Chapter 694:

With Forrest's order, Elyse was freed. She moved her hands and arched an eyebrow at Thea, her eyes twinkling with pride. Unbeknownst to Elyse, her expression was a provocation to Thea. Thea clenched her teeth, nearly grinding them. She was baffled by Forrest's sudden kindness toward Elyse. Trying to mask her irritation with a forced smile, Thea inquired curiously, "Elyse is Rickey's daughter. You've always despised their family. Why are you treating her kindly now?"

Elyse, taken aback by Thea's boldness, looked at her. In front of everyone, Thea had exposed Elyse's identity, seemingly challenging Forrest as well. Elyse quickly glanced at Forrest; as expected, he looked dissatisfied. His eyes grew colder as he looked at Thea. He responded indifferently, "This is my home. Here, my words are law. Are you questioning my authority?"

Thea was scared. This was the first time Forrest had treated her so coldly, shaking her sense of security. She desperately wanted an explanation but knew better than to press him. With a quivering lip, trying to hide her distress, Thea muttered, "Sorry, I spoke out of turn."

Forrest dismissed her and turned to Elyse, saying, "You can go now." Elyse nodded, gracefully gathered her dress, and exited under everyone's watchful eyes. As she departed, the banquet hall's atmosphere lightened, returning to its previous harmony.

But Thea was restless. She hurried upstairs in her high heels to confront Forrest. When Forrest saw her following, his disdain grew. He attempted to walk away, but Thea caught up to him. Panting, Thea demanded, "Why are you so kind to Elyse? You even let her walk free. Have you forgotten what her father did to your mother? Weren't you determined to make Rickey's descendants pay?"

Forrest listened and chuckled. "You think you know me well. It seems you've studied my mind thoroughly to gain my approval." Detecting an unusual tone, Thea said, "Aren't we friends? Why are you speaking to me like this? We don't have any issues, do we?"

Forrest scoffed at Thea's naiveté. "Do you really not understand? How could I be friends with you? You are just a pet to me. Having someone from the Benson family as my pet amuses me greatly."

Thea's face drained of color. She shook her head in disbelief. "How can this be? Nothing has changed between us. Why this sudden shift? Did Elyse say something to you during that half-hour she was away that made you turn against me?"

Forrest looked at Thea with a mix of pity and dismissal. He was well aware of Thea's background and motives when she first approached him, making it easy to boss her around. Now, he was tired of the charade. . . .