Apollo exchanged glances with his subordinates before offering a smile. "You're too kind, Ms. Carver. Ludwiten welcomes all investors."If you do acquire the land, it will benefit the people living there as well. However, you must adhere to the policies and regulations in place."With an air of authority, he continued, "This location has been in the government's plans for years. But these aren't matters we can discuss openly."Even if development proceeds, the well-being of the people must come first. They need to be satisfied with the outcome. That is the essence of the policy."Jett hadn't been particularly interested when Aria first asked him to find connections to acquire land, but hearing this now, his excitement grew. This land was likely an undeveloped area under government planning—an opportunity he hadn't anticipated.The more he thought about it, the more exhilarated he became, stealing glances at Aria throughout the meal.Seeing Jett's enthusiasm, Apollo took another s
Aria's remark took aback Jett. He recalled how the Fitzroys always claimed they were acting in his best interest, insisting that their rigorous teachings were meant to help, not harm. After all, as the eldest grandson of the Grisham family, Jett was expected to be well-rounded in all areas.Aria patted his back reassuringly. "You handled this well, Jett. I acknowledge your efforts. But think carefully—do you truly believe this piece of land is worth acquiring?"Jett hesitated. "Aren't they dismantling the villages in the urban area right now?"Aria's thoughts briefly drifted to Magdalene. She had primarily connected Jett with the Draycott family, and it wouldn't be surprising if she had aligned herself with them.To prevent any sudden interference from Magdalene, Aria decided to be direct. "Yes, it's being demolished, and there are returns. But the cash flow is slow. It could take years before you see any profit."She paused before continuing. "And that's not even the biggest issu
Aria studied the map on the table and spoke without looking up. "But he won't get anything after the demolition. Would you want it to be torn down if you were in his position?"Jett immediately froze when he heard that. Aria continued coolly, "Once it's gone, he'll be just like everyone else. No authority. No control. No village chief title."Jett clenched his fists. "So are we giving up on this land?""Well, we still need it." Aria suddenly thought of a problem. "Did you get Mr. Jenson's contact from the Grisham family or the Fitzroy family?"Jett frowned. "Why can't it be my contact?"Aria smirked and glanced at him. "You studied abroad for years. If you managed to build this many connections with local authorities, one might think you were there for infrastructure development instead of academics.""I…" Jett had never met anyone as sharp-tongued as Aria. Plus, everything she spouted was the truth. He had no rebuttal. "He's connected to the Fitzroy family."Aria nodded. "Goo
Thaddeus took a slow drag from his cigar, narrowing his eyes. "Don't provoke the authorities. From the looks of it, Mr. Jenson is the one pulling the strings. Keep an eye on things and don't trouble those with deep pockets."Hand over the insignificant things and don't make things difficult for them at the start. Understood?"The man across from him rubbed his hands together. "Don't worry. It's not our first time dealing with people like them—we know exactly what to do."Mr. Jenson has brought plenty of outsiders to our village over the past decade, and none of them walked away unscathed. Those spoiled heirs who only know how to flaunt their flashy sports cars? They're nothing to us."Thaddeus nodded approvingly. "We can't let anyone gain leverage over us. One of them is from the Fitzroy family—we shouldn't risk ruining that connection."The man placed his cup down with a dull thud. "Of course. Though, I wonder what tricks Mr. Jenson used to lure them here this time. I also heard
Orion never believed anyone could escape his trap—especially not Aria, who hadn't even completed her education. Did she really think a mere fraction of business knowledge was enough to take him on?He sneered, malice twisting his expression. No one in the Chamber of Commerce had ever seen this side of him. To Aria, he was an elder, a respected figure. And in front of so many people, he had always maintained that façade.But things were different now. He would make sure she experienced what it was like to be in hell. Even her father had fallen into his trap—what chance did she have? Anyone wanting to enter the property industry had to get past the Draycott family first.Orion moved aside as Arlo leaned in and whispered something that made him frown. "They still haven't been found?""No. But I don't think they've been taken. If something went wrong, the higher-ups would have an update."Orion's brows remained furrowed. "It may not be a major issue, but we need to find them. As for t
Lily was practically a living legend in Orion's eyes. With the stock market booming, there was nothing they couldn't invest in. Orion didn't forget about dragging Fergus into the mess. "Has the eldest Carver son, that so-called God of Parker Street, bought the stocks?""Mr. Draycott, don't worry. We've inflated gold prices. Once the stock market opens on Monday, prices drop. Mr. Carver will be left with nothing but regrets."Orion's smile deepened when he saw that. The Carver family would soon be ruined. He couldn't wait to see how the arrogant Aria handled the chaos.…Meanwhile, Aria took Jett through the urban village. The villagers eyed them curiously. Word had spread that a foolish investor was interested in the land, and they could barely hide their amusement. Still, they didn't voice their thoughts, choosing instead to treat the newcomers with extra warmth.Jett felt a prickle of unease under their stares. Despite the village's proximity to the city, the residents displ
"Stopping them now is impossible. If we do, it's the same as cutting off their financial lifeline," Aria texted. Fergus understood the situation. No one in the stock exchange market would believe them—especially the older investors, who placed more trust in their exclusive insider tips.Something flickered in Aria's eyes as she considered the matter. After a moment, she said, "Fergus, leave this matter to me."Fergus immediately responded, "Okay. I'll keep buying as you instructed."Knowing he was dependable, Aria didn't reply further.Still, Fergus remained concerned. "I heard about the plot of land. Be careful. Don't forget about us—Elijah and Leon live close to you, too."Aria chuckled at his message. Fergus was being overly cautious. If Elijah and Leon got involved, it would be far too crowded. What would they do—hold a fan meet-and-greet?Still, when the time was right, she intended to use their influence to her advantage.She put her phone away. Jett, who had been watc
"Why?" Jett demanded, frustration threatening to overwhelm him. He couldn't understand—it felt like his mind was about to explode. In his memories, his grandmother had always given him whatever he wanted.When he struggled with physics, Magdalene feared he'd wear himself out studying, so she pulled strings at a prestigious university abroad, sparing no expense to make things easier for him.Her approach to education was completely different from Clyde's.Jett had always believed Magdalene understood him best, granting him the most freedom in the world. No matter what he did, she thought he was amazing, filling him with confidence from an early age.Aria studied him. Knowing the road ahead would be difficult, she understood Jett had to break free from his comfort zone."It's because you're the eldest son of the Grisham family," she said. "I might be standing in your way."Jett found the notion ridiculous. "What do they mean? We've only known each other for a few days."Their firs
A man with a foreign accent expressed dissatisfaction with this matter. "I'll schedule a meeting tomorrow. Tell Orion's assistant we're withdrawing all financial support." "I'm sorry, Mr. Janston. That can't be changed now." "Why?" Robin Janston was confused. His assistant whispered in Angladian, "Boss, we already transferred some funds to Orion ten days ago. It was for a plan to disrupt the market by investing in low-cost gold." Robin paused for a moment, then muttered, "Shit!" The money was sent, so it was too late to regret it. His assistant could only comfort him, "Don't worry. This plan is foolproof—we have the best players controlling things from behind. If something goes wrong, we can cut ties immediately." This was their only option now. Financial giants were satisfied with their market layout in Farshya, but Orion's incident had cast a shadow over their plans. They would not possibly partner up with him anymore. However, they had to pull out their stock market
Orion no longer cared about appearances. He only wanted to make those people behind this scheme pay. His inner turmoil made him forget where he was at right now. If other Chamber of Commerce members hadn't remained rational, he would have thrown a punch already! Even so, causing a scene at the Planning Department would definitely attract attention. Since Apollo was a public servant, Orion's outburst quickly brought local police. Apollo did not want to escalate things. With colleagues watching, he would have to explain later. If he ended up at the station answering questions about this incident, he would be so humiliated. It was not just about losing face—even his job position would be at risk! So to anyone who asked, he kept shaking his head and said, "It's nothing. Just a misunderstanding between me and Mr. Draycott as friends." Avoiding work-related discussion was the safest approach. Orion still seethed with anger, but like Apollo, he did not want to be taken away over thi
Someone said, "Apollo, where are you rushing off to? I'm waiting out here. Come with us to announce the good news!" The person grabbed him and pulled him toward Orion. "Orion was thoughtful and worried you might not know we were waiting, so he specifically instructed us to stay by your car." Apollo was devastated, and he even started to curse in his mind. As they approached, Orion saw Apollo's expression and thought he was overjoyed, so he patted his shoulder heartily. "Apollo, calm down. Are you that excited? It's just a piece of land making a bit of money. Look at the bigger picture—this is just the beginning. "Hurry up and catch your breath to announce it to us. We've been waiting a while." Apollo looked up at Orion, knowing he could no longer hide the truth. He also thought that he might as well just say it now. After all, this was the Planning Department, and Orion wouldn't possibly do anything rash here. Thinking this way, Apollo actually felt a bit relieved. He pushe
A Chamber of Commerce member advised Orion, "This seems like a major policy. Otherwise it wouldn't take this long." "Right, Mr. Draycott. Don't worry. Apollo is definitely unavailable during a meeting." During meetings, everyone would turn off their phones, and Orion knew that. He was puzzled as to why Tommy would not answer his calls. "Fine. We'll wait!" It was already midday. Everyone waiting here was the boss of their own companies, so sitting hungry here was seriously embarrassing! But thinking about what was about to be theirs made everything feel balanced. They continued reassuring each other that the meeting was still being dragged on. Finally, someone from Apollo's level, Manny Danson, emerged carrying a takeout container. Government offices typically ordered lunch delivery these days. Their faces immediately darkened. "Mr. Danson. Where are you going? Is the meeting over?" Orion was known as a charitable local businessman and a regular in their circles, so Manny
On the other hand, the land Orion bought at a high price wouldn't be developed or used for the next ten years. That was as good as useless! The policy could have landed on any piece of land. Why did it have to be the exact plot Aria wanted? Everything was totally over! Apollo couldn't control himself and tugged at his hair. He pretended to be unwell as he pressed his hand to his forehead. In reality, his mind was racing. A piece of land that had sat untouched for so long was suddenly being announced for development. Was heaven playing a joke on him? Danny finished announcing the news and set down his pen. "We've been incredibly busy lately, and some of our colleagues are inevitably tired. "When people get tired, they're prone to mistakes. So I want to remind everyone not to think they can get away with anything. "Alright, I have another meeting this afternoon. Have an internal meeting to digest this information and implement the development policy as soon as possible. Meeti
The relevant documents lay spread out before everyone. Apollo had just arrived, and his eyes immediately locked onto the sealed file. He knew better than anyone what was inside, and his gaze never wavered from the document. Someone beside him noticed his reaction and teased, "What's got you so worked up today, Apollo?" Apollo hesitated for a moment, worried about raising suspicion. He quickly waved his hand. "Oh, I've just been having some stomach issues lately." "You've got to take care of yourself at this age then. Health comes first." Apollo nodded quickly before reaching for the teacup on the table. Drinking water was just another way to mask the look in his eyes. He was well aware that the policy about to be announced was most likely related to the land Orion had secured. Now, he just had to wait for the announcement. Before long, a middle-aged man in a white shirt and black pants walked in. Everyone immediately stood to greet him. "Good morning, Mr. Arterton." Dan
The groom, Dirk Baugher, did not stop Leena. He just seemed a bit confused. After paying, they left the gold store. Leena spoke first, "Honey, it'd be amazing if we had just been a little earlier. The price of gold actually jumped 60 dollars per ounce in just a short while. But it's good news. "Don't be mad about me buying extra. I used my own money, and I'm sure gold prices will keep rising!" Dirk reached out and ruffled her hair. "No worries, Leena. Now that we're married, I'll let you handle these decisions for our family. There's no need to use your own money; I've got cash to cover it." The kind of husband who respected his wife like this truly deserved all the happiness. Not many men were this considerate these days, after all. After Dirk and Leena left, some jewelry and gold bars were completely sold out. Shoppers in the mall were stunned by the gold store's situation. About ten women approached the store manager. "You're the manager, right? We'll be back tomorrow; t
"The government meeting will wrap up this morning, and then they'll announce the land requisition," Lily spoke quickly, worried that Orion would find her no longer useful. Orion was a profit-driven businessman. Hearing this, he instantly changed his tone. "I was too hasty earlier. Don't take it personally, Ms. Kent. "Christina, make some extra soup for her. Maybe a good mood will help her remember more details." Lily was sharp. Knowing her predictions held weight, she seized the moment and said, "I've had too much soup. I want to go out, walk around, and clear my head." After some investigation, Orion found out that Lily was vain to her core, loving to shop and show off. Coming from her background, she needed photos to brag on her social media feed. He wasn't opposed to it. For long-term cooperation, Lily was his golden ticket in business. "Go ahead. Whatever you want, put it on the Draycott Group's check." Her face lit up. She had made good money playing stocks, but who wo
Arlo pushed open the door with a grim expression. Seeing his face, Orion furrowed his brow. He quickly hung up the phone and turned to Arlo. Arlo glanced around the room. He made sure the only ones here were people they could trust before speaking up. "Mr. Draycott, we've got a serious problem. The gold stocks aren't dropping." The members of the Chamber of Commerce erupted before Orion could respond. "What? That's impossible." Arlo wiped sweat from his forehead. "It's true. They're holding steady." The group looked ready to explode. "Ms. Kent guaranteed gold would tank. We even coordinated with overseas capital to make sure this would happen. How could the stocks not drop?" "Calm down, Rex." Orion was caught off guard too. His champagne suddenly felt undrinkable. "So there's no movement at all, right? What about the other three stocks?" Arlo mumbled softly, "Same thing. They're exactly where they closed on Friday." "Well, that's normal." One of Orion's bootlickers jump