Ghost Exorciser: The Oust Fake Heiress Strikes-Chapter 140: Entity?

Then, abruptly, control returned to her. Cassandra gasped and clutched her chest in relief, glancing around to make sure she was truly back.

But the feeling lasted only a moment before she heard the entity’s voice again.

"I’m giving back control for now," it said calmly. "But remember, I am always here. If, in the future, you want anything, anything at all, just hand over the body, and I’ll help you achieve it."

Cassandra swallowed her fear and muttered, "Shut up," before taking a deep breath and reaching for her phone.

That was when she saw the message saying Lana had been kicked out of her family.

Panic immediately surged through her, and she shot to her feet, ready to run. But just then, the same wave of dizziness washed over her, and the entity seized control of her body again.

"What are you doing?" Cassandra screamed from within. "Give my body back!"

The entity remained composed. "You need to calm down. Acting rashly will only get you killed."

"My best friend is being kicked out, and you... You, whatever you are... are telling me not to go?" Cassandra shouted.

The entity’s tone softened.

"You’re taking it too negatively. I’m trying to help you reach the peak of your life, not ruin it. If you run to help Lana now, the Almond family will notice. And if they notice, they will attack your family. If your family falls, how will you ever help her later?"

Cassandra paused. The reasoning... made sense.

But something inside her resisted the entity with every fiber of her being. ’This thing... it isn’t good. It isn’t something I should trust,’ she thought, feeling a heavy dread.

"Let me go. Give me back my body," she demanded.

But the entity became stern. "I’ll only release you when you listen. Wait two hours. Don’t act until then."

"It’s not your place to discipline me!" Cassandra snapped.

"I’m doing it for your own good," the entity replied. And no matter how much Cassandra pushed, the barrier between her and her body remained unmovable.

Cassandra finally snapped back into the present, finishing her explanation to Lana. She lifted her eyes hesitantly.

Lana frowned. "If that’s the case... why is the entity allowing you to speak about it now?"

Cassandra lowered her gaze and whispered, "I found something. A thread that helps me resist it."

She held up a thin red thread wrapped around her wrist. Lana’s eyes narrowed.

In her previous life, Cassandra hadn’t worn anything like that... or so she thought.

But then a memory resurfaced. Yes. Cassandra had worn a red thread once. Lana remembered teasing her about it, asking why she was wearing such an old-fashioned thing. Cassandra had only given her a pale smile.

Suddenly, another memory collided with the first.

In her previous life, when Cassandra was helping her draft a complex weapon pattern, Cassandra had begun losing weight rapidly. Lana had been worried.

But then, one day, Cassandra suddenly looked perfectly fine again... almost as if nothing had happened. Was that... the day the entity took full control?

A chill spread through Lana’s entire body. Only now did she realize the horrifying truth... she hadn’t been the only one in danger back then. Cassandra was, too.

In her past life, Lana had treated Cassandra as her enemy, blamed her, and retaliated against her over and over. But now... now it seemed Cassandra had not been the true culprit. It had been the entity all along.

But she stopped herself from feeling pity.

’No... something doesn’t add up. An entity wouldn’t suddenly appear without reason. Cassandra’s story... still has a loophole somewhere.’ Lana stared sharply at Cassandra.

"That’s it?" she asked.

Cassandra nodded silently.

Lana clenched her fists. "I need time to think."

Cassandra’s eyes shimmered with emotion. She leaned forward slightly and pleaded,

"Lana... whatever you decide, please don’t treat me like your enemy. I’ve never hurt you."

Lana’s voice remained cold. "That’s for me to decide... not you."

And with that, she rose to her feet and walked away.

Cassandra watched her leave, her fists trembling. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she lowered her head in resignation.

Outside, the sun was blazing, but Lana felt nothing but cold.

’Just how dreadful must a person feel,’ she thought, ’when everything they ever knew turns out to be wrong?’

If the entity truly overtook Cassandra’s body... and she, as her best friend, had never realized it... if she had let Cassandra suffer alone... then what kind of person was she?

She tried imagining Cassandra’s fear, her desperation at being trapped inside her own body, unable to speak or act. Lana felt her stomach twist.

She clenched her fists tightly. ’Stop it. If I keep thinking like this, I’ll end up slapping myself.’ She forced a breath out and muttered under her breath:

"There must be something wrong with me... or with Cassandra’s story. Maybe this is all made up. Maybe she’s just creating an excuse to justify her betrayal."

But even as she said it, the cold feeling in her chest did not fade.

Mr. Crow, seeing his master look so pale and shaken, couldn’t help fluttering over to her shoulder and patting her gently with his wing.

"Lana," he murmured softly, "stop blaming yourself. It’s not like you ever had the power to protect Cassandra from everything. And even if Cassandra’s story is true... how could any of it be your fault? If anything, you were the victim all along."

Lana clenched her fists, grounding herself, then gave a small nod.

She tried hard not to dwell on the possibility that Cassandra’s story might actually be real.

’I need time,’ she reminded herself. ’Time to process everything... and to figure out what’s true and what’s not.’

With that thought, she headed back to the university classroom.

She grabbed her bag without making eye contact with anyone and immediately left again to finish her next mission.

Focusing on work was far better than letting her thoughts spiral.

Besides, she had an appointment with Naina later that evening to watch a movie. The distraction felt necessary.

Holding onto that thought, Lana made her way to the location of her next mission... a tall, well-maintained tower equipped with high-end facilities and guarded entry points.