Will had spent the night consumed by worry. He and his men had searched high and low for the suite Aria mentioned, yet it seemed to have vanished. Even with the hotel's housekeeping manager in tow, they couldn't find the room.Will managed only to deliver the topaz stones Aria desired after seeing an online post from a lottery winner who credited their luck to their stay at the hotel. Sleep eluded Will, sweat clinging to his forehead. The moment Aria appeared, he pulled her aside. "Ms. Carver," he said, his voice low, "something about this hotel feels off." He explained his fruitless search.Aria, drained from using her inner energy, yawned. "Yes, there was an issue, but the hotel is now secure. It's been handled.""You were aware of what transpired?" Will asked, lowering his voice to avoid prying ears. "Mr. Bond mentioned in a video that someone had disrupted a manifestation of some kind—was that your doing?"Aria nodded. "It wasn't just me. Someone else helped."Borrowing heav
Aria had combed through guest reviews, uncovering a history of incidents. The customer relations department seemed apathetic toward customer complaints, and because of this callous neglect, grievances had continued to accumulate unchecked until this very day.The negative energy, Aria believed, was potent enough to permeate the upper floors within a month, affecting guests' emotions and potentially leading to tragic incidents—in a worst-case scenario—suicides by leaping off the building."Hire experienced construction workers and pay them a premium," Aria instructed, kicking the piece of paper aside. "Demolish that wall and erect a sanctum for Gaia."The manager nodded dutifully, yielding to Aria's every decree.Aria placed a topaz stone and a candle on the designated spot. "Until the sanctum stands, let that stone remain undisturbed.""Consider it done, Ms. Aria," the manager assured her, completely under her sway.In the aftermath of the controversy, some staff members who were
Aria bided her time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike decisively. Clutching the damning records in her grasp, she was impervious to any attempts at manipulation or guilt-tripping.The veteran staff, disdainful of Aria's humble origins, sought to assert their dominance over her. They doubted that a country girl like her could possess any real capability.They hadn't anticipated being outsmarted by a young woman, let alone witnessing their downfall unfold with no time for remorse.Once again, a witness to Aria's capabilities, Conrad broke out in a cold sweat. As instructed, he had observed her conduct the meeting, a fate he found worse than outright dismissal."Mr. Morris," Aria called out after the meeting, "Please stay behind."Conrad felt a chill run down his spine. Aria wasted no time. She thrust photos of the basement parking lot toward him. "Look at them. Recognize these?"Conrad examined them closely, his face turning pale. "Ms. Carver, please believe me! I had n
"Remember what you told me to do? I found Thomas Weller, the antique seller in Southbury," Malcolm said excitedly. The old fox is keeping a low profile; he is probably afraid of being investigated."He doesn't even have the guts to travel by air, preferring the safety of a ferry. Rumor has it he's returning from overseas with a trove of treasures and will be attending an antique auction in a few days."Aria's gaze shifted to Conrad upon hearing this. Conrad was still pondering her ringtone and the caller's identity when he caught her staring at him. Instantly, he felt a jolt of fear and hurriedly said, "I'll ask my family about Aunt Dorothy." Then, he rushed out the door and shut it firmly behind him. Aria retracted her gaze and placed the pen down. "Where is he?" she asked directly."Panne Street," Malcolm lowered his voice. "I wouldn't recommend confronting him now. He's more cunning than you think and is heavily guarded. He's attending as a professional guest at the Antiques
Fiona waited until Aria left before reopening the website, and seeing everything Owen had done solidified her resolve to end certain matters once and for all."Mind taking a walk with me outside, Sam?" Fiona looked at him.Sam was wearing a new bell and the Charm Coin around his neck. He nodded and began tidying his backpack."I want some rock candy, Aunt Fiona. I won't get cavities, so don't tell Aria about it," he bargained with a mischievous grin.Fiona laughed. "Aria told you to 'take care of Mom' just now, didn't she? So you should just call me Mom."Confused, Sam scratched the back of his head.Despite her age, Fiona could easily pass for someone in her 30s. After dressing up herself, she had Sam wear a cool outfit, and they looked like mother and son when they stood side by side.Their first stop was the barbershop. Fiona had always been told she looked demure with her long hair, but after her recent outbursts, whispers of "ghost" followed her.She'd met Owen during thei
Re-entering the job market was a challenge, especially for a long-term homemaker like Fiona.Fiona sat surrounded by fresh university graduates, some even high-performing students returning from overseas.Operations Management, particularly Network Operations Management, was a booming field. Even top celebrities had to be marketed, and advertisements about them were published everywhere to amass support further and attract attention. One of the candidates gave Fiona a dismissive look before turning to chat with another candidate. Fiona overheard snippets of their conversation."Seriously? She's practically ancient! Why is she even here competing with us?""They won't hire her. I peeked at her résumé—she was just a housewife."The term "housewife" had somehow become a derogatory term despite the immense contributions these women made to their families. It was disheartening that these young women themselves disregarded Fiona. After all, everyone would grow old eventually, and no o
Clary interrupted the interview. "Are you willing to start working as an assistant?" she asked Fiona decisively. "If that's fine with you, you can stay."From what she had read about Fiona, it was clear that her marriage had devastated her life. Clary's decision to offer Fiona a position wasn't solely based on empathy for a woman in a similar age group. She saw a spark in Fiona, a potential that transcended the limitations of an ordinary housewife. If she proved inadequate for the job later on, Clary would handle it."Yes, please." Fiona smiled. "I'll prove to you that I'm not just a housewife."Fiona had asserted her position without being overly arrogant or humble, which was an extra point in Clary's book.They had made an exception for Fiona, so instead of sending her home to wait, they told her to report to the office the next day.Meanwhile, Evelyn Charters, the elite student who'd mocked Fiona earlier, emerged from another room. She was on her phone, grumbling, "Mom, I don
Abraham was worried sick. "It's almost time for everyone to choose their schools. We must first transfer her formally so that she can enroll as soon as possible."As a medical professional who devoted his life to saving people and helping the injured, it was rare that he'd come across someone like Aria. She'd given him hope that the younger generation could take up the reins of traditional medicine.No matter what Aria was doing right now, she must continue her studies, and Abraham was worried that she'd fall behind.This was what Aria heard the moment she walked in. She knew that Abraham was truly worried about her. "Mr. Lowe Senior, I can just study by myself at home. I'll still be a student in your vocational high school and take the SATs there.""This won't do, Aria. With how excellent you are, you should find a better school to prepare for SATs," Abraham insisted. He didn't want his school to hold Aria back. "How about this?" Abraham proposed. "I'm meeting someone at Janovin
If Percy were here, his reactions would have been even more exaggerated.Everyone in the family had a protective streak when it came to Aria. Even Stephen, who wasn't keen on seeing her marry so early, believed that a man like Landon was indeed worthy of Aria."Ms. Carver specifically mentioned to me that Mr. York's stomach handles noodles better," Stephen said warmly as he placed a bowl of chicken noodle soup in front of Landon.Aria, mid-bite of her braised pork, froze momentarily upon hearing this.Landon turned his gaze toward her, his voice calm but probing. "You specifically told Mr. Warsaw that?"Aria glanced between Stephen and Landon before nodding. "Of course, I mentioned it." Whether or not it was "specific" was up for interpretation, and she decided to let Stephen manage that narrative.A faint smile tugged at the corners of Landon's lips, and he murmured just loud enough for her to hear, "At least you still have some heart."Stephen chuckled knowingly. He understood
Aria didn't notice the subtle shift in Philip's expression. The influx of information was overwhelming, and she needed a moment to sort through it.Philip being possessed wasn't a surprise to her, but Ashton's behavior left her unsettled and full of questions."Leon, contact Ignatius and let him know you're taking me to visit the Furler family," she instructed.Philip immediately grasped her intent. He lowered his head, appearing calm, yet a shadow of unease lingered as though he was hiding something."Now or tonight?" Leon asked.Aria wanted to go right away but noticed Philip's apprehension. "Tonight is fine," she conceded.Assuming Philip was still shaken, Leon instructed, "Mr. Warsaw, arrange for Philip to get some rest."Stephen entered the room carrying a tray of tea. "Leon, no need to worry. Mr. Wagner's room has already been prepared; it's right next to yours."Turning to Aria, Stephen added, "Ms. Carver, you've been busy all day. Please, have some tea. The kitchen has
Tobias had always said Aria was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy in spiritual cultivation, but Leon's ability to effortlessly channel the power of the Five Emperor Coins was both baffling and unsettling.Although Aria had marked the coin with her imprint to serve as a protective charm for Leon, the outcome had far surpassed her expectations.Because he was her relative, Aria had attempted to deduce more about him based on his facial features, but nothing came to her.As she touched the now-charred coin, the lingering heat revealed the intensity of the force that had been exerted upon it.No one knew what exactly had happened.Aria didn't believe Leon was lying to her. He truly didn't understand these matters and had his own dreams and ambitions. Perhaps it was from his past life unless the Leon in this life had tapped into the power of the Five Emperor Coins.Ever since her experience in the manifestation, Aria had been driven by an urge to uncover more about the Carver family's
Philip added, "Aria had warned me to be careful because of my constitution. That's why I didn't reveal myself. I pretended not to notice anything. If Ignatius hadn't been hogging the bathroom, I wouldn't have had to use the restroom in the Furler residence's family hall."The strange thing was that it wasn't even very late, but there wasn't a single servant in sight at the Furler residence. It was as if they had all been deliberately sent away. I was already uneasy, but after I finished in the restroom and came out, I saw that scene."The memory of that moment was seared into Philip's mind.He had tiptoed back, heart pounding as though it might burst, terrified of being discovered.When he returned, he immediately asked Ignatius if Ashton had been acting strangely lately.Ignatius, still engrossed in his game, barely looked up. "What could be strange about my grandpa? The old man just keeps nagging me to hang out more with the Carvers boys. Do you think I'm cut out for that? Oh, r
At that moment, it felt as though something had seared his hand.Philip's eyes flickered wildly with disbelief as he stared at Leon, the one who had thrown the copper coin."How could this ordinary man—mediocre in both fortune and fate, even marked for a short life—know how to wield the power of the Five Emperor Coins?" he thought.The black mist clouding Philip's gaze retreated swiftly, recoiling in fear. He realized that the Five Emperor Coins would incinerate him beyond recovery if he lingered even a second longer.It had been years since he had endured such agony.This wasn't just any force. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. Not even the Dracotigris Order had delivered a power so unrelenting, so consuming. If he stayed, he wouldn't merely suffer—he would be obliterated.The Carvers weren't as straightforward as they seemed.Even someone he thought he understood, someone as seemingly inconspicuous as Leon, could wield the Five Emperor Coins.Leon, who ap
It was as if Philip had sensed a shift, a hostile energy directed at him. His neck twisted sharply, and his gaze snapped to Leon.Philip's eyes locked onto the copper coin in Leon's hand, filled with a peculiar mix of hatred and wariness. His fists clenched tightly as though restraining himself.Fergus noticed the tension immediately, his brow furrowing.Leon raised an eyebrow, unperturbed.The two brothers exchanged a glance, their silent understanding unspoken but clear.Fergus was the first to move, stepping slightly forward.Philip's expression remained unnervingly stiff, but the corners of his mouth curled into a sinister smile."Even if it's one of the Five Emperor Coins, you'd still need to know how to use it, and do you know how to use it?""One of the Five Emperor Coins?"Fergus' eyes widened slightly. For the first time, he realized the significance of the coin in Leon's hand.He had seen such items at exclusive auctions, where their rarity and historical significan
Leon found Philip's demeanor deeply unsettling.Having spent so much time by Aria's side, Leon had witnessed how she handled truly sinister situations."Fergus, I think Philip might be dangerous," he murmured.Fergus was in the middle of a meeting. He had one earbud in and was busy issuing orders in his usual concise and precise manner.Leon arrived just as Fergus finished his conversation with the marketing department head. "Inform the Norwood family that the Carvers operate with integrity. If they're unwilling to collaborate, we don't need them."Ever since Barron's urn had been unearthed, Fergus had been contemplating expanding into Ludwiten.The Carvers had originally risen to prominence in Ludwiten before relocating to the north. For Fergus, Ludwiten wasn't just strategic; it was a city he had always admired.His expertise in finance would flourish there, offering him greater opportunities. More importantly, it was a critical move for the future of Carver Group.Among the
There was an uncommon steadiness and openness in Don's voice as he spoke. "Actually, this is a good thing. Amara and I have talked it over, and we've decided that wherever I go, she'll go with me."She has some deeply ingrained views that won't change overnight—her husband had been her everything, and her son was her entire world."I'm not trying to excuse her actions. She was definitely wrong—outrageously so. But I believe that if I provide her with enough security and patiently show her a better way, she will eventually understand."The real challenge is Daisy." Don hesitated, his words caught somewhere between shame and frustration. "I don't mind admitting this, even if it sounds ridiculous—I can't communicate with her at all. But I know it's not her fault."She was raised to be this way, and the blame lies with me, Amara, her father, and even Lettie to some extent."Don's words rang true—family education was complex and intricate. "The main responsibility lies with me." Don
Celestia's words weren't completely truthful. She glanced around as she spoke. Aria chuckled. She picked up her pendant and made to leave. Celestia knew that she would be done for if Aria left just like that, so she shouted, "Some of them are from families that got rich early. They'd visit Ludwiten and Chershia from time to time, and many of them had properties overseas. They're capitalists, the real deal! They were the ones who asked for the goods!"You know how men are—some of them are obsessed with children of this age. They also tend to prefer Ignisian faces over Glacian ones."Celestia glanced at the camera subconsciously after saying that, as if worried about something. When she noticed that Aria had stopped in her tracks and was currently looking at her, she continued, not brave enough to lie this time, "I'm not the only one they recruited—there are also other influencers. One of them is a famous influencer with some of the highest traffic on the site, I heard. "This isn