Chapter 414

Lee and Odalys shared a brief, knowing smile as they stood together. Their bond, though new, was built on an unspoken understanding.

"Alright, I'll be on my way then," Lee said, his voice low but warm.

As he turned to leave, he paused, as if struck by a sudden thought. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out something and awkwardly handed it to Odalys.

"My daughter made this; she insisted I bring it to you. She said if I met you, I should give it to you," he explained, slightly embarrassed.

Odalys blinked in surprise but accepted the folded paper crane. The delicate little bird had colorful markings on its wings, and on one side, in messy handwriting, it read, "Hope Odalys stays beautiful and safe."

Touched, Odalys smiled. "Please thank her for me. I wish her safety and happiness, too."

Lee paused for a moment, a slight look of recognition crossing his face, and then he nodded, his voice soft. "Thank you."

The words held an edge of bittersweetness. Lee knew that Odalys wasn’t one for pleasantries, and that what she said always had a deeper meaning. She hadn’t mentioned any danger for his daughter, and in the past, Odalys had reassured him that his daughter would be fine.

With that in mind, the shadow of Edie's threat seemed less ominous. The tension in Lee's chest finally began to ease.

"I'll head out now," Lee said, his footsteps light as he made his way to the door.

As he drove away in his modest car, the moonlight gently illuminated the street. His vehicle slowly disappeared from view.

A moment later, Odalys withdrew her gaze from the road, clutching the paper crane in her hand.

"Is something wrong?" Percival asked, sensing the shift in her expression. A faint hint of concern was in his voice.

Odalys tucked the crane into her bag and shook her head gently. "Nothing. I'm fine."

Percival nodded, though he still looked a little puzzled. They got back into the car, and he drove toward the Stewart Villa. The iron gate creaked open as they arrived, and he parked the car at the side of the house. They got out and walked toward the entrance, but as they did, Odalys noticed the light still on in the second-floor bedroom.

Evander stood by the large window, gazing down at them. As soon as he saw them, he turned away and returned to his room, switching off the light as he went.

Once inside her room, Odalys lay down, feeling the weight of the day. Exhausted from everything that had happened, she fell asleep almost immediately.

But sleep did not come easily.

"Odalys…" The voice was faint at first, distant, almost like an echo from another world.

Odalys furrowed her brow in her sleep, disturbed. The voice drew nearer, growing louder and more insistent.

"Odalys, come. Come out," the voice rasped, its tone ancient and hoarse, as if it had crawled from the depths of hell.

"Odalys, return."

The words twisted and repeated in her mind, a demonic chant that gnawed at her ears. Her breath quickened as panic began to rise within her.

She gripped the sheets tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Then, the pendant Hannah had given her—now resting around her neck—suddenly glowed with a blinding golden light.

The light surged from the pendant, driving the malicious voice away, and with it, the oppressive feeling in the room lifted. The pendant settled back into a quiet, normal state, resting peacefully against her skin.

Odalys sighed, her body tense with the remnants of the nightmare. She fell into a deeper, more peaceful sleep, the nightmare behind her.

The next morning, sunlight streaming through the large window warmed her face. She groaned softly, shielding her eyes with her hand as she woke.

"Mm…" she murmured, stretching lazily as she blinked against the sunlight, her mind still fuzzy from sleep.

She lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling. The calmness of the room was a sharp contrast to the unsettling dream she had just endured.

Odalys let out a muffled groan as her body stiffened when she turned over. The voice from last night echoed relentlessly in her ears, and she suddenly shot up from the bed. Her hand instinctively went to the necklace around her neck.

It was a gift from her master when she returned to the Bennett family. After she returned and saw how Hannah was trapped by negative energy, she had given it to her, hoping it would ward off the calamity. But Hannah had been dismissive of the necklace, completely uninterested. And when the rift between them deepened, Hannah had treated her coldly, so when Odalys left the Bennett family, she had taken the necklace back.

It was unnervingly warm, almost burning her skin.

"So they really tried to summon my soul while I was asleep?" she mused darkly, wiping away the sweat that had beaded on her forehead. "Such a petty trick… but they’re still no match for me."

Even if they had succeeded in pulling her soul out of her body, she could have dealt with them. What truly irked her, though, was the audacity to disturb her sleep. That was unforgivable.

She rubbed the pendant, feeling its temperature gradually return to normal. With a final sigh, she got out of bed and walked to the bathroom to freshen up.

Afterward, she dressed in a simple, light gray dress, choosing comfort over anything else. She grabbed her canvas bag and slipped into her sneakers, heading downstairs.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, the delicious smell of breakfast hit her senses. She hurried to the stairs, where she found Evander busy cooking.

"Good morning, Mrs. Stewart! You’re up early!" Dorian greeted her with a wide grin. "Let me go get Mr. Stewart for breakfast!"

Just then, Percival walked into the kitchen, his face flushed from a run. He was still on the phone, speaking in low tones.

"Mm, got it," he muttered, before ending the call. He gave Odalys a brief, casual glance, noting her energized appearance. She was smiling, her eyes bright and alert.

"Good morning," she greeted him, her tone easy.

He smiled back, noting her vibrant energy compared to the night before. He didn’t comment, letting the moment pass as he went to the counter and set down some fresh fruit.

"I might need to head out for a business trip later," Percival said, glancing at her as he poured himself some coffee.

Odalys froze for a moment, her bite of apple pausing mid-air. "A business trip?" she repeated, frowning slightly. "What's going on? I thought everything was settled. You don’t need to go anywhere, do you?"

Most of their out-of-town matters were handled by Callum. Percival never had to go on urgent trips like this. So what was so pressing now? "It's about the old Simpson family estate," Percival explained briefly. "I don't trust Callum to handle it alone, and I'd rather deal with it myself."

Odalys didn’t reply, though she furrowed her brow in quiet thought, her eyes drifting back to the plate of fruit in front of her.

Evander had prepared breakfast, and Dorian brought the dishes to the table, calling out, "Come, try the pasta I made today. This morning, Dorian and I made this pasta together," Evander said with a cheerful grin. "I made a handmade pasta with sour soup beef. Come try it, see if my skills are still up to par!"

The breakfast was simple: beef-infused tomato soup, with mushrooms and other vegetables, topped off with the handmade pasta. Though humble, the aroma filled the room.

"Add your own beef," Evander said, bringing a platter of beef to the table.

Dorian brought over a couple of side dishes, and they all sat together at the table. Rarely did Percival chat with Evander about business matters, but he did so this morning, while Odalys sat lost in thought, her eyes focused on Percival’s complexion, saying nothing.

After finishing their breakfast, Odalys suddenly rushed upstairs. By the time she returned, Percival was about to leave. She quickly followed him down the hallway.

"Percival," Odalys called out, her voice urgent.

She reached for his pocket, then said softly, "Come back early."