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
"Never mind, I'll see what the Draycotts are plotting when I meet them the day after tomorrow." Just as Aria put away the invitation, her phone buzzed with a message from the dark web forum. It was her Ludwiten network, Rafe Lane. Without hesitation, she tapped on Rafe's voice message to listen. "Boss, Harry told me you're in Ludwiten! Do you need anything from me?" Rafe's voice was clearly excited. "How did you find time to come to Ludwiten? Didn't you say you'd focus on exams this year, spend time with family, and stay away from venture capital? "Or did you also spot this year's bull market? Everything's green, and the exchange is packed!" Those who had risen with Aria shared an unspoken agreement—they would never reveal her real-world identity. Even if they met in person, they kept this secret. Because Aria clearly was not just any ordinary person; she was an enigmatic genius. If Harry hadn't gone to Southbury back then, only the chairman of Grand Construction Corporation
Laura's piercing scream echoed through the room, shattering any illusion of the gentle, refined woman from a prestigious family. She had been the picture of grace in the Grisham family—a well-mannered and elegant wife, admired by high society. Everyone envied her seemingly perfect marriage.But Laura had never stopped to consider that it was all because of Eamon. It was his status, his wealth, his name that allowed her to hold her head high among the elite.Now that everything was slipping from her grasp, she lost all composure. Gone was the elegant, dignified image—replaced by a woman consumed by rage and desperation. She grabbed whatever was within reach and smashed it to the floor.The housekeepers kept their distance, unwilling to risk stepping inside.The lawyer, however, had no such luxury. He sighed, maintaining his professional tone. "Ms. Fitzroy, obtaining shares is practically impossible at this point. Public sentiment is overwhelmingly against you. I strongly advise se
Laura went pale after hearing that. She shot up from the couch, unable to contain her anger. "Who's saying my marriage had ulterior motives? Who can prove it? If Eamon hadn't wanted to marry me, how could I have given birth to Jett?"The most disgraceful thing Laura had ever done was to use underhanded tactics to secure her marriage.She still remembered the cold indifference in Eamon's eyes when he woke up that morning. The way he had ordered her out of the room as if her presence alone disgusted him. It wasn't until Jett was born that his attitude started to change.But that didn't mean anything. She refused to believe his affection over the years had been fake. No one had proof, so why should the narrative suddenly change now?The lawyer looked at her solemnly. "Ms. Fitzroy, perhaps you should see the video circulating online. It's an old recording. The quality isn't great, but it clearly captures what happened back then.""Video? What kind of video?"Laura's hands were shakin
For some reason, they suddenly lost all interest in Lily. It wasn't as if they couldn't afford their meals, so there was no need to flatter her anymore. The group glanced at Atticus, whose mind was in turmoil. How he wished Lily was right—at least, he could justify his own judgment. But the truth was far from that. All he felt was mounting embarrassment. "I'm not going." Bastian was the first to speak, followed by several others. It was telling how unpopular Lily had become—so much so that even a free meal couldn't entice them. Lily had never experienced such disdain before. After all, she was used to being the center of attention, yet now, even these so-called village bumpkins were looking down on her!"I get it now. You all just flock to the rich and trample on the poor. Now that Aria is more capable, you want to butter her up—just like you did with me before," Lily sneered.But no one was willing to entertain her mockery. They were young men with their own pride.Bastian sc
One of the male students couldn't contain his curiosity, so he asked a bystander, "Why is everyone treating that woman with such respect?" "Don't you all recognize her?" The onlooker seemed shocked. "She now holds more liquid assets than anyone in Ludwiten. That land she acquired recently is valued in the billions—and that doesn't even account for her other ventures." Atticus felt his heart sink even further after hearing those words. The other male students all seemed dumbfounded and frustrated as well. Anyone watching could see the regret written all over their faces. But what could they do now? Being told off was embarrassing enough, so they definitely were not going to stick around. After walking a short distance, someone couldn't help muttering, "Do you think Aria really has that kind of money? They said she has billions of dollars." Nobody answered. They had all seen how people reacted, and making excuses now would just make them look dumb. "Lily, since you're in Ludw
Lily stood nearby, her body stiffening as she listened to what Aria had just said. She had seen similar headlines before but never paid them any mind. She thought that no matter how great the spending power of everyday shoppers could be, they could not possibly compete with corporate capital. After all, companies could drop tens of millions on stocks without blinking. She had never thought much about the power of ordinary shoppers. But now, she was being told she had lost because of them—the very people she had dismissed as insignificant! Lily couldn't accept it. She was a reborn, so technically speaking, she should have been blessed with great luck. But why did Aria keep winning against her? Her hatred burned as she glared at Aria, frustrated that no one would listen to her. This version of Aria was nothing like the one she remembered. Lily remembered how after being brought back to the Carver family, Aria had been treated worse than she ever was with the Kents. Everyone in
The students from Southbury had no clue what Jonah was talking about, but locals in Ludwiten knew. On that same day, gold prices had surged by nearly 40 points per share at the stock exchange. Gold stores across the city were hiking up prices too. Out of everyone at the stock exchange, Aria held the majority of the gold shares. It could only mean that she had made an unimaginable fortune. Not to mention, the land she owned had just been confirmed for development—soon to become the largest economic zone in years. Instantly, every member in the café wanted to approach and talk to her. Lily and the group of male students were then shoved aside. "Ms. Carver! What a surprise running into you here!" A well-dressed middle-aged man stepped out of a luxury car. His tailored suit showed how wealthy he was, yet here he was, fawning over Aria and being so friendly with her. Compared to Aria, Lily seemed like a total joke after being caught mooching off someone else's membership. Atticus
"But they can't just treat people like this!" Atticus exclaimed while looking at Lily, who stayed silent. He refused to believe the woman he admired was anything like they said. "Lily, just call Mr. Clinton or Mr. Guetta right now. Let's see if this man still dares to talk to you like that. You're just too nice for your own good." Hearing what he had just said, Lily clenched her fists. Why was this idiot making things worse? She was already trying to stop him, and he still wouldn't shut up. "Atticus, forget it. You guys finally got to visit Ludwiten, so let me show you around the city." Right now, all Lily wanted was to leave. Every second here was another chance for her lies to unravel. If she played her cards right, these clueless classmates of hers would still buy her act. She had been humiliated enough—she couldn't take any more! But Atticus didn't get the hint. He kept shouting, puffing up like an angry rooster. Jonah had no patience left. With a wave, he signaled the
The crowd couldn't help but laugh at Aria's remark, which only made the group feel humiliated. Just as they were about to fire back, a louder commotion erupted nearby. It seemed that someone had been thrown out of the café up ahead. Atticus couldn't be bothered with Aria anymore. Before dragging his friends away, he said, "What a classless bumpkin." They still wanted to wait in line for some croissants. But what the hell had just happened? Then, they spotted a familiar figure being shoved out of the café. They were dumbfounded for a second, and they thought they were seeing things. "Lily!" Atticus, her ever-devoted simp, rushed forward. "What the hell are you doing? You can't just push people around! We're customers!" They were still students, so they had no clue about certain rules in Ludwiten. This century-old café was members-only, and the café had the right to refuse service. Lily's heart sank when she heard his voice. As they reached her, her face went pale. With
Aria had spotted these people long before they noticed her. She didn't have a good impression of them at all. They hadn't bullied her back then. But in her memory, they'd often throw in a mocking comment or two just to score points with Lily. People from small towns like them sometimes had bad habits. For example, they would believe they knew the whole truth despite having limited knowledge. The biggest difference between them and city folks was that they were really out of the loop. It was like telling billionaires that a car costing 300 thousand dollars was expensive—they'd look at you confused. Tell someone worth a fraction of that, and they'd nod in agreement. In the business world, being in the know was everything. Some people made fortunes with the right information. There would also be people who heard the same thing but wouldn't even care about that. These students had actually been told that Aria wasn't the same person anymore, and they shouldn't mess with her like b