Chapter 215

Odalys was taken aback. She had planned to visit the old man but hadn't expected Freya to bring it up. Without hesitation, she nodded. "Alright," she said.

"You're the best, Odalys!" Freya exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She playfully slapped her backside before grabbing Odalys's hand and pulling her along. As they walked, Freya picked a few yellow wildflowers and tucked them into her hair.

"How does it look!" Freya asked, glancing at Odalys.

Odalys glanced at the flowers. "Beautiful," she replied.

Freya, without missing a beat, picked more flowers and placed them in Odalys's hair. Selah, seeing this, followed suit, pinning a couple of flowers in her own hair while taking selfies. "Bring your lace closer," she said, grinning.

They all laughed together as they posed for the camera. They walked, chatting and picking flowers, while Stellan and Francis trailed behind like silent bodyguards, their expressions distant and worried. It was clear they were concerned about Odalys's earlier comments and what might happen next.

Selah approached the old man's door and knocked. The nervous elderly man looked at his son before quickly opening it. He had expected Odalys alone; seeing the entire group caught him off guard. He hesitated before politely asking, "What brings you all here?"

"We're leaving," Freya explained with a smile. "We couldn't finish all the food, so we brought it to you."

Stellan and Francis entered, carrying the food. The elderly man didn't seem surprised; he knew they would honor their word. He stood still, watching Odalys with a thoughtful expression.

"Don't worry," Odalys reassured him as she passed. "I'll keep my promise. Wait for my news."

The old man's tension visibly eased. He had feared abandonment but could now relax. After a few more words, the group quickly left. The photographer remained outside to respect their privacy, as Odalys had requested.

Back in the SUV, everyone settled in.

"Francis, you should come with us," Freya suddenly said, breaking the silence. She knew that if Francis returned to Group A's SUV, he would be sidelined. Sophia's behavior was crystal clear to her.

"Alright," Francis agreed without hesitation, grabbing his bag and following them to their vehicle.

Sophia, watching from a distance, couldn't believe her eyes when Francis got in with Freya. Without a word, he left her behind.

"How shallow," Sophia muttered. "Now that they think they've found a better opportunity, they just want to suck up to them." People, after all, always gravitate toward those who offer something better.

"Get in," Atlas said flatly, ignoring Sophia's comment. He glanced at her face before looking away. She had claimed she wasn't wearing makeup last night, but it was clear she was wearing some today. She looked different—something in her expression, her appearance—it wasn't the Sophia he remembered. The change was unsettling, and Atlas couldn't understand why.

"Am I going mad?" he wondered. These thoughts were too strange.

Meanwhile, Finnan, watching Group H, saw Stellan take the driver's seat and was about to approach when the SUV suddenly sped away.

"Are you getting in?" Sophia asked, her tone slightly edged.

Finnan hesitated, but seeing Atlas already in the driver's seat, he had no choice but to sit in the passenger seat. Sophia, left behind, felt a pang of surprise. They had left her without a second thought.

"Alright, guys, the variety show is wrapping up. We're heading back to catch our flight now. But on the way, we'll stream some scenery for you," Sophia announced, smiling into the camera. She adjusted the lens to catch her profile, her confidence radiating as she straightened her posture. She had deliberately worn a V-neck dress to accentuate her curves. After all, any publicity is good publicity, she thought, anticipating the attention.

"Wasn't there supposed to be a police station livestream?" Finnan suddenly spoke.

The mention of it silenced both Atlas and Sophia. Given Odalys's status as the Bennett heir, they were sensitive to such topics. "Fine, let's watch it together," Atlas said, clearly disbelieving that Odalys would be abandoned by her family. He was certain she was lying and wanted to see her explanation.

Feeling a little lighter, Atlas leaned back, ready to watch the livestream.

Back in Group B's SUV, Stellan drove, with Francis beside him. Odalys, Selah, and Freya were in the back, pulling out their phones now that the variety show had ended and the signal had returned.

"Quickly, let's watch the police station livestream," Selah urged.

Freya adjusted her camera. "Let's all watch it together. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, and we'll answer them. Also, our show is almost over, so thank you for sticking with us." She positioned her iPad so everyone could see.

Francis started the livestream, while Stellan navigated, his attention divided.

At exactly 5:00 PM, the police station livestream began. The camera focused on a middle-aged man, his badge clearly displayed: "Officer Knox Cantrell."

"Hi everyone. I'm Officer Knox Cantrell. Due to a heavy workload, we worked through the night to revisit the original case. I know you've all been waiting, so I reviewed the case last night and even found the surveillance footage. Let's recall the events," Knox began.

He paused, then continued, his tone steady but serious. "It was the year I graduated from the police academy and started my first job here. That night was my first shift. I heard crying, and when I investigated, I found a man in a magic robe holding a little girl. He reported that she had been abandoned and nearly frozen to death. The temperature was around -20°C, and she was wearing only a short-sleeved shirt, nearly frozen still."

Knox pulled up the old surveillance footage. "This is the little girl from that night." He clicked on another video. "I immediately pulled up the surveillance and spotted a suspicious vehicle. I asked a colleague for help to track down the owner, and we made a call to contact them."

The video played, and Knox's clear voice echoed from the recording as he repeatedly confirmed whether the people in question had any connection to the child.