Chapter 54

Odalys smiled as she watched Dorian's eyes light up. His excitement was contagious, but she shook her head, amused, and gathered her clothes. A quick shower would clear her thoughts.

When she emerged, she saw medicinal herbs neatly arranged on the coffee table, beside a plate of desserts and fresh fruit. The coffee maker brewed quietly, its warm aroma filling the room.

"Mrs. Stewart, I made you some coffee. I hope it's to your liking," Dorian said respectfully, standing nearby.

Odalys noticed his careful preparation. She gave him a long, thoughtful look, her expression unreadable.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Stewart?" Dorian asked nervously, fidgeting under her gaze.

As Odalys plugged in his phone, he looked up and said, "By the way, you have kidney stones."

"What?" Dorian exclaimed, clearly shocked. He stared at Odalys in disbelief.

She took a sip of water and said quietly, "I'll prescribe some medicine tonight. If you take it for a few days, the stones should pass."

"Alright," Dorian said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Dorian had always been healthy, with annual checkups revealing nothing unusual. Yet, Odalys's words lingered, stirring a vague unease.

On his way out, he paced anxiously before hailing a cab to the hospital for a CT scan, desperate for answers.

Meanwhile, Odalys settled into her room, drying her hair. A call came through on her phone.

It was her assistant. A shrill voice barked, "Odalys, you need to come to the office right now."

Odalys curled her lips into a cold smile. "I'm not coming," she replied coolly.

She hadn't paid much attention to her assistant before, but now she was incredulous. Does she really think she can boss me around? she wondered. Always siding with someone. She knows the Bennetts dislike me, yet she makes my life miserable. Just because she's been in the industry a while, she thinks she's better than everyone else? Ridiculous!

"Your contract still has time left. If you want to stay relevant in the entertainment industry, I strongly suggest you renew it immediately. Otherwise, things might not go in your favor," the assistant said, her voice steely.

Snacking on fruit, Odalys smirked. "Stop trying to trap me. Tell Henry the Bennett Group is doomed—it's just a matter of time."

"He'd better quit wasting his time trying to control me. I'm done with the Bennett family. If he keeps pushing, I won't hesitate to make things harder for him," Odalys sneered, her tone icy, her gaze hardening.

Henry snatched the phone from the assistant. His furious voice boomed, "Is this what you wanted? Is this your idea of satisfaction?"

Monday, January 6th

Chapter 31

"Did you have something to do with your mother's broken leg? Is this your curse?" Henry demanded coldly.

When Odalys heard about Hannah's broken leg, she laughed. "Your mom's leg broke? Well, that's good for you. Congratulations."

"You—" Henry was furious. He hadn't expected Odalys to be so defiant.

"Odalys, if you want us to forgive you, you better get the Stewart family to fix everything. Otherwise, if the Bennett family goes bankrupt, you can forget about ever returning," Henry warned, his voice sharp.

Odalys tucked the phone under her shoulder, stood up, and walked to the door. "That sounds great. I hope it comes—"

"Odalys!" Henry screamed. Before he could continue, Odalys hung up, blocking the assistant's number. She stretched lazily.

Hannah's luck had always been poor. But for the past six months, things had gone smoothly, thanks to the emerald pendant Odalys had given her.

Without the pendant's protection, Hannah's bad luck would worsen. This was just the beginning. A chill flickered in Odalys's eyes.

She ground the medicinal herbs into powder, her long hair falling around her shoulders. The air was filled with their pleasant scent.

As she worked, she heard heavy footsteps. A figure stood beside her, blocking the light. Odalys frowned.

Percival stood there, holding a lunchbox. His gaze briefly swept over her.

"I heard from Dorian that you didn't have dinner, so I brought something back," Percival's deep voice resonated.

Odalys was surprised as he placed the lunchbox on the table, revealing four dishes and pasta.

"Come eat," Percival said, setting down a fork.

Odalys's stomach growled. She glanced out the window; it was dark. Did time fly by this fast? I must have missed Dorian calling me for dinner. He probably turned on the lights, too.

She washed her hands and joined him at the table.

"Thank you," Odalys said, taking a lamb chop. The taste surprised her—far better than most restaurants.

"Grandfather knows you've been on the variety show. He's been watching your live streams. He wanted to visit you this afternoon, but he fell and broke his leg. He's resting at the Stewart mansion now," Percival said.

Odalys froze, staring at Percival in disbelief. He produced a small box. "Grandfather sent you a gift."

Chapter 51

He opened the box to reveal a bracelet, bangle, earrings, anklet, and necklace. The rubies gleamed. Odalys was speechless.

She took another bite of food and lowered her voice. "Why is your grandfather giving me these? Aren't we just in a contract marriage?"

Percival leaned back, tapping his fingers. His intense gaze met hers. "Whatever the reason we married, once you become part of the Stewart family, to everyone, you're my wife. Since Grandfather gave you a gift, you should accept it."

Odalys continued eating. "Alright," she said, not wanting to argue. She placed the box aside and then seemed to remember something.

Taking another bite of lamb, she glanced at him. "Oh, well, you can take your clothes off now," Odalys said with a glint in her eyes.

(Note: "SEND GIFT" at the end appears to be a leftover instruction and not part of the text.)