A tense atmosphere gripped the senior staff of the hotel. They felt like they were dangling by a thread, unsure of their fate.Aria's arrival worried them. They knew they could always band together and complain to Warren or even expose some of the hotel's negative aspects if she decided to fire them immediately.However, Aria's decision to give them a chance to redeem themselves threw them into a conundrum. They were unsure whether to stay and try to make amends or leave and find new employment, and this uncertainty gnawed at them.Aria had anticipated this reaction. Upon entering the hotel, she recognized the depth of the problems and knew a one-day fix was impossible. Her immediate priority was Fiona's safety.Aria sought information, but Dorothy remained tight-lipped. Even as the police escorted Dorothy away, she glared at Aria and spat, "Your won't last long in Janovin. Mr. and Mrs. Carver will see through your charade, and Janovin's socialites will never accept you.""Is that
"We'll be leaving now!" It would be disrespectful to Aria if Ignatius hesitated even for a minute.However, Philip couldn't shake a feeling of worry. "Aria, is there anything we can do to help?"Aria regarded them both with a thoughtful expression. "Having you here puts you at risk. If trouble arises, I'll be responsible for your safety as well. Weren't you told by your family that people born under your horoscope need more rest?"Ignatius stammered, "N-No.""I'm letting you know now," Aria said, holding their gaze. "Keep in mind what I said. Once you're home, eat and go to sleep immediately. Don't visit any other place, particularly the Layne residence.""Even if your best friend calls you there, refuse. Otherwise, I won't be able to protect you if something happens again."Ignatius nodded fervently. "The Laynes are just trying to pin the blame on us! We wouldn't dream of going there!""Exactly," Philip chimed in, though his mind was clearly elsewhere.Aria noticed the change
Whenever Kenny brought up his grandfather, Philip would comply without question. Having lost his mother at a young age, Philip dreaded disappointing Yonah the most.This time, however, Philip disagreed. "Kenny, I'm a disappointment anyway. I'm sure Grandpa wouldn't mind since you're there. That's all for now. I'm hanging up.""Philip, are you crazy? Get to the Layne residence now! I—" Before Kenny could finish, Philip had already hung up.Kenny was caught off guard. He never expected Philip to defy him, especially under these circumstances, even after mentioning Yonah. Fury contorted Kenny's features as he gripped his phone.Led by Samuel, the Layne family approached. Samuel eyed Kenny and inquired quietly, "Is Philip not coming?""Mr. Layne Senior, I believe Philip is exhausted from the past two days. He even sounded out of sorts," Kenny promptly replied. "How about I go and keep Moses company?"Samuel refused, his grip tightening on his walking cane as a hacking cough wracked h
Philip immediately did a U-turn after switching off his phone.Ignatius asked, "Philip, aren't we heading back?""No. The safest place for me is to be by Aria's side." Philip had it all figured out.Ignatius raised his eyebrows. "What about me?""You should go home," Philip instructed, gazing at the darkening sky. "My brother will definitely come looking for me at your place. Just tell him you don't know where I am."Ignatius hesitated. "But Mr. Carver saw you today.""He's too preoccupied dealing with Mindy to bother contacting Kenny," Philip assured him, his mind racing. "Park my car at my apartment and take a cab home. Don't waste any time."Recognizing the urgency, Ignatius nodded. "Alright. Leave it to me."Philip knew Kenny well. When Kenny's calls to Philip went unanswered, Kenny started tagging people in their group chat.However, after the incident, there was an unsettling silence from all the socialites.Despite questioning numerous acquaintances, none of them had s
Moses ignored Blake. He stood up and crushed the silver cross under his foot. "People like you just enable evil! Mark my words, you can't save him. I'll drag him down with me!"Jeeves trembled in fear. "M-Mr. Windsor, he…""Time isn't up yet, so it shouldn't harm anyone," Blake said. Everything happened for a reason. Even revenge had its timing.Blake glanced at Jeeves. "Change of plans. Tell Mr. Layne Senior to find Mr. Wagner immediately!"Without Philip, Blake wasn't sure he could save Moses.Blake had meticulously planned for everything. Now, he was thrown off balance, wondering who had forced the entity from Ignatius.He clenched his fists, his gaze intense. The vengeful spirit wasn't at its peak yet, so Blake could suppress it with his current cultivation.If no scapegoat arrived by 9:15 pm, Blake would be powerless against the intense resentment and chaotic energy.Blake kept this crucial information from Samuel, pressuring them to find Philip instead.Kenny also noti
Aria needed to be in the basement. It was the only way to understand what was truly happening.Surprisingly, the hotel's intricate geographical location safeguarded Fiona.This was unlike any situation Aria had faced before. Despite the apparent danger lurking within the hotel, she sensed something unsettling in the chaotic atmosphere. An unsettling energy that, while threatening, seemed to be keeping Fiona's sanity tethered to this place.Aria tapped away at the keyboard, utilizing specialized tools to calculate the optimal path she needed to take. Within Five Elements, there was a technique known as Acupuncture Strike. It seemed the hotel wasn't inherently problematic—just poorly designed elements contributing to a pervasive gloom.The first step to rectifying this disrupted atmosphere was thoroughly examining the basement. There had to be something hidden there that wasn't readily apparent. This was where the topaz stones became crucial.After meticulously planning her course
Aria clutched the amethyst pendant in her hand, trying to gather her thoughts.What was Mindy's role in all this? Dorothy's confident demeanor didn't seem to fit a maid's. And Owen's behavior was suspicious too.Aria never considered the possibility that Mindy might be Owen's illegitimate daughter. After all, if Mindy were Owen's biological child, the Carvers wouldn't have simply sponsored her. They would have taken her in as their daughter, replacing Aria in the family.Everything felt off.Aria recalled Warren mentioning their past support for Mindy because she was different from the other sponsored children—Mindy bore an uncanny resemblance to Aria when she was young. Aria narrowed her eyes in contemplation. Just as she was about to ask questions, wind chime-like sounds filled the room despite having none. Turning to the window, Aria noticed a shift in the hotel's atmosphere. It was an earthbound spirit. Aria tried to open the window, but it wouldn't budge. Meanwhile, Sam se
Landon coughed several times, a dry rasp that betrayed his sickly appearance. Despite his illness, he still carried himself with an air of aloof composure. The colorful bracelet on his wrist accentuated his demeanor. Despite his tall stature, his legs seemed longer in the hotel corridor, and his entire physique appeared almost out of place. "How did you even know where I was? My phone doesn't even have a signal!" Aria exclaimed, grabbing his wrist and pulling him inside. Their closeness startled Landon. The tip of his nose brushed against her hair, and a faint scent filled his nostrils if he leaned closer. Aria was surely like no other. Ever sharp, she moved with practiced precision, effectively stopping whatever was trying to enter the room.Soon, the lights flickered ominously, revealing an endless black mist behind Landon, invisible to him but clear as day to Aria. It defied logic. As far as Aria knew, Earthbound Manifestation should be an impenetrable barrier. With his u
Parents exchanged glances, and many of them were already frowning. Miguel couldn't figure out how his young mistress had shown up here. This would destroy his career! He lowered his voice so that only she could hear. "Who told you to come? Go home now!" Then he straightened up and called out loudly, "Ma'am, you've got the wrong person. Please take your child away." The artsy-looking woman started to realize there might be some misunderstanding. Normally, she wouldn't appear publicly in front of so many parents. Miguel had warned her that if she wanted a good life, she couldn't interfere with his career. But from the message she'd received today, she was clearly told that he wanted her to bring their son over. Being quick-witted, she tried to leave once she sensed something was wrong. She pulled the boy's hand.But a spoiled sixth-grader as he was, he wouldn't budge without getting what he wanted. "Dad, why are you pretending not to know me and Mom? Is it because of that old wo
Everyone turned to stare at Aria, their faces filled with disapproval. Eden caught some of the heat too; she wasn't looking so great in their eyes either. "She's so dumb to throw away such a golden opportunity." "She just doesn't get it. Her family's dirt poor, and everyone knows that." Aria heard the whispers around her. She stood her ground, eyes cool at the edges, but her expression never changed. She even let out a soft laugh. "Nice move, Mr. Sonder. A few words and everyone forgets your wrongdoings. Don't worry, though. I've brought you a special gift." As she spoke, she glanced at her watch. "It should be here any minute. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. You may call me Ms. Carver." Miguel snorted. "I couldn't care less what your name is." In his anger, he'd completely forgotten about the scandal that had been the talk of Ludwiten lately. Aria made a small sound as she hung her helmet on the bike. "I figured since you and Mr. Draycott were so tight, you'd be keep
The way Aria looked at him made Miguel feel like she could see right through him. It really got under his skin. Miguel walked over, putting on his responsible educator act. "Ms. Bohmer, I heard about your situation. It's fine if you need more time to consider, but please have your friend move her vehicle. School grounds aren't for just anyone off the street to enter whenever they please." Eden started to object. But Aria let out a soft laugh, stepping in front of her. "You're Mr. Sonder, right?" Before coming, Aria had reviewed this principal's file. His rise to this position had been swift, with an impressive résumé showing no academic fraud. But Sam wasn't just anyone—he could dig up dirt nobody else could find. This principal valued his son above all else—a son born from an affair, no less. Miguel nodded with formality. "That's me." Aria's smile didn't fade. "No wonder you looked familiar. We must have crossed paths elsewhere. Your younger son is starting middle school thi
Miguel had worked so hard to climb out of being just another underpaid teacher. Most people would have been thrilled to land a principal job, but Miguel got greedy. He never cared about shaping young minds. As he often said, "It's just a paycheck. Only losers pass up money to preach about education." That mentality might fly in small towns, but in the big city, these kids wouldn't stand a chance based on merit alone. Miguel wasn't exactly looking down on his students—he just knew the situation in each class best. Students with or without local residency permits would face different college admissions standards. Rich families already had their children's overseas education lined up, so there was no sweat required. Even if they had bad grades, it wouldn't be a problem. They could still go abroad and buy themselves a fancy degree. Money talked, and that was the harsh reality. Miguel needed that Department of Education position to set his son up right. It was pretty ironic for a
Aria would definitely have the principal of Oakvale Academy detained eventually, but not now. The moment Miguel was in custody, the people pulling his strings would smell trouble. Based on past cases, they'd likely cut all connections immediately. All their carefully gathered leads could vanish in seconds. So Miguel needed to stay free for now and even remain in plain sight. Aria said, "Don't tell your principal about what happened today." She looked at Eden. "When you go back, just attend classes like how you normally do. If Mr. Sonder asks about you, tell him you're still thinking it over. "Show how nervous you are about this, but also hint that you're eager to go abroad. You're just not quite ready yet. "Don't tell anyone about our conversation. I've added you as a contact. If anything seems off, text me immediately. "Someone will be protecting you 24/7, and your family too. So don't be afraid." As she spoke, Aria stood up. "Let's go. I'll take you back to school. They
"I don't know what Judy meant by that," Eden said as she looked up. "She never talked like that before." "Got it," Aria said, zooming in on the photo. By looking at the brand of the chocolate drink and the surrounding buildings, she could nail down the exact location. Without hesitation, she sent it to Sam for analysis. Something about this "interview" smelled fishy. She had to see firsthand what kind of meeting would change a simple and positive girl like Judy. "About those selected applicants—do you know exactly who they were?" Aria dug deeper with her questions. Once she had names, she could connect the dots between the students. These patterns would reveal what the buyers were looking for. Human trafficking was a high-stakes criminal business, and Aria did not believe this was just about exploiting young girls. The bar incident had been her wake-up call. She needed the full picture before making her move. She would just spook them if she jumped in too soon. Their oper
Aria needed to identify all the "buyers". Missing even one buyer could mean one more student was sold. "Do the selected applicants have anything in common besides their family situations?" Aria asked, and Eden shook her head. But she then added, "Everyone had good grades, so nobody ever questioned why they were chosen for scholarships. Nothing seemed fishy about it." Aria made a mental note about the good grades, then scrolled through Judy's Facebook feed. This kind of investigation was pretty straightforward for her. Even without being accepted as a friend, she could hack in easily. From her posting habits, Judy seemed like an optimist. She was a nice girl who rarely posted anything negative. But one post made Aria scroll back and look twice. The post was cheerful, with a sunny photo and a cup of chocolate. But the text caught her attention. It read, "About to start my new life! All my hard work has paid off. The interview was kind of weird, but no big deal. Let's go!" Ar
The person on the other end of the call didn't speak. He just nodded with a pouty little face from behind a computer screen. It was actually Sam. He'd been working behind the scenes all along, especially when investigating the Wagner situation. Having him tail Philip was the least suspicious option. Simon was available too, but his presence would definitely attract unwanted attention as a beast of fortune. Since they were dealing with an arcane seeker, bringing Simon would be like handing them a treasure. So Aria made the call to have Sam follow Philip, while Simon stayed with Landon. Aria was not worried about her handsome fiancé being in danger. It was only because Simon would be safest with him. The Yorks carried heavenly fortune. As long as there was no fated ordeal in play, anyone who tried to harm Landon would likely meet a bad end. After all, that purple energy surrounding him wasn't just for show. With Simon staying near him, Simon could mask Landon's aura while also
"Yeah, that's right," the rest of the burly men chimed in. The whole scene was painfully forced and fake. In reality, they just wanted to leave. But Aria wasn't about to let them off so easily. She figured she would return the favor since they'd been asking about her. She asked, "Oh, so the Draycotts owe your company money? Which company is that?" Viggo had not expected this question. He froze momentarily, then quickly replied, "Our company is small, so it's not worth mentioning. It's nothing compared to yours." "It's admirable how your company can sponsor students despite being a small one." Aria's compliment was delivered flatly. Viggo's scalp tingled with unease. "It's actually our investor. He doesn't just fund us but many companies. He came from a small town himself and wants to help these students get better learning conditions." "Now that's a rare and kind soul. I'd love to meet him sometime." Aria said casually, "Since we've had such a fortunate encounter, let's exc