Aria ruffled Sam's hair and met Leon's gaze. "Leon, Sam is my brother."Aria's brother meant that he was Leon's brother too. Leon quickly shifted his attitude. He shot a smile at Sam and prepared to address the latter. Before he could do so, Landon turned Sam around and showed Leon the QR code on Sam's t-shirt. "Sam can't talk, so I'll speak for him. He likes money."Sam disliked Landon as the latter always gave off an oppressive vibe. Sam couldn't tell what it was, but it just made him want to stay away from him.Unfortunately, Aria liked Landon's looks.Sam asked the ladies on set for their advice. For someone who was typically disinterested in men, her sudden interest in Landon suggested she found him attractive.Sam initially didn't approve of this relationship. However, as a hacker, he discovered that the York family was filthy rich.That was Landon's only advantage. Since Aria only liked him for his looks, Sam thought he could put up with it until she lost interest in him
The spectral twins, Abbie and Angie, clung to the ethereal plane within the amethyst pendant, their spectral forms trembling—too afraid to come out. Everyone around Aria was very dangerous.They had believed their presence would taint Aria's fortune—after all, they were spirits of malevolence. Yet, upon encountering Chaos, their fears were magnified. Aria's willingness to harbor such a being suggested she was not one to be swayed by mere omens.Sam, on the other hand, detected a peculiar scent emanating from Aria. It was tantalizing, a fragrance that made his hunger rise.He rubbed his belly with a longing expression and glanced at the amethyst pendant sideways, trying to convey his desire.Aria, understanding his unspoken plea, pinched his cheek. "These are your future siblings. You must not consume them, understand?"Sam was struck dumb. The notion of his potential prey becoming kin was baffling.He grudgingly nodded, deciding to bide his time. For now, he had to restrain his t
Despite Landon's frail appearance, he was adept at handling seasoned businessmen like Warren in the industry. So how could he suddenly seem polite and harmless before Aria? He must be putting on an act!Besides, no brother would ever find his sister's boyfriend pleasing to the eye, especially since Landon had called off his engagement with Aria. While everything else was understandable, his transformation before Aria was unsettling. After all, Landon wasn't like this with others.Sensing Leon's gaze, Landon looked over with an unreadable gaze."I understand that Leon may be unhappy about me. I was in the wrong, after all." Landon took the initiative to speak, his subdued tone seeming somewhat innocent. "Perhaps it's because I refused to play with him when we were younger, or maybe my foolishness to call off my engagement with Aria."With his refined and pale face, he seemed a bit fragile when he batted his long lashes. Nobody would want to trouble such a beautiful person, especia
Aria raised her eyebrows. "The Wagner family? You seem to care quite a lot about our family's banquet.""Well, I could have attended as your family," Landon replied, handing her a cup of coffee. "Get in the car first. I'll explain it to you when we get there."Aria was well taken care of. She settled into the seat, enjoying her coffee.Landon had arranged for two SUVs. Leon and the others were in the second vehicle, leaving the first one for just the two of them.Landon, capable of working anywhere, adjusted Aria's seat before responding to messages from his workgroup.Reclined, Aria yawned lazily, her beauty undiminished.Landon finished sending a text and caught sight of her. His eyes flickered as he fiddled with the rosary bracelet on her wrist. "A jeweler will come later. You can pick out a ring.""A ring? No thanks," Aria rejected without a second thought. "Having it while I perform my acupuncture is a hassle."Landon was exasperated. "Well, you can choose a necklace or so
Aria's eyes flickered at his words, and she recalled the burdens from the sins he carried. He had been kind to her, and she felt the need to repay him somehow. She reached out, gently holding his wrist to read his pulse. Though it appeared as if she was examining him, she was actually working to alleviate some of his burdens. As a practitioner in esoteric arts, she had many ways to help.However, Landon avoided her touch. "Don't misuse your magic."Aria felt that Landon was not easy to fool. He seemed to know everything.Was it because he read a lot of books? Aria propped her chin and got lost in her thoughts.Suddenly, she spoke up, "By the way, the spirits I adopted are afraid of you."Landon chuckled, wrapping her in a coat. "Do I look scary? You should help them build their courage. They could learn from Sam."Only four Great Beasts existed in the world, like Sam. These creatures were embodiments of pure evil, leaving destruction in their wake. Yet, not all of them had be
Aria was still pondering Nyx's words. What would the Wagner family have for Nyx to follow them involuntarily?She touched the Charm Coin to contact Nyx. She sought answers about what transpired at the Layne residence, how he ended up gravely injured, and his sudden appearance at Edenvale Children's Hospital. Yet silence greeted her queries.Puzzled, Aria glanced at Landon, eyebrows raised. She couldn't fathom why the little ones seemed to cower before him.Landon noticed her gaze and put down his work phone with a slight smile. He retrieved a bottle of water from the car's fridge and handed it to her, asking calmly, "Why the curious look?""Nothing much." Aria yawned lazily. "You go ahead and work. Wake me up when we arrive."The toll of dismantling a formation always left her drowsy, something Tobias had warned her about. She needed rest after such exhausting work, and the comfort of the car quickly lulled her into sleep.Landon watched her delicate features, a peculiar tenderne
Aria's remarkable resilience was the only thing shielding her from the chaos engulfing the Carver family.A selfish, duplicitous father, a cunning sponsee, and a host of scheming aristocratic families circled her like vultures.Landon could barely hold back his anger when he thought of that. He would gladly help Aria finish them off if she wanted to, and he didn't care if he broke the rules.He fiddled with his bracelet. When he looked up again, his demeanor seemed to have changed.Meanwhile, Aria had a dream. The dream was even more bizarre this time. The setting was the "Survival of the Fittest", but Leon's fate had taken a tragic turn. He lay buried beneath the children's hospital, having sacrificed himself to save another. The twin siblings had transformed into Wrathborns, creatures of vengeance.The dream twisted, bringing her to Leon's final visit home, a stormy confrontation."I won't accept it. No one can replace Aria," Leon's voice was thick with defiance. His gaze was
This meant Jeffrey and Leon had died before she returned, all because of these accidents.When Aria woke up, her breathing was erratic, and she had a splitting headache. Despite having endured countless dreams before, this one left her feeling as though a crushing weight bore down on her chest, suffocating her.With missing memories and underlying psychological issues, she'd been indifferent to family relationships.The notion of seeking out her birth parents had always seemed a distant thought, a task for those who cared enough to find her. But now, as the remnants of her dream clung to her mind, a sharp pang struck her heart.Leon looked so lonely, standing alone under the moonless sky. He wanted her to return, but he didn't want her to suffer and get acknowledged alongside a Carver family's sponsee.Leon's online reputation was poor. Yet, he instinctively saved others in danger during the show.Leon questioned Fiona, as he wanted her to support him. However, the outcome left h