?<strong>Chapter 684:</strong>


    Thea approached Elyse, her arms crossed, her toneced with mockery. “Look at you, out of trouble in just a few hours thanks to your hero.”


    A yful smirk appeared on Elyse’s face as she met Thea’s eyes. “Feeling angry? Or are you just eager to drag me back to that dark basement?”


    Thea scoffed. “Wrongdoers deserve punishment. Otherwise, they’ll never recognize their mistakes.”


    “In that case, you should be in that ce more than I should,” Elyse retorted, her smile cold. “You can’t keep bending the rules forever. Eventually, your luck will run out.”


    “You’re just a smart mouth!” Thea hissed.


    Elyse shrugged, herughter tinged with mockery. “I’ll take that as apliment.”


    “Who’s she?” the young boy standing next to Thea asked, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at Elyse.


    Thea hesitated, considering her words carefully. “She’s… the daughter of the man who left the Benson family years ago.”


    Upon hearing of Elyse’s background, Forrest Bentley examined her more closely, his gaze thoughtful.


    Feeling the intensity of his scrutiny, Elyse instinctively stepped back, putting some distance between them.


    After a moment, Forrest ended his observation and offered his hand to Elyse. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, smiling. “I hope we can get along.”


    Elyse hesitated just long enough to ept Forrest’s handshake, then briefly shook it. “I must be going,” she announced. “I have othermitments.” With that, she grabbed Gavin’s arm and quickly walked away.


    Forrest watched Elyse as she departed. “Is she really Rickey’s daughter?” he inquired.


    Thea nodded. “Yes. Are you interested in her?”


    “A bit,” Forrest confessed.


    Thea experienced a surge of jealousy. Forrest had only just met Elyse, yet he seemed already intrigued by her. Thea had been trying to get close to the Bentley family for over a year by courting Forrest.


    “Elyse spells trouble,” Thea cautioned. “She’s returned to the Benson family only to im the inheritance.”


    Forrest responded with a dismissive shrug. “So what? Disputes over inheritance are typical. Even Pearce had to battle to secure his position as head of the family.”


    With a sardonic smile and his eyes on Thea, he retorted, “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 had endured Forrest’s taunts for a year, and this was the best he could offer?


    “Spare me that wounded look; you’re not pretty enough to carry it off.” Forrest dismissed her with a nce thatcked any hint of sympathy.


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