Waterfront Police Station would indeed be capable of such actions. While they wouldn't risk it for major crimes, minor cases like Aria's could be a source of easy money.After Sherman left, another officer entered. This officer, a man named Larson Tanner, was slippery and thus more difficult to deal with. He paid the other two men present no heed, merely saying to Aria, "Streamers like you should also follow the rules and obey the laws. "Have you seen any famous doctors treat patients online? The Short family has the best doctors in Southbury, yet they'd never disregard other human lives like you!"Aria said coolly, "The biggest hospitals in the country, as well as the hospitals for the military, have already started their telehealth operations a long time ago. The doctors who treat patients online are also experts from various departments. "This is so patients won't need to travel to and from the hospitals, thus saving unnecessary costs. The Short family hasn't started to treat
Lucas said coolly, "Are you telling us to bribe you?" He knew that a lot of things went on behind the scenes in Southbury, but not that these people would be so blatant when insinuating these acts. Frances had told him on the phone the previous night about how Southbury was now without these problems. Lucas clenched his fists. He'd say a thorough investigation was necessary if anyone asked about the matter. Larson said nonchalantly, "With how you accused a police officer of insinuating bribery, I think there's no need for an interrogation."He set his pen down and looked straight at the three of them. They were quite difficult to deal with, and Larson wouldn't manage to get anything out of them even after nightfall if the three of them stayed together. His gaze fell on Aria—his target. He thought a young woman like her wouldn't be able to handle a hands-on interrogation. And so he said, "She's coming with me—alone!"Joel immediately realized what he was planning. Larson wante
The door to the interrogation room was kicked open. Jacob was on the brink of a mental collapse. He hadn't stood up straight ever since getting a call from Frances.Arresting an official who would be their superior while claiming that he'd assaulted a police officer—and on his first day on the job—was an immensely dumb thing to do, and the people who'd done it just had to be directly under his jurisdiction. Jacob had lost hope of retaining his position as chief of police. He prayed fervently for Kreil to understand the big picture and not do anything dumb again during the interrogation. He called Kreil repeatedly on the way here, but Kreil hadn't picked up any of his calls for some unknown reason.Jacob wanted nothing more than to be onboard a plane instead of this car, which seemed so slow in comparison. He ended up late to the scene at the end. From the moment he'd arrived at the interrogation room, he knew that his time as chief of police had come to an end. Frances di
"Regardless of who she is, you can't make an unlawful arrest!" Frances was usually a gentle, well-mannered person, but this made him fly into a rage.Kreil, unfazed by the outburst, pivoted toward Jacob. "Chief Green, you know how dedicated I am to the job."Jacob, not wanting to be implicated, responded sharply, "That's enough, Kreil! Take him down immediately!"Jacob had planned to cover up whatever he could before the new secretary-general arrived and had given all the necessary orders. As long as everything remained buried deep enough, Lucas wouldn't manage to unearth anything, and thus, he wouldn't be able to do anything in response as the new secretary-general.However, this fiasco presented itself as a perfect reason for Lucas to conduct a thorough investigation. Jacob resolved not to let Kreil utter a single word. The officers were ready to take Kreil down when Aria spoke. She did so casually, entirely unlike an ordinary citizen who'd just gotten arrested, and with a
Carol slumped on the floor. She heard nothing about Frances or a secretary-general when she agreed to take the job. She wasn't educated, so she didn't understand some of what they were talking about, but she wasn't stupid—a man who could command such deference from Kreil was surely someone important. She dared not speak. She tried to sneak away amid the arguments, but Aria had persistently blocked her path, whether intentionally or not. Carol looked at Aria resentfully. Aria said with a smile, "We have both the plaintiff and the defendant—myself—here. Chief Green, Mr. Yaeger, and Mr. Murray, I'll have to trouble you with something. Please interrogate both of us at the same time."That was what Jacob was most afraid of. If they were to be interrogated simultaneously, everything would eventually surface!Lucas studied Frances' face and spoke with the air of someone in an important position. "What do you think, Frances?"Lucas wanted to gauge the severity of corruption in South
Three agonizing hours had passed since Aria had been taken to the police station. Clueless about the situation, anxiety gnawed at her. She learned from her connections that extricating Aria wouldn't be easy. Karen had smartly chosen the perfect time to strike, coming when Sam was not around. To her, Sam was troublesome.Karen scrolled through her phone, maintaining a façade of calm. "Mom, look at how many people are scolding you online. Aria's matter can't be settled easily. She did assault a police officer, after all."She clicked on one of the comments. "Look at this comment. It's spot on. 'How dare someone who rose from poverty dare to attack our national heroes? Such streamers should all be captured and sentenced for severe crimes!'"Georgina saw that comment, which was one of the many malicious attacks on her account. However, her worry wasn't for herself but for Aria's future. She feared Aria's life would be ruined by this. Karen stared at Georgina before grabbing her bag,
Georgina said, "I've been through this before, so I know the record will be for life if she's really implicated. She's young and just started studying medicine. She can't let this hold her back."Knowing this, Karen was confident she could succeed. Georgina would surely give her the livestream account. After all, Karen understood that Aria's future meant more to Georgina than anything else."Where do I sign?" Georgina asked flatly.Karen instructed with a smile, "Here and here."However, Georgina was very cautious. "How can I be sure you'll keep your promise and bail Aria out? Do you intend just to bring up the Layne family name? They're from Janovin. What connections do they have in Southbury?" Karen cursed inwardly. Georgina was proving more troublesome than anticipated.Karen responded proudly. "Of course, I won't just bring up their name. I have my own connections. I'm friends with Chief Thompson from Waterfront Police Station."While saying that, she showed Georgina the co
"Of course." Joel also had a sharp eye.Kreil shuddered and spilled their entire plan in a panicked torrent. While he was clueless about the ordeal online, he confessed to arranging Carol, who claimed that her grandson had fallen into a coma after consuming medication prescribed by Aria. The mastermind, however, was Karen. She'd exploited Heartbound Hall's livestream to frame Aria publicly, ensuring many witnesses. Thus, even if Aria were innocent, her reputation would be tarnished. Kreil saw Aria as a powerless nobody. Fighting back would be seen as resisting arrest. Once detained, Kreil would deal with Aria based on her attitude. Otherwise, she could grovel before Karen until she was pleased. No matter her response, they were confident they'd strip her of her reputation. Yet, Kreil hadn't anticipated the secretary-general's involvement when they took Aria in.Without Joel and Lucas around, Kreil's plan would have succeeded. Upon hearing that, Frances grew furious. Having wo
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