Chapter 332

Since the money was gone, friendships would break down.

“Latium has been released. Could he be planning a frame-up?” Sophia suddenly spoke.

Her eyes welled up as she timidly looked at them, biting her lip before cautiously continuing. “Lucian tried to set up Atlas and me before. He might claim we were the ones who urged him to target Odalys.”

“Now that he’s out, could he become a threat to us?” she asked softly. She now prioritized her safety; the fate of the Bennett Group was of little concern as long as she remained unaffected.

Her words cast a heavy silence over the room. Hannah was so angry she hurriedly swallowed several heart medication pills. Even so, her hands continued to shake violently as disappointment filled her gaze as she looked at Henry. Hearing Sophia’s remarks only deepened her heartache. The Bennett Group was on the brink of collapse, yet her daughter cared only about whether Lucian would retaliate against her.

“Enough,” Hannah said coldly, her voice sharp. She hurled her water cup at Sophia’s feet, shattering it.

Sophia froze, disbelief written all over her face as she stared at her mother. Her mother had ensured her brothers’ acceptance of her presence in the family. Her mind went blank. Hannah had always doted on her. Now, her mother seemed to turn against her.

Sophia snapped, “Mom, you yelled at me! You threw something at me! You raised me with your own hands. But you want to isolate me like everyone else when something goes wrong? Last time, you told me to contact someone to buy love spells. I got scammed and ended up falling for their trap. That man ruined my dignity and you blamed me for everything, making me bear it all! You didn’t comfort me at all. What did I do wrong tonight? I was worried that Lucian would hurt the Bennett Group. How is that a mistake? You think I’m useless, and Odalys has secured her place in the Stewart family, so you’re turning to her! Don’t forget you told me not to marry. You said that if Percival died, I wouldn’t have a foothold in the family and might even be buried alongside him. Those were your words. And now that Percival is gone, Odalys is still protected by the Stewart family. So you’re angry, and you’re taking it out on me! What did I do wrong?”

She jumped up abruptly and strode toward the coffee table. Everyone else stood there in stunned disbelief. This was the first time they’d seen Sophia lose her temper so fiercely. The girl who once seemed mild-mannered and composed now appeared utterly transformed.

“Sophia, what are you doing? Put down the knife!” Atlas alarmed, panicking. He jumped up from the sofa, rushing toward her. The rest of the family held their breath, their eyes fixed on the blade glinting in Sophia’s trembling hand. Just as someone tried to speak, Sophia raised the knife without hesitation and slashed it across her arm.

Caspian and Henry shouted in unison, their voices echoing in the tea room.

Chapter 333

Hannah watched, her expression unreadable, as Sophia suddenly raised a knife and slashed her arm. Blood splattered. She had thought Sophia was too cowardly to take such drastic action, but seeing her actually harm herself left her stunned. Hannah stared at Sophia in disbelief. Sophia was drenched in her own blood and let out a mirthless, bitter laugh. With the knife still in hand, Sophia pressed the bloodied blade against the side of her neck. “So you all want me dead! Fine, I’ll grant your wish!” Sophia bit her lip, her tear-filled eyes scanning the room. Blood continued to seep from the wound on her wrist, dripping onto the floor. The air in Bennett Villa was filled with the metallic scent of blood. The droplets trickled down her arm and fell to the ground as she straightened.

Before anyone could react, the main door was kicked open. A burlap sack was hurled inside, landing with a heavy thud. Sophia froze mid-action. She looked at the others’ terrified and anxious faces. Then she smirked. She had no intention of actually ending her life. It was merely a ploy to frighten others and keep them in line.

But just as she steadied herself, something charged at her with force. Sophia was knocked off her feet, crashing to the ground with a loud thud. The knife clattered to the floor beside her.

“Ouch!” Sophia groaned in pain. Something was pressing down on her. She struggled to push it away, and she almost fainted, but the pain in her recently cut wrist shot through her. Her vision went black. Then, several more burlap sacks were tossed into the room.

Atlas watched as the sacks hit the ground, something alive writhing within. “What are those?” Atlas was scared out of his wits.

Henry’s brows furrowed as he exchanged a glance with Hannah. “They seem to be alive,” Caspian said. He picked up the knife Sophia had dropped and, gripping it firmly, approached one of the sacks. With a quick motion, he cut it open. A scruffy, undevout face was revealed. Caspian froze in shock. After a moment of hesitation, he exclaimed, “Isn’t this Uncle Frederick?”

“Uncle Frederick?” Atlas also rushed forward. He yanked a gag out of the man’s mouth, his face twisting in disbelief as he recognized him. One by one, the sacks were opened. Frederick and the others emerged—the Bennett Group’s board of shareholders. The shock rendered them into a signed silence. The air grew heavy as everyone stared at the men crawling out of the sacks.

Gethin Shepherd, one of the shareholders, asked weakly, "What…what happened?"

She was utterly frustrated and starting to lose it.

Frederick said, “Itarinah, you need to seek justice from them! The Stewart family is a cruel piece of work! All I did was try to seduce their butler, and what did I get? They gave me 600 thousand dollars as they had promised, but then they tied me up and dumped me! And now they’ve taken the money back!” He slumped to the floor and struggled to stand.

“Shut up,” Hannah was startled. She never expected Frederick to survive, let alone walk into the living room. The fury in her chest made her breath quicken.

Frederick retorted, “Shut up? Why should I? I’m injured! You should take your sons and storm the Stewart family to demand justice! This is all Odalys’s fault. That bitch!” He added, “Your daughter dragged people into the room to beat me up! It was her idea to have me tied up and left for dead. My whole body hurts.” Henry sat in silence, his deep gaze sweeping over the disheveled group.

“You were all at the Monolith Hotel. You got into trouble and then ended up being delivered to Bennett Villa,” Henry suddenly said.

Chapter 335