"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.…After 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 hell. Your fiancé 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 fiancé, and we're too weak to see through his skin.""But you can, can'
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.…When 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 Fiona’s wrath—he 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
Leon's eyes burned with fury. "Who is this master in esoteric arts you mentioned, Aria?""I'm still looking into it," Aria replied, her tone calm and steady. "I'm telling you this, Leon, because I don't want you to act impulsively. The Earthbound Manifestation isn't something that an average practitioner can summon. They must be as skilled as Mr. Bond."Landon, who had been silent until now, raised an eyebrow. "As skilled as Mr. Bond? That narrows down our suspects considerably—few possess such expertise.""That's true for those we know of," Aria said, pausing thoughtfully. "But there are still those who operate in the shadows, unrecorded. This manifestation is peculiar. It doesn't seem like the conjurer aims to curse our family with misfortune but rather to usurp our fortune."Landon's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And you, the youngest in the family, became their easiest target."Landon was as sharp as always. Aria nodded. "They chose the wrong person to antagonize, though. I've
Newly hired assistants often found themselves assigned to odd jobs. They were expected to run errands and fulfill various requests when working on set.Fiona didn't know what happened on set as Sam had dragged her away. The latter had been acting weirdly and didn't allow her on set.Fiona only learned Leon was one of the celebrity guests on the show upon her return—the presence of police cars and a constant stream of people coming and going filled her with worry.Leaving the coffee she'd prepared for a celebrity, she entered the breakroom and asked a young woman, "Excuse me, may I ask what happened on the show? Is Leon alright?"The young woman, Demi Kristoff, was actually an internet celebrity from the same company. She was currently filming TikTok videos in a nearby studio. Despite being less known, she possessed an arrogant demeanor. Ignoring Fiona, she turned to the makeup artist. "Is our company so short-staffed that they hired someone so clueless?"The makeup artist retouc