?<strong>Chapter 690:</strong>


    Elyse, unfazed, replied curiously, “I should be the one asking you that. Aren’t the Bentley and Benson families supposed to be enemies? How’d you get an invitation?”


    Thea jutted her chin out proudly. “Why would I need an invitation? I’m Forrest’s friend. If I want to attend a Bentley family event, I can just walk in.”


    “Then you must be quite close with the Bentley family, huh?” Elyse said with a smirk.


    Not wanting to waste her breath on Thea, Elyse turned around and went to look for Victoria.


    However, the relentless Thea blocked her path, her face contorted with anger. “I answered your question, so you should answer mine! Tell me. How did you get in?”


    “I was invited out of the blue,” Elyse answered frankly. “But it was so sudden that I didn’t have the time to dress up properly.”


    Besides, Elyse knew Victoria’s invitation wasn’t for casual chitchat. Dressingvishly to an event like this would be pointless, especially since the chances of her being drenched in red wine by the end of the night were high—after all, Victoria and Rickey hadn’t exactly ended on good terms.


    Thinking of this, Elyse looked down at her dress. To avoid any untoward idents, she had specifically chosen a burgundy dress. That way, even if somebody ended up sshing her with red wine, any stains wouldn’t be apparent.


    Smiling, she couldn’t help but swell with pride at her cleverness.


    Thea continued to badger her with questions, but Elyse, lost in her own thoughts, didn’t respond.


    Pissed off at being ignored like this, Thea came to a conclusion. “You snuck in, didn’t you?” she snapped, lips curled into an ugly sneer. “What’re you scheming this time? Confess now!”


    Elyse nced at Thea indifferently. Judging by how riled up Thea was now, it was clear that her fury stemmed from some kind of deep-seated fear—perhaps she was terrified that Elyse might steal Forrest’s attention away from her.


    Smirking, Elyse reveled in the opportunity to taunt Thea. “I’m nning to do something naughty with Forrest,” she teased, her voice dripping with feigned innocence. “What? Think you can stop me?”


    Thea’s face contorted in anger, her teeth clenched tightly.


    The Bentley family, a formidable n in Cambape, had long been at odds with the Bensons, and she had worked her ass off to carve out a ce for herself in the Benson family.


    Usually, the big ns would at least be civil with each other, even if their interests didn’t align.


    But over twenty years ago, Rickey’s scandalous elopement had ignited a fierce feud between the two families. Despite the passage of time, the Bentleys had never forgiven the Bensons, and reconciliation seemed impossible.


    So, when Thea sessfully forged a friendship with Forrest, the Bensons dared to hope for a resolution.


    Thea herself carried the weight of these hopes, enduring Forrest’s cruel treatment because she firmly believed she could mend the rift between their families.


    Thest thing she needed was Elyse meddling in her delicate ns.


    Panic red in Thea’s eyes as she urgently demanded, “What the fuck do you n to do to Forrest? He’s still a minor! You’d better not try anything!”


    Elyse, her curiosity piqued, asked with a yful smirk, “What? Are you nning to do something to him? You said so yourself he’s underage, but you’re not exactly a spring chicken. Are you nning to rob the cradle?”


    Thea rolled her eyes, exasperation evident on her face. “Stop being so ridiculous! I simply refuse to let you cause any trouble here. Leave now, or I’ll call security!”


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