"What is it?" Landon asked her, his noble and aloof demeanor highlighted by the bracelet on his wrist. Yet, it contrasted with his well-tailored suit.Aria reached out and touched his diamond cufflinks. Then, she smiled seductively. "Can I take a bite?"She had never made such requests before.Whenever she experienced symptoms of her intermittent explosive disorder, she would endure it and rinse her head with cold water. But for some reason, she wanted to use her teeth to check if his neck was actually as cold as it seemed.Normally, Landon would reject such a request. This time, he chuckled and asked, "Where do you want to bite?""Your neck," she breathed, her tongue nervously darting across her lips. Landon circled her waist and lifted her. "It'll be easier for you to bite from this height.""You're right." Aria didn't concern herself with how intimate their posture appeared, especially in such a confined space, with him pinning her against the wall and whispering to her.Ho
Aria glanced at the marks on his neck and smiled. "I told you that it would cover your medical bills. What responsibility do I need to assume?""I can pay," Landon's voice sounded a bit hoarse, perhaps due to the wind. His breath brushed against the side of her ear as he chuckled. "If you assume responsibility, you can bite whenever you want."Aria felt slightly moved. Her long, glossy hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes held a hint of detachment. "I'll consider it.""Please do. Not only do you need a boyfriend, but my family is also pressuring me to get a partner." Landon smiled.Aria raised her eyebrows. "Then why are you calling off the engagement?"She didn't forget what she heard in the hospital.Landon's voice was clear, his tone gentle. "I have the right to choose my bride. Besides, with this body of mine, do you want to make the woman I marry a widow?""That's a valid point." Aria gave a solemn nod. Landon smiled helplessly. "Anyway, I didn't expect you to answer
Landon didn't like how Aria always excluded him. She had done this with Heartbound Hall's investment and his gift. It felt like she always wanted to keep everything clear between them.People perceived Landon as aloof and distant, but they hadn't met Aria. Despite her polite demeanor, she projected a coldness that made it difficult to get close to her.Landon's fingers brushed against his bracelet. Though his expression remained impassive, his eyes darkened.Aria noticed that and didn't persist in rejecting his gift. "No, I'll accept it."She looked down at her new waist chain with a smile. "It suits me well."Landon muttered a reply, feeling less suffocated than before. The indifference in his eyes gradually dissipated as he stared at the amethyst pendant dangling on her waist. The contrast against her fair skin was even more striking that way.He involuntarily tightened his grip.Aria raised her head curiously. "What is it?""No, it's nothing. Shall we go?" He released his gr
Despite his materialistic leanings, Solo was more inclined to believe in the unknown than dismiss it entirely. His primary concern, however, was why Landon had given Aria the amethyst pendant. It didn't make any sense to him.However, Solo didn't dare to ask. Barry, on the other hand, was more audacious. "Boss, she figured out that I'm your subordinate," he revealed.Landon paced thoughtfully and chuckled at the thought of Aria's sharp mind. "No surprise there. She's always been more perceptive than most."Barry breathed a sigh of relief before expressing his loyalty. "Don't worry. I won't breathe a word about your secret to Mr. York Senior."Landon glanced at his fingers and said, "Secret? What secret do I have?"Barry thought that Landon didn't trust him, so he blurted out everything he knew. "Dr. Genius told me that you two are in a fake relationship to fulfill her grandmother's wish."Solo was confused by what was going on.Landon stopped walking, his hands dropping to his s
Back at Heartbound Hall, Aria continued to fiddle with the amethyst pendant she got from Landon. She felt a bit off today. Not only had she experienced an episode of her intermittent explosive disorder, but she had also encountered a familiar amethyst pendant. In her memories, the amethyst pendant should have been hers. Yet, it belonged to Landon. Her memories were in disarray. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to piece together the fragmented images.She could recall bits and pieces, but most of her memories were still jumbled and incomplete.Patience was needed, she decided, as she reattached the pendant. Then, she traced her lips, pondering the unusual effect Landon's blood had on her. Her medical expertise, honed by self-treatment with both conventional and unconventional remedies, including cultivating the potent Whisperwind Herb, should have rendered her immune to most poisons by now. Perhaps there was something more than poison in his body.Aria drummed her f
Landon was indeed not wearing designer clothing. Instead, he was wearing a custom-made suit by a renowned Nobeetan designer.Apart from the royal family, other people wouldn't even have the chance to wear haute couture clothing by that designer. However, the York family was always an exception, though.There was no way people like Karen would know something as secretive as that.Although the Layne family held influence in Janovin, Karen did not share that power.The Layne family in Janovin wouldn't even bother about Karen. However, Karen did reach out to them after Lily started studying there. After all, Karen had to gain influence in Southbury to mingle with the higher class.Marshall was a bit annoyed. "Why must you fight with that brat? She has already left and is now staying with Georgina. At least they have a small business to sustain themselves."Karen sneered and opened the livestream. "A small business? Have you ever seen a small business earning half a million a day?"M
"I'm from the Short family," Christian said proudly. It was as if he could do anything he wanted just because of his family.The staff furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, sir. The Chamber of Commerce will be welcoming an important guest today. We didn't invite any doctors, so I'll need your cooperation to leave with your partner."Christian had never been so embarrassed before. "I…"The staff seemed to have received an order. He pressed his Bluetooth earphone and replied, "Yes, I'm at the door. Mr. York is already here? Okay. I'll go there right now!"Lily's eyes sparkled at the news. This might be her opportunity to meet the man she missed seeing last time. Fuming from the previous exchange, Christian didn't register her excitement until she said, "Christian, I don't want to take photos anymore. Let's head out to the front."Christian's mood improved. "Okay."Lily muttered, "Don't take it to heart. They're just unimportant staff members.""I know that. Let's go." Christian cou
"Why are you bringing her up again?" Lily's eyes dimmed. When she lowered her head, a hint of viciousness appeared on her face.Christian didn't notice that. He merely thought she was displeased. He replied with a smile, "Don't overthink. I only love you. Her? She's such a stubborn woman. No man would ever want to date her."Lily bit her lip as tears formed in her eyes. "Is that true? But your mother likes her more than me."Christian enveloped her in his embrace. "Don't worry about my mom. She can't make decisions on behalf of my dad. I'll announce to the public that you're my fiancée later.""Okay," Lily answered sweetly. However, all she could think about was Landon. She had to find a way to meet him. That way, she could proceed with her plan.At this moment, numerous company representatives had gathered on the top floor of the Chamber of Commerce. These companies hailed from all across the country, not just Southbury.The desire to partner with York Group was palpable among t
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