Oliver's face darkened. "Get lost..."What kind of friends were these? They made it sound like he was some kind of despicable villain.He sneered, "To think you guys became my childhood friends... Do you think you're any better?"Jenny clapped her hands in agreement. "Absolutely right."Lindsay added, "At least you have some self-awareness!"Oliver and his two companions were speechless and thought, “Friends, my foot. More like backstabbers.”They had embarrassed each other in front of Lindsay and Jenny again.Oliver shot a glare at Joey and Justin. "You two, shut up for now. I have something to say."Then he turned to Lindsay, "So, how do we get rid of Olivia?"The depth of his past devotion to Olivia now mirrored the intensity of his current contempt.Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "How would I know how you’re going to get rid of Olivia? Figure it out yourselves."All she could do was offer a reminder.If collaboration was inevitable, she'd endure it. But only when absolutely necessary.
After hearing Lindsay's words, Oliver had to admit she had a point.He, Raymond, and Alex had all been tricked by Olivia before, and only then did they realize she wasn't nearly as innocent as she seemed. Telling them that she was evil would be futile. Just like last time, when Raymond and Brandon teamed up to help Olivia and snatched the prayer charm right out of his hands. If it happened now, Brandon would probably be the only one foolish enough to make a move.So, yeah, let Brandon experience his "sweet sister's" schemes for himself.As for Edmund, he had always been a bit smarter and more rational than the rest of them. He wasn't likely to fall for Olivia's tricks so easily. And if he did, well, that would be on him. As long as no one's life was in danger, Oliver was even willing to add a little fuel to the fire. After all, watching his brothers' drama unfold could be pretty entertaining.He nodded to Lindsay. "Got it."Lindsay had said all she needed to say and asked all the q
Joey took the talisman and said, "Thanks!"He immediately hung it around his neck, feeling much safer that way.In unison, Justin and Oliver chimed in, "I want to buy a talisman too."Joey glanced at the two of them and asked, "Why do you guys need one? It's not like your luck is being drained."Oliver shot him a look. "We might not be losing luck, but we're in more danger than you are, okay? If we get tricked, it's like handing our luck over on a silver platter."Just thinking about it was frustrating.Justin nodded in agreement. "Exactly."Besides, he also wanted a talisman personally crafted by Lindsay.Joey was exasperated. "Can't you guys just refuse? I mean, I'm losing luck against my will, but you can just say no. So, who's got it worse?"He definitely felt he was the more wronged one here.Oliver replied, "We're worried that we might get tricked into agreeing without even realizing it."This whole thing felt pretty shady. Who knew what tricks Olivia might use to get them to con
Oliver posted the video in the group chat.Lindsay and Jenny opened it and watched. After watching it, Lindsay wasn’t surprised. This was typical Olivia—always looking for ways to make herself the center of attention, treating the scumbags like her personal property.But this video, if released, would definitely be explosive. Oliver was quite the master at setting up his own brother. Maybe he felt lonely after his last video with Olivia, where he’d been caught with his arm around her, went public. Now he wanted his younger brother to enjoy the same experience.Jenny, after watching, sighed in disbelief. "Olivia really knows how to put on that innocent, pitiful act.""But this time, her stepmother is probably furious," she added. "I’ve never seen her lose it like that, grabbing a broom and going at them."Lindsay replied, "I had a feeling Mrs. Harper was provoked into that state when she fainted and ended up in the hospital. But I didn’t expect it would be over something like this. O
Lindsay quickly got in touch with the best recording studio in New Horizon and arranged for Hector to record his song there. Meanwhile, Fiona and Joshua had already joined their film crew, so she went to visit them on set. She was also getting ready to join the cast as the third female lead in Melvin's period drama set in the 1920s.Back at the Harper family home, Grace returned to the country with her three sons and Olivia. Olivia sat in a wheelchair, pushed by Richard's assistant. Richard had also just returned from a business trip abroad and had arrived home earlier. Seeing Grace, who still looked a bit under the weather, he asked with concern, "How are you feeling? Do you need to go back to the retreat for a while?"Grace shook her head. "I'm much better now, no need to go back."She had no intention of going back to the retreat—she needed to keep a close eye on her sons and Olivia. This time, she was determined to hire someone to teach Olivia some proper etiquette and see if
Olivia's words did indeed touch Brandon’s heart. He thought at least Olivia was good to him, not cold and ruthless like his brothers.“Dad, there's nothing going on between Via and me,” he insisted. “Believe it or not, we’ve got nothing to hide. And it was my idea to move from the chair to the bed—I just didn’t want to sleep sitting.”Worried his father might actually punish Olivia, he quickly added, "It’s my fault, not Via’s. I accept the punishment."This time, it was Richard's turn to laugh in frustration. "Well, well, very noble of you," he remarked. "Then you can go kneel."He turned to Olivia. "Even though Brandon is taking all the blame, your behavior was still out of line.""It takes two to tango; you're at fault too," he continued. "Brandon will kneel outside and reflect, and you will stay home and think about what you've done."He wanted an excuse to keep Olivia confined at home, preventing her from causing more trouble.Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. "I understand. I'll
What had gotten into Oliver lately?Alex asked, "What's going on, Oliver? What do you want?"Oliver replied, "I called you both over to talk."Raymond, unimpressed, retorted, "What do we have to talk about?" He still hadn’t forgotten how Oliver had tricked him into that reality show.Oliver rolled his eyes. "You're still so impatient, Ray. I called you here for your own good today. I want to share a big secret. If you’re not interested, then you can leave."He took a sip of his tea. "But when things go wrong later, don’t blame me for not warning you."Hearing this, both brothers, who had been ready to leave, felt their curiosity piqued."Come on, Oliver, stop being so cryptic," Alex said. From the look on Oliver's face, it seemed he really had something important to say.Oliver motioned for them to come closer. Both Raymond and Alex leaned in.Only then did Oliver lower his voice and roughly relay what Lindsay had told him that day.When he finished, Raymond and Alex stared at him i
Oliver’s words landed like a punch, leaving Raymond and Alex visibly unsettled. Any comforting illusions they'd been clinging to were now shattered.They couldn't help but wonder how things would have gone if it had been Lindsay in Olivia’s place. Most likely, Lindsay would have gone straight to their parents to plead on Brandon's behalf. And if that didn’t work, she would probably have knelt outside with him.Of course, that was the old Lindsay. The Lindsay of today would probably just smirk and tell Brandon, “Serves you right.”But comparisons were always the harshest. Next to Lindsay, Olivia's so-called concern now seemed utterly fake.Alex sighed. “True. If she genuinely cared, she wouldn’t just talk about it and send us to plead with Dad. After all, if we get yelled at, it doesn’t affect her at all.”“But she still gains all the credit with Brandon, leaving him thinking she’s caring and kind,” he added.“And it keeps up the act for us too—that she’s the compassionate one worrie
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