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
Fear laced Philip's voice. "It's quite scary. Mrs. Carver seemed calmer with her husband and Mindy around. The doctor said her excessive sadness affected her mentally."Hesitantly, Philip asked, "Ms. Aria, what's your take? Do you think something malevolent befell Mrs. Carver?"Aria put away her amethyst pendant. "No. Mrs. Carver is a kind and blessed soul. Evil entities wouldn't dare to approach her."Ignatius felt envious hearing that. "If that's the case, why does Mrs. Carver have this sickness?""Didn't the doctor already say it's because of her excessive sorrow?" Aria replied. However, it was obviously a lie.Will finally understood, but Philip continued to ask, "If she's just ill, why are you in such a rush to meet her?""I'm fated with her," Aria said nonchalantly.Philip became serious. "I understand! Saving those fated to you can lead to ascension, right?""You've been reading too many novels." Aria remained unfazed. "Why did you say you found a doctor to diagnose her
Philip shuddered at the thought. He immediately said, "Ms. Aria, Kenny offended you before. Could you forgive him for my sake?""You're quite good to Kenny," Aria said flatly.Philip scratched his head. "Kenny has been taking care of me since I was young. He's just a bit love-struck this time."The car stopped outside the hotel."I'm not interested in your brother," Aria replied before briskly exiting the car.Sam, clutching her black backpack, tugged at Aria's clothes. His eyes gleamed with excitement upon seeing the hotel. He signed, "I like this place!""With such chaotic energy, no wonder," Aria muttered to herself, a fortune teller's perspective revealing a troubled atmosphere within the hotel.However, she kept her thoughts to herself and entered the hotel swiftly, followed closely by Philip and Ignatius.The Carver family owned the modernly-decorated hotel.Upon arrival, the guest relations manager warmly greeted Philip, "Mr. Wagner, Ms. Carver will be here soon. She me
Will reacted swiftly, stepping in front of Aria. "Do you have any idea who you're addressing? You're nothing but a glorified attendant!""Y-You!" Dorothy's hands shook from anger.Mindy recognized Will and stopped Dorothy.Philip had mentioned bringing a doctor on the phone, but Mindy hadn't expected it to be Aria. How was Aria connected to everyone, even Panne Street's Will Weller?Mindy clenched her fists, about to speak, but Philip was quicker. "Mindy, your assistant seems rather aggressive. One would think she was a Carver by blood," he commented sarcastically.Mindy sighed. "Dorothy didn't mean any disrespect. I understand how confusing this must be.She then directed a seemingly innocent look at Aria. "Dr. Genius, perhaps you could explain why Dorothy reacted so strongly to seeing you?"Explain?Aria got straight to the point. "A dog tried to bite me, so I dealt with it.""How dare you!" Dorothy fumed, wishing she could kill Aria then and there.Aria's attention was on
Indeed, Lettie hesitated. She looked at her daughter instinctively. After all, blood ties could not be easily broken. Paxton seized this moment to step forward and hug her. "Lettie, I knew you couldn't give up on our family. I've really learned my lesson. We'll move out and keep Mom from interfering. Please?" His movements were too quick for Lettie to react. Aria sat there with a smirk, her gaze drifting to the window. It was a great photo spot indeed. It would be a perfect picture of an adorable daughter, a caring husband, and a forgiving wife. This would become a narrative of quick reconciliation that would betray the public's support. Aria had even thought of headlines for Celestia's post. Too bad she hadn't come inside. If she had, seeing Aria's face might have shaken her confidence. Lettie didn't let Paxton's embrace last. Once she recovered, she shoved him away. Then, came the slap. "You're absolutely shameless!" Lettie could not believe his act, even now. Glancing a
As Amara stood there trembling, it drew stares from onlookers. She could not believe her son would speak to her this way. It was Paxton who had begged her to help, saying Celestia wanted to meet Daisy. He even asked her to arrange it so the girl would accept them when the divorce happened. That way, Don would not interfere too much. As a mother, how could she ignore her son's troubles? He had gone on about Celestia's background—how cultured she was and how her parents were prestigious lawyers in Ludwiten. Amara had been impressed. A simple housewife like Lettie could not possibly compare to a Ludwiten socialite. Through Amara's investigation, she found out that the Norwoods were renowned in legal circles. Daisy's grandfather was even a senior judge. That was the kind of woman worthy of her son. She had done everything to help him seize this opportunity, but how had she become the villain? Amara clenched her fists. She understood what Paxton meant now. He was making her the sc
"Now more people would hate mothers-in-laws like us." "My daughter says this isn't over. Just wait; she'll get what's coming to her." Amara had planned to go to the supermarket but ended up hiding at home, afraid to go downstairs. Don was still at the university studying his latest archaeological finds, unaware of everything. She trembled thinking about what he would do to her when he found out. Panicking, she grabbed her coat and followed them. "Paxton, let me come with you. I'll make sure you don't get taken advantage of." "Mom!" Paxton's tone became impatient. "Look how many people are outside waiting to mock us! If you come, our whole family will end up all over social media. I could take Daisy to the café unnoticed, but not you. People can't stand the sight of you right now." Amara gritted her teeth. "They can't stand me? These people have nothing better to do than meddle in our family affairs! What's wrong with our family not wanting Lettie anymore?" "Mom! How can you
Celestia still had no idea what awaited her. She had been a bully since middle school, and her family would always clean up her messes. To her, Lettie was just some washed-up housewife who couldn't possibly understand how to harness social media's power, unlike herself, since this was her bread and butter. She knew the online community craved plot twists upon plot twists. Before leaving the car, Celestia gripped her phone, nervous about all her hidden misdeeds. But if she could destroy Lettie's image, she could profit from this viral outrage. Paxton picked up Daisy, who couldn't stop crying. "Dad, is Mom really divorcing you? Everyone online is attacking me. They're saying I'm a terrible daughter and not worth keeping. Even my classmates are laughing at me. Dad, please make up with Mom!" Paxton massaged his throbbing temples. "Daisy, that's why I'm here to pick you up. You have to make up with your mother. To stop the online hate, you need to act in a way that makes your mother
Then, Celestia could immediately post a video claiming she never knew he was married when they met. That would be the best way to shift the narrative. Paxton thought about it and said, "Fine, I'll go sweet-talk her." They needed to reconcile, or the book "Voices" would no longer be his. He could lose his job, but not that book.Nobody in Farshya knew how much money it was making overseas. It had earned 50 million in annual royalties, and film studios were already showing interest. He would never give up this book! Paxton lowered his gaze. "I'll bring Daisy along. Lettie can't stand seeing our daughter suffer, so she'll back down for her sake." But this time, Paxton's calculations would surely prove wrong. Celestia stood up. "I'm coming too. I'll wait outside." She could not stay here anyway. Paxton frowned. "Don't let her see you." "I'm not stupid. I'll take photos of you two making up and post them online. That will make it credible." Celestia knew her game. "Remember, d
In that moment, Paxton felt real fear. His throat became too tight to speak. Kaiden's voice hardened, "I don't care how you do it, but contain this matter. Your personal drama is causing too much negative publicity. You can forget about that promotion. As for Mr. Hendricks Senior, you can explain this to him yourself." Kaiden did not want to get involved, but Don was once his mentor, guiding him when he needed it most. It was through family connection that Paxton's career had advanced so smoothly. His mind was in chaos now. The higher he climbed, the harder he would fall. "I'll explain everything. Don't worry! I'll apologize to my wife right away!" Hearing this, Celestia exploded. "Apologize? What about me?" Her shout drew stares across the hotel lobby. Terrified of attracting more attention, Paxton covered her mouth. "Please, keep your voice down!" Kaiden heard the commotion too. "Who's with you? Where are you now?" "I..." Paxton tried to lie. But Kaiden did not want t
Celestia's face turned white with panic. Terrified that her photos would be screenshotted, her fingers moved faster than ever, but she couldn't keep up. She posted nearly three times a day, and now, the floodgates had opened."What do I do? What can I do?" Celestia was so anxious that she pulled at her hair. "Private account! I'll set it to private right now!" But it was too late. People were already taking screenshots and screen recordings, and within a minute, comments flooded Paxton's page. "I knew I recognized this homewrecker—I've seen her content!" "You've seen her content? What do you mean?" "She's a fashion influencer! She does street style and promotes clothes, bags, and beauty products! Her handle is @CelestiaNorwood." "No way! Didn't she just preach about women's independence and not relying on men? How the tables have turned!" "Wow! Her private account shows quite a different life!" "This can't be true. No influencer would date such an old guy." "Honey, tha
Lettie had always put Paxton's needs above her own, easily melting at his sweet words. But now, she dared to play him for a fool!In a fit of rage, Paxton slammed his phone, cracking the screen. He paced back and forth, his agitation palpable. "After all these years of supporting her, she's forgotten who she really is! If it weren't for me, she'd still be stuck working at her parents' grocery store. How else would she have become a rich man's wife?"Now she's even trying to trap me with her words. Hah! If she won't accept my kindness, fine! I'll divorce her right now!"Paxton angrily grabbed his things. Celestia beamed at his words. "Why waste time arguing with someone like her? She's just after the book royalties now that they're rolling in. That speech was probably the best she could come up with after racking her brain. The judge won't base a ruling on just one statement."Don't let this affect your health—you need to quit smoking and stay calm. Remember, we're planning for a
"Everything proved that I was just deluding myself. All these years without a career, I've been treated as less than everyone else. "On the surface, I should accept my fate. After all, only those who create economic value have a voice. Everyone around me says I married well and that I should be grateful for my life."I don't understand what's so good about it. I've tried to convince myself to compromise. Yes, I don't have a job, I'm ageing, and I've lost touch with society. These days, HR departments have an unspoken rule—34 years old is the cutoff age. "So where can I go? What kind of work can I do? Must I stay this way and keep being treated as inferior? Does being a stay-at-home mom really create no value? "Even hiring a live-in nanny in the city costs at least 15 thousand dollars a month. Stay-at-home moms don't just do a nanny's job. We're teachers, social coordinators and managers of everything inside and out. "Yet, we can't say a word, because if we do, it sounds like w