Chapter 134
Orson, worried Henry would catch him, turned and ran, leaving Henry stunned. They had considered many outcomes, but never that Sophia's marriage would result in pregnancy, granting her control of the assets. Their primary concern had been Sophia's widowhood, not Odalys gaining the upper hand.
Henry panicked. "What should I do? No, I have to expose this! I'll make Odalys go back. I can't let her win. I need to ensure Sophia marries Mr. Stewart. If that fails, we'll force Odalys to return to the Bennett family and reveal her true identity." A small piece of land would enrich the Bennetts for life. With so much at stake, Henry rushed in, failing to consider Orson's motives. Orson, unusually forthcoming, was clearly setting a trap.
Orson left, called someone, and spoke smugly: "I trapped Henry. I told him the Stewarts are wealthy, that I gave Odalys the East District land, and that after marriage, the entire Stewart family will belong to Odalys. Henry thinks Odalys will easily obtain what he can't. I'm waiting for him to tell the Bennetts. Then, they'll deeply regret it. I can't wait to see them beg Odalys and apologize. Isn't that satisfying?"
Percival remained silent, then hung up without a word. Orson stared at the phone in disbelief. "You hung up on me? That's inconsiderate! If not for Odalys marrying you, you'd never marry," he said, frustrated by Percival's lack of gratitude. Orson felt a deep longing for Odalys' expertise in traditional medicine, a field he felt he couldn't master.
Unaware of Orson's thoughts, Henry called, "Check when the variety show's live broadcast ends." He then told his mother, Hannah (who had recently undergone surgery), about Orson's scheme. Shocked and enraged, Hannah coughed up blood and fainted.
Dusk settled over the quiet village. Odalys ate happily, while Sophia, jealous of the warm atmosphere, felt ignored. Atlas, starving, urged Sophia to get food. He couldn't understand her distress; Group B had found food despite the rain, but Sophia had created a scene. He was becoming frustrated.
"Are you blaming me?" Sophia asked, her eyes wide. She noticed his impatience and was stunned. Atlas, unlike his usual self, was giving her the cold shoulder. "If we don't go, we'll starve," he said quietly, his body aching from Odalys' slap. He avoided mirrors and the internet, fearing negative comments that could ruin his career.
"Go alone, I'm not hungry," Sophia replied, turning away. She expected comfort, but Atlas left, leaving her shocked. Her carefully applied makeup couldn't hide her astonishment as she watched him go, unable to chase after him. She stamped her feet in frustration.
Freya arrived with a plate of food. "Odalys, some soup?" Odalys called. Freya, picking at the food, said, "Sure, save me some. The shrimp are amazing! Can we have this again tomorrow?" She approached Sophia, puzzled. "Aren't you eating? Oh, I forgot you're dieting," Freya added, circling Sophia with the plate.
Sophia, staring at the delicious food, couldn't believe Odalys could cook so well. Her stomach growled. "Hungry? I thought you were dieting," Freya asked, feigning innocence, but her words were barbed. She knew Sophia was being pretentious.
Sophia forced a smile. "I'm not hungry." Freya then pretended to remember something. "Odalys, the potherb! I forgot!" She rushed over, shouting for the potherb. "I saved some," Odalys replied softly, smiling knowingly. She knew Freya was provoking Sophia but didn't intervene.
Selah suddenly asked, "Do you think I've gained weight?" Her usually flat stomach was now round from overeating. Freya, shocked, checked her own stomach. "My stomach's sticking out too! My agent would kill me," she muttered.