Chapter 261

"I think you've lost it," Joyce said, exasperated. "Is this how you act when love makes you confused?"

Thea wasn't confused by love. Her acceptance of Oliver involved careful consideration. Perhaps Oliver held unexpected truths within him.

"That reminds me of something. Teri's been frantically trying to find you since she got bailed out," Joyce continued, her long residence in Key Biscayne having granted her access to all the gossip. "Aiden stopped her, and now he practically controls the Langstaff Group."

Joyce scoffed, unimpressed. Although she'd made past mistakes due to her overwhelming love for a man, Teri's business acumen far surpassed Aiden's.

They were accustomed to the machinations of wealthy families, knowing Mason was secretly backing Aiden.

"Really?" Thea's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "I guess I need to meet Teri." Gaining entry into the Langstaff family would be trivial for Thea.

As they left the apartment, the doorbell rang. Oliver, using a small stool, peered through the peephole, spotting a familiar face. After hesitating, he opened the door. "Oliver, how have you been? Has Thea been mistreating you?" Stephanie entered, immediately scrutinizing him.

Seeing him unharmed, even healthier than when he was with her, only intensified her displeasure. "It looks like you're planning to treat her as your mother now. Have you forgotten everything I taught you?" "Mom" Oliver began, but Stephanie slapped him. "I told you—no matter who's around—you're never to call me Mom."

Stephanie was cunning. Her slap landed on Oliver's back, hurting him through his shirt without leaving marks.

"Do you know how hard I worked to escape just to see you?" Nicolas had wanted to send Stephanie abroad, but she'd fled before reaching the airport to get to Silvercreek. However, from downstairs, Stephanie had witnessed Oliver's deep affection for Thea. Oliver's eyes were red from the pain.

Stephanie's relentless scolding echoed in his ears. "You've let me down. I raised you. Are you saying our bond is worth less than those few days you spent with that… woman? You've forgotten everything I taught you!" Stephanie's harsh words stung Oliver. From childhood, he'd learned to prioritize securing Nicolas's love, no matter the cost.

Overwhelmed by his warped upbringing, Oliver snapped. "I've forgotten. Mrs. Hendrix is completely different from what you described. She's not a bad person. She's been good to me… better than you!" His desperate cry was unexpected from a child of his age.

Stephanie was stunned. "I'm your real mother."

Stephanie's words, captured by the apartment's surveillance system, were perfectly clear to Thea.

"See? Oliver and Stephanie are two of a kind. He's finally revealed himself," Joyce said, rubbing her hands together. "Thea, should we go back and expose their scheme?"

Chapter 261

"We're going back," Thea replied. But her goal wasn't to humiliate Stephanie; she primarily wanted to prevent Oliver from further suffering at his biological mother's hands.

Thea quickly sent the surveillance footage to Nicolas while driving. With Nicolas's resources, he could arrive in Silvercreek in time, even though he wasn't there currently. Thea returned home to find Stephanie violently striking Oliver's back. "You're not listening! You can't tell right from wrong anymore, turning your back on me and only caring about Thea!"

Oliver could have pushed Stephanie away, but he endured the blows. His face was pale; he remained silent.

Thea felt guilty for ever calling him a troublemaker. With a mother like Stephanie, Oliver's redeeming qualities were miraculous. Even Joyce couldn't stand it. "Ms. Ralap, barging into someone's home and assaulting a child? Isn't that rude? Are you seriously treating a child like this?" Stephanie hadn't expected their return. Confirming Nicolas's absence, she took a breath. "I'm disciplining my own child. Do you need to interfere? Thea, I'm warning you… Oliver is my son with Nicolas. You have no right to dictate his upbringing."

Stephanie pulled Oliver close, eyeing the room warily, as if afraid Thea might try to take him. Thea had no such intention.

"Your son with Nicolas? Ms. Ralap, if you're delusional or mentally ill, I suggest you seek professional help," Thea said with a cold laugh.

Her hatred for Stephanie ran deep, but she acted strategically. "Oliver is innocent. As far as I know, Nicolas has finalized the adoption, making Oliver legally our son. You're involved in child abuse and kidnapping, and the police are on their way."

Thea spoke calmly. "If you let Oliver go, I might ask the police to be lenient. After all, you are his biological mother."

Her words dripped with sarcasm, but Stephanie misinterpreted them as a sign of weakness. "You're not taking Oliver from me. He's my son. Every child is precious to their mother."

Thea would never forget Stephanie's monstrous behavior that day. Stephanie had tried to kill Thea and her unborn child. Thea was determined to take away what Stephanie valued most. Stephanie's true concern wasn't Oliver, but her fame and Nicolas's attention.

She waited until the elevator doors opened, then finally raised her voice. "Your son with Nicolas? Ms. Ralap, would you like to see this?"

Thea pulled out photos, revealing a shocking image. Stephanie's pupils dilated. "Don't use fake photos to ruin my reputation! Give them to me!"

If the photos were forged, Stephanie wouldn't have reacted so violently. She lunged at Thea, shoving Oliver aside, almost causing him to fall.

"Thea, are you trying to kill me?" Stephanie screamed.

Thea anticipated Stephanie's move and caught Oliver before he hit the wall. Holding him, she felt his trembling body. "Don't be scared. I'm here. She won't hurt us."

Just then, a camera flashed. Thea tossed the photos into the air as the camera clicked repeatedly.