Chapter 463 Even though she was composed and mature for her age .
Odalys was still only a 20 year old girl , and like any young woman , she had her playful side You ever noticed if theres any familial connection between Edie and me ? Percival suddenly asked , catching Odalys off guard .
She blinked , then replied honestly , I have noticed , but its faint and barely there .
It disappears quickly .
Percival wiped his broad hands and then moved toward her .
He stood close , his expression thoughtful .
So , she is indeed my mother Percival muses , but her consciousness doesnt seem to carry any memory of my father .
Either shes been possessed by something like Windsor , or ⦠maybe she never loved him , and someone erased her memory Percivals mind had clearly turned cold on Edie , particularly after suspecting her involvement in his fathers car accident .
There had been a time when he had even considered killing her himself .
A woman capable of harming her own husband , ignoring her son , and even attacking the elderly ⦠such a person could only be cruel to the core .
Odalys , sensing his shift in tone , decided to lighten the mood .
So , are you going to go meet her ? she teased , batting her eyelashes .
His gaze softened with affection .
He reached over to pat her head and shrugged .
Tll go.
At this point , Orson , who had been quietly observing the exchange , couldnt help but make his exit .
Ahem , Im off to the hospital to check the test results , he said , eager to leave before the awkwardness of the situation could drag on any longer .
Orson , however , had other plans .
He snapped a quick photo of the scene and immediately sent it to Evander .
Along with the photo , be included a small video hed captured , showing Percival feeding Odalys a bite of food , a moment that made his heart race with excitement Grandpa , do you think things are getting serious between them ? Orson typed quickly , his fingers trembling with the thrill of the gossip he was sending Unbeknownst to him , Odalys had silently walked up beside him .
She looked down at his phone screen , then glanced over at him with a sly smile .
Youre pretty good at this , she commented .
Orson froze , his heart pounding .
Well , I was pretty much unmatched in the art of stealth photography back in the day , he said , trying to save face .
But as he finished his message and looked up , he found himself face to face with Odalys , her eyes twinkling mischievously .
The awkwardness set in His entire demeanor froze as he tried to hide his phone in his pocket .
Odalys tilted her head .
Next time , make sure I look better in the photos .
You made my face look huge in that one .
Orsons face went red .
smile .
It looks like you were Percival , who had been quietly watching the exchange , finally spoke up .
You overdid it , Orson , he said with a faint smile .
capturing a kiss between us , but we werent actually kissing Orson felt his defenses crumble as he realized that they had caught him red handed .
His face flushed deeper .
Alright , Im leaving Orson said quickly , nearly tripping over himself in his haste to escape .
Odalys , calling out from behind him , couldnt resist teasing .
Whats the rush ? No more photos ? Are you sure ? Hearing her words , Orson took off even faster , almost sprinting out of the rooms .
Odalys burst into laughter , her eyes sparkling as she watched him flee .
Just as they were about to leave , Stellan walked back in , dressed impeccably in a sharp suit .
He looked every bit the handsome young man he was , though there were traces of blood on his face , suggesting he had just come from a rather intense situation .
Mr.
Stewart , could we talk for a moment ? Stellan asked politely , his voice filled with respect .
Despite the Drake familys prominence , they were still nowhere near the level of the Stewart family .
Without Odalys connection to Percival , Stellan knew they would never have a shot at bridging the gap between the two families Of course , Percival replied calmly .
bat with him He nodded at Odalys , signaling that he would speak with Stellan for a while .
Tll have a quick chat I go visit the set then .
Odalys said with a casual hand gesture , making her way out of the room .
Once she left , the atmosphere in the hotel room became quieter .
Percival settled down on the sofa , arms draped casually over the armrests , his gaze resting on Stellan with quiet intensity .
Stellan said , Recently , thereve been some strange events around the Drake Group , Stellan began , his tone wary .
Several high profile business partners from other prominent families have been suddenly reaching out to collaborate with us .
My father suspects somethings off .
He believes someones behind the scenes stirring things up , trying to create the impression that the Drake family is poaching business from other families , making us enemies .
If this continues , it will create friction and distrust among the other families .
They may even start to suspect that we orchestrated the gathering of all the families and that Olivers involvement is part of some scheme .
My mothers tried investigating , but theres no clear evidence of any external influence its as if this is all just happening by itself , but something doesnt sit right with me .
Stellan looked uneasy .
Although he was still working on his acting career , he had been forced to take a more active role in his familys affairs due to his fathers declining health .
With his mother handling both the hospital and the company , Stellan felt the weight of his responsibilities .
I thought I should come to you , Percival .
If you can help , maybe we can clear this up quickly .
The longer this drags on , the worse it will be for our business After a moment of silence , Percival finally spoke .
In that case , why not trace it back to the source ? Stellan blinked in confusion , What do you mean ? He was somewhat unsure of Percivals intentions and worried that he might be misinterpreting things .
Go with the flow .
Since they want to get close to the Drake family and cooperate with them , let them think theyve succeeded .
See if they truly want to cooperate with the Drake Group , or if theyre setting a trap to make you fall into it .
Set up a situation that makes them believe the Drake family has been caught in their scheme .
Then , you can reach out to the Tillery family , have the Drake Group block their escape routes , and make sure that whether theyre setting a trap to deceive the Drake family or genuinely want to collaborate , they wont be able to escape .
As long as you block their retreat , these people will naturally suffer losses in business .
A failed business partnership would have a huge impact on both the company and the family .
At that point , the most skilled thing for a wealthy family is to shift blame onto each other , shirk responsibility , and even fall out over their own interests As long as someone stirs trouble , the Drake family can accurately identify the person trying to maximize their benefits and strike at them , turning the tables and letting them tear each other apart .
Percival succinctly stated his thoughts .
Exactly .
In that case , the Drake family doesnt necessarily have to genuinely cooperate , but they can pretend to consider it lead them into the game and make them think we want to cooperate with them .
Then their true colors will be exposed .
Percival , seeing that he understood , couldnt help but appreciate him with a glance .