Bound Hearts: My Vows to My Disabled Spouse

67

Who Could Dislike You Enough To D...

In the hall, Wanda, seated among the judges, announced, "It's your turn, Elyse."

She observed Elyse stride to the front with seriousness, likely battling nerves. It was critical for her to perform flawlessly despite the pressure.

Elyse positioned herself in front of the judges, inhaled deeply, and introduced her piece. "The Untold."

With the first stroke of her bow, she captivated the audience, holding their attention until the final note faded.

Upon concluding, she looked towards the judges, who remained silent. Her eyes sought Wanda for any sign of approval.

Wanda, with a gentle smile, gave a nod of approval.

Elyse let out a sigh of relief and stiffly walked back to her place in line.

At this moment, Rebekah was barely noticeable among the others. Her head was lowered, her grip

on the violin was tight, and her shoulders trembled subtly.

She couldn't understand why Elyse wasn't affected.

Rebekah agonized internally. She had tampered with Elyse's water,

thinking a single sip would be enough to disrupt her performance with discomfort. Despite this,

Elyse had executed her piece perfectly, showing no signs of the intended effects. What went

wrong?

Rebekah was so distracted she didn't hear the judge calling her name initially.

"Rebekah Bentley! Rebekah Bentley!".

"Here!" she finally responded.

The judge, with a tone of displeasure, remarked, "If this were the actual performance, you would have ruined it."

"Sorry, I was just too nervous," Rebekah apologized and quickly assumed her position, ready to play.

"Flower Dance," she announced, a piece that demanded more technical skill than emotion. Yet, as she started, she was preoccupied with thoughts about why Elyse hadn't reacted to the laxative. This distraction caused her to falter right from the first note.

Realizing her focus was off, Rebekah hurried to regain her composure and continued her performance.

The judge, maintaining a stoic face, noted down her score and then called the next contestant to prepare.

Dejected, Rebekah walked back to her seat, unable to shake off her dismay at how poorly she had performed.

Meanwhile, Elyse struggled to concentrate on the ongoing performances, fighting the urge to go

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to the restroom. She managed to hold off until the final performance concluded, then hurried to

the restroom.

When she emerged from the restroom, the crowd had thinned out.

After their performances, many participants chose to leave unless they had reasons to stay.

Feeling unwell and not wanting to delve into the cause of her diarrhea, she decided to head home.

However, as she was gathering her things, a sharp pain struck her abdomen.

Freddy, passing by, noticed Elyse doubled over, clutching her stomach. He approached with

concern. "What's wrong with you? Do you have a stomachache?"

"Yes. Could you please help me get a taxi?" Elyse managed to say, her forehead glistening with sweat.

Seeing her distress, Freddy quickly hailed a taxi and accompanied her to the hospital.

While Elyse was undergoing an examination, Jayden called her phone. At that moment, Freddy,

holding her phone, worried he couldn't reach her family.

"Elyse, it's been 80 minutes. Isn't the selection process over yet?"

Hearing Jayden's stern voice, Freddy was taken aback. "I'm not Elyse."

Jayden paused, recognizing the voice. It sounded like Freddy, whom Elyse had introduced at a

class reunion. "Are you Freddy? Where is Elyse?"

"She's got a stomach ache, I've taken her to the hospital. We're at the emergency department of

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! Evergreen Hospital," Freddy explained.

"Okay. I'l be right there." Jayden quickly ended the call.

Freddy inexplicably felt a sense of relief and thought to himself how commanding Jayden was, a

true magnate in the business world.

Elyse slowly opened her eyes and met Jayden's steady gaze. Realizing she was in a hospital bed, she asked weakly, "What's wrong with me?"

"You had an acute gastrospasm. You're fine now. We can go home once your transfusion is done," Jayden explained, then pressed the call button.

Shortly, a doctor entered to ask a few questions and ensure she was okay before leaving the

room.

With a heavy sigh, Elyse revealed, "I was sabotaged. Someone spiked my water with laxative. Luckily, I only took a small sip. I can't even imagine what would have happened if I'd taken more." "You would have been quite the sensation," Jayden quipped. "It's just a preliminary round. Who could dislike you enough to do that?"

"How should I know?" Elyse replied, but as she spoke, a face flashed through her mind. "Rebekah Bentley!"Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.