Just propose to her

As expected, he was exactly who she thought he would be. Their love must have been deep enough to bring a child into the world. It made sense now why he said he couldn't love her, it was clear why he didn't want to.

Tessa glanced at Benjamin again, trying to spot any resemblance, but saw none. She figured Benjamin must take after his mother in looks. Her curiosity was piqued, and she wanted to see a picture of Monica.

"You don't look like your dad at all. Do you have a picture of your mom?" Tessa asked innocently, making the atmosphere tense.

Elias clenched his spoon tightly, turning to Tessa. "It's time to sit down and eat," he said firmly. Tessa forced a smile and shifted her focus back to Benjamin.

"You can call me Tessa, one of your stepmoms, I guess," she said, running her hand through his hair, which surprisingly made Benjamin smile.

"She's not that bad," Benjamin remarked before heading to his seat.