Chapter 178

Rafael's thoughts raced as he recalled the previous night's events. Odalys had exposed his secret: he'd been stealing women's intimate clothing. His reputation was tarnished, and he found himself at her mercy again. A man who instilled fear in many, he'd never encountered a woman un intimidated by him. Yet, Odalys dared to meet his gaze without flinching.

“What injury? Why are you here? We haven't even met today,” Odalys teased, her tone mocking. She paused. “Oh, wait—you're still obsessed, aren't you? You tried to drag someone into a room a few days ago, but were interrupted. So, you came here to steal more intimate clothing out of spite?”

“Last night, I stopped your scheme, and now you're holding a grudge, trying to frame me?” Odalys mused, piecing everything together.

Each word fueled Rafael's anger, but he choked on his rage. “You!” he sputtered, finally losing control. His fury overwhelmed him, causing him to collapse, his vision blackening.

“You better not try to frame me,” Odalys continued innocently. “Lucky for you, it's broad daylight. If it were nighttime, I'd probably be scaring you to death.”

With a dramatic, mocking sigh, Odalys stood, walking toward Rafael with deliberate slowness. Towering over him, her voice lowered, full of menace. “You're probably lonely in this village, aren't you? So old, and you can't even find a wife. Isn't it frustrating? Why don't you go to the big city? There, you'll find beautiful women everywhere. With money, you can have any woman you want.”

Her quiet voice held a seductive malice that ignited Rafael's desire and envy. Nobody wanted to stay in this dreary, stagnant village.

But when a film crew arrived, Rafael's attention was piqued. These women were stunning—their perfect bodies representing a world he could never touch.

“I can't leave,” Rafael muttered, caught between his dreams and grim reality. Odalys, sensing his frustration, smiled sweetly. “We'll be leaving in a couple of days. I thought you might want to see the world, so I was talking to the director. Maybe you could come with us.”

“Since you can't leave, why not just go back? It's really not convenient for you to stay with us. If anyone sees you, they might misunderstand,” Odalys added with a sly grin.

Just as Rafael's anger flared, Odalys kicked him in the chest, sending him flying back. His wounds reopened, blood gushing. He groaned in agony, struggling to rise, but Stellan pinned him down. “You dare harass us in broad daylight?” Odalys shouted, feigning anger.

Stellan's face was taut with fury as he dragged Rafael to his feet, his grip tight. The blood staining Rafael's clothes only increased Stellan's disgust.

“I'm taking him back to his place,” Stellan muttered coldly. “Don't even think about laying a finger on any of the women here. If you try, I'll…”

As the rain began to fall, Stellan walked away, his mind heavy with frustration. Rounding a corner, he saw Francis, clearly waiting.

“What are you doing here?” Stellan asked, surprised.

Chapter 175

Without a word, Francis grabbed Stellan's arm and pulled him out of the rain, guiding him toward the building.

“We weren't exactly on the best terms, but we can put that aside. Let's see how this plays out,” Francis whispered.

The two men stood out even in the shadows. Peering into the window, they saw Rafael, shirtless, pacing angrily.

“Shit, that woman! How did she know I was hiding here? And why the hell is my wound still bleeding?!” Rafael muttered, frustration evident.

He desperately tried to stop the bleeding, but nothing worked. His hands trembled as he used a needle and thread to sew up the wound without anesthesia. The makeshift stitching was painful, but ineffective. He used hemostatic powder, gritting his teeth.

“Damn it, ungrateful women, daring to refuse me! I've never been humiliated like this, and they think I'll just leave in a few days?” he growled.

“Since I'm here, they're not getting away. All of them will be mine. I'll make them all my wives,” he clenched his fists, his anger fueling his thoughts.

Odalys' words echoed: In big cities, there were beautiful women everywhere, yet he was stuck in this remote village. His desire burned—he wanted them, wanted them to bear his children. His longing to escape grew more desperate.

“No one can stop me,” he said, his voice steely, as he slumped into a chair, exhausted but determined.

But as he sat, the bleeding started again, worse than before. Blood poured from his wound, soaking his clothes. He pressed his hand to the wound, but the bleeding wouldn't stop.

“What the hell is happening?” Rafael's eyes widened. “Did that bitch poison her weapon?”

Panic rose. He sprang to his feet, rushing for the door. Even he knew—if the bleeding didn't stop, he'd die.

Fear gnawed at him. He had controlled the village, but now, not even his fate. His life was slipping away. “I'm going to find her. If she doesn't give me the antidote, I'll kill her,” he muttered, grabbing a cleaver.

He yanked the door handle—it wouldn't budge. He kicked the door open, only to find himself running in circles, trapped in a maze.

“What did you do in his room?” Stellan asked, a mix of disbelief and awe in his voice.

This was the first time he’d seen anything like this. He’d heard of people getting lost in loops, but seeing it was different. It was far more intense than anything he'd seen in a movie.

“Odalys must have set up a spell before she left,” Francis explained quietly. “When she came earlier, she must have displaced the stones in front of his door. I just kicked them out of the way.” He shrugged. A small task, but it had trapped Rafael.

“You mean she set this up before, knowing exactly what would happen when she saw him dragging Sophia into his room that night? And she'd already placed the spell silently!” Stellan murmured, his awe turning to admiration.

Chapter 175

For a moment, Stellan was impressed. His mind raced, processing Odalys’ skill.

The two men watched Rafael's desperate attempts to escape. For the first time, they secretly relished his suffering.

Suddenly, Rafael charged toward them.

“Shit!” Francis jumped back, his heart pounding.

Rafael's face was contorted with fury and terror. He stormed toward the window, locking eyes with Francis and Stellan, his gaze wild.