Benedict nodded. "That’s always been my starting price for readings."Brandon hesitated for a moment. "And if I wanted you to fix it, how much would that cost?"Benedict replied, "Depends on what it is, but it won’t be less than one million."Anything under one million dollars wasn’t worth his time. At his level, money had long since lost its appeal. Many wealthy people came to him with bags of cash, but it all depended on his mood—most of the time, he turned them down. The only reason he was entertaining this now was because of the show, and since Brandon had asked, he figured he’d play along.Hearing the price, Brandon thought it was steep but became more convinced that Benedict had real talent. After all, Lindsay had sold charms to his brother Oliver for one million dollars each. The funny thing was, even when he tried to buy one for the same price, she wouldn’t sell it to him...So, he said to Benedict, "No problem. I’ll pay you after the show. Help me take a look."Benedict's g
Olivia knew she had to step in and explain herself. If she didn’t, the others might start fearing her, worried she’d "borrow" their luck as well. She also didn’t want Brandon to realize she’d known all along that by borrowing his luck, he would suffer misfortune. More importantly, she didn’t want Elric or Benedict to misunderstand her.Alex, watching Olivia’s surprised act, thought to himself, “She’s really good at this. No wonder she’s trying to break into the entertainment industry. It’s a shame to waste talent like that. But who knows if anyone else believes her? I sure don’t. No way she didn’t know Brandon would get unlucky after lending her his luck.”Elric, clearly unconvinced, said, "Your explanation just makes it sound like you're trying to cover up. You’re feeling guilty, which is why you’re rushing to explain yourself."Lindsay, who had been about to say something, stayed silent. Elric had already voiced what she was thinking.Olivia was speechless.“Why is it always Elric
Benedict continued, "You lent your luck to your sister, so naturally, you’ve lost part of it. You can’t rely on external objects to sustain it."Then he added, "If that were possible, why didn’t she use the bracelet to suppress her own bad luck instead of borrowing your luck?"Brandon felt like he was about to lose it. "So, you're saying that after lending out a third of my luck, no external object can help, and I’m just going to be stuck with all this bad luck?"Benedict nodded. "Yes. To be precise, you won’t always be as unlucky as you are right now. For the next decade or two, you’ll experience the same level of bad luck you had before you started wearing the bracelet. After that, things will get a bit better."Brandon was speechless.It had only been a few weeks of misfortune, and he had already been on the verge of losing it. If he had to endure it for 10 to 20 years, he might actually go insane.Unable to hold back, he asked, "What happens when I stop wearing the bracelet? How ba
Olivia never expected Benedict to reveal everything so clearly, especially after she had silently pleaded with him. Yet, he had gone ahead and said it all in front of everyone. She was furious.Why did everyone connected to Lindsay seem to target her? She was convinced that Lindsay must have spoken poorly of her to Benedict behind her back. Given their senior-junior relationship, she didn't believe for a moment this was their first encounter. What other reason would Benedict have for siding with Lindsay?Olivia couldn’t bring herself to consider that Benedict was simply stating the facts. Instead, she was caught in a panic, unsure how to handle the situation. Then she heard Brandon’s question, and relief washed over her—he was still willing to believe her.She quickly put on a look of wide-eyed innocence, her voice full of surprise and sincerity. "Brandon, I honestly didn’t know it would turn out like this. My friend never told me any of this. You saw it yourself—I’ve been wearing th
Brandon had no idea that lending out his luck would bring him such bad luck in return. If he had known, he definitely wouldn’t have agreed. But hearing Lindsay’s comments made him realize that borrowing luck wasn’t so simple.Lindsay gave him an exasperated look. "What do you think? Why don’t you try borrowing some luck from someone else and see if it works?"Brandon was beginning to believe it, but part of him still struggled to accept it. He turned to Alex. "Hey, give me some of your luck, will you?"Alex stared at him in disbelief and thought, "Seriously? Do I look like an idiot to you?""Come on, I owe you one," Brandon pressed.Alex scoffed. "You already took my charm, which cost me days of bad luck and one million dollars. Now you want my luck too?"Brandon explained, "Lindsay said it won’t work without specific conditions. I just want to see if it’s true."Desperate to know if Olivia had tricked him, Brandon’s insistence was clear. Alex, knowing his brother’s intentions, cou
Brandon was determined to go through with the test, especially after Elric had pointed out Olivia's failed attempt to stop him. Olivia, seeing she had no way out, could only sit back and watch with cold eyes.Brandon removed the bracelet and placed it on the table. Not even fifteen seconds had passed when someone suddenly shouted, "Watch out!"Brandon froze for a moment and followed the gaze of the person shouting. He looked up and saw a bamboo pole from the overhead grapevine falling straight toward him, the sharp end aimed directly at his head. He was sitting down, with no way to move out of the way in time.“I’m done for,” he thought, his mind going blank.Just then, Benedict quickly flicked the lid of his teacup, sending it flying toward the pole. With perfect speed and precision, he knocked the bamboo aside, and it landed harmlessly at Brandon’s feet.Brandon’s face went pale. "That bad luck hit fast," he muttered, then turned to Benedict. "Thank you, Mr. Scott."If Benedict ha
Brandon sat up from the ground, his face even paler than before. That was way too close. He asked, "If I put the bracelet back on now, will it still work?"Lindsay nodded. "Yes, it’ll work. It’ll temporarily suppress your bad luck, just like before. But when it wears off, you’ll have to deal with three to four months of bad luck, like what you just experienced."Everyone’s gaze shifted to Brandon with a mix of sympathy. That sounded awful. The realization that luck could be given away was also unsettling—what a terrifying thought.One of them asked, "Lindsay, what kind of conditions are usually needed to give away luck?"They wanted to know more, just in case they found themselves in a similar situation.Lindsay replied, "There are a few dark practices that can steal or exchange luck, or even swap life forces. But cases like Brandon and Olivia’s are rare, and you’re unlikely to run into something like that."The most common thing you might encounter is finding an envelope with symbol
Brandon looked at Olivia, feeling conflicted. He wanted to believe her, but he couldn’t trust her the way he used to. Borrowing luck required specific conditions, and if it was just a joke, his agreement wouldn’t have worked. Did she really not know? If she didn’t, why did she ask to borrow his luck, and why did she only give him the bracelet right before his string of bad luck hit, just before the show?He felt a pang of sadness.After a moment of silence, he finally said, "If you say you didn’t know, then let’s leave it at that."Looking at Olivia’s pitiful expression, he realized that pressing further wouldn’t change anything—she wouldn’t admit it. He had willingly given her his luck, so he could only blame himself for what happened. But there definitely wouldn’t be a next time.Olivia, eyes red, tugged on Brandon’s arm. "Brandon, I really didn’t know. After the show, we’ll go find that person, and you’ll see for yourself."Brandon nodded. "Alright."He was curious to see who
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