?<strong>Chapter 679:</strong>


    “Move!” Brian spat, his voiceced with urgency.


    Thea’s face twisted with anger, but she held her temper. “Grandma said Elyse should be locked up for three days with no food to teach her a lesson. You can’t go against Grandma’s orders.”


    As Thea spoke, her gaze flitted over to Elyse. Elyse’s eyes were tightly shut, her face pale and drawn, but otherwise, she didn’t look too unwell.


    Thea said with a sneer, “She’s only missed one meal and is already acting like she’s on death’s door. Who’s she trying to fool? Uncle Brian, put her down, or else Grandma will get mad.”


    Brian’s eyes narrowed into icy slits. “I told you before, don’t call me uncle. I want nothing to do with you.”


    Thea opened her mouth to protest, but Brian brushed past her, carrying Elyse out the door and straight to the hospital.


    At the hospital, relief washed over Brian when the doctor confirmed Elyse only had a low fever. But that relief quickly turned to horror when they discovered a ten-centimeter bloody wound on her back, the flesh raw and exposed.


    Rage simmered in Brian’s chest when he learned that this was his own family’s doing, his hands shaking as he dialed Pearce’s number.


    When Pearce didn’t answer, Brian kept calling, his anger building with each unanswered ring.


    Ten minutester, Pearce finally picked up.


    “Hey, Dad. Are you home already? I just finished a meeting. Where are you now? I’lle to you.”


    Grinding his teeth, Brian hissed angrily, “Where am I? I’m at the hospital! Get your ass over here and take care of Elyse!”


    Pearce was baffled. How on earth did Elyse end up in the hospital? Everything seemed fine with her thest time he saw her. Nevertheless, he rushed to the hospital at his father’s beckoning and found Elyse in a miserable state.


    “I just went to the office for a meeting, yet in that short window of time, they actually dared to hurt Elyse?” he eximed in disbelief.


    “Didn’t I tell you to take good care of her before I left for my business trip?” Brian scolded, his face contorted in anger. “You said you would, so I went ahead and left her in your care. Now, look at what happened!”


    Eyes dark with gloom, he continued, “I have to leave again tomorrow night. With me gone, can you still protect Elyse?”


    Pearce pursed his lips into a thin line, his expression sour. After making some calls to get a better understanding of the situation, he gritted his teeth and said, “It turns out this was Thea’s doing. She and her father still haven’t given up on seizing power.”


    After checking that Elyse’s IV drip was flowing properly, Brian took a deep breath and regained hisposure. “Your grandmother ns to distribute her shares—and she owns 45% of thepany. If they get their dirty hands on those shares, Thea and her father will have a real voice in the Benson family and in thepany.”


    Pearce sank into the plush chair next to Elyse’s hospital bed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Maybe I shouldn’t have brought Elyse back—at least, not at this time,” he mumbled.


    Brian shook his head gently. “Don’t overthink it. We brought Elyse back to reunite with her family members, not to pit her against Thea for your grandmother’s inheritance.”


    “But it’s obvious Thea sees Elyse as a threat,” Pearce protested with a helpless sigh. “She really went way too far today.”


    Brian frowned slightly, a hint of weariness in his voice. “Haven’t you noticed? Thea only dares to bully Elyse because your grandmother silently approves of it.”


    “But why? Why would Grandma do this to Elyse? Elyse didn’t do anything wrong. It’s one thing for Grandma not to like her, but to let others mistreat her?” Pearce’s agitation grew at the thought of Felicia’s cold attitude towards Elyse.


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