But if Olivia openly supported her brother, the internet would tear her apart again. She had come on the show specifically to rehabilitate her image. So, she lowered her head, eyes red, putting on a pitiful, wronged expression.Brandon noticed her and quickly stepped in. "This is all my fault. If you want to blame someone, blame me. Via didn’t know anything about this, so what could she even say?"Olivia’s silence was as good as an agreement with Brandon’s defense.Lindsay could see that this performance had run its course. It was time to wrap things up."We don’t speak the same language, and I’m tired of wasting words on you," she said coolly. "You clearly don’t understand a thing."Then, turning to the director and the audience, she added, "Apologies for taking up your time with this mess. Let’s get back to the live broadcast and not waste any more of the production team’s time or the public’s streaming resources."She had kicked off the show by giving Brandon, the nation's so-cal
At home, Oliver and Raymond watched the live stream together, their expressions dark and stormy.Raymond couldn’t hold back his frustration, cursing, "That idiot, Brandon. What the hell does he think he’s doing?"They had just managed to quiet down the public backlash from their previous scandal, and now, thanks to Brandon’s reckless behavior, they were being dragged through the mud all over again.Raymond opened his social media and saw his follower count dropping rapidly. His latest post was flooded with insults and mockery. He suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to storm into the live broadcast and strangle Brandon.Slumping back in his chair, he muttered, "We were already blinded by the lies before. That was our fault. But now Brandon’s just made things worse—Lindsay’s going to hate us even more."It had taken a lot of effort to rebuild some semblance of peace with Lindsay, especially after buying the talismans and protective gemstone pieces from her. Now, all that effort had been
Lindsay seized this opportunity to expose the recording in front of the entire nation, effectively hammering them into a corner. At the time, when he and his brothers were blindly following along, they didn’t feel like they were bullying or suppressing Lindsay. But now, after hearing the recording, he felt the urge to dig a hole and hide. The humiliation was one thing, but the realization of how cruel they had been hit even harder.Back then, they had been influenced by Olivia's manipulations, convincing themselves that Lindsay was the one taking things from her. Olivia wanted the spot, so they believed Lindsay should just give it up.With a sigh, he said, "Looking back and hearing the recording now, it’s painfully obvious how stupid we were. Even Edmund wasn’t spared."They had been played by Olivia the whole time.Raymond sighed. "Exactly. Especially me and Brandon—we were complete fools. We let Olivia manipulate us into fighting her battles. And Brandon, well, he’s even dumber t
After the recording was exposed, Grace found herself trending on social media, getting dragged into the scandal. Soon enough, her family called to scold her, followed by a phone call from her mother-in-law, who gave her an earful. In several social circles, people deliberately brought up the incident in group chats, subtly mocking her for how she had handled things as a mother. Some even tagged her, asking how she could favor an adopted daughter over her biological one. Grace felt like her dignity had been stripped away and stomped on. She didn’t bother responding.Already in a foul mood, Oliver’s words only made her more irritable. She frowned and snapped, "What’s the point of saying all this now? Besides, it’s mainly Brandon’s stupidity at fault here. And Lindsay... she’s so ruthless. She did this on purpose, to make sure we got humiliated. Honestly, this whole mess doesn’t have much to do with Via, so stop blaming her for everything."Grace had raised Olivia for more than a de
The shame was unbearable. Edmund’s feelings toward Lindsay grew even more conflicted. “How could she be so ruthless?” This time, she had left them with no dignity, no chance to recover their reputation. He cursed Brandon for being a worthless idiot who only made everything worse.Back in Goodwill City, Brandon’s ears started burning. He didn’t have to wonder—he knew someone, somewhere, was talking behind his back.Lindsay had blindsided him with this move, stabbing him when he least expected it. Standing beside Olivia, he kept his face grim and remained silent.Charles, not wanting to drag out the awkward tension any longer, decided to shift gears. The live stream viewership was at an all-time high.With a smile, he announced, "Alright, let’s move on to the main event. I’m sure many of you are familiar with Goodwill City. It’s a place that recreates ancient cultural experiences."In a bit, we’ll be giving everyone a makeover with traditional outfits of your choice. Your task is to
Everyone looked at the spinning wheel, finding it both amusing and intriguing, while also marveling at how Charles always managed to keep things interesting.Wendy smiled and asked, "Mr. Barker, are you bringing in another mystery guest for this episode?"The others were just as curious, glancing at Charles for an answer. The last they heard, there weren’t supposed to be any more celebrity guest appearances.Charles grinned and replied, "There is a guest joining, but I don’t know who it is yet, which is why it’s a mystery."Wendy, surprised, asked again, "What do you mean? You don’t even know who it is?"The others were equally confused.Charles, enjoying the suspense, finally revealed, "The production team has a little twist planned. You’ll be exploring the ancient city, and your task is to find a random local guest—someone who’s willing to join the show. If they agree, they’ll be the mystery guest."This was an idea pushed by the higher-ups, and Charles suspected the "random" guest
And that unlucky slot belonged to Olivia. Elric’s face immediately shifted, and he silently cursed his bad luck. Of all people, he had landed on Olivia.Olivia, on the other hand, looked surprised but was secretly delighted. Elric had always been one of her targets, and now it seemed like fate was putting them in the same team. Perhaps this meant she finally had a chance to win him over. Perfect!Elric, though, was far from thrilled. Even though he didn't want to be paired with Olivia, he had no choice but to accept the outcome. With a resigned expression, he returned to the group and, with a fake pout, leaned toward Lindsay for comfort."Linds, I must've jinxed myself before coming here today."Lindsay chuckled and reassured him, "Don’t worry, it’s just a team. Have fun with it."Elric sighed. "I guess that’s all I can do now. I just hope my next teammate lands on you."Lindsay smiled. "Let’s hope so."After Elric landed on Olivia, her name was promptly removed from the wheel t
Elric felt an instant wave of comfort. As Lindsay gently patted his head, his heart raced with a flutter of excitement.He ignored the daggers being shot his way by Alex and Justin, who had just come to stand beside Lindsay. Instead, he flashed a beaming smile. "Alright!"Reluctantly, but with a cheerful spring in his step, he slowly made his way back to his team. Olivia, who had seen the whole interaction, seethed with jealousy and silently cursed Lindsay, calling her a shameless slut. But with Elric on her team now, Olivia was determined to make the most of this opportunity.Meanwhile, the livestream audience had witnessed the entire scene.“Ahhh, Lindsay is so sweet to Elric!”“That head pat! I wish Lindsay would pat my head too!”“The couple I ship just gave me sugar—so cute!”“I can’t help but join be a support of them now. They’re just too adorable together.”“I used to want Lindsay to stay single, but now I think she and Elric make a great match.”“Yeah, her ex may be good-lo
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