Aria could win the test easily, but she did not want to do it this way. The rise of Katz Cannery had left everyone restless, and the Draycott faction was already showing cracks. Those who had been on the fence started secretly reaching out to the Grishams. Orion knew about this, but he could not spare the energy to worry about loyalty now. The Draycotts were not completely clear of this mess yet. He needed to maintain his connections with the more powerful ones! Orion was not worried about other things; he just feared his insider information pipeline would be affected. These people never hesitated to take what was offered, but they turned cowardly at the first sign of trouble. Sure enough, someone had already returned their previous gifts. "Mr. Draycott, given the circumstances, we should keep our distance. You should lay low for a while." Orion laughed. Keep their distance? "Mr. Cortez, you might be fine, but my company can't afford to lay low. "I hear your wife might be exp
These people had watched the Draycotts rise to power. The Draycotts had surpassed the Grishams in such a short time, which was something impossible to achieve just by absorbing factories. Besides, the Draycotts had never even run actual factories; they would always convert them to other uses after acquisition. Their real profits came from the shadows. No one knew exactly how much money Orion had, but it surely exceeded even the Grishams at their peak. The Draycott Group's funding seemed endless. They held shares in nearly every successful company in Ludwiten, especially in construction, finance, and entertainment. In Ludwiten, the Draycotts were like a predator that fed on others' blood. Others were not foolish. They could all tell that someone powerful backed him. As for Aria, besides her fiancé from the York family, she could not have any other meaningful connections. Even the Yorks had to play by Ludwiten's rules. Yet these clever people forgot one thing—desperation leads to
Someone in the Foundation texted. "You know what needs to be done." Seeing this, Orion quickly replied. "Rest assured, the supply remains steady. I'll make the Carvers regret coming to Ludwiten." Clearly, these powerful figures weren't easily fooled. "She won't be easy to handle. Be careful and cut your losses if needed." Orion replied with a simple "Yes." Logically, someone of his status who commanded such influence in business circles shouldn't show such deference to anyone. Yet he acted like the lowest-ranking member of their group. The powerful figures seemed unconcerned with his plans, only caring about their supply. "The last batch wasn't good enough. They're too old." "Find a way to select a few more soon." "Don't focus solely on profit. Remember to give back when necessary." Orion had an epiphany. Yes, if Aria could build her reputation by supporting domestic brands, he could polish his image by "supporting" schoolchildren. There had been fewer activities this
"Haven't you seen him too?" Cassian pondered. "What do you think?" The butler struggled to answer. In both his character and appearance, Landon was practically identical to that person. At first glance, he almost thought they were the same person. But thinking carefully, how could that be possible? No one could avoid ageing, even with the most advanced medical technology. He and Cassian were practically at death's door, having lived through everything. Yet seeing someone who looked like a ghost from the past almost made him rush to reconnect. He had also asked at the Royal Hotel but had gotten no response. If it really was that person, he should be extremely old or no longer alive after all these years. "Mr. Merrick, would you like to meet him yourself?" the butler asked softly, refilling the tea. Cassian glanced at the documents handed to him. "Yes, but approaching through the Yorks would be too obvious." "Does that mean…" The butler's eyes lit up with joy. Cassian's age
The shareholders at the Carver Group did not understand what had happened at first. After watching the video, their expressions changed. Warren did not hold back anymore. "Is anyone here from overseas marketing?" "Mr. Carver Senior, I'm here." Aria's actions would have excited everyone in the overseas department. Warren turned to him. "I remember you saying our consumer goods weren't very popular overseas since even the domestic market preferred foreign brands. What about now?" "I believe it's time to try!" The director's voice trembled with excitement. Warren nodded with satisfaction. "Then do it. I want you to capture 50% of the market share first. Money isn't an issue." "Understood!" The meeting had everyone's blood pumping. The professionals could see what Warren was planning. Aria's move to Ludwiten wasn't coincidental. The Carvers had never limited themselves to the domestic market. It had always been difficult to achieve before, and people thought it was just t
Aria knew what she was facing long before the nightclub incident came to light. It was not just about business interests but the entire profit chain that existed behind it. Why had such a nightclub existed for so long without anyone investigating thoroughly? Was she the only one who could see the problems with it? That certainly was not the case. The truth was that those working for the powerful ones simply lacked the ability or courage to investigate further. Any matter connected to the Draycott family was quietly swept under the rug. Aria was not foolish. The subtle comments made by the veteran cops were filled with hidden meanings. She observed the commotion from afar, contemplating how to break the stalemate. If she remained in her current position, even if the Draycott family fell, the people behind them would emerge unscathed. In reality, the situation had already progressed to the point where a deputy chief had committed suicide to escape punishment. Aria already had
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
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
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
Aria knew what she was facing long before the nightclub incident came to light. It was not just about business interests but the entire profit chain that existed behind it. Why had such a nightclub existed for so long without anyone investigating thoroughly? Was she the only one who could see the problems with it? That certainly was not the case. The truth was that those working for the powerful ones simply lacked the ability or courage to investigate further. Any matter connected to the Draycott family was quietly swept under the rug. Aria was not foolish. The subtle comments made by the veteran cops were filled with hidden meanings. She observed the commotion from afar, contemplating how to break the stalemate. If she remained in her current position, even if the Draycott family fell, the people behind them would emerge unscathed. In reality, the situation had already progressed to the point where a deputy chief had committed suicide to escape punishment. Aria already had
The shareholders at the Carver Group did not understand what had happened at first. After watching the video, their expressions changed. Warren did not hold back anymore. "Is anyone here from overseas marketing?" "Mr. Carver Senior, I'm here." Aria's actions would have excited everyone in the overseas department. Warren turned to him. "I remember you saying our consumer goods weren't very popular overseas since even the domestic market preferred foreign brands. What about now?" "I believe it's time to try!" The director's voice trembled with excitement. Warren nodded with satisfaction. "Then do it. I want you to capture 50% of the market share first. Money isn't an issue." "Understood!" The meeting had everyone's blood pumping. The professionals could see what Warren was planning. Aria's move to Ludwiten wasn't coincidental. The Carvers had never limited themselves to the domestic market. It had always been difficult to achieve before, and people thought it was just t
"Haven't you seen him too?" Cassian pondered. "What do you think?" The butler struggled to answer. In both his character and appearance, Landon was practically identical to that person. At first glance, he almost thought they were the same person. But thinking carefully, how could that be possible? No one could avoid ageing, even with the most advanced medical technology. He and Cassian were practically at death's door, having lived through everything. Yet seeing someone who looked like a ghost from the past almost made him rush to reconnect. He had also asked at the Royal Hotel but had gotten no response. If it really was that person, he should be extremely old or no longer alive after all these years. "Mr. Merrick, would you like to meet him yourself?" the butler asked softly, refilling the tea. Cassian glanced at the documents handed to him. "Yes, but approaching through the Yorks would be too obvious." "Does that mean…" The butler's eyes lit up with joy. Cassian's age
Someone in the Foundation texted. "You know what needs to be done." Seeing this, Orion quickly replied. "Rest assured, the supply remains steady. I'll make the Carvers regret coming to Ludwiten." Clearly, these powerful figures weren't easily fooled. "She won't be easy to handle. Be careful and cut your losses if needed." Orion replied with a simple "Yes." Logically, someone of his status who commanded such influence in business circles shouldn't show such deference to anyone. Yet he acted like the lowest-ranking member of their group. The powerful figures seemed unconcerned with his plans, only caring about their supply. "The last batch wasn't good enough. They're too old." "Find a way to select a few more soon." "Don't focus solely on profit. Remember to give back when necessary." Orion had an epiphany. Yes, if Aria could build her reputation by supporting domestic brands, he could polish his image by "supporting" schoolchildren. There had been fewer activities this
These people had watched the Draycotts rise to power. The Draycotts had surpassed the Grishams in such a short time, which was something impossible to achieve just by absorbing factories. Besides, the Draycotts had never even run actual factories; they would always convert them to other uses after acquisition. Their real profits came from the shadows. No one knew exactly how much money Orion had, but it surely exceeded even the Grishams at their peak. The Draycott Group's funding seemed endless. They held shares in nearly every successful company in Ludwiten, especially in construction, finance, and entertainment. In Ludwiten, the Draycotts were like a predator that fed on others' blood. Others were not foolish. They could all tell that someone powerful backed him. As for Aria, besides her fiancé from the York family, she could not have any other meaningful connections. Even the Yorks had to play by Ludwiten's rules. Yet these clever people forgot one thing—desperation leads to
Aria could win the test easily, but she did not want to do it this way. The rise of Katz Cannery had left everyone restless, and the Draycott faction was already showing cracks. Those who had been on the fence started secretly reaching out to the Grishams. Orion knew about this, but he could not spare the energy to worry about loyalty now. The Draycotts were not completely clear of this mess yet. He needed to maintain his connections with the more powerful ones! Orion was not worried about other things; he just feared his insider information pipeline would be affected. These people never hesitated to take what was offered, but they turned cowardly at the first sign of trouble. Sure enough, someone had already returned their previous gifts. "Mr. Draycott, given the circumstances, we should keep our distance. You should lay low for a while." Orion laughed. Keep their distance? "Mr. Cortez, you might be fine, but my company can't afford to lay low. "I hear your wife might be exp