Chapter 617

“What do you mean, Odalys?” Sophia’s apprehension intensified. She realized, despite her initial disbelief, that Odalys, Percival, and even Orson had arrived at Bennett Villa. The three entered openly, unnoticed by other Bennett family members. Sophia’s mind flashed back to Hannah calling for an ambulance after Oliver vomited blood; Brandon, too, had been injured and hospitalized. She'd screamed after the incident, but it seemed no one outside could hear her.

Sophia roared, “So, everything today—Oliver’s sudden hemorrhage and hospitalization—was your conspiracy? Was it just an opportunity to remove him?” She couldn't believe Odalys had tricked her. Her earlier smugness, fueled by Oliver and Brandon's hospitalizations, had emboldened her attack on Henry. Now, deep regret gnawed at her. She'd never imagined Odalys would act against her.

“How could you use your last Love Spell without eliminating him first? And if you hadn't stained yourself with his blood, how could your seven orifices be blocked?” Odalys asked softly.

Sophia's face was grim, her body trembling with anger. “Odalys Stone, did you set me up? Why are you doing this? What have I done to offend you?” Tears welled in her eyes. To an outsider, it might have seemed Sophia had been grievously wronged. But Odalys’s expression remained cold, her gaze piercing, as if seeing through Sophia’s pretense.

“What’s the rush? Haven’t you been seeking closeness to Edie recently? Don’t you want to use her to get close to the Simpson family? I specifically came here to help you today. Why are you angry?”

Sophia’s face turned livid. Fear gripped her, causing her to shift uneasily. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice hoarse. She was terrified, more so than ever before. Her previous assumptions about Odalys’s inaction had fueled her presumption; now, she saw a different, more formidable Odalys.

Odalys continued, “It’s simple! Haven’t you been pledging allegiance to the Simpson family? Wasn’t it you who drugged Windsor three years ago, deranging him and taking your virginity? You traded your body to absorb Windsor’s luck, to gain the Bennetts’ favor, didn't you? Windsor was abroad for three years, yet your entertainment career flourished. Why act the victim? It was your willing choice. It was your first attempt with the Love Spell, and you found your luck improved afterward. Is that why you target your fans?”

Sophia remained speechless.

Odalys added, “Haven’t you always been in contact with the Simpson family? That’s why you know about the Stewarts. But Edie dislikes you. You’re not reconciled, so you sought an opportunity to subdue her. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have risked obtaining Oliver’s blood. Perhaps you suspected Edie last night, when you were bound in the villa and nearly received a posthumous marriage.”

“So you went along with the plan, testing the waters today. You even wanted to control Edie to curry favor, to use her as a stepping stone.” Sophia was furious.

“So, Percival wanted to find a way to ruin your hands so you wouldn’t hurt anyone again—isn’t that fair?” Odalys sneered.

Percival was surprised. He hadn't spoken this morning, yet Odalys had guessed his actions. No wonder she’d been silent when he gave Henry the money and note; she'd already deduced the truth.

“You guessed it,” Percival asked.

Odalys laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Your worries were written all over your face. I’d be blind not to guess. You saw Sophia hurting people last night and worried she would come after me, so you wanted Henry to injure his hands to protect me, right?”

Percival was silent, haunted by his sleepless night. He feared Odalys might be harmed, the consequences unimaginable. “Besides protecting you, I also wanted to avenge those she killed last night. Though they deserved it, Sophia's actions are unforgivable.”

Henry, listening nearby, felt a twitch in his eyelids. He’d underestimated Odalys’s intelligence and her importance to Percival. He regretted his actions. If the Bennett family hadn’t mistreated Odalys, the Stewarts wouldn't have sought to destroy the Bennett Group.

Sophia shouted, “Lunatics! You’re all lunatics! Caspian took me for a posthumous marriage last night. Shouldn’t I have killed them? I would have died if I hadn’t! Why can’t I kill them? Besides, it was Edie’s scheme! Why not go after her?” She'd seen a car speeding past last night, glimpsed Edie through the window. She'd envisioned using the Simpsons' power, but Odalys had thwarted her.

“Weren’t you trying to use Edie to join forces against me?” Odalys asked, replacing anger with a pointed question.

Sophia fell silent. In a fit of rage, she kicked Finnian. Her leg was coated in his blood and flesh, sickening her. “What should we do now? Clean it up or leave it?” Orson lit a cigarette, feeling terrible watching Finnian die.

Finnian's last wish was to see Sophia, to see the face that had harmed him.

“If you want to collect his body, take it away,” Odalys said, her gaze resting on Finnian’s corpse. She thought of him, dragged into the gutter by Sophia’s selfishness.