Elric wasn't too surprised by Lindsay's response. He felt a mix of disappointment and happiness. Disappointed that Linds didn't take his offer, but happy that she cared about him.He sighed and looked at Ryan, saying, "Well, it looks like I can't leave after all."Ryan was taken aback. "She actually declined?""I'm starting to think more highly of her," he admitted. "After that impressive comeback she pulled online recently, I knew she was special. Seeing her stand up to the Harper brothers and start her own studio, I couldn't help but admire her. But I didn't expect her to turn down such a tempting offer from you."Elric could easily be the face of any company or studio right now. Coming from a prestigious family, he had been thoroughly pampered and brought substantial capital with him. Having forged numerous industry connections, if Elric were to join Lindsay's studio, it wouldn't just bring her an A-list talent, but she would also gain access to Elric's capital and network.Her
Lindsay caught sight of Elric's message, her eyes lighting up with an even brighter smile.Lindsay replied, "I think so too. High five!"Elric laughed out loud, "As expected, Linds likes the idea. Her emoji is so cute."Ryan noticed Elric was completely engrossed. "Well, let's start poaching then. Wonder who she's interested in."He couldn't help but admit that Lindsay's personality and way of doing things resonated with him. The Harper brothers were trying to pressure her into compromising, but instead of backing down, Lindsay stood her ground. She wasn't afraid to go it alone and challenge them head-on. No wonder someone as picky and aloof as Elric took a liking to her.Elric continued messaging."Do you have anyone in mind?" he asked. "Just let me know. As long as it's not Harper Entertainment's A-listers, I'll help you poach them."As long as they weren't top talents, he would spend money and resources to bring them over to Lindsay. Besides, Lindsay's studio wasn't ready for A-lis
He waved dismissively. "Fuck off, you bastard."If their conversation dragged on any further, Ryan might actually feel inclined to punch him.Elric stood up, joking, "Fine, I'm leaving. If it weren't for Linds, I wouldn't waste my time with an old man like you."Ryan picked up the contract and tossed it at him. "Get lost!"Elric batted the contract away. "This contract is useless now. You can keep it."With that, he swiftly exited, leaving Ryan both amused and exasperated. This guy knew exactly how to manipulate others and then dispose of them like old tools.Meanwhile, after her chat with Elric, Lindsay curiously opened the contract he had sent. After reading through it, she couldn't help but sigh."Scumbag No.2 kept telling me that their contract terms were unbeatable and that no other company would offer such benefits. I'd love to slap this contract in his face and show him."Lindsay knew what kind of contract Harper Entertainment gave to their top talents. The contract Elric sent h
Oliver approved Lindsay’s into his contact list, but before he could type a reply, Lindsay sent a message."You said you'd give me the best contract in the industry?" Lindsay asked."Yes! I sent the contract to your email. Have you seen it?" Oliver replied. "You insisted you weren’t interested in the contract. Now you want it?""Not really. I just wanted to confirm something," Lindsay responded."What is it?" Oliver asked, puzzled.Could it be that she wanted to know if they, her brothers, had feelings for her?If so, she was indeed longing for their affection."I just wanted to see if you were capable of being honest. Guess I got my answer – you're not!" Lindsay shot back.Oliver didn't expect this. His face darkened instantly."You’re getting more daring, aren't you? Do you not want the contract anymore?" Oliver retorted.Lindsay sent three emojis in a row: eye-roll, disdain, and shame."Who cares about your so-called best contract in the industry?" she scoffed. "Take a look at what
Edmund took the phone and read the message, a complicated expression crossing his face. No wonder his brother was so angry; Lindsay's words were truly infuriating."She won't really do it, will she?" Edmund asked.Oliver frowned. "She shouldn't be doing this, should she? If she dares to embarrass us like this, does she really expect to return home without consequences?"Edmund thought for a moment. "You're right, she’s probably just trying to rile you up."Just then, Oliver's phone rang. It was his assistant calling."What is it?" Oliver answered.An urgent voice came from the other side. "Oliver, Lindsay just posted on Instagram to shame you. What should we do?"Oliver's eyes widened in disbelief. "She actually dared?"He hung up and quickly opened Instagram.Sure enough, Lindsay had updated her status."I've severed all ties with the Harper family. I hope we don't interfere with each other anymore. The called 'best contract in the industry' from the esteemed Harper family manager? He
Oliver grabbed his phone and opened Elric's post on Instagram."The best contract in the industry? Oliver's bluffing his own sister and doesn't fear being exposed? Let's debunk that. Below is the contract our company offered to Linds. Everyone can compare."He had also uploaded the contract, carefully redacting any sensitive company information. This, of course, was done with Ryan's approval.Ryan hadn't expected Lindsay to take it this far, directly posting on Instagram to shame them. Elric wanted to help Lindsay by making the contract public, and Ryan naturally didn't oppose it. He enjoyed seeing the Harper brothers being humiliated and relished the opportunity to provoke them further. He eagerly anticipated their reaction when they found out Lindsay had started her own studio and poached talent from Harper Entertainment.Seeing Elric's post, Oliver realized their earlier PR efforts were in vain and they were once again humiliated.Already infuriated by Lindsay, Oliver was even mor
This question left Oliver at a loss. Indeed, how could he deal with Lindsay? Preventing her from participating in shows wouldn't work; Lindsay had saved Charles's wife, and Charles wouldn't go against her. Trying to blacklist her in the industry had only made her more popular through the reality show. Hiring trolls to slander her backfired, and she turned the tables on them. Now, she was about to become an artist with Star Entertainment.With all these setbacks, Oliver didn't know what else he should do.He regretted, "We should have signed a contract with her when she first joined the company."If they had signed a contract, he would have the leverage to keep Lindsay in line. Otherwise, she would face a steep penalty she couldn't afford, compelling her to remain under his authority.Edmund was more composed. "Haven't you realized that she was always one step ahead? When we didn't bring up the contract, she didn't either. Maybe she was already preparing for this day."From recent
Olivia's decisive rebuttal made Alex and the others look at her in surprise.Realizing her intense reaction, she bit her lip and said, "If we quit, it will look like we're scared. It would only confirm those accusations against me and Justin. I'm not guilty, so I'm not afraid. I want to continue participating and prove that Lindsay misunderstood us and clear my name."She had never told the Harper family that she occasionally had prophetic dreams since childhood. For instance, she dreamt their father would be set up to have an affair by another woman, so she took their mother to catch them in the act, preventing it from happening. After dreaming that Edmund would accidentally fall from a building, so she arrived just in time to get him to the hospital. When she dreamt that a particular script would become a hit, she had Brandon secure it from the original director. Seeing a song's potential for success in a dream, she suggested Raymond buy it from the songwriter. She foresaw an id
In the vibrant district of the historic town, the streets were lined with vintage boutiques and various artisan stalls. Lindsay's group visited the town’s administration office and rented a temporary booth.Alex and Justin eagerly borrowed a table and chairs, setting up the booth. Following Lindsay's instructions, they also bought a piece of white fabric and worked together to create a simple sign. The production team provided markers and other supplies.Lindsay glanced over at Benedict and said, "Benedict, I’ll let you handle writing the banner."She was eager to observe his writing and the energy he gave off while doing it.Benedict sighed inwardly—this girl was constantly trying to test him. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. "Alright, I’ll write it."He grabbed a marker, uncapped it, and wrote in bold letters across the white fabric: “Fortune Telling, Divination, and Tarot Readings.”Lindsay watched him closely, noticing the fluidity of his movements as he wrote, his posture exud
Justin added, "My mom’s been trying to get me to help Olivia and distance myself from Lindsay. She’s also said plenty of nasty things about Lindsay. This time, not only did I ignore her, but I even pushed back. It probably pissed her off, and now she’s taking it out on Lindsay."Alex, clearly upset, said, "You should talk to her and tell her to stop fixating on Lindsay. Lindsay hasn’t done anything to provoke her. It’s ridiculous."He was frustrated that Justin’s mom had been stirring up trouble, making Grace even more difficult to deal with.Justin nodded. "Alright, after the show is over, I’ll have a talk with her."He also felt his mom was acting out of line. Back when he liked Lindsay, her disapproval at least made sense. But now that Lindsay had kicked him to the curb, his mom’s continued obsession was baffling.Although they were speaking softly, Lindsay and Benedict, walking ahead, heard every word.Lindsay found the situation with Abby baffling as well. A woman who fawned over
After Lindsay left, the other guests quickly followed, leaving only Alex standing there awkwardly. He spoke briefly to the production staff, and they soon shifted the cameras away from that area. Alex then walked over to Grace, saying, "Mom, since Lindsay won’t lend it, let’s just drop it."Grace shot him a cold glare, her expression dark. "How can you be so heartless? The one lying in bed is your fourth brother. Are you hanging around Lindsay all the time just to learn how to be cold and ruthless?"Unable to contain her frustration toward Lindsay, Grace directed it at Alex instead.Alex sighed in exasperation. "Even if we need help, it has to be something she’s willing to do! We’ve wronged Lindsay enough as it is, so why do you keep trying to guilt-trip her? Brandon’s situation isn’t Lindsay’s fault. Why don’t you go find Olivia? She’s the one who caused all this, maybe she can fix it. After all, whoever’s behind her is no easy target."Right now, all Alex felt toward Lindsay was gui
Grace held back her anger and said, "It'll only take a few minutes. I have something important to discuss with you."Lindsay sat back down in her seat. "Fine, go ahead."The livestream was on, and Lindsay was fully aware of it—she was doing this on purpose.Grace was about to speak when her assistant whispered something in her ear. Her expression changed, and she subtly shifted her body to turn away from the camera.Then she looked at Lindsay. "Can we talk outside?"In her rush to find Lindsay, she had almost forgotten that this was a live-streamed variety show. She didn’t want to be on camera, much less discuss such personal matters in front of an audience.Lindsay, however, refused. "If it's important, say it here. If not, then don’t say anything."Grace’s expression darkened. "It’s because it’s important that we need to talk privately."She emphasized, "It’s not appropriate in front of the camera."Lindsay just smiled. "Unless it's something shady, what’s wrong with saying it on cam
Lindsay thought about it for a while and figured that if Grace was coming to find her, it was probably for Brandon. The only thing she could want would be the artifact in her possession.Alex saw her reply and couldn’t help but smile wryly. His sister was indeed sharp and saw right through it.He sent a voice message, repeating what the head of the Divination Association had told them. "Mom just wants to borrow the artifact from you to suppress Brandon’s condition."Lindsay replied, "Tell her not to waste her energy."Seeing that message, Alex knew right away that she wouldn’t lend it out. It didn’t surprise him—his sister could be ruthless when she wanted to be."We can’t convince her otherwise, not even Dad can stop her... sigh," Alex added. When their mom’s temper flared, she wouldn’t listen to anyone.Lindsay didn’t seem to care. "Then let her come. I’m not going to do her any favors."Alex recalled the conversation between their parents at the hospital and decided to warn her, "M
Recently, Grace had been spending more time with Abby, often meeting up for outings. Over time, Richard noticed that Grace's anger towards their biological daughter had deepened. Abby had always disliked Lindsay and showed more favoritism towards Olivia. She must have been stirring up trouble and egging Grace on whenever they met. With time, Grace was bound to be influenced.Grace, clearly annoyed, said, "You even want to control who I make friends with? Aren't you going too far? What's wrong with me getting along with Mrs. Ford and spending more time with her?"Richard felt cornered. "I just think there's something off about her. Her intentions in getting close to you don't seem good. That's why I'm trying to give you a heads-up."Grace didn't believe him at all. "I think you're overthinking it. We’ve always had a decent relationship. We’re just closer now, that’s all.""What do you men know about women’s matters? Don't interfere." She now had plenty to talk about with Abby. Jenny wa
Richard glanced at Grace with clear disapproval. “This whole mess was caused by Olivia and Brandon. What does any of it have to do with Lindsay?”He could tell that recent events, and the embarrassment caused by their sons, had left his wife feeling bitter. It seemed she had begun to project that frustration onto Lindsay, despite the situation having little to do with her.Grace crossed her arms defensively. “If it wasn’t for her ongoing fight with Olivia, Brandon wouldn’t have gotten involved. He’s her brother. Doesn’t she owe him some consideration now that he’s in this condition?”Richard frowned. “What exactly are you trying to say?”Valarie, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up, her displeasure clear. “I see it differently. It’s Olivia and your son who started the trouble, and all Lindsay did was defend herself. Are you really looking to embarrass yourselves even more?”Grace shifted uncomfortably, feeling the sting of her mother-in-law’s words. “I’m just thinking abou
Given the Harper family's persistence, there was no way the Divination Association could avoid a thorough investigation. Seeing that Randolph wouldn’t back down, the official left, courteously escorted out by Randolph, who, for the moment, had ceased his protests.Valarie carefully placed the multicolored stone inside a small protective pouch before securing it around Brandon's neck. Though he felt a slight relief after putting it on, the bad luck continued. As the official had warned, his misfortune was too severe for one artifact to fully contain.Randolph tried every connection he had, attempting to borrow a second artifact, but came up empty-handed. Time slipped by, and evening approached before they could find any further solutions.By the time Richard and Grace arrived at the hospital, they were met with the weary faces of their parents. Feeling guilty for everything his father had gone through, Richard bowed his head. "Dad, Mom, I'm so sorry you had to go through this today."
Hearing their words, the hope that had briefly flickered in Brandon’s eyes quickly faded, leaving him more devastated than before. "Grandfather, I know I was wrong," he muttered, finally realizing the truth. His foster sister had been nothing but trouble—far from trustworthy, she had been a constant source of harm. Meanwhile, his real sister, though harsh and distant, had proven to be far more reliable. Regret gnawed at him deeply.Randolph sighed, his voice heavy with disappointment. “Knowing you’re wrong doesn’t change anything. It’s too late now.”Turning back to the two mystics, Randolph asked, “If you can’t break the curse directly, could you at least help suppress his misfortune? Maybe with a protective charm or some kind of mystical object?”Despite his frustration with his grandson’s foolishness, he couldn’t just leave him to suffer.Both mystics exchanged uneasy glances. “We don’t have the ability to suppress his bad luck with charms.”“For something like that, you’d need t