Lettie then mentioned the most important point, "Perfect timing. You can explain to your mother that you helped me type my novel, too." "Of course!" Paxton agreed instantly, still treating her like a naïve housewife without realizing her plan. "I'll go now, Lettie. I'll explain everything to Mom. Let's keep the rest between us. You know how powerful the Carvers are." "Good. So you've admitted that you only typed my novel while the writing was mine." Lettie hung up immediately, giving him no chance to respond. Paxton froze for a moment, and then his eyes widened. He threw his phone down. "Damn it! That stupid woman was trapping me!" Clutching his hair, Paxton's face contorted with unprecedented rage. Even Percy was impressed. He gave Lettie a thumbs up. Still breathing heavily from tension, Lettie took a drink of water after ending the call. "He's deceived me countless times. I had to learn and fight fire with fire." "Marvelous!" Aria beamed. "That's exactly right!" Lett
Aria noticed Landon's gaze and raised an eyebrow at him. She then slid her fries across the table over to him. "Here, they're nice and crispy. But you shouldn't eat too many," she reminded him with a serious face, referring to his doctor's orders. Looking at her fries, Landon felt like laughing. Did she think that was what he had been thinking about? Some habits of hers never changed no matter how much time passed. Still, he preferred this over her old troublesome habits. He lowered his gaze and took a single fry, somehow managing to make even this simple act look elegant. After admiring his graceful movements, Aria's fingers flew across the keyboard as she searched for Lettie's old Instagram account. Too much time had passed, and Lettie couldn't remember her password anymore. She tried a few times but still could not log in. Without a word, Aria plugged in a USB drive and began working on cracking the password. Watching the rapid changes on the computer screen, Percy's dark
"This was your dream when you were younger, wasn't it?" Pointing at the earliest blog post, Aria read aloud, "One day, I want to write a book that people will remember. The title doesn't matter as long as it reaches across oceans, bridges cultures, and introduces Farshya to the world. "I want people to see the beauty of our country without prejudice. I hope the characters I create will be so vivid that they'll give strength to anyone who reads about them." Aria smiled. "That's pretty cool. It's just like my brother, Leon." Lettie had not heard these words in so long. After starting a family, her thoughts had shifted to balancing relationships, managing daily life, and pleasing her in-laws. On her first day as a newlywed, her mother-in-law, Amara, had immediately established dominance. She had insisted that their family was better suited to government work and she should give up any public-facing career. She pushed Lettie to become a teacher instead. Back then, Paxton was not
"I turned 41 this year. On my birthday, I cooked a full dinner. But I was secretly hoping he'd bring me a cheeseburger. Even if he didn't, I thought at least my daughter would be with me. I waited from noon until evening, then from evening until eleven at night. "I reheated the food seven or eight times. Sitting there alone, I played some comedy show on TV. I found myself laughing along without really following what was happening. I still craved that burger but worried my mother-in-law wouldn't be happy to see the take-out containers. "Still, it was my birthday, so I placed the order and chose the toppings. Something was missing from the table. I almost called the restaurant to ask if they could add a small cake. It didn't have to be anything fancy, just the kind you'd get from a convenience store. "But I worried the delivery person would find me annoying. I didn't want anyone to dislike me, especially not on a day like this." The post instantly shot to the top of the platform'
"Everything proved that I was just deluding myself. All these years without a career, I've been treated as less than everyone else. "On the surface, I should accept my fate. After all, only those who create economic value have a voice. Everyone around me says I married well and that I should be grateful for my life."I don't understand what's so good about it. I've tried to convince myself to compromise. Yes, I don't have a job, I'm ageing, and I've lost touch with society. These days, HR departments have an unspoken rule—34 years old is the cutoff age. "So where can I go? What kind of work can I do? Must I stay this way and keep being treated as inferior? Does being a stay-at-home mom really create no value? "Even hiring a live-in nanny in the city costs at least 15 thousand dollars a month. Stay-at-home moms don't just do a nanny's job. We're teachers, social coordinators and managers of everything inside and out. "Yet, we can't say a word, because if we do, it sounds like w
Lettie had always put Paxton's needs above her own, easily melting at his sweet words. But now, she dared to play him for a fool!In a fit of rage, Paxton slammed his phone, cracking the screen. He paced back and forth, his agitation palpable. "After all these years of supporting her, she's forgotten who she really is! If it weren't for me, she'd still be stuck working at her parents' grocery store. How else would she have become a rich man's wife?"Now she's even trying to trap me with her words. Hah! If she won't accept my kindness, fine! I'll divorce her right now!"Paxton angrily grabbed his things. Celestia beamed at his words. "Why waste time arguing with someone like her? She's just after the book royalties now that they're rolling in. That speech was probably the best she could come up with after racking her brain. The judge won't base a ruling on just one statement."Don't let this affect your health—you need to quit smoking and stay calm. Remember, we're planning for a
Celestia's face turned white with panic. Terrified that her photos would be screenshotted, her fingers moved faster than ever, but she couldn't keep up. She posted nearly three times a day, and now, the floodgates had opened."What do I do? What can I do?" Celestia was so anxious that she pulled at her hair. "Private account! I'll set it to private right now!" But it was too late. People were already taking screenshots and screen recordings, and within a minute, comments flooded Paxton's page. "I knew I recognized this homewrecker—I've seen her content!" "You've seen her content? What do you mean?" "She's a fashion influencer! She does street style and promotes clothes, bags, and beauty products! Her handle is @CelestiaNorwood." "No way! Didn't she just preach about women's independence and not relying on men? How the tables have turned!" "Wow! Her private account shows quite a different life!" "This can't be true. No influencer would date such an old guy." "Honey, tha
In that moment, Paxton felt real fear. His throat became too tight to speak. Kaiden's voice hardened, "I don't care how you do it, but contain this matter. Your personal drama is causing too much negative publicity. You can forget about that promotion. As for Mr. Hendricks Senior, you can explain this to him yourself." Kaiden did not want to get involved, but Don was once his mentor, guiding him when he needed it most. It was through family connection that Paxton's career had advanced so smoothly. His mind was in chaos now. The higher he climbed, the harder he would fall. "I'll explain everything. Don't worry! I'll apologize to my wife right away!" Hearing this, Celestia exploded. "Apologize? What about me?" Her shout drew stares across the hotel lobby. Terrified of attracting more attention, Paxton covered her mouth. "Please, keep your voice down!" Kaiden heard the commotion too. "Who's with you? Where are you now?" "I..." Paxton tried to lie. But Kaiden did not want t
Tobias had always said Aria was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy in spiritual cultivation, but Leon's ability to effortlessly channel the power of the Five Emperor Coins was both baffling and unsettling.Although Aria had marked the coin with her imprint to serve as a protective charm for Leon, the outcome had far surpassed her expectations.Because he was her relative, Aria had attempted to deduce more about him based on his facial features, but nothing came to her.As she touched the now-charred coin, the lingering heat revealed the intensity of the force that had been exerted upon it.No one knew what exactly had happened.Aria didn't believe Leon was lying to her. He truly didn't understand these matters and had his own dreams and ambitions. Perhaps it was from his past life unless the Leon in this life had tapped into the power of the Five Emperor Coins.Ever since her experience in the manifestation, Aria had been driven by an urge to uncover more about the Carver family's
Philip added, "Aria had warned me to be careful because of my constitution. That's why I didn't reveal myself. I pretended not to notice anything. If Ignatius hadn't been hogging the bathroom, I wouldn't have had to use the restroom in the Furler residence's family hall."The strange thing was that it wasn't even very late, but there wasn't a single servant in sight at the Furler residence. It was as if they had all been deliberately sent away. I was already uneasy, but after I finished in the restroom and came out, I saw that scene."The memory of that moment was seared into Philip's mind.He had tiptoed back, heart pounding as though it might burst, terrified of being discovered.When he returned, he immediately asked Ignatius if Ashton had been acting strangely lately.Ignatius, still engrossed in his game, barely looked up. "What could be strange about my grandpa? The old man just keeps nagging me to hang out more with the Carvers boys. Do you think I'm cut out for that? Oh, r
At that moment, it felt as though something had seared his hand.Philip's eyes flickered wildly with disbelief as he stared at Leon, the one who had thrown the copper coin."How could this ordinary man—mediocre in both fortune and fate, even marked for a short life—know how to wield the power of the Five Emperor Coins?" he thought.The black mist clouding Philip's gaze retreated swiftly, recoiling in fear. He realized that the Five Emperor Coins would incinerate him beyond recovery if he lingered even a second longer.It had been years since he had endured such agony.This wasn't just any force. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. Not even the Dracotigris Order had delivered a power so unrelenting, so consuming. If he stayed, he wouldn't merely suffer—he would be obliterated.The Carvers weren't as straightforward as they seemed.Even someone he thought he understood, someone as seemingly inconspicuous as Leon, could wield the Five Emperor Coins.Leon, who ap
It was as if Philip had sensed a shift, a hostile energy directed at him. His neck twisted sharply, and his gaze snapped to Leon.Philip's eyes locked onto the copper coin in Leon's hand, filled with a peculiar mix of hatred and wariness. His fists clenched tightly as though restraining himself.Fergus noticed the tension immediately, his brow furrowing.Leon raised an eyebrow, unperturbed.The two brothers exchanged a glance, their silent understanding unspoken but clear.Fergus was the first to move, stepping slightly forward.Philip's expression remained unnervingly stiff, but the corners of his mouth curled into a sinister smile."Even if it's one of the Five Emperor Coins, you'd still need to know how to use it, and do you know how to use it?""One of the Five Emperor Coins?"Fergus' eyes widened slightly. For the first time, he realized the significance of the coin in Leon's hand.He had seen such items at exclusive auctions, where their rarity and historical significan
Leon found Philip's demeanor deeply unsettling.Having spent so much time by Aria's side, Leon had witnessed how she handled truly sinister situations."Fergus, I think Philip might be dangerous," he murmured.Fergus was in the middle of a meeting. He had one earbud in and was busy issuing orders in his usual concise and precise manner.Leon arrived just as Fergus finished his conversation with the marketing department head. "Inform the Norwood family that the Carvers operate with integrity. If they're unwilling to collaborate, we don't need them."Ever since Barron's urn had been unearthed, Fergus had been contemplating expanding into Ludwiten.The Carvers had originally risen to prominence in Ludwiten before relocating to the north. For Fergus, Ludwiten wasn't just strategic; it was a city he had always admired.His expertise in finance would flourish there, offering him greater opportunities. More importantly, it was a critical move for the future of Carver Group.Among the
There was an uncommon steadiness and openness in Don's voice as he spoke. "Actually, this is a good thing. Amara and I have talked it over, and we've decided that wherever I go, she'll go with me."She has some deeply ingrained views that won't change overnight—her husband had been her everything, and her son was her entire world."I'm not trying to excuse her actions. She was definitely wrong—outrageously so. But I believe that if I provide her with enough security and patiently show her a better way, she will eventually understand."The real challenge is Daisy." Don hesitated, his words caught somewhere between shame and frustration. "I don't mind admitting this, even if it sounds ridiculous—I can't communicate with her at all. But I know it's not her fault."She was raised to be this way, and the blame lies with me, Amara, her father, and even Lettie to some extent."Don's words rang true—family education was complex and intricate. "The main responsibility lies with me." Don
Celestia's words weren't completely truthful. She glanced around as she spoke. Aria chuckled. She picked up her pendant and made to leave. Celestia knew that she would be done for if Aria left just like that, so she shouted, "Some of them are from families that got rich early. They'd visit Ludwiten and Chershia from time to time, and many of them had properties overseas. They're capitalists, the real deal! They were the ones who asked for the goods!"You know how men are—some of them are obsessed with children of this age. They also tend to prefer Ignisian faces over Glacian ones."Celestia glanced at the camera subconsciously after saying that, as if worried about something. When she noticed that Aria had stopped in her tracks and was currently looking at her, she continued, not brave enough to lie this time, "I'm not the only one they recruited—there are also other influencers. One of them is a famous influencer with some of the highest traffic on the site, I heard. "This isn
At this moment, Audriana still had no idea about the severity of Celestia's crimes.Those coded messages in the fan groups and the buyers behind the scenes came together to form a tangled web.This might not be obvious to the average person, but Aria, the founder of the Dark Web forum, was very aware of certain phrases. Celestia readily denied that there was anything wrong with the chat groups at first. "I can't really refuse when my fans want to support me, can I?"She was so confident because she was backed up by her family. The interrogator withdrew a copy of the messages in the chat group and pointed at the dolls with numbers labeled on them as Aria had instructed. "What does '13 years old' mean?"Celestia's gaze wavered. "I like to label ages on my dolls.""You like your dolls so much you're even giving them blood types?" the interrogator asked sharply. "If not for the photo behind this doll, we would've been fooled."The 'goods', as you call them, are not dolls, but peopl
Aria gave the leader of the SMU a casual look as she said to Paxton, "Someone like you deserves a heavy sentence."The leader wanted to say, "Yes, boss." However, he noticed that something wasn't right—Celestia was watching them. Landon was here, too, as well as the young boy Aria had saved in the square.And so the leader yanked Paxton up from the floor without a hitch. The men also escorted Celestia to the car. According to Aria, Celestia knew some things that would help their investigation, so they had to inspect her thoroughly. From the beginning, Aria acted like a cooperative passerby. Paxton screamed and yelled, but it all was pointless.Celestia said she wanted to call a lawyer, and she wouldn't say anything before the lawyer came. Her mother had taught her this since she was little. However, the SMU didn't follow the usual flow. Paxton was sent to an ordinary holding cell, while Celestia was subjected to a tightly confined investigation. Audriana hung up, feeli