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
As expected, everyone's expression shifted the moment the grandfather and granddaughter interacted. This was especially true for those who had long maintained partnerships with the Grisham family.For years, they had secretly fueled discord between the Grishams and Carvers, manipulating events to serve their own interests. Some had exaggerated conflicts, while others had deliberately concealed crucial matters. If the two families reconciled, all their schemes would inevitably come to light. The Grisham family's wrath would be unavoidable—especially once they learned the truth about Fiona's ordeal. Their alliance with Orion was built on lies to Owen and a fabricated account of Fiona's incident. Sienna had heard of Aria's disappearance and, knowing how distressed Fiona would be, had gone searching for her. In truth, Fiona had regained her sanity when she was with Owen and had wanted to reunite with Sienna. But Owen had blocked every attempt. Blinded by greed, Orion's allies
Orion's head nearly exploded with rage at Aria's actions. Who did she think she was? This young woman had too many tricks up her sleeve!Clyde smiled dotingly. "You don't have to say these things to flatter me, Aria. I've always respected Warren's straightforward way of doing business. Besides, when the late Mr. Barron was around, he taught me a great deal. So, don't worry. In Janovin, you have your Grandfather Warren. In Ludwiten, you have me."Clyde's seemingly lighthearted words sent a ripple through the room. Orion's face darkened, and even an inconspicuous man in the crowd furrowed his brows. As for those hoping to profit from the situation, their expressions shifted instantly. Waymond, too, was startled by how quickly Clyde had changed his stance—especially after everything he had suffered over the years. But Clyde remained indifferent to the reactions around him. He simply patted the back of Aria's hand. "You healed me, and now I know what to do. Like you said, my illne
What are you saying, Mr. Grisham Senior? Aria isn't an outsider. As your granddaughter, she has every right to participate in the Chamber of Commerce's assessment."Orion regretted sparing Clyde's life. Had he dealt with the man back then, he wouldn't be in such a passive position now. If not for someone secretly instructing him to control the Grisham family through Clyde, the latter wouldn't have survived this long—let alone stand before him, challenging his words. Leaning on his cane, Clyde ignored Orion's expression and said, "That's good. When I saw everyone looking down on my granddaughter, I thought they had forgotten the Chamber of Commerce's original purpose."I'm glad you still remember, Orion. Otherwise, if the Chamber of Commerce were overrun with fortune tellers, I wouldn't know how to face those heroic souls when I meet them in the afterlife."His words rendered Orion speechless and left Lily visibly embarrassed. After all, what kind of business association would
"Boss, what are you looking at?" Andrew Clarke, the assistant, glanced curiously at the monitor. Caspian Ashworth set his wine glass on the oak desk and stood up, adjusting his suit. "How many times do I have to say it? Don't call me boss; I'm just an employee. I was just thinking about how long a person can live." "What do you mean?" Andrew appeared perplexed. Caspian let out a heavy sigh. "Of all the people they could have provoked, they chose her." "Do you know this new heir to the Carver family?" Andrew's eyes widened with surprise. This connection was news to him. Caspian put on an amulet. "Indeed. She's our real boss' wife. Didn't you notice the ring she wears? "That belongs to the boss," Caspian continued, his eyes fixed intently on the security feed. He unconsciously shifted his position, as if worried the person on screen might spot him. He then muttered under his breath, "The secret door moved. I thought it was the boss, but it turned out to be his wife instead.
The stage had transformed into an auction house, though unlike any conventional one. Instead of typical items, business projects were sold—some profitable, others not. The real test was spotting which projects would yield a profit and winning them through competitive bidding. Only those who understood the market and had business sense would come out ahead. The winner would be the one who could generate the highest profits. Before coming, Orion had told Lily about the test for those who wanted to join the Chamber of Commerce. She knew exactly what projects were involved. Looking back, she realized how foolish she'd been to waste energy on trivial matters. After experiencing the thrill of stock market profits, she understood that she should have used her second chance at life to make serious money. These projects had all gone viral online, and she had seen countless similar ones. Winning would be simple. It would be better if Aria didn't challenge her. In terms of Aria's medica
Though Aria said those words, she already had the answer in her mind. "Having too many people comes with its own problems." Disagreements would arise easily. However, with her psychology background, Aria was great at exploiting such dynamics. "Hmm? What problems?" Waymond was about to ask more when a commotion of excited gasps erupted from across the room. Orion's eyes lit up, his face showing both pride and delight. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. I have an honored guest to welcome." An honored guest? Who could be important enough for Orion to call them that? The answer came quickly as the source of the commotion walked in. He had strikingly handsome features, clearly not local but bearing some Ignisian traits. His deep green eyes were penetrating and sharp. It was as if they could see right through people's hearts. As he entered, the previously bustling venue gradually fell silent. All eyes were drawn to him, filled with both respect and curiosity. Alaric's well
The aged voice was filled with indifference. "It seems like she reached a dead end."Amos sneered. "I don't understand why these peasants like staying in the city. Still, it's fortunate for us. Otherwise, it'd be hard to get our hands on them.""Amos," the person cut in sharply, as if reminding him of his place.Amos only dared to speak so harshly when no one was around. If word got out, his image as the perfect secretary would be ruined.He quickly calmed down and fell silent. The caller didn't press the matter, simply saying, "You need to change the way you speak and act from now on."Since she's already agreed, give her the money. Don't treat her requests as a nuisance. The more requests they make, the less likely they are to cause trouble later."After picking her up tomorrow, send a few men to check if her grandparents need any help. Make sure everything is done properly."Amos nodded. "I understand. You always see the bigger picture. We'll continue looking after them."Poo
"I promise it won't happen again!" To an outsider, it might've sounded like Amos was talking about the cafeteria mishap. But the truth was much darker. What Amos really meant was that incidents like this could continue, just never publicly. Once the media's attention died down, they could go back to doing whatever they pleased. But for now, the performance had to be flawless.The man on the other end of the call seemed satisfied. Though his voice was flat and monotonous, there was a noticeable shift; it was now less stern."She's been manipulating the stock market," he said. "It's caused major damage to several of Luwditen's corporations. We can't let her walk free."Amos removed his glasses, a grim look on his face. "That's exactly what I told the Securities Regulatory Department. It doesn't matter who comes to plead on her behalf. Even if she's the late Mr. Barron's heir, she has to face the law."She's confessed. No one's going to let her off the hook now. You know what jail'
At first, Eden didn't understand what Aria meant. But as night fell, Aria lowered her head and started fumbling with something. When she looked up again, Eden was stunned—Aria looked exactly like her.Eden's eyes widened in disbelief. She'd only seen something like this in movies. But now, it was unfolding right in front of her. So there really was such a flawless disguise technique in the world."Aria, you…""Since I'm using your identity, I have to be you," Aria said with a soft tug of her mask, smiling. She had always been bold, yet precise. Working in the Special Missions Unit meant secrecy was second nature to her—this part was routine."Stay home and rest tonight. I'll leave first thing in the morning. Once I'm gone and the coast is clear, take your grandparents and leave."Eden opened her mouth, unsure of how to respond. She didn't even know when the people watching them would leave."My team will come get you," Aria reassured her. "What's important is that your grandparent
Eden nodded. "Okay. I'll do as you say, Aria."She sent the text just like Aria instructed. Moments later, her teacher replied—everything had been arranged. A car would pick her up from home. There was no need to return to school.A cold shiver ran down Eden's spine. They knew where she lived. They'd been watching all along. Not just the school—they were everywhere.Eden didn't linger at school. Outside the entrance, the main topic of conversation was the officials' arrival for an investigation and the school's public exposure.Everyone knew the cafeteria was a mess. Students had complained countless times, but each time inspectors came, the food improved just long enough to pass the checks. Then it would all revert. It had become the norm—something they were forced to accept.Eden was no different. She just wanted to get home. She needed to see her grandparents. She feared something might happen to them next.Every step on the way home, she stayed alert, scanning her surroundings
Eden listened closely, her brow furrowing. Her teacher wasn't speaking Farshyan. School was no longer a safe place, and Eden didn't know who she could trust. Her classmates were too caught up in mocking Aria to notice anything was wrong, all assuming Eden was lucky to have been chosen.She considered calling the police, picking up her phone, but then paused. What could she even say? That there was a mole at school? Her face turned pale as she remembered how close the principal was to influential people. The authorities might not believe her, or worse, they might be involved.Despite the headlines claiming Aria had been arrested, Eden felt a spark of hope. Aria had promised she'd show up if Eden ever needed her. Taking a deep breath, Eden dialed the number Aria had given her.She didn't expect anyone to answer. But then came a cool, familiar voice. "Eden? What's wrong? Did someone give you trouble again?"Eden's heart soared. "You're not arrested! The news is fake, isn't it? I knew
Lucas gave Amos a sidelong glance. "In that case, let's do as Mr. Lune suggested—punish everyone involved."Announce to the public that Oakvale Academy will be used as a test case. We'll be conducting surprise inspections in all middle and high schools."As for why Mr. Kelsey encountered two completely different scenes during his visits—well, that's easy to explain." Lucas' gaze swept across the room. "Someone tipped off the school before your visit. If any other school received advance notice, every one of you will be under scrutiny."Though Lucas spoke with a smile, none of the seven present—including the three officials—could return it. The smile, in this context, was more chilling than rage. This was a warning. Amos, in particular, felt deeply unsettled. He had come intending to redirect Lucas' attention away from Oakvale Academy. Instead, the incident had blown up. With public attention turning toward the school, transferring Eden would soon become impossible.Still, Amo
Now that Miguel, who was an expert in covering up, was gone, the long-standing issues in the school were exposed.The group stood frozen as they watched a cafeteria worker pour something into a large pot. A closer look revealed it was leftover mushroom soup. But that wasn't the worst of it. The soup reeked, clearly spoiled, yet it was still being reheated for the students.Things only got worse when they entered the kitchen. Hygiene standards were appalling. Not a single chef wore a mask, and some were even smoking while cooking.Amos' expression darkened immediately, even before Lucas could react.One of the chefs noticed them and slammed his ladle onto the counter. "What are you doing in here? Outsiders aren't allowed in the school—don't you know that?"Unlike other schools, Oakvale Academy had somehow always slipped through the cracks during routine inspections. When required to present something, they staged it well enough to fool a camera.So, the staff never expected a surp
Aria understood that this was all the person could offer. The real mastermind would never reveal himself so easily—not even to his most trusted subordinates.Those in power never needed to explain themselves. Those who understood them would earn their favor; those who didn't were destined to remain at the bottom.Her thoughts raced. She needed hard evidence to capture whoever was behind Amos. Baseless accusations would only alert the enemy and push them deeper into hiding.Allowing herself to be arrested had been part of Aria's plan. She needed the mastermind to lower his guard. After all, she had been too visible in Ludwiten lately. With eyes constantly watching her, she couldn't make any real moves. But she couldn't let the incident at Oakvale Academy go unresolved. Her instincts told her it was the key to everything.Before Philip found his family, she had to act—and that meant changing her identity to save Even.Just then, the person's phone buzzed. He turned the screen towa
"Boss!" Weston rushed over the moment he finished dealing with the other officers. Aria arched an eyebrow, flexing her wrists. "He's the mole?""Yes." Weston nodded. The Securities Regulatory Bureau, dispatched by the Securities Regulatory Commission, was tasked with auditing listed companies—particularly sniffing out insider trading and market manipulation.While not everyone in the bureau could be corrupt, it was common for a few to be compromised.The officer who had been interrogating Aria was of a minor rank, but the one Weston had just exposed held real power.Aria looked over at the trembling man. His legs had given out, sending him to the floor. His phone lay discarded beside him as he shook uncontrollably.They had met before—at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. To him, Aria had just been a clever heiress with some market luck, thanks to Landon's influence. No one would have expected her to single-handedly bring down the Draycott family.No one would logically believe