Chapter 477

Clarence slammed his office door shut and immediately dialed a number. "Are we ready to play? Wait, I'm on my way. Are you all at Magic Entertainment?"

His steps were hurried, as if someone might leave without him.

Just as he was leaving, Finnian appeared at the hallway corner. His eyes fixed on Clarence; a strange, sinister smile crept across his face.

"Heh," Finnian's unsettling laughter echoed down the hallway.

In a side room of the corridor, Sophia struggled violently.

Her stomach churned. She turned her head, trying to vomit, but nothing came up. The sensation felt like she was breaking apart; tears streamed down her face. She didn't even know if she was pregnant.

Her mind was foggy, and the pain from puncture wounds on her cheek throbbed incessantly, making her afraid to move her face.

The door flew open—someone had kicked it in. Sophia jumped, startled.

Seeing Atlas sprawled before her, she whispered in disbelief, "Atlas?"

Atlas, too, was stunned by her miserable state. Their eyes met, a torrent of unspoken emotions surging between them.

"Ugh!" Sophia turned away, heaving as another wave of nausea hit her.

Atlas's eyes remained fixed on her discomfort. His lips pressed tightly together as he watched her suffering. He turned his head in agony.

"Sophia…" A voice faintly called her name.

Sophia froze, her body rigid as she looked around, confusion clouding her mind. The voice faded, then called again: "Sophia, return."

The voice, both familiar and strange, filled her ears with urgency.

Sophia's eyes widened in shock, as if a bolt of electricity had struck her. A flush of excitement burned on her tear-streaked face as she scanned the storage room. She whispered, "I'm in the hospital, help me."

But the voice disappeared, leaving her frustrated.

It had been so long since she'd last heard it. Ever since Odalys had taken her place, the voice had vanished. Every full moon, it would echo in her ears, calling her, boosting her luck.

She knew that whenever the voice called, her fortunes would improve dramatically. Within days, a pile of Love Spell would appear.

She had grown up knowing how to use Love Spell, and with it, everything seemed to go her way. Those who tried to block her were doomed—accidents, disasters, misfortune befell them. People who once looked down on her died in car crashes.

Thinking of this, Sophia's throat tightened with excitement. She swallowed repeatedly.

Finnian's voice broke the silence. "Who are you talking to?" He kicked open the door and glared at her warily.

Sophia flinched. She quickly shifted her body and snapped, "Who else would be here but you and Atlas?"

"Do you think dragging me and Atlas here will make the Bennett family bow to you? You've miscalculated. We're of no use to them," Sophia retorted boldly.

Before, she'd felt fear and uncertainty. But now, having heard the voice, her confidence had returned.

Finnian's gaze narrowed, watching her carefully. Just then, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen before leaving.

Sophia, her hands finally free from the ropes, dropped to the floor. She scrambled toward Atlas, her eyes fixed on him, and tugged hard at the bindings on her wrists. With a snap, they broke.

"It's broken?" she said, smiling with delight.

She lunged at him, pinning him to the ground, her hands viciously ripping at his t-shirt. She gazed at his strong chest, a wicked glint in her eyes.

"You, you…" Atlas, drugged and unable to speak, could only watch as she hovered over him. The heat in his body flared, making him want to struggle, but Sophia pressed her hand firmly over his eyes.

Darkness overcame him; he lost consciousness.

"You walked right into my hands," Sophia sneered, a cold laugh escaping her lips.

She lowered her head and sank her teeth into his chest, leaving deep indentations. Blood oozed out, filling her mouth. Her fingers dug deep into his chest.

Even unconscious, Atlas twitched in pain. He struggled weakly, but Sophia slapped him hard, knocking him unconscious again.

Sophia felt revived, her body energized. Her skin had become smoother and paler. She quickly wiped her injured cheek with her bloody fingertips; to her delight, the wound had completely healed.

"It worked," she whispered. "Heartblood really does work for me."

She'd once tried to use Henry's heartblood, but he'd fought her off, leading to a failed attempt. Their bodies had been too close, preventing her from taking it. She hadn't expected Atlas's blood to work the same way.

Standing up, she stretched, feeling relief. Bang—she slammed open the door and marched out. As she walked, she noticed her previous injuries had mysteriously healed. She quickly descended the corridor, disappearing from the hospital without a trace.

Meanwhile, Finnian, having received a call from Windsor, returned to the storage room. He was stunned to find it empty, save for Atlas lying in a pool of blood.

"Sophia?" Finnian's voice trembled in disbelief.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He dragged Atlas over, finding no one else. Sophia had vanished. The door was intact; there was no sign of a break-in. Finnian had been on the phone moments before; he would have known if someone had entered.

"Damn it! Who ruined my plans?" Finnian cursed, his frustration boiling over. He'd almost gotten Sophia to give up the Love Spell, but she'd slipped away again. He was certain she wouldn't remain alone for long.

"Damn it!" Finnian kicked Atlas, then checked the surveillance footage.

What he saw made his blood run cold. The footage clearly showed Sophia leaving alone. When she glanced back, the wound he'd inflicted on her face had vanished completely. Her bruised legs were unmarked; she seemed to walk away without pain.

"Her face…" Finnian muttered, his mind reeling. "I stabbed her with a toothpick. And I hit her legs too! How could she leave so easily?"

A chill ran through him. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.

He turned back to the bloodied Atlas, kneeling to check his wounds. Then, bang, the world around him went black.