Chapter 283

Sophia, her face pale, took a few tentative steps backward. "Caspian, why have you called a sudden meeting? I've given so much to this family, even risked my reputation, and you still think…"

She turned away, beginning to climb the stairs. A sharp pain shot through her body, causing her to stumble. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself upward. Reaching her room, she slammed the door.

"What's happening? I have to have that master back! Without the Love Spell, what am I going to do?" Sophia's panic was evident. She relied on the Love Spell to maintain her allure.

There were many types of Love Spells; some, like the Himmelsing Spell she'd used on Finnian, were rare, but others—spells that made people fall hopelessly in love—were far more common.

Hurriedly, Sophia grabbed her phone and tried adding the man's number to WhatsApp again. "How is this possible?" she gasped, shocked.

She couldn't believe it. No matter how many times she entered the number correctly, it never went through. Each time, she reached someone else.

It felt as though the number had been tampered with. She'd added him this way before, and it always worked. "Why is it different now?" she muttered, frustration flooding her. "I dialed the correct number, but I was redirected to the fraud I saw last night."

Things like call forwarding… "Has something happened to the master? I've been buying Love Spells from him for years. He can't just disappear." A growing unease gripped her.

She felt an invisible hand reaching for her. Setting down her phone, her mind racing, Sophia rushed to the bathroom, seeking solace under the shower's spray. But as she stood there, Percival's image flashed in her mind, and her heart pounded.

"Find out about that man," she ordered tensely, making a phone call.

After hanging up, Sophia wrapped herself in a robe and returned to her room. Atlas stood with his back to her.

"Why are you here, Atlas?" Sophia asked, panicked. She wasn't sure if he'd overheard her call. Of all the family, Atlas was the only one who might still be… manipulated.

Atlas slowly turned, tossing a stack of photos toward her. They landed with a sharp slap at her feet.

Sophia's eyes widened in shock. The photos, taken from various angles, showed her trying to seduce the man. Each image was more suggestive than the last, focusing solely on her, making her appear provocative.

"These just arrived from the Lark family. Each of us got a copy. They wanted us to see how you acted," Atlas said, disappointment etched on his face. He'd thought she was in a difficult situation when the scandal between her and Rafael broke during the variety show, but now…

"Atlas, these photos are photoshopped!" Sophia scrambled to explain. Atlas laughed bitterly.

"Photoshopped? And there's also a video. Want to go downstairs and check it out? Sophia, you really disgust me," he spat, turning and leaving.

Chapter 283

Sophia stood frozen, staring at the photos. Her hands trembled as she tore them to pieces, her frustration and anger overwhelming her.

"Ah, why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong? All I ever wanted was to climb higher!" she screamed, breaking down in tears.

Downstairs, the others heard her screams, but remained silent.

"Don't let her go out for the time being," Henry said, returning to his room. He couldn't bear to see Sophia anymore.

Caspian stayed silent. To him, Sophia was the devil, responsible for the attack that nearly crippled him.

In the living room, Hannah remained, pulling out her phone. "Prepare everything for me. I need to go to the Stewart Villa tomorrow. Hell, Odalys married him. What's the big deal? I'm her mother. And who knows if Percival is really dead? I need to check it out myself." She ended the call abruptly.

For Hannah, any Stewart would do. She had to be the first to act, even if it meant trying for a pregnancy in her middle age. Her broken leg and injured back, however, were a significant concern. She worried about the physical toll of making love.

Later that night, in her apartment, Freya handed Odalys a new nightgown, gazing at her with adoration. "Odalys, I think Percival might be a little jealous."

"Still not asleep!" Odalys took the nightgown, playfully tapping Freya's forehead.

Freya held her forehead, then dashed to the bedroom.

After changing, Odalys went to Freya's room. She froze, scanning the space.

"What's wrong?" Freya, hugging a stuffed bear, looked anxious, anticipating attention. Noticing Odalys' hesitation, she jumped out of bed, running towards her.

"Did you buy this apartment yourself?" Odalys frowned.

Freya shrank back, hugging Odalys. "Yes, with the money I earned acting."

"No one recommended it? You saw it and bought it?" Odalys pressed.

The more Odalys asked, the more nervous Freya became. "I'd just finished filming and was out for dinner when I saw someone handing out flyers. The building looked nice, so I checked it out. It was the only unit left. It was a spacious flat with great lighting, so I bought it," Freya said, her voice shaky.

"And they gave you a 20% discount?" Odalys asked.

"How did you know? They offered a discount if I paid in full," Freya replied quickly.

Odalys remained silent. "Wasn't that day the 14th of July?" Odalys asked sharply.

Freya grabbed her phone, scrolling through Instagram. "You're right… it was July 14th, last year," Freya said, swallowing hard.

Fear gripped Freya. She hadn't noticed before, but Odalys was right; it had been July 14th. The film crew had gone home early that day.

"July 14th, a 20% discount… it's strange," Odalys said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Freya's face paled. She'd thought she'd hit the jackpot, but now realized no desirable property would be discounted so heavily.

"What should I do? Have I been tricked?" Freya's heart pounded with panic.