Across the suite, Sam, tasked with guarding Fiona, bolted upright, his eyes gleaming with excitement.Fiona's brow furrowed. "What's gotten you so riled up?"Sam licked his lips, his gestures animated. "I'm hungry! There's a whole buffet out there, just begging to be eaten. But the boss told me to stay put and guard you."Fiona also heard the commotion coming from the living room. A hotel suite is typically spacious and should theoretically have good soundproofing. However, she could hear numerous sounds right now. It started with the tinkling of wind chimes, and now there was the sound of people running around.Thinking back, she often heard people speaking when she was asleep. When she told Owen about this, he always dismissed it as her condition worsening.Fiona also doubted herself, wondering why she could hear things others couldn't.When she saw Sam's reaction, she felt a connection. "You can hear the voices too?"Sam nodded and gestured, "A lot of them, and they're coming
Aria subconsciously checked her phone. It was exactly 9:00 pm. Earthbound spirits shouldn't appear at this hour.Narrowing her eyes, Aria looked out the window. Then, she spoke calmly. "You should get used to it and evolve your mindset to adapt."Philip was rendered speechless. Why was she telling him to evolve his mindset?Landon took a sip of his coffee and raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to get him to evolve to?""His constitution makes him a good fit to become a psychopomp." Aria explained to a confused Philip, "They're what movies call grim reapers. You guide people to their rightful place in the afterlife, and you get paid by the Netherrealm. Understand?" Philip's face turned pale. "I understand, but I don't think I'm cut out for that career. I don't have the guts, and it sounds dangerous.""True. I heard it's easy to get your soul sucked out if you're not careful," Aria replied seriously. "Though, I haven't actually seen a grim reaper."Philip was stunned. How co
The delivery man froze, taken aback by the unexpected response. Momentarily forgetting his following words, he clutched the plastic bag and glared at Aria, attempting to appear intimidating.Aria studied his face. His high, sharp cheekbones gave him a harsh appearance. Despite his forced professional smile, his spiteful demeanor shone through."Alright, I'll be more careful next time," the delivery man mumbled, then raised his hand. "This coffee is for Mr. Sweeney.""There's no Mr. Sweeney here. Why don't you come in and see for yourself?" Aria said, her voice lacking conviction. The delivery man appeared to have been waiting for her invitation. He entered the room with his wet shoes.His gaze fell, and his expression darkened. "Why do you keep complaining about my deliveries? Do you know how much those complaints cost me? Rich people like you don't care about how your actions affect our livelihood! You're trying to hide the fact that you live alone by using the name 'Mr. Sweeney
The delivery man wanted to escape, but Aria cornered him by the hotel room window. Upon seeing that, he stammered, affecting a pathetic tone, "Please, miss, I'm just here for a delivery. I wouldn't hurt a fly."Aria narrowed her eyes and took a step closer. "Really?" she said, her voice cool. "The first thing a supernatural phenomenon disrupts is communication."She pulled out her phone and opened a web page. "This app isn't one I use often," she explained, "but the moment I clicked on it, the homepage refreshed automatically to a news article from seven years ago.""It tells the story of a young woman who often complained about a delivery man, eventually causing him to break down and push her. This accident turned into an irreversible tragedy. When the incident was exposed, the delivery man's background ignited pity from others."He had some mental health issues. Moreover, the young woman lived in a luxurious residential area and often fought with others. Her neighbors noted tha
The delivery man's hair stood on end, his eyes darting fearfully around the room.Earthbound spirits within an Earthbound Manifestation became unkillable echoes, their existence an endless loop. Even potent talismans, imbued with cleansing energy, couldn't break the cycle. But the tide turned when Chaos itself seeped into the manifestation.However, an ancient beast like Chaos could consume an entire Earthbound Manifestation in a single, devastating act.Why was Chaos here?It shouldn't be here!Ancient texts documented how Chaos and Peril perished during the great avalanche on the snowy mountain. They were buried beneath 3,000 feet of ice. The heavens wouldn't tolerate such ferocious beasts, denying them reincarnation. Yet, there stood Sam. The delivery man's hands trembled. He might have missed the child as Chaos if not for his current form. After all, Sam appeared ordinary, a bit pale, but otherwise unremarkable. He even wore a Charm Coin and a magical copper bell, signifying
Suddenly, Aria smiled at the delivery man. "Did you think I read that message for no reason?"Upon hearing this, the delivery man froze. He seemed to have realized something and frantically tried to back away.She didn't give him the chance to retreat. "No spirits trapped in the Earthbound Manifestation would dare speak of the conjurer. Angering them has unimaginable repercussions. But your behavior suggests you're not afraid. You know the conjurer won't appear while you're here."You murdered someone and got away with it. The young woman who died was discussed for a long time, and you used your story to gain sympathy. The Earthbound Manifestation can trap many spirits, not just the dead but also living souls, and even wrongly killed animals. Some individuals with strong fixations get lured inside, unable to escape."Every time you bring meals and insist on entering the door, it's not your fixation but the conjurer's. The conjurer is reminding everyone who enters the manifestation'
Philip looked around, not entirely understanding what was happening.Suddenly, a voice came from the corner of the room, "Thank you."It was a young woman's voice, soft and low, as if she was speaking right next to his ear.Philip felt a chill down his back and immediately hid behind Aria.Landon looked at him with obvious disdain and coldness in his eyes.At this moment, Philip could no longer care about offending anyone. He was scared that there would be more danger. "Aria, what's happening?"Aria ignored him and instead looked at the television in the living room.The delivery man appeared flustered on the TV. He was moving the young woman, and the keys in his pocket fell out when he bent down.Aria noticed this scene and looked at the void again. Her voice was calm as she said, "You've taken your revenge; it's time to let go of your resentment. You need to let go of this manifestation willingly."The only response was the frantic rattling of the cup and the TV screen flick
Aria clearly didn't want to take Landon along.Upon seeing this, Landon raised an eyebrow and looked at Philip. "Mr. Wagner, do you want to go for a walk?""No!" Philip quickly shook his head. "Mr. York, let's listen to Aria and watch over Mrs. Carver. It's too chaotic outside!"Landon twirled the rosary bracelet on his wrist. He didn't say a word. It was hard to make out his expression as he stood in the dark.Compared to Philip, he had many questions in his mind.For example, he wondered why the delivery man seemed to recognize him.The night outside grew darker.Countless earthbound spirits fought to escape.The good ones were trampled underfoot by the malicious ones, and a large group had already ripped open a passage to reality.At this moment, Sam appeared. He swallowed large swaths of black mist to block the exit and keep them from getting out.All evil spirits rose to the surface, leaving the subterranean vacant but for a sacrificial altar.The word "altar" felt like
Landon looked out the window. "You'll be immune to ghosts once you see more of them. Have you ever seen a fortune teller dispelling a manifestation in the mountains? They were as afraid as you when they first started."With more experiences and encounters, they would come to realize that the world is a strange place—and eventually, they would get used to it."Aria thought the same way as Landon did. She didn't want Lettie to be trapped in self-doubt after the incident ended. Aria had encountered many patients who wrestled with the same question. "What kind of person would do such a thing? They were the ones in the wrong, not me. So why was I the one being scolded?"The world was unfair, and one had to understand this to retaliate against the unjust. Aria could have left the incident as it was, but she used this tactic to get Lettie to move on. When Lettie saw the first comment, her hand shook and she struggled to breathe. She trembled violently when she saw the photo. Some of th
Marrying into the Hendricks family would have been perfect. Too bad Paxton's hesitation led to this mess. Celestia would have to lay low for now. Social media reactions were just like Celestia expected. The online community jumped on the marketing accounts' narrative. "Exposé—The Truth Behind the Viral Story!" "We Worried for Nothing—She's Back with the Cheater!" "See? Why should we sympathize with housewives? Not only was she love-blind, but she also played the victim for attention and used us for views. She's running back to her husband's arms!" While the workers at the comment-farming company posted these messages, they had no idea that the cybercrime officers were at their door. There was no chance to escape at all; it was an immediate shutdown. They still could not figure out how their "secure" operation was exposed! Meanwhile, Celestia sat in her car as she scrolled through the comments. Delighted, her eyes lit up as she replied, "If you meet a cheater in real life, g
Cold sweat broke out on Paxton's back as realization hit. Percy was here. Judging from Aria's attitude now, could Percy be handling the divorce case? Panicking, his earlier confidence crumbled. Paxton hurried toward the parking garage. Daisy yelled at him from behind. She was crying so hard she lost a shoe. "Dad! Dad!" Paxton suddenly exploded and said, "Stop following me, you useless waste! You can't even repeat simple instructions! All that money on your education, and this is what I get? Where's your brain?" Daisy froze, her face draining of color. She had never seen her father like this. Though rarely home, he always brought her dolls and chocolates from abroad. Her classmates envied her, and Amara called her Daddy's princess. As she uncertainly reached for his shirt, he shoved her away. "Go find your grandmother! Idiot!" Daisy stood stunned. Paxton had not even noticed her scraped foot bleeding. Her eyes widened in recognition. This was just like how things were with Ama
"I... I..." Daisy faltered as she was unprepared for Aria's words. Paxton and Daisy had come hoping to manipulate Lettie as they always had. In marriages, visible violence might draw outside sympathy. But such psychological torture of exploiting Lettie's maternal love, pushing her boundaries, and destroying her self-worth was far more terrifying. As a doctor, Aria's expertise went beyond healing bodies. She specialized in psychology. Lettie's condition wasn't just trauma; it was long-term emotional abuse. Aria had seen Lettie's sleeping pills. With her pregnancy affecting hormones, they needed to address her emotional pain. If not, Aria worried Lettie might break. Aria touched her amethyst pendant. Sometimes, abandoning all illusions was the only way to start over. For mothers, children were their deepest attachment. It was better to see clearly now than suffer endless emotional manipulation. "I'm not going back with you two. I want a divorce, and I will get one." Lettie's ha
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