Leon's reaction clearly caught Isaiah off guard, leaving him somewhat at a loss. During the past five years, the Katz family's influence had steadily declined. No one truly respected them anymore. To secure any promotional resources, Isaiah had to approach others with humility. Leon knew Isaiah's granddaughter was a fan who once pleaded with him, "Grandpa, if you could get this celebrity to visit our factory, people would buy our canned goods!" She was too young to understand that the adult world was far more complicated. In their current state, the Katz family couldn't even attract minor celebrities, let alone the A-listers young people talked about. Isaiah opened his mouth, then quickly grasped Leon's hand. This gesture reminded Leon of the past. He remembered that the old man before him was not always like this. Back then, Isaiah had been full of energy. He would occasionally visit Clyde to play chess and share news about acquiring new land where their old colleagues could
Taking action meant more than just making purchases. The products on the live stream links had already sold out. The fans' goal was to spread awareness about this exceptional domestic brand that was facing unjust accusations from mysterious competitors. The claims about poor quality were baseless. The allegations about unsanitary conditions and rude employees were equally absurd. Leon's fans were determined to reveal the whole truth. Young people's ability to spread information online was unmatched. Many content creators and private media accounts voluntarily produced videos, and the story spread like wildfire. What started with a few shares turned into thousands, then millions.The local government account that had conducted the undercover investigation had already disabled comments in fear. Yet countless people still tagged them. "As Westgate officials, shouldn't you review your reports more carefully?" "Who conducted the investigation? Who benefited from it?" "Is this how
Orion said, "Our relationship? Mr. Lambert, you're confused again. What relationship could we possibly have? We've only met at business conferences." Orion gripped his phone tightly. "Mr. Lambert, I should warn you. How you speak to me is irrelevant, but if that person hears about this, things will get serious. Don't you think?" At the mention of that person, Clifford cowered a little but also felt reassured. Yes, with that person's backing, what was there to fear? Any problem could be suppressed. But one thing puzzled Clifford. "How did the Katz family bounce back when they were so down? Was it just luck, or does Aria Carver actually have some real talent?" This would have been impossible before. He had worked with the Draycotts multiple times. Yet this time, these internet users had gone completely wild just because of some celebrity daring to cause trouble even with the Westgate government. That was because people who had stayed in power too long would never understand. Pe
"Don't make any moves yet. Something doesn't feel right. Get everyone to pull back," Orion said.The assistant waved everyone off without questioning why. He trusted Orion's judgment and ordered their retreat.After the call, Orion searched his phone for Luka's post. He had his tech team trace the IP address. To his shock, Luka's IP address had changed from the fashion boutique to Draycott Group, and it could not be altered.Orion's anger flared. He assumed Luka had been bought off to plant the IP trace at their house, then disappeared. As he blamed everything on Aria, he ground his teeth in fury.With that IP address, anyone could trace it back to their house. Nothing could stay hidden from the internet these days. He ordered his tech team to hack Luka's account and delete the video, but they were too late.When the video first went up, no one had checked its IP address. They had focused on the content, joining the wave of criticism against the canned peaches factory. That was th
Then, Leon bowed sincerely to the camera. Instantly, domestic brands reached unprecedented popularity. Fans and non-fans alike could see the genuine sincerity of this live stream. Beyond Leon, the factory director and every employee caught on camera teared up, as if they had waited forever for someone to finally notice them. People finally uncovered all of Isaiah's past deeds. Only then did they realize the profound meaning behind these brands that had accompanied their childhood. These legacy enterprises just wanted everyone to be able to eat healthy and live a happy life. When children were sad, they hoped something sweet could make them happy. Though their packaging was not fancy, they put those savings into the food quality itself and their workers' wages. Such businessmen were rare these days. "How many CEOs actually work on the factory floor? I thought it was staged at first, but clearly no one knew Leon would come. This stream showed me what it means to respect ordinar
No one had expected things to turn out this way. Before, people would just choose which brands to buy. Now it had turned into a boycott. Stock prices were plummeting. Many brand accounts had gone silent and even shut down their ongoing livestreams. The Westgate official never received a solution from Orion. For ten minutes after hanging up the phone, Clifford was naïve enough to believe the Draycotts could protect him and that the higher-ups wouldn't treat him as a disposable piece. After those ten minutes, Clifford knew he was finished when the internet exploded with news that the fake video was traced to the Draycott Group. Trembling uncontrollably, he adjusted his glasses and glanced at the money hidden in his wall. He thought about turning himself in. But just as he reached for the phone, it rang. The voice on the other end was elderly but incredibly intimidating. "My dear Clifford, how could you do something that breaks the people's hearts? Can you face the uniform you wea
Orion collapsed into his chair. He understood this signal better than anyone. If even Clifford could fall, it meant things had spiraled out of control. If he could not handle this situation, he might become the next Clifford! No way! He had to act fast! "Release an emergency statement saying Luka always resented our family because he felt left out and ignored, so he used this method to try to destroy us. Contact his parents to make a statement. "Ask them to say he worked with a company employee, then find someone trustworthy to take the fall. Tell them the lawyers confirmed it's a minor offense with a maximum of six months imprisonment. "We'll pay them 500 thousand now and another 500 thousand after release. We'll set his parents up with a house." Orion's thinking was undoubtedly clear now. Looking carefully, Clifford's death actually benefited the Draycotts. At worst, they had made a small mistake; no one could prove they had bribed officials to harm the Grishams. While ma
Aria read the messages calmly among the crowd. She was not worried about being targeted. The club incident showed that going after the Draycotts meant hitting some powerful people's interests. This wasn't like Janovin—the connections ran deeper than just business. She needed to smoke out everyone hiding in the shadows. As long as the Draycotts stayed standing, these people would sleep easy at night.In all these years, this was the first time the Special Missions Unit expressed fear for her safety. That meant the powerful one lurking behind the scenes was really formidable. If it were simple, a deputy chief like Clifford would not just jump to his death. Suicide from guilt? What a joke. Aria raised an eyebrow and opened her messaging app. If the local authorities were too powerful, she'd go deal with those at the top directly. She would certainly not allow them to use Clifford's death to cover up years of misconduct. Were all those legacy enterprises ruined by those people s
Landon's warm lips brushed against Aria's. The touch was light as a feather yet utterly captivating. His kiss was so delicate it seemed to awaken every memory stored in her body. In that moment, Aria could swear she caught that same sandalwood scent from her dreams. Black mist and countless indiscernible inscriptions appeared, but he paid them no mind, gripping her waist as he whispered low in her ear. When he kissed her wrist without looking away from her face, his presence was impossible to ignore. His black leather gloves lay discarded to the side. To Aria, every place his hands touched felt like it was on fire. The sensation intensified when his fingertips traced the black mark on her neck. Something inside her screamed to take control, which made her grab his hand. He seemed to smile with his lips by her ear. "So, are you ready to pay the renewal fee?" Aria had never thought anyone could enchant her like this. But this was different. It felt just like seeing a fallen g
Landon asked, "You're getting water?" As his gaze drifted down to where Aria's hair fell, his voice turned rich and low. "Then why are your ears turning red?" Aria's hand froze mid-air. "It's hot in here." "What?" He raised an eyebrow. "It's only 70°F here." Aria wanted to tell him to stop talking so much. It was all because of what he had done in her dreams, making her imagination run wild now. Did he think having a handsome face meant he could do whatever he wanted? He even used all that binding stuff on her too. But she couldn't be sure it was even him. And even if it was, it must have been from a past life. As an arcane seeker, Aria knew what recurring dreams usually meant. But she had pushed those thoughts aside. A past life should not dictate their relationship in this one. At the very least, he wouldn't try anything like putting her in chains and locking her up now. That would be illegal. She would have him arrested and be done with it. Besides, her handsome fi
The atmosphere inside the room was totally different from the outside.Aria did sense the strange aura around Seraphina just now. Her beauty was otherworldly, almost supernatural. And there was something familiar about her presence—Aria felt she had encountered it before but couldn't remember where. Given how quickly Seraphina had withdrawn her hostility and turned gentle, Aria saw no point in making an issue of it. Besides, the way Landon was massaging her neck felt too good, making her mind feel hazy. As her blood flow slowed, she started to feel drowsy. The trio hiding in the copper coin did not dare show themselves; they were probably not even there. They had been especially quiet since arriving in Ludwiten, as if something here affected them. This was one of the things Aria wanted to investigate. The Wagners had used some unknown method to hide themselves after reaching Ludwiten. Even the Special Missions Unit failed to track them. All they had was that initial contact
The woman in the evening gown kept glancing back as she left, words caught in her throat. Though she wanted to say something, she eventually lost her nerve. She had never dared disobey Landon's orders in the slightest. But besides Landon, other men did tend to fall under her spell.Jett had already stood up, clearly recognizing her. He was surprised and excited. "Ms. Virelle, what brings you here?"She was known to be hard to book. Despite working in nightlife, she carried herself with an elegant air. Even when major incidents happened at clubs, no one blamed her. After all, she was above the wealthy heirs' advances, caring nothing for expensive bottles or money thrown her way. She only went out with those who caught her interest.No one had figured out her criteria for choosing men. She seemed to act on whims, operating independently even from the Draycotts' influence. Eventually, everyone came to call her Ms. Virelle.Seraphina Virelle had planned to just walk past. She did n
Landon told Aria, "Rest on the couch while I wrap this up." He really had a way of making his suggestions hard to refuse. Aria hadn't wanted to know too much about the York family's business dealings. After all, it might get awkward if they ever became competitors."Is this appropriate?" Aria was reminding him to keep business and feelings separate. If she heard any good business strategies, she wouldn't let sentiment stop her from using them.Landon caught her meaning, his smile deepening as his voice took on a rich tone, his eyes soft. "There's nothing inappropriate. We're not discussing anything important."He removed his leather gloves and gently touched the dark circles under her eyes as he spoke. His gentlemanly gesture made it hard to believe he had just been in intimidation mode."Then I'll use your computer to work on some files. You two talk; don't mind me." Aria needed to review the Draycotts' recent moves to prepare for her next steps. Landon hummed in agreement,
At those words, the guard did not dare stop Aria anymore, fearing a misunderstanding. This was all Landon's doing; it had nothing to do with him. He could not understand why Landon had brought a woman back today. Their attire made them look rather intimate, and by sheer coincidence, Aria had arrived. The guard, who rarely showed emotion, now had his features twisted in concern. Seeing this, Aria fiddled with the amethyst pendant at her waist, raising an eyebrow coolly. "So, should I go in?" "Please, Ms. Carver, go right ahead!" The guard weighed his options. If Aria left without entering today, he might find himself fired before nightfall. It was better to let Landon handle his own mess. The guard stepped aside with swift decisiveness. Aria found this amusing—so her handsome fiancé could stir up trouble after all. Well, she wouldn't mind finding a new one. Though she would miss that face of his, she had no use for someone who had been tainted. But from what she knew of his
After the incident with the Katz family, the Fitzroys would certainly be restless. After all, not once during the entire event did Aria allow Jett to take any credit. Aria wanted to observe the Fitzroys' intentions and Laura's reaction. Human nature seemed the most unpredictable element, so taking preventive measures seemed wise. As for Jett, it was time for him to grow up. Otherwise, the Grisham family's situation would remain unsolvable. Jett hadn't failed to reflect. Today's events involving the Katz family had shaken him deeply. Before this, he had never truly understood what kind of enterprise his grandfather Clyde wanted to build. The concept of "national brands" had remained unclear to him. Many of the family's decisions had left him puzzled. But today, everything had finally clicked into place. He had even begun doubting himself, wondering if all those years abroad had been worthless. When he voiced this concern aloud, Aria responded, "Having a global perspective is
That was how certain things worked. They would initially seem insignificant until their loved ones brought them up repeatedly, causing doubt to creep in. Laura lifted her gaze. "Mom, I still think you're overthinking it. Clyde wouldn't ignore Jett and hand everything to Aria." "That's debatable." Magdalene glanced away. "After all these years, you must have forgotten. From the moment Aria was born, she stole all of Jett's attention. Even her first birthday celebration outshone the Grishams' eldest grandson. "Your late mother-in-law made poor decisions in her confusion. You can't allow the same here. Look at what happened with the Katz family. More people will support Aria, and where will that leave Jett? "As the Grishams' eldest grandson, how awkward will his position become?" With each of Magdalene's questions, Laura fell deeper into silence. She had never considered these things before. She had been happy that the Grishams and the Carvers were on good terms again. Moreo
Magdalene asked, "So Jett was just taken away without any explanation? They're practically treating him like a Carver family lackey by making him follow someone even younger than him!" She looked displeased when talking about this matter. "You're his mother, so you should be the one having control over his actions. This situation might be causing a stir, but what does it have to do with Jett? "No one even remembers he's the Grisham heir anymore!" The older generation valued reputation above all else. Magdalene selfishly hoped the Ludwiten business circle would remember Jett's success rather than the Carver family. There was nothing wrong with that desire, but the problem lay elsewhere. "Mother, you know the Katz family situation was handled entirely by Aria. Jett doesn't understand these matters, does he?" Jett's mother, Laura Fitzroy, was quite frustrated as she tried to explain things to Magdalene. "The Grishams were facing a huge crisis, yet Clyde never approached me becau