a better match for you."

Seeing that disappointment in her eyes, Kenny felt something twist inside his chest.

He had been completely taken with Elissa the moment he met her.

Joyce came from a respectable family, but she didn't have Elissa's looks, and in bed,it was Elissa who pushed him over the edge.

As Elissa kept crying, her shirt slipping from her shoulder, Kenny felt a rush of desire he could not fight.

"That's not true. You know you're the one l want!" Kenny stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. The way her body pressed against him sent his heart racing. He touched her cheek,drew her close, and kissed her.

Elissa teased him at first, her touch just out of

reach,until Kenny lost control completely, and the two shared an intimate moment right there on the hospital bed.

Not far away, Daisy stood in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing from inside the room.

Those two are clearly shameless.

Glancing over, Daisy noticed Arabella had already removed her mask and was wearing a sly,knowing smile. Unable to hold back her curiosity, Daisy asked, "Did you already know about this?"

Arabella nodded. "That's right. Just wait-the real show is about to begin." She cast a quick look in Joyce's direction.

The moment she spotted Joyce nearby, Daisy took an involuntary step back, eyes clouded with resentment.

Arabella kept hold of Daisy's hand and led her closer to Joyce.

Joyce had come rushing over after hearing Elissa was hurt, but running into Arabella here put her in a sour mood. She scowled. "Why are

you here?"

Arabella answered with a small, confident smirk,"I came to check on Elissa. Is there a problem with that?"

Joyce snapped, "As if you really care. Who do you think you're fooling? Just leave-Elissa doesn't want you here!"

"All right, looks like she needs you more anyway,"Arabella replied, her voice cold and steady.

Puzzled,Joyce shot Arabella a suspicious glance before heading straight for Elissa's hospital room.Reaching the door, she was met with unexpected moaning sounds from inside.Confused,she checked the room number again.It was definitely the right one.

A strange feeling crept in. Did Elissa have a boyfriend? But she had never mentioned anything about that before!

Right as Joyce reached for the doorknob, she caught the sound of a familiar voice drifting from inside the room.

Elissa's words rang out. "Tell me, who do you really love more? Me or Joyce?"

"It's always been you, babe," Kenny said, his voice rushed and uneven. "If you hadn't pushed me to stick around Joyce, I wouldn't have wasted a second on her!"

A soft, teasing laugh slipped from Elissa, her tone thick with fake sweetness. "I knew it. Deep down, I'm the one you want most."

The words hit Joyce like a splash of freezing water,leaving her rooted to the spot.

From inside, the sounds only grew more intimate.Kenny's ragged breathing mixed with Elissa's flirtatious moans. A sharp ache formed in Joyce's chest.

Back in her first days at college, Joyce had met Kenny through Elissa.

Kenny's looks had been striking, but Joyce wasn't smitten right away. She always knew her family background meant she could have chosen someone much more impressive,especially now that the Hyde family's influence was fading.

Over time, Kenny's persistence wore her down,and Elissa never stopped talking him up.

Eventually, Joyce let herself fall for him.

For so long, she believed she was truly fortunate, blessed with both a loyal friend and a caring boyfriend. Only now did she see the truth. She had been completely deceived.

None of it was real. Looking back, she should have spotted the warning signs.

Elissa's harshness toward Daisy should have been a red flag, but Joyce kept telling herself Elissa had a good heart.

Rage bubbled up inside Joyce as the truth crashed down on her. She was ready to barge in and expose them both. But just as her fingers brushed the door, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her away.