Aria had an astonishing memory. It was as if she had Coral Village's layout in her mind. "That family was severely poisoned by me, so they wouldn't be in the village. They should be heading toward a place where they can get treatment. I suggest splitting into two groups and checking Beacon Hospital."Landon listened to her silently and didn't interrupt. Aria looked at him. "Bring the couple over. I have something to ask them."Landon fiddled with his beads and readily agreed. "Okay."His straightforwardness was one of the things Aria appreciated about him. He didn't waste time with unnecessary questions.Frank wanted to butt in, but he didn't know what to say. He wondered if Aria was really switched at birth. Frank remembered that he mistook Aria as the Carver family's missing daughter when he first saw her. If it weren't for Aria's denial, along with the information the couple had given him, Frank would have pushed for a DNA test. The couple said the girl was petite and skin
Aria's mind drifted to her own origins. However, she couldn't recall anything.She didn't have much memories, especially about her childhood. It was just a blank canvas for her. Regardless, she doubted something as melodramatic as her being the Carvers' missing daughter would happen. After all, she didn't look like the Carvers' adopted daughter.She decided to wait for Olivia's explanation. A distance away, Landon watched her interaction with Jeffrey, and a flicker of something unreadable crossed his features.Although it was inappropriate for him to think this way, he wished that he was the one being saved by her in the cellar. Escaping the desolate village together would have certainly created a more intimate bond.Perhaps Aria didn't notice it, but there was something indescribable in the way she treated Jeffrey. Landon swallowed hard as he stood in the wind, the chill emanating from him growing stronger.Solo didn't dare to approach him. He kept his distance as he reported
The doctor at Beacon Hospital made it clear to the Renners that there was no cure for the poison.Garrett wailed, "You're just refusing to treat him because you look down on us folks from the countryside!"He stubbornly refused to be reasoned with. With his head still bandaged, he looked like he had come to cause a scene. Many of the villagers had come to the hospital too, and they took his side.The doctor started to fear that Garrett might actually hurt someone."I don't care what you say! You're going to treat my grandson!" Garrett roared, his eyes red with anger as he lunged at a nurse who had gone pale.Thankfully, it was then that a few plainclothes police officers came in. They swiftly grabbed Garrett and pressed him on the floor.Garrett shouted, "What the hell are you doing? Let go of me!"The villagers tried to step in to help Garrett, but Gregory called out, "Don't you dare move, all of you!""Mr. Webb?" Garrett exclaimed in fright. He timidly twisted his head around
While Jeffrey questioned Olivia and Grant, Frank remained outside. Since Olivia recognized Frank, she would most likely be even more adamant about not revealing the truth if he were around.As it was, she was a cunning woman. When Jeffrey asked about the family's involvement in child trafficking, she made it sound like they were only a bunch of middlemen."Well, some families wanted a child, while others wanted to sell theirs off. All we did was connect the buyers to the sellers. We wouldn't have dared to kidnap a child, of course."Jeffrey's gaze turned cold. "I guess you don't care that much about your son's life after all."Glancing to the side, he continued, "I guess you're useless too, Mr. Webb."Gregory started sweating profusely. He grabbed Grant and snarled, "The Barters have been arrested! Why isn't your wife telling the truth? Does she want you and your entire family to be imprisoned for life?"Shuddering in fear, Grant slapped Olivia on the face and demanded, "Tell the
Doing his best to keep his emotions in check, Frank considered the reasons why Olivia and Grant would want to lie. He also observed them carefully and noticed they were clearly trying to hide something.Thus, he came to a seemingly impossible yet perfectly reasonable conclusion.He barged into the room and announced his deduction. "You and the Kents didn't get your babies switched. You didn't like the baby you kidnapped, so you exchanged her for a different one! You never had a daughter!"When Olivia spotted Frank, her expression hardened. She recognized him as being one of Aria's family members. Did he know Jeffrey?Frank got straight to the point. "You guys purposely misled me and made me ask the Kents, but how would the Kents know that you never gave birth to a child? They simply thought that one of you villagers gave birth to Aria."They were angry that she had stolen their daughter's place, so they wouldn't have told me the truth. I wouldn't have been able to get the real ans
Throughout these years, all Jeffrey and Leon wanted to do was to find their younger sister as soon as possible. However, they were worried that her safety would be compromised if it became known that the Carvers were looking for a long-lost daughter.Too many people would've wanted to claim to be her. If such people acted on their greed, their little sister's life would be in further danger.The Carvers had hired countless private detectives, but all of them said it was unlikely that their younger sister was still alive and well.Refusing to accept that, Jeffrey and Leon secretly created a base filled with photos of their younger sister. Every year, they would head over there to celebrate her birthday. They wondered what she would look like when she grew up.Well, Jeffrey finally got his answer. She was even more beautiful than what he and Leon had imagined!He leaped to his feet, his eyes sparkling with joy. "I'll go to her right away and tell her I'm her brother!""Mr. Carver!"
Jeffrey, who always kept his cool, was so emotional now that his voice had turned hoarse."Mr. Levin, do you still think we need some bloody DNA test? Who else could this be, if not my sister?" he cried out. It had to be her. It couldn't be anyone else.Everyone kept saying that Mindy looked like the sister they lost, but Jeffrey didn't think they looked alike in any way.The photo of the little girl he saw now was what he remembered of his sister. Her face was smeared with dirt. But even though she had been kidnapped, she was still able to eat her candy. She stared at the camera with bleary eyes, as though she wasn't fully awake yet.Her eyes were large and round. Her cheeks were plump. She was even wearing the tiger-themed hat Jeffrey and Leon made for her. They had done a poor job of making it themselves, so the embroidery looked very messy.Meanwhile, Frank was also agitated. It was one thing to figure it out. It was another to receive solid proof that he was right. The young
"Alright." Aria agreed to it. Despite feeling puzzled, she knew her focus should be on saving Jeffrey. "Does he have any allergies, especially to certain medications? Does his body reject drugs like penicillin?""None at all," Frank replied.Meanwhile, the stretcher was brought over. Aria swiftly took one of the ends and lifted Jeffrey with the help of the other medical staff. The doctor and nurses all followed along as well.Frank was so anxious that his forehead was covered in sweat. He wanted to tell Aria that she was the Carver family's daughter, but he was also worried about the news affecting her feelings about Jeffrey. That might affect the surgery too.Soon, the light outside the surgical theater turned on, indicating it was occupied.Landon had followed Aria to the hospital. He still needed to tie up loose ends. Once Aria had gone into the surgical theater, he looked at Frank and asked, "Did you guys find Ms. Carver yet?"His tone was cool and indifferent, making it seem
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