Bound Hearts: My Vows to My Disabled Spouse

The Resemblance

Elyse stepped back, clearly skeptical of Pearce's words.

Exiting the car, Pearce asked her, "Ms. Lloyd, are you free now? If so, 1 can verify my identity for

you. I'm headed to the university office to deal with something."

Elyse gave him a peculiar look. "Why should I acpany you? I don't even know you."

Pearce's grin widened. "Your music has deeply moved me. I'd like to befriend you."

His genuine pliment touched Elyse, fulfilling her desire for recognition in music, something Pearce was the first to offer.

After some hesitation, Elyse reluctantly agreed. "I'll trust you this time."

Pearce breathed a sigh of relief. "I won't ask you to ride in my car to avoid scaring you. Let's walk Elyse nodded in agreement, hesitant to accept a ride, fearing potential danger.

Pearce was considerate, engaging in conversation to ease Elyse's unease.

Elyse also noticed that Pearce seemed both physically and mentally well-off His calm and steady demeanor reminded her of her husband.

Pearce continued chatting, noticing Elyse's distraction. He candidly said, "Ms. Lloyd, talking to

you feels like speaking to family. I can't help but keep talking."

Elyse was momentarily taken aback but didn't fully grasp his meaning.

"Have you played the violin since childhood?" Pearce asked.

Elyse pondered briefly. "Somewhat."

Pearce praised her talent. "Your parents must be music enthusiasts, right?"

Without hesitation, Elyse replied, "Nope. My parents have no knowledge of music whatsoever."

In fact, Lanny and Glenda had no interest in music, let alone classical music.

Pearce was surprised. "Really? Could I see a photo of your parents, please?"

Startled by Pearce's request, Elyse became wary once more.

She wondered if he was being a pervert, probing into her family background so soon.

Realizing she might have misjudged, Pearce clarified, "I'm simply curious about what your parents

look like since they've raised such a talented individual like yourself."

After a moment of hesitation, Elyse decided to trust him. Odd as he may seem, she doubted he would pose any threat to Lanny and Glenda She showed Pearce a photo before promptly putting her phone away.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Pearce studied her for a moment before speaking thoughtfully, "Forgive me if this es off as

rude, but I'm curious. Why do you bear no resemblance to your parents?"

Elyse was taken aback, as Jayden had once made a similar observation.

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In a resigned tone, she replied, "They are indeed my biological

Pearce didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked over the fallen golden leaves, emotions

flickering in his eyes.

Suddenly, he said, "You don't resemble your parents at all, but you remind me of a family member."

Confused, Elyse asked, "What did you say?"

Pearce masked his emotions behind a smile. "I said that you resemble someone I know. That's why you give me a sense of family."

Elyse breathed a sigh of relief once she grasped his meaning.

Acpanying Pearce to the university, she discovered that he was indeed a professor, set to

hold a seminar the following week.

Once they pleted his tasks, Pearce turned to her. "See? I've been honest with you, haven't I?" Elyse nodded in agreement. "Yes, you have."

Glancing at his watch, Pearce suggested, "It's lunchtime. I believe there was a misunderstanding

earlier. Would you join me for lunch to make amends?"

After a brief consideration, Elyse nodded. "Certainly. My treat."

Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you're not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on the complete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it's all free! Pearce shook his head. "No, I never allow a woman to pay for my

They settled into a restaurant close to the university and placed their orders. Pearce's gaze

remained fixed on Elyse, unnoticed by her initially.

After some time passed, she couldn't ignore it any longer and asked, "Why are you staring at me

like that?"

The longer Pearce looked, the more he saw a resemblance to that

With controlled enthusiasm, Pearce offered a gentle smile. "Oh, it's nothing. You're quite

captivating, Ms. Lloyd. I find it hard to look away. Have I offended you?"

Elyse didn't mince words. "Yes, you have. Mr. Benson, I'm married, and my husband and I are deeply in love."

"Deeply in love? I heard rumors that you two don't get along. That he chose his ex-girlfriend over you. Is that true?"

His words drained the color from Elyse's face.

The upper-class social circle was unforgivingly small. Just the night before, she had hosted a

birthday party with many guests, none of whom were oblivious to her disfort.

She hadn't anticipated the news spreading so quickly, leaving her utterly unprepared.