The wealthy would usually live in strategic locations, including the Wagners. Kenny and Philip came from a family of politicians, but they had no plans to follow suit and instead had chosen to start a business.Typically, in such cases, those younger members of noble families would live somewhere else away from the family home. Yonah had always not liked Philip that much, so Philip didn't want to return to the family residence and risk souring Yonah's mood. However, Yonah had praise for him this time around. "How did you meet the scion of the York family?"The York family? Who might it be?Philip was looking at his nails when he heard Yonah's question. Confused, he looked up. "Huh?"Yonah was a busy man. He was furious upon seeing how distracted Philip was. He tried to be patient as he repeated his question. "Are you close to Landon York?""No," Philip said, confused. "He isn't even that close with Kenny, who's actually good in his studies, so why'd he be close to me, the guy
Philip had never hosted guests at a formal banquet before. He was accustomed to hanging out with friends who others might consider disreputable company. During his family's formal events, his only responsibility was to avoid embarrassing himself.His presence hadn't been necessary with someone as capable as Kenny in the family. Not this time, though. Philip felt somewhat anxious. "I should entrust this to you, Kenny. You know that I'm not that adept in doing things such as this."Kenny took his phone out, looking nonchalant. "You're the person the Yorks want to establish a connection with. It will be inappropriate if I host them instead of you.""We can do this together, and you can remind me what I need to take note of during the banquet," Philip said.Kenny tucked his phone away. "Let's talk about this later. You know I'm working hard to be by Mindy's side now.""Didn't that young woman we met tell us that Mindy is interested in someone else?" Philip advised, "Landon will be h
Philip decided to attend the gathering simply because of the invitation. However, traffic ahead came to a standstill.He would've taken a shortcut to the venue any other day, but today, that group chat became increasingly annoying as time passed. As he waited for the roads to clear, he suddenly thought of Aria's words. Philip unlocked his phone and typed a reply, "You guys have fun. I'm having a headache, so let's meet some other day."He then turned back and headed home. The day's events felt bizarre, and Philip chuckled at his impulsive decision. But back home, a realization struck him. Leon wasn't part of the group chat. If he had gone, he likely would've been dragged into a discussion about how to impress Rainbow Carver.Philip didn't have any opinion on Ms. Rainbow in particular. That was just what their circle was like—if someone could stay behind, they could by all means, but they shouldn't force themselves to stay if it proved impossible.Philip wasn't an overly benevol
Exhausted after his call, Philip trudged home, his body heavy with dread. He didn't know who he should talk to about this. He'd thought of calling his father, but Jack would only call him useless and tell him to learn from Kenny. Philip was having a hard time keeping everything in, so he sent a message to Leon, "Do you have time for a chat?"Leon's reply was immediate. "No. I'm looking for my sister."Philip found that weird. "Hasn't your family already taken her in?"Leon skulked in the corner, wearing a pair of shades. "Yeah, but I'm not brave enough to step foot in the residence. You know how my grandfather is too, don't you? He frowns at the sight of me."Philip said immediately, "You can come over to my place. You shouldn't be out there all the time. Aren't you a celebrity? You'd become fodder for gossip again."Leon said determinedly, "No. I want to figure out who my sister is through the clues I've gathered."Philip's heart felt lighter as he chatted with Leon, so he tol
It would be ideal if the tree was an oak tree, which symbolized strength and endurance, but unfortunately, the person who'd planted it had chosen a willow tree with leaves drooping from its branches. As time passed, the tree canopy would slowly spread wider, and its leaves would droop lower to the ground, contributing to a gloomy sight that would also hamper those living in the house.Around trees such as this, wild animals gathered, bringing a discordant atmosphere. Here was where Sam came in. Even without the copper coin, his presence served as a deterrent. No animal, regardless of species, dared to approach the house while he circled it.That was proven to be true. The maids found that strange and asked themselves, "Why do I no longer hear those meowing noises?""The stray cats from before aren't here."Usually, the stray cats would start meowing at this point in the day. The kitchen staff would feed them too. However, a black cat had once glared at them hostilely and scra
"Grandpa," Aria's gaze was dark as she said, "You've been an honest man all your life. During your many years as a businessman, you've never forgotten your original intentions, and you've helped countless people. You will live a long life."Warren's eyes reddened at Aria's words. He said to Keith, "Tell me. Why shouldn't I take her side?""You should, Mr. Carver Senior!" Keith said with a smile, "Don't worry. Your grandsons understand that too.""Hasn't Leon saved up a sum of money for Aria?" Keith looked at Aria. "He plans to give you the money when you get married."Aria paused. "You can tell him that there's no need to be so hasty."Warren laughed. "He worries that you won't like him. There are way too many rumors revolving around him, and he's always throwing temper tantrums. You'll know when you meet him."…Outside the Carver residence, Leon sneezed loudly when hiding inside his van. He opened his eyes and said to his assistant, Janie Rielson, "I'm sure that my rivals are
Sam's nose twitched, and he leaned closer. "She feels abnormal, unlike an ordinary person."Aria knew that Sam hadn't fully recovered yet. However, he had sharp senses due to his nature. Anyone he determined abnormal might have an incomplete soul or be latched onto by some impure entity. Aria's gaze darkened. No matter what it might be, she couldn't just ignore that woman. It wasn't safe to let someone like her loiter around outside."I'll go there to take a look." Aria took off her helmet in a fluid action. It wasn't that late, so there were people around looking at the woman, but no one dared to step forward and offer help. After all, the woman behaved quite peculiarly, as if she was intellectually impaired. She'd grab at anyone who passed by and ask if they'd seen her daughter. Everyone else was terrified, and the hospital gown she was wearing only added to the eeriness of the sight. "Is she a patient who ran away from the mental hospital?""Doesn't seem like it. Her face
Fiona tilted her head. She had a head of waist-length hair, and her wrists peeked out under her wide sleeves. Aside from a watch, she was also wearing a silver bracelet with precious stones embedded in it. She looked every inch like the wealthy woman she was, and she said, "You're more skilled at this than you say, young lady.""I'm decent at it." Aria withdrew the needles before reminding Fiona, "The doctor should already have told you to let go of some matters. It'll make you feel better."Fiona was stunned. She suddenly smiled. "Do you and your younger brother here have anything to attend to later?"Aria had wanted to tell Fiona she'd be heading home, but Fiona's gaze told her she wanted the opposite answer.Aria shook her head. Fiona said immediately, "I'll buy you guys a drink. Children can't drink alcohol, so your brother will be having a can of Coke instead. Let's have some fried chicken, shall we?"Aria couldn't stomach fried chicken, but Sam's eyes lit up upon hearing
It was obvious how great the view at night would be. The hall had built-in wine racks and various essentials for hosting parties. The view from the hall was truly remarkable. When one looked out, one could see The Bay. Gazing down, one would feel like a king gazing imperiously over the entire bar below.However, the police could only furrow their brows as they couldn't find any clues. Just as they contemplated their next course of action, Aria arrived. "Where is my friend?" Initially, she just wanted to know Landon's actual location. After all, Landon's call didn't go through several times, which surprised her."They're in the corridor downstairs, not here." The investigator was wearing disposable shoe covers while checking the scene. As Aria was going to look for Landon, she suddenly paused. It was only then she noticed the view from where she was. She could see everyone and everything in the bar, especially as the bar stools lit up when someone sat on them. When Aria reca
Orion's primary concern was securing control of the Chamber of Commerce. "You truly understand these poor people the most," he instructed his secretary. "Go and settle this. Handle it flawlessly, or it might jeopardize the Chamber of Commerce's voting."Aria, a potential threat, was disregarded, as were the ethical protocols Orion was undoubtedly familiar with. It seemed that once wealth was acquired, human life became a mere inconvenience. Aria knew the rules. Confronting the names Haisley had mentioned would only alert their enemies. In this critical situation, she desperately needed an ally. As she reviewed her notes, a police officer began, "Ms. Carver, we're uncertain about the actions of your companion. We cautioned him against interfering with the crime scene, but he seemed intent on investigating. And there's a child with him, a surprisingly strong child."Aria smiled at the thought of Sam. "He won't contaminate the crime scene," she assured them. "I believe he's searchin
Aria signaled Adrian to go ahead. However, her gaze revealed nothing. Although Adrian felt he had been played, he didn't have any evidence, so he decided to visit Ronan. The boss dispatched Adrian to instruct Ronan on what he could and couldn't say. Ronan had already made a costly mistake, and another slip-up could easily be exploited by the police. Andrew knew he had to be cautious; these detectives were sharp. As Adrian settled into the visiting room, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The surveillance cameras loomed large in his mind, and he wondered how to extract the necessary information without alerting them. Yet, Ronan seemed nonchalant and showed no signs of worry. Adrian decided to check in with him. "Mr. Belmont, how are you feeling? Did they ask you questions that you don't know the answer to? You may direct it to me and stay silent for the time being. Perhaps you may provide any clues to the police."Adrian carefully crafted his question, pausing s
When Aria exited the interrogation room, she heard someone saying, "A representative from Nocturne has arrived. It might be a bit difficult to investigate the hidden passage."Aria lifted her gaze slightly. "Get him to come and find me.""It's the bar's lawyer. He seems a bit difficult to deal with."She smiled. "I like dealing with people like him."In less than three minutes, a group of people sat down. "Let me introduce you to Ludwiten's famous lawyer, Adrian Whitmore. This is the specialist in charge of the case."Adrian smiled and shook hands with Aria. Then, he spoke professionally. "I am Mr. Belmont's lawyer. From what I know, Mr. Belmont has provided all relevant evidence Nocturne can provide. As the person in charge of Nocturne, it'll give him a bad rep if he stays detained."While I deeply sympathize with the late Ms. Hanson's death, there is no direct evidence that my client is involved in her death. We will cooperate with the questioning, but I will request his rele
Haisley continued, "If I go to jail, nobody will care for him when he's old. He'll be laughed at by all his relatives! I really hate pompous people like you who want to teach others a lesson. You're not doing a good deed. You're only making the old geezer even worse off!"Aria spaced out and started looking for the two names she had mentioned. "Are you done talking?" she asked, looking up.Haisley was stunned by her attitude.Aria tapped her temples coolly. "I don't understand people like you. I don't care whether your father is doing well. He's not my father."He spoiled you when raising you. If he chooses to ignore your crimes, he deserves to live a bad life. We're locking you up to do the world a favor. Wake up, princess. We're not obligated to spoil you like your dad."Haisley's expression was grim, while the police officers seemed pleased. Although they were professional at their work, they wished to retort when faced with people like Haisley. Youngsters nowadays would le
Aria asked calmly, "Who did you see?""A person who was on the news before." Haisley seemed uneasy and asked again, "Are you sure this is confidential?"Aria glanced at the audio recording and disrupted it with a click. "You can talk now. Who did you see?"Haisley clenched her hands. "One was Xavier Larkspur from the local trading association, and another one was from the Chamber of Commerce…"None of the police officers could hear what she was saying. One of the investigators removed his buzzing headphones and barged into the dark with a gloomy expression. "This goes against the rules!"Aria was unfazed. "According to the rules, you guys should be leading the investigation yourself. From Nocturne's business practices or the incidents that happened there, you guys should have investigated it before. Why didn't you?"The investigator was rendered speechless. Some of them argued, "This just happened! And it's never happened before!"Aria stood up. "Perhaps you guys just found out
Technically, Aria's interrogation method wasn't standard protocol. However, her method managed to expose Haisley's true colors. "It's true that I was envious of her. So what? She acts so arrogantly despite coming from a small town like me. "I don't get it. I'm prettier than her and wear all kinds of branded clothing. Why am I still inferior to her? She just looks a bit more innocent than me, but she also admitted she wanted to find a rich boyfriend."Haisley sneered. "You're interrogating me, so you might as well ask around. Most people who go to the bar are looking for a rich boyfriend. If Luna didn't have the same intention, she wouldn't have followed us."Everyone knows there's no such thing as free lunch. However, people are greedy. They'll get baited if you give them a bit of temptation. "Luna is no different. She dreamed about marrying a rich boyfriend. If she woke up and she found herself sleeping beside Sky, I bet she wouldn't take her life."Aria was looking for that
Haisley, who had just gotten exposed, became pale. She wanted to stand up from the interrogation chair. "What right do you have to investigate my privacy?"Aria said slowly, "Haisley, why don't you look around to see where you are before slamming on the table? You're a suspect. Who else are we going to investigate?"Haisley sneered. "I'm a suspect? When did I become a suspect? You guys are just useless. Otherwise, go ahead and capture those behind the scenes! Why are you arresting me for? You're just trying to shift the blame on me. "Luna likes to jump off buildings. What does it have to do with me? I'm telling you not to accuse me without evidence!""Do I need to remind you of your image of a gentle and considerate senior in college?" Aria said flatly. The police officers watching outside thought Haisley was beyond help. Haisley took a deep breath. "I'm just working as a facilitator. I doubt it's illegal. How can you slander me without evidence? Is that how you guys do your w
A continued texting, "You're right. They won't suspect us, anyway. It has nothing to do with us. Even if she reported it to the police, someone would take care of it. Cases like this are difficult to solve. "How can she prove she was forced? She even dreamed about marrying a rich guy. Anyway, we should quickly delete this conversation. Now that Luna has been chosen, we should choose another target."The conversation was also synced on the display screen, causing the police officers to feel a chill down their backs. The young women sitting behind the glass were still college students. Yet, they had been targeting people online and bringing them to bars.The police officers clenched their hands when faced with the four young faces. They weren't people who helped out their juniors but demons!Aria didn't feel surprised at the revelation. What she was doing now was proving some of her suspicions. She already felt something off when she saw them downstairs.However, she needed evide