Chapter 280 There is a Kind of Hypnosis That Can Make People Speak the Truth...
The burning pain on Ollie's back was nothing compared to the rage burning in his heart.
Ollie glared at Knox, grinding his teeth. "How did she trick Ms. Powell? How could Ms. Powell believe she's not a thief? No, I need to go find Ms. Powell. I have to warn her not to trust that girl's words!"
Knox immediately stopped him with a cold voice: "Don't you dare!"
He stared at Ollie with a slightly cold expression, his voice icy. "How Ms. Powell handles that girl is her business. As a subordinate, if you try to interfere with Ms. Powell's affairs, you'll only make her angry. I'm telling you, don't ask for trouble!"
"If you anger Ms. Powell again and she kicks you out a second time, I won't be able to protect you."
Ollie clenched his fists, forcing himself to hold back the urge to find Gwyneth for now.
But sooner or later, he would make Gwyneth see Isabella's true colors. He would never let a thief like her stay in the castle for long!
——
Isabella followed Gwyneth back to the main hall and found someone else sitting there—it was Bodhi.
When Bodhi saw Isabella, his face immediately darkened.
He looked straight at Gwyneth. "Ms. Powell, she's the one who seriously injured my brother! A Lumarian dares to be so arrogant—she clearly has no respect for our Northern Ice Empire. Ms. Powell, you must teach her a proper lesson!"
Hearing this, Gwyneth glanced at Bodhi indifferently without saying anything, and first returned to her seat.
After sitting down, she slowly looked at Isabella, her voice somewhat cold. "Bodhi says you injured his brother. Do you know what the consequences are for hurting one of the thirty-six nobles here?"
Isabella met Gwyneth's interrogating gaze and frowned slightly. "I didn't mean to. Damon stole my things, and he hurt my friend and wouldn't let us leave. If I hadn't fought back, I would've just had to take his bullying."
"You're talking complete nonsense!" Bodhi immediately denied it. "My brother is usually low-key and kind. How could he steal things and hurt people? You're just turning the tables on us, deliberately trying to ruin the Whitley family's image in Ms. Powell's mind!"
Then Bodhi looked at Gwyneth and said loudly, "Ms. Powell, please don't believe what she says—she's lying! The Whitley family has always been helpful and charitable. How could we be the way she describes?"
After hearing him, Gwyneth asked, "Isabella, you say Damon stole your things and hurt your friend. Do you have proof?"
Isabella naturally had no proof.
"That was the Whitley family's territory. How could the Whitley family possibly leave evidence of their wrongdoing?"
Gwyneth looked at the girl's expression, her eyes darkening slightly. "You have no proof that the Whitley family started the trouble, but Damon's injuries are proof that you hit him. In this situation, who do you think most people would believe?"
"I..." Isabella clenched her hands, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Seeing Isabella at a loss for words under Gwyneth's questioning, Bodhi felt quite pleased.
It seemed Gwyneth only believed his words after all. After all, the Whitley family was one of the thirty-six nobles. Out of respect for that, Gwyneth definitely wouldn't believe an outsider.
Bodhi's gaze swept over Isabella, a trace of smugness in his eyes, then he looked at Gwyneth and said, "Ms. Powell, I don't ask for much. As long as she kneels at my brother's bedside and apologizes, the Whitley family will forgive her."
Bodhi was sure Gwyneth would readily agree to his terms.
But the next second, he heard Gwyneth's icy voice: "Bodhi, what business is it of yours when I'm talking to Isabella? Who gave you permission to interrupt?"
Bodhi: "..."
After speaking, Gwyneth turned her gaze to Isabella, her tone serious. "Next time you meet someone like Damon, you can fight back, but you need to make sure you can explain yourself clearly when trouble comes looking for you. Novaria has many nobles with complicated relationships. Today you offend this one, tomorrow another will come after you. Sometimes right and wrong aren't things you can explain away with words alone. Do you understand?"
Isabella was stunned and lowered her head. "I understand."
Bodhi looked at this scene in disbelief.
What did Gwyneth mean by this?
"Ms. Powell..." Bodhi quickly tried to say something.
"Bodhi, do you think I really don't know what actually happened? Was it the Whitley family bullying people first, or did this girl attack Damon first? Are you sure you want to keep lying to my face?" Gwyneth interrupted him with a stern face, her voice so cold the air seemed to freeze into ice.
At the same time, an oppressive gaze struck directly at Bodhi. The pressure felt almost physical—Bodhi suddenly found it hard to breathe, unable to move his limbs.
Even Isabella felt this oppressive force, as if the air around them had thinned.
Bodhi's face went pale under Gwyneth's stare.
A few seconds later, Gwyneth withdrew her intimidating gaze and said mockingly, "Bodhi, you should know there's a type of hypnosis that can make people tell the truth..."
"But you probably don't want that kind of hypnosis used on you. After all, the hypnotists under my command never know when to stop. If they use too much force and turn you into an idiot, that would be no fun."
"Besides, I imagine the Whitley family has many other secrets that can't see the light of day. If you spilled them all..."
Before Gwyneth could finish, Bodhi dropped to his knees and shouted, "Ms. Powell, I'll talk! I'll tell the truth! It was all Damon's fault! That idiot is used to being arrogant. I'll go back and teach him a lesson!"
Gwyneth raised an eyebrow, her tone lifting slightly. "Is that so?"
Bodhi looked at Gwyneth, nodding repeatedly. "I promise, I'm telling the truth. I won't lie anymore, absolutely won't lie..."
But before he could finish, the moment he made eye contact with Gwyneth, his pupils suddenly dilated, his eyes lost focus, and he became motionless, like a block of wood.
Gwyneth stood up and slowly walked toward Bodhi, her voice carrying a hypnotic quality as she asked unhurriedly, "Bodhi, tell the truth. Does the death of the three elders of the Jordan family have anything to do with you?"
Bodhi shook his head.
Seeing this, Gwyneth withdrew her gaze.
Bodhi's eyes regained clarity. He looked at Gwyneth, who was suddenly standing right in front of him, completely confused. "Ms. Powell, when did you get here?"
He remembered that just a second ago, Ms. Powell was still sitting in her seat.
Isabella witnessed this scene from the side, her eyes full of disbelief.
A powerful hypnotist was terrifyingly formidable—with just one look, they could make someone lose consciousness and become like a wooden puppet.
If someone were hypnotized during a life-or-death moment, this wouldn't just be hypnosis—it would be a killing technique.