Gabe, the Mystic employed by the Harper Group, was naturally skilled to have earned his position. However, at this moment, his confidence wavered.He took the black ash and sniffed it but found nothing unusual.Why had the talisman suddenly burned?He looked at the four and asked, "Are you still in pain?"Oliver clutched his chest. "Not only does it still hurt, but it feels even worse."He thought this mystic was clearly a fraud.Joey added, "The pain has doubled, and it feels like burning."They were sure Lindsay had done something to them.But instead of resolving it, the mystic seemed to have triggered something, making their pain worse.Olivia and Jasmine cried out in pain, "It hurts, it's too painful."Gabe was at a loss.How could this be?Typically, the talisman turning to ash indicated it had served its purpose by warding off evil.But how could the pain intensify?The most baffling part was that he hadn't detected any negative energy in the four of them.After thinking for a
Oliver had no intention of giving the prayer charm to Olivia.He paused, then said, "Let me keep them a little longer to help with the pain. I'll give them to you soon." Of course, he could decide when "soon" actually meant.Olivia couldn't believe that Oliver would ignore her pain.He had promised to always protect and pamper her. What a liar.Already in pain, she now felt an additional, indescribable sense of grievance.Crying even more sorrowfully, she didn't dare get too close to her brothers in front of Richard, so she tugged at Brandon's sleeve beside her.Seeing her in such distress, Brandon felt a pang of sympathy.He nudged Raymond, and they exchanged a look, nodding in agreement.Fortunately, Oliver was sitting next to Raymond.Raymond suddenly hugged Oliver tightly, while Brandon quickly stood up and snatched the prayer charm from Oliver's hand, passing them to Olivia.He then gave Oliver a disapproving look. "Oliver, how could you be so mean? Via is our sister; you should
Jasmine noticed that Joey not only kept the crystal pendant to himself but also closed his eyes.She had expected this outcome but couldn't help feeling a glimmer of hope.The harsh truth hit her again. This man was cold-hearted and felt no sympathy for her. She couldn't help but wonder: if Jenny needed the pendant, would Joey hand it over without hesitation?The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. Yet, she couldn't let go. She curled up on the sofa, biting her lip and crying sorrowfully.Gabe left the office temporarily to make preparations and bring someone to assist him. Richard's gaze moved between his three sons and adopted daughter. He hadn't expected Raymond and Brandon to snatch the prayer charm from Oliver and give them to Olivia so brazenly. Their self-righteous attitude after doing so left him speechless and distressed.He couldn't help but wonder: if it ever came down to a choice between Oliver and Olivia's survival, would these two sons choose their sister
So, despite feeling frustrated and aggrieved, Olivia forced herself to act graciously, saying, "I'm not in as much pain now. Oliver should continue using the prayer charm.”To leave a good impression on Richard and secure her future, she had to endure.She extended the prayer charm back towards Oliver, but before she could hand them over, Brandon quickly pushed them back into her hand."Oliver is a man; he can endure a little bit of pain. You keep the prayer charm."Raymond agreed, "Exactly. You've always been afraid of pain. It's better if you keep them. A grown man like Oliver shouldn't be fighting with his sister over something like this."Hearing this, Oliver was furious, wanting to strangle his two foolish brothers on the spot.He opened his eyes and glared at them coldly. "You two seem to understand me well. Let's hope when it's your turn, you can still say the same thing."These idiots were beyond hope.He wouldn't warn them and would even push them to experience Olivia's "grati
Seeing that Oliver no longer looked at her after speaking, Olivia was infuriated. Her second brother was becoming more unreasonable, treating her this way in front of their father. She sat back down, feeling aggrieved, and tightly held onto the prayer charm, thinking about how to win him back over.Oliver felt the pain in his chest and stomach intensify. He turned to his father. "Dad, this Mr. Gabe seems like a fraud! After he examined us, the pain doubled and got even worse."Richard saw his son's pale face and the sweat on his forehead, feeling a pang of sympathy. However, this experience could also teach his second son a lesson.He sighed. "Bear with it for now. Let's see what happens when he comes back. If he can't help, we'll have to turn to Lindsay."Oliver felt the urge to bang his head against the wall. After a moment, he grabbed Raymond's hand and squeezed it hard.Since Raymond had insisted on being so foolish earlier, Oliver would grant his wish.Raymond was taken aback,
"After all, your two brothers seem to be enjoying themselves," Joey added. Despite everything, they had been friends for many years, and he didn't want to see the Harper family fall apart because of the adopted daughter.Oliver rubbed his forehead. "Don't even mention those idiots; I can't stand it."Joey raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you one of those idiots not long ago?"Oliver was speechless.He glared at Joey. "Can you speak nicely for once? Sure, I pampered Via, but not to the extent those two morons do."Because Olivia was an adopted sister, not a biological one, and she usually acted obedient and sweet, he indulged her. It was like having a beloved pet. When the pet was bullied, the owner would step in to help. Now that he realized the pet wasn't as innocent as he thought, he was quick to withdraw his support.Joey couldn't help but comment through waves of pain. "Your sister sure has a ruthless streak!"Oliver held onto the crystal pendant, resigned. "Yeah, her temper's gotte
Seeing Oliver's urgency, Soloman swallowed his initial words. It seemed Oliver already knew who had cast the dark curse and simply didn't care. Soloman pointed to the compass. "Each of you needs to drop a few drops of your blood onto this compass. I will use it to break the curse."Richard frowned at this. "Blood?"He believed in divination and knew that blood and hair should not be given lightly to a mystic.Soloman explained, "Their situation is quite special, so we need the blood to track the person who cast the dark curse and break it."Richard considered it. "It's not appropriate to use blood. Who knows if using blood will actually break the curse or if it will be used for something else afterward?"Soloman looked helpless. "If you don't use blood, then my junior and I can't break the curse."He emphasized again, "The dark curse has already dissipated, so we can only try to track it through the blood and find the caster. There's no other way to break it."Joey asked, "If we don'
After Soloman spoke, he looked at Oliver and the others, making his intention clear. Joey remained still, and so did Oliver. Jasmine, unable to endure the pain any longer, stepped forward and said, "I'll try."She mimicked Olivia, dropping her blood onto the compass. Soloman placed a new amulet and continued chanting his spell.Meanwhile, Lindsay sensed a slightly stronger force attempting to attack her than before, but she still easily deflected it. She guessed that Jasmine must have offered her blood. Joey didn’t seem like the type to act so willingly. If it had been Oliver's blood, the attack would have been much stronger due to their blood relation.She raised an eyebrow. "It seems they're not just trying to break the curse; they're also trying to harm me."The attacking force carried a clear intent to injure her, using the blood to backfire against her.Jenny speculated, "Do you think it’s Scumbag No. 2 and his gang who requested it, or is this person targeting you personally?
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