Chapter 519

Francis stood in the darkness, like a lone boat adrift at sea. Confused, he stared into the night, his throat tightening as his thoughts swirled.

“What are you trying to say?” Francis’s patience was wearing thin. Anxiety washed over him, his emotions fluctuating wildly, on the verge of exploding.

“It’s simple. I want to save you and expose Odalys’s fraud. She deceives the public with her tricks. I’ve tolerated her for too long.”

“Agree to help me expose her, and I can give you what you want.” The voice dripped with confidence. It seemed Francis’s agreement was all that was needed to secure victory.

“Why should I trust you? Don’t forget Odalys saved me once,” Francis spat through gritted teeth.

The other person burst into laughter. “Saved you? What if she conspired with your ex-girlfriend and agent to destroy you, only to swoop in and play the hero when you needed it most? Her elaborate rescue earned your absolute trust, leading you straight into her trap. Now, she only needs a simple gesture before you obey every command. Stellan, Freya, and Selah are nothing but her money-making tools. Befriending you quickly gives her a spotless reputation and makes her Mrs. Stewart. After earning that reputation, do you think you’ll still be valuable then?” The other party continued to manipulate him.

Francis’s fingertips trembled as he held the phone.

After a long silence, he asked slowly, “What do you want me to do?” He was covered in cold sweat, as if he’d just made a momentous decision. Sure enough, the other party secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Go outside the Stewart Villa, to the tree on the left. You’ll see a package. Open it. There’s a talisman inside. All you need to do is stick it on Odalys’s back when she’s performing the ritual,” the other party instructed.

Francis swallowed as he listened, then looked up, falling into deep thought.

“Will she die?” Francis asked.

The other party seemed unconcerned. “My talisman will only destroy the magic zone she creates, it won’t hurt her. I just want to ruin her plan in front of everyone and let you all see her true abilities.”

Francis remained silent, holding his phone. Time ticked by; the other person didn’t hang up.

“Alright, I’ll do it,” Francis finally replied.

He walked briskly outside and found a package beneath the tree, exactly as instructed. The package was in a waterproof box. He opened it and saw a talisman inside. Francis pocketed it.

“I got it,” Francis said.

The other person breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, don’t hang up.”

“Okay,” Francis replied, walking toward the Stewart Villa with a flustered expression. He walked in darkness, his steps involuntarily heavier. He heard laughter from the living room and vaguely heard Freya yelling, “No. Odalys can only be mine.”

“She’s mine! Odalys, tell my fortune,” Selah said, coquettishly extending her hand.

Odalys sighed. “Okay, let me see! What do you want to know?”

Freya leaned over, resting her chin on her hand, watching Selah’s palm. She nudged her. “You aren’t thinking about dating, are you?”

“Get out! Men will only hold me back from making money,” Selah rolled her eyes. Her spirit had been crushed after Lucian tried to set her up with sleazy executives. If not for Odalys, she would have ended up miserably. She’d long since abandoned romantic love.

“Okay, let me check your fortune,” Odalys said indulgently.

Orson grabbed a snack and joined them, watching intently. Francis entered just as they were watching Odalys’s fortune-telling. Stellan looked up, noticing the sweat on Francis’s forehead. “Francis,” he asked, concerned, “Why are you sweating? Are you alright?”

Francis’s gaze darted around nervously, his throat bobbing. His hand remained in his pocket, clutching the phone.

“No, maybe I’m a little nervous. I don’t know what’s going to happen later,” Francis’s voice trembled.

As he spoke, something whipped against his buttocks with a “snap.” He felt a tingling sensation. He turned and saw a small snake in the living room. It stood, hitting Francis’s buttock with its head. Francis felt his scalp tingle.

“Hiss!” The snake lunged, knocking Francis onto the sofa. It pressed down on him, its tongue flicking, as if curious.

Selah gasped. “Don’t tell me this snake has a thing for Francis. It crawled into his room last time, too!”

Everyone stared at Francis, frozen on the sofa, too scared to move.

“Odalys, make it go away,” Francis pleaded, his voice trembling. Fear filled his eyes.

Odalys suddenly smashed a glass of water. Shards flew; one piece cut Francis’s ankle.

“Francis, your foot is bleeding!” Freya shrieked.

Francis felt a sharp pain. He saw the shard embedded in his flesh. As he reached for it, the blood seemed to magnify. Bright red blood rushed toward him like a raging river. His pupils constricted, and he tumbled into a crimson torrent.

“No,” Francis cried miserably.

The screams of Freya and the others echoed, sounding distant despite their proximity. He opened his mouth to call for help, but felt a hard kick.

“Ouch!” he screamed, falling heavily.

He realized it was dark, swirling mist in the distance. The biting wind chilled him. The emptiness echoed with his breathing.

“Is anybody there? Stellan, Odalys, Freya, Selah? Where are you?” Francis called out.