Orion didn't understand martial arts or what the staff were thinking, but he knew one thing for certain—this ignorant young woman was doomed. The Royal Hotel had upheld the same rules for years. The first floor was reserved for auctions, the second floor was strictly off-limits, and anyone who caused a disturbance would be thrown out. Only a select few were ever allowed onto the second floor. Rumors claimed that Barron had once watched a performance from an elevated seat alongside a young man—allegedly the true owner of the Royal Hotel. But no one could confirm this, and Orion found it hard to believe that a young man could have built such a powerful establishment. If he truly existed, where was his heir? Why were there no records of him? Orion's gaze darkened as he glared at Aria. He was determined to prevent the Carver family from making a comeback—no matter what it took. If he couldn't stop Aria himself, he would let the Royal Hotel handle it. After all, she had not onl
Lily clenched her fists. If she hadn't dodged in time, the silver needle would have left a scar on her face. Aria wanted her dead.Ever since she arrived at Ludwiten, Lily had been revered. Yet, Aria still treated her like this. Her gaze flickered as she reached up, covering her face. "Aria, I know you don't want to hear this, but the Grisham family has a right to know your birth chart reading." Aria tucked her silver needle away nonchalantly. "Do you know why I've spared you until now? How dare you call me your sister? You might fool a few idiots with your little tricks but don't try them on me. Next time, I won't be so nice."Knowing Aria was serious, Lily immediately backed away. She knew Aria would have killed her if not for Georgina.But indignation burned in Lily's chest. She was the one who could foresee the future—so why did she still pale in comparison to Aria? She bit her lip and shifted her gaze. The wealthy patrons who had profited from her investment tips immed
They were livid at Aria's sheer audacity. Never had they encountered someone as arrogant as her. Rex couldn't hold back any longer. "I think you need someone to teach you some manners!"Before Clyde could react, Waymond stepped in front of Aria, blocking her from view. Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked down at Rex with an oppressive gaze. "Oh? And what exactly are you going to do about that? Teach me a lesson too?" His voice was cold as he continued. "I finally see how you all perceive the Grisham family. If that's the case, then there's no need for further business. From this moment forward, all procurement contracts between the Grisham family and the Everett and Quispe families are canceled. As for the rest, their contracts will not be renewed once they expire." Only now did they realize who they had been looking down on. Aria wasn't just affiliated with the Carver family—she was the biological niece of the Grisham family, a connection far deeper than Owen's. Regret wash
Orion glanced at Rex. "Waymond, why are you getting so worked up? These people are simply ignorant. I'll teach them a lesson once the meeting is over."His wording was deliberate—if Waymond kept pressing the issue, he'd come across as nitpicky. Orion then shifted his gaze. "As for Ms. Kent, they may have been connected in the past, but it's not our place to comment." Lily nodded, looking as though she was holding herself back. Maintaining his role as the peacemaker, Orion turned to Aria. "Ms. Carver, you should mind your manners. Everyone here is your elder. "I understand you think highly of the Carver family. In Janovin, they're unmatched, but things are different here. Besides, Ms. Kent is a distinguished guest whom I personally invited, and she's also a potential member of the Chamber of Commerce. "Take my advice and stop causing trouble. Mr. Grisham Senior may have shielded you once, but he might not be able to do so again. Don't put your uncle in a difficult positi
Orion was practically mocking Aria for her inexperience in doing business. After all, Aria had no foundation in Ludwiten, which focused on stock evaluation and public offerings. In this context, she was undeniably a novice. The key to success here was securing as many investments as possible. Orion had only established his foothold in the Chamber of Commerce because of his success in doing so. He cast a glance behind him and said, "Great power comes with greater responsibility. It's fine, Aria. You can take your time to learn."By now, Waymond and Clyde surely understood his message. The Grisham family still had to protect the companies that depended on them for survival.If the Grishams decided to cut off certain projects, those companies would lose funding and collapse. Orion had the capital advantage—he could drag any competitor into a price war. While he could withstand the losses, could those companies do the same? Most of them relied on exports, making Orion their linchp
The roads were soaked. It had been raining for a whole day in Southbury. Aria Carver's backpack was thrown out of the door by the butler in disdain."Mr. Kent doesn't want to see you, Ms. Carver. So, I have to say some words in his stead. Your birth parents are in the countryside. Your father's last name is Carver."The Kent family mistook you for their daughter in the past. But now that Ms. Lily has been found, I hope that you can do what's best for everyone and stop contacting the Kent family."The butler, Alfred Dun, took out a card. "Here's 10,000 dollars. Mr. Kent instructed me to give it to you as compensation.""No need."Aria didn't even look at the card as she picked up her backpack.Alfred looked at her in disdain. She didn't want the money? Was she acting tough?She should really think about her circumstances. The Kents had found their real daughter. They wouldn't want a country bumpkin like her anymore. She was an embarrassment. "As you wish, Ms. Carver." Alfred
"I'll offer treatment for everyone at the community square tomorrow." Then, Aria reminded them, "Remember to take the medicine. Don't stay up late to watch soap operas. They won't end so soon.""The Tiara" was all the rage in the Elmer district at that time. All the older men and women were hooked on it.A lot of them looked guilty after Aria said that. "We…We will sleep at 10:00 pm from now on."In the past, no one could have imagined that this group of people would be so obedient to one person. A lot of them had made great contributions to the country. Even their identities were kept a secret.Elmer district's community manager, Joel Hayes, had been hoping that Aria would come back sooner. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief. "Dr. Carver, I have been keeping an eye on your house. I've not allowed anyone to approach your property.""Thanks for the hard work." Aria bowed slightly and handed him an apple. Joel accepted the apple with a smile. "It's no trouble at all. I tr
"You have a good eye, boss! I'll prepare an account to receive payment from the Yorks!"Aria said calmly, "No need to rush. Let me sleep first. Do it tomorrow."Other than making money, Aria's biggest interest was treating all sorts of rare diseases. This job from the York family was a nice one for her.Honestly, she was probably the only person who wasn't fazed by the York's visit to Southbury. All of the prominent families in the city were scrambling into action.A family like the Kents had to reach out to everyone they knew and utilize all of their connections in an attempt to get an invitation from the Yorks. Even regular people were talking about how the city was especially lively that month.First, the richest man in Janovin came to look for his granddaughter. Then, the York family came to receive treatment. Some said that the Yorks came to Southbury because the legendary Whiz Doctor was in town. There were a lot of rumors about the Whiz Doctor, but some of them were qui
Orion was practically mocking Aria for her inexperience in doing business. After all, Aria had no foundation in Ludwiten, which focused on stock evaluation and public offerings. In this context, she was undeniably a novice. The key to success here was securing as many investments as possible. Orion had only established his foothold in the Chamber of Commerce because of his success in doing so. He cast a glance behind him and said, "Great power comes with greater responsibility. It's fine, Aria. You can take your time to learn."By now, Waymond and Clyde surely understood his message. The Grisham family still had to protect the companies that depended on them for survival.If the Grishams decided to cut off certain projects, those companies would lose funding and collapse. Orion had the capital advantage—he could drag any competitor into a price war. While he could withstand the losses, could those companies do the same? Most of them relied on exports, making Orion their linchp
Orion glanced at Rex. "Waymond, why are you getting so worked up? These people are simply ignorant. I'll teach them a lesson once the meeting is over."His wording was deliberate—if Waymond kept pressing the issue, he'd come across as nitpicky. Orion then shifted his gaze. "As for Ms. Kent, they may have been connected in the past, but it's not our place to comment." Lily nodded, looking as though she was holding herself back. Maintaining his role as the peacemaker, Orion turned to Aria. "Ms. Carver, you should mind your manners. Everyone here is your elder. "I understand you think highly of the Carver family. In Janovin, they're unmatched, but things are different here. Besides, Ms. Kent is a distinguished guest whom I personally invited, and she's also a potential member of the Chamber of Commerce. "Take my advice and stop causing trouble. Mr. Grisham Senior may have shielded you once, but he might not be able to do so again. Don't put your uncle in a difficult positi
They were livid at Aria's sheer audacity. Never had they encountered someone as arrogant as her. Rex couldn't hold back any longer. "I think you need someone to teach you some manners!"Before Clyde could react, Waymond stepped in front of Aria, blocking her from view. Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked down at Rex with an oppressive gaze. "Oh? And what exactly are you going to do about that? Teach me a lesson too?" His voice was cold as he continued. "I finally see how you all perceive the Grisham family. If that's the case, then there's no need for further business. From this moment forward, all procurement contracts between the Grisham family and the Everett and Quispe families are canceled. As for the rest, their contracts will not be renewed once they expire." Only now did they realize who they had been looking down on. Aria wasn't just affiliated with the Carver family—she was the biological niece of the Grisham family, a connection far deeper than Owen's. Regret wash
Lily clenched her fists. If she hadn't dodged in time, the silver needle would have left a scar on her face. Aria wanted her dead.Ever since she arrived at Ludwiten, Lily had been revered. Yet, Aria still treated her like this. Her gaze flickered as she reached up, covering her face. "Aria, I know you don't want to hear this, but the Grisham family has a right to know your birth chart reading." Aria tucked her silver needle away nonchalantly. "Do you know why I've spared you until now? How dare you call me your sister? You might fool a few idiots with your little tricks but don't try them on me. Next time, I won't be so nice."Knowing Aria was serious, Lily immediately backed away. She knew Aria would have killed her if not for Georgina.But indignation burned in Lily's chest. She was the one who could foresee the future—so why did she still pale in comparison to Aria? She bit her lip and shifted her gaze. The wealthy patrons who had profited from her investment tips immed
Orion didn't understand martial arts or what the staff were thinking, but he knew one thing for certain—this ignorant young woman was doomed. The Royal Hotel had upheld the same rules for years. The first floor was reserved for auctions, the second floor was strictly off-limits, and anyone who caused a disturbance would be thrown out. Only a select few were ever allowed onto the second floor. Rumors claimed that Barron had once watched a performance from an elevated seat alongside a young man—allegedly the true owner of the Royal Hotel. But no one could confirm this, and Orion found it hard to believe that a young man could have built such a powerful establishment. If he truly existed, where was his heir? Why were there no records of him? Orion's gaze darkened as he glared at Aria. He was determined to prevent the Carver family from making a comeback—no matter what it took. If he couldn't stop Aria himself, he would let the Royal Hotel handle it. After all, she had not onl
Aria had grown into a woman far more beautiful and confident than anyone had expected. She was exactly the kind of person who would infuriate Orion by flaunting her sports cars. Yet, Waymond was more intrigued by something else—why had Clyde called her Dr. Genius?At that moment, realization dawned on Clyde as well. His lips trembled slightly as he glanced at Aria. Thinking back to the medical advice she had given at the Grisham residence, he finally understood the reasoning behind it. He wasn't sure whether to be impressed by her intelligence or wary of her cunning. But no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't bring himself to be angry. His gaze darkened. Aria was just as likable as she had been when she was still a baby. He wanted to step forward, to take a closer look at her. But the weight of their long-standing conflict and the misunderstanding from the yesteryears held him back. Aria, however, had always been adored by the elderly. If she could understand the stubborn
Everyone's first thought was the same—who was she, and why was she up there? Did she even have the right to sit in that seat?The moment Aria appeared, the performers on stage stopped playing. Even the waiters pouring coffee paused, their hands halting mid-motion as an odd expression crossed their faces. They were all equipped with Bluetooth earpieces. When they saw Aria, they exchanged glances, silently wondering whether they should intervene. Just then, Lily spoke first. "My dear sister, do you know where you are? You can't just sit there. Come down now."Sister? The person was Lily's sister?Some were bewildered, while others immediately recognized Aria. But how could Aria be Lily's sister? She was the daughter of the Carver family! Nobody dared to voice their thoughts, yet the question lingered—did the Grisham family not recognize Aria? For years, the Grishams had deliberately avoided mentioning the Carver family. However, a few of Aria's aunts had secretly seen her
Aria wondered if it had something to do with her past life or Barron. But since she couldn't figure it out, she decided to move forward. She tucked the ring away and stepped into the central room. Meanwhile, guests had slowly filled the theater. On stage, a performer sang under the glow of the spotlight. According to Orion's calculations, there was no way Aria would make it to the meeting on time. This session of the Chamber of Commerce had drawn a noticeably larger crowd of foreign investors. They sat watching the performance with evident excitement. Seated to the left of the stage, Clyde observed the attendees' expressions. A wave of frustration washed over him. The Chamber of Commerce had become nothing more than a tool to curry favor with outsiders. He raised his hand as if to take action, but then he let it fall, resignation settling in. The divide between the Grisham and Draycott families was clear. The families aligned with the Grishams were tied to fading industri
A young woman in a gown fanned herself, momentarily stunned by her boss' reaction. She raised an eyebrow. "Boss, what happened? Did you get killed again? Or did someone steal your treasure?"She had worked with him for years, yet this was the first time she had ever seen him so unsettled. He was always indifferent—unbothered by the Chamber of Commerce holding a meeting in their hotel. To him, the game he was playing was far more exciting than watching political maneuvering. No one would expect the owner of the Royal Hotel to have such a childish hobby, but she had long figured that he was simply too lazy to engage with people. Any prestigious family in Ludwiten would seize the chance to establish a connection with him, yet none dared to approach. His presence alone was enough to intimidate. He exuded an effortless allure, dressed in an immaculate suit with a sleek watch on his wrist. His dark hair framed a gaze that seemed to pull people in. And yet, she couldn't shake the