Elric hadn’t initially expected Alex to actually drink the cocktails he mixed. He had claimed they were ordered under Alex’s table, but Alex could have easily refused, as it was a flimsy excuse. Elric had even planned out what he would do next if they refused to drink.To his surprise, Alex went along with it so willingly, while the ones Elric really wanted to mess with—Justin and Olivia—didn’t drink a single drop. Feeling a bit guilty, Elric decided to take responsibility and drink three glasses himself.Alex was equally surprised that Elric admitted the truth. When he saw the drinks, he had already guessed that it was Elric’s doing, not the bartender’s special creation. The idea of a cocktail costing two hundred dollars was laughable, especially when the most expensive drink here was less than forty dollars. And even if the drinks had been charged to their table, Alex could have refused to pay—no one would have forced them to cover the cost.Alex wasn’t naïve. He went along wit
So, when Alex said he didn’t need anything, Olivia took it at face value and didn’t insist. But if it had been Lindsay, not only would she have stayed with him, but she would have also made oatmeal and prepared medicine for him. Today, if it had been Lindsay, she would have remembered that Raymond shouldn’t drink too much because it would hurt his throat. And she wouldn’t just say she’d get medicine; she would actually go out and buy hangover remedies and throat-soothing medicine for him.Thinking about this, Alex decided not to go to his room. Instead, he turned around and left the hotel. The cameraman, who was about to end the live stream, received a signal from the director and followed him.Viewers watched as Alex went to a pharmacy and bought hangover medicine and something to soothe a sore throat. This gesture left the audience stunned, especially Raymond's fans, who had been criticizing Alex in the comments. Hector’s fans couldn’t resist firing back:"See? Compared to the
Meanwhile, Alex returned to his room, took a shower, and watched some TV before timing his next move. He got up and went to knock on the door of the room next to his.Raymond was lying in bed, his throat feeling increasingly sore. Hearing the knock, he assumed it was Olivia bringing him the hangover medicine. But when he opened the door and saw his brother standing there, he hesitated for a moment.Alex raised an eyebrow. "What, were you expecting Via?"Raymond didn’t deny it. "What do you want?"Alex held up the bag in his hand and waved it in front of him. "I brought you some medicine."Feeling surprised, Raymond said, "Come in."After closing the door, Raymond turned to see Alex sitting in a chair, giving him a strange look."What’s with that look?" Raymond asked.Alex replied, "Just thinking about how you’ve been played for a fool."Hearing this, Raymond’s face darkened. "If you’ve come here to insult me, you can leave. Why do you have to act like Elric and Justin?"Alex couldn’t
Raymond asked, "Why are you telling me all this?"Alex sighed. "Because after the first episode of the show, I really started to see things differently." He went on to explain how he had eaten Olivia’s breakfast, ended up with food poisoning, and had to get an IV, only for her to act indifferent. "And before this show, Oliver told me that Olivia isn’t as innocent and caring as she seems. I started paying closer attention and realized he was right. She has a lot of hidden motives, and her concern for us is mostly just talk."Raymond fell silent, feeling conflicted and overwhelmed.Alex didn’t press further. He simply stood up, gave Raymond’s shoulder a reassuring pat, and said, "Ray, just be more careful, okay?" Then he left the room and returned to his own.Meanwhile, at another hotel, Elric also warned Lindsay, sharing his observations and advising her to be cautious of Olivia. Lindsay reassured him that she would be careful.The next morning, Lindsay, Elric, and Hector went to ha
Olivia glanced at Raymond. After how badly he’d been humiliated by Lindsay and her group yesterday, she figured he wouldn’t just let it go.Raymond was busy eating when he noticed Olivia staring at him. He said, "My throat's sore, and I’ve lost my voice. I won’t be able to sing today. Maybe we should just take it easy and find a restaurant where I can play the piano or violin instead."He really didn’t want to do anything too strenuous. Playing music wouldn’t require him to talk much, which was a relief.Olivia felt a wave of frustration. Raymond was equally hopeless.Not only was he not thinking about getting back at them, but he was also suggesting they just slack off. She turned to Justin and Alex. "What about you two? Shouldn’t we try a different way to make money?"She was tired of playing music. What she really wanted was to do something that would make her stand out, win back the audience’s favor, and restore her lost luck. The recent decline in her fortune, along with so
In the evening, there were two bars looking for live singers, which was Hector's specialty. He said, "I can go sing at one of the bars tonight to earn some money."Elric added, "I can do that too."The pay was decent, though not as much as what Lindsay could make in a single job.Lindsay smiled and said, "If we don’t find anything that pays well during the day, I’ll join you both for some singing tonight."The three of them got up, ready to head out and explore their options.Just then, two guests who had also finished their breakfast walked by, chatting as they went. Lindsay overheard their conversation and approached them with a polite smile. "Excuse me, can I ask you something?"The two people, noticing her politeness, nodded and asked what she needed.After exchanging a few words and thanking them, Lindsay returned to Elric and Hector.She smiled and said, "Let’s go. I’ve got us a way to make some money."Elric had caught some of what the two guests were saying. With a look of sur
The moment the group notification chimed, the other two teams instantly knew who it was—Elric, no doubt, trying to stir things up again.However, they couldn’t resist pulling out their phones to check. Curiosity got the best of them.They quickly saw the news about Lindsay participating in an amateur motorcycle race.Wendy and the others were taken aback, clearly surprised that Lindsay was into this as well.Wendy texted, "Linds, is there anything you can’t do?"Leslie also texted, "Linds, you're amazing! You can even ride bikes."George added, "Ms. Summer, you're really something!"Lindsay replied, "I used to ride frequently. I happened to find an event, so I thought I'd give it a shot."Wendy texted, "Aww, I want to come and watch you race!"Lindsay replied, "Come on! If I win any prize money, dinner's on me tonight."Wendy texted, "Ahhh, Linds, I love you! We'll definitely be there this afternoon. I've always envied Elric and Hector, but today, I'm going to stick to you no matter w
Lindsay's motorcycle racing was anything but gentle or graceful. Olivia thought it was pointless to watch something like that and believed those three men must be out of their minds.Suppressing her anger, Olivia forced a smile. "But we’ve got our part-time jobs to take care of this afternoon."She was implying they should skip the race.Justin shot Olivia an annoyed glance. "The race starts at 2 p.m., and we don't start work until 5 p.m. We should have plenty of time to make it back. If you don’t want to go, we’ll go without you."The money they earned in the morning was enough to cover the round-trip cab fare. Alex added, "If you really don’t want to go, the three of us can just go on our own."There was no need to force her, especially if it would make things uncomfortable for everyone.Raymond remained silent, clearly in agreement with them.By now, Raymond felt the sting of his doubts about Olivia deepen. He had spent the night reflecting and realized her concern for him was onl
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