Chapter 353

Windsor was stunned. The moment he returned to the country, the Stewart family delivered a shocking "welcome gift," leaving him flustered and tearful.

"Did the Stewarts force and hire me back?" Windsor finally understood. Everything had gone too smoothly since he decided to return home. It felt like an invisible hand pushed him back.

"Does it matter?" Percival said coldly, walking away with Odalys without looking back. Their luxurious Maybach sped off into the night. Windsor remained frozen, replaying the evening's events in his mind like a movie.

He muttered, "The Stewart family is terrifying. They forced me back! Percival's death was fake. The Stewarts manipulated me."

He continued, "The shattered sacred mirror at the villa… even that alarmed those old men enough to confront me. It was the Bennetts' way of confirming my involvement. And Brandon's son's corpse, forcing Sophia into the car… what were they trying to verify? Or am I overthinking this?"

Windsor couldn't stay calm. He felt manipulated, led into a dead end. Percival's cold gaze was a silent declaration: the Bennett family was doomed.

The Stewart and Bennett families rarely interacted. Windsor didn't understand why the Bennetts suddenly became a target, suspecting it was because Odalys married Percival as a substitute bride.

Standing alone in the night, Atlas was tormented. After helping Hannah, he approached Windsor. Seeing the mess and the smell of blood, Windsor looked dejected.

"How did we end up clashing with the Stewart family? Why has Percival risen from the dead? Why are tonight's events all aimed at the Bennetts!" Windsor's voice was cold and piercing. He couldn't fathom the disastrous consequences of openly fighting the Stewarts. Their wealth and influence could destroy the Bennetts effortlessly. Everyone else was an ant under their feet.

"I… I really don't know," Atlas admitted, lost and confused. He only knew that ever since Odalys's arranged marriage, the Bennetts had been in turmoil.

"Then tell me everything from the beginning," Windsor said deeply.

Atlas recounted the events; Windsor grew more agitated. He lit a cigarette. "It started when Hannah brought Odalys to marry into the Stewart family! That's when the Bennetts began to fall," Atlas said.

Windsor gritted his teeth. He wouldn't deny that was the whole truth. He snarled, "Tell Anya simply, if she wants to overthrow the Bennett family, she'd better hope she lives long enough to…"

Windsor turned and walked toward the Return Villa, leaving Atlas gazing at his departing figure. "What does this all mean?" Atlas scratched his head. Everything felt strange; a shiver ran down his spine, and he quickly ran inside.

11:44 PM

Chapter 353

On the road, inside the Maybach…

The dim lights illuminated Odalys, pensive as she gazed out at Crownridge's nighttime scenery.

Percival, noticing her silence, tried to comfort her. After all, Windsor was her father. Being questioned by him would cause heartache.

Odalys said, "I wonder if Brandon and Rafael's presence in the Bennett family, and their history with Windsor, relates to their knowledge of the villa murder."

She continued, "They reported the sacred mirror was broken. Such mirrors repel evil. There are ten buried corpses; someone tried to seal their souls."

She added, "They met out of panic and fear, suggesting the deceased sorcerer was their associate, performing rituals in the villa."

"And that sorcerer likely manipulated Sophia, using magic to maintain her beauty. Sophia must be their crucial pawn," she said, steadily piecing it together. "Her bones and skin were reshaped. She was sent to the Bennetts, groomed as a superstar to replace me."

Percival handed her mineral water. "Have some water," he said hoarsely.

Odalys took a sip, her gaze lost in the water. She explained, "Before they abandoned me, they planned everything. First targeting me, then the Bennetts. The fortune teller you met may have been my teacher. He sent me down the mountain, saying I was destined for great tribulation."

She continued, "Percival, if Sophia is their key pawn, why did Windsor take her virginity before leaving the country? I noticed a black aura around her. Anyone close to her suffers misfortune. Hannah broke her leg. Finnian was gravely injured! Her bad luck spreads and rebounds. If they wanted to use her to infiltrate the Stewarts and take your place, Windsor wouldn't have destroyed her purity before leaving."

Odalys said thoughtfully, "If Sophia was still a virgin, her misfortune might have been suppressed. But Windsor's actions broke the seal, causing her bad luck to spread uncontrollably, harming those around her and ultimately destroying her."

Percival listened patiently. He said, "Windsor only returned after hearing of my death. His intentions against the Bennetts are beyond doubt."

He added, "Brandon's escape attempt and betrayal led to his son's death. This will cause a fallout between him and Windsor. Once that happens, Windsor will lose control in the mountain village."

"And Windsor, like my uncle, lived abroad yet remained well-informed about Crownridge," Percival added, expanding on her thoughts.