Chapter 443

Percival stood, his gaze dark as he stared into the distance.

“Last night, after visiting the Simpson family, you mentioned their energy field resembled a coffin, a trap,” he began, his voice low and contemplative. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the Simpsons’ origins. From the moment Edir targeted my father, drugged him, and then became pregnant, forcing a marriage into the Stewart family—she had a plan. Afterward, she seemed intent on eliminating him…”

“This means the Simpsons must have had a strategy against the Stewarts from the beginning. But Edir… she hasn’t been subtle. Over the years, she’s grown increasingly arrogant, almost flaunting her power.

Percival paused, his eyes narrowing. “If she truly wanted the Stewart family, she should have remained discreet until we were under her control. Instead, everything she does is flashy—as if she wants the world to know exactly what she’s doing.”

“That’s why I’ve let her run free—I’ve been watching her, trying to understand her motives. But every move she makes benefits the Simpson family. The thing is, they don’t seem to accept her. Every time she returns from them, she’s…off.”

“And the Bennet family,” he continued, his brow furrowing, “they’ve had no dealings with her for years, and she’s cut ties with Hannah. But Quinton, on the other hand, has been reaching out to the Bennetts.”

He looked at Odalys, his expression darkening. “The Bennetts must have some connection to the Simpsons. It’s no coincidence that when the Bennetts face a crisis, the Simpsons don’t intervene. But Windsor? He suddenly returns from abroad, and immediately becomes involved with Sophia. He breaks his vow, and everything seems to go wrong. The more I think about it, the more it doesn’t add up.”

“Windsor’s been gone for three years. There’s no way he’d return and immediately fall into someone else’s trap,” Percival continued, running a hand through his hair. “Last night, I examined some old books belonging to Stewart ancestors. I found some strange things. Apart from soul-switching and body-swap rituals, there’s another method—shadow replacement.”

He looked at her intently. “It’s as if someone can be extracted from their body, and a shadow takes their place. The shadow then becomes loyal to its controller, doing their bidding.”

“I’m not sure if Windsor is a shadow replacement,” Percival continued, “but the Simpsons are too suspicious to ignore. That’s why I came here—to understand what’s happening.”

“Although my approach might not have been perfect, the principle remains the same: understanding the other party’s background is crucial to seizing control of one’s fate.”

“Previously, I avoided the Simpsons to avoid trouble. But after Windsor’s incident, I’ve been trying to contact them. Now, with Edir’s situation worsening and their entanglement, the Simpsons are likely panicking.”

“That’s why I came now, while they’re in disarray,” Percival said.

He was meticulous in his actions, never taking a step without confidence. Odalys met his gaze, her lips curving into a faint smile. “It seems you arrived at the right time. We’ve found the place, so things can move forward.”

The unspoken understanding between them was palpable. No more words were needed; they knew what to do.

“If this is the Simpsons’ ancestral home, and there’s negative energy here, it explains why Quinton never appears. He can’t be in the light,” Odalys said, her voice gaining confidence.

She looked across the land, her tone sharp yet satisfied. “Maybe he’s not even human. Perhaps he’s something that doesn’t die. Whether the Simpsons want to consume the Stewarts, or someone else is pulling the strings, it doesn’t matter. Now that we know the location of the Simpson villa, we can exploit their weakness.”

Her voice was triumphant, and Percival felt a surge of excitement. Her clarity was infectious.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Percival asked.

Chapter 148

Odalys stood, her small hands clasped behind her back. The wind lifted her ponytail as she gazed at the sky, her eyes seeming filled with stars.

“I’ll tell you when we get back,” Odalys replied.

As she spoke, she stamped her foot. The ground shook violently. With a thunderous sound, the house collapsed. Dust swirled, and Odalys grabbed Percival’s wrist, pulling him forward. “Run!”

Percival, pulled by her, hurried towards the exit. As they stepped outside, they heard another loud boom. The house had fallen, leaving a massive hole—a bottomless pit.

Percival’s heart pounded. Looking back, it seemed as if the house had never existed.

“The world is shaped by the mind. Your obsession is your father, so you saw him,” Odalys said. “He’s been trapped here because he cares for you, but only when your heart is free of this obsession can he be released.”

“Percival, let go of your attachment,” Odalys said seriously, holding his hand. To break the illusion, all it took was Percival letting go of his attachment.

Percival listened, his lips pressed together. He gripped her hand, his large palm enveloping hers. Just as he was about to say “okay,” the scene changed.

The ground revealed a vast abyss, an eerie black chasm, ominous in the dark night.

“What is this?” Odalys asked, startled. She quickly retracted her foot.

Before she could react, a bamboo bridge appeared, stretching across the abyss. The wind made it sway precariously.

She saw a tall figure in the distance, wearing a brilliant red wedding gown, seemingly drawn forward. The figure turned. A woman in a phoenix coronet and red veil stood there, smiling softly. She raised her hand, and the bells on her fingers chimed.

The wind lifted her veil, revealing beautiful eyes that gleamed with an expectant light.

“Percival, take me with you,” she said softly, her voice filled with longing and desire. She stepped back to the end of the bridge, her smile seemingly capable of melting the world.

Odalys watched in shock as the figure, illuminated by moonlight, gazed at her. The woman’s expression was full of longing and anticipation.

“This… how can this be me?” Odalys whispered, disbelief filling her voice. She stared at the woman, watching her gaze at Percival, yet it seemed as though she was looking past him, at someone else. And the woman called out, “Percival.”

As she said, “Percival, take me with you,” Percival’s grip on Odalys’s hand loosened noticeably. Odalys saw his hand slacken. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Terror washed over her as she looked at Percival, desperately trying to make him ignore the illusion, but she was powerless.

I've corrected spelling errors, improved sentence structure, and added punctuation for clarity and flow. The fragmented final sentences of both chapters were addressed to the best of my ability given the context. The Hebrew characters were removed as they seemed out of place and didn't add to the narrative.