Chapter 1383:

Felicia felt her heart ache with a sorrow she couldn’t quite explain as she heard those words. She said with a heavy heart, “My dear, you’ve faced so many hardships on your own all these years. It must have been so hard for you.”

Elyse remained silent, for what Felicia said was true—she had been navigating life alone for a long time.

During her college years, she had crossed paths with Theo. Even though he had betrayed her, she couldn’t deny that he had been kind in certain ways.

When Glenda and Lanny had deliberately made her struggle with paying her tuition fees, Theo had stepped in and offered financial help, resolving the crisis she had been in.

In that phase of life, she also met Tracy, who became a source of emotional support. Tracy filled the void in her heart, offering encouragement, respect, guidance, and understanding whenever she faced challenges in connecting with others.

Then there was Jayden. He wasn’t without flaws, but the depth of his love had initially mended the wounds of abandonment and insecurity Elyse carried.

As Elyse reflected on those times, she froze in thought. If she had once embraced Jayden’s possessive and overbearing love, why had she grown unable to accept it later on?

Felicia noticed Elyse drifting off in thought and assumed her words had stirred up painful memories. She tried to console her, saying, “It’s alright, darling. I will always be here as your safe haven.”

Elyse pulled herself out of her reverie and smiled softly.

“Thank you.” After saying that, her gaze landed on Thea, who was peeking from the corner, eavesdropping on their conversation. Elyse turned her eyes away without a word, pretending not to notice, and continued her conversation with Felicia.

A short while later, Elyse excused herself, saying she needed to use the restroom, but her true intention was to meet Thea. Startled by Elyse’s sudden presence, Thea tried to stay calm but ended up crouching under the window in a panic. She stammered, “Why did you come to find me? Shouldn’t you be talking with Grandma?” Her tone was sharp as she tried to appear fearless.

Elyse, uninterested in engaging with Thea’s defiance, questioned, “You’ve been listening for quite a while. Why not just join us in the conversation?”

That struck a nerve with Thea, who immediately retorted, “Oh, so now you pity me? You feel sorry for me because Grandma doesn’t accept me, because I’m not really part of the family, and I don’t deserve a place at the dining table?”

Elyse’s brow furrowed slightly. “That’s not what I meant. I noticed you standing here for so long, so I figured you wanted to talk. Why not come along?”

“I don’t want to! I’m not one of you Bensons. You’re just trying to use me to make yourself look good, aren’t you?” Thea lost her temper and shouted at Elyse.

Elyse calmly responded, “You’re overthinking it. I’ve never said that.”

“You didn’t say it outright, but that’s exactly what you believe. I don’t need your fake concern!” Thea suddenly shoved Elyse and shot her an intense glare.

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