Chapter 515

He hesitated for half a second before asking, "Ms. Stone, about the woman at the studio today…"

"After she contacted you, you told her how to save her son. She'd considered it afterward but hesitated when she saw the money. Today, she died."

"During the live broadcast, did you know she would die?" Lee asked curiously.

The matter was a huge scandal, shocking many. No one expected she'd target Odalys, wanting to use her to bear a child for her brother-in-law as a favor.

"Although she appeared near death, it wasn't obvious, leading me to believe there was still a chance to save her. I never imagined she'd choose death, even though she was clinging to life," Odalys said.

Lee fell silent. They were shocked by the live broadcast; when they arrived, the woman was dead. Her brother-in-law, who had broken the law, was arrested with a broken leg, multiple fractures, and several missing teeth. He looked miserable.

"If she had asked her brother-in-law's son to return her son's life, would he have agreed?" Lee asked curiously.

"Of course. His life is his own, and he's kind. If she'd asked, explaining what happened, he would have agreed," Odalys said.

Hearing this, Lee felt it wasn't worth it for her son. Motherhood makes one strong, but it depends on the mother, he thought.

"I see." Lee's confusion cleared, replaced by emotion. Despite years as a police officer and witnessing similar situations countless times, he remained sensitive.

"But you reported those drug dealers, leading to their leader's arrest. I'm afraid they'll retaliate, like that woman and her brother-in-law. Be careful," Lee said worriedly. He was unafraid, but Odalys was a young woman, and the situation was dangerous.

"Okay," Odalys responded.

After Lee hung up, Odalys placed her phone on the bedside table, lay down, and quickly fell asleep. Fatigue overwhelmed her, and in her deep sleep, she vaguely heard someone calling, "Odalys." The voice seemed distant.

She stood in darkness, seeing a figure in a 1920s wedding dress waving. Odalys hurried toward her. A beam of light illuminated the woman's face. Smiling, she lifted her veil and offered her hand. Odalys raised hers to shake it.

"Odalys," a man's voice interrupted.

Percival, in a wedding suit, walked toward the woman. He seemed oblivious to Odalys, his eyes fixed on the woman. As he took her hand, she turned to Odalys, saying, "I knew you would come."

"Why?" Odalys asked curiously.

The woman's lips moved, as if she wanted to speak, but Percival pulled her away. She kept looking back at Odalys as they retreated. The woman's figure grew smaller and smaller. Suddenly, with a loud "boom," a fire erupted in a nearby retro courtyard house. Screams came from within, and as Odalys tried to run forward, the door slammed shut. No matter how hard she kicked, the door remained firm. As the fire intensified, screams continued, followed by a deafening "boom" as the house collapsed, silencing the cries. Odalys watched in horror as the opulent house was consumed. No one survived.

"Odalys." Her voice echoed softly, and the courtyard vanished, replaced by utter darkness. She felt utterly lost and alone, swallowed by a profound darkness. "Odalys… Percival," she called their names repeatedly, but there was no answer, only emptiness. It felt as though something had ripped a hole through her, leaving unbearable pain.

Suddenly, a large, warm hand grasped hers.

"No!" Odalys shot up in bed, slamming into something warm and solid. She'd buried her face in someone's chest. The man's skin was hot against her cheek. Hearing his heartbeat, she looked up and met Percival's deep black eyes.

"What's wrong? Bad dream?" Percival asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "I heard you cry out from the study." He gazed at her pale features.

Odalys quickly drank water, then leaned against the headboard.

"I dreamed I was wearing a 1920s wedding dress. She seemed to be waiting for me, as if she knew I'd come. She called me Odalys, and she called herself Odalys," she said. "I saw her and Percival walking hand-in-hand back to the courtyard when it caught fire. Someone locked the door; despite the screams, no one escaped. The house collapsed. Everyone inside must be dead. This dream puzzles me. Is it from what we witnessed at the energy junction, or is there something more?" She massaged her temples. She knew seeing these things couldn't be a nightmare or coincidence. If it was Percival's father's plan, there was much they didn't know.

"What is it hinting at?" Percival listened, falling into deep thought.

Odalys was confused. "You believe me? You don't think I'm just tired?" she asked in surprise.

Percival said seriously, "I believe everything happens for a reason. From the energy junction to the time tunnel, these aren't things we can explain ordinarily. So I believe your dream has a deeper meaning. It can't be groundless. And my father's cup and writing appearing in your room, and your astrological signs under the thurible, makes me think many things need to be solved through you. Your fate must be powerful, capable of influencing many things. That's why someone wants you dead. They manipulated the Bennett family into abandoning you, but never anticipated your master finding and rescuing you, ultimately thwarting their plans."