In this life, she chose to leave decisively. On the variety show, she was more popular than Olivia, winning over more people. As a result, Olivia couldn’t siphon her fortune; instead, Olivia’s fortune began to weaken. That explained why she had such a severe backlash earlier.If this were her previous life, with Olivia possessing such a strong fortune, even a backlash would have been nothing more than a scratch. After all, Olivia’s curse against her wasn’t a spell; it was more like a whispered malediction intertwined with their fortunes. Yet, for her to suffer so much now indicated that her fortune had been significantly weakened lately.This also explained why Tracy mentioned there was a deep connection between her and Olivia. Jenny was startled. “What? Your fortunes are linked, so one rises while the other falls?”Thinking it over, she suddenly realized, “No wonder she tried to steal your parents’ and brothers’ love and even my brother's too. She wanted to enter the entertainmen
Jenny had celebrated Joey’s birthday a few times, so she knew it well. Lindsay asked, "Do you know the exact time of Joey’s birth?"“If I knew, I could do some calculations,” she added.Jenny shook her head. "I don’t know the exact time.""Should I ask him?" Although she had decided not to care for him anymore, she couldn’t just stand by and watch him get hurt. Besides, if she gave him a warning and Joey didn’t listen, his fate would be his responsibility and not hers.Lindsay nodded. "Go ahead, and while you're at it, see if he knows anything about Jasmine having issues like this."Jenny then called Joey.At the bar, Joey was drinking and venting his frustrations with Justin, while Oliver watched from the side, occasionally throwing in a sarcastic comment.Suddenly, Joey's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and his eyes lit up instantly. He answered, his voice unusually gentle, “Jenny!”Hearing this, Oliver couldn't help but tease, "Damn, that gave me goosebumps."Justin was equ
Justin's expression darkened. "If you have got nothing better to say, just keep quiet. You go handle your business, and I'll come along with you. What's the big deal?"Hearing this, Oliver chimed in, "Then I’ll tag along too."He had nothing better to do and was keen to see the drama unfold between them.Joey was exasperated. "Come on, you two. I'm going there for something serious."Justin and Oliver said in unison, "We’ll go with you for the serious stuff."Joey rolled his eyes at them. Seeing the location Jenny had sent, he stood up and said, "You two keep drinking. I'll cover the tab."Then he turned to leave.Justin followed suit, standing up. "Do I look like I’m short on money? I’d rather go with you."Oliver got up as well. "I'll settle the bill. Let’s go."Joey's face was dark. "Are you serious right now?"Both Justin and Oliver nodded. "Absolutely."Oliver scanned the QR code and paid the bill. Then the two of them followed Joey out.When they got a cab, the moment Joey got in
Joey found Lindsay's response amusing. "So, if I say they're not trustworthy, they won't be allowed to listen in?"Lindsay nodded. "Of course. In that case, they’d have to wait outside."What she wanted to discuss mainly concerned Joey, so naturally, he should decide who stayed.Justin and Oliver exchanged looks, feeling a bit disgruntled. They were being treated like they could be summoned or dismissed at will. The more excluded they felt, the more curious they became. Both of them turned their eyes toward Joey, silently urging him to handle the situation wisely.Joey ignored their pleading looks and turned back to Lindsay. "They're reliable enough. Go ahead and say whatever you need to. If it's about Jasmine, it might even help them to know."He had already guessed that Lindsay and Jenny might have uncovered something significant.Lindsay replied, "Alright, since you don’t mind, I won’t either." She then asked, "Are you aware that there’s something off with Jasmine?"Joey glanced at
Jenny's eyes widened. "So, you're saying Joey and Jasmine have also been manipulated, with their fortunes bound together, affecting one another?"Joey was confused. "What do you mean by 'fortunes bound together, affecting one another'?"He quickly understood. "So, if Jasmine's fortune grows, mine takes a hit?"Justin and Oliver were equally shocked. Was that even possible?Lindsay shook her head. "No, after my calculations, I’ve found that Joey and Jasmine’s fortunes aren’t in opposition like that. It’s more like one is parasitically feeding off the other."Seeing their confused expressions, she explained, "Think of it like a dodder vine—it can only grow by attaching itself to a tree. Joey, you're the tree, and Jasmine is the dodder vine. The better your fortune, the stronger hers becomes as well."She turned to Joey. "Has Jasmine been helping you in your career? Has she gathered a lot of information about the Long Group for you?"No wonder Joey had kept Jasmine around, despite not kno
Joey had a nagging feeling that Jasmine's decision to change her ID had to serve a bigger purpose. It couldn't be just about hiding things from him.Lindsay replied, "It was to leech off your fortune while also stealing Jenny's. She and Jenny are the ones whose fortunes are in direct opposition. When Jenny’s luck declines and her fortune weakens, Jasmine’s grows stronger."No wonder Lindsay had felt a strange, indescribable feeling the first time she saw Jasmine. It turned out Jasmine’s role was even more significant than Olivia’s—she played both sides. No wonder Jenny hated Jasmine so much.Jenny had experienced a long stretch of bad luck before, suffering quite a bit while staying at her mother’s family home. Even after Jasmine moved in next door, misfortune seemed to follow her everywhere. It was only when her mentor advised her grandfather to get a mystic charm to ward off the negative energy that things gradually began to return to normal.Lindsay had always felt that after she d
Lindsay nodded. "That's right."Justin's eyes narrowed, and he cautiously asked, "That person… could it be Olivia?"Other than Olivia, he couldn't think of anyone else it could be.Jenny raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you become so smart?"Justin winced and thought that he had no need for such a heartless sister.His expression darkened slightly as he muttered, "How could this be?"Had he, by helping Olivia, almost caused Lindsay’s fortune to be stolen? A pang of guilt twisted in his chest. What kind of mess had he gotten himself into?Unable to hold back, he looked at Lindsay with remorse. "I'm sorry!"Lindsay gave him a calm, indifferent glance. "I have no use for your apology anymore."Meaning it was too late.Justin felt even worse, but he didn't know what else to say.Meanwhile, Oliver snapped out of his shock. "So, Olivia coming to our family… was planned from the start? Are you saying her birth date and time are the same as Lindsay’s?"Olivia had come into the Harper family
Oliver looked confused. "Our birth charts are different from hers. How could we be affected by her draining our fortune?"Lindsay replied, "She must have given your hair or blood to the people backing her. Then they used some kind of spell to connect you to her in a way that allows her to steal your fortune."Your love and care for her over the years created a magnetic field of sorts. As long as you kept showering her with affection, combined with the fortune she stole from me, her luck would stay strong. Think about it—ever since I left the Harper family, hasn't Olivia’s luck been remarkably good? Maybe even incredibly lucky at times."When her hair and blood were taken, they must have been handed over to the people backing Olivia. Her mentor likely did something to counter this, along with giving her the mystic charm, which allowed her to temporarily escape the worst of the fortune-stealing.If she had stayed with the Harper family after returning, Olivia would have continued to sip
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