"Even so, it's best to avoid mentioning her and that man," Lily replied. "Public opinion is what truly matters.""I know that. I'm just saying this because it's a phone call between us," Evelyn sighed. "Her company issued a PR statement to warn people not to defame her, but the rumors online are relentless."Some media outlets are still waiting outside the hospital, eager to know if she was pregnant since she was hospitalized for so long. Even worse is that my friend's image has always been innocent and pure. She needs something to clear her tarnished name," Evelyn said, standing up straight.Evelyn quickly added, "If you can solve this, I'll reward you handsomely!"Lily, though moved, remained modest. "There's no need for a reward. I'm just helping you because of how stressed you are over it lately.""Lily, you're truly my best friend." Evelyn blew kisses at the screen. "Honestly, do you have a gift for fortune-telling? Everything you predict always comes true."Lily replied cry
Samuel's anger flared upon hearing it was another young woman. "Another one?"Fury flared in Samuel's eyes as he gripped his cane. "I don't care how you do it, Dominic, but get someone working on the birth certificates. We need those doctors too. They're the ones most familiar with hospital procedures."Samuel glanced at Dominic. "The customer's been asking for new stock recently. Hurry up and handle it. Your brother will be back soon, and we can't be caught unprepared."Dominic nodded. "Okay. Dad, how is Moses doing?""No change," Samuel replied, his eyes glinting dangerously. "I have someone investigating this young lady with Will. When we find her, she'll pay!"Dominic was puzzled. "Didn't they say she was Will's niece?""We need to clarify that with the Wagners," Samuel said through gritted teeth. "Philip's vanished, and Kenny insists he heard she was Will's niece. But Will was raised in Janovin. How could he have relatives in Southbury?"Samuel tossed an envelope to Dominic
Confidence surged through Samuel. He was certain the Carvers wouldn't reject him.Dominic immediately handed Samuel his phone.Aria needed to be eliminated as soon as possible. It was the right move for them to test Warren's intentions. Even if Warren supported Aria now, he might not do so in the future.However, as Samuel held the phone, a change of heart struck him. "Wait. We need to confirm if that brat can truly predict the future or if she is just bluffing. Giving the Carvers such an edge for free is unwise."Dominic grasped Samuel's intent. "You're saying that we shouldn't discuss the car accident?"Samuel leaned on his cane and said, "Nobody knew about the details of the car accident except for the Wagner and Furler families. This is especially the case with the young woman's prediction about Philip, which only he alone knew. Even Kenny believed that she was just spouting nonsense.""But what if she's not?" Samuel's eyes gleamed with excitement. "If we can exploit her accu
It was evening, and the Layne family had yet to reach out to the Carver family.Warren was starting to get angry. "Perhaps I've been too kind these few years. That's why the Laynes are disregarding me.""Perhaps the Laynes aren't aware of Ms. Carver's true identity. But why would they be supporting an unknown doctor?" Keith questioned.Warren fell into deep thought after hearing Keith's words.Just then, Aria entered the room after seeing Abraham off. "Grandpa, what are you discussing with Mr. Watson?""The Laynes' recent actions are unsettling," Warren looked at Aria. "Rainbow, you're new to Janovin, so you might not be familiar with them."I know Samuel well. He appears scholarly, but he's quite cunning and has connections in high places. I've always maintained a distance from him—something about him makes me uneasy."Warren leaned on his cane, a decision forming. "It's time for your brothers to return. We should also formally announce your identity to the other families.""Y
Warren paused after hearing that. Then, he asked rather seriously, "Rainbow, tell me honestly. Did you only learn a bit about fortune-telling?""Not really." Aria was hesitant to answer. "Well, I'm an idealist, so I wasn't the most attentive student when Mr. Revelare taught me. But I'm definitely a step above the frauds in the market."Warren, a man of logic, had never entertained the idea of fortune-telling. He countered with a name. "But how do you stack up against Mr. Windsor from Panne Street?""I'm better than him." Aria peeled an orange and gave half of it to Warren. "I'm quite familiar with some of his techniques. Don't go to him, Grandpa. If you really want to get your fortune told, the man who visited our hotel is good."A flicker of surprise crossed Warren's face. "Mr. Homer Bond?"Aria nodded, sipping her coffee with an elegance that captivated him. "The very same. He's incredibly knowledgeable. If you'd like, I could arrange a visit."Warren chuckled. "Rainbow, you ne
Aria couldn't shake a feeling of unease. Though the crisis seemed over with Dorothy under investigation by the Special Missions Unit, something felt amiss.Warren's safety remained a top priority. With a mole lurking internally, vigilance was key.Zayn's head snapped up at her words. "Miss, you mean…""I haven't said a word," Aria replied, her gaze flickering to the black-clad bodyguards nearby. "You've been with Grandpa the longest. Honestly, I investigated you before."Zayn stiffened.Aria's voice dropped to a low murmur. "News always leaks whenever Grandpa wants to see me. There's a disloyal element in his inner circle.""Yes. Mr. Carver Senior is also looking into this," Zayn replied.Aria's eyes darkened. "Grandpa's sentimentality might blind him to those who've endured hardships with him. Zayn, your mission is simple. Protect Grandpa."A shiver ran down Zayn's spine. He understood the weight of her words. "Don't worry, miss. I won't fail.""You're the only one privy to t
There was a bakery near the company. Aria lugged a hefty bag of bread while observing the beggar. "Go on. Eat.""I-I can't eat anymore! Hic!" The beggar leaned against the wall, his mouth stuffed with bread that made him hiccup. He wasn't sure what Aria had put in it.On top of that, he couldn't stop laughing. "Hahaha! I'll tell you everything! I… Hic!""I don't feel like listening anymore." Aria handed him another piece of bread. "You should eat. It's not healthy to starve."The beggar felt like he might explode. "I… Hic! I was wrong! Y-Young lady, I…"Finally, Aria reached out and removed the needles from his body.The beggar slumped into the corner, gasping for air and sweating profusely.Aria's voice was indifferent. "I'm not a patient person, so don't beat around the bush. Speak.""I swear, I have no clue who gave me the box! I was lying down at the time and didn't see who it was. The person just told me to deliver it to Carver Group and offered me a thousand dollars." The
"The thousand dollars is just a deposit," Aria said, her eyes piercing and dark as a demon's. "You'll get the rest once you spread the word. You didn't think I'd believe everything you said, right? Rhabdomancy isn't widely understood.""I…I…" the beggar stammered, beads of sweat erupting on his forehead.This wasn't going according to plan. He'd figured even a sharp woman like her wouldn't see through his entire scheme. But here she was, right on the money.Aria raised an eyebrow, the mole beneath her eye a striking counterpoint to her composed expression. "I'll give you one last chance. Who put you up to this with the wooden box?""I don't know. The person wore a black coat and looked scary. Although the person used a voice changer, I could tell she was a woman. That's right. Just a… I'm guilty." There was something off with the beggar.Aria immediately reached out to check his arm.The beggar's expression. "God will definitely punish me. I've committed an unforgivable sin." H
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