Chapter 237

The phone rang before Odalys answered, her voice cool. "Who is this?"

"It's me," Caspian said, his grip tightening on the phone. He anxiously awaited her response, dreading she might hang up. She had blocked the entire family—no contact through WhatsApp or her phone number. It was as if she'd severed ties with the Bennetts.

"Don't hang up. I have something important to tell you," Caspian urged.

Odalys, about to end the call, paused at his urgent tone. "What is it? Found another way to kill me, or is this a new strategy?"

A lump formed in Caspian's throat. He slumped onto the bed, clutching a pillow, his eyes squinting against the harsh sunlight. The weight of the moment suffocated him.

"Henry and the others are trying to expose your marriage substitution plan. They're using the Stewart family's power to crush you," he said. "You're my sister. As much as I dislike you, I never wished for your death. Just be careful. Don't go out alone," he added awkwardly.

He was scheming against Odalys, yet unsure if he could go through with it. He felt drawn to her side.

"What do you want?" Odalys asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

Caspian felt a sharp sting of irony at her question. "Nothing. Just be careful." He quickly ended the call, panic rising. He removed the SIM card, stashed it in his drawer, and locked it away.

He grabbed his regular phone, scrolling through the online frenzy—videos of Sophia in the hospital, slandering Odalys like a madwoman. Odalys was trending—seven spots on the list, all focused on her. People were even going to the hospital hoping for a glimpse; many were wealthy wives.

Caspian's injury throbbed as he sat, his mind racing. Downstairs, the argument continued, but he felt an overwhelming urge to break away from the Bennett family. Things were beyond repair. If he didn't find a new way out, he would be doomed. His injury had shown him how close he'd come to death.

Staring at his phone, Caspian thought of Odalys. Since she'd joined the Bennett family, he'd seen her as a discarded pawn. But now, she'd turned things around, making a name for herself after leaving them. Had she planned this? Or was it coincidence? Odalys thought.

At the hospital, in the VIP ward, Odalys hung up, her gaze thoughtful. She hadn't expected Caspian's attempt at amends. Of all the Bennett brothers, Caspian was the sharpest and most calculating. Atlas was clueless, and Henry was as deep as a well, but Caspian knew how to weigh the pros and cons.

The VIP room was large, but the sound carried. With her parents resting—her father unconscious, her mother heavily medicated—any noise could wake them.

"Odalys, you're here?" Francis said, rushing from the lounge in a panic. Seeing her, he almost lunged forward as if she were his savior. Fortunately, Stellan intervened, grabbing his arm. "Calm down. Don't scare Odalys," Stellan whispered, wary of disturbing the sleeping parents.

"Sorry, I got too excited," Francis said, rubbing his wrist, regaining his composure as he sat.

Odalys smiled at his flustered appearance. "What's got you so nervous? Your manager tracking you down again?" she teased.

The comment hit too close to home. Francis froze, staring in disbelief. He opened his mouth, hesitated, and stammered, "How did you know?" Had it not been for their past association, he might have thought she was a spy.

"From Star Readings. That woman always finds you—appearing at the perfect moment, in your favorite places. Do you really believe some stranger can pull that off?" Odalys said with a faint smile. "You're an international model, and your schedule is under strict confidentiality. Even a regular assistant wouldn't know your movements. Your manager's got a problem," she continued matter-of-factly.

Francis nearly lost it. His fingers tightened around his phone, turning pale; his handsome face drained of color. "Ever since I landed, my manager's been blowing up my phone, asking where I am. She's in Crownridge now. I had a feeling something was off," he confessed. "Normally, she wouldn't be in Crownridge, and if I'm not working, she never asks about my schedule. But now she's been calling nonstop."

"If Selah hadn't warned me, I'd have fallen for it. After thinking it over, I got suspicious. I had someone check, and I found out she met up with that woman," he said, swallowing hard. Nothing was scarier than realizing someone close was watching you.

"Give me your phone," Odalys ordered, extending her hand.

Francis hesitated but unlocked it and handed it over. The group gathered as Odalys quickly swiped through the phone. In no time, they spotted a red dot on the screen.

"Is that a tracker?" Freya gasped, recognizing it instantly—the same type used against her during a near-kidnapping. The moving red dot stood out.

"Yeah, someone installed a tracker. If I'm right, that person is probably on their way here," Odalys said with a cold smile. The person had been trailing him closely, eager to act.

Francis's face hardened. He gripped the couch's armrest. "Should I call the police?"

"Call the police, and do you think they'll believe you? This picture shows your manager meeting that woman; the truth will come out. She'll just say she was trying to find you and asked your manager about your schedule. You won't be able to explain yourself, and given how desperate she is, that man's probably on his last legs," Odalys said, biting her lip.

Stellan locked the door securely. "We'll stay here together. I don't believe they can break through a VIP ward door, not while your parents are still inside," he said, his voice full of determination.

Odalys raised an eyebrow. "The hospital's full of doctors and nurses in white coats and masks. How will you tell them apart from impostors? What if they target your parents instead?"

Stellan was silent, considering her points.

"I agree with Odalys. Some people aren't bound by the law," Freya added. "And when you're in the public eye, the biggest threat is your own team."

6:28 PM