Chapter 684:
Thea approached Elyse, arms crossed, her tone laced with mockery. “Look at you, out of trouble in just a few hours thanks to your hero.”
A playful smirk touched Elyse’s lips as she met Thea’s gaze. “Feeling angry? Or are you just eager to drag me back to that dark basement?”
Thea scoffed. “Wrongdoers deserve punishment. Otherwise, they’ll never learn.”
“In that case, you should be there more than I should,” Elyse retorted, her smile cold. “You can’t keep bending the rules forever. Your luck will run out.”
“You’re just a smart mouth!” Thea hissed.
Elyse shrugged, her laughter tinged with mockery. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Who’s she?” the young boy beside Thea asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Thea hesitated. “She’s… the daughter of the man who left the Benson family years ago.”
Hearing this, Forrest Bentley examined Elyse, his gaze thoughtful.
Feeling his scrutiny, Elyse instinctively stepped back.
After a moment, Forrest offered his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, smiling. “I hope we can get along.”
Elyse briefly shook his hand. “I must be going,” she announced. “I have other commitments.” She took Gavin’s arm and left.
Forrest watched her go. “Is she really Rickey’s daughter?” he asked.
Thea nodded. “Yes. Are you interested in her?”
“A bit,” Forrest confessed.
Jealousy surged through Thea. Forrest had just met Elyse, yet seemed intrigued. Thea had been courting Forrest for over a year, trying to get close to the Bentley family.
“Elyse spells trouble,” Thea warned. “She’s returned to the Benson family only to claim the inheritance.”
Forrest shrugged dismissively. “So what? Inheritance disputes are common. Even Pearce had to fight for his position.”
With a sardonic smile, he added, “You might want it, but you have no chance. After all, you’re not a Benson by blood, are you?”
Thea’s face paled. She’d endured his taunts for a year, and this was his response?
“Spare me that wounded look; you’re not pretty enough to pull it off.” Forrest dismissed her with a cold glance.