Chapter 721
“You… Your face.” Hannah was terrified.
“She hadn’t paid much attention to it before and didn’t find it frightening.
“But now, looking at the 20-year-old girl in front of her suddenly morphing into a middle-aged woman, Hannah couldn’t help but feel a surge of fear. She had always treated Sophia like her own daughter.
“Hannah couldn’t deny the heartache that squeezed at her chest.
“What about my face?” Sophia asked, clearly no longer caring.
“Sophia’s smile turned even more sinister under Hannah’s gaze.
“Hannah’s eyes traced Sophia’s body. She noticed the skin on Sophia’s left arm was fair, while the right side looked like that of an elderly woman-loose and sagging.
“A faint, elderly scent lingered in the air.
“That distinct smell, found only in the elderly, was so strong that it was unnerving. Hannah hadn’t noticed it before, but now, it seemed to fill her nostrils, impossible to ignore.
“No… Aren’t you pregnant? Didn’t you get pregnant with Windsor’s child before?” Hannah suddenly recalled.
“Sophia had vomited in the hospital, and the doctor had suspected she was pregnant- everyone knew about it.
“Then you should abort the child and sacrifice its soul too,” Hannah coaxed.
“If Sophia aborts the child and becomes weak, won’t she be at my mercy then?’ Hannah thought.
“Both women, each with her own hidden agenda, were calculating against one another.
“Do I look pregnant?” Sophia rubbed her belly. Recently, she hadn’t experienced any morning sickness, so she concluded that the previous pregnancy had been a sham. It was impossible for her to be pregnant with Windsor’s child- after all, they’d only slept together a few times. How could she be pregnant so easily?
“Don’t you want the necklace that Odalys is wearing? I heard it was a gift from her master. What do you think? If something happens to Odalys, will her master show up? If her master shows up, wouldn’t we be able to get as many of those necklaces as we want?” Sophia continued to tempt her.
“Sure enough, a flicker of greed flashed in Hannah’s eyes.
“That necklace had always protected her, and she had reanalyzed it many times. She suspected that the necklace truly had the power to ward off evil spirits and protect the people. Now, she had no one to rely on.
“Brandon and Caspian had been arrested, and Oliver was still in the hospital.
“Hannah’s eyes fell on the wooden puppets in her hand. They no longer reacted to her touch, lying lifelessly in her palms as if they were just ordinary objects.
“This meant they no longer worked for her. Her gaze shifted to Sophia.
“Although she was displeased that Sophia had discovered and intervened, Hannah didn’t intend to resist. For her, staying alive was the top priority after all.
“There was no need to fall out with Sophia. “What do you want to do?” Hannah asked. “Sophia remained silent but grabbed her hand, then took a knife and slashed it across her arm. Blood began to pour out.
“With a series of “drip, drip, drip” sounds, a bowl was placed before her.
“Hannah watched as her blood steadily filled the bowl. Only when the bowl was full did Sophia leave with it.
“Sophia…” Hannah cried out.
But Sophia didn’t look back as she slammed the door shut with a sharp “bang”.
“Silence descended upon the bedroom. Hannah stared at the wooden puppets, which now seemed to come to life once more. In the next instant, they flew toward her and out the door. “Impossible. They clearly recognized me as their master and protected me for all these years. How could they disobey me?” Panic gripped Hannah.
“But as she tried to rise, she found herself weak and dizzy. Having lost too much blood, she collapsed heavily to the ground.
“In the vast Bennett Villa, she could faintly hear Henry’s voice outside. People passed her door, but no one came to check on her.
“Desperation crept over Hannah at this moment. “The door creaked open.
“Edie walked in, standing quietly by the bed, staring down at Hannah, who was sprawled on the ground.
“You deserved this. If you hadn’t betrayed me back then, you wouldn’t be in this mess,” Edie’s voice was icily cold.
“Without waiting for Hannah to respond, she turned and left, never looking back.
“But instead of returning to her room, Edie walked straight out of the house. Her figure was resolute, as if she would never return. Henry watched this scene from upstairs.
“Edie,” Henry called her name softly.
“But Edie didn’t answer. Her figure, from a distance, seemed to have aged considerably.
The Bennett Villa fell silent once more, but this silence was unnerving-its stillness seemed to suggest that something might rise from the ground at any moment. It was so quiet it sent a chill down one’s spine.
“Inside the Stewart Villa.
“Odalys and Percival arrived back at the Stewart Villa. From a distance, they saw the century-old tree lying on the ground, struck by lightning and split in two.
“They could faintly smell something in the air.
“Mrs. Stewart, you’re back,” the bodyguard said, hurrying over to greet her.
“Odalys nodded and quickly walked toward the fallen tree.
“Evander stood there alone, Dorian a few steps behind him, not daring to approach.
“Evander,” Odalys called gently.
“Evander seemed not to register her voice at first. He looked at Odalys, then at the tree that had fallen to the ground.
“Odalys, you said this tree is dead. Does that mean my son will never return?” he asked softly. “Every time he missed his son, he would stand beneath this tree, feeling as if his son were still with him.
“He had clung to hope, but now, in this moment, despair filled him.
“He regretted going to the Tillery family. If he hadn’t left, he might have saved the tree from the lightning strike. It was too late for regrets now.
“Evander, the tree falling has nothing to do with him. Percival and I were almost trapped in the Time Tunnel, but he sent us back,” Odalys explained.
“She pointed to the fallen tree. “It took the hit for us.”
“Evander listened, his expression blank.
“He couldn’t quite believe it. He turned to Odalys, then to Percival.
“Why did you two go there again? Didn’t you say that ordinary people can’t enter the Time Tunnel without risking their lives? I don’t ask for much, just for you two to be well and live a long life,” Evander said.
“He genuinely cared for Odalys and hoped she would be there for Percival.
“We went to find Windsor, Percival said.
“The mention of Windsor made Evander tense up.
“Though elderly, his mind was sharper than most young people’s, and he knew that Windsor had been missing. Windsor, the heir of the Bennett family, had deliberately distanced himself from the Bennett family after his son’s accident.
“But that didn’t mean Windsor’s connection to his son was severed.
“Did you find him? What did he say? Did he admit to contacting your father before his death? Did he leave any useful clues?” Evander asked urgently.
He needed to know, and he needed answers.
Chapter 722
”Don’t worry, Evander. We’re fine. And the handful of soil from Percival’s father’s grave-we brought it back from the junction of energy. It’s still stained with Percival’s blood, so even if this century-old tree falls, the soul of Percival’s father won’t disappear,” Odalys said.
“Evander heard her words, and his frown eased slightly.
“That’s good. I couldn’t protect him when he was alive, so I can’t lose him now that he’s gone,” Evander replied, though he couldn’t suppress a cough.
“Seeing this, Dorian quickly stepped forward to support him.
“Evander, let me help you back to your room to rest. Leave everything else to me,” Odalys said. “Evander wasn’t one to be stubborn, so he allowed her and Dorian to guide him to the living room.
“As soon as they entered, the scent of food wafted over them. Despite his concerns, Evander ordered Dorian to prepare a meal, worried that Odalys and Percival might be hungry after returning.
“I’m fine, don’t worry. I’m an old man. I won’t be harmed by something so minor,” Evander chuckled.
“He walked toward the dining table and gestured for Odalys to sit.
“Percival followed behind them, and the atmosphere in the Stewart family became noticeably warmer.
“The lightning struck the old tree and took the hit for us. We can’t just let it suffer in silence. I’ll draw a talisman later and use the roots of this century-old tree to replant it,” Odalys said.
“Okay, as you say, Odalys,” Evander nodded repeatedly.
“The meal lasted for about half an hour. Just as they finished, Callum hurried in.
“Callum, walking briskly, almost collided with Dorian.
“Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart.” Callum nodded at them.
“Odalys and Percival exchanged a glance, and without a word, made their way upstairs. Percival turned to Dorian and said, “My grandpa just finished eating. Please take him for a walk in the yard.”
“Okay,” Dorian replied quickly.
“Evander understood they were trying to send him away on purpose.
“Though he had originally intended to follow them upstairs to hear what Callum had to say, he decided against it after observing the situation.
“Dorian, accompany me for a walk in the yard,” Evander said knowingly.
“As Dorian helped Evander outside, Percival and Odalys had already entered the study, followed by Callum.
“Percival ground a cup of coffee and handed it to Callum, then poured one for Odalys and sat beside her.
“Any findings?” Percival asked casually.
Callum nodded eagerly, handing over a video he had just recorded. He clicked play, letting them watch it before speaking.
“I think I remember now,” he said. “Last time, I took more than a dozen men and followed up on the case about the Simpson family. Strangely, we came back to Crownridge and ended up losing consciousness on a side road. When we woke up, we found ourselves in a strange place, a place that didn’t feel right-dark and sinister, as if something was trying to take our lives. I fought back, but eventually, I was overpowered.” “When I woke up again, I was seriously injured and brought back by you. That memory seemed to be erased. I couldn’t remember anything, but just now, when I was in the Bennett family, it all came back. I remember the voice-it sounded a lot like Hannah’s. But the voice was faint, like that of a child sometimes. I could barely hear it, but I think I saw her face,” Callum explained. “Odalys remained silent for a while.
“Theoretically, if Hannah had such great power, she wouldn’t have been so badly injured before. After she lost my master’s necklace, she’s had nothing but bad luck since,” Odalys said. “Before, when she tried to seduce Evander, she used forbidden scents from Thoeyae, which came from the second son of the Bennett family.” “The forbidden scents were made from the flesh and blood of the second son of the Bennett family, using family affection as a conduit. You can imagine how vicious that is. What’s worse, none of Hannah’s children came to a good end,” Odalys added.
“Percival looked at her in shock.
“None of them came to a good end? You mean Henry and Atlas aren’t really her children…” Percival asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
“The fact that Caspian wasn’t Hannah’s son was already shocking enough, but the idea that Henry and Atlas weren’t either was almost absurd.
“Hannah had three children. The second one was killed and the body was sealed in her room, while the other two probably died before they were fully formed,” Odalys explained.
She picked up her cup, her elegant fingers lightly tracing the rim.
“If they died before they were fully formed, then Henry and Atlas aren’t really her children,” Callum asked, his voice growing excited.
“He had always been calm and collected, but the news was so shocking that he could no longer hide his emotions.
“Hannah was dealing with the devil, and so was Sophia. That’s why the Bennett family has such
wicked energy. But they were hiding it from each other. The reason I gave Hannah the necklace in the first place was that she brought me back to the Bennett family, and I wanted to protect her from disaster. It’s a pity that she still committed a grave sin. There was not only one body in her room, but also two unformed spirits that she had nurtured with her own blood,” Odalys said.
“This is one of the reasons Sophia was able to control the hearts of several men in the Bennett family. Without Hannah’s knowledge, Sophia stole those spirits and used them for her own purposes. This led to the beginning of her bad luck. Her fortunes declined steadily, and when she saw she couldn’t defeat me, she lost her patience. She became desperate, so she took Hannah’s things. That’s why she needed the heart’s blood of Henry and Atlas,” Odalys added. “Percival listened, though he was still confused. “If what you’re saying is true, and Henry and Atlas aren’t related to Hannah by blood, then why does she need their blood?” Percival asked. “Callum nodded, equally puzzled.
“It’s precisely because they aren’t related by blood. She wanted to take their blood to bind them to her. After all, they’ve lived in the Bennett family for so many years, and their auras have become intertwined. She wants to forcefully tie everyone in the Bennett family to her, so that they’ll be at her disposal when she needs them most,” Odalys explained.
“Callum shook his head, still confused.
“Hannah’s children died before they were fully formed, meaning she must have aborted them before they were born. How could Windsor not know about her sacrificing their children?” Callum asked, voicing his doubts.
“It was impossible to hide a pregnancy until birth.
“If she aborted it during the pregnancy, couldn’t she have just adopted one later at the right time?” Odalys said.
“Percival fell silent, thoughtfully sipping his coffee.
Seeing he wasn’t speaking, Callum said nothing more and simply sipped his coffee in silence.
Chapter 723
”Like you said, you heard Hannah’s voice the last time something happened. If it was really her, then her abilities would be more complicated than we thought,” Odalys said.
“And Edie-after years of feuding with her-still wants to marry Henry and move into Bennett Villa,” Odalys continued, her eyes glinting with growing mockery.
“Percival suddenly looked up sharply, his deep black eyes holding a hint of calculation. “Quinton Simpson,” Percival said suddenly.
“At the mention of this unfamiliar yet strangely familiar name, Callum was silent for a long moment.
“Isn’t Quinton your uncle? Edie’s younger brother? She used the Stewart family’s resources to pave the way for him, but no one has ever seen him,” Callum said.
“The name felt so unfamiliar and unsettling that it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. “How capable could someone be to make Edie risk everything to secure his future?’ he thought. “Quinton,” Percival continued, “could be either male or female. That would explain why, if he ever shows up, no one knows who he is. Maybe he’s connected to Hannah.”
“Callum was taken aback, his mouth agape, unable to grasp the full extent of Percival’s reasoning.
“He stared at Percival, the idea sounding utterly mad.
“Odalys laughed, clearly amused by Percival’s words. “Did you just finally figure that out?” Percival nodded, leaning back in his chair. After a long silence, he spoke again, “You said that Hannah’s babies were aborted before they were fully formed and that she sacrificed their souls to deal with the devil. Normally, this would be impossible, so the only explanation is that this person-whether male or female-can’t stay in one form for long. If he becomes a woman, gets pregnant, and then switches back to a man too quickly, his body can’t handle it. It’d be easy to get caught.
That’s why Hannah had the abortion -right before she was about to change back into a man after becoming pregnant. And a child aborted from such a body would carry strong resentment. It’s no surprise that she kept its soul.” Percival analyzed quickly, his thoughts flowing with an almost chilling clarity.
“Odalys listened in stunned silence, wide-eyed at the implications.
“Percival,” she said surprisingly, “are you sure you don’t understand this? Why do I feel like you know exactly what’s going on?”
“No one would dare think so boldly, yet Percival had grasped it almost instantly.
“Ever since we were watching the Simpson Villa and no one from the family showed up-while Windsor’s possession became public-I started to wonder if maybe the Simpson family didn’t show up because they couldn’t,” Percival explained. “Or maybe they’ve been right under our noses this whole time, and we just didn’t realize it. We were so focused on the Simpsons that we missed other possibilities.”
“Then, after I used Edie’s mistake to freeze all of the Simpson family’s assets, making them lose all their projects, they still stayed calm. That made me suspicious. What if the people we thought were Simpsons were actually from another family? They’ve been operating under our radar, exploiting our focus on the Simpsons,” Percival said.
“Percival’s analysis opened up a whole new set of possibilities.
“Windsor was taken abroad by the Simpson family for three years. After his return, he divorced Hannah almost immediately. The divorce was so quick that it made me think he was eager to cut ties with her. Thinking about it like this, Hannah may seem fine, but sometimes no problem is the biggest problem. Edie’s been desperate to marry into the Bennett family, but hasn’t done anything substantial. I heard Hannah and Edie were once best friends-who can prove it? There’s no evidence except for rumors,” Percival continued.
“Callum was more reticent in his analysis.
“At that moment, Callum finally understood why Percival was the head of the Stewart family. His perspective was far-reaching, and his ability to think outside the box was extraordinary.
“If he were Percival, he might never have come up with such a bold idea.
Odalys laughed, cupping her cheek in her hand, smiling at Percival. “So that’s why you guessed why I gave her the necklace, right?”
“Giving it to her to ward off bad luck and keep her safe wasn’t a lie, but my things are imbued with my master’s magic.
Not just anyone can wear them. Since she wore it, everything’s gone smoothly for her. But after she took it off, she was unlucky. By giving her the necklace, I was able to make her believe that nothing was wrong with her puppets. I just can’t let her find out that Sophia was controlling her puppets, and after she was in the hospital, seriously injured, it was easy to hide everything from her. By the time she figures it out, she’ll have fallen out with Sophia, and their relationship will be frozen-exactly what we need,” Odalys finished, her smile cold and calculating.
Callum took a deep sip of coffee to steady himself.
“When did Hannah become a man? And when she did, was it this face? Also, where did Atlas and Henry come from? They lived with Hannah all the time-didn’t they notice anything unusual? A creature that can switch between male and female seems like it’d be easy to detect,” Callum continued, his curiosity fully piqued.
“It’s said that she becomes a man on every full moon night. When she’s male, she has no memory of what happens when she’s female. In other words, two souls live in her body. Normally, she’s a woman, but on the full moon or the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, she becomes a man. You can check if Hannah is home on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month,” Odalys suggested.
“Callum’s mind went into overdrive.
“He quickly grabbed his phone and began sending frantic messages, even checking the Bennett family’s surveillance cameras.
After a while, Callum fell silent.
The information he’d just received, along with the surveillance footage, clearly showed that on the first and fifteenth of every lunar month, Hannah would leave the Bennett Villa to either go to church or visit friends.
“She wouldn’t return until noon the next day, looking as if she had just recovered from a serious illness.
“Things were becoming stranger by the minute.
“So, is it possible that Hannah is Quinton? In other words, she’s Edie’s younger brother?” Callum’s mind was racing, the questions tumbling out one after the other.
“He was visibly agitated, his thoughts swirling.
“Yes,” Odalys said calmly. “Think about the night of your accident. Wasn’t it the fifteenth day of the lunar month? And after that night, things like this didn’t happen again.”
“Callum went quiet again, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him.
“The silence in the room felt oppressive, as if the very air was holding its breath.
“How could things be so outrageous?
“Indeed, I thought there would be more danger later, but it turns out that wasn’t the case,” Callum finally said.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something else. “Later, when my injury was almost healed- on the first day of another lunar month-the posthumous marriage case in the suburbs was exposed.”
Chapter 724
“It’s happening in the same villa where Edie appeared. After the villa was exposed, the police sealed it off,” Callum continued.
“Percival remained silent the entire time.
“He sat there quietly, pouring Callum another cup of coffee.
“So, Edie is working for Quinton, but she’s also an enemy of Hannah. She shouldn’t know the truth about Hannah, and she rarely sees Quinton. But Quinton must have asked her to return to the Bennett family to retrieve something. She still doesn’t know what it is, so she’s left guarding the Bennett family. It’s clear Quinton hasn’t shown up for a long time, and he hasn’t contacted her either,” Odalys added.
“Percival took a sip of his coffee.
“He seemed indifferent to these revelations.
“If there was one person who knew the most secrets, it was Odalys. She could spill a more explosive secret at any moment, and it would catch the one completely off guard.
“As for Henry and Atlas…” Odalys trailed off. “Callum’s heart twisted, but Odalys slowly stood and walked to the window. It was just after six o’clock, and the sun was setting, casting a red glow over the earth.
“They’re both stand-ins for her real children. Henry probably sensed something was off, and that’s why he wanted to take over the Bennett Group. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the ability. As for Atlas, no one knows where he came from,” Odalys continued.
“Percival stood up and moved to her side, standing shoulder to shoulder.
“But I told you, Hannah has a family connection with them. In other words, they’re all members of the Simpson family,” Odalys dropped the bombshell.
“At that moment, Callum was completely bewildered.
He was dumbfounded.
“So, Hannah is part of the Simpson family too? That’s incredible. Using the Bennett surname as a cover-no one would suspect that the Simpson family had infiltrated the Bennett family. They could act without fear, knowing they wouldn’t have to take the fall if something went wrong with the Simpson family.” Callum rubbed his wrist.
“He was itching to head over to the Bennett family and deal with Henry.
“Didn’t you figure it out too? Otherwise, when Henry came to deliver the message from Windsor that day, you wouldn’t suddenly want to team up with him and have him help you. ” We’re testing him, right?” Odalys said.
“Percival smiled.
“Yes.” Percival’s reply was simple but decisive.
“It seemed Odalys understood everything without needing further explanation.
“Their understanding was seamless, beyond words.
“If Sophia wanted to sell Henry to Elias for a posthumous marriage, why did Henry turn around and sell Sophia? Wouldn’t that just put her back in Edie’s hands?” Callum asked.
“Odalys turned slowly, her face illuminated by the fading sunlight.
She walked over to the sofa and sat down, leaning forward. With a serious look in her eyes, she met his gaze and said, “That’s why Edie is scared. Otherwise, why would she have kept quiet after her debutante training class and the men’s marriage class were shut down, and after the police raided her villa in the suburbs? She took a heavy blow. And when Sophia tried to hurt Henry and ended up burning her hand, why did Edie personally take her to the hospital? Do you think Edie saw Sophia as useful and wanted to get close to her? Would Edie, with her pride and arrogance, lower herself for something as intangible as that?” Odalys added.
“Callum slapped his forehead.
“You’re right. I get it now,” he said.
“He quickly stood up. “No, I need to investigate Hannah thoroughly. I didn’t take her seriously before, so I haven’t uncovered much information about her. I feel like I’ve missed so much. If she’s really Quinton, then there’s a personal vendetta between us. I need to gather everything I can and get revenge when the time is right.” Callum said, turning to leave.
“In his haste, he left Odalys and Percival alone in the study.
“She sat on the sofa, while Percival stood by the window. They looked at each other, but said nothing.
“Do we still need to investigate why the Bennett family took Sophia in?” Percival suddenly asked. “It didn’t seem to matter anymore.
“Of course, why not? Just because Hannah isn’t clearly male or female doesn’t mean it’s over. Sophia is the key piece, and she hasn’t been activated yet,” Odalys said.
“Sometimes, the more harmless something appeared, the more dangerous it actually was. “Many people have been tripped up by underestimating their opponents, only to be stabbed in the back by those they considered insignificant, leading to their downfall.
“That was why one should never take anything lightly.
“You’re right, Odalys,” Percival said, nodding repeatedly.
“Odalys rolled her eyes at him. As Percival walked up to her, he picked up a peach, washed it, peeled it, and handed it to her.
“She took the peach and bit into it without hesitation.
“The winter peaches were crisp and sweet, different from the spring peaches but just as delicious.
“Percival Stewart,” Odalys suddenly called out.
Percival leaned closer, placing his hands on either side of her, almost trapping her in his embrace. Odalys, still holding the peach, looked up at him with wide eyes, surprised.
“Call me Percival. When you call me by my full name, it feels like we’re not close. But in reality, we’ve been husband and wife in many lifetimes,” Percival said.
“He wanted her recognition, wanted to clear his name.
“Odalys’ ears instantly turned red. Seeing the longing in his dark eyes, she mustered the courage to say, “Percival?”
“At the sound of her sweet voice calling his name, Percival leaned down, cupping her face with his large hands and pressing his lips to her forehead.
“His thin, alluring lips brushed her forehead, and he whispered, “Good girl.”
“Listening to his words, as if he were flirting with her, Odalys quickly took two more bites of the peach to avoid embarrassment.
“Eat slowly; I’ll peel one more for you,” Percival said.
“Odalys watched him peel carefully. She secretly studied him, but found that he seemed completely unaffected, focused only on peeling fruit for her.
“Don’t worry, the situation between Edie and Hannah won’t affect me. Edie has nothing to do with me. If I hadn’t wanted something useful from her, I would’ve dealt with her long ago. I wouldn’t have kept her around this long. As for who my biological mother really is, I don’t want to think about it for now,” Percival said.
“Even though he didn’t turn his head, it seemed he already knew what Odalys was thinking. “Don’t you want to find her?”
Odalys asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Chapter 725
”He didn’t even know who his biological mother was.
“Finding her now might not be a good idea. Given the current situation with the Stewart family, if she’s found, it could bring her devastating consequences. Besides,” Percival continued, “my father is clever enough to handle everything. If she never shows up, maybe that means she’s doing fine.”
“His voice was deep. He claimed not to care, but it was clear that some part of him must yearn to know.
“Odalys fell silent, lost in thought.
“It’ll be the fifteenth soon. Are you interested in tracking Quinton then? I also want to see if, after changing from a woman to a man, Hannah has a fixed male appearance or if she looks different every fifteenth,” Odalys said.
“Percival peeled the peach for her, placing it in a beautiful crystal plate after washing it, and handed it to her.
“Alright then. Let’s go together and keep an eye on her on the fifteenth,” Percival replied.
“Odalys felt his indulgent pat on her head, a strange warmth washing over her. For the first time in a while, she didn’t feel like the homeless little girl she once was.
“You’ve had a tough day. Don’t do anything tonight-just stay home and rest, okay?” Percival said with obvious concern.
“Seeing how she’d been running around all day without a moment’s rest, his heart ached for her.
“Odalys nodded. “Okay.”
“At this time, Percival’s phone vibrated, and he answered it, his voice low and indistinct as he spoke with someone, clearly about work.
“Seeing this, Odalys quietly picked up the peaches he had peeled and tiptoed out of the room.
“She took the fruit downstairs and found Evander watching a war film alone.
“It seemed that the older generation had a soft spot for such films, especially those set during the war period. Evander, who’d likely lived through it, seemed ready to jump in and fight himself.
“Evander, do you want something to eat?” Odalys offered the fruit to him.
“Evander took a bite of the peach, the crisp sweetness filling his mouth.
“How about we change the channel? What kind of movies do you like, Odalys? Romantic TV series? Or maybe some historical fantasy TV series?” he said, a little flustered, eager to put something on she’d enjoy.
“He had never watched TV with Odalys before. Seeing his flustered expression, Odalys smiled. “It’s fine, I don’t like lovey-dovey shows. I think the one you’re watching is just fine,” she reassured him.
“As they settled in to watch TV, Orson finished dealing with matters at the hospital, had Oliver released, and bought some snacks, bringing them over.
“Seeing the two of them curled up on the sofa, Orson hurriedly placed the snacks on the coffee table.
“What are you watching?” he asked, rubbing his wrist.
“He sat down next to Odalys, clearly hesitating. It seemed he had something on his mind but wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
“Orson stayed like that for nearly half an hour, uncomfortable in his silence.
“Spit it out already, boy! Don’t beat around the bush,” Evander finally said, tired of the suspense. “Orson was usually a straightforward person- blunt and carefree-but tonight, he was hesitant, which only made things worse.
“Well, I just have a question for you, Odalys,” Orson said.
“Odalys smiled and set aside the peach pit. She used a fruit knife to scrape off the remaining flesh, washed it clean, and drilled a small hole in the top of the pit. “Callum gossiped with you, didn’t he?” she said, without missing a beat.
“Odalys, how did you know?” Orson asked, surprised.
“He hadn’t said anything, yet she had guessed it.
“You carry his scent, and it’s pretty strong. You must’ve met with him before you came here,” Odalys said matter-of-factly.
“Orson lowered his head and sniffed himself, but he couldn’t smell anything.
“Well, yeah. He said that Hannah and Quinton might be the same person, and that Hannah can switch between male and female,” Orson said, swallowing hard.
“He was still reeling from the juicy gossip he’d almost missed.
“Yes, why else do you think you’ve been watching the Simpson family all these years, searching for Quinton, but he has stayed hidden all the time, to the point where even the Simpson family hasn’t dared to reveal him?” Odalys said.
“Because most of the time, he doesn’t exist. He only appears on the first and fifteenth of each month, and he can’t fully control Hannah’s body. That’s why he used Hannah’s identity to lure Windsor away, to get him out of the country for three years,” Odalys continued.
“Evander sat up straight, shocked.
“He hadn’t expected this kind of gossip to come his way.
“What did you just say? Hannah is Quinton? She can switch between male and female?” Evander asked, his voice trembling with disbelief.
“He’d heard plenty of absurd stories, but this was the first time he’d heard something so outlandish.
“The confusion and sadness he had felt earlier were now completely replaced by astonishment. “Yes, and he was conducting experiments on Windsor, trying to find a way to control Hannah’s body,” Odalys explained. “Unfortunately, a normal body isn’t the same as Hannah’s, so his experiments have all failed.”
“He even tried to possess Windsor’s body, but it didn’t work. He secretly contacted Windsor, trying to use him, but Windsor shouldn’t have fallen for it, or Windsor wouldn’t have been sent abroad for three years,” she added.
“Orson’s eyes widened as he absorbed the information. He quickly poured himself some
water.
“Damn it, Hannah was beaten last night, and I told the hospital to refuse her admission. I should’ve known better and arranged for her to be hospitalized. That way, I could have experimented on her. People like her are rare, maybe even unique,” Orson said, his mind racing with thoughts.
“The more he spoke, the more regret he felt. Hannah had spent at least some time in the hospital, but he didn’t pay attention.
“It’s me. Hannah was hospitalized earlier. Send me all her medical records,” Orson quickly instructed, dialing the hospital.
“A short while later, the hospital sent over the requested files.
“Orson didn’t have time for small talk. He immediately began scanning through the medical reports.
“It wasn’t until he read the blood test results that his hands began to shake.
“That’s true. She was in the hospital for over two weeks, and her blood tests were inconsistent. No one noticed before.
Maybe no one expected her to be able to switch between male and female. And on the fifteenth, she wasn’t in the hospital. She took leave and left without a trace, returning only the next afternoon. As for where she went with such severe injuries, no one knows,” Orson concluded.
This confirmed that Hannah had been hiding this secret to avoid exposure.
Chapter 726
Chapter 727
Chapter 728
Chapter 729
Chapter 730
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