Chapter 418

As they spoke, the little snake lazily opened its eyes, glancing at Freya and Selah. It flicked its tongue at them, then began wriggling on Odalys’s waist, causing a commotion.

“Ah, it’s real! And it looks just like a giant python!” Selah screamed in shock.

Freya, more courageous, stared back at the snake, eye to eye.

“Not just like one,” she said, her voice shaky. “It’s practically identical. Could it be… the same one that bit Rafael’s ass last night?” The memory of the gruesome scene flooded her mind. She saw the snake slithering up Rafael’s pant leg, heard his scream of agony as blood poured from his leg. When he looked down, part of his flesh had been torn away, and the snake was still hanging from him, flinging its tail at his face.

Freya grimaced. It was unforgettable.

“Wait… could it be that one? How did it end up on Odalys’s waist?” Selah stepped back, visibly repulsed. The snake’s presence made her skin crawl.

Odalys glanced down, unamused. “I told you not to cause trouble. You’re scaring people. Fine, do your thing. Go off and amuse yourself,” she said, untangling the snake from her waist. With a swift flick of her wrist, she tossed it into the air. Instead of falling, the snake sharply turned midair, shooting straight at Freya, wrapping around her face. Freya gasped. Before she could react, it jumped to Selah’s neck, coiling tightly around her throat before rubbing its tail against her lips.

Before either could scream, the snake hissed and darted up into a tree, disappearing.

“Ah! Did it just—did it just flirt with me?” Selah frantically wiped her lips, her eyes wide with disbelief. She felt the snake’s tail against her mouth and shuddered. “It rubbed against my lips! I… I can’t believe this is happening!” Her hand went to her neck; the snake’s tightness had sent a chill of terror through her. It was so tight, she genuinely thought it might be the end.

“And it sat on my face!” Freya exclaimed, stunned. “What just happened? Was that a snake on my face!” Her eyes were wide with horror and disbelief. It was her first snake-flirtation, and it was overwhelming.

“It’s harmless,” Odalys said calmly, shrugging. She reached out to reassure them, but Selah and Freya were still visibly shaken.

“Seriously, though, how did that snake end up here?” Selah asked, her voice tinged with curiosity, but still shaky. Odalys nodded, her gaze distant. “It’s odd, isn’t it? I’m not sure why it’s here. Snakes usually prefer the wild, right? That mountain village—its ideal snake territory. So why did it come here? Could it be… it came for Rafael?”

She turned to Freya, who was still wiping her face. “Maybe it’s just after him. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s targeting him specifically.”

“I have no idea,” Odalys admitted, “but if this snake came looking for me, then it likely sensed something. Maybe the giant python realized that if anything happens to it, it might not be able to protect its little one, so it sent it to me.” Odalys paused, thoughtful. “The giant python might be aware that something is wrong. It might be sensing danger.”

Selah, still trying to make sense of it, asked, “So what do we do? The giant python is so smart. If anyone tries to harm it, should we help it? We’ve all dealt with it before, right? We know it doesn’t hurt people.”

Freya nodded, eyes gleaming with concern. “Yeah, if it’s in danger, we should help. It’s never hurt anyone, and we owe it to the creature to protect it.”

Odalys shook her head gently. “For now, there’s nothing to worry about. The real issue is Henry. We need to get him out of here, and then we’ll have to bring Edie into the picture. We need to make sure their conflict escalates.”

With renewed determination, Selah and Freya quickly moved to drag Henry away. One grabbed his legs, the other his neck, and together they lifted him toward the nearby car. Freya pressed the key fob, and the trunk popped open with a soft click. In one swift move, they threw Henry into the trunk. There was a loud thud as his body landed unceremoniously. As his body hung partially out of the trunk, Selah gave his rear a swift kick to shove him in completely. The sound of her kick echoed as Henry was fully shoved inside, and Freya slammed the trunk closed.

As they turned to walk away, they noticed Odalys standing there, wide-eyed, her mouth slightly agape.

Freya immediately tried to explain. “It’s not what you think! Honestly, we’re very refined—usually. But, you know, we had to act quickly. We didn’t want anyone seeing us.”

Selah, a little embarrassed, awkwardly adjusted her hair. “Yeah, I… I may have used more strength than necessary. Now I’m wiped out.”

Odalys let out a light laugh, her expression filled with affection. “Alright, alright. Don’t act all innocent now. You just wanted some excitement, didn’t you? Anyway, like you said, let’s get him to Sophia’s room.”

Selah and Freya beamed with excitement, eager to see their plan unfold. Who could have imagined that an otherwise boring morning would turn into something so thrilling? Meanwhile, they couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for Stellan and Francis, who had already arrived at the set that morning. They had to shoot a complicated battle scene—a horseback fight followed by an explosive war sequence—so there was no room for fun for them today.

The two women smiled at the thought of teasing them later. They had a little surprise waiting for Stellan and Francis when they arrived at the set tonight.

“Let’s go,” Freya said, giving a casual wave of her hand.

Selah slid into the passenger seat, and they sped off toward the hospital. Odalys followed closely behind, a fond smile on her lips as she watched Freya drive. Freya followed closely behind in her car, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows as she arrived at Central Hospital. The hospital, a subsidiary of the Lark Group, was the epicenter for all the healthcare facilities in Crownridge, and everything here belonged to the Lark family.

The moment Odalys’s car arrived, the staff instantly recognized the license plate number. They opened the VIP access, allowing her car to park in a reserved spot, and as soon as they got out, they were ushered straight to the elevator.

“Odalys, what brings you here all of a sudden?” Orson, panting heavily, ran over to them. He was still wearing his white coat and gold-rimmed glasses, but with beach shorts and flip-flops.

“Orson, come help us,” Freya called out, opening the trunk. She and Selah struggled to pull Henry out; he was stuck, wedged awkwardly. Upon seeing Orson, they immediately waved him over for help.

Orson stood frozen, staring at the figure in the trunk. His body stiffened, and his lips trembled slightly as he stammered, “You killed him…”

“Hold on, I’ll find something to dig a hole,” Orson mumbled, his voice shaky. Despite the panic, he seemed more concerned about secrecy. If they’d really done something criminal, he wasn’t about to snitch.

“Come back here. He’s not dead, we just knocked him out,” Freya hurriedly rushed over and grabbed Orson’s arm, pulling him back.

As they managed to flip Henry over, Selah revealed his face. Orson looked down in surprise, recognition dawning on him as he stared at Henry for several long seconds.

“How did you end up with Henry?” Orson asked, his voice a mix of shock and curiosity.