"It's her!""Mr. Angort is married with children! Gosh!""How disgusting!"Everyone started to discuss this. Abraham's face was dark as he barked, "Aimee Lindbridge! Penn Angort! Do you even have any respect for this school?"Penn quickly started begging for mercy, "She seduced me, Dr. Lowe. After I've—""Shut up!" If Abraham hadn't come to school today, he would never have known about all this disturbing stuff happening in his school. "I don't want to hear any explanations from you. The two of you are in this together!"Aimee shamelessly denied, "That's not me!"She mustn't admit that it was her, or her career would end immediately! There was no video of the scene, and no one could insist that it was Aimee when her voice was the only source of proof. "Oh?" Aria fiddled with her pendant. "Are you sure that's not you, Ms. Lindbridge?"Soon after, the second voice clip came. It reverberated in the room, loud and clear. "You want your child to be admitted to our school? Sure
"That's right! These are two separate matters, aren't they?" "If you really didn't cheat, you should try retaking the exams."The crux of this was that no one believed Aria could score full marks. Abraham wanted to defuse the situation, so he said, "Calm down, everyone!""No can do! If she can still get full marks in math after she retakes the exam, I'll apologize!"Georgina was somewhat anxious upon hearing that. However, just as she wanted to explain, Aria grabbed her hand. She looked at everyone coldly and focused on a particular spot. "I shall wait for your apology.""Sure!" The other student sounded confident, as if he'd done something immeasurably righteous. "Now that she's agreed, Dr. Lowe, you should arrange for her to retake the exams!" A certain group of students kept making a scene, pressuring Abraham to decide.To be honest, Abraham didn't want Aria to retake the exams. Asking her to prove her innocence was already an insult, and practically speaking, it was diff
Aria bought a crepe, paid for it, and handed it to Georgina. "Probably. All sorts of weird stuff exists in this world, after all.""Who do you think did it, then?" Georgina asked a straightforward question. Aria smiled. "I think it was L.""L?" Georgina was confused. "As in the letter in the alphabet?"Aria explained patiently, "It's a nickname. All hackers have a nickname online to better protect themselves in real life."Georgina paused. "Why do you know so much about that, Aria?""Sam told me," Aria answered calmly, "He showed me records about L's life. He succeeded in hacking a bank's system at the age of six. He's an IT genius."Georgina muttered, "Only Sam would read weird stuff like this.""You're right about that," Aria agreed with a nod. Georgina said suddenly, "L is a decent person."Aria smiled. "How so?""Didn't you hear your classmates praise him? He dealt with these harmful people for the sake of everyone else!" Georgina huffed. Aria thought she looked adorab
"No, don't do it!" Aimee suddenly yelled. If Karen decided to lodge a report, she would know that Aimee had lied!Karen frowned. "What's with you, Ms. Lindbridge? You gave me a shock.""I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent," Aimee spoke faster as she browsed a website. "I wanted to remind you about the money you agreed to pay me."Karen sneered. "I'll transfer the sum to you immediately."Aimee bought an air ticket right after receiving the money. This was probably due to her fear of Aria, but she couldn't help but tell Karen, "Mrs. Kent, your adopted daughter is more than she appears to be. You should be careful."Karen dismissed her concerns. "Aria? She's just a poor girl without status or power. Why should I be careful?""She—" Aimee had just started her sentence when the Ministry of Education showed up at her door. Karen said in displeasure after Aimee had hurriedly ended the call, "She's so careless.""Mrs. Kent! Our esteemed guest, Ms. Morris, is here!" Alfred reported.Karen straighte
It was the comment-farming company who called. They'd been calling many times in succession as if there was a pressing matter.The moment Karen wanted to take the call, Dorothy frowned and gave her a look. Afraid that this would upset Dorothy, Karen quickly turned on silent mode on her phone. "Cheers, Ms. Morris."Only then was Dorothy satisfied. She clinked glasses with Karen, a smile on her face. …Ethan scratched his head in frustration. His company was currently in chaos, and Karen's unanswered calls did little to ease his worries. "They attacked our servers again, Mr. Addison!""Another batch of our accounts got suspended!"One by one, their projects were crumbling. These accounts, painstakingly maintained and heavily invested in, were now rendered useless. Their lifeline had been severed with brutal efficiency.Ethan's chest rose and fell. "Have you managed to find the rival company behind this? Did we offend a celebrity with fabricated rumors?""No. We couldn't find a
Landon was constantly on his phone during the banquet. This attracted Warren's attention as Landon never had the habit of having his phone with him at all times. "What business deal are you so concerned about?" Warren raised a brow.Landon smiled. "It's not work. I'm waiting for messages from a friend."He then unlocked his phone. Suddenly, his gaze darkened. His fingers twitched, and some semblance of emotion appeared on his normally impassive face.Holy Emperor VIP: York: "I sent one to you just now."Aria's reply came almost immediately. "I didn't receive it. The message was probably erased when my account was suspended. Send it again."She said to send it again? Landon didn't reply immediately, running his fingers on the surface of his phone. He still remembered the dull ache in his chest when he'd sent the photo and gotten no reply. Landon's gaze fell on one side of the chessboard, spacing out. Warren, noticing his distraction, grew curious. He was about to prod for mor
Many people were stoking the flames behind the scenes as they had their sights set on Aria's stream. With how smart Aria was, she'd already seen through everything long ago. However, she noticed that one of the forces behind everything had retreated too soon—they'd withdrawn themselves after merely adding some firewood to the bustling flames.Her main concern was still Ethan and his company. Aria didn't withdraw after hacking into his network; instead, she planted a virus on his main server.As she inspected the data with a bored expression on her face, Landon replied again. Holy Emperor VIP: York: "Your stream was suspended."Aria replied, "Yep."Landon's gaze hardened. He sent a voice message, "Why?"He didn't think that Aria was the problem in this case. Aria said nonchalantly, "This is just a trivial matter."Landon didn't see this as a trivial matter. He took a screenshot, which he sent to Paul Chenner, the person in charge of the platform.Startled, Paul explained im
AsLongAsTogether: "Give us an explanation, please!"Ethan was controlling three accounts simultaneously, trying to ruin Aria's reputation. Looking at those comments, Georgina gripped the desk, wanting to explain the situation. However, Aria chuckled. She looked directly at the camera. "We won't be treating patients today. Let's do something else."BetterTomorrow: "Stop deflecting! Explain everything!"Aria said slowly, "The name's Ethan Addison, right?"Everyone in the comment-farming company who was currently typing on their keyboards froze, their eyes wide with terror. "Mr. Addison, she—"Ethan paused. He was about to question how Aria knew it was him, but then Aria smirked. "Let me teach the ghostwriters on the other side a lesson. Maliciously defaming other people online can result in imprisonment for up to three years if the circumstances are severe."BetterTomorrow: "Are you okay? Why is someone accused of causing a patient's death lecturing us on laws?"Aria spoke delib
Priscilla twirled her long hair and took a sip of her coffee. "I didn't have much confidence back then. I always followed you, never daring to try things on my own. It's only now, after trying for myself, that I've realized some things."She added, "Opening a medispa has always been my dream, and that's how it all started. Now, all the wealthy women in Ludwiten come to me for fillers and anti-aging treatments. If you're interested, you should come by. I can even fix your nose a little."Priscilla smiled. However, her smile was a little off, perhaps from a recent treatment. She pressed her fingers to her eyes. "I can't smile too much, or I'll get wrinkles. I envy your flawless, youthful face, Fiona. What's your secret?""Probably just staying indoors and avoiding the sun," Fiona replied, carefully omitting the fact that her soul had entered a manifestation.Priscilla's expression darkened, her voice tinged with frustration. "It's all Owen's fault! How could he be so cruel? You're no
Leon typed so quickly that Aria suspected it was a result of his experience arguing with his online haters. Aria couldn't get a word in as Leon flooded the entire group chat. She was speechless—his typing was even faster than a hacker like her. Celebrity Carver: "I'm worried about Aria. I should have gone on the train too!"Aria freed one hand to reply, "No need to worry. Fergus is with me."Celebrity Carver: "Fergus has never been in a relationship himself. What does he know?"Boss Carver: "Leon, aren't you getting too full of yourself lately?"Leon kept his head down, continuing to type. He was filled with worry for Aria.Unbeknownst to anyone, a mysterious person watched Leon with intense focus. The gaze was unsettling as if the person were ready to explode with hatred at any moment.The person only looked away when Leon entered the VIP lounge. Then, they went to the washroom, and standing before the mirror, revealed an eerie smile. There was no rush. After all, there wo
Their positions were reversed in an instant.Landon was pinned down, a few stray strands of hair falling over his face. His long, dark eyelashes gave him a somewhat coy expression. Aria, on the other hand, appeared dominant, with one hand pressing down on his wrist and the other on his shoulder. This was the scene the attendant walked in on. She cleared her throat slightly before speaking, "Sir, here are your fruits."The attendant's voice caught the attention of Fergus, who was seated in the last row. He put down his tablet and glanced over. What he saw was Aria playfully pressing down on Landon's wrist. Fergus couldn't help but rub his temples, unsure how to express his current feelings.When Leon mentioned that Aria was pursuing Landon, Fergus hadn't thought much of it. However, seeing for himself, he could only think of ways to keep Landon around for Aria.But Aria couldn't be too forward as they weren't married yet. At the thought of that, Fergus deliberately coughed.
It was the first time Aria had ever felt this way. The sensation made her dizzy, yet she couldn't get enough of it. Every inch of her mouth was filled with Landon's scent, and his fingers felt astonishingly hot. The sounds around them faded, leaving only the rumble of the train as it passed through the tunnel. There was an undeniable closeness between them. His soft kisses and teasing bites on her lips made her feel a little lightheaded. With her eyes covered, Aria instinctively sought something to steady herself. The rhythmic thump of his heartbeat echoed in her ears, its force making escape seem impossible. His kiss, commanding and intense, contrasted sharply with his calm demeanor. It seemed as though he was determined to pull her deeper into his embrace. Yet, despite the overwhelming sensation, Aria couldn't bring herself to resent it. Instead, she found herself surrendering to it. The sounds around them slowly returned as they emerged from the long tunnel, light creepi
Landon raised his hand and spoke calmly before ending the call. "Go and tell your boss that only Farshyans can manage the Chamber of Commerce."When Westin tried calling back, no one answered. For years, foreigners had enjoyed preferential treatment in Farshya. As Westin mentioned, some universities favored foreign students, offering them special care. Foreigners received priority access to events, complimentary ice cream, and exclusive show tickets at car exhibitions. Many Farshyans were thrilled just to exchange a few words with them.Westin's best friend even had a Farshyan girlfriend who was utterly devoted to him. She tolerated their insults with a smile as long as he promised to take her abroad and secure her permanent residency.This sense of entitlement made foreigners like Westin feel superior to the locals. Westin, in particular, had been flattered by Farshyan businessmen for so long that he'd never experienced such outright rejection.Other suppliers and port officia
Despite the shifting tides, some stubborn members of the Chamber of Commerce clung to their cunning ways, refusing to yield.Previously, Westin had assumed that his target, known for being money-obsessed, would agree without much resistance. But upon arriving, he found himself drinking far more than discussing business.Two days and a relentless hangover later, Westin realized he'd been played. That wily old man! Refocusing his attention on the task at hand, Westin addressed the screen with renewed determination. "Mr. York, it's not just Ludwiten's companies interested in partnering with us. Even the Wagner family from Janovin is eager to collaborate. "If there's something holding you back, let me know. But remember, opportunities don't wait. I urge you to reconsider—going solo carries significant risks."As Westin spoke, Landon listened calmly, his expression unchanging. He even shifted slightly to make Aria more comfortable in her seat. Nearby, an attendant whispered with a
Aria lay on her side, with Landon seated on her right. She wondered if the York family would grow uneasy about his prolonged absence from home. Landon was clearly in the middle of a meeting. His deep, pleasant voice carried a hypnotic quality, occasionally interspersed with authentic Nobeetan phrases. He spoke so softly that those further away would struggle to hear him, yet his tone was laced with an understated menace that no one could ignore.The person on the other end of the meeting dared not contradict him. Landon's calm demeanor masked a chilling authority. He wasn't the kind of superior who exploded with anger—those were predictable. The truly terrifying ones were those whose moods were inscrutable and whose actions were ruthlessly decisive."We won't pursue a joint venture then. The York Group will proceed independently." Landon chuckled before continuing politely, "Let me remind you, this is Farshya—not the early days when we were inexperienced and desperate for capital.
At first glance, Kael's youthful face and wide, innocent smile made him look like a naïve fresh graduate. Yet, Aria knew better—beneath that façade was someone exceptionally skilled at navigating the intricate social dynamics of aristocratic families. "Mr. Warsaw has truly entrusted me with his most valuable apprentice," Aria said with a soft chuckle.Kael, ever attentive, refused to let her carry any luggage. "Mr. Warsaw feels more at ease knowing I'm with you. I'll take good care of you when we reach Ludwiten. You've been too exhausted lately."Watching Kael's efficiency, Fergus realized the extent of Stephen's meticulous planning. Kael handled matters with a precision that even surpassed Fergus' own assistant."Ludwiten is complicated. Whatever you do, prioritize your safety," Warren had warned them before their departure. For Warren, nothing was more important than the safety of his grandchildren. The world of high-stakes investments was fraught with hidden dangers. One miss
Those weighed down by darkness find no rest at night.An old cottage in Ludwiten stood cloaked in shadows, its walls overrun with vines and its history etched into the crumbling façade. The oak tree outside swayed in the moonlight, its rustling leaves carrying an eerie whisper that seemed to pierce the silence."Sir, I don't understand why you're hesitating. If we could seize the Carver family's fortune, why not do the same to the Grishams?" The speaker was wearing a black cloak that obscured his face. "We've successfully fooled Mrs. Kincaid, and everything is in place. The saintess is growing impatient—so why are you still hesitating?"The old man responded with a scoff, his cough rasping through the veil of white fabric that shrouded him. "Your flawed information caused me to miscalculate the Carver family's fate. And now you dare to rush me?"The cloaked figure flinched, his fear evident. "You've misunderstood, sir. I meant no disrespect. It's just... opportunities like this are