The modified off-road vehicle was already eye-catching, but the row of bodyguards in black standing beside it made the scene even more striking. Amid them, Landon stood out effortlessly. He was dressed in a well-tailored wine-red suit, his long legs and slender waist accentuating his natural elegance. A cigarette rested between his fingers, adding an air of quiet indulgence.Aria raised an eyebrow. She never thought he smoked.Yet, even surrounded by bodyguards, he remained the focal point—making them seem like mere backdrops.At that moment, she finally understood what it meant for someone's presence to command attention. Landon embodied that completely.It felt only natural for her to stop her car upon seeing her fiancé.Landon's indifferent expression softened the moment he saw Aria, causing the people around him to exhale in relief. Though they didn't know the reason for his improved mood, at least they wouldn't have to bear the brunt of his temper.Stepping out of her car,
Aria enjoyed talking to smart people. Her eyes lit up. "It's a package deal. The land comes as a gift, along with the urban village. They need to dangle some hope in front of me to lure me into the trap."Landon chuckled. "Seems like the Draycott family believes in Lily's predictions. They think she's completely accurate."Aria took a sip of water. "Well, she's been spot on with the stock market. And she's not wrong about the big picture, either. Didn't they bring up developing the land at today's meeting?"He nodded. "They left out the details, though."Aria mused that no matter how many times Lily was reborn, Landon would still win.Leaning in closer, she whispered, "Yes, and it's a lot. I know you're smart, but keep it down. We're still in the village—someone might overhear."Landon pushed her forehead back with his left hand. "I smell like cigarettes."Aria raised an eyebrow. "It smells good."Unlike with others, Landon’s presence put her at ease.His gaze flickered toward
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that Landon, the so-called demon lord, was gone.But work still had to be done. One pressing matter was the bidding war against the Draycott family—something Landon had personally instructed them to handle.To put up some resistance against Orion, they discreetly pulled a few strings. More importantly, they feared that if Landon actually won the bid, things could turn messy.…In the past, Orion would have been furious if someone dared to snatch something he had set his sights on. He wasn't entirely pleased about it now, either—but his arrogance kept his temper in check."For some reason, the York family also conducted a site investigation," Arlo reported.Orion's expression darkened as he considered the implications. After a moment, he said, "It's not necessarily a bad thing."Arlo frowned, gripping the report in his hand. "But if the York family joins the bidding, the price will skyrocket.""So what if it doubles?" Orion remained indifferent
The market had closed, leaving behind an unusual stillness. During trading hours, the space was packed with people fixated on screens—professional traders managing portfolios while financial experts explained the intricacies of the stock market to the public.However, the real power players in the stock market weren't here. They were elsewhere, trading from private offices, analyzing charts on high-end monitors.The ones who remained were either newcomers testing the waters or retirees—elderly folks whose children were unmarried, with no grandchildren to care for. They often took a stroll through the exchange after finishing their grocery shopping.Yet, these retirees were not to be underestimated. Many of them carried Louis Vuitton handbags, a testament to the fact that Ludwiten's retirement pensions were far more generous than in other places.Aria had chosen this exact time to make her entrance.When her sleek sports car pulled up outside the stock market, it naturally drew att
"But they are buying gold, and its value keeps rising.""I heard someone is about to step in to stop it from increasing."An elderly woman scoffed. "Oh, come on. When has gold ever really dropped? Emeralds might have outperformed it at times, but gold? Never.""Enough guessing. Let's go see for ourselves!"A cash transaction of this scale took time. The bills had to be counted by machine, manually verified, then checked again for accuracy before the funds were credited. Three rounds, no exceptions.The trader was practically beaming. It wasn't every day they met a client this wealthy—let alone one so generous. The transaction fees alone were enough to cover their expenses for a year!"Please sign here." The trader took the chance to probe. "You seem experienced. Are you locals?""Please sign here." The trader then continued to probe their background, "You don't seem like it's your first time trading. Are you locals?"Aria shook her head and chuckled. "We just returned from over
Aria had done so much already—naturally, she would create opportunities for the elderly to approach her.After opening the trading account, she excused herself to the washroom, claiming she needed to touch up her makeup. In truth, she was waiting for them.Cassy was a refined woman who usually kept a polite distance from strangers. But today's events were too surreal for her to ignore. She followed Aria inside and, seeing the young woman adjusting her reflection in the mirror, took the chance to strike up a conversation."Miss, I heard this is your first time in Ludwiten?""Yes, it is." Aria set down the foundation cushion she hadn't even used and smiled. "Ludwiten is a beautiful, international city. No wonder so many foreigners like visiting."Encouraged by the smooth exchange, Cassy deepened the conversation. "Have you been to The Bay yet? It's lovely, and the local delicacies are a must-try. The spaghetti and grilled salmon are some of the oldest specialties here.""We haven't
Aria immediately stepped in before the retirees could chat the day away. "Madam Grimmy, this is my boss. Remember I said I'd bring in a gold valuation expert? Since he was available, I invited him over."Landon chuckled and immediately got into his role. "My secretary already briefed me on the details, so let's get started."The retirees took their seats, giving him their full attention. When it came to making money, they weren't about to slack off."You've probably heard the phrase 'a diamond is forever,' but why isn't its value as stable as gold? People buy gold for all kinds of occasions—weddings, festivals, family celebrations."That's because gold’s value is well-established. Its price is influenced by currency fluctuations, supply and demand, and global markets."In the end, gold is universally accepted as a form of wealth. Diamonds, on the other hand, are just gemstones like emeralds. That's why gold's value remains stable and tends to appreciate over time."Despite his ex
Landon greeted Waymond and Eamon with a polite smile. Waymond glanced at Aria and teased, "Bringing him over so suddenly—are you getting him ready to meet the rest of the family in advance? Haha!"Both brothers were genuinely happy for Aria. After all, she and Landon were a striking pair, perfectly matched in both looks and stature.Just as Aria was about to respond, Landon interjected, "Apologies for the abrupt visit. I intended to come properly prepared, but it was so sudden that I didn't bring any gifts."Before he could finish, Waymond waved him off. "Forget the gifts. It's enough that you're here. I'll have the chef prepare a few specialty dishes. Let's have a drink later."Aria stepped in just in time. "Uncle Waymond, he's not in the best health. Let's skip the strong liquor."She continued, "Besides, you two still have matters to settle later. How about keeping it simple this time? I mainly came to update you on the land acquisition."Eamon, seated on the opposite side,
The HR employee glanced over at Aria and spoke with a hint of cockiness. "Eden, I called your name twice. You should pay more attention next time. You can't act like this during the interview. Otherwise, you might not even complete the application."The cockier she sounded, the more convinced the students became that the scholarship program was legitimate. Their wariness gradually faded.Noticing the students' reactions, Aria walked over to the HR employee.The woman said nothing more. She looked Aria up and down, glanced at the red mark on the paper, then turned and led Aria to the innermost room—her heels clicking sharply on the floor.Aria knew she was their real target. Others had arrived before her, but they were ignored until she showed up.Inside, the interviewer was a middle-aged man. He gestured for Aria to sit. Without much expression, he asked, "Eden, will you be able to adjust to foreign cuisines? What are your expectations for your future school? What are your plans af
After entering the building, Aria discovered there were at least ten other students around her age. Some had been picked up from rural areas. All of them believed they were there for a language test in Angladian, and many were busy practicing their speaking skills.The leader gestured for his subordinates to push Aria forward. "Off you go. Try your best to nail it on the first shot."Aria walked inside without resistance. She noted that surveillance cameras had been installed in every corner, even at every hallway turn. It was clear all the students were under strict observation.She had to admit—the company was much more professional-looking than expected. If she hadn't disguised herself as Eden or known in advance that the company was suspicious, she might have believed this was a legitimate organization."Alright. Next student, come with me," called one of the HR staff.Everyone seemed busy. Employees sat at desks buried under piles of documents, each preoccupied with their ow
Those who dedicated their lives to protecting others didn't care about how people viewed them, because a greater purpose drove them.Just as Brent had said, no one would help people like them without expecting compensation. And if anyone did, it could only be the Farshyan soldiers.At that moment, the train to Janovin began to move.…Meanwhile, Aria, disguised as Eden, sat quietly in the car with her eyes closed, appearing to be asleep. She didn't react when the man sitting next to her gently tapped her arm. He leaned closer and whispered, "Sir, doesn't she seem different from usual? Do you think she's car sick or something?"The driver frowned, holding up an ID photo and glancing back at her."Maybe she's just used to us now. Probably has everything figured out by this point. Anyway, our job's just to drop her off. What happens after that isn't our concern. Once they pick her up, we'll get our money."Unbeknownst to them, Aria was wide awake, listening to every word and memor
Ordinary people understood the harshness of reality. Brent, having lived in poverty for most of his life, had been looked down on more times than he could count.Poor people like them could die unnoticed at home, and no one would care, let alone offer help without expecting something in return.If something really happened to Eden, Brent doubted he and his wife could do anything to save her. Judy was a prime example. Her father, Alec Lanez, had even given up selling bread just to look for her.Every time Alec went to the school, he was met with the same cold response."It has nothing to do with us. Your daughter ran away and refuses to acknowledge you. So why are you coming here? Peasants like you should know your place. Without us, people like you could only dream of going overseas. How filthy!"Brent had heard the school's representative say those exact words when he accompanied Alec. Both of them could only stand there, humiliated and speechless.Alec's back was sore from how m
Eden immediately opened the windows after hearing that. "Did Ms. Carver send you here? Is she in any danger? I'm really worried about her. Should I call the police? I'd feel horrible if anything happened to her."Weston remained calm and indifferent. "Calling the police will only make them suspicious. My boss is amazing, and there's nothing she can't handle. She has a plan. Right now, my priority is to bring all of you to Heartbound Hall in Janovin so your grandfather can receive treatment."The respect in Weston's voice when he spoke of Aria was unmistakable."Pack up your things and come with me," Weston ordered.Their team had already checked the surroundings and ensured nothing would go wrong. Anyone watching would think Eden's grandparents were simply collecting bottles and preparing lunch as usual, not leaving the house until the afternoon.Without wasting time, Weston picked up the elderly couple's luggage. His most important task now was to get Eden and her grandparents to
"We followed the address, so this must be the place. Sir, isn't that the girl?" It was the same group of people as before. After failing their last mission because of Aria, they were being extra cautious this time."We can't afford any more mistakes. Treat her kindly so that she won't suspect anything.""Yes, sir."When they saw a young woman in a school uniform appear right on time, they were convinced she was the right person. After all, Aria looked exactly like Eden.They rolled down the car window and waved. "Ms. Bohmer, over here."Aria looked up and recognized several familiar faces. She grabbed her bag and walked toward the car."Ms. Bohmer, we meet again," The driver greeted Aria warmly. "Let's go."The team had prepared for a difficult encounter. They'd even been authorized to use force if necessary, as long as they avoided surveillance cameras. But to their surprise, Aria simply opened the car door and got in without resistance.Aria glanced at their puzzled expression
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