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,
Waymond and Eamon had to return to the office to handle pressing matters. The current situation was dangerous, with traps hidden everywhere. Though they suspected Aria was acquiring the land to divert Orion's attention, they didn't stop her—just gave a warning.Having caught wind of some rumors, the two brothers decided it was time to urge Aria to marry.As the dishes were served, they chuckled and began, "Landon, you and Aria have been engaged for a while now. What are your plans? Hasn't Mr. York Senior been urging you to move forward with the wedding?"Due to past misunderstandings between the Grisham and Carver families, Waymond and Eamon hadn't been able to look after Aria as much as they wanted. Now, they were eager to support her in formal matters.Landon understood their intentions and grinned. "I—"Before he could finish, Aria interrupted, "Uncle Waymond, Uncle Eamon, I know you're both anxious, but please don't be. I'm still young and want to focus on my business and ma
Meanwhile, Cassy's thoughts had been in turmoil ever since she returned from the stock market. Among the retirees, she was known for having reliable tips—ones that usually led to substantial gains. Even when they didn't bring profits, they rarely caused losses.In the past, she had reserved such information for close friends and family. But this time was different. Aria had warned her against leaking the news, yet unease gnawed at her.Humans were driven by self-interest. In the end, Cassy decided to share the information with her maternal family, allowing them to profit alongside her.The moment she arrived home, she picked up the phone and called her sister-in-law.Her sister-in-law relayed the message to her husband. "Honey, your sister wants everyone to gather at our usual place. She has a tip.""A tip? What is it about?""Wake up! We need this money. Hurry up!"Within the hour, everyone had assembled.Cassy, ever composed, addressed them. "This is a major tip-off, far be
Although the gold shop's sales assistants were surprised, they kept their thoughts to themselves. More purchases meant higher commissions, which directly impacted their salaries and KPIs.It was rare to see an entire family shopping for gold accessories at once. While couples often bought gold for weddings, they tended to be selective. Even high-ranking executives rarely encountered such an unusual sight. Yet, no one realized that this was only the beginning.Outside the shopping mall, Aria's flashy Lamborghini stood out. She had casually mentioned taking a stroll after lunch, but in reality, she had brought Landon to grab a milkshake and check on the situation.Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Aria expected gold prices to surge in three days.Landon glanced at the bustling gold shop and smirked. So, Aria wasn't as inexperienced in the stock market as she claimed.…At eight o'clock in a commercial building, Orion's assistant, Arlo, stood beside him and whispered, "Everyth
Meanwhile, in the urban village, Thaddeus received word that the developer had officially submitted the application. Apollo, on the other hand, was gathering feedback from the villagers.According to the Land Planning Department's regulations, the village chief had to inform the villagers about the demolition process. Despite his influence, Thaddeus still needed to follow protocol.Without delay, he convened a meeting with key representatives and executives of the village. "You've all seen what's happening. A new investor wants to acquire land." He got straight to the point.One of the villagers scoffed. "Yeah, we saw her—some arrogant rich kid rolling up in a fancy sports car."Thaddeus took a slow sip of coffee. "At the end of the day, she's here to invest. It's a privilege that she's even interested in our village. We should show some respect to Mr. Jenson and not make things too difficult for her."That said, we're not handing everything over at once. Let's start by offering h
Aria tried to act like someone who had just received enlightenment, so she immediately said, "Mr. Jenson, please don't worry. I didn't think this through enough. "I'll contact Fergus right away to gather the funds, then go to the Land Planning Department." Aria was actually taking her time as she poked at the ice cubes in her chocolate drink. Since coming to Ludwiten, she had fallen in love with iced chocolate, the unsweetened kind. It kept her from running low on energy at random times. On the other end of the phone, Apollo heard her words and finally released the Billionaire Vodka box on his desk. His anger subsided a little. "I'm glad you understand my intentions. Go ahead then. The land contracts are already prepared." He had made thorough preparations to make sure that once she fell into the trap, she could never escape. Aria smiled, a hint of mischief in her expression. "You're so efficient, Mr. Jenson. I'm looking forward to the upcoming development." Apollo thought
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
At the top of the corporate tower, Orion had Arlo keep watch of the time. He wanted Arlo to drop by his office and update them the moment the market started. At half past nine in the morning, the trading floor in Ludwiten buzzed with investors waiting for the market to start. Someone yelled, "We're live! The market's open!" Cassy, who had jumped in on Aria's stock tip, bolted to check on gold. Her friend said, "It's moving! My stocks are doing something!" Cassy looked over at her friend. "What's up? Is the gold taking off?" "Gold? Not even close," the friend replied. Cassy went pale; this was a serious bet. Back on Thursday, she had heard rumors about gold tanking. She had been ready to bail, but seeing people flash cash made her think gold might actually spike. Gold prices were climbing everywhere else. So why was the stock market playing dead here? Worried sick, she contemplated for a bit before calling Aria. "Aria, these gold stocks are just sitting there." Aria's tone
One of the members of the Chamber of Commerce said, "Mr. Draycott, Rex and I came this early just to tag along and see what's happening!" "Hahaha! Don't worry. When it comes to making money, we're all in this together." Orion laughed heartily. In the office, the group was already planning their champagne celebration for the evening. Little did they know, something weird was brewing by eight-thirty that morning across shopping centers citywide. Before stores even opened, lines were already forming. The entrance to Golden Valley Mall—the most famous mall in town—was especially crazy. People were holding boxes and had credit cards stuffed in their pockets. The place was buzzing with excitement.Half an hour later, security guards finally opened the doors. The crowd of shoppers outside was ready to storm in. The guards scratched their heads in confusion; the weekend crowds hadn't been nearly this intense. What was going on? The shoppers charged in with laser focus, heading str
"They want me to pull out my investment, don't they? Not a chance!" Jett said as he slumped on the leather couch, already half-drunk. He tilted sideways, mumbling like he was lost in a memory. "I have a little sister now, and her name is Aria. She wears this cute tiger-themed hat. But Leon wouldn't let me near her, always saying she's his sister and not mine." Aria stood nearby. Her hand froze when she tried to wake him, so she took his card instead. A slight smile crossed her lips as she whispered a promise. "I'll invest for you. After Monday, no one will think of you as just another useless member of the Fitzroy family. "You're Jett Grisham, the eldest grandson of the Grisham family." His steady snoring was the only response. And outside the window, the night sparkled with scattered lights. …Monday arrived in the blink of an eye. The trading floor buzzed with excitement as everyone waited for the market to open. Orion woke up in high spirits. Their plan for the gold mar