Mindy cast her gaze down; sadness etched on her face. Her cousin, Marty Carver, said, "Don't worry, Mindy. We won't become friends with that country bumpkin. She can't hold a candle to you. Kenny and Moses said that no one in our circle would accept her. She's just a joke to us."Mindy snapped her head up. "You shouldn't talk like that in front of Grandpa, Marty." "Grandpa Warren's favoritism is so obvious." Marty curled his lip. "Why can't I? If my grandpa were head of the family, that country girl wouldn't be back." Looking at the two men standing behind Marty, Mindy chided, "You shouldn't call her that, Marty! She's your cousin! Anyone else can, but not you!"Marty was perplexed. "Why are you still defending her at such a crucial time? Why is Grandpa Warren so insistent on kicking you out before she returns? Moses analyzed the situation and suspected she poisoned Grandpa Warren's mind against you. She's jealous of you, even before stepping foot back in the family!"Owen's fro
A gnawing worry settled in Owen's gut as he left Ian's. What could have happened to the Laynes? Owen thought he ought to have Troy look into it. However, upon returning, Troy was nowhere to be found. When Owen called, Troy's voice cracked with sobs as he spoke, "My nephew Howard... he's gone."Howard Jepson was the young man Philip and his friends called Mouse.After learning of everything that had happened, that feeling of unease lingered. Owen's head felt like it was close to bursting, and he thought of his wife, who acted unusually from time to time. Abruptly, he instructed his driver, "Turn around. We're going to Mr. Windsor's place.""Yes, sir."…Blake was swamped that day as every noble family in the city sought his services except for the Wagners. Philip was looking for the young woman he'd met. "Are you telling me you knew nothing about this, Mr. Weller?" Philip demanded, disbelief lacing his voice. "Look at Ignatius' eyebags! Please, tell us, where is your niece?"W
The elderly neighbors huddled together, their voices laced with confusion. "Wasn't that ball supposed to be indestructible?""I recall that as well. It was quite scary, too.""Anyone who tried to step on it would fall. And didn't we hear strange noises at night? I think they came from that thing.""This yard is empty, so what could be making a noise? The sky's turning dark, and I'm concerned about Sam getting spooked. Let's drop this."Spooked? Sam looked up, squeezing the ball in his hand with an innocent expression.The old folks stood speechless, a sense of dread settling over them like a shroud. There was something off, something deeply unsettling about the situation."Perhaps that's normal," one of them ventured. "Didn't Aria say he was skilled at dealing with the supernatural?"Meanwhile, Georgina bustled around the yard, setting up a table laden with snacks, fruits, and a steaming pot of tea. She planned to invite the neighbors over for a board game. It was a remarkab
Ignatius didn't expect the expert Philip spoke of to look like this. She was young and beautiful. She was also currently grilling meat over a fire. She didn't resemble a fortune-teller; rather, she seemed more like a celebrity.Aria raised her brow slightly. "Are you here because of the car crash? You want me to deal with your predicament, don't you?"Both Philip and Ignatius were in awe. How did Aria know when they had said nothing at all? The Laynes would keep this incident quiet, meaning Aria must have foreseen it.Ignatius looked at her with a desperate plea. "You must save me, Ms. Aria, please!""I won't get involved," Aria drawled. "You need to make amends on your own until your debts are settled."Ignatius' face drained of color. He turned to Will, pleading, "Please, Mr. Weller! Help me put in a good word or two!"Will dared not interfere with Aria's decision. "If she doesn't want to help, there's nothing more to be done."Anxious, Ignatius trailed after Aria. "I know I'v
Philip was filled with disappointment. He and his friends had been part of the same social circle for over a decade, always following Moses' lead. They never expected Moses to drag them down with him just to survive this ordeal.Aria casually flipped a coin, remarking, "Your other friend is probably having it the worst."Once they entered the yard where Sam stood, no spirit or ghost dared approach.Tobias had told Aria that fetuses denied life before birth, especially those who should have been born but weren't, harbored immense vengeful energy.With Philip and Ignatius' arrival at Aria's mansion, the vengeful spirit's targets dwindled from three to one. One could only imagine Lamond's torment.Philip was desperate to save his friend. "What should we do?"Just then, Lamond called. He said, "I feel so cold, Philip. Can you come over? I'm so scared."Cold at this hour? Desperate to help, Philip didn't notice anything unusual in Lamond's words. Before he could respond, Aria took hi
"I hold a mean grudge myself," Aria said nonchalantly. "It'd be unfair of me to stop you."The spirit perked up. "I'll let this Lamond guy off the hook for your sake, my lord. I'll head over to the Layne residence immediately.""Wait." Aria bit her finger till it bled before pressing it against the phone. "Someone's performing a ritual at the Layne residence. If you ever get into trouble later, tell me. I'll come save you."This was the spirit's first time hearing this—someone expressing their desire to save him. He paused, unmoving in midair. For the first time, he understood what it felt like to be cared for.He contained his vengefulness. Not only did the tension ease for Philip and Ignatius outside but also for Lamond, who was on the verge of jumping from the second floor.In the midst of his family's cries, Lamond finally stopped harming himself. Instead, he told his grandfather, Steven Whit, "It's the Layne family's doing, Grandpa. They were guilty of something and wanted to
"Give me a couple minutes," Aria said, then turned to Ignatius. "I'm teaching them to follow the current trends."Ignatius said obediently, "I'll do it immediately.""Wait till the area is no longer barricaded." Aria handed him three cherry wood branches, freshly taken from the tree, and told him to set them in front of his bedroom window. She then gave three to Philip as well. "That goes for you too," she said.Ignatius and Philip were touched. "How can we possibly thank you, Ms. Aria?""Thank me according to the market price." Aria prodded Sam, who showed his bank account number immediately.Aria asked Will, "How much does Mr. Windsor charge for his rituals, Uncle Will?""It depends on the situation. It's as much as several million bucks if it's a big deal. He charges 600 thousand dollars minimum."Aria looked at Philip. "600 thousand dollars then. That'd be 200 thousand dollars from each of you."Ignatius paid promptly. Philip also wanted to pay Lamond's share, but Aria st
When Aria had met Fiona on the street, she hadn't expected her to be her mother. While most in their social circle knew Rainbow had been found, Warren hadn't made it public yet. But surely Warren would have told Owen about it. So why was her mother still looking for her? Had Owen not yet told Fiona that she was back?Aria narrowed her eyes coldly. Startled by the sudden shift in her demeanor, Will pulled her aside and whispered, "Mrs. Carver's sick, so she's always kept to herself. If you want to meet her, you'd need Mr. Carver's approval.""Why do I have to go through so many hoops just to meet my mother?" Aria scoffed. Before Will could answer, Ignatius and Philip approached. Ignatius cheerfully cut in, "Ms. Aria, we can arrange a meeting with Mrs. Carver. Can we, Philip?""Absolutely," Philip confirmed. "Leave it to me. I'll make sure of it.""Thank you," Aria said, grabbing her black bag. She and Sam followed Philip and Ignatius out.Now that Georgina had neighbors to ke