Percy declared, "Aria doesn't need to worry about this. No one in this group chat cares about Dad except Fergus."Seeing the conversation take this turn, Fergus responded, "Percy, he's still our father. Let's not jump to conclusions without solid evidence. Mom will be upset if she finds out we suspect Dad."Percy took off his glasses, a glint of malice in his eyes. "If Dad really did something to hurt Mom and Aria for his own benefit, he doesn't deserve to be our father."Fergus replied, "It's all just our assumption. Aria didn't actually say that."Percy, never one to mince words, retorted, "She knows we'll take sides if she does. No wonder she hasn't looked for her brothers despite being home for so long."We always say we'll protect Aria, but have we really? That's probably what Grandpa was worried about, which is why he didn't tell us everything."Mindy has treated us like brothers ever since Dad insisted on bringing her back. If I were Aria, I wouldn't bother looking for my
Fergus said, "We need to figure out why Dad is acting so irrationally."Percy raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like Dad confided in you, Fergus?"Fergus replied, "I need to talk to him since he reached out to me. If not, I'll ask him to meet with you all next time."Jeffrey immediately replied, "I'm not available."Percy grinned. "Dad gets sick whenever he talks to me. For his health's sake, I'll leave this to you, Fergus."Owen was a thorny issue to the brothers that only Fergus could handle.Fergus got straight to the point. "I've been looking into some past incidents and will have results soon. If Dad's involved, we need to keep Mom away from him."It's odd that Dad is asking Aria to be sensible with an outsider unless Mindy is truly special to him."Percy raised his eyebrows. "Fergus, are you saying Mindy might be Dad's illegitimate daughter?""Not exactly. It has to do with Aria's horoscope and detailed birth date," Fergus clarified.Jeffrey narrowed his eyes. "You think Da
As Aria's hunger grew from her intensive thinking, the food finally arrived.Despite Landon's claims of it being a modest meal, he had actually brought them to a renowned seafood restaurant in Janovin that had been serving exquisite dishes for over a century.Every dish, from the appetizers to the decadent desserts, was a culinary masterpiece. The freshly sliced meat burst with flavor in every bite.Clearly, Landon knew Sam's appetite well, as he'd ordered a perfectly seasoned tomahawk steak. Its tenderness and flavor were evident in every mouthful. Sam's eyes lit up, and he graciously shared with Fiona.Aria had no cause for concern; Landon was attentive, assisting her with food and napkins. His usual obsession with germs seemed to be forgotten as his coat lay loosely nearby.As Landon brushed Aria's hair back, he asked with a smile, "Are you that hungry?""Yup," Aria replied, her physically demanding job requiring ample energy for her plans. Landon tied her hair back, his eyes
The seafood restaurant was a reservation-only establishment with traditional décor, offering little soundproofing.Soon, a manager approached Christian and his group, who were a bit too loud. "Sir, please lower your voice to avoid disturbing the other patrons."Timmy turned beet red from embarrassment. "They have many rules here, don't they?""Of course. It's a public place, after all. If it weren't for Christian, we wouldn't even be here. Let's show some respect," someone retorted.Humiliated, Timmy was about to retaliate, but Christian intervened to calm things down. "Let's drop it, guys. We can continue this over drinks. Don't worry about the bill. It's my treat."He added, "Lily will be here soon. Take the opportunity to find yourselves a girlfriend. Her roommates are coming too. Don't say I didn't give you a heads-up."His male classmates glanced around. "What chance do we have with you around? Half the school has a crush on you."They weren't exaggerating. Christian was ha
"Lily, I think you'd better not bother with that disgusting fake heiress," Myrtle suggested.Lily thought Aria was involved in a scandal. She could barely suppress her joy as she feigned a scowl and said, "Myrtle, don't be so mean.""Lily, don't blame Myrtle. Aria's the one being secretive about her new relationship. I wonder what's there to hide?" Timmy pursed his lips.Was Aria in a relationship?Lily pretended to worry about Aria, "Do you think Aria might have been deceived? Grandma never mentioned anything about a boyfriend."In truth, Lily hadn't been in touch with Georgina lately. Cameron was the one who had informed her that Aria was single."She wouldn't dare. Your grandmother would have informed you if Aria's boyfriend were even remotely as impressive as Christian. But no, Aria settled for a gigolo! How embarrassing."Lily was secretly delighted. She hadn't forgotten the humiliation Aria inflicted on her. At the time, Aria had seemed so superior.Lily could barely hold
After witnessing Lily's behavior today, Christian began to question whether he might be overthinking things.With an arm around Lily, he decided to seek out Aria once the gathering concluded. He hadn't forgotten his father's advice—winning over Aria could potentially open doors to connections with Lucas, the Secretary-General of City Hall. Additionally, Christian had to admit Aria was as stunning as he remembered. He refused to believe she had moved on. If she had, she wouldn't have chosen a gigolo as a boyfriend instead of pursuing a normal relationship.With this in mind, Christian devised a plan. "It's nothing much but why don't I send over a bottle of wine to preserve your dignity, Lily?"Christian's intentions were clear. He wanted Aria to realize how much more generous he was than her boyfriend. Most importantly, he wanted her to know he was in the restaurant.Lily was taken aback. "You want to send wine over?""If you're against it, we can forget it. It's entirely up to y
Landon supported Leon, valuing his business worth and the fact that he was a Carver."Aria, I need to get back to work." Leon continued with a hint of something else in his tone, "We celebrities are at the mercy of our bosses. They have countless ways to make money but choose to exploit us."Realizing the remark was aimed at him, Landon smiled. "Leon, work hard. I'll take care of Aria."Leon might have flipped the table right then if Landon weren't his boss.Listening to their exchange, Aria asked, "Leon, what job did you take on?"She sensed that this was just the beginning of the chaos surrounding "Survival of the Fittest.""My job?" Leon was caught off guard by her question and hesitated before replying, "I'll probably be on another variety show. It hasn't been officially announced yet. I'm still waiting for my manager's arrangements."Aria toyed with her amethyst pendant. "Okay. Let me know once it's confirmed.""Sure!" Leon flashed a triumphant glance at Landon, implying A
Bound by the restaurant's century-old traditions, the owner himself brought the wine to Landon's room. Although unfamiliar with the York family personally, Oliver Richton knew enough about their customs to realize Landon's future brother-in-law should be aware of Landon's limited tolerance for alcohol.Therefore, it was questionable why he would send a bottle of alcohol over to Landon's room.Yet, it was a rare opportunity for Oliver to meet Landon, who was known for avoiding dining out due to health concerns. Accustomed to interacting with the Wagner and Layne families, Oliver knew they would never send alcohol to Landon. Instead, they would respectfully greet him. Given Landon's prestigious background, the other wealthy young men never dared to pressure him to drink when he declined due to health concerns. Holding the bottle of red wine, Oliver couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. However, Christian seemed confident in his intentions.Oliver knew that refusing
Ordinary people understood the harshness of reality. Brent, having lived in poverty for most of his life, had been looked down on more times than he could count.Poor people like them could die unnoticed at home, and no one would care, let alone offer help without expecting something in return.If something really happened to Eden, Brent doubted he and his wife could do anything to save her. Judy was a prime example. Her father, Alec Lanez, had even given up selling bread just to look for her.Every time Alec went to the school, he was met with the same cold response."It has nothing to do with us. Your daughter ran away and refuses to acknowledge you. So why are you coming here? Peasants like you should know your place. Without us, people like you could only dream of going overseas. How filthy!"Brent had heard the school's representative say those exact words when he accompanied Alec. Both of them could only stand there, humiliated and speechless.Alec's back was sore from how m
Eden immediately opened the windows after hearing that. "Did Ms. Carver send you here? Is she in any danger? I'm really worried about her. Should I call the police? I'd feel horrible if anything happened to her."Weston remained calm and indifferent. "Calling the police will only make them suspicious. My boss is amazing, and there's nothing she can't handle. She has a plan. Right now, my priority is to bring all of you to Heartbound Hall in Janovin so your grandfather can receive treatment."The respect in Weston's voice when he spoke of Aria was unmistakable."Pack up your things and come with me," Weston ordered.Their team had already checked the surroundings and ensured nothing would go wrong. Anyone watching would think Eden's grandparents were simply collecting bottles and preparing lunch as usual, not leaving the house until the afternoon.Without wasting time, Weston picked up the elderly couple's luggage. His most important task now was to get Eden and her grandparents to
"We followed the address, so this must be the place. Sir, isn't that the girl?" It was the same group of people as before. After failing their last mission because of Aria, they were being extra cautious this time."We can't afford any more mistakes. Treat her kindly so that she won't suspect anything.""Yes, sir."When they saw a young woman in a school uniform appear right on time, they were convinced she was the right person. After all, Aria looked exactly like Eden.They rolled down the car window and waved. "Ms. Bohmer, over here."Aria looked up and recognized several familiar faces. She grabbed her bag and walked toward the car."Ms. Bohmer, we meet again," The driver greeted Aria warmly. "Let's go."The team had prepared for a difficult encounter. They'd even been authorized to use force if necessary, as long as they avoided surveillance cameras. But to their surprise, Aria simply opened the car door and got in without resistance.Aria glanced at their puzzled expression
The aged voice was filled with indifference. "It seems like she reached a dead end."Amos sneered. "I don't understand why these peasants like staying in the city. Still, it's fortunate for us. Otherwise, it'd be hard to get our hands on them.""Amos," the person cut in sharply, as if reminding him of his place.Amos only dared to speak so harshly when no one was around. If word got out, his image as the perfect secretary would be ruined.He quickly calmed down and fell silent. The caller didn't press the matter, simply saying, "You need to change the way you speak and act from now on."Since she's already agreed, give her the money. Don't treat her requests as a nuisance. The more requests they make, the less likely they are to cause trouble later."After picking her up tomorrow, send a few men to check if her grandparents need any help. Make sure everything is done properly."Amos nodded. "I understand. You always see the bigger picture. We'll continue looking after them."Poo
"I promise it won't happen again!" To an outsider, it might've sounded like Amos was talking about the cafeteria mishap. But the truth was much darker. What Amos really meant was that incidents like this could continue, just never publicly. Once the media's attention died down, they could go back to doing whatever they pleased. But for now, the performance had to be flawless.The man on the other end of the call seemed satisfied. Though his voice was flat and monotonous, there was a noticeable shift; it was now less stern."She's been manipulating the stock market," he said. "It's caused major damage to several of Luwditen's corporations. We can't let her walk free."Amos removed his glasses, a grim look on his face. "That's exactly what I told the Securities Regulatory Department. It doesn't matter who comes to plead on her behalf. Even if she's the late Mr. Barron's heir, she has to face the law."She's confessed. No one's going to let her off the hook now. You know what jail'
At first, Eden didn't understand what Aria meant. But as night fell, Aria lowered her head and started fumbling with something. When she looked up again, Eden was stunned—Aria looked exactly like her.Eden's eyes widened in disbelief. She'd only seen something like this in movies. But now, it was unfolding right in front of her. So there really was such a flawless disguise technique in the world."Aria, you…""Since I'm using your identity, I have to be you," Aria said with a soft tug of her mask, smiling. She had always been bold, yet precise. Working in the Special Missions Unit meant secrecy was second nature to her—this part was routine."Stay home and rest tonight. I'll leave first thing in the morning. Once I'm gone and the coast is clear, take your grandparents and leave."Eden opened her mouth, unsure of how to respond. She didn't even know when the people watching them would leave."My team will come get you," Aria reassured her. "What's important is that your grandparent
Eden nodded. "Okay. I'll do as you say, Aria."She sent the text just like Aria instructed. Moments later, her teacher replied—everything had been arranged. A car would pick her up from home. There was no need to return to school.A cold shiver ran down Eden's spine. They knew where she lived. They'd been watching all along. Not just the school—they were everywhere.Eden didn't linger at school. Outside the entrance, the main topic of conversation was the officials' arrival for an investigation and the school's public exposure.Everyone knew the cafeteria was a mess. Students had complained countless times, but each time inspectors came, the food improved just long enough to pass the checks. Then it would all revert. It had become the norm—something they were forced to accept.Eden was no different. She just wanted to get home. She needed to see her grandparents. She feared something might happen to them next.Every step on the way home, she stayed alert, scanning her surroundings
Eden listened closely, her brow furrowing. Her teacher wasn't speaking Farshyan. School was no longer a safe place, and Eden didn't know who she could trust. Her classmates were too caught up in mocking Aria to notice anything was wrong, all assuming Eden was lucky to have been chosen.She considered calling the police, picking up her phone, but then paused. What could she even say? That there was a mole at school? Her face turned pale as she remembered how close the principal was to influential people. The authorities might not believe her, or worse, they might be involved.Despite the headlines claiming Aria had been arrested, Eden felt a spark of hope. Aria had promised she'd show up if Eden ever needed her. Taking a deep breath, Eden dialed the number Aria had given her.She didn't expect anyone to answer. But then came a cool, familiar voice. "Eden? What's wrong? Did someone give you trouble again?"Eden's heart soared. "You're not arrested! The news is fake, isn't it? I knew
Lucas gave Amos a sidelong glance. "In that case, let's do as Mr. Lune suggested—punish everyone involved."Announce to the public that Oakvale Academy will be used as a test case. We'll be conducting surprise inspections in all middle and high schools."As for why Mr. Kelsey encountered two completely different scenes during his visits—well, that's easy to explain." Lucas' gaze swept across the room. "Someone tipped off the school before your visit. If any other school received advance notice, every one of you will be under scrutiny."Though Lucas spoke with a smile, none of the seven present—including the three officials—could return it. The smile, in this context, was more chilling than rage. This was a warning. Amos, in particular, felt deeply unsettled. He had come intending to redirect Lucas' attention away from Oakvale Academy. Instead, the incident had blown up. With public attention turning toward the school, transferring Eden would soon become impossible.Still, Amo