Chapter 71

Percival spoke, turned, and walked out. He paused as he passed Odalys.

“I heard you beat someone up in the hospital. A law-abiding citizen, you are not,” he said before leaving.

Odalys was stunned. He reached out and held the door open for her. He seemed to think of something and glanced back.

“Half an hour later, let’s go downstairs for dinner,” Percival said, gently closing the door.

Odalys stood in shock, staring at the closed door. “Percival, you’re spying on me!” she exclaimed, unsure whether to laugh or cry. She’d thought no one suspected her, but Percival had seen through her earlier.

She fell onto the sofa and picked up a strawberry, her gaze landing on a photo of Percival’s uncle. “Interesting,” she whispered.

She hadn’t expected the Bennett family to be connected to Percival’s uncle. It seemed she’d returned to her starting point after so many events. She wondered, Could this be why my mentor asked me to return to the Bennett family? The mentor hadn't elaborated, simply instructing her to return.

Her phone vibrated. Seeing it was Freya Winslow, Odalys answered quickly.

Before she could speak, Freya said, “Odalys, did you see the trending topic? Lark Group cut off all resources for Finnian. People are guessing he’ll be kicked out.”

“Did you hear? Someone put a Bluetooth speaker at the entrance of Bennett Entertainment and exposed Sophia’s actions. Everyone’s talking about Sophia and Finnian’s affair. I heard they even slept together. Is it true?” Freya gloated, clearly delighted by Sophia’s troubles.

“I don’t know. She probably offended someone,” Odalys chuckled softly.

Actually, from their first meeting, Odalys had sensed Freya’s pure heart. Few in the entertainment industry were so devoid of malice. Freya’s clear boundaries appealed to Odalys.

Freya continued, “They’re still very popular. Sophia must be worried. She’s ambitious; she can’t stay with Finnian, just his father’s illegitimate son.”

Odalys agreed. “You hate her,” she stated.

At the mention of Sophia, Freya seemed to explode. “Of course! She always suppresses others. She even deliberately hurt people during filming. Once, she vomited on something and forced a minor character to eat it! I punched her immediately,” Freya said through gritted teeth. She didn't usually interfere, but this was too much.

“Did she bully you like that?” Freya asked softly, fearing she might touch a sore spot.

“Not openly, but she mentally tormented me,” Odalys replied.

Freya’s heart ached. “Your contract’s almost up. Come to my company! We won’t sign a contract; I’ll get my brother to give you whatever resources you want. Want to meet him? He’s cool, handsome, rich, and has a good temper.”

Odalys’s mouth twitched.

“No, I’m not interested in men,” Odalys quickly waved her hand, sensing Freya’s possessiveness.

“If you like women, how about me? Though I don't like women, I'll do it for you,” Freya teased.

Odalys sighed helplessly. “So you called just to tease me?”

Freya laughed. “No! The Bennett family asked Mr. Carline to check their energy fields, and offended him. He won’t work with them again. Many wealthy families have good relationships with Mr. Carline; the Bennetts indirectly offended many.”

Hearing about Oliver, Odalys frowned.

“We have three days before our variety show. I want to see you sooner,” Freya murmured, clearly preferring Odalys’s company.

“We don’t need to wait three days. Let’s have dinner tomorrow,” Odalys smiled.

Freya perked up. “Tomorrow? What time? Where?” she exclaimed, rushing to her wardrobe.

“You decide the time and place. I’m fine with anything,” Odalys said.

Freya was touched. “Odalys, you’re too good to me. I love you!” she exclaimed excitedly.

Odalys was stunned. “You think I’m good because of this? What if it’s because you’re rich and beautiful? Wouldn’t that be deception?”

“Then you should want something from me, right?” Freya said optimistically. Her positive outlook was likely due to her privileged upbringing.

“Alright, I want you because you’re young, pretty, and rich,” Odalys said softly, shaking her head at her own words.

“I’ll ask my brother about a good place to eat and message you later,” Freya said, hanging up.

In her past life, Odalys had been consumed by the Hemtett family, lacking personal space and friends. She never expected friendship to be so pleasant. While she hadn’t sought friends, she genuinely enjoyed Freya’s calls.

A knock came at the door.

“Mrs. Stewart, dinner will be ready in ten minutes,” a servant said respectfully.

“Got it,” Odalys replied.

She set aside her phone, taking Sophia’s remaining hair. She placed it in a bottle, affixed a talisman, and put it in a cabinet. She'd deliberately taken strands today to learn about her past.

She felt someone was obstructing her, but their charm had been broken, leaving them vulnerable. She wasn’t in a hurry; causing them enough trouble would force them to reveal themselves.

With that thought, she washed her face.

In a Crownridge villa, an old man sat with a glass of red wine, suddenly experiencing a sharp chest pain. His expression changed drastically; he felt as if his body was burning.