Chapter 471
Oliver stared at his fingertips in disbelief, his face contorting in shock as he watched his finger almost get bitten off. The skin was shredded, revealing bone, and fresh blood dripped steadily into the water basin in front of him, the drops rippling across the surface before vanishing into the water.
“My God… the bite mark on his face… it can bite back?”
“What is happening? Is this some kind of curse?” “Is there a ghost here?”
In an instant, the entire courtyard, once filled with people lighting candles, erupted into chaos. Screams filled the air, and people scattered in panic, some stumbling and falling in their haste to flee. The lively, bustling scene moments ago was now eerily empty.
Oliver stood frozen, as if paralyzed by fear, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
“Godfather, last time you told me to make a wish, to bring back the child in the painting… was it really a stillborn? Where is he? Where’s he buried? Can you tell me?” The woman’s voice cracked as she spoke, tears streaming down her face. Her hands shook with anxiety.
When the producer had told her the story, she hadn’t believed it. But after the slap-the way the bite mark had appeared on Oliver’s face, only to bite back and injure his hand-everything had fallen into place. She believed now, wholeheartedly.
“Who told you this?” Oliver’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across his face.
He had intended to use the ghost of the stillborn child to manipulate her, to make her miscarry and fuel the child’s vengeful spirit, hoping it would strengthen his control over it.
With enough power, he would be able to use it as his personal tool, building his strength so he could hold his position in Crownridge, where his own abilities were starting to fail.
But now, with Odalys emerging as a rival, he had begun losing followers. His situation had become desperate.
The necklace she had given to Hannah, something he had hoped to claim for himself, was also a setback. When Odalys had rejected him, he had realized how much more powerful she was.
And witnessing her effortlessly resolve the Tillery family crisis had only intensified his fear. Now, he had no choice but to resort to dark means, trying to secure a future for himself.
“I’m not interested in who told you. Just tell me the truth-was that child really stillborn? If you don’t, I’ll have to go to the police,” the producer threatened.
Oliver stood motionless, the tension in his eyes thickening. His carefully constructed energy field, set up in the quadrangle courtyards, was at risk. If the authorities came here, he would have no escape.
“Looks like someone has been stirring the pot, trying to sow discord between us. Yes, that child did die, but I’ve already guided his soul, helping him choose to reincarnate in your womb. You’ve been struggling with fertility, but the gods have answered your prayers. That’s why you’re pregnant now. So why are you worried about whether the child was stillborn or not? Life and death are an endless cycle. Even if you don’t want this child, the next one born to you will just come from another form of death,” Oliver continued, his words almost hypnotic, as he tried to manipulate the woman’s emotions. The producer’s wife listened, conflicted, his words resonating with a twisted logic that almost made sense.
But the producer remained resolute. “I don’t want to hear your nonsense. Just tell me-where is the child buried?”
His voice was firm and unyielding. He had seen enough in his business dealings to know when someone was trying to deceive him with empty words.
Not far away, Orson leaned casually against a tree, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched the scene unfold. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips, and he whispered, “He sure knows how to brainwash people.”
“Tell me about it,” Odalys replied, her voice low and confident.
Orson almost dropped his phone, startled by her voice. He quickly turned around, finding Odalys standing there, leisurely biting into a cucumber, her posture relaxed as she casually observed the unfolding drama.
“Odalys, what are you doing here?” Orson whispered, his voice filled with surprise.
She handed him the cucumber, and he took a bite, glancing over at Percival, who stood nearby, eyes closed in meditation. He was clearly waiting for Odalys.
“I’m just here for the show,” she said with a grin. Her eyes flicked over to Oliver, who appeared increasingly anxious.
She couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. Oliver, despite all his scheming, was nothing more than a coward.
“That bite mark… how did it transfer to Oliver’s face when the producer slapped him? And then it actually bit him back!” Orson said, his voice filled with excitement.
He had been utterly stunned by the bizarre turn of events. He had seen some wild things before, but this was on another level. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“Oliver uses the souls of dead infants to create a puppet-a mindless tool that only listens to him,” Odalys explained, taking another bite of her cucumber. “The truth is, his powers are weak, so he resorts to these tricks to make himself
appear stronger.
“Unborn children are easiest to control-they’re more pliable, and their spirits are far from afraid of death. When one dies prematurely and is brought back, their vengeful energy only intensifies, feeding Oliver’s power.” She paused, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing. “In short, he uses these infant souls to stir up trouble, to make his energy field seem more powerful. Then, he swoops in to ‘clean up’ the mess, gaining credibility.”
Orson nodded slowly, starting to understand.
“Isn’t this just a scam?” Orson gasped. “All these rich fools in Crownridge-how could they believe in him?”
He had once been a guest of the elite families, invited to events where he would perform energy field readings for millions.
Everything was done with fanfare, and they treated him like royalty. “Exactly,” Odalys said, her voice tinged with amusement. “If he wasn’t a fraud, then why couldn’t he even deal with something as simple as the Bennett family’s issue? He couldn’t even handle that small problem with Hannah and ended up on bad terms with them.”
She sneered, clearly unimpressed. “Oliver’s methods are nothing new to me. People like him have been running these scams for years. And yet, no one sees through him.”
Orson looked at Oliver, feeling a new kind of disgust settle in his stomach. “So he’s been lying all along? How has no one figured it out?” Odalys shrugged, her gaze never leaving Oliver’s increasingly desperate face. “It’s just like the entertainment industry-creating fake personas. As long as your name is big enough, no one cares about your past. It’s all about the image you build.
“That’s why so many so-called ‘rich second-generation’ types have fake identities, and no one ever questions them. The truth is, their credentials and backgrounds are fabricated, just like Oliver’s. His powers aren’t as great as they seem, but his branding has made him a big name among the elite.”
Orson hesitated, still unsure whether he should keep filming. He wasn’t sure it was worth wasting his phone battery on this anymore. “But this guy-he’s still using dark arts. He must have betrayed his master, or else he wouldn’t be dabbling in all this evil stuff.”
Odalys nodded. “Exactly. People who walk the righteous path don’t resort to these kinds of methods.”
Chapter 472
As Odalys finished speaking, a low, magnetic voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts, sending a chill down her spine.
“Was it him who tricked the Bennett family into abandoning you and adopting Sophia?” Percival’s voice was low and measured, but it carried an undeniable weight.
Odalys looked up, startled.
She hadn’t expected Percival to make his presence known so soon. Earlier, he’d been standing near the tree, observing with a calm, almost aloof demeanor, but now he was casually leaning against the same tree branch beside her. The shadows from the leaves concealed the three of them, so they had not been noticed.
“Hmm, that doesn’t quite add up, though. When the Bennett family came to consult him, they seemed unfamiliar with him,” Orson scratched his head in confusion. His mind had been in overdrive lately, trying to piece everything together, but now it was starting to feel like his brain wasn’t quite keeping up.
“It’s possible he used a false identity. The more mysterious he is, the more power he has,” Percival offered with a knowing tone.
Orson paused. The more mysterious someone was, the more they could manipulate. Money could be made off of their ambiguity.
“True or false, the truth will eventually reveal itself. We don’t need to worry about it,” Odalys said, her voice calm and authoritative. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick message to the producer before turning around and gracefully jumping down from the tree.
Percival and Orson followed closely behind her. The three of them moved silently, slipping out of the alley unnoticed.
Inside the quadrangle courtyards, the producer stood, his face a mask of fury. He watched Oliver, who was now waving his wand dramatically, his expression one of sorrow and desperation. The producer could barely control his urge to kick Oliver into the dirt.
“How dare you listen to others and doubt me? If you hadn’t asked me to be your godfather, do you think I would have helped you? I’m the one who performed the ritual that made you pregnant!” Oliver’s voice rang out in self-pity.
The producer’s phone buzzed in his hand, and he glanced down, reading the message. His eyes narrowed. He turned, grabbing a handful of dirt and flinging it at Oliver.
“To hell with your godfather status! Today, my wife and I are cutting all ties with you. From now on, you take your path, and we’ll take ours,” he shouted, his voice filled with contempt.
“Spit on him! Spit on him!” he shouted, pushing his wife forward.
The woman, already panicked, froze in confusion but quickly joined in, spitting at Oliver as well.
“That’s it! I’m done with you, godfather! Our relationship is over,” she cried, her voice a mix of anger and fear.
Oliver stood there, stunned, his face covered in their spit. The shock rendered him speechless as the producer and his wife turned on their heels and walked away, leaving him behind.
“Ugh, my face!” Oliver groaned in pain, instinctively clutching his face as he stumbled back. He almost got bitten again by the cursed imprint.
He stared helplessly at the empty courtyard, his carefully built energy field shattered.
The producer had thrown dirt at him, spat on him-an overt display of disdain, but in its absurdity, it was even more malicious.
Then, suddenly, a wave of something sinister washed over him.
His chest tightened, and without warning, a torrent of blood burst from his mouth. His body convulsed violently as if something inside him was being ripped away.
Oliver let out a piercing scream, his voice echoing through the empty courtyard.
Blood continued to seep from the corners of his mouth, his face contorted with pain, and his entire body was wracked with spasms. It felt as if his very essence was being sucked dry. And then, in the deafening silence, he heard a child’s voice. Faint and distant, but it sounded as if it were coming from his own skin. It was a chilling whisper, carried by the echoes of his
screams.
“What… what is happening? Is this… is this backlash? No, it can’t be! I’ve controlled the child’s soul, turned it into a painting and sold it to them. They hang it above their bed. As long as she keeps losing blood, the child’s soul will be able to enter her womb. Whether she miscarries or the child dies young, it’s all part of the plan to create the ghost baby,” Oliver muttered to himself in horror.
“But no one knew about my plan… How could it suddenly backfire like this? Why are they reversing everything today? Why are they suddenly rejecting me as godfather?” His voice trembled with panic as he tried to make sense of the unfolding disaster.
Then, as if a bolt of realization struck him, his eyes widened.
He could feel it-the destruction of his carefully laid plans, the unraveling of everything he had worked for.
“Who ruined my plan? Who in Crownridge could have seen through it? How did they destroy my spell so easily?” His breath caught in his throat. The painting… it must have been destroyed. The child’s soul… is this the bite mark on my face?”
Had his own actions come back to haunt him so quickly? His past deeds were now returning with a vengeance-flung right back into his face, along with the symbolic spit from the producer and his wife.
“Dammit! Who did this to me?!” Oliver howled, his frustration and rage reaching a fever pitch. He couldn’t believe it-his plans, so carefully orchestrated, had come crashing down. And now, with the appearance of this mysterious backlash, he was at a loss.
“Odalys? Could it be her?” he whispered, his mind racing. “But I haven’t crossed paths with her lately. Why would she target me now? Ahhh… it hurts… I need to get that necklace from her. I have to get it!” His voice was filled with desperation and greed as a dangerous spark flickered in his eyes.
Not far off, still hidden in the shadows, the producer and his wife had not yet left the scene. They had heard Oliver’s frantic murmurs, and it had become painfully clear to them who had ruined Oliver’s plan.
“If he hadn’t tricked me into becoming his godfather… if he hadn’t been scheming against our child, we would have been fine. But now, our child is in danger of being used by him,” the woman said, her face pale, her body crumpling in exhaustion.
The producer’s face was hard to read as he stood silent, processing everything.
“We need to go to Odalys at Magic Entertainment,” he suddenly declared, his voice firm. “We need her help.”
He had only tested the waters before, but now he understood-Odalys was his savior.
“Yes, yes, let’s go now,” the woman responded, a look of determination finally settling over her. They hurried out of the alley and into their car, heading straight for Magic Entertainment. Meanwhile, Odalys watched them leave, ensuring their safety. As soon as the car disappeared down the road, she lowered the car window.
“They’re gone. We can leave now,” Odalys said, her voice calm and collected.
She hadn’t moved earlier because she wanted to make sure the producer and his wife were out of harm’s way. Oliver, cornered and desperate, might do anything-including murder.
“Are we just going to let Oliver off the hook?” Orson asked, still restless. “He’s a fraud. We’re just going to leave him like this?”
“Why bother?” Odalys replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “The Bennett family is already in chaos. After today, Oliver’s reputation will be shattered. No one is going to come to his aid in this courtyard anymore. He’s finished.”
She paused for a moment, a knowing glint in her eyes. “Oliver’s going to be desperate now. He’s going to try and drag people down with him. The Bennett family is already falling apart. Isn’t that exactly what we need?” Odalys continued, her words calm but full of hidden meaning.
Orson’s eyes widened. “Right… Henry’s been trying to reach him, hasn’t he? Now, with everything in disarray, Oliver’s going to make a move. And that’s when we get to strike.”
A wicked grin spread across Odalys’s face.
Chapter 473
“So, with this, Oliver will inevitably get tangled up with the Bennett family…” Orson’s voice was filled with excitement. “Odalys, did you foresee this all along?”
He was practically buzzing with adrenaline. Magic was far more thrilling than medical school, he decided.
“Move your hand,” Percival suddenly snapped, his eyes icy as they fixed on Orson’s hand, which was still resting on Odalys’s shoulder.
Orson froze, then glanced down, realizing that, in his enthusiasm, his hand had slipped onto Odalys’s shoulder and he was leaning uncomfortably close to her.
“What’s with the proximity?” Percival’s voice grew colder, his warning sharp.
Flustered, Orson immediately pulled his hand back. He hadn’t meant anything by it-he’d just gotten carried away with the conversation. He wasn’t trying to take advantage of Odalys.
“I… I wasn’t trying to…!” Orson stammered, his face turning crimson with embarrassment.
The others had always called him a playboy, but the truth was, he wasn’t nearly as experienced as people thought.
His ears were burning, and he quickly turned his face away, desperately trying to avoid looking at Odalys. It was as if his reputation was already ruined.
“Shall we add a little more fuel to the fire?”
Percival’s voice cut through the awkward silence, his tone sly.
Odalys shook her head with a smile. “No need. If we push too hard, it’ll look too deliberate. Let them destroy themselves. Let them fall apart on their own.”
“Right,” Percival nodded approvingly.
Odalys turned her head, resting her cheek against the car window. The world outside sped past them as the luxury car cruised smoothly through the streets.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced at the unfamiliar number flashing on the screen, her fingers pausing momentarily before she decided to pick up.
“Odalys, it’s me,” Henry’s voice rasped through the phone, barely audible, as if he hadn’t had a drink of water in days. His throat was rough, and his words were laced with panic.
“I told you not to call me again. What’s the point of using a new number?” Odalys frowned, clearly irritated, preparing to hang up.
But Henry, as if sensing her intent, panicked.
Wait, don’t hang up. I need your help,” he pleaded, his voice strained.
His desperation was palpable, and Odalys could hear the urgency in his tone.
“I suspect there’s something wrong with the Simpson family. Edie’s been with me, but it’s clear she’s trying to get close to the Bennett family. Sophia’s been with my father, and now the Bennett family’s falling apart. My parents are getting divorced.
The other day, Edie threatened me, saying I had to take her back to the Bennett Villa. I think she’s looking for something there.
So, I moved out and am staying elsewhere now. She even had Quinton beat me up. I’ve noticed something odd about Quinton.
“He’s changed. He’s not the same as he was before. I’ve seen him with my father overseas, and his attitude now is completely different,” Henry blurted out, spilling whatever information he could.
Odalys straightened up, intrigued despite herself. His words were beginning to catch her attention. “So what does that have to do with me?” she asked coolly. “This is your Bennett family’s mess, not mine.”
The more indifferent Odalys acted, the more frantic Henry became.
At this point, Henry’s mind was racing. He knew only one person could possibly save him.
Odalys. She was powerful, and with her connection to Percival, if he could somehow get her on his side, not only would he be safe, but he could possibly even gain favor with the Stewart family. It was a win-win.
“Think back,” Henry pressed. “Why did your mother abandon you and adopt Sophia instead? Why did she choose her over you, even though you’re both daughters?”
Odalys laughed, a sharp, mocking sound that echoed through the phone.
Henry was stunned. He thought these words would intrigue her, but instead, she laughed as if it were the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.
“Because she’s a slut,” Odalys replied bluntly, her tone laced with scorn. “If I’d stayed in the Bennett family, I’d just be a servant, a tool for you all to use and abuse. But Sophia… well, she’s different. She can flirt with you all, offer you… entertainment value.”
Henry’s chest tightened. The words entertainment value, slut-they hit him like a punch to the gut. His pride, his vanity, his sense of control-all of it was crumbling in the face of Odalys’s casual cruelty.
“Henry,” Odalys said suddenly, calling out his full name, her voice icy.
Henry froze, a chill running down his spine. An ominous feeling settled in his gut. He wanted to hang up, but at the same time, he couldn’t stop himself from listening.
“Do you know why you’re so unlucky?” Odalys’s voice was cold, each word a needle piercing through his defenses. “Because you once tried to hire someone to kidnap my master, maybe even kill him. You thought you’d kept it all secret, didn’t you?”
“But I knew. I’ve always known. You wanted to use my master to blackmail me into helping your Bennett family. You even thought I’d pave the way for Sophia, or that I’d step aside and let you take my position as Mrs. Stewart.”
Odalys’s words hit him like a series of punches, and for the first time, he realized that every step, every move he’d made had been seen through by her.
“And this is why you’re in the mess you’re in,” Odalys said with a sneer. “It’s not an accident. It’s karma. When you tried to harm me, the Bennett family was already done for. Did you ever wonder why Hannah suddenly had her legs broken? Why has your company been falling apart?”
“You tried to harm me and use me? You’re not worthy.” Odalys’s voice was icy, her laughter mocking.
Her words were like daggers, each one twisting deeper into Henry’s heart. He wanted to argue, to deny it, but the truth was undeniable. Everything she said was right. He thought he had been clever, hiding his schemes, but she knew everything.
“Just wait for your downfall,” Odalys said with finality, her voice cutting through the line. She didn’t give him a chance to respond. With a swift motion, she hung up the phone and blocked him without a second thought.
Percival, who had been listening to the conversation, couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You’re smiling. What’s so funny?” Odalys glanced at him, an eyebrow raised.
Percival steered the car expertly around a corner, still grinning. “You knew it was Henry calling, and you still answered on purpose.”
Odalys smirked. “Just to push him a little further. Make him feel the hopelessness, so that when Oliver shows up, Henry will jump at the chance to ally with him. Then we’ll see what Oliver’s really capable of. And we’ll find out if it was him, or someone else, who encouraged the Bennett family to abandon me all those years ago.”
Odalys’s eyes sparkled with a dangerous gleam, and Percival couldn’t help but admire her cunning.
“Ah, you really are something,” she added, almost teasingly.
Orson, who had been silently observing the two of them, couldn’t help but feel like he was witnessing a love story unfold-one that was more dangerous than romantic.
Just then, his phone buzzed. He sat up straighter, his excitement palpable.
“Odalys, the test results for all those rich families who’ve been sick have come back,” Orson said, practically bouncing in his seat. “Well?” Odalys asked, her curiosity piqued.
Orson handed her the phone, eagerly awaiting her reaction.
“They may seem like different illnesses, but they all have one thing in common. As you suspected, there’s something strange linking them all,” Orson reported.
Odalys glanced at the results, her expression thoughtful.
“What about Dangelo’s cancer treatment? Has the research been completed?” she asked, her voice sharp.
Orson shook his head. “According to the prescription you gave, he’s been taking the medicine as directed, and his condition has been controlled. But the cancer cells in his body… they’re behaving strangely. The medication keeps them in check but doesn’t eliminate them. My grandfather’s still working on your prescription, trying to see if increasing the dosage could help.”
Odalys nodded slowly, her mind racing. Everything was falling into place.
Chapter 474
Odalys listened carefully, then glanced over at Percival.
“Take me to the hospital,” she said.
At this moment, the most pressing issue was getting control over the illnesses of these wealthy families.
Once their conditions were stabilized, they would no longer be vulnerable to manipulation.
Instead, they would be aligned with Harvey and the others.
That would leave the behind-the-scenes manipulators-those who had used the energy field to pull them into their schemes-scrambling.
As for Oliver, with his skills, there was no way he could be the true mastermind. He was just a pawn, a decoy, a puppet someone else had released into the game.
“Understood,” Percival said, immediately turning the car toward the hospital.
Inside the car, the mood grew tense, heavy with the weight of uncertainty. The stakes were high. If they couldn’t control the situation, the consequences would be catastrophic.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Percival said after a long silence, his voice soft yet firm. “No matter what happens with their health, remember that you come first. You’re not obligated to save everyone. Each person has their own karma. They were exploited because of their greed and desire for power. If you manage to save them, that’s a sign of your compassion. But if you can’t, that’s not your fault. It’s just their fate, and it’s not on your shoulders.”
He looked at her with a mix of concern and tenderness in his eyes.
She was always so busy, running around with hardly a moment to herself; even her sleep time was cut short.
Yesterday, she worked nonstop all day, then went to the Film Capital at night, not getting any rest until the early morning hours.
Percival was worried that if she kept pushing herself like this, her body would eventually break down.
He didn’t want her to bear all the weight of everything alone, nor did he want her to carry the entire burden on her shoulders.
“I know.” Odalys felt warm at his words.
She could sense the emotions beneath his words, and though she understood them, she couldn’t bring herself to respond-not fully. Not yet.
There were too many fears. Too many painful memories of the past, especially of herself and Percival in the 1920s, when tragedy struck on the night of their wedding. Even in death, they had been drawn together in the same cycle of rebirth.
But this time, she was determined to rewrite their fate. She couldn’t afford to let history repeat itself.
She had to protect Percival’s life. And everyone else’s too.
The shadowy figures behind this plot-they would be exposed. She would make sure of it. She couldn’t allow them to continue their reign of terror.
“You need to let go sometimes. Give yourself a break, or you might burn out,” Percival continued, his voice gentle yet insistent. “You can’t carry everything on your own. You’re only human.” At 20, most people were carefree, enjoying life- shopping, dining, living in the moment. But here she was, carrying the weight of so many lives, without even the luxury of her own.
Percival didn’t want her to live like this. He didn’t want her to shoulder all of it. But he didn’t know how to help. He couldn’t force her to slow down, to step back. All he could do was respect her decisions, support her in the ways he could, and shield her when necessary.
He couldn’t bind her to him. He wouldn’t try. But he wanted her to understand that she didn’t have to bear this burden alone.
“By the way,” Orson interjected, breaking the heavy silence, “the producer has gone to your Magic Entertainment to light some candles. Should we tell Evander about this?”
Orson’s tone was casual, but the moment he mentioned Evander, the concern in Odalys’s eyes became visible again.
Evander had been staying at Magic Entertainment more frequently lately, avoiding old friends and refusing dinner invitations.
Instead, he spent his mornings there, drinking coffee, lighting candles, and greeting the occasional visitor. He’d even started donating the fruits offered to him to orphanages and nursing homes, which had improved his health and mood.
“Yes, give him a heads-up,” Odalys said, her voice steady despite the worry that had crept into her expression.
As long as Evander stayed at Magic Entertainment, he would be safe. But if anyone tried to lure him away… that would be a problem.
She quickly sent a voice message to her grandfather.
“Grandpa, listen carefully: No matter who contacts you, don’t leave Magic Entertainment. Don’t go to any gatherings or events. Stay put, no matter what.”
But her phone didn’t buzz with a reply.
“He’s probably just busy,” Orson said, trying to reassure her.
Percival, however, wasn’t as easygoing. He immediately picked up his phone and dialed Callum. “Callum, it’s me,” Percival said.
“Unless it’s urgent, take those documents to Magic Entertainment and check on Grandpa. Make sure he doesn’t leave. Not even a step.”
“Got it. I’m on my way now,” Callum responded without hesitation.
Once Percival finished the call, Odalys’s nerves began to settle. She knew Callum would take care of things.
Soon, the car arrived at the hospital. They headed straight for the VIP elevator, which whisked them up to the exclusive floor for high- profile patients.
“Odalys is here to greet you,” a nurse said as Odalys stepped out of the elevator.
Sure enough, Sienna was waiting for her at the elevator doors, her expression filled with concern.
“Odalys, you didn’t sleep well last night, did you?” Sienna asked, tugging her gently toward the ward. “Stellan told me that if you hadn’t rushed over, they would’ve been trapped in the Devil’s Triangle. It could’ve been disastrous.”
At the mention of Devil’s Triangle, Orson perked up immediately. The phrase sounded too exciting to ignore, and he couldn’t help but wonder what he had missed.
“It’s fine, I was planning to go anyway,” Odalys replied, brushing it off casually.
The two of them entered the VIP room, where Dangelo and Harvey were already discussing some documents. They both stood up quickly as Odalys walked in.
“Odalys, you’ve arrived,” Dangelo said, his face lighting up at the sight of her.
Since Sienna had expressed a desire to make Odalys her goddaughter, Dangelo had developed a special fondness for her, almost paternal. He looked at her with pride and affection, feeling the warmth of a father’s love for a daughter he never had.
“I’m glad to see you, Odalys,” Dangelo said, extending his hand. “Let me check your pulse.”
Odalys nodded and took his hand, ready to check his health.
Meanwhile, Percival, Orson, and Harvey stepped aside to discuss business.
Sienna, a little flustered, rushed to make coffee for Odalys, then washed some fruit, even calling for some pastries to be delivered.
။
“Odalys, have something to eat,” Sienna said, bringing a tray over to her.
She looked at Odalys with stars in her eyes, almost as if she wanted to call her daughter right there and then. But she hesitated, unsure whether that would be too much, so she kept the thought to herself.
“Thank you,” Odalys said, accepting the coffee and taking a sip.
The taste was familiar-this was the coffee she loved. She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, so it surprised her to find Sienna had somehow learned her preference.
“I saw you make coffee like this the last time you were here,” Sienna said shyly, her voice almost apologetic. “So, I asked around and got some fresh flowers to dry and brew it for you. Do you like it?”
Chapter 475
Odalys only noticed then that there were several dried flowers neatly arranged beside her. Sienna followed her gaze and, looking a little embarrassed, waved her hand. “After I’m done with company matters, I usually stay here at the hospital to take care of Dangelo. When I have nothing else to do, I just pack up the dried flowers. Vacuum-sealing them helps preserve them longer. I planned to bring some to you next time.”
She said it almost sheepishly, as if she were apologizing for not having done it more perfectly. Odalys’s throat tightened as she took another sip of the flower-infused coffee.
The last time she had been treated like this was by the Bennett family, who had exploited her for years without ever noticing her preferences- what she liked to eat or drink. But here, Sienna, having seen her enjoy the coffee once, had remembered and made sure to brew it for her.
The thought brought a painful warmth to her chest.
“I’m glad you like it,” Sienna said, her eyes brightening at the sight of Odalys drinking.
Dangelo, seeing the coffee in Odalys’s hands, hurried over with a plush rabbit doll, presenting it to her with a hopeful smile. “What do you think? I found this yesterday when we went downstairs for a walk. There was a claw machine across from the mall, and believe it or not, we actually won it! I thought you might like it.”
He offered the plush toy with a slightly shaky hand, a little self-conscious. For a man of his age to be holding a stuffed bunny like this was a bit out of character, but it had taken him and Sienna the whole afternoon-and a thousand dollars in coins-just to win it. They had laughed together, but it had been worth it.
Odalys’s voice was soft, bittersweet as she replied, “I never expected the first person to give me a stuffed animal would be you.”
She paused, memories flooding her mind. “When I was little, I always wanted one.”
It was a strange feeling-the pang of nostalgia mixed with sorrow. As a child, she had dreamed of cute things like this, but the Bennett family had stifled those dreams. Now, it was the Drake family who was bringing them back to life. The sensation was both foreign and comforting, like something she’d longed for but never had a chance to touch.
“Take it. It’s yours,” Dangelo insisted, his voice firm but kind.
“If you ever want to go grab more, just let us know, and we’ll go with you,” Sienna added, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
Odalys accepted the bunny, her delicate fingers brushing against its soft fur as she cradled it to her chest. A tender smile flickered on her face. Sienna and Dangelo exchanged glances, and Dangelo walked over to join Percival and the others for the ongoing discussion. Sienna, however, stayed by Odalys’s side, fussing over her like a mother hen.
“Dangelo’s condition has stabilized,” Odalys said, her voice calm but purposeful. “The cancer cells haven’t spread, but the medication may need to be adjusted. I’ll talk to Clarence about changing the prescription after this.”
It had been several days since she had last come to the hospital. She had been so overwhelmed with work that she had forgotten about Dangelo’s medication adjustments. It was only when Orson had reminded her in the car that she remembered.
Sienna shook her head, gently guiding Odalys to sit on the sofa. “No rush. You’ve been working too hard. Take a break. You need it.”
Sienna handed her a plate of fruit, then peeled some walnuts for her, offering each piece with such care.
“Here, eat some blueberries and some walnuts,” Sienna urged, her hands gentle and precise.
Odalys watched in silence, her heart tightening. Sienna was so busy, moving from one task to the next. She would bring one thing after another, even crushing walnuts for Odalys. She ate everything Sienna gave her, though the act felt bittersweet.
“You’re going to spoil her at this rate,” Dangelo teased, chuckling from across the room.
Sienna paused, her hands still holding the large bowl of crushed walnuts. A slight flush crept up her cheeks. “I can’t help it, she’s so thin. I just want her to eat well.”
Odalys couldn’t help but smile at their warmth, but it made her chest ache even more. Sienna wasn’t doing this out of obligation. She genuinely cared for her, treated her like her own daughter.
When Odalys reached for some dried flowers, she instantly recognized them as wildflowers- handpicked from the mountains. They weren’t cultivated artificially, but naturally grown, probably by Sienna herself.
“How did you get these?” Odalys asked, her voice hushed.
Sienna seemed surprised by the question. “How did you know they were picked from the mountains?” she asked, incredulous.
“I just knew,” Odalys murmured softly, her heart aching. “I thought the flowers from the mountains would have a better flavor when brewed for the coffee. They’re nourished by nature, by the essence of they would be more beneficial to the body.” Sienna’s face softened with affection. “You’re right. These have a better taste, and I believe they’re healthier too.”
Odalys blinked rapidly, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. She realized that Sienna and Dangelo weren’t trying to flatter her. They genuinely wanted to care for her, and in their hearts, they were treating her like a daughter.
“Then I’ll take some with me,” Odalys said quietly, her voice trembling slightly.
Sienna smiled and nodded eagerly. “Of course, take whatever you like. I’ll have the rest sent to the Stewart family.”
Percival and Harvey continued their serious discussion, but Odalys’s mind was elsewhere. She drank the rest of the coffee and walked to the director’s office, where Clarence was already seated, examining a report.
Odalys knocked on the door.
Clarence looked up, his white hair a little disheveled. His sharp eyes softened when he saw Odalys, and he immediately jumped up to greet her. Odalys Stone….
“Odalys, you’re here? Please, sit!” he said, clearly excited.
He was still studying the new prescription she had sent through Orson. The more he examined it, the more intrigued he became.
“You’ve outsmarted us all, Odalys,” he murmured, a grin forming on his face. “You’ve got a better head on your shoulders than any of us old- timers.”
Odalys smiled but quickly got to the point. ” Clarence, have you looked over the prescription I sent to Orson?”
“Of course!” Clarence said, walking over to his desk and pulling out the printed prescription. His hands trembled slightly as he handed it to her. ” It’s brilliant, really. These two ingredients work perfectly together. They can protect the heart while locking down the bacteria, forcing them out or suppressing them. There’s even a chance that we could use those bacteria for something else in the future.”
Odalys grabbed a pen and added a note on the paper, her attention fully on the details.
The two of them discussed the formula, and though they had an age gap, their mutual understanding of traditional medicine was clear. In fact, Odalys’s knowledge surpassed Clarence s, and he wasn’t shy about admitting it.
Finally, Clarence looked up from the paper, his eyes filled with admiration. “Odalys, once you finish everything you’re working on, I want to establish a traditional medicine clinic and hospital in your name. What do you think?”
Chapter 476
Odalys was taken aback by his words, not expecting him to say something like that.
“The formula you created and the medicines you’ ve developed-I’ve already applied for a patent. The Lark family has been in the medical field for generations. Many hospitals and pharmacies are actually subsidiaries of the Lark Group,” Clarence said, his voice filled with pride.
“But my only regret,” he continued, “is that traditional medicine in our country hasn’t risen to prominence. It’s either faded away or fallen into disuse. Many of the ancestral remedies have been lost over time.”
“I’m so glad to have met you, Clarence. I have a personal wish. I want you to help revive traditional medicine. Our nation’s heritage, it must be preserved.”
Clarence’s eyes softened as he spoke.
His country’s traditions-the valuable knowledge passed down through the generations-couldn’t simply disappear.
So many of these treasures had been stolen by foreign nations, and he was furious.
They stole these ancient texts but couldn’t even use them properly. Over time, these treasures had been lost to the world.
“Mm,” Odalys agreed, without hesitation.
Healing, whether through modern science or traditional methods, was her calling. Much like magic, if used wisely, it could save lives.
“Thank you, thank you so much,” Clarence said, his voice cracking with emotion. He was an older man, and his eyes were misty with gratitude. If Odalys hadn’t been there, he would have likely broken down in tears. His gnarled hands gripped hers tightly, almost painfully. “Having you here in Crownridge is not only an honor for the Lark family, but for the entire country-and for the people as well,” Clarence added, his tone filled with a deep sense of pride. Odalys said nothing. Her heart was conflicted, overwhelmed with emotions, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. After half an hour of conversation, she finally took her leave.
As she exited the dean’s office and walked down the corridor, she caught sight of a familiar figure. Atlas stood there, his eyes bloodshot, staring at her as if he could see right through her.
“Odalys,” Atlas called out, striding toward her.
She halted, casting him a cold glance before looking away, her expression distant, as if he were just another irrelevant person in her life.
“So, you’re really that close with the Lark family?” Atlas scoffed. “You can just walk into the dean’s office whenever you want? Is that why the hospitals and pharmacies under the Lark Group blacklisted us? Is that why we were kicked out of the hospital? They were doing this for you, weren’t they?”
“If you’re so close with them, why did you have to destroy your own family? No matter what, we’re still relatives. We share blood,” Atlas continued, his tone almost accusing.
After leaving the Bennett Villa the night before, Atlas had found himself with nowhere to go.
He’d bought a beer from a street vendor, then spent the night lying in the grass at the hospital. When he woke up the next day, it was already noon. As he was about to leave, he saw Odalys walking by.
“Curious, he had followed her, observing how everyone treated her with such respect-how the Drake family practically worshipped her, how Sienna had lovingly prepared food for her, and how Dangelo had brought her a doll. Even members of the Tillery family treated her like royalty.
Earlier, he had seen Harvey sneak out of a VIP room and make a phone call, asking if Odalys would join them for dinner that evening, with Celeste cooking for her personally. =
What shocked him the most was when Harvey lowered his voice, saying, “I heard Odalys loves shrimp; make sure to cook extra.”
That moment shattered Atlas’s composure.
After all the time Odalys had spent in the Bennett family’s home, he hadn’t even known she liked shrimp.
“I’ve already severed ties with your Bennett family. Your sister is Sophia,” Odalys said, cutting him off.
Her words took a turn, and a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. “But maybe she’s not your sister anymore. In a few days, she might become your stepmother.”
She couldn’t resist teasing him further. “You’ve really got a lot of luck in the romance department, huh? Haven’t you and Sophia always had something going on? After a long day of filming, she used to sit on your lap, cling to you like a little kitten.”
“Now, though, maybe she’ll be sitting on Windsor’s lap. Mr. Bennett, looks like you won’t be getting that lucky anymore.” Her voice dripped with mockery.
Sure enough, as soon as Odalys finished speaking, Atlas’s face turned ashen with rage. His teeth clenched, and the anger in his eyes could have boiled over.
“No matter what you say, you’re still not going to help the Bennett family?” Atlas spat. “Caspian said there’s negative energy in the house, and you’re the only one who can suppress it. Even if you don’t want to recognize us, you can’t just stand by and let us perish, can you?”
Odalys let out a cold laugh.
She turned on her heel and walked away, not bothering to waste another word on him.
As far as the Bennett family was concerned, she wanted nothing to do with them. But if she could, she’d kick them while they were down.
“Odalys,” Atlas called, desperation creeping into his voice.
He lunged forward and grabbed her arm, but Odalys spun around and slapped him hard across the face.
With a loud thud, Atlas was knocked backward, crashing into the wall of the corridor. The impact made his bones rattle, and pain shot through his ribs.
His hand went to his face, his teeth feeling loose from the slap, and blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
“Odalys, don’t forget what I told you,” she said in a low, threatening tone. “Don’t ever come near me again. If you keep pestering me, I’ll make sure you don’t walk away from this.”
Her eyes were cold, devoid of any warmth. She had no intention of helping the Bennett family. How could she? They had caused her death in a past life, and she hadn’t forgotten it.
“Bitch, you…” Atlas started to yell, but he was cut off as someone suddenly covered his mouth.
Before he could react, a sharp pain pierced his abdomen, and he let out a muffled groan. His body crumpled to the floor with a heavy thud. He looked up to find Finnian standing over him, his eyes glowing with rage.
“You remember how you and Sophia teamed up to screw me over on that variety show? Well, the roles are reversed now,” Finnian said, his voice almost crazed.
He grabbed Atlas’s leg and began dragging him down the hallway, Atlas struggling but unable to move.
Finnian had once been the second son of the Lark family, even though he was a bastard. His knowledge of the hospital’s layout was unmatched.
He knew how to stay hidden, and now, as he dragged Atlas away, the door to the dean’s office opened.
Clarence stood in the doorway, rubbing his temple, looking exhausted. His gray hair gave him the appearance of a seasoned warrior.
He watched as Finnian dragged Atlas away, and then pulled out his phone.
“Orson, Finnian has taken Atlas. Keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t cause trouble at the hospital. If you plan to use him to pressure Sophia into giving you the Love Spell, be careful with your approach,” Clarence instructed.
The truth was, Finnian thought he was being careful, but he was dancing right under the Lark family’s nose.
“Got it,” Orson responded from the other end of the line.
Chapter 477
Clarence slammed the door to his office shut and immediately dialed a number. “Are we ready to play? Wait, I’m on my way. Are you all at Magic Entertainment?”
His steps were hurried, as though someone might leave without him.
Just as he was leaving, Finnian appeared at the corner of the hallway. His eyes fixed on Clarence, a strange, sinister smile creeping across his face.
“Heh,” Finnian’s laughter echoed down the hallway, an unsettling sound.
In the side room of the corridor, Sophia struggled violently.
Her stomach churned. She turned her head to the side and tried to vomit, but nothing came up. The sensation made her feel like she was breaking apart, tears streaming down her face. She didn’t even know if she was really pregnant.
Her mind was a fog, and the pain from the puncture wounds on her cheek throbbed incessantly, making her afraid to even move her face.
The door flew open.
Someone had kicked it in. Sophia jumped, startled.
When she looked closer, she saw Atlas sprawled out in front of her.
“Atlas?” she whispered in disbelief.
Atlas, too, was stunned by her miserable state. They locked eyes, and a torrent of emotions surged between them-so much left unsaid, but neither knew what to say.
“Ugh!” Sophia turned away again, heaving as another wave of nausea hit her.
Atlas’s eyes were glued to her discomfort. His lips pressed tightly together as he watched her, unable to bear seeing her suffering. He turned his head in agony.
“Sophia…” A voice faintly called her name.
Sophia froze. Her body went rigid as she looked around, confusion clouding her mind. The voice faded, and just when she thought she had imagined it, it called again.
“Sophia, return.”
“Return, Sophia.”
The voice was both familiar and strange, filling her ears with urgency.
Sophia’s eyes widened in shock, as though a bolt of electricity had shot through her. Her tear- streaked face burned with a flush of excitement as she scanned the storage room. She whispered, “I’m in the hospital, help me.”
But the voice disappeared, and she was left in frustration.
It had been so long since she had last heard it. Ever since Odalys had taken her place, that voice had vanished. Every full moon, it would echo in her ears, calling her, making her luck soar.
She had learned that whenever that voice called her name, her fortunes would improve dramatically. Within days, a pile of Love Spells would appear in her hands.
She had grown up knowing how to use Love Spell, and with it in her grasp, everything seemed to go her way. Even those who tried to block her were doomed-accidents, disasters, all kinds of misfortune befell them. People who had once looked down on her-they all died in car crashes.
Thinking of this, Sophia’s throat tightened with excitement. She swallowed repeatedly.
“Who are you talking to?” Finnian’s voice broke through the silence. He kicked the door open and glared at her warily.
Sophia flinched at the sound of his voice. She quickly shifted her body and snapped, “Who else would be here but you and Atlas?”
“Do you think dragging Atlas and me here will make the Bennett family bow to you? You’ve miscalculated. We’re of no use to the Bennett family,” Sophia retorted boldly.
Before, when she had seen him, there had been fear and uncertainty. But now, hearing that voice, she had regained her confidence.
Finnian’s gaze narrowed, watching her carefully as though trying to decipher something from her. Just then, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen before turning to leave.
Sophia, her hands finally freed from the ropes, dropped to the floor. She scrambled toward Atlas, her eyes fixed on him, and tugged hard at the bindings on her wrists. With a snap, they broke.
“It’s broken?” she said, smiling with delight.
She lunged at him, pinning him to the ground, her hands pulling at his t-shirt with a vicious rip. She gazed at his strong chest, a wicked glint in her eyes.
“You, you…” Atlas, drugged and unable to speak, could only watch as she hovered over him. The heat in his body flared up, making him want to struggle, but Sophia pressed her hand firmly over his eyes.
Darkness overcame him, and he lost consciousness.
“You walked right into my hands,” Sophia sneered, a cold laugh escaping her lips.
She lowered her head and sank her teeth into his chest, leaving deep indentations. Blood started to ooze out, and her mouth filled with his blood.
Her fingers pressed deep into his chest, digging in hard.
Even though Atlas had passed out, the pain still made him twitch. He struggled weakly, but Sophia slapped him hard, knocking him unconscious again.
Sophia felt like she had been revived, her body energized. The skin on her arms had even become smoother and paler. She quickly wiped her injured cheek with her bloody fingertips, and to her delight, the wound had completely healed. “It worked,” she whispered to herself.” Heartblood really does work for me.”
She had once tried to use Henry’s heart blood, but he had fought her off, leading to a failed attempt. Their bodies had been too close, preventing her from taking it. She hadn’t expected Atlas’s blood to work the same way. Standing up, she stretched and felt the relief in her body. Bang-she slammed open the door and marched out. As she walked, she noticed her previous injuries had mysteriously healed. She quickly descended the corridor, disappearing from the hospital without a trace. Meanwhile, Finnian, who had just received a call from Windsor, returned to the storage room. He was stunned to find it empty, save for Atlas lying in a pool of blood.
“Sophia?” Finnian’s voice trembled in disbelief.
He couldn’t believe his eyes. He dragged Atlas over, only to find that no one else was there. Sophia seemed to have vanished.
The door was intact, and there was no sign of anyone breaking in. Finnian had been on the phone just a moment ago, so if someone had entered, he would have known.
“Damn it! Who ruined my plans?” Finnian cursed, his frustration boiling over.
He had almost gotten Sophia to give up the Love Spell, but now she had slipped away again, just out of his grasp.
He was certain this time she wouldn’t remain alone again.
“Damn it!” Finnian kicked Atlas’s prone form, then turned to check the surveillance footage. What he saw made his blood run cold. The footage clearly showed Sophia leaving alone, and when she glanced back, the wound he had inflicted on her face had vanished completely. Her legs, which he had bruised, were unmarked, and she seemed to walk away with no pain at all. “Her face…” Finnian muttered, his mind reeling. “I stabbed her with a toothpick. And I hit her legs too! How could she leave so easily?”
A chill ran through him. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
He turned back to the bloodied Atlas on the floor, kneeling to check his wounds.
Then, bang, the world around him went black.
Chapter 478
“Moments later, the door to the storage room was kicked open, and Orson strode in.
“Orson?” Finnian was startled and instinctively called out as his gaze met Orson’s deep, penetrating eyes.
Orson ignored him, bending down to examine Atlas, noticing the gaping wound on his chest.
“You did this?” Orson asked in a low, ominous voice.
Finnian quickly shook his head, trying to stand, but before he could move, his bodyguards grabbed him, dragging him forcefully out of the room.
The storage room was left with only Atlas, lying in a pool of blood. Orson lowered his head to inspect the wound, his expression shifting. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
“Odalys, you were right. Atlas has indeed met with bloodshed. His chest was torn open, and it doesn’t look like it was done with a weapon, more like it was done by hand.”
“The wound isn’t too deep, but there are two small puncture marks, about the size of fingers. It looks like someone jabbed their fingers into him,” Orson continued.
He had never seen anything like this before. If he hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, he wouldn’t have believed it.
“It seems Sophia succeeded.” Odalys’ voice was cold with amusement.
Orson furrowed his brow even deeper. “I’ll bring him upstairs for you to examine.”
With that, he lifted Atlas’s limp body, hoisting him onto his shoulders, and carried him up to Dangelo’s VIP room. Harvey and Percival had just finished their discussion when they noticed Orson’s arrival.
They all turned to look as he dumped Atlas onto the sofa.
“Something really happened?” Sienna exclaimed in surprise.
When Odalys returned earlier, she had told Orson that Atlas was destined for bloodshed and that something would happen to him in the hospital. Orson had rushed out, and sure enough, he found him in the storage room.
“This wound…” Harvey stepped forward, inspecting Atlas’s chest, which had been torn open. There were two small holes, and the sight baffled him.
“It looks like it was done with someone’s fingertips, or at least the tips of their fingers. The depth suggests it pierced through to the internal organs, like someone was trying to take heart blood,” Percival said thoughtfully.
He couldn’t say for certain, but this was his assessment based on what he had seen.
“Heart blood? Didn’t Sophia try to take Henry’s heart blood in the hospital before?” Orson snapped his fingers, recalling a recent event.
At the time, he, Odalys, and Freya had been outside and had witnessed the entire scene.
“So this injury was done by Sophia? How could a woman do something like this?” Dangelo was in shock.
Even for a man, tearing someone open like that was unimaginable.
“Strange things happen in this world. It’s possible. This proves something,” Odalys said, sweeping her gaze across Atlas’s body before placing her hand over the wound.
Everyone held their breath, then noticed something strange. A mist began to form in the room.
As they focused, a surreal scene unfolded in the mist. They saw Sophia struggling, then climbing onto Atlas, covering his eyes to knock him out. She ripped open his T-shirt and pressed her fingers into his chest, tearing it open. After a moment, she pulled her hand back, her body seemingly transformed-radiant and full of energy.
Odalys waved her hand, and the mist vanished. “Wait… her face… it changed. The wound on her face disappeared when she touched Atlas’s chest, and she looks even more beautiful now.” Sienna cried out in shock, then quickly covered her mouth, realizing she had spoken too much. Had she not seen it, she never would’ve believed such a thing was possible.
“She needs the Bennett family’s heart blood. Plus, she already has Love Spell. With the heart blood of the Bennett family, she can quickly fix her fortune and wash away her bad luck,” Odalys said coldly.
“Harvey shuddered as he remembered his daughter being cursed by Sophia using Love Spell, causing her to spiral into madness.
The memory was horrifying, and even though he was a man, he still felt a chill run down his spine. “Why does it have to be the Bennett family’s heart blood?” Orson asked instinctively. “Is their heart blood special?”
“Because the Bennett family has affection for her. Over the years, they have unconditionally indulged her, so their blood naturally merges with hers. Add the power of Love Spell, and it accelerates the fusion of the two, amplifying the effect.”
“If it were anyone else’s blood, it would have no effect. But for her, it needs to be someone who’s loved her. Any kind of love will do.”
“The best case is, of course, the blood of an unmarried man,” Odalys explained.
Percival stood silently, deep in thought. After a long pause, he spoke up.
“But earlier, she didn’t have any Love Spell on her, and she wasn’t holding a talisman. How did she manage to merge the heart blood with Love Spell?”
The others nodded in agreement.
“She is Love Speil herself. The way she looks now, that’s the effect of Love Spell. The power within her must have been awakened,” Odalys continued.
“I felt a surge of energy in the hospital earlier. That must have triggered Sophia’s transformation. Now that she has Atlas’s heart blood, her luck has returned. She will surely try to cleanse her past humiliation.”
Although she said this with ease, there was no sign of fear or concern on her face.
“So, is she planning to kill someone?” Dangelo asked slowly.
If she intended to kill, then they would have to find a way to stop her, or many innocent lives might be at risk.
“She doesn’t need to kill. We live in a society governed by law. Killing would only harm her. She’s probably trying to return to the Bennett family, or meet with others from the family.”
“With the Bennett family’s negative energy so strong, she can’t leave the Bennett Villa. The old man from the mountain village is still there, and he’s with the Bennett family now,” Odalys mused. Orson, hearing this, excitedly snapped his fingers.
“So, we let her go back and let the dogs fight? Watch the show?” Orson rubbed his hands together, eager for the drama.
“As long as there’s a show to watch, I don’t care about the rest,” he added.
“Yes, we’ll have someone send Atlas back to the Bennett Villa and stir up some trouble for the Bennett family. Force them to return to the Bennett Villa,” Odalys said.
Percival immediately grabbed his phone. “I’ll handle it.”
“Good.” Odalys nodded.
Percival made a call and soon received a response. He shared the news with the group.
“Henry’s apartment had a water and electrical leak. He and Edie nearly got electrocuted, so they had to move out. They tried to stay at a hotel, but they were turned away. Meanwhile, Caspian’s new house was rammed by a truck, completely destroying the place. It was condemned because it was an illegal building.”
“In the end, they had no choice but to move back to the Bennett Villa.”
Chapter 479
After having coffee in the hospital, Odalys and Percival were left to wait.
Dangelo, who was ill with cancer, had to stay in the hospital, but he had taken a leave of absence to visit the Tillery Villa with Sienna. Meanwhile, Celeste and Blossom had prepared a rich dinner, and they were just about to sit down when they realized Clarence and Evander had not yet arrived.
“Why haven’t they come? I’ll go check,” Orson said, biting into an apple as he walked out the door.
Percival frowned as he tried calling Evander, but the phone went straight to voicemail.
“Odalys, I’ll go check on them,” Percival said as he stood up.
But before he could leave, Odalys grabbed his arm. Her small hand gripped him tightly, and the force made him pause, confused by her sudden action.
“Don’t go,” Odalys said, her voice tinged with unease.
She held onto his arm even tighter, and Percival could sense her growing anxiety.
He turned back to face her, placing his hand over hers gently and tapping it before speaking. Is it Grandpa? Did something happen to him?” Odalys rubbed her forehead tiredly.
She sat down in silence for a moment, exchanging looks with Percival.
“I told him not to go. There’s going to be trouble. I warned him to avoid other people, but he still went,” Odalys said, her voice full of exhaustion. At that moment, Orson returned from outside. Hearing Odalys’s words, he froze, almost choking on his apple.
“Odalys, I can’t reach Grandpa either. You don’t think something happened to him too, do you?” Orson asked nervously.
After all, both of the Evanders were elderly. If they had been caught or something happened to them, the outcome could be grave.
The younger generation could still fight, but the older men, though veterans of battle in their youth, were no longer physically capable.
“Yes,” Odalys replied softly.
She stood up slowly, and the room fell silent as everyone shared in her unease.
Celeste, seeing the situation, realized that the dinner they had prepared would likely go uneaten that evening.
She walked over and took Odalys’s hand, offering a calm, reassuring smile. “Go ahead and handle what you need to. We can gather later, after you’ve taken care of things.”
“Odalys, is it dangerous? Is there anything we can do to help?” Sienna asked urgently, stepping forward.
Odalys didn’t answer. She didn’t know how to respond.
With a hurried step, she moved toward the door, but her footsteps were heavy with worry.
The others instinctively followed, but they found themselves frozen in place as Odalys’s figure continued to move further away.
“Odalys!” Percival’s voice rang out, calling her name, but she didn’t look back.
Orson, unable to believe his eyes, rushed forward, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get past the door.
“What’s going on? Is this the Devil’s Triangle Odalys mentioned? Why can’t we follow her?” Orson asked, panic rising in his chest.
He was eager to help, but it seemed they were stuck here.
“Looks like a soul-binding spell. She’s trapped us here to prevent anything from happening to us while she’s gone. We’re stuck, but no one can get in either,” Percival explained calmly.
He had studied magic to some extent, especially with the Stewart family’s long history, and was familiar with such phenomena.
“So, we just wait? What if something happens to Odalys? We can’t just do nothing!” Sienna cried out in frustration.
She felt a burning sense of helplessness as she watched Odalys walk away, her every step a reminder of how powerless they were.
“Wait,” Percival said firmly, his voice carrying authority.
His words left no room for argument, and the group fell silent, their gazes locked on the path Odalys had taken, watching the mist swirl and slowly consume her figure.
“Wait! Someone’s a virgin here, right? Don’t they say that a virgin’s urine is powerful? Could it help Odalys if there are any demons or monsters around?” Blossom suddenly spoke up.
The 16-year-old girl, her mind filled with possibilities, had been delving into books on magic since Odalys had awakened her.
The thought of virgin urine being helpful had come from the novels she’d read.
“Virgin urine?” The others were momentarily stunned.
Hearing those familiar yet strange words, they turned their eyes toward Percival and Orson, both of whom were known not to have romantic relationships.
Although no one knew if they had ever been with a woman, Dangelo and Harvey were married with children, leaving only Orson and Percival as potential candidates.
“Orson coughed awkwardly.
He straightened his chest, about to speak, but before he could, Percival strode forward, his deep voice ringing out. “You stay here.”
With that, Percival walked boldly into the mist. The others stood frozen, staring in disbelief as they couldn’t move past the living room.
“What’s going on? Why can he go and we can’t?” Orson asked, clearly frustrated. It felt as though the virgin urine didn’t work for him, and his helplessness was palpable.
Outside, the world was engulfed in darkness. The entire city seemed swallowed by shadow, with only the dim glow of streetlights visible. No one else was on the streets, and no vehicles were in sight.
Odalys narrowed her eyes, standing still, surveying the eerie stillness around her.
She soon spotted a Cayenne speeding down the road.
Suddenly, a loud “bang” sounded as a large truck swerved into the path of the Cayenne, crashing into it.
The impact sent a figure flying out of the car, blood spilling onto the pavement, staining it red. The man lay motionless, seemingly lifeless.
A faint sound followed, like something dropping onto the ground.
Gasoline leaked from the two wrecked vehicles, and the fallen lighter ignited the fuel, instantly turning the road into a raging fire.
The explosion was deafening, and both the Cayenne and the truck erupted in flames.
The man, still alive but badly injured, tried to crawl out of the bloodstained road, but something invisible held him down.
As he struggled, his eyes widened in fear, and a gust of wind picked up, as if some unseen force pushed him back toward the flames.
The explosion rocked the area again, and the man’s body was consumed by the fire, along with the wreckage of the cars, leaving nothing behind.
Odalys stood still, staring in disbelief. After the firestorm faded, the stillness returned, and she whispered in shock, “Father?”
If she wasn’t mistaken, the figure she had seen in the car before the explosion had been Percival’s father.
When she heard that Evander had gone missing earlier, a sense of unease had settled in her chest.
When Percival moved to leave earlier, she had grabbed him to prevent him from walking into the trap. It was only when the mist began to swirl outside that she decided to act.
The soul-binding spell. It was a terrifying illusion, a fusion of real and unreal worlds, where people were trapped in a distorted version of their memories.
Chapter 480
It seemed that Evander and Clarence, while on their way to the Tillery family, had accidentally entered a time tunnel.
The time tunnel, oddly, was synchronized with the moment when Percival’s father had the accident.
Could it be that when Odalys brought back the soil from the Junction of Energy last night, it allowed Percival’s father’s soul to return, thus altering the magnetic field? Or was it her own actions that caused this strange shift?
“Why did the time tunnel suddenly appear?” Odalys whispered to herself.
Just as she spoke, she realized the explosion and the crash had paused. The scene before her vanished.
Before she could react, the Cayenne rushed forward once more, and the truck collided again. The same horrific events repeated themselves. As Odalys stood in shock, the explosion happened once again. Percival’s father was blown apart in the same manner, as though nothing had changed.
Everything returned to stillness, but once again, the cycle repeated.
The Cayenne sped off, and Odalys felt her palms slick with sweat as she prepared to intervene.
Just then, a familiar car appeared, speeding toward the crash scene.
With a screech, the luxury car swerved and crashed into the Cayenne, pushing it aside. The Cayenne lost control, but the people inside seemed unaffected.
“Grandpa,” Odalys whispered, recognizing Evander behind the wheel and Clarence sitting in the passenger seat.
They had driven recklessly into the scene, attempting to push the Cayenne out of the way, but just as before, the truck came rushing toward them.
With a sickening “bang,” the truck slammed into their luxury car.
Odalys’s heart skipped a beat as the luxury car and the Cayenne were both sent flying. She watched in horror as the men inside struggled but couldn’t move.
Another explosion erupted, consuming the vehicles in a blaze of fire. The flames were so intense, they seemed to burn the very night itself.
Odalys ran toward the wreckage, her heart racing. She could see Evander and Clarence trapped under the twisted metal, motionless as if they had seen something that stunned them. Their eyes locked onto Odalys, and she saw the surprise in their gaze as if they hadn’t expected to see her.
Before they could speak, the fire consumed them, and within moments, they were nothing but ashes.
As Odalys moved to rush forward, time seemed to reverse. The scene rewound, and everything returned to the moment before the crash, as if the entire incident had never happened.
She stood there, her mind racing.
Without hesitation, she pulled out a talisman, bit her finger to draw a few quick symbols, and threw it into the air. “Freeze!” she commanded. The talisman spun in the air, glowing with golden light, and split the path ahead. The Cayenne, just moments from crashing, was halted by the magical energy, bouncing backward like a toy. Not far behind, Evander and Clarence’s luxury car sped toward the scene.
Seeing the Cayenne crash, they hit the brakes, sliding to a stop.
Inside the car, both men were stunned, staring at Odalys and the overturned Cayenne.
Before they could react, another truck came barreling toward them. But Odalys swiftly gestured, and the truck’s wheels froze in place, as though bound by some invisible force. Time itself seemed to halt.
Odalys moved quickly, opening the door of the car.
“Grandpa, what’s going on? Why did you both enter the time tunnel?” she asked, her voice trembling with fear.
She had suspected something was wrong, but never imagined Evander and Clarence had unwittingly driven into this time trap. It explained the magnetic disturbances she’d felt earlier, and how the moment Percival’s father had the accident seemed to have been tied to this very instant.
“Odalys?” Evander stared at her, unable to comprehend.
Odalys nodded. “Percival and I were on our way to the Tillery family for dinner when we lost contact with you. I felt a shift in the magnetic field.”
“Then, I realized the time tunnel had opened, and it brought us back to the exact moment when Percival’s father had the accident. The events kept repeating themselves over and over.”
She was stunned by the truth unfolding in front of her. She had heard rumors before, but now, witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different experience.
Evander, shocked, began speaking again.
“As we drove to the Tillery family, we received a call-strangely, there was no sound on the other end. We saw a flash of golden light ahead. When we drove toward it, we lost all phone signal.”
“And then, we found ourselves here. We saw the scene of the crash, and it’s been repeating itself ever since.”
Evander looked pained. He had never witnessed the scene of his son’s accident until now. Seeing it replay again and again felt like a knife in his heart. He had tried to make a desperate attempt to change the outcome.
He had wanted Clarence to help him steer the car out of the way, even if it meant risking their lives.
But Clarence, ever loyal, had agreed, accepting the risk of death, determined to help Evander in his wish to alter the past. They had agreed to take a chance-but it was too late.
The moment they died, they saw Odalys before them, and then everything had reset.
“It looks like the time tunnel was altered somehow, and you ended up in this loop. It caused a butterfly effect. It’s like a maze, where reality and dreams are indistinguishable from one another.”
She paused, her thoughts racing.
“Whatever happened, there may still be a way to fix this. Perhaps it was the thunderstruck wood I used when saving Blossom, or maybe it was the soil from the Junction of Energy I brought back with me last night. Maybe it’s the combination of everything that caused this.”
Odalys murmured to herself, unable to fully understand the change she had inadvertently set into motion.
“What are you talking about, Odalys?” Evander asked, his expression blank with confusion. Clarence, an outsider to the situation, seemed to have understood more than Evander.
“Wait, what do you mean you went to the Junction of Energy and saw Percival’s father’s soul trapped there? You brought it back with you?” Clarence asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Odalys’s words sounded like a fantastical story, one he never thought could be real. If they hadn’t entered this time loop, he would never have believed such an absurd tale.
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