Chapter 201
“Oh, tough luck.” Freya’s eyes were red with anxiety.
Freya gazed at Odalys’s pretty face, and her liking for it grew.
“How cute Odalys’ children will be!” Freya’s imagination already ran wild.
After one squint at Freya, Selah soon found that all the nuts on the table had been cracked open by Stellan.
Stellan pushed the bowl of nuts towards his female companions.
“Come on! Who will raise a family at 20 years old?” Selah protested.
The lively atmosphere in Group B upset someone.
Finnian watched Group B for a long time before he couldn’t help but walk over.
He stopped with his gaze at Odalys and said, “Can you tell my fortune?”
“The moment you willingly aligned yourself with her, you tied your fate to hers. Since when? When I joined the Bennett Group,” Odalys answered.
Finnian was taken aback because Odalys had read his mind.
A look of surprise flashed past, and he argued with disbelief, “What do you mean by willingly?”
“Literally,” Odalys said coldly.
Finnian’s heart sank. Because of Sophia’s instigation,
Finnian had cut Group B’s rope in half. Back then, he had found nothing wrong with this evil act.
Now, he felt scared.
“Can you help me? I’ll give you money.” Finnian panicked.
He now dreaded Sophia and saw her as a lunatic who lost her cool at any time.
Odalys said sarcastically, “I don’t want to get entangled with you, and I won’t help you. How can I help you after you colluded with her to hurt me?
“Finnian, wake up. Do you still think that I am ignorant of what you are up to? You overestimated yourself, opportunist.”
Finnian and his companions were shameless in the eyes of Odalys.
Together with Sophia, Finnian had made Odalys substitute for Sophia to be Mrs. Stewart. They planned to brainwash Odalys to get the resources of the Stewart family after Percival died.
Then, they would distance themselves from her.
How outrageous!
“What?” The others were quick to smell a conspiracy.
They looked at Finnian with surprise.
They wondered, ‘Did Finnian get tricked in his cooperation with Sophia? Does he want to make peace with Odalys now?’
Contempt in their gazes at Finnian was conspicuous.
“Excuse me.” Finnian’s heart sank.
Finnian left the little group and retreated into a corner alone.
Only half a month had passed, but things completely changed.
[Oh, Odalys tells fortunes again! I wish she could tell mine.]
[It is said that she saved her fans at the airport before this show. Thanks to the cooperation of the airport, many people dodged a bullet.]
[It is true. I was one of those fans. Odalys treated us to breakfast, told us not to leave till eight o’clock, and let the shopkeeper be our supervisor.]
[Marvellous! I wish I were there.]
[What did she tell Francis? I feel that they don’t look unhappy after his fortune-telling.]
[Isn’t Finnian inviting humiliation? What are he and Sophia up to? Odalys looks so angry.]
[How shameless! He cut the rope to hurt Odalys and now asked for her help cheekily. Screw him!]
[Group B is nice, and its atmosphere is great. They don’t discriminate against Francis, a member of Group A.]
[How harmonious Group B is!]
[Odalys mentioned that she would open a company of divination with some free services. When will it come true? I can’t wait anymore.]
The netizens were thrilled when Odalys told fortunes for her companions.
A statement issued by the police said that a blockade of the airport had happened due to the persuasion of Odalys’s huge fan, who had learned of the imminent explosion from Odalys’s channel.
Countless families had been saved in just half an hour.
Without the blockade, the consequences would be disastrous.
That incident caused a stir, and it brought Odalys a lot of attention.
Some netizens even attempted to make appointments with Odalys for divination.
They became anxious when they saw Odalys tell fortunes in the show.
“One is supposed to be nice to others. Don’t play the victim after your evil plot failed,” Stellan suddenly said to Finnian. He wasn’t meddlesome, but Finnian was too shameless. Finnian remained silent.
He felt bad.
He wanted to vent his frustration and rage, but there wasn’t an outlet.
He hadn’t realized his problem yet.
Had he colluded with Sophia?
No, he happened to have the same view as Sophia. He wanted Odalys to substitute Sophia to be Mrs. Stewart and planned to take advantage of Percival’s death later.
He would help Odalys out after he got the resources of the Stewart family. Back then, he had been trustworthy to the meek Odalys.
His plan had been flawless till Odalys suddenly turned on him and perplexed him with hatred.
His plan was ruined, and he felt as if he had been abandoned.
His plan would soon succeed if Odalys didn’t go against him all of a sudden. Then, he would help her out of the Stewart family and marry her as he had promised.
Never had he thought of abandoning her. If his plan worked, she could enjoy his success with him.
With the resources of the Stewart family, he would replace Orson to be the heir of the Lark family, and nobody would look down upon him as an illegitimate child again.
Then, he would become the owner of the Lark Group, and his future would become bright.
As for Odalys, she would become the honorable Mrs. Lark.
Why couldn’t she trust him for once?
Why had she suddenly turned against him?
Who had brainwashed her?
Was it Freya? Or Stellan?
Did they really get acquainted via this show?
If yes, how could they become close within such a short time?
Restless, Finnian felt that his brain had jammed.
He walked back to his bedroom, lay down on the bed, and stared at the ceiling in a daze. He heard a noise from outside the door, turned his head, and looked at the door.
He then saw the disheveled Sophia push the door open and walk into his room. Startled, he sat up immediately. “What are you doing here?” Finnian asked warily.
Chapter 202
Finnian felt scared when Sophia appeared within his sight.
Sophia strode over and mysteriously covered Finnian’s mouth. Her eyes swept around the room. She didn’t whisper till it was confirmed that she was alone with Finnian, “Do you want a word with Odalys?”
“What do you mean?” Finnian’s eyes flickered with suspicion.
Sophia’s last trick had completely consumed Finnian’s trust. Sophia said, “Don’t you have a lot to tell her? With those people around, you can’t talk things over with her. If you confess your feelings in public, she will refuse you for sure. “Women love to have as many backups as possible. If you court her in public, what will the viewers think of her? Humans are ambitious, and Odalys can’t be an exception. “Besides, Percival will soon die. After his death, she will be in trouble and even danger. It is the right time to tell her your love.” Sophia spared no effort to brainwash Finnian.
Lying in her room, she almost had a breakdown.
She couldn’t come up with a way to ruin Odalys, so Finnian became her tool.
“What is your plan?” Finnian asked hoarsely.
He leaned back.
When Sophia relaxed a bit, Finnian felt a chill down his spine.
Finnian had a hunch that Sophia was up to no good, but he was tempted to hear her out.
Humans were insatiable, and he was no exception.
Sophia suggested, “Ask her out! Isn’t she kind-hearted? Pretend to be a villager and ask her out at midnight. Then, I will follow behind her with a cameraman. In this way, the netizens will know your date at midnight.
“After the tryst gets exposed, her name will be tied to yours. The public voice is fatal. After the shooting is over tomorrow, you can give her more pressure via trending topics about your relationship with her.
“Be good to her when she is alone with you. After you two straighten things out, I will pop up with the cameraman.”
Finnian was tempted.
He had thought about this method.
However, the consequences would be unthinkable if Odalys got irritated.
“Will it work?” Finnian asked in a low voice.
Sophia gave Finnian a confident smile. Both of them fell silent, but a deal had been struck.
[Guys, quick, check Group A! Something is up.]
[What’s wrong? I am coming!]
[They are so disgusting. I wish them to get married and torment each other for the rest of their lives.]
[I apologize for doubting Odalys’ blunt refusal. Finnian is such a bad man. He decided to set up a trap for Odalys.] [Is that how the scandal gets started in showbiz? To ruin one’s reputation with some photos of two people alone, the so-called confessions, and the public voice.]
[Sophia is so despicable and disgusting. I’m so angry that I wish to give her a good beating.]
[Alert Odalys as soon as possible. Oh my god, she’s in danger. Don’t fall into their trap.]
[Relax. Odalys can tell fortunes, can’t she? Her image as a fortune teller will collapse if she can’t foresee this trap.]
Neither Sophia nor Finnian knew that the cameras in their bedrooms were still on, that their conversation had been broadcast, and that the netizens were aghast at their dirty trick.
People who had considered Odalys cocky fell silent and felt that she had been too nice to Sophia and Finnian.
Group B was unaware of the twist.
They chatted and laughed. Their happiness was infectious, so their cameramen relaxed and pricked their ears for the interesting stories they were sharing.
Right then, a staff member walked up to Kenny.
“Kenny, look.” He held up his phone and played a video for Kenny.
When Finnian and Sophia stopped talking in the video, he asked Kenny with worry, “Should we alert Odalys?”
Many staff members disliked Group A. One of them heard Sophia’s dirty trick and came to ask Kenny for instructions. Kenny had the final say in this show.
“Let’s wait and see.” Kenny narrowed his eyes slightly.
He had observed the two groups since the start of the shooting, so he knew each member well.
“What if Odalys falls into their trap? Shall the live broadcast continue?” The staff member asked.
Kenny thoughtfully looked towards Group A and then whispered, “Suspend the live broadcast if that happens. Keep your mouth shut for the time being.
“Got you.” The staff worker nodded.
When Kenny gave orders to his worker, Odalys, Selah, and Freya walked out of the house with buckets.
“Prepare dinner, you guys. The three of us will go out to see if there’s any fruit,” Odalys said.
The wild fruits were delicious.
“Okay.” Stellan nodded.
It was only 4:30 p.m. Stellan didn’t go out with his female companions because he thought they would be safe in broad daylight.
Together with Francis, Stellan squatted down and cleared up the games while discussing how to cook them. At the same time, the netizens enthusiastically expressed their opinions.
Odalys and her two female companions entered the woods again.
“This place is nice, and the air here is fresh. Given those vegetables and fruits, it can be developed into an attraction a popular summer resort,” Freya commented.
The citizens wouldn’t stay here for long because this place was remote with some inconvenient facts in daily life. “You’re right, but whoever is addicted to his phone can’t adapt to this place that lacks transportation and signal,” Odalys whispered.
After a short walk in the woods, the three women saw a tree full of fruit.
Some fruits were red with an alluring fragrance.
“Fruit! What is its name?” Selah’s eyes lit up.
Selah ran over and found the fruit as small as her fingernail.
“Miracle Fruit. You will find the lemon sweet after you eat this fruit. It can change your sense of taste,” Odalys explained.
She picked a few ones, held them in her palm, and showed them to the viewers via the camera.
The cameraman cooperatively gave the fruits a close-up and then aimed his camera at the tree.
The tree was a bit taller than Odalys, so she and her companions could pick the fruits without climbing the tree.
“Is it so amazing? Let me try,” Freya said. She wiped one fruit with her sleeve and threw it into her mouth.
Miracle Fruit tasted good.
“Wow, it is sweet. It tastes different from other fruits,” Freya commented.
Selah did the same as Freya while Odalys quietly picked the fruit.
Odalys turned her head and spotted the plums not far away. She hurried over and picked some.
Chapter 203
Odalys didn’t pick many plums because they were a bit sour.
“Plums? Selah, come and try.” Like a child, Freya shouted excitedly while beckoning Selah over.
Thanks to this show, the three women became close.
Selah ran over at the call and tripped. “No!” After the scream of shock, she fell to the ground.
Thanks to the dead leaves and grass on the ground, she didn’t get hurt.
She quickly sat up.
“Take your time. No rush.” Freya walked over to pull Selah up.
Odalys wrapped her arm around Selah’s waist to help the poor woman up.
Selah soon got back on her feet. She patted the leaves off her clothes while grinning from ear to ear. “Didn’t I eat Miracle Fruit? I am anxious to try the plums.”
“Here you are,” Odalys said. She stuffed one plum into Selah’s mouth after wiping it with her sleeve.
Selah’s eyes lit up after one bite of the plum.
“Not sour.” Surprised, Selah gave the plum another two bites.
Freya picked a few plums, ate them, and had no sour taste in her mouth. She and Selah looked at Odalys in unison and asked, “Did you eat the plum?”
“Sour, very sour. We can eat them with a sauce made from peppers,” Odalys suggested.
With two pounds of plums, the three women headed toward the base.
After a few steps, they found wild watermelons in the bamboo forests not far away. They held their breath and whispered, “The watermelon!”
“It is everywhere. It seems wild,” Selah added.
Then, a six-pound watermelon was selected and carried away.
What a harvest!
In a good mood, the three women went back. At the sight of the large watermelon, both Stellan and Francis were shocked. “Where did you get the watermelon?”
“We found it in the bamboo forests. It must be wild. There are a lot, but only this one seems ripe,” Freya answered.
Odalys put down the watermelon. Selah and Freya exchanged a glance with each other.
Soon, the plums were washed and held before Francis and plums. Stellan. Selah and Freya urged their companions to try the
“Sour, isn’t it?” Francis frowned slightly.
Out of politeness, both Stellan and Finnian took the plums and put one into their respective mouths. Then, tears welled up in their eyes, and they spat the plums to the ground without hesitation.
Selah and Freya took out Miracle Fruit and repeated what Odalys had said about it.
“Really? Is it so amazing?” Francis had a suspicious look on his face.
He took two Miracle Fruits and threw them into his mouth. To his surprise, there was no sour taste in his mouth anymore when he ate the plums again. Doubting his sense of taste, he said, “The plum became sweet after I ate Miracle Fruit. How incredible!”
Stellan did the same experiment and reached the same conclusion as Francis.
Their sense of taste changed. They then took a few photos of the fruit and enthusiastically promoted it to the viewers. [Oh, they look so silly.]
[What a surprise that the two aloof hunks became fanboys of Miracle Fruit!]
[I googled Miracle Fruit and found some sellers of it. I just placed an order.]
[I need this fruit. With it, I don’t dread sour stuff anymore.]
[New knowledge to me. Odalys seems like an encyclopedia. What did she go through? 20 years old, she is more sophisticated than I.]
[Abandoned by her family, she had to stand on her own two feet. I feel sorry for her.]
Watching the show, the viewers posted their comments. They seemed peaceful and harmonious when Group A was absent. They now saw Francis as a member of Group B and forgot that he was still one of Group A.
Receptive, they already forgave Francis.
[The absence of Sophia and her team members does good to my health.]
[Agree, my friend. A few days ago, I was too angry to sleep.
[I can’t wait to see who will be so lucky to marry Sophia, a catty woman.]
While netizens were in a heated discussion, Group B got the pot ready to cook dinner.
A pot of soup was made with bones and peppers.
A feast came into shape after all meats, vegetables with mushrooms and bamboo shoots included, shrimps, crabs, and two fish were served.
Group B and Francis sat around the table to begin their dinner.
Right then, Atlas showed up. He walked to the table and looked at the people around it with disdain.
“Francis, you are a member of Group A, but you often dine with Group B. The viewers may mistake your behavior for betrayal,” Atlas said sarcastically.
He was very dissatisfied with Francis.
Francis was good with Group B, so they shared food with him.
From then on, he didn’t starve like his group members anymore.
Francis retorted, “What betrayal? Group B invites me to dine with them, and I accept the invitation. You don’t do the tasks or look for food. Do you want me to provide for you?
“I am your group member, not your slave. I am not obliged to find food for you or serve you.
“Besides, I found the food together with Group B, so I am qualified to dine with them. Any problems, Mr. Bennett?”
Atlas tried to humiliate Francis, but he ended himself embarrassed in the end.
Angry, he didn’t know how to talk back.
“Stay with Group B at night since you like them so much. Our room is too small for three grown men,” Atlas threatened.
He had the confidence that Stellan, a neat freak, wouldn’t share the bed with Francis.
In his imagination, Francis would defeatedly return to their room in the end.
He planned to make Francis beg him by locking the door of their room. This thought helped his mood improve a lot. “You.” It shocked Francis that Atlas was so shameless.
That room was rented by the film crew, and it wasn’t Atlas’s personal property.
Now, Atlas tried to kick Francis out of that room before the viewers.
‘How petty Atlas is!’ Francis thought.
Atlas was now jealous of Francis, while he refused to work or look for food.
How outrageous!
“Fine. I will take my luggage back in a while. After tonight, the shooting will be over,” Francis said angrily.
He didn’t back off before Atlas.
In the same circle, he didn’t consider himself inferior to Atlas.
As an international model, he had his pride to protect.
“Alright, move out with your luggage.” Atlas panicked. He knew that he had gone too far, but he couldn’t condescend to make an apology.
‘What will others think of me if I apologize to him now?’ he wondered.
After Francis agreed to move out, Atlas strode away, defeated.
Chapter 204
Atlas knew that his argument with Francis was childish and stupid, but he was too proud to make an apology.
Agitated, he returned to his bedroom, took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.
With a creak, the door was pushed open, and Francis walked into the room.
Atlas felt a bit awkward. He sat there stiffly and squinted at Francis. Finnian was there, lost in thought.
“Why are you here?” Atlas asked rudely.
He had done so for his pride, though he didn’t have the right to tell Francis what to do.
Right after the words left his lips, he felt regretful.
Francis ignored Atlas. He stuffed his clothes and articles for daily use into his bag.
When he left with his bag, Finnian snapped back to reality and was surprised by his actions.
“Francis, where are you going? Won’t the shooting be over tomorrow? We can’t leave here until tomorrow morning. Speaking, Finnian got up and walked towards Francis. With his luggage, Francis looked back at Finnian.
“I’m moving out,” Francis explained. He then strode away determinedly.
Atlas was annoyed.
He tossed his cigarette aside and stubbed it out.
“Let him go! Why did you ask him? He isn’t one of us. He is now a member of Group B. Just let him go,” Atlas said through his gritted teeth.
He sat there, the veins in his arms bulging.
Against his will, he had made himself an eyesore to many people in this show.
To make things worse, he couldn’t apologize to the people he had offended.
“Even so, you shouldn’t make him move out. Where can he go? There are only two houses for us, and he will have nowhere to stay,” Finnian argued.
He walked out of the room and saw Francis standing outside with luggage.
Before Finnian called Francis, Stellan beckoned to Francis and asked, “Would you like to stay in my room tonight? It is spacious enough for two people.”
“Thank you so much.” Francis didn’t stand on ceremony. He instantly walked to Stellan.
Finnian was dumbfounded. In a daze, he watched Francis walk into the house of Group B.
This scene was historic in this show…
“What happened? Can you tell me?” Finnian walked towards his cameraman.
His confusion caused the cameraman to explain in a low voice, “Atlas quarreled with Francis. Atlas thinks that
Francis’ dining with Group B is a betrayal.”
Finnian saw the light.
“So Atlas made Francis move out, right?” he asked.
The cameraman nodded. Confused, Finnian looked down upon Atlas because of this incident.
Atlas didn’t have the right to drive Francis out of the house. It was clear that Francis didn’t want to get entangled with Atlas anymore, so he moved out directly.
Finnian silently looked at Group A’s house and recalled what Sophia had said, agitated.
“Thanks,” he said. Then, he walked to a tree nearby and sat down.
Finnian sat there and found the stuff before Group B’s house was clean and neat. It was getting dark. Finnian felt starved because he didn’t have any food that day.
Finnian looked up at the sky, lost and helpless.
These negative feelings would follow him after the shooting was over.
The Lark family stopped providing resources to Finnian and told him to move out. In other words, Finnian was kicked out of the game. Without the powerful backer, where should he go?
Finnian wanted a way out, but his so-called connections and resources were related to the Lark family. He was now a nobody after the Lark family abandoned him.
Thinking, he had a headache.
For his own good, he would have to give it a go tonight.
“Odalys!” His voice was hoarse and deep. When the name left his lips, he found it strange.
He felt that he didn’t know Odalys at all.
‘How could an old acquaintance become a stranger overnight?’ he wondered.
[All of them are insane. Poor Francis.]
[I didn’t like Stellan, but I will be his fan from today on. He seems aloof, but he is much nicer than those jerks in Group A.]
[Am I the only person curious about the fortune-telling about Stellan and Francis?]
When the viewers were busy with discussions, Francis put down his luggage and helped Stellan make the bed.
Night fell. There were no street lamps in the village, and the pale moonlight shone on the ground. The vague birds chirping from the woods added a creepy vibe to the quiet village.
There sounded the knocks on the door.
With a facial mask on her face, Selah heard the knocks, looked in the direction of the living room, and said, “Who came at such a late hour?”
“Don’t open the door if the visitor says nothing. The visitor isn’t a human, perhaps.” Freya shook her head at Selah. They became vigilant after the incident caused by Rafael. They would check the closets and the space under the beds upon each return. They wouldn’t sit down till it was confirmed that there were no strangers in the house. Therefore, they couldn’t open the door at midnight.
“The visitor will say something if he is our acquaintance.” Odalys took the facial mask handed over by Freya and spread it on her face.
The three women sat on the bed, cross-legged. They talked in a low voice.
The knocks on the door became rapid, but nobody answered the door.
After a while, Stellan opened the door of his bedroom, glanced at the door of the living room, and then walked to the room where his female companions were.
“It’s me.” Stellan raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Selah hurried off the bed and opened the door.
In a loose T-shirt and gray pants, Stellan stood at the doorway and said, “Someone is knocking on the door. Shall we get the door?”
“Don’t open the door unless the visitor says something,” Odalys said coldly.
She knew that deliberate disregard would agitate the visitor.
When Stellan intended to retreat to his bedroom, Sophia’s voice came from outside.
“Odalys, it’s me! Open the door. I need to talk to you. Sophia’s sweet voice came from the other side of the door.
Stellan didn’t get the door. He stood there and stared at it in a daze.
Francis appeared in the living room and exchanged a glance with Stellan.
“Silence. Let’s see when she will give up,” Selah whispered.
She knew that Sophia must be up to no good. Sophia was supposed to turn to the film crew instead of Group B for help if there was trouble.
Besides, one was supposed to give up since nobody answered the door for such a long time.
Sophia was persistent, so it suggested that she wasn’t in trouble.
“Odalys, I know you’re not asleep yet. Come out now.
Something’s up.” Sophia sounded agitated.
Chapter 205
Anxious, Sophia stomped her feet.
Because nobody answered the door, she was assaulted by the mosquitoes.
With itchy bites all over her legs, she stomped her feet angrily, and her knocks on the door became harder and harder. By impulse, she wished to push the door down.
“Come out! Something’s up. I am serious.” Her eyes were red with tears.
Tonight would be her last chance.
Her plan against Odalys would fail if she couldn’t get Odalys out of the house tonight.
When her knocks became harder and harder, her cameraman stared at her thoughtfully. He knew her previous discussion with Finnian.
He was told to keep an eye on her by Kenny. He would take action if something bad happened.
When Sophia pounded at the door, it was pulled open abruptly. Caught off guard, she fell to the floor of the living room.
“No!” Sophia screamed.
Her palms got a few scratches, and the pain made her grimace. She raised her head and saw several people squinting at her with their arms crossed.
She saw contempt in their eyes.
As tears welled up in her eyes, Sophia rose to her feet aggrievedly.
With a bit of enthusiasm, she walked to Odalys and sobbed, “Odalys, hurry up!”
“For what?” Odalys had a faint smile on her face.
She coldly looked at Sophia as if she saw right through Sophia.
Sophia didn’t know why her scalp tingled. Guilty, she looked away because she didn’t dare to look Odalys in the eye.
“We didn’t go out to look for food today. Just now, Atlas said that he was starving, so he went out to look for stuff like pheasants. One hour had passed, and he hadn’t returned.
“Out of worry, I let Finnian go look for him. Now, Finnian is gone too. Sophia lied… I am afraid that both of them are in trouble.”
She was a good actress. As she spoke, hot tears streamed down her face.
She would be pulled into a warm embrace if she were talking to a man.
Odalys heard Sophia out with a smile that reached her eyes. Then, she said, “Oh, they must be.”
Speaking, she pushed Sophia out of the living room and said, “Go find Kenny. He has the manpower you need. Ask him for help. Hurry up.
Then, she gave Sophia a hard push.
Sophia was pushed out of the house, shocked.
She didn’t expect Odalys to refuse her with such a good reason.
She wondered, ‘Why is Odalys so calm? Shouldn’t she run out to look for the lost right away? Why?’
“What did you say?” Sophia began to think that she had misheard Odalys.
With disbelief, she asked Odalys for confirmation.
“I said, ask Kenny for help. Don’t shed tears now. It won’t be too late for you to do that after Finnian and Atlas are confirmed to be in trouble,” Odalys kindly advised.
Her words brought more tears down Sophia’s cheeks.
“Aren’t you worried about them? Won’t you join the search?” Sophia asked anxiously.
Odalys pointed at her face and said, “I have a mask on my face, so it is not convenient for me to go out. Besides, it is not about manpower. Kenny has many male workers, and they can help.”
She took half a step back to return to her room.
Sophia stared at Odalys, dashed into the house, and grabbed Odalys’s wrist. “No,” she said fiercely. “You shall go with me.”
“Come on! What are you doing? Let go of me,” Odalys said.
Then, Sophia found two strong arms around hers and was dragged out of the house by Stellan and Francis. She stared at them in shock.
“You must be out of your mind. Go find the lost now! Quick!” Freya said, waving her hand impatiently.
The anger in Sophia’s eyes became violent.
With a faint smile, Odalys caught Sophia’s eyes and raised her eyebrows, which irritated Sophia.
Never had Sophia thought that Odalys would sit by and watch.
She had gone over every detail of her plan, but she had overlooked the possibility of Odalys’s refusal. Now, her plan might fail at its first step.
Sophia was shocked.
Her gaze at Odalys contained complex emotions. At that moment, Odalys was already her sworn enemy.
“Miss Bennett, why don’t you tell me where they went?” Kenny ȧsked upon his arrival.
With her lips moving, Sophia said nothing in the end. “I…” Sophia fell silent again.
Her lips moved, but she couldn’t utter a single word.
She got everything ready, but her plan failed at its first step. To make things worse, she didn’t have an outlet to vent her frustration and rage.
She could tell by that provocative look that Odalys deliberately refused to help.
Indignant, Sophia stared at Odalys.
“Let’s go.” Kenny led his men away and started the search.
It was late at night, and this was the woods at the entrance to the village.
Finnian, neatly dressed, stood under a tree. With his back to the path he had trodden, he looked at his shadow on the ground.
Hearing the anxious footsteps from behind, the dejected Finnian became excited.
In the creepy darkness, Finnian suddenly turned around and embraced the comer who had just stopped behind his back. Atlas was taken aback.
“You came! I just knew it. As I said, I won’t give up on you. I will marry you.” Finnian’s voice was hoarse.
Finnian caressed the person in his arms, and his palm finally stopped at the butt of Altas.
Atlas froze, and he didn’t know why his mouth couldn’t make any sound.
Standing there, he let Finnian embrace and caress him. He wanted to protest, but he couldn’t speak or move.
‘What the hell is going on? I just took a piss, Atlas thought to himself.
‘Did I get poisoned by the piss at midnight? Impossible! I didn’t touch anything, so what is the problem?’ he screamed in his heart.
“Don’t worry. After tonight, I’ll take responsibility for you.” Finnian’s voice was low and husky. Then, a smirk appeared on Finnian’s face.
Right then, the film crew, led by Kenny, arrived in the woods. A cameraman followed behind the crowd with his equipment. In the creepy woods, the crowd instinctively drew together, just in case.
They spotted two figures not far away and then saw Finnian turn around and pull Atlas into his arms.
“Wait! What the hell?” The crowd was aghast at what had just happened.
Chapter 206
The photographer stood frozen, dumbstruck, before instinctively pushing the lens toward the scene, capturing the moment as it unfolded between the two of them.
His hands were trembling with excitement. No one would’ve thought that in the dead of night, something this explosive would happen.
If he hadn’t shown up, he would’ve missed the perfect chance to snag such a viral moment.
[Damn it, what’s going on? Late at night, and this is seriously eye-watering.]
[Huh? Two men hugging each other? Finnian is touching him, and Atlas isn’t pulling away? Are these two… could they be the rumored gays?]
[No wonder Odalys refused to come earlier and kept saying she’d cheer them on… did she already know these two had something going on?]
[Sorry, I was too loud earlier. I thought Odalys was just leaving them to fend for themselves. Turns out, she didn’t want to spoil her eyes on this…]
It was late, and everyone was a little sleepy, but now, the atmosphere was anything but dull.
All eyes were fixed on the screen, staring at Finnian’s hand resting on Atlas’s rear, then slipping under his T-shirt.
The crowd held its breath, not noticing the figures crouching along a nearby path.
“Odalys, what exactly did you mean by ‘come watch the show’ after you made Sophia storm off?” Freya asked, barely able to suppress her excitement.
She had a feeling Odalys was bringing them here wasn’t for something ordinary.
Since meeting Odalys, life had been anything but boring.
“Wait… Atlas is peeing here? What the hell did I just see?” Selah blinked, stunned.
None of them noticed Odalys silently clutching a talisman, tossing it toward him. The talisman landed on his body before bouncing to Finnian’s sleeve.
Stellan and Francis crouched behind them, following their gaze.
They saw Atlas, after finishing, turning to find Finnian striding over, sweeping him into an embrace, his hands roaming all over Atlas, then slipping under his clothes. “What? Are these two… gay?” Francis stared, shocked.
The thought of staying in the same room with these two before suddenly made him feel a cold shiver run down his spine.
Though he was an international model, it didn’t mean he accepted the existence of gays.
“Sophia came knocking and sent Odalys here to find us, just for us to watch this?” Stellan’s mind was spinning, feeling confused.
He recalled how Odalys had pulled off her face mask and hurried them down this path right after Sophia left, saying it was to see a show. Now it was clear the “show” was actually a secret rendezvous between two men.
Stellan held his breath, watching Freya and Selah with wide, gleaming eyes.
He remained silent. His gaze met Francis’s, and they wordlessly pulled out their phones, snapping a few pictures and even recording a video, hoping to gather evidence.
“So thrilling… You think they’ll do it out here in the wild before the show ends?” Selah swallowed, unable to tear her eyes away from the sizzling scene.
Freya stretched her neck, almost as if she was about to run over to get a closer look.
“Isn’t it thrilling?” Odalys whispered with a chuckle.
As soon as Sophia came knocking, Odalys had suspected they were trying to set her up. She wasn’t some naïve, soft-hearted fool.
The more Sophia rushed, the more Odalys knew something was off.
The instant she saw Finnian standing there, she realized they had planned to use her, letting Finnian take advantage, recording everything to blackmail her later.
It was the same trick they had always pulled in the past.
A cold flicker appeared in Odalys’s eyes as she stared at the figures. Her fingers flicked, sending another talisman toward them, and she saw Finnian look up just as he kissed Atlas.
Finnian, under the influence of Sophia’s love spell, had once been awakened from it but hadn’t completely shaken it off. With Atlas carrying Sophia’s scent, Finnian couldn’t resist; he mistook him for Sophia, kissing him more recklessly. Atlas’s T-shirt was torn.
Finnian’s fingers roamed across Atlas’s body, making Atlas’s eyes burn with fury.
The plan had been for Finnian to take advantage of Odalys, so why was he now the target?
Atlas screamed inwardly, but his voice caught in his throat, unable to escape.
His body tensed and froze, unable to move.
“Baby, I don’t want to miss you tonight. Will you be mine?” Finnian whispered in a low, heated voice, pressing Atlas to the ground, his body weight crushing him. Atlas fell.
A sharp branch jabbed into him, and suddenly, the frozen body was able to move.
“Finnian, are you out of your mind? You’re gay, but that doesn’t mean you can touch me! Damn, I’m not gay! Didn’t you say you wanted Odalys? So why are you all over me?”
“Why are you taking off my clothes? Stop pulling down my pants!”
With a grunt, Atlas grabbed a branch and thrust it into Finnian’s side.
“Ugh,” Finnian grunted in pain.
Blood oozed from his side, the pain snapping him back to reality. Looking down, he realized he had Atlas pinned beneath him. Confusion flickered across his face.
“Dammit, get away,” Atlas growled, his foot already flying toward Finnian, sending him sprawling with a sharp kick to the stomach.
Finnian tumbled to the side, clutching his abdomen in pain. His gaze landed on Atlas-disheveled, his pants undone. “What the hell is going on?” Finnian was completely stunned.
Finnian thought, ‘Hasn’t it been agreed that Sophia would lure Odalys out, and I would take care of her right here? So why was Atlas the one involved? Was the Bennett family double-crossing me?’
Fury bubbled inside Finnian as he stormed forward, grabbing Atlas by the collar, ready to demand answers. “Who the hell knows what’s going on?” Atlas growled, wincing as he spoke. “You turn your back for one second, and next thing I know, you’re all over me, kissing me and trying to strip me down. How the hell was I supposed to know what you were planning?”
He grabbed his torn T-shirt, eyeing the shredded fabric with frustration-it was beyond salvage.
Finnian sucked in a sharp breath, his confusion turning into suspicion. He spoke in a low, tense voice, “Wasn’t it supposed to be Odalys? Why the hell are you here?”
“I just needed to pee, and when I turned around, you were hugging me and stripping me!” Atlas growled, frustrated. Then, from a distance, he heard laughter and turned his gaze to find the production team standing nearby, several photographers among them.
Their faces paled as they exchanged nervous glances.
“Kenny, what are you doing here?” Finnian tried to regain composure.
He realized something had gone wrong.
Kenny, unable to hide the awkwardness, explained, “Sophia said you guys had been gone too long, and she was worried something had happened. She originally planned to send Group B, but since most of them are women, it’s not safe at night. So I brought some staff along instead.”
Chapter 207
Kenny’s gaze was filled with a hint of disdain.
“Good thing Odalys was smart enough to refuse,” he muttered, “otherwise, if she had come, there would be no way to explain this.”
Atlas was on the edge of a breakdown. He knew that Odalys had stopped caring about him, but a part of him still craved her attention. He wanted to be noticed.
When he heard they were going out, he hoped she’d be worried enough to stop them, but she didn’t. She didn’t even try. It hit him hard-she really didn’t consider him family anymore. He felt like he’d messed everything up.
“Of course she’s worried,” Kenny continued, “but if she weren’t, she would’ve stopped us from coming. If she really didn’t care, she would’ve made sure we didn’t show up.”
Both Finnian and Atlas fell silent at his words.
They glanced at the photographer, pointing to the camera, Are you guys live-streaming this?”
“No more broadcasting. Everyone go back,” Kenny ordered, waving at the cameramen.
The photographer, who had captured the spicy scene, wore a satisfied grin.
The rush of traffic from tonight’s broadcast was practically guaranteed.
“Alright, everyone off. Work’s done for the night,” Kenny called out.
The crew scattered, chattering excitedly about what they had just witnessed. Though they were walking away, their voices still carried.
[That’s so intense! They were almost undressed by the end.
[I can’t believe we saw this live! These two must’ve been secretly into each other for a while, right?]
[Wait, so Finnian swings both ways? First, he was with Sophia, now he’s meeting Atlas at night? What kind of relationship is that?]
The audience online was absolutely loving it.
They all knew Sophia wasn’t exactly innocent, but after she failed to make Odalys fall for their trap, they were delighted to see the drama unfold. They weren’t about to turn down this juicy spectacle.
“What the hell just happened? Wasn’t Odalys supposed to come?” Finnian asked, his voice trailing off.
Atlas, shirtless and covered in itchy mosquito bites, scratched at the blood-red welts in frustration.
“I don’t know,” he grumbled. “Odalys must’ve just let us fend for ourselves. But something was off with my body earlier. It felt like I couldn’t move, like someone was controlling me. I couldn’t even scream,” Atlas said.
His words dripped with disbelief. He had been fully aware but couldn’t act-his body had been a prisoner of some unseen force. Atlas thought, ‘Could it be supernatural? Was I cursed?’
“I thought you were Odalys for a second. I felt weird too- like I was losing control, almost… like I was… driven by lust,” Finnian added, a shiver running through him.
“What if that whole thing was streamed? If it got out, we might be ruined.” Finnian’s heart sank.
All their carefully laid plans had backfired spectacularly.
The two exchanged a panicked glance.
“We need to head back and figure out what’s going on.” They hurried off, running back with urgency.
Not far away, a few figures waited until Finnian and Atlas had left, then slowly stood up.
“They’re really out to get you,” Stellan remarked, his voice laced with concern. “Good thing you didn’t fall for their trick. If you had, Atlas would have been secretly recording you from behind.”
“You’re a woman. There’s no way you could’ve fought back if they pinned you down. They probably would’ve drugged you, and God knows what would’ve happened.”
Stellan’s tone darkened, and Odalys simply nodded, her calmness betraying no hint of fear.
“That’s why I didn’t come,” she said plainly.
The others turned to look at her.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Selah asked, her voice filled with admiration.
Odalys smirked, unfazed by their gaze.
“Sophia’s always been out to ruin me,” Odalys continued, her tone unbothered. “She wants to make me look bad. And when they came looking for me? I knew they weren’t actually in danger. If there had been a real problem, they wouldn’t have knocked on the door for that long.”
“Plus,
She paused, a dark gleam flashing in her eyes. Stellan opened the door. If there had been any danger, she would’ve sent a man in first. But no, she specifically wanted me to go, which means something was off.”
“That’s why I followed them, to let you all see the show.” She chuckled darkly, savoring their reaction. “They walked right into their own trap.”
“I love you!” Freya laughed out loud, clearly thrilled.
This had been the best experience yet, not only meeting Odalys but also witnessing such a crazy night.
“Did anyone record that? Share it!” Selah was almost bouncing with excitement.
Francis and Stellan immediately shared the photos and videos, while the others quickly saved them to their phones.
When they returned to their lodging, they were met by a few familiar figures standing outside the door.
“Come out, Odalys. We know you’re hiding. Don’t think you can escape us,” Atlas said, his voice dripping with arrogance as he kicked the door.
He stormed inside, but the room was empty. No Odalys, no one.
Finnian searched the entire place, even under the bed, but found nothing.
“Where did they go? Did they just vanish into thin air?” Finnian muttered, completely baffled.
“What’s going on? Kicking down doors in the middle of the night, planning to steal something or break in?” Stellan’s voice was icy, his presence unsettling.
He stepped forward with calm confidence, his eyes locked on Finnian and Atlas.
Sophia’s anger was practically tangible as she glared at Odalys, who was standing nearby, smiling and casually scrolling on her phone.
“You, what are you doing?” Sophia snapped, fury bubbling inside her. “Weren’t you just saying you didn’t want to go out?”
After Atlas and Finnian had returned, furious at her for causing their humiliation, she couldn’t stand the way they looked at her.
They didn’t trust her anymore, and without their affection, she felt like she’d lost everything.
She needed them to love her, to elevate her above the rest. Without them, she was nothing.
Now, she was ready to take it out on Odalys.
Odalys looked at her blankly. “Where did we go? Didn’t you ask us to find them? We just came back from there.”
Her response left the others stunned.
“Right, we were just there. Finnian and Atlas were kissing and undressing each other,” Selah announced, her voice loud enough to draw attention.
Everyone froze in shock, their faces draining of color.
“Yeah, and when standing up wasn’t enough, they took it to the ground, making sure everyone saw,” Freya added, her tone one of disbelief.
Though the words were far from ladylike, she had no intention of holding back now.
No one had any more pretensions about being polite after tonight.
“What are you talking about?” Finnian’s voice was tight with anger as he confronted them.
Chapter 208
Selah, unwilling to be scolded, quickly raised her phone, saying, “Here, we have photos and videos. You kissed, then kissed each other’s necks, and took off your T-shirts.”
The sound of the phone screen flashing the video made them stagger back, shocked.
Seeing this, Stellan wasted no time in striking the final blow: “To avoid disturbing you, we had to stay in the shadows, didn’t want to ruin your fun.”
“We knew you were just sneaking around outside, having an affair, and didn’t show ourselves. Is that a problem? Plus, wasn’t it you, Sophia, who called us over in the first place?” Odalys threw the spotlight back on Sophia.
Sophia’s face turned pale, and her lips moved, wanting to explain.
But it was too late for words. Finnian lunged forward, attempting to snatch the phone, but Stellan swiftly blocked him, saying, “You’d better not touch our people.”
“Or don’t blame me for getting physical,” Stellan added, pushing Finnian away.
Atlas was livid.
“Delete those photos and videos, or I’ll send you a lawyer’s letter,” Atlas threatened.
But no one took him seriously. The footage had already been broadcast; what did it matter now? Keeping it could serve to embarrass them again in the future.
“Fine, we’re waiting,” Odalys said with a smirk.
They turned and walked away. Back in their room, they slammed the door shut. The lock had been kicked in, but they pushed furniture against it to keep them from following.
“Atlas, we should head back,” Sophia said, pulling Atlas toward the exit.
Finnian gritted his teeth, shooting her one last look before turning to leave.
Meanwhile, from a distance, Rafael, standing in the shadows, watched everything unfold. His legs were weak, and he whispered to himself, “This woman is truly terrifying.”
“I never imagined none of us could stand against her,” Rafael muttered, immediately turning and fleeing.
He feared Odalys, worried she might have him marked. If that happened, he’d be in serious trouble.
Even though he wasn’t married, he didn’t want to end up castrated. A man’s dignity still mattered.
As Rafael escaped, two figures stood beneath a tree, observing everything that had transpired.
“Father, looks like this woman is something else,” the middle-aged man murmured.
The old man’s gaze shifted away thoughtfully, replying, The Stewart family treats her with great respect. She was able to quickly neutralize the poison in you. She even restored the tendons I’d severed in an instant. People like her are not easily defeated.”
“This mess tonight was started by that woman. She wanted to set a trap for her, but in the end, Odalys turned the tables on her. This woman is highly intelligent. Looks like the Stewart family never intended to harm us. If they did, we would have been dead by now.” The old man continued, his voice low but filled with certainty.
The middle-aged man, hearing this, quickly supported him. Father, should we cooperate with the Stewart family?”
The old man did not respond, instead raising his foot to head back.
It seemed that Rafael had already been subdued by Odalys. Everything appeared to be under her control, as if she’d orchestrated it all without lifting a finger. People like her were not ones to be challenged; they could only be followed, or else the consequences would be grim.
The tragic death of their family members in the past might just be the opportunity they needed.
After they left, Sophia and the others still stood in place.
“What happened? Didn’t you say you were confident?” Finnian questioned, stepping forward.
He could no longer trust Sophia. She had pushed him further down the abyss time and time again. Now, just looking at her made him sick.
“We got played by Odalys. When I knocked, she deliberately refused to let anyone open the door, making me fear that she wouldn’t leave. I got a little worked up,” Sophia said, regaining some clarity. “So she used my emotions against me, luring me into her trap. She sent other staff members first to test the waters, and when I went back in anger, she slipped out.”
“She was waiting, trying to see if we were lying to her. She figured it out from the start and caused such a scene just to ruin you guys,” Sophia continued, now fully realizing she’d fallen into Odalys’ trap, but it was too late.
“And you said the drug would make her lose her mind when she got close to me-why did I mistake Atlas for her?” Finnian demanded, his mind racing back to Odalys’ words from earlier that afternoon.
She’d said from the beginning that once she agreed to work with Sophia, they were tied together.
He still felt uneasy about what had happened. He hadn’t known what he was doing in the moment, and now he realized the drug Sophia had given him had messed with his mind.
“It was Odalys pulling the strings in the background. If you don’t believe me, feel free to stay away from me in the future. There’s no need to keep questioning me,” Sophia snapped, her temper flaring as she stormed off.
She didn’t want them to hold her accountable for what had happened.
So, she made a show of leaving in a huff, pretending to be angry so they wouldn’t press further.
She hadn’t yet figured out how to handle them or explain herself. But one thing was certain-Odalis had to go. She was a disaster waiting to happen.
No wonder the Bennett family couldn’t tolerate her. People like her would end up destroying everyone around them.
“Let’s clear things up when we get back tomorrow,” Finnian suggested.
He still wanted to stay in the circle and couldn’t afford to ruin his reputation.
Atlas said nothing. He brushed past Finnian and headed straight to Sophia’s bedroom.
Standing by the bed, watching her lie there, he was silent. He knew she wasn’t asleep, but neither of them spoke. The seconds stretched on in tense silence.
“You knew she wasn’t going to show up, didn’t you? You just wanted to provoke her, to get more attention, right? From the start, you used everyone as pawns. You knew if she didn’t show up, Finnian and I would get caught, didn’t you? You didn’t warn us when you could have.
“If you had, we wouldn’t have looked so foolish in front of the staff. But you didn’t-because you knew we’d be embarrassed, and you chose to hide in your room instead, pretending you didn’t know what was going on. Why didn’t you warn us?” Atlas’s voice rang out in the room, filled with frustration.
Sophia remained silent, lying there quietly.
Other than a twinge of guilt, she had no other response, not wanting to argue with him.
She knew that as long as she kept calm, a tear or two tomorrow would make him soften. But if they started fighting now, it would all be over.
She knew exactly how to manipulate the Bennett family, and dealing with Atlas was a breeze.
“Sophia, I’m really disappointed in you. You’ve always played the game perfectly, cleaning your hands of any responsibility, but you forget-I’m your brother. I’ve gone to war with Odalys for you, publicly acknowledged you as my sister while disowning her. I’ve done all this, and it’s still not enough? Sophia, you have no conscience,” Atlas said, his disappointment heavy in the air.
With that, he turned and walked away without looking back.
Chapter 209
Atlas didn’t return to his room; instead, he sat alone in the yard.
As he pondered everything that had happened recently, it felt as though he was in a different world. Nothing seemed real, like a dream.
Since Odalys had taken Sophia’s place, everything had changed.
The Bennett family was in chaos, and at times, he even found Sophia repulsive. He didn’t know why he was feeling this way.
“Atlas, why aren’t you asleep yet?” After much internal hesitation, Sophia finally draped a robe over herself and stepped outside.
She found Atlas sitting alone in the yard, the cigarette in his hand burning down to the filter, yet he seemed unaware of the flames that were already close enough to scorch his skin.
When she spoke, Atlas looked up, his brows furrowing in confusion.
Seeing her face made him feel disoriented-this was his little princess whom he had raised, but in that moment, she looked as unfamiliar as a stranger.
“Sophia, why do you look so different?” Atlas asked, puzzled.
Her face seemed so foreign to him.
If it weren’t for the fact that they had been on the same reality show together, he might’ve thought she was just an ordinary passerby.
Sophia froze in panic. “What nonsense are you talking about? I just didn’t put on any makeup.”
Since she’d coughed up blood at the hospital, her face had changed. Though she always covered it with makeup, she couldn’t help but be scared.
Now that Atlas had questioned her, her heart began to race.
“I’ve seen you without makeup before. You didn’t look like this.
“I noticed something was off when we were at the hospital, but now… when I look at you, your face seems like it belongs to someone else.
“You didn’t have time for plastic surgery, so who are you really? You can’t be Sophia.
“My sister is smart and kind, but you’re vicious and calculating. You’ve stirred up trouble and made everyone miserable.” Atlas got to his feet and walked toward her.
Every word he spoke felt like a knife stabbing into Sophia’s heart.
Her lips trembled, and she instinctively took a few steps back, as if struck by a heavy blow.
She stared at Atlas, tears welling up in her eyes, and whispered, “Atlas, why are you hurting me like they did?” “I’m Sophia, your beloved little princess, the one you’ve cherished since childhood. Why would you doubt me? Was everything you did for me a lie? Or do you think Odalys is now your favorite, so you want to get close to her, to gain popularity? Do you think I have no value left, and that you’re just looking for an excuse to throw me away?”
Sophia’s voice cracked as she turned, heartbroken, and walked back.
Her steps faltered, her pace frantic as she rushed back to her room.
She couldn’t understand why Atlas had said such things.
Her face was the source of her anxiety. No one had mentioned it for days, and she had thought everything was back to normal. But Atlas’s words had shaken her. She was terrified.
“What am I going to do? What’s happened to my face?” Sophia murmured softly, her hands cupping her face, rubbing it in frustration.
The anxiety gnawed at her, threatening to crush her.
As she fled, Atlas watched her go. He knew it was Sophia, but for some reason, his gut rejected her now. The sight of her standing in front of him made him feel physically uncomfortable.
“I must be sick,” Atlas muttered, regret creeping into his voice. “How could I have said that to her?”
Recently, he’d felt increasingly irritable. He had openly clashed with Odalys, kicked Francis out of the house, verbally attacked Sophia, and even dared to offend Stellan. Each action seemed like he was pushing himself closer to a breaking point, but he couldn’t stop himself.
It felt as if some unseen force was guiding him.
“I have to go home and see a magician… maybe I’ve picked up some bad energy,” Atlas whispered to himself.
He was shaken by his own behavior, feeling a sense of dread as he turned back toward his room, determined not to stay outside any longer.
Meanwhile, Stellan had witnessed the whole scene while walking to refill his glass of water.
“She looks different?” Stellan frowned, mulling over the conversation he had just overheard. As he headed back, he almost collided with Odalys, who was also carrying a glass of water.
“Sorry, are you okay?” Stellan asked, startled, stepping back quickly to make sure he hadn’t spilled any water.
“I’m fine,” Odalys replied calmly, then looked up at the sky, which appeared closer than it did in the city. The stars twinkled brightly above them, almost within reach.
“Can’t sleep?” Stellan asked, noticing her stillness. He approached and stood beside her, following her gaze to the sky, his thoughts wandering.
“No, just thirsty. I came out to get some water,” Odalys
replied, but there was more to it than just that.
She had been meaning to talk to Stellan, and since everyone else was asleep and the hidden cameras were off, it was the perfect opportunity.
“By the way, when you call your father tomorrow, remind him. If he doesn’t listen, call me,” Odalys said quietly.
At the mention of this, Stellan’s anxiety returned. It was the reason he couldn’t sleep earlier.
“So, my dad is definitely going to be in trouble, right?” Stellan asked, his voice hoarse, trying to conceal his emotions, but his hand holding the glass trembled.
“Many things are part of a cycle. Magic isn’t all-powerful; it’s about belief. If you believe, it works; if you don’t, it doesn’t. Your father is someone who only believes in himself, not in fate,” Odalys explained softly.
“Everyone’s existence has its meaning, and for some, their downfall is inevitable,” she said.
Stellan wasn’t as cold as he appeared; Odalys could see through him, and that was why she chose to warn him.
She pulled out a talisman and handed it to him. “Take this. If something happens, give it to your father to wear.”
Stellan was stunned, staring at the talisman.
It was folded into a triangle shape, and a faint magical aura seemed to emanate from it.
He quickly gripped it in his hand, unsure why, but he trusted Odalys inexplicably.
“Thank you,” Stellan muttered, his voice still rough.
Odalys shrugged and pointed to the talisman. “That’ll cost you, though. When you have internet, don’t forget to pay.” With that, she turned and walked back inside, her glass of water in hand.
Stellan stood there, watching her retreating figure, feeling a tightness in his chest. He quickly followed her, his voice low, “I will. Once I have internet, I’ll definitely pay you.”
Chapter 210
Odalys was unfazed, glancing back at Stellan’s retreating figure, her smile speaking volumes, though she said nothing.
“Thanks, then.” Odalys softly chuckled, turning back toward her room, casually shutting the door behind her.
Stellan held the talisman in his hand, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over him, as if the turmoil and unease inside him had almost evaporated in that single moment. He made his way back to his room, the cup of water still in his hand, and as he sat on the bed, he was startled to see Francis propped up against the headboard, watching him. “Still awake?” Stellan asked, his voice thick with curiosity.
Francis shifted, making room on the narrow bed, trying to move over as much as he could, given the cramped space. “I couldn’t sleep… I keep thinking about what Odalys said this afternoon,” Francis replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
He had checked twice to ensure the room’s cameras were turned off. Just to be safe, he had draped his clothes over them and turned off the phone.
He wanted to make sure that, even if the cameras were on, nothing they said could be heard or seen.
“Everything she said matches up perfectly. And the thing is, there’s no one else who knows about any of this, no one but me. The events… they’re too specific, too private.”
He paused, his throat constricting with emotion. “I met her in the airport bathroom. She was rushing, and we bumped into each other. Our phones fell. She picked mine up by mistake and walked off, still in a hurry. By the time I realized it, she was already far away. After my flight landed, she called, saying she’d taken the wrong phone. I had no choice but to meet her and swap them back.”
“After that, I was hooked. There was something about her… her personality, the way she spoke, the way she carried herself. Everything about her was what I had imagined my perfect partner would be. I fell for her so fast, so completely, that I couldn’t help but want more with her.” His voice cracked slightly.
Stellan sat there, quietly listening. This was the first time they had spoken so openly, the first time Francis had opened up about something so deeply personal.
Most people would never share such private matters, especially not in their line of work. But Francis had chosen to confide in him.
“Have you ever heard that saying?” Stellan finally spoke up. There’s no such thing as the perfect lover. If there was, it’s because they’ve been carefully prepared for you, they’re coming for you.”
“And there’s no such thing as perfect coincidence. If it seems too perfect, it’s probably been arranged.” Stellan continued, his voice low but firm.
He shifted his position, now sitting closer to Francis.
“Do you remember Finnian from next door? He seemed almost obsessed with Sophia. He did everything for her, even severed our ties over her. And yet, after all that, he was still in shock. No one really spoke of it, but you could tell.
“And you remember what happened with the water, right? Sophia gave you and him drinks, but only he drank. That wasn’t a coincidence. Nothing about this is random. It’s all orchestrated.” Stellan lowered his voice, his tone growing serious.
Francis fell silent.
“So you think she’s been using me this whole time?” he asked, his lips barely moving.
His frustration was palpable, the realization hitting him like a punch to the gut. He couldn’t even look at Stellan as he nervously licked his lips.
Today, he’d acted as if he didn’t care-afraid of what the cameras or the fans might see-but now, with no cameras around, he let his mask slip.
“Don’t let love cloud your judgment,” Stellan warned him,” Odalys told me she came after you because of her ex. She probably learned about you when you went to the hospital. Your personal information’s in their system, and it just happened to match the person she’s trying to save. That’s why she sought you out, to confirm her suspicions.”
“And when she accidentally cut your hand with the knife, that was her confirmation. It was no accident. She has had her eye on you all along. If you don’t want to die, you’d better listen to Odalys. Be careful. If you don’t, she might really have you marked for organ harvesting. By the time you figure it out, it’ll be too late to save yourself.
“I never believed in this kind of stuff… until that island. I saw things with my own eyes, things you can’t ignore. Odalys saved Selah, and Lucian, well, she had a hand in that too.” Stellan’s voice dropped to a whisper.
Once emotions got involved, logic went right out the window.
But if Francis wanted to survive, he had to take things seriously-because when it was too late, regret wouldn’t do him any good.
“I’m telling you, Francis, if you want to stay alive, you need to take this seriously. Don’t let your feelings cloud your reason.
Francis didn’t speak immediately. After a moment, he nodded silently.
“I know. It’s just… hard to accept. I never thought of her this way. But the more I think about everything from when we first met to what’s happened since-it feels like it was all planned, like everything was leading to this. Like her inviting me to dinner, going on dates, even bringing me fruit, and taking me to the clinic. It all feels too perfect.” His voice was thick with emotion, his eyes reddening.
He had fallen for her so completely, and now he was realizing that it might have all been part of some darker plan.
“You can’t change the past,” Stellan said gently, his hand resting on his shoulder. “Focus on the present. That’s what matters now.”
He casually slipped the talisman Odalys had given him into his bag, double-checking to make sure it was there before he tucked the bag under his pillow, worried that if he fell asleep and woke up, it might mysteriously disappear. Francis glanced over at him. “So, you’ve got a talisman. Should I ask Odalys for one too?”
Stellan gave him a pointed look, raising an eyebrow. “A talisman won’t solve everything. What you need to do is stop her before it’s too late.”
“Stay away from her. The danger will fade. But once she’s done filming the variety show, she’ll know about it. She’ll try to meet with you again, pull you in, and convince you to meet her parents. That’s when you’ll know for sure she’s got plans for you. Just refuse to meet her, and you’ll see if she’s really what she seems.”
Francis nodded, lying back down.
The two men, lying side by side, both awake, their eyes fixed on the ceiling. Thoughts swirled in their minds, neither one able to sleep, staring at the darkness until the first light of dawn.
Meanwhile, in another room, Odalys slept soundly, waking at sunrise. She turned her head to look at Selah and Freya before slowly getting up.
She slipped into a pair of high-waisted jeans, paired with a white shirt tied at the waist, and casually tied her hair up.
She moved out of the room, heading towards the kitchen, where she began preparing ingredients. The others were already up, brushing their teeth and joining her to help.
“We’re having a big breakfast today. Anything left over, we’ll give to the villagers,” Odalys said as she motioned to the wild game on the counter.
“Sounds good,” Selah agreed.
Freya, however, remained silent, her mood clearly off.
Odalys noticed immediately. “What’s wrong, Freya? Didn’t sleep well last night?” she asked, her laugh ringing through the air.
Freya’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
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3 thoughts on “Betrayed, Yet Bound To The Billionaire by Grace Madeline (Chapters 201 to 210)”