Lily scoffed at the notion that Aria could commune with spirits. Under Georgina's tutelage, Aria had merely scratched the surface of basic medical knowledge, leading Lily to think that Aria's supernatural ability was merely a farce. After all, if Aria had any real skill in the esoteric arts, she'd have demonstrated that back in Southbury. Lily was unconvinced by Aria's skills because she'd asked Marshall about them. Marshall was doing quite well in Janovin. Thanks to Lily, he'd gotten to oversee many construction projects.Marshall said on the phone, "You're saying Aria's skilled in some esoteric arts? Hardly. She failed every subject when she was at school. As if she'd be any good at that stuff!"Marshall's voice rose in disbelief. "Did you say that she's also here in Janovin? How dare she show up in front of you!"Marshall and Lily had transformed since their days in Southbury. Lily, especially, had ascended into the ranks of Janovin's elite society.In contrast, Marshall initi
Did Leon not fear the possibility of his biggest fans turning their backs on him?Leon didn't care about that. His fans could do as they pleased. Nothing mattered more than his sister.In the aftermath of his declaration, the atmosphere among his fans shifted. Someone released a series of images online, urging, "Look closely, Leon's fans. Don't let yourself be misled by those with dark intentions. Player No. 5 was the true star of the episode, wasn't she?""From start to finish, she held the narrative together. Without her, the truth would have stayed buried. She stands on her own merit, needing no borrowed fame.""You're right! As someone who isn't a fan of anyone, I gotta say that Yoyo seems suspicious. Why is she suddenly bringing Player No. 5 down through these ambiguous photos? Something doesn't seem right.""It's not just that. Her claims are so biased. We could all see that Player No. 5 carried everyone else in that show.""Player No. 5 spent a lot of time talking to that
"Everyone wants to meet Aria, but they're not exactly friendly about it," Keith reported honestly. "Some have seen her as a country bumpkin from the start and think she's not sophisticated enough for their socialite gatherings."Warren's expression darkened. "Yonah called me just now. While he sounded congratulatory, he was actually implying that Aria would embarrass herself at these banquets.""Aria doesn't try to ingratiate herself with them, so they're behaving this way," Warren mused, then suddenly had an idea. "Let that scheming York kid know about this.""Are you referring to Mr. Landon?" Keith asked cautiously.Warren nodded, frowning. Landon was set to marry Aria in a few years, and Warren wanted to ensure that Landon was genuinely committed to protecting her. Despite his many years of experience, Warren still found Landon difficult to read and wanted to be certain of his intentions.โฆAfter all the celebrities finished recording their statements, they were taken home by
"Landon?" Aria raised a brow, surprised. She had long been aware of the enigmatic aura encircling Landon. Was there something more?"What's going on with him?" Aria gestured for Nyx to continue. Nyx swayed slightly, a hint of unease in his posture. "The twins can explain better than I."Aria glanced down at the amethyst pendant she toyed with. Soon, a soft voice echoed, "Angie, are you taking the lead, or should I?""You handle it," Angie replied. "You're better at discerning such things."The pendant glowed faintly as Abbie mused, "I feel like I've seen him before... in the depths of Netherrealm. Your fiancรฉ stirs a primal fear within us, my lord.""Yes, he does," Nyx added, "I thought I was gonna be done for when he walked in."Aria chuckled. "Is it that dire?""Yup." Nyx nodded, sucking on his pacifier.The twins shared Nyx's concern. "Nyx is right, my lord. There's something profoundly unsettling about your fiancรฉ, and we're too weak to see through his skin.""But you ca
Aria had never encountered anyone whose true essence harbored such a stark dichotomy. Landon's true form revealed a destiny marked by great fortune yet marred by the weight of innumerable sins.What could such a paradox possibly signify?Before Aria could unravel the enigma, Landon, coughing weakly, spoke, "Leon lacks the courage to face you himself, so he asked me to inquire if there's anything you desire. As your brother, he'd procure anything for you."Behind them, Leon lurked, stripped of the confidence that typically defined him on stage.Clary had feared a confrontation between Leon and Landon, so she refrained from mentioning the buzz that had taken place online.Unexpectedly, Leon addressed the matter himself, which was commendable, considering the public witnessed the events unfolding during the show. Critiquing his partner immediately after the performance would have been poor form.However, Clary couldn't shake the feeling that Leon was overly invested in this stranger
Landon noticed Aria's gaze lingering on him and raised an eyebrow. "When you look at me like that, it feels like you're about to demand payment from me again.""Payment?" Aria seemed puzzled until Landon gestured toward his neck. He coughed lightly before chuckling, his laugh music to the ears.Only then did Aria notice the mark beneath Landon's collar. It was a string of glyphs in an ancient, cryptic tongue. It might seem like an ordinary tattoo to the untrained eye, but it was, in truth, a soul-binding sigil. Beside it was a mark in the shape of a belladonna flower. The flower, positioned just below his neck, had remained hidden by Landon's preference for high-collared shirts. Now, drawn by curiosity, Aria tugged him closer and pulled his collar down.The belladonna flower, known for its poisonous nature, symbolized danger and death. Yet, in certain myths, it also guided lost souls toward peace, embodying the paradoxical gentleness of a demon. It was not a symbol an ordinary per
Aria knew, better than anyone, how arduous it was to remain true to oneself while trapped in the Earthbound Manifestation's grip. Fiona had sacrificed too much for the family, and Aria was determined to prevent any more fraying ties.โฆWhen Leon learned of Aria's wish for him to accompany her to a meeting, he concealed himself in a cap, a face mask, and sunglasses before finally showing up in front of her. Though still tense in her presence, he moved with purpose, handing her a black card. "This is for you, Aria."Leon had never been so open with his emotions before. He was known among his peers for his aloofness. He'd only lost his temper twice, and both times, he beat up the offenders with a straight face.Everyone knew that he was not to be crossed. He was also the reason Kenny and his friends only discussed Aria behind closed doors and never in public; he'd won countless fights since childhood and always made his displeasure known. Yet now, his voice was gentle. "There's 50
Leon instinctively took a step back. He hadn't returned home for years, fearing the confrontation with her.He had once hoped to lift Fiona's spirits by excelling in his studies and bringing home a report card with high marks. But by then, Fiona had already succumbed to an illness that left her moods mercurial and unpredictable.He had braced himself for Fionaโs wrathโhe would have preferred it, in fact. But Fiona merely stared blankly out the window, as lifeless as a doll, and asked in a hollow voice, "Why didn't you pay closer attention? Was it necessary to buy that bag of rock candy?"Fiona had then begun to cry, her despair deepening into acts of self-harm. The doctor diagnosed her with depression and warned them to avoid provoking her. She needed to be shielded from any triggers that might exacerbate her condition.As Fiona's condition deteriorated, her hair thinned, and her body grew gaunt. Jeffrey and Leon, heeding the doctor's advice, tried to stay out of her sight.When O
Magdalene said, "In the past, our family had helped the Grishams to survive. But now..." She took a sip of her tea. "They're digging their own grave, and we can't help them anymore." Just as she finished speaking, a middle-aged man walked in. When Magdalene saw him, her brows immediately furrowed. Her eldest son, Neval Fitzroy, was her least favorite child. He had brought nothing but shame to the Fitzroys. If he hadn't developed a gambling addiction, the Fitzroy family wouldn't have fallen this far. She asked, "What are you doing here?" Neval rubbed his hands together and snickered. "Mom, I'm a little short on cash lately. I mainly came because I missed you, but I'm also here to ask for a little money." Before Magdalene could respond, Laura stood up. "Neval, Mom just gave you 20 million last month. You shouldn't have spent it so quickly." Magdalene had been in a good mood, but now her face darkened. "Did I raise you to leech off me? How could 20 million dollars be gone so
Orion slammed his fist hard on the table. He'd been played by someone who looked like nothing more than a trust fund kid. Yet he had no choice but to let Aria manipulate him. Because no matter what he said, someone would show up to "take care of" him. At this point, he could only make everything look like a simple financial crime in order to protect himself. Aria had calculated this perfectly and planned accordingly. Even now, most people saw Aria as just some young hotshot who made money but didn't understand the bigger picture. They thought because she came from a small town, she was naรฏve enough to believe taking down the Draycott family would solve everything. In reality, she would be dragging herself down as well. Unless she didn't plan to stay in Ludwiten at all! Most people who thought this way were driven by pride and jealousy. They wouldn't admit they wished they were in Aria's shoes. The Carvers had raked in so much money from the stock market this time around. The
"Yes, I'm sure," Gabe said, having checked everything carefully. The old man thought for a moment. "Find a way and get someone else to tell Orion what he should and shouldn't say. If he's smart enough, he should understand." "Alright." Gabe pushed up his glasses. "Don't worry; everything will be handled." The old man's eyes were deep and calculating. "To achieve great things, some people must be sacrificed. If necessary, offer the Draycott family some benefits. Go take care of the Bellebrook situation." Gabe chuckled. "They're just some greedy, low-class people. They only succeeded because of you, yet they always think they made it on their own." "Gabe, mind your words." The old man had a kind face. Looking at him, one would think he cared for all people. Judging from his simple lifestyle, he did not seem like someone who would do bad things at all. Even the cup he used was bought from the supermarket for just over ten dollars. "Go now. As I've always said, anyone can l
Aria's question made Orion freeze right away. The scholarship program was his secret lifeline. He simply couldn't figure out how she knew so many details about everything! "You've been setting me up in the stock market all this time. How did you also find out about the scholarship program?" Orion felt genuinely scared nowโeveryone had really underestimated Aria. When had she done all this research? She'd dug deeper than he ever imagined. The scariest part was that neither he nor that person had noticed anything. They all thought she was just helping the Carver family restore their former glory. Keeping the Chamber of Commerce out of the Carver family's hands was that person's strict order. That was why the Draycotts had climbed so quickly within the organization over the years. They all assumed Aria had come to Ludwiten to target the Chamber. But now... Orion looked up again. "The scholarship program is weird business. I only handled recruitment. I don't know where those peop
Orion said, "I don't know much, honestly." He looked at Aria with hesitation, as if he was afraid to name that person. He made a gesture instead. "That person is the lieutenant governor of Ludwiten, who has many achievements to his name. "If you're brave enough to investigate, I can tell you about the deals I handled. But I don't know about the rest." Aria raised an eyebrow. Her expression said everythingโshe had already kidnapped him, so did he seriously think she would be afraid to investigate this further? Orion took a deep breath. "I just handle the money. That person wants something biggerโhe wants to make history, but he's been in poor health lately. He needs me to keep certain people in line, but I can't give you details since I really don't have proof." "Which people does he control? And how does he do it?" Aria asked casually. Orion glanced upward, his eyes slowly losing focus. "I have no idea which people." "Mr. Draycott, I thought you would have learned by now.
"Who the hell are you?" Orion shouted as he couldn't hold back anymore. He gripped the armrests hard, almost jumping out of his chair. But Aria barely glanced his way. "I brought you here, didn't I? Who do you think I am?""Y-You're..." Orion remembered a rumor from a business dinner about a Special Missions Unit that operated outside normal chains of command. They could investigate anyone without going through regular channels.Their authority even topped the Regular Missions Unit. Orion had laughed it off back then. Every group had to answer to someone higher up, so there couldn't be a unit with that kind of freedom. In Ludwiten, everyone answered to that one big shot. But now he realized such a thing actually existed!Orion's face turned ghostly pale. "Are youโฆ a part of the Special Missions Unit?"Only that could explain everything! With all her digging and investigating, that person would have noticed what she had been doing. But Orion did not understand something. "
Usually, in this situation, Orion would have a lawyer present. But things were different today! He did not even know which department was holding him. All his usual connections seemed blocked, which made Orion start to panic from deep inside. He sat there, fidgeting nervously. No one else was in the room. "I want a lawyer! I'm innocent!" he shouted, trying to move, but his hands were cuffed to the chair. Just then, a familiar cool voice spoke up, carrying its usual casual tone, "Whether you're guilty or not, the law will decide." It was Aria. Her presence was completely different from earlier in the office. When Orion saw her, he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. There wasn't a trace of the spoiled, rebellious, rich kid in her now. Instead, she looked at him calmly as if she were the highest authority in this place. Orion's heart sank. He wasn't stupid and knew how things worked. That was why his eyes widened as he stared at Aria. "Who are you really?" "D
Magdalene told Laura, "Now you're the partner everyone wants to work with." She laughed out loud. "This divorce couldn't have come at a better time." Laura's eyes widened as Magdalene spoke, her excitement growing by the second. "Mom, does that mean I'll be..." Laura could hardly imagine how amazing her future would be. Magdalene stroked her hair. "They won't call you Mrs. Grisham anymore. They'll call you the CEO of the Fitzroy Group." Laura's face trembled with barely contained excitement. She never considered that the shares they wanted weren't rightfully theirs but something they were taking through dirty tricks. "I was worried these families might side with Aria." Laura had genuinely been concerned about this. After all, families like the Katz family and those families working in traditional industries had started treating Aria with the same respect they once had for Barron. This was exactly what drove Laura crazy. Why should Aria get to live carefree after ruining her
Magdalene felt better than she had in a long time. She even ordered someone to open a bottle of wine to celebrate. This was the most relaxed day Magdalene had experienced in weeks. News about the Draycott family kept pouring in, and she had been feeling not just anxiety but a deep uneasiness. Over the years, the Fitzroy and Draycott families had become deeply entangled. Even without obvious business interests like others had, they shared information regularly. Even in that incident years ago, the Fitzroy family had been involved. Previously, she had worried more than anyone about the Draycott family's collapse. Now, she felt differently. First, there were the Grisham shares they would soon acquire. Second, she had learned that the Draycott family was not the only one that had lost money in the stock market because of Aria. Many prominent Ludwiten families had suffered losses thanks to her market manipulations. Magdalene understood clearly that to establish themselves in this