Chapter 208

Selah, unwilling to be scolded, quickly raised her phone, saying, "Here, we have photos and videos. You kissed, then kissed each other's necks, and took off your T-shirts."

The sound of the phone screen displaying the video made them stagger back in shock.

Seeing this, Stellan wasted no time in striking the final blow. "To avoid disturbing you, we had to stay in the shadows; we didn't want to ruin your fun. We know you were just sneaking around outside, having an affair, and we didn't reveal ourselves. Is that a problem? Plus, wasn't it you, Sophia, who called us over in the first place?" Odalys threw the spotlight back on Sophia.

Sophia's face turned pale, and her lips moved, as if she wanted to explain. But it was too late for words. Finnian lunged forward, attempting to snatch the phone, but Stellan swiftly blocked him, saying, "You'd better not touch our people."

"Or don't blame me for getting physical," Stellan added, pushing Finnian away.

Atlas was livid.

"Delete those photos and videos, or I'll send you a lawyer's letter," Atlas threatened.

But no one took him seriously. The footage had already been broadcast; what did it matter now? Keeping it could serve to embarrass them again in the future.

"Fine, we're waiting," Odalys said with a smirk.

They turned and walked away. Back in their room, they slammed the door shut. The lock had been kicked in, but they pushed furniture against it to keep anyone from following.

"Atlas, we should head back," Sophia said, pulling Atlas toward the exit.

Finnian gritted his teeth, shooting her one last look before turning to leave.

Meanwhile, from a distance, Rafael, standing in the shadows, watched everything unfold. His legs were weak, and he whispered to himself, "This woman is truly terrifying."

"I never imagined none of us could stand against her," Rafael muttered, immediately turning and fleeing. He feared Odalys, worried she might have him marked. If that happened, he'd be in serious trouble. Even though he wasn't married, he didn't want to be castrated. A man's dignity still mattered.

As Rafael escaped, two figures stood beneath a tree, observing.

"Father, it seems this woman is something else," the middle-aged man murmured.

The old man's gaze shifted thoughtfully. "The Stewart family treats her with great respect. She was able to quickly neutralize the poison in you. She even restored the tendons I'd severed in an instant. People like her are not easily defeated."

"This mess tonight was started by that woman. She wanted to set a trap for her, but in the end, Odalys turned the tables on her. This woman is highly intelligent. It looks like the Stewart family never intended to harm us. If they had, we would have been dead by now," the old man continued, his voice low but filled with certainty.

The middle-aged man quickly responded, "Father, should we cooperate with the Stewart family?"

The old man did not respond, instead raising his foot to head back. It seemed that Rafael had already been subdued by Odalys. Everything appeared to be under her control, as if she'd orchestrated it all without lifting a finger. People like her were not ones to be challenged; they could only be followed, or else the consequences would be grim. The tragic death of their family members the previous night may have been the opportunity they needed.

After they left, Sophia and the others still stood in place.

"What happened? Didn't you say you were confident?" Finnian questioned, stepping forward. He could no longer trust Sophia. She had pushed him further down the abyss time and time again. Now, just looking at her made him sick.

Chapter 208 (continued)

"We got played by Odalys. When I knocked, she deliberately refused to let anyone open the door, making me fear that she wouldn't leave. I got a little worked up," Sophia said, regaining some clarity. "So she used my emotions against me, luring me into her trap. She sent other staff members first to test the waters, and when I went back in anger, she slipped out."

"She was waiting, trying to see if we were lying to her. She figured it out from the start and caused such a scene just to ruin you guys," Sophia continued, now fully realizing she'd fallen into Odalys' trap, but it was too late.

"And you said the drug would make her lose her mind when she got close to me—why did I mistake Atlas for her?" Finnian demanded, his mind racing back to Odalys' words from earlier that afternoon. She'd said from the beginning that once she agreed to work with Sophia, they were tied together.

He still felt uneasy about what had happened. He hadn't known what he was doing in the moment, and now he realized the drug Sophia had given him had messed with his mind.

"It was Odalys pulling the strings in the background. If you don't believe me, feel free to stay away from me in the future. There's no need to keep questioning me," Sophia snapped, her temper flaring as she stormed off. She didn't want them to hold her accountable for what had happened, so she made a show of leaving in a huff, pretending to be angry so they wouldn't press further. She hadn't yet figured out how to handle them or explain herself. But one thing was certain—Odalys had to go. She was a disaster waiting to happen. No wonder the Bennett family couldn't tolerate her. People like her would end up destroying everyone around them.

"Let's clear things up when we get back tomorrow," Finnian suggested. He still wanted to stay in the circle and couldn't afford to ruin his reputation.

Atlas said nothing. He brushed past Finnian and headed straight to Sophia's bedroom. Standing by the bed, watching her lay there, he was silent. He knew she wasn't asleep, but neither of them spoke. The seconds stretched on in tense silence.

"You knew she wasn't going to show up, didn't you? You just wanted to provoke her, to get more attention, right? From the start, you used everyone as pawns. You knew if she didn't show up, Finnian and I would get caught, didn't you? You didn't warn us when you could have. If you had, we wouldn't have looked so foolish in front of the staff. But you didn't—because you knew we'd be embarrassed, and you chose to hide in your room instead, pretending you didn't know what was going on. Why didn't you warn us?" Atlas's voice rang out in the room, filled with frustration.

Sophia remained silent, lying there quietly. Other than a twinge of guilt, she had no other response, not wanting to argue with him. She knew that as long as she kept calm, a tear or two tomorrow would make him soften. But if they started fighting now, it would all be over. She knew exactly how to manipulate the Bennett family, and dealing with Atlas was a breeze.

"Sophia, I'm really disappointed in you. You've always played the game perfectly, cleaning your hands of any responsibility, but you forget—I'm your brother. I've gone to war with Odalys for you, publicly acknowledged you as my sister while disowning her. I've done all this, and it's still not enough! Sophia, you have no conscience," Atlas said, his disappointment heavy in the air.

With that, he turned and walked away without looking back.