As Fiona's son, Fergus noticed this too. He frowned at Graham, his tone turning cold. "Mr. Judd, shouldn't you be taking Mr. York somewhere to discuss company developments?" What was Graham still standing here for? Fergus' warning was clear. Aria's gaze followed, her dark eyes carrying an intimidating weight.Only then did Graham snap out of his daze. He was about to speak when Landon cut in, "Take everyone back." Graham had come with partnership projects from other companies. Could they really just leave like this? He knew they had upset Landon earlier. Even Westin, who had been so arrogant before, was now actively seeking him out. Their message was clear too—they hoped Graham would try to persuade Landon. Though Graham wouldn't dare to persuade him directly, he could at least mention it, given how generous their concessions were. Besides, their business would suffer if they really offended the Chamber of Commerce. As the head of the Ludwiten branch, Graham definitely wanted
Graham instinctively glanced at Landon's face. Sitting in the back seat, Landon's posture was as perfect as if he were modeling for a business magazine. He set down his drink, speaking with casual indifference, "Just answer whatever she asks." Graham felt surprised. He never expected Landon would allow Aria to know about company matters. Clearly, the rumors were false. People were claiming Landon was only getting close to the youngest Carver due to their prior engagement; otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to break it off before. Now it seemed completely baseless. Landon hadn't just accompanied her to Ludwiten; even his decision to sever ties with the Kincaid family during the meeting might have been for Aria. He was becoming the legendary devoted husband everyone talked about—almost to the point of handing over the company to her. An engagement gift perhaps? No way, Landon would never marry into her family. Graham shook off these strange thoughts and stopped holding back. H
At the end of the day, those socialites probably just did it for fun. But at this moment, Graham felt an intimidating pressure radiating from Aria. Her face remained beautiful, but her eyes had turned ice-cold. When she looked up, her eyes seemed to glint with frost, as if she could expose anyone's thoughts in an instant. Graham actually felt afraid. He had never experienced anything like this before. Even the famous Lily Kent, who was currently making waves in Ludwiten for her fortune-telling ability, hadn't made Graham tremble like this. For some reason, he recalled the rumors he had heard from Janovin. A recent nationwide case of returning the heroic spirit home had exposed suspicious activities at the church. But people said that the case wasn't solved by any special task force, but by Aria. They said she had worked in secret and struck so suddenly that those involved with the church had no time to react before they were all imprisoned. Otherwise, the suppression of the her
"Mr. Barron raised money everywhere. He used his influence in international business circles to gather both funds and supplies. "Many Farshyan expats abroad gave everything they could to the country. Our medications, weapons, and communication equipment all came through their efforts. Back then, Chamber members had only one thought—Farshya must not fall." "That's how the Chamber of Commerce became a contact point. It was discreet, hard to suppress, and had an extensive logistics system. We didn't have courier services then, just security transport companies. These companies helped deliver crucial supplies to aid the country. "The Chamber succeeded largely thanks to Farshyan expats' help. That's why two of the four decision-makers were Farshyan expats, two were Ludwiten merchants, and Mr. Barron held the tie-breaking vote. "Now years later, the business world has changed drastically. The descendants of those two Ludwiten merchants have gone overseas. Besides Farshyan expats, man
Aria had used this strategy on Marshall back when she took back Kent Corporation under Georgina's name. The Draycotts' method mirrored hers perfectly. The difference was that Aria had only reclaimed what rightfully belonged to Georgina, while the Draycotts did this to destroy people. Not just one company, but many local businesses had vanished this way. Aria suddenly thought of something. "Did the Draycotts have something to do with the fall of the Hawke family as well?" Others in their circle had suspected this but never dared voice it. And Graham's expression confirmed Aria's guess. "The Draycotts did many things just so they could become the decision-makers. Ms. Carver, please be careful in Ludwiten. They'll do everything to prevent your return to the Chamber. It's not that they're particularly strong, but they have too much capital backing them. "The relationship between the Grishams and the Carvers is their leverage." As Graham finished speaking, their car arrived at t
But thinking about it now, would other companies fare any better if the Draycotts became the biggest decision-makers in the Chamber of Commerce? The answer was definitely no. Graham's face changed as he said urgently, "Mr. York, I'll head back to the company right away!" Back in the car, Graham hoped Aria would win this tug-of-war, despite her seemingly impractical words. The Chamber had fallen far from its founding principles. If the Carvers still held their former absolute influence in Ludwiten, they could surely turn things around. It seemed the Carvers had returned for exactly this reason. But was Aria really this uninformed about the Draycotts? How could someone so out of touch compete with them? Wait a minute. Aria had not shown any surprise at his words. She had acted as if she already knew everything, even pointing out the reason for the Hawke family's downfall. Come to think of it, Landon would not normally explain these things to Graham. It was Aria who had told him
To prove her capabilities, Lily had not been just sitting around these past few days. She knew Ludwiten's elite were watching and evaluating whether she was trustworthy. She had racked her brain over this. Fortune-telling alone would not give her free rein anymore. Businessmen cared about profits the most. Lily recalled from her previous life how real estate prices had soared and the stock market had seen extended bull runs. This instantly gave her direction. She pretended to look mysterious. "Everyone needs housing. People's conditions will improve, and more will move from rural areas to cities. West Ludwiten is a blessed piece of land, with fortune favoring its residents. "Gold and pharmaceutical stocks will also see upward trends. Mr. Draycott, I suggest you focus development in these directions." Currently, real estate prices were indeed promising. Lily did not expect to maintain her influence seven or eight years later anyway. She urgently needed to prove herself, and sh
Priscilla agreed. The Draycotts now had the power to control the Chamber of Commerce and get whatever they wanted in Ludwiten. No company dared cross them, so just one poor person's death wouldn't make waves. Besides, it was not her fault. "Poor people are just so greedy for wanting everything. Miracles don't just fall from the sky. How could she possibly get the whole procedure done so cheaply? "Ignore her parents. She signed the waiver before surgery. Since she went to school, surely she could read a waiver. Have our lawyers focus on that angle. She can't deny her own signature. "If those old folks make trouble again, remind them of this. Our prestigious medispa suffered reputation damage just because their daughter was too poorly educated to understand a simple waiver, which led to this tragedy. "The clinic did everything it should. If they're still not satisfied, we'll handle it through legal channels. "If they can't figure out the internet, show them how the online commu
Aria needed to identify all the "buyers". Missing even one buyer could mean one more student was sold. "Do the selected applicants have anything in common besides their family situations?" Aria asked, and Eden shook her head. But she then added, "Everyone had good grades, so nobody ever questioned why they were chosen for scholarships. Nothing seemed fishy about it." Aria made a mental note about the good grades, then scrolled through Judy's Facebook feed. This kind of investigation was pretty straightforward for her. Even without being accepted as a friend, she could hack in easily. From her posting habits, Judy seemed like an optimist. She was a nice girl who rarely posted anything negative. But one post made Aria scroll back and look twice. The post was cheerful, with a sunny photo and a cup of chocolate. But the text caught her attention. It read, "About to start my new life! All my hard work has paid off. The interview was kind of weird, but no big deal. Let's go!" Ar
The person on the other end of the call didn't speak. He just nodded with a pouty little face from behind a computer screen. It was actually Sam. He'd been working behind the scenes all along, especially when investigating the Wagner situation. Having him tail Philip was the least suspicious option. Simon was available too, but his presence would definitely attract unwanted attention as a beast of fortune. Since they were dealing with an arcane seeker, bringing Simon would be like handing them a treasure. So Aria made the call to have Sam follow Philip, while Simon stayed with Landon. Aria was not worried about her handsome fiancé being in danger. It was only because Simon would be safest with him. The Yorks carried heavenly fortune. As long as there was no fated ordeal in play, anyone who tried to harm Landon would likely meet a bad end. After all, that purple energy surrounding him wasn't just for show. With Simon staying near him, Simon could mask Landon's aura while also
"Yeah, that's right," the rest of the burly men chimed in. The whole scene was painfully forced and fake. In reality, they just wanted to leave. But Aria wasn't about to let them off so easily. She figured she would return the favor since they'd been asking about her. She asked, "Oh, so the Draycotts owe your company money? Which company is that?" Viggo had not expected this question. He froze momentarily, then quickly replied, "Our company is small, so it's not worth mentioning. It's nothing compared to yours." "It's admirable how your company can sponsor students despite being a small one." Aria's compliment was delivered flatly. Viggo's scalp tingled with unease. "It's actually our investor. He doesn't just fund us but many companies. He came from a small town himself and wants to help these students get better learning conditions." "Now that's a rare and kind soul. I'd love to meet him sometime." Aria said casually, "Since we've had such a fortunate encounter, let's exc
The three men Aria had knocked to the ground were hurting all over, yet she had the nerve to talk about following the law. Viggo knew his men were losing their cool. After all, they'd never been humiliated like this in Ludwiten before. He quickly moved to block them, forcing a smile. "Yes, you're absolutely right. "Well, they say you never really know someone until you trade a few punches. You look unfamiliar, though. You're not from Ludwiten, are you?" Viggo was fishing for information about Aria. He needed to know who she was and why their operation had suddenly derailed today. But someone as shrewd as Aria instantly caught his meaning, so she smirked. Since things had already escalated this far, it did not matter whether she revealed her identity or not. Whoever was behind these men would investigate her anyway. It was better to draw all the attention to herself now while her senior and the Public Integrity Task Force gathered evidence behind the scenes. That way, they cou
Viggo tried to explain, "You've got it all wrong—we don't mean any harm. We were just told to pick Ms. Bohmer up for paperwork. "Ms. Bohmer's a top student, and her school recommended her for study abroad. Just ask her if you don't believe me." Viggo shifted the spotlight to Eden. He figured a student like her wouldn't know how to speak up. Indeed, Eden was terrible at lying. Under Aria's watchful gaze, she nodded. She then added, "But something about them felt off. Maybe I was just being paranoid when I asked for your help." She couldn't very well tell this stranger that everything was based on a hunch, that these people gave her the creeps. They hadn't crossed any lines yet, but something felt wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on what. Eden struggled to explain, but Aria cut right to the chase. "So are you saying you need eight beefy men to escort a girl like her just to fill out some study abroad forms? Can't the teachers or the proper agencies handle it? "Looking
Hearing this, Viggo frowned. The burly men exchanged glances too as they sized up the person in front of them. They'd been in Ludwiten so long but had never met anyone as bold as Aria. They all figured that she must be some out-of-town wealthy heir who didn't know the rules here. She was practically asking for trouble when she blocked their way. These people didn't follow the stock market much. If they had, they'd know that a certain young lady had arrived in town not long ago. And she was someone who was good at dealing with those who crossed her. "You should ask around about who runs things here before acting so cocky. Since you like it here, stay right here with your bike!" As they spoke, one of them walked toward Aria aggressively, raising his arm to throw a punch. The rest moved in at the same time. But before the man could touch Aria, his hand was suddenly caught. Aria moved fast. With one leg braced against her motorcycle as a pivot point, she lunged forward and droppe
After finishing her sentence, Aria ended the call. She trusted her senior would take action on that end. Besides, nobody at the Public Integrity Task Force would dare ignore her message after hearing the way she spoke. Lucas had received his transfer orders. Just after arriving, people were already waiting for him at the train station before he had even attended any meetings. None of them were low-ranking, which matched his own status. The phone call came at an oddly perfect time. It rang right as he left the station, and it was from the Public Integrity Task Force. He hadn't forgotten why he was transferred here, so he glanced at his secretary. His secretary, Douglas Nixon, told the others, "Mr. Murray has some personal business to attend to." Douglas handled things smoothly. He immediately blocked a few people from approaching, though they were all prominent public officials from Ludwiten. Lucas did not want to delay the matter for too long. After hearing the problem, he
Besides, this spot was a perfect blind spot for surveillance. The school's security cameras couldn't reach here, and a tree blocked the view from across the street. If anyone reviewed the footage later, they would only see Eden exit the school gate and disappear after heading to the opposite side. This was exactly what Miguel and the scholarship committee wanted. Miguel had already walked away. He acted as if he'd just been out for a casual stroll, chatting with security while escorting a student along the way. Right then, Aria rode up on her motorcycle and caught the whole scene. Though she had planned to enter the school, she immediately spun her bike around and tailed the van as it drove off. Nobody noticed her because everyone in the van had their eyes fixed on Eden. The attention made Eden's skin crawl. The driver named Viggo Moseley chuckled. "You'll get used to it. The people you're meeting later are the ones handling your paperwork for going abroad." It was just a s
"Don't be silly, your grandmother and I can take care of each other just fine," Brent said. Despite the fact that he came from a village, he never thought of women as any less than men. Eden was an orphan, but her grandparents gave her all their love. "Once you go abroad, your grandmother and I will move back to our hometown. We'll farm a little land and do some other jobs while waiting for your return!" Brent's laughter put Eden much more at ease. As Miguel walked ahead, he felt nothing but mockery when he overheard her conversation. Indeed, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. If there were really such great opportunities to study abroad, the school would surely give them to children of investors and business people who supported the school. Who would choose to send a bunch of poor kids overseas? Not understanding how social class worked was just plain stupid. Eden was walking behind him, so she couldn't see his expression. When they reached the gate, the security g