?<strong>Chapter 1445:</strong>


    Elyse had never spent much time thinking about Thea. They were practically strangers, and honestly, she never saw the need. She assumed their worlds would rarely ovep. Even when Felicia brought up Thea dating someone she would strongly disapprove of, Elyse remained indifferent.


    In her mind, Thea’s romantic choices weren’t her concern. But now, seeing Thea’s boyfriend up close, a faint spark of unease flickered in her chest. It suddenly struck her that Thea might be heading straight toward disaster. For reasons she didn’t fully understand, Elyse felt an unexpected urge to step in.


    Jayden noticed the shift in her expression and said, “Something’s different. You feel like stepping in now, don’t you?”


    Elyse frowned slightly. “I do care, but helping her depends entirely on whether she’s willing to ept it. If she isn’t open to it, the best I can do is share some advice.”


    Meanwhile, Thea, who had just settled into her seat, caught sight of Elyse. Her eyes widened briefly in surprise before she quickly looked down, pretending not to notice, as though hoping Elyse would follow suit.


    Both women avoided acknowledging each other as they ced their orders in tense silence.


    About ten minutester, the tter of dishes and a booming voice broke through the chatter in the restaurant. Elyse turned toward themotion and saw Thea’s boyfriend m his fist onto the table. “Where is it?” he growled. “Can’t you hear me? If you can’t pay attention, then get out of my sight!”


    In his rage, he swept the tes and food onto the floor, creating a chaotic mess.


    Thea screamed, pressing her hands over her ears. She shook violently, too frightened to say a word.


    Elyse’s brows drew together in a deep frown. Thea, though adopted by Felicia, had grown up under her guidance, surrounded by grace and civility. Everyone in their household, even when upset, handled conflict withposure. This kind of uncontrolled fury was entirely unfamiliar to Thea, leaving her paralyzed with fear.


    The man’s rage only grew more intense as Thea’s fear became more apparent. He stormed toward her, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and yanked her head back. “Can you hear me now? Where is the thing I told you to bring?” he snarled.


    Thea’s tears flowed freely as her body shook with uncontroble tremors. Her lips quivered, but no words came out.


    “Speak up! What are you, mute?” he growled, his voice booming across the room.


    The restaurant manager and several staff members hurried over, desperately trying to separate Thea from him.


    The man paid them no attention. Instead, he snatched a te and hurled it across the room. It shattered against the wall, scattering shards of ss everywhere.


    A nearby woman screamed in shock. “What is wrong with you?! You scratched my purse!”


    She shot to her feet, fury etched across her face as she marched toward him. “Are you out of your mind? Hitting your own girlfriend is bad enough, but now you’ve ruined my purse! You’re going to pay for this!”


    The man sneered and gave Thea’s cheek a mocking pat. “She says you owe her. So, what are you going to do about it?”


    Startled, Thea stuttered, “I’ll pay! Whatever it takes, I’ll cover it!” Her boyfriend couldn’t hide his smirk. “You hear that? She’s footing the bill. Whatever you fancy, charge it to her.”


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