Chapter 269

Orson scratched his head. “I can’t believe Odalys used thunderstruck wood to summon a lightning strike. Not only did it dispel the negative energy from your body, but she also fused the lightning with venomroot and let it be absorbed into you. This approach is absolutely unheard of. I’ve never come across anything like it before. But her explanation makes sense. You’ve been sick for so long, and your body has been severely weakened. Weak bodies attract negative energy, which causes lingering illnesses, and thunderstruck wood is known to help.”

Every step Odalys took seemed to venture into a realm beyond Orson’s expertise. “For a moment, I thought I had a grasp of her medical skills, but now it’s clear I’ve been completely outpaced by her methods,” he thought, his expression troubled.

“Let’s go,” Percival said, placing his coffee cup down with a firm clink. Grabbing his car keys, he strode toward the door with long, determined steps, his urgency making it clear he had someone to meet.

“You’re just leaving like this? Didn’t your mother say Oliver would be coming over? Aren’t you curious about what they’re planning to say?” Orson asked, still holding his coffee cup as he hurried after him.

Percival moved with an air of nonchalance. As he closed the door behind him, his deep voice lingered in the air. “You handle it.”

“Fine, I’ll keep an eye on them,” Orson replied with a shrug.

Meanwhile, on the surveillance screen, Edie lay down, but her gaze kept darting toward her bag. Orson’s eyes lit up as he recalled the medicine pouch Hannah had handed over earlier. “I need to find out if that pouch contains some kind of aphrodisiac,” Orson mused, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

While Orson schemed, Percival had already reached the parking lot. He slid into the driver’s seat of his Maybach, the luxury car purring as it roared to life and sped off into the distance.

In the heart of the city, at a cozy spaghetti restaurant, Stellan had reserved a private room. After finishing a livestream and watching Sophia get carried away, they’d headed straight there once the police announced Odalys was not involved in the incident.

“Spaghetti? That’s awesome!” Selah exclaimed with delight.

As soon as Odalys entered the restaurant, she pulled out a chair, sat down, and signaled to a waiter for a menu. “I’ll have the cheesy beef spaghetti. Oh, and add a portion of clam chowder and a salad.” She pushed the menu across the table. “Take a look and order whatever you want.” Stellan and Francis added a few dishes, while Freya and Selah selected some extras. Once the order was placed, the waiter brought over some fruit and drinks.

“Who would’ve thought Sophia could be so shameless? Why on earth would she mess around with a guy like that?” Selah asked curiously.

Freya nodded, lowering her voice. “Yeah, I always thought she was too picky, only going for guys with money and power. I never expected her to hook up with a rapist.”

“What rapist?” Francis asked, walking back from the restroom just in time to hear the conversation.

Selah pulled out her phone and scrolled. “The police just released a statement. The guy Sophia was caught with is a repeat offender, a serial rapist,” Selah said with disgust. “His scam involves targeting gullible women. He convinces them they have negative energy and tells them they need to strip so he can cleanse their impurities. He’s gotten so many women pregnant, not to mention scamming them out of their money and dignity,” she added with a shake of her head. Stellan stayed quiet, excusing himself to take a call.

When he returned, he spoke in a hushed tone. “That was my mom. She and my dad were supposed to attend Odalys’ grand opening, but my dad’s injuries haven’t healed, and my mom can’t move around easily, so she asked me to treat everyone to dinner instead.”

Odalys felt a flicker of warmth in her chest. I didn’t expect Sienna to be so thoughtful about celebrating my opening, she wondered.

Stellan continued. “My mom hasn’t stopped talking about it. She even stayed up all night watching that variety show. She spent the whole time cursing out the Bennett family, saying the Bennett Group is filled with heartless people for abandoning their own daughter. She just told me again to comfort you. Don’t take those people seriously. Focus on living your life well and leave them behind.”

Sienna was a strong woman who rarely concerned herself with other people’s personal affairs. It was the first time Stellan had heard his mother commenting on someone else’s family matters.

“I know. The Bennett family has no impact on me,” Odalys said with a soft laugh. She treated them like a joke, completely unaffected by their actions. If anything, she felt a hint of schadenfreude. Odalys wasn’t the type to play saint, nor was she quick to forgive those who had wronged her. As long as it pleased her, that was all that mattered.

“Come on. Here’s to Odalys’ flourishing business!” Freya said, pouring drinks and raising her glass. The others quickly lifted their glasses, clinking them against Odalys’.

At that moment, Odalys’ phone buzzed. After ending the call, she sighed. “That was Blue Entertainment calling to check in. They’re really excited about this project and want to finalize the collaboration as soon as possible. They’re hoping Selah and Francis can read the script and decide which roles they’d like to play,” she added with a small smile. “Once that’s settled, we can sign the contract,” Odalys said, still chuckling softly.

Freya, struggling with the spicy spaghetti and rubbing her slightly swollen lips, asked, “Why the rush? Is there some kind of condition?”

“They mentioned that when filming starts, they’d like me to choose an auspicious date for the opening. They believe the timing is crucial,” Odalys explained.

Hearing that, Selah was reminded of something. “That’s actually a thing. When I was filming before, the director had chosen a lucky date to start shooting, but there was a last-minute incident, and we missed it. After that, the production hit one problem after another. A bunch of actors got caught in scandals, and the whole show ended up getting canned,” Selah said.

As they continued eating spaghetti, their conversation shifted to lighthearted gossip. In the middle of their lively chatter, the door to the private room suddenly swung open.

“Hi, Odalys,” Finnian’s voice came from the hallway. The cheerful atmosphere in the room abruptly fell silent. Everyone turned their heads toward him.

“Finnian, what are you doing here? We’re having a private dinner, and you weren’t invited,” Selah said sharply, standing up immediately. She placed herself between Finnian and Odalys as if shielding her from potential harm.

Finnian noticed her defensive posture. His lips moved as if to say something, but no words came out. Once a popular star, he now found himself without resources, even losing his apartment. The Lark family had truly abandoned him.

“I want to talk to Odalys,” Finnian said, holding back the frustration that threatened to spill out. He thought that without the cameras rolling, Odalys might show him a bit of respect. Contrary to his expectations, she didn’t even glance his way. She continued eating her food as if he weren’t there.

“Odalys…” Finnian’s voice cracked slightly. He couldn’t believe she was so indifferent. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, stepping forward to bypass Selah and reaching out toward Odalys. Before he could touch her, Odalys picked up her fork and struck his hand away.

“You chose this path when you willingly teamed up with Sophia to scheme against me,” Odalys said coldly. “Even if Sophia drugged you, it was your choice to collude with her,” she continued, her tone sharp. “You were arrogant, dismissive of others, and tried to manipulate and ruin me. You humiliated yourself with your own scandals, offended the Lark family, and now they’ve thrown you out like garbage.”