Chapter 417

Henry raised his hand to slap Edic, but before he could move, a hand clamped down on his shoulder, jolting him with pain. As he opened his mouth to shout, another hand covered his nose and mouth, cutting off his breath. He struggled, clawing at the stranger's arm, trying to see his assailant, but a sharp blow to his neck sent searing pain and suffocating pressure through him.

His vision blurred, and a final, painful kick to his stomach sent him crumpling to the ground. Just before losing consciousness, he smelled Edie's signature perfume—strong, heady, unmistakable. "You filthy bastard," he cursed inwardly, but darkness claimed him.

Nearby, Freya stood, liberally spraying Henry's body with a bottle of perfume.

"Are you serious! If you spray any more, we might as well pickle him!" Selah panicked, grabbing Freya's wrist.

Freya paused, a grin lingering. "It's not about overdoing it; it's to make sure he believes Edie knocked him out. Lucky for me, I remember her perfume. I snatched a bottle from her last time—never thought it would come in handy."

Odalys suppressed a laugh. Freya's playful streak was legendary, but this was next-level mischief. Earlier, seeing Henry, she'd texted Freya without hesitation. She wasn't sure Freya would come—after all, Freya had joined the crew yesterday and had rehearsals. Still, luck was on their side. As Odalys fastened a small snake around her waist as a belt, she smiled. It was surreal—a plan she'd never expected to execute with a snake around her waist.

The snake, confused, coiled and recoiled, but seemed to submit. After a few wobbly moments, it settled, its beady eyes wide with curiosity.

"Stay still, don't scare anyone," Odalys murmured softly, playfully warning it.

The creature complied, though clearly more interested in its surroundings. This was its first time around a woman's waist, a novel experience.

Freya chuckled, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You can't keep spraying like that; it's too obvious. What if he wakes up and suspects something?"

Selah agreed. "Alright, alright. I'll put it away. I'm not wasting such a precious bottle." She tucked the perfume into her bag. "What now, though? We've knocked him out. We can't just leave him here."

Odalys smiled knowingly. "I only told you to make him believe it was Edie, but I didn't say what to do next. You figure that out."

Freya's eyes lit up. Leaning in, she whispered, "What if we take him to the hospital? Sophia's still there, recovering from her injuries, right?" A wicked smile spread across her face. "If Sophia's sleeping with Windsor, imagine the chaos when Henry wakes up in her hospital bed. Father and son fighting over her—oh, I can't even imagine how messy that will be!"

Selah's eyes widened. "Then we strip him down, send a message to Hannah, and make sure she sees her husband and son fighting in front of Sophia. Oh, that'll drive her crazy, especially since she's such a viper."

Freya rubbed her hands together. "And then, we have the reporters flood in. We force Edie to come and claim him—imagine the scandal when she has to face her rushed marriage to Henry. She won't want anyone to know about her affair with him, even if it's a fake marriage."

Selah felt exhilaration. "By the time we're done, the Bennett family will be in complete chaos. We'll stir up a storm they'll never recover from."

Twenty-three-year-old Freya vibrated with excitement. Percival had called earlier, informing her he'd be out of town for a few days and that she was to look after Odalys. While unusual, she felt a sense of pride. Percival had never trusted her this much before. This felt like a mission—to ensure Odalys came out on top.

Odalys interrupted. "Alright, enough. I'm going to stop you two before you write the entire script for the next show." She worried they'd create a whole series of events in their heads.

Freya didn't miss a beat. "What do you think? Is this plan good? I mean, we're free tonight—we don't have any scenes until late, so we have plenty of time." Malice filled her voice as she imagined Edie's reaction. "After everything Edie did to me, I'm loving the idea of getting back at her through Henry. It's the perfect revenge."

Odalys smiled slyly. "You're right. Let Henry be the bait to lure Edie in. We'll stir up their conflicts and make them turn on each other. It'll push Henry to finally question Edie's loyalty."

Freya grinned. "Exactly. Let's make her regret every single thing she did to me."

Selah was quieter, her attention fixed on Odalys's waist. She thought she'd imagined the snake blinking at her, but she could have sworn it had opened its eyes and looked directly at her.

Freya noticed Selah's odd behavior. "What's wrong with you? Why are you standing there looking all dazed?" She followed Selah's gaze to the snake. Confused, she stepped forward, squinting at it.

"Odalys, where did you get this belt? When did you start liking snakes? This ornament is so lifelike—what brand is it from?" Freya asked, running her fingers over it. To her surprise, it was warm and pulsed faintly, like a real snake.

Before she could examine it further, the snake's tail flicked out, striking her hand. The sting left her fingers numb.

"Is this… is this thing real?" Freya asked shakily.

She stepped back, but the snake's head lifted, its eyes narrowing. Selah froze. "That… can't be real. It just moved."

Freya backed up, pale. "Odalys… tell me this isn't real."