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 However, she noticed that one of the forces behind everything had retreated too soon—they'd withdrawn themselves after merely adding some firewood to the bustling flames.Her main concern was still Ethan and his company.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
Aria scanned the police officers standing across from her. Something felt profoundly wrong. Standard procedure dictated that officers ask questions, not issue immediate commands. Clearly, these two, along with Carol Dames, were targeting her."We've never prescribed any medicine, officers. We have records of our livestream, and I can show them to you!" explained Georgina, who was panicking as she stood in front of Aria. One of the officers snapped, "Don't touch me! Interfere again, and you're coming with us too! You're running a stream where you give out incorrect medical advice, and you have the audacity to act innocent?"The officers hadn't conducted a single inquiry, yet they were hurling accusations. Heartbound Hall's stream would surely meet its demise if this wasn't dealt with.Aria's gaze darkened. She reassured Georgina and addressed the officers, "You claim to be police officers. I'd like to see your badges and have confirmation that your bodyworn cameras are recording."
Joel hurriedly stepped forward to support Georgina, his gaze on Aria throughout. "Dr. Carver, are you okay?"If Aria had gotten beat up, his superiors would surely castigate him to no end. They'd entrusted him with the responsibility of watching over her, yet this had happened to her. Joel felt bitterness fill his mouth as he racked his brain for how to explain this after returning to Elmer. Aria shook her head. "They claim to be officers who are merely doing their jobs.""Police officers, you say? Where are your badges?" Joel turned his gaze toward the uniforms both officers were wearing. The officers didn't take the short and portly Joel, who had arrived on an electric motorcycle seriously. One of them said, "This isn't your place to speak on her behalf, so stand aside!"No one had ever dared to speak to Joel that way during his many years in the workforce. "What's your name?""Do you not understand human language?" The other officer rudely brandished the electric baton he
Lucas reacted differently. He'd served in the army before. With his relatively young age—just in his late 30s—he had come to Southbury to gain more experience. He didn't expect to encounter such a situation in this modest alley, but he wasn't panicking. He even saw this as an opportunity to learn about the internal workings of Southbury, so he kept silent throughout.He could only be so calm because of his position in the city hall, which gave him some confidence. What surprised him was the disregard exhibited by Aria; it was as if nothing could affect her."I can come with you, sure." Aria was still smiling, almost evilly. "But take her with you too."She tilted her chin up somewhat, and her gaze fell on Carol, who was trying to sneak away. The police officers looked at each other in confusion. The officer who'd called for reinforcements hadn't mentioned Carol at all. Aria bit on her candy. "What? Do you do things differently based on who you're dealing with? There are 100,00
"Yes, Chief Thompson. I've committed everything you said to memory—only the two of us will know about this. I won't keep you any longer, Chief Thompson. Thank you, thank you!" Karen ended the call with a grin on her face and headed to Kent Group excitedly.Marshall was surprised to learn the news. "Did the country bumpkins she calls relatives really assault a police officer?""I know, right? And they were very arrogant about it." Karen found the situation laughable. "They must have no basic legal knowledge at all."Karen need not worry now. She had already arranged everything, meaning Aria would probably receive a sentence. She had only wanted Aria to suffer. However, things got blown out of proportion. Aria would likely face jail time.Marshall considered it for a while. "Tell Chief Thompson not to overdo it. The authorities are meticulous when it comes to background checks. Just ensure that she has a criminal record so that we can take the streaming account from her. Nothing mo
With Landon monitoring the stock market, Aria could walk right into Orion's trap. This way, Orion would let his guard down. When people felt confident, they invested more. Aria, well-versed in the stock market, understood this all too well. She had never intended to get rid of Lily. However, things were different this time. There was a limit to how much one could withstand another's viciousness. Aria doubted Lily could predict the market flawlessly—it was impossible, just as it was impossible for her to know everything.The logic was simple. If something fell outside one's area of expertise, even the most attentive observer would only grasp the outcome, not the details. Thinking it over, Aria realized Lily only knew about major events. The smaller ones seemed to escape her notice.If she put herself in Lily's shoes, it was like remembering which lottery would have a winner but not the exact numbers drawn.After all, no one knew when they would be reborn. The only way to acce
Malcolm did not know why Aria was asking, but he remembered the details clearly. "It was after that day." Aria tapped on the desk. "No wonder the Draycotts suddenly changed their market strategy. I get it now." What was she talking about? Before Malcolm could ask, Aria continued, "Some people are trying to cheat the system. Keep an eye on things, but stay safe. If anything happens, come to me first. "Like you said, they've got deep connections. Don't bother with the police—just keep the evidence." "Got it." Before hanging up, Malcolm asked, "Should we still watch the stock market?" Aria smirked. "Yes. They're not the only ones who can play dirty." Lily had probably been reborn too. But whatever Lily knew, Aria knew as well. She had never thought to use that knowledge this way before since it hadn't seemed necessary, but things were not the same now. If her dreams were real, then in her past life, Lily had only made it to Janovin. She had played the star medical student at
After being together all this time, Aria suddenly had a thought. Were she and Landon too distant from each other? No, "distant" was not quite the right word. It was more like they did not know each other well enough. Landon always felt just out of reach, like there was a fog between them. Simply put, he was not being straight with her. The thought left her feeling uneasy. Before she could say anything, her phone rang. It must be news about the Draycotts. It had to be something big for them to call so urgently. Aria glanced at the pair. Landon smiled. "If you have questions, Jett, feel free to talk with my manager, Ms. Virelle." Manager? Seraphina caught on quickly. "Mr. Grisham, shall we step outside?" Jett was still trying to process everything. "Wait." Balancing business and personal matters as usual, Aria held her phone up and said, "I heard Ms. Virelle used to work at the Draycotts' club. Let's have a chat later." Seraphina froze, glancing at Landon. Seeing his bl
Seraphina could not let her mind go there. Maybe she should've stayed in Netherrealm for a few more years. It was not so bad down there anyway. Landon barely spared her a glance, keeping his eyes on Jett with polite interest. "Won't you sit, Jett?"Sit? Jett could barely remember why he had come in the first place. Landon's voice snapped him back. "I... Mr. York, excuse me for asking, but what's your relationship with Ms. Virelle?""She works for me." Landon glanced at Seraphina. "Ms. Virelle? That's a new title."Jett stumbled over his words. "She works for you?""Yes," Landon said casually, like it was the most obvious thing. "Isn't it obvious?"Jett could not imagine the Yorks being in that kind of business. From Jett's expression alone, Landon could guess what kind of mess his people had made in Ludwiten. Since he had been dragged into it now, he figured he owed the Grishams an explanation. "I planted her in the Draycott family. The Yorks need a foothold in Ludwiten."So
Getting out of there wasn't going to be easy. Aria did not waste any time. She moved fast behind the suite divider, her laugh carrying a different note than usual. "What a shame."Landon's hand paused as he fixed her hair, his voice as smooth as ever. "I could have them leave.""Bad timing. My cousin's out there." Aria glanced at him, taking in that perfect collarbone of his. No wonder they used to call him the untouchable one, with all those socialites dying for just a smile.She had never given much thought to that kind of thing before. All those times working with patients, she had kept things strictly professional. But things felt different now, and she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Her gorgeous fiancé had a way of making her lose her head.Landon pulled his hand back while looking down. "We should meet with your cousin. I hear the Grishams like to evaluate their in-laws.""Huh?" That had not crossed her mind. He did not seem like someone who would care about app
Aria felt something wild coming off him. It was not hatred, but something close. She was too caught up to figure out what it was. She had never felt anything like this before; it was like she was floating. Her eyes were open, but she could not focus. Even his breathing felt like an invasion, starting at her ear and spreading through her whole body. When his fingers pressed into her waist, instinct made her try to push him away. That was a bad move—it only made things more intense. He lit her up like a match, heat spreading from her neck downward till she had to tilt her head back just to breathe. It reminded her of that hazy dream, the one in which she had been caught between sleep and waking, her pulse racing and her skin on fire. But it did not feel exactly the same because what she was feeling now was real. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of the river through the massive windows. The view was blurry, but it was enough to remind her where she was. Unable 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