Chapter 595
Looking at Orson's curious expression, Odalys felt a little embarrassed. "Not really," she said. "Ever since I first saw Edie, I've suspected something was amiss. Her actions seemed strange, almost foolish, but her ability to marry into the Stewart family without raising suspicion speaks to her intelligence. The poison in Percival's body didn't just appear overnight. Furthermore, the Stewart family didn't pursue his father's accident. Everything somehow works in her favor, which doesn't make sense."
Odalys continued, "Later, I heard Percival say that every time Edie returned to the Simpson family, she would disappear for a long time. If she were in Crownridge, it would be impossible for her to be away from home for so long unless she had gone somewhere far away. She wouldn't have given up on returning to the Stewart Villa; she wanted to monitor the Stewart family. Another clear sign was that after my wedding with Percival, Edie's emotional instability became too obvious. She kept picking on me, and when she messed up, Percival kicked her out of the Stewart family. I think Edie has been laying the groundwork, wanting to break away from the Stewart family and clear her name. If she managed to leave the Stewart family, it would mean they never suspected her."
Percival was taken aback, his deep eyes fixed on Odalys. He felt as if she radiated a dazzling light. Odalys's words echoed his own unspoken thoughts, striking a chord deep within him. Percival was not one to voice his inner musings; he always kept a stoic and impassive exterior. Yet, what Odalys had just said was exactly what he had been thinking.
"Percival, you and Odalys are simply a match made in heaven!" Orson exclaimed excitedly, glancing at the two of them seated side-by-side in the back seat. He offered a rueful smile, the memory of his grandfather's harsh words still fresh in his mind.
Percival said, "From tonight's events, it's evident that everything—from the debutante training classes to the matrilocal son-in-law programs, or the oppressive sale of daughters by patriarchal families—is intricately linked to Edie. So why do you think she would choose to leave the Stewart family and marry into the Bennett family, even refusing to allow those around her to harm them?" He paused, meeting Odalys's eyes. "The Bennett family holds something important for her, which is why she's afraid of you finding out about what she has done. But in the current situation, the Bennett family itself doesn't hold much value to her except for Sophia—a woman who could easily kill someone with her bare hands."
Odalys nodded in agreement. Orson remained silent, listening quietly to their conversation.
"Therefore, what we need to establish now is whether Edie has truly cut ties with the Simpson family. Is everything she's been doing to pave the way for herself, or is the Simpson family still pulling the strings?"
"So far, her younger brother, Quinton, hasn't shown up, and no one from the Simpson family has either. Last time, you made a move to mislead them and seized the Simpson family's assets. At the time, after receiving a scolding from the Simpson family over the phone, Edie didn't make any further moves," Odalys said.
Orson quickly raised his hand. "Regardless of whether the Simpson family is involved, we'll keep an eye on Edie first. If the opportunity arises, we'll expose her and cut off her escape route. Let's see if the Simpson family can stay calm then," he said. Percival nodded in agreement. "That's what I have in mind too," Odalys added.
After their conversation, Orson quickly returned to the driver's seat, started the car, and sped away. Odalys, in the back seat, turned her head and looked at the night scenery, watching everything sink into the eerie darkness. The scene from the basement replayed in her mind.
"I just asked Callum to use his network to check, and these are the names of the girls who were sold. Coming from average families where sons are prioritized, these girls had many sisters, so their parents withdrew them from school before they completed middle school and forced them to start working. But their wages couldn't meet their parents' expectations, so when someone offered a higher price, their parents didn't hesitate to sell them," Percival said.
Whether one was from a wealthy family or an ordinary one, everyone had their own difficulties. Parental bias could cause severe emotional distress in children. Some children even developed depression at an early age, and others had suicidal thoughts.
"Don't be upset," Percival said, his voice softening as he noticed Odalys's pained expression. He gently took her hand, offering her comfort.
But how can he truly empathize with me without having gone through what I had? Odalys thought. "Don't even get me started on having many sisters," she said. "I was the only daughter in the Bennett family, and they still wanted me dead. That day they abandoned me... If it weren't for my master, I would have died. I'm no different from those women trapped in the basement; I'm just luckier! But honestly, escaping their families might be a relief for them. At least they had food and shelter afterward. Edie was their last hope, which is why no one hesitated when she asked them to die. That's why they might have been brainwashed into becoming Edie's tools. If we try to wake them up, they might turn against us."
Odalys was no saint, and she could not bring herself to risk her own life just because she felt sorry for others.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let's not dwell on it tonight," Percival said worriedly, afraid that Odalys would overthink things.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Odalys said with a weak smile.
Orson drove toward the Stewart Villa. Odalys suddenly sat up straight. "Orson, don't go to the Stewart Villa. Let's go to the Bennett Villa."
"Now?" Orson was startled. It was the middle of the night, and he couldn't help but feel a little scared at the thought of that gloomy place.
"Yes, I want to see Windsor's reaction when Sophia comes back," Odalys said thoughtfully, recalling Windsor's actions at the nightclubs that night.
"Okay," Orson replied, turning the car around and heading toward the Bennett Villa.
There were few cars on the road at that hour. The traffic lights were all green, and soon they arrived near the Bennett Villa. Orson parked in a dark corner and got out. Odalys and Percival followed, walking down the small path toward the villa.
From a distance, they saw a car speeding toward them, stopping in front of the Bennett Villa. Inside, Caspian and Atlas wore grim expressions. They didn't dare to get out.
"Caspian, Atlas, we're home. Aren't you going to get out?" Sophia asked with a sweet smile, looking at the two in the back seat.
Caspian and Atlas were startled by Sophia's voice. They shuddered as if they had seen a monster.
"W-we have reached home?" Atlas asked, flustered.