Chapter 416

Henry writhed in pain, his body feeling as if it were falling apart. He instinctively pressed his hand to his stomach and looked up at Odalys in disbelief, only to meet her cold, indifferent gaze.

“I told you before—stay out of my way, or I’ll kill you. I’m not a Bennett, and I have nothing to do with the Bennett family. Your mess is your own problem. It has nothing to do with me,” Odalys said flatly, her voice devoid of any sympathy.

Seeing Henry kneeling in agony on the ground, she felt nothing but contempt. Men like him—hypocrites—she had seen far too many.

“Since you’re so intent on this, then give me back the necklace. It was something you gave to Mom. Once something is given, it’s not something you take back,” Odalys said coldly.

Henry’s eyes locked onto the necklace around her neck, his gaze intense. Memories of the past flooded his mind. He remembered Odalys mentioning that the necklace had been given to her by her master. It was said to have spiritual energy, something that could keep a person safe. When she gave it to Hannah, she’d told her it would protect her from harm, and from that moment, everything had seemed to go smoothly for her. But after Odalys took the necklace back, Hannah had fallen and been crushed by a chandelier; her luck had been in freefall ever since.

Now, Henry couldn’t help but fixate on the emerald pendant. The intricate patterns carved into it sparked a bold thought in his mind. Perhaps this necklace was indeed something extraordinary—otherwise, why would Odalys keep it so close?

With a sneer, Odalys said, “You really have no shame. This necklace was a gift from my master. Even if I said I gave it to her, it’s still mine. Who do you think you are, asking for it back? Would you even dare to take it if I gave it to you? Henry, you know, taking things that don’t belong to you could kill you. So, do you dare accept it?”

Her voice was chilling, every word sharp with a dangerous edge. She stared at him with a gleam of amusement in her eyes, mocking him.

Despite his pain, Henry felt a surge of greed. He was desperate. “I want it,” he said, his voice tight with urgency. “Just give it to me, and I won’t bother you again.”

Odalys gave him a cryptic smile, a strange gleam in her eye. As his eyes followed it hungrily, she slowly reached up and unlatched the necklace. She swayed it in front of him, watching it as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

Without a second thought, Henry lunged forward, trying to grab the necklace. But before he could touch it, something from above suddenly slithered down a tree. A small snake, its eyes gleaming with malice, shot toward him, flicking its tongue.

Henry froze, his eyes wide with disbelief, his nose twitching with sharp pain. He stared at the creature, unable to comprehend what was happening. The snake charged at him. Before he could react, the snake lifted its tail and—wham—slapped him hard across the face.

Henry screamed in agony, stumbling back and falling to the ground. The snake landed gracefully, its tail planted firmly on the ground, its head raised, eyes locked on Henry as it flicked its tongue. It seemed to be teasing him, daring him to make a move.

“S-snake?” Henry stammered, his voice cracking with panic. “How…how is there a snake?!”

The confidence he’d had earlier vanished, replaced by pure terror. He stumbled backward, clutching his nose, feeling the blood trickling from it. Odalys stood there, arms crossed, watching him with a smirk that made his blood run cold.

In that moment, it dawned on him—Odalys had known about the snake. But how had she known it would be there, targeting him, not her? The little creature hissed again, flicking its tongue, clearly preparing to strike again.

Henry, shaking with fear, slowly crawled away. The sting of the snake’s tail burned; the pain was far worse than what he’d felt when Edie’s people had attacked him. That was nothing compared to this.

“A-a-are you keeping this snake as a pet?!” he demanded, his voice trembling with rage and fear. “I’m your brother! How could you do this to me? Are you enjoying watching me suffer like this?”

His frustration boiled over; all his plans of emotional manipulation were falling apart. He had thought that by playing the victim, Odalys would soften, but now, she only seemed to be enjoying his misery.

“How did you get here?” Odalys stepped forward. She reached out and flicked the little snake on its forehead. The moment she did, the snake obediently landed in her palm with a soft “plop,” curling up into a ball and resting there.

“I thought you left,” Odalys murmured. Last night, it had swiftly slithered into the grass, and she thought, after its revenge, it would return to the mountain village. But to her surprise, it reappeared here. She was shocked when she first saw it.

The little snake shook its head at her, and Henry stared in disbelief. He couldn’t believe she was actually talking to a snake, let alone that the snake was lying calmly in her palm without biting her.

Henry clutched his stomach, struggling to get up. His eyes were locked on Odalys, but he dared not approach her. His hands clenched into fists, full of hatred and anger.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you want my necklace?” Odalys asked coldly.

Seeing the venom in Henry’s eyes, she didn’t get angry. Instead, she smiled mockingly. The Bennett family’s tricks were transparent to her now. She would never fall for them.

“And by the way,” Odalys added, “I just texted Edie. She should be here soon.”

As soon as she mentioned Edie, Henry’s expression changed. The excitement he’d felt for Edie earlier was gone. Thinking of her aging face—he’d been startled awake from a nightmare last night—he couldn’t believe how much older she looked without makeup. It was terrifying.

“You—Odalys, are you trying to kill me?” Henry growled, his anger flaring. He didn’t know if she was serious or not, but a sense of dread began to bubble up inside him. Edie was a madwoman, so was Odalys, and even Sophia—none of these women were normal. What a damn unlucky situation he was in.

“Didn’t you bring this upon yourself?” Odalys replied, her voice icy. “I figured you and your wife must be newlyweds, all lovey-dovey. Isn’t it for your own good that I’ve called her over?”

She stepped closer, her eyes glinting. “Otherwise, what were you planning to do, stay here and rage at me? Trying to morally blackmail me and use me against her?” She chuckled dryly. “Too bad for you. When you got married, you couldn’t even get a proper deal from Percival, and you think you can get anything from me? The most I’ll give you is a slap. Nothing more.”

Her calm demeanor enraged Henry even further. He stood there, his lips moving, but before he could respond, the sound of high heels clicking sharply against the floor behind him made his body freeze. He looked down at the shadow cast on the ground. A figure was walking toward him from behind, stopping right next to him.

“Damn it,” Henry cursed under his breath, his hand trembling.