HappyNovelChapter 1449:
The weight of truth pressed down on Thea'’s shoulders, causing them to sag. Her earlier fire dimmed to embers,
her voice softening like a withering flower.
“This past year, I've devoted myself to your care. Not a single day of respite. How can creativity flourish in such
constraints?”
“Those obligations no longer bind you,” Felicia countered smoothly. “Yet instead of seeking inspiration in distant
horizons, you waste precious hours with that parasitic boyfriend of yours. Tell me, Thea, just how much money
have you poured into him?”
“Enough!” Thea exploded, her face twisting with defensive fury. “Don’t you dare reduce my love to mere
transactions! You know nothing about matters of the heart!” With one last venomous glare, she spun on her heel
and fled, leaving only the echo of her footsteps in her wake.
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After Thea’s tic exit, Pearce strolled over, arms crossed over his chest. His gaze lingered on Thea’s
retreating figure before settling on Felicia with grave intensity. “I've had to clean up quite the situation involving
Thea today. Care to hear the unsavory details?”
The fire of confrontation had drained from Felicia, leaving her collapsed in her chair like a withered autumn leaf.
Age seemed to etch deeper lines into her face with each passing moment. She lifted weary eyes to meet his.
“What situation?”
“Her boyfriend turned violent in public—a restaurant scene caught on camera. | managed to contain the footage
before it spread like wildfire online.”
Horror bloomed across Felicia’s features. “He attacked her?”
Pearce’s jaw tightened. “Indeed. Not content with just that, he damaged my friend's wife's designer purse and
tried forcing Thea to foot the bill.”
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“Thankfully,” he continued, his voice softening slightly, “my friend's wife recognized Thea. Instead of demanding
payment, she contacted the police.”
Felicia sank deeper into her chair, disappointment and worry etching her face.
“You understand Thea’s nature better than anyone,” Pearce said softly. “That's why you've kept the inheritance
from her grasp. She remains blind to both herself and your intentions.”
Felicia’s shoulders sagged with the weight of resignation. “What more can | do? I've tried everything within my
power. Her choices are her own now.”
Pearce’s voice was cold. “Grandma, you have to admit, she may wear the Benson name, but her blood tells a
different story. Each day, she treads closer to her father’s path.”
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The silence stretched between them before Felicia broke it. “Is this why you've never accepted her?”
Pearce’s tone was utterly composed, carrying the smooth indifference of polished marble. “Yes, | reserve my
affection for family alone. To me, she’s nothing more than a charity case you took in. Were it not for your
protection, she’d have been overseas years ago, certainly not living off a five-figure monthly allowance.”
A hollow laugh escaped Felicia’s lips. “Planning to send her away once I'm gone?”
“That was the original plan.” Pearce’s lips curved into something dangerous. “But circumstances change.”
Felicia asked, “Why did you change your mind?”
With a sneer, Pearce replied, “Because | realized Thea doesn’t need my special arrangements. She's perfectly
capable of ruining herself. | just need to sit back and watch it happen.”
After a weighty silence, Felicia inquired, “And if it really comes to that, will you show any mercy and let her off
the hook?”
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