Georgina resolved to never let Marshall know about Aria's wealthy family. She didn't know what Marshall would do otherwise. He'd probably latch onto Aria and insist that the Carvers repaid them for their efforts in bringing Aria up for the past decades. Georgina knew very well that Marshall wasn't a good man and didn't want him to negatively impact Aria's life again. However, someone else had planned to make that happen. The first thing Mindy did after leaving the art gallery was to contact the Kents. Thanks to Dorothy's past connections, it wasn't difficult for her to reach Marshall. She couldn't expose who she was, so she went through a few hoops just to inform Marshall about the banquet the next day. Marshall hadn't paid the messages he'd received any heed until they came the second time. "I heard you've been looking for your ex-foster daughter, Mr. Kent. What if I tell you now, Mr. Kent, that she's doing well for herself now that she's in Janovin and planned on kicking yo
"The number of infants involved is unusually high, yet the higher-ups remain oblivious to this operation. Strangely, no directives have been issued regarding it too."Aria raised a brow. "Should we dig deeper, boss?" the agent asked.Aria thought about Nyx's words, and her gaze darkened. "No, don't. Send me the information, and I'll do it. Remember, don't involve yourself in anything related to the hospital."The conjuror who'd injured Nyx was undoubtedly skilled in the arts, and Aria was never one to let people close to her take serious risks.She constantly felt that a massive web was being spread out, and the Carvers weren't the only prey caught in it.Aside from the Carver family's fortune, the people behind the scenes also wanted something else. However, Aria still hadn't figured out what to be exact, seeing as the other party concealed themselves well. The Special Missions Unit was independent from the system. Even the HOU didn't have the right to command them because th
Fiona's brothers were conspicuously absent, leaving her feeling somewhat dejected. Whether they were deliberately avoiding her or simply unsure how to face her, Fiona couldn't shake the sadness. She recognized her own faults, but that didn't lessen the sting.Now that she was home, she was determined to resolve the misunderstandings between them. Aria had given her the courage to do so.Fiona's experience with Leon had shown her the importance of rectifying mistakes, particularly those affecting loved ones, before it was too late. Otherwise, she would forever be haunted by regret. Her sisters-in-law were all watching her. They didn't know the extent of her recovery. Would Fiona have them call a random girl their niece as she'd done previously?This was why no one dared speak at first. A barrier still existed between them and Fiona—their husbands had gone to great lengths for Fiona, but her past indiscretions had humiliated the Grishams, fostering deep-seated resentment.Fiona kne
The following day, Prosper Hotel hosted the grand banquet. Media giants and successors of prominent Janovin families arrived in waves, all eager to attend.The invitations had come from Warren, not Owen. While these prominent families were on the rise, they still fell short of the Carvers in their heyday. Even now, they still hadn't figured out the Carver family's connections.They all knew that Warren was not one they could risk offending, so they were polite as they expressed their congratulations. Some media outlets were there solely to catch a glimpse of Warren's granddaughter, while others had been personally invited.The socialites, eager to witness Aria's humiliation, were in for a surprise. Leon, having learned of their intentions, had mobilized his resources. Luxury items, usually unattainable for the average person, were readily available to him.No designer could resist his patronage when he sought a limited-edition couture gown. All the brands he represented were high
Despite being Aria's brother, Leon hadn't been of any help. However, he felt warm whenever he thought about how those clothes were all made by Aria.The designers were still raving. "Your family's entrance is going to make a huge splash. Lamar has never designed anything like this before—it's stunning!"Keith had already arranged for two MPVs, and he'd also contacted Jeffrey. By 4:00 pm, most of the attendees had arrived. Mindy arrived with Owen, their arms linked. She wore a fluffy white haute couture dress and a white pearl hair clip. With flawless skin and exquisite makeup, she looked like a princess.In front of the media, Owen maintained his usual image as the gentle company president. It was as if the hotel incident was merely a misunderstanding."The public is speculating over the recent discovery of your daughter. Do you want to tell us anything about that, Mr. Carver?" a bold reporter asked.Owen chuckled. "I'm happy, of course. My daughter has returned, all thanks to t
The socialites clinked glasses with one another, as if they'd already formulated plans to embarrass Aria. Bullying was ubiquitous, and the perpetrators never found anything wrong with what they were doing. The CEOs of other companies present would never use those underhanded methods those socialites came up with. Instead, they asked Owen, "Where are your sons? Why haven't we seen any of them here?""Yes. I heard that Percy is quite the famous lawyer in Shelwigton. He's been working on those famous non-litigation cases, and he's known even in the overseas circles."Owen said lightly, "His absence is no big deal. Dad made this banquet seem like a large-scale thing, but they're busy, and there's no need for them to come back today."This attitude was worth pondering. The CEOs of the Carvers' suppliers were here to get information because the internal affairs of the Carver family would decide whose side they should take. From Owen's words, the brothers didn't care much about Aria.
Explosive screams echoed through the main hall. Glasses were set down as heads turned, curiosity rippling among the Carvers' business partners."It's Leon!" "Leon as in Leon Carver? He's become so much more handsome since we last saw each other last year!""Jeffrey's here too! Is he really back?""Jeffrey? Who's that?""Jeffrey Carver, the fifth son! His identity is a secret, and no one knows what he does!""Why did he come back here too?""This is a big surprise! The Carvers didn't release any information about this at all!""Mr. Carver Senior really kept this secret well. I think even Mr. Carver doesn't know about this."Some guests turned to look at Owen, who had earlier dismissed the banquet's importance and the need for his sons' attendance. Yet, both Leon and Jeffrey, the King of Special Troops, had appeared, defying his words.Owen's complete lack of knowledge about the situation was undoubtedly embarrassing. Being publicly proven wrong must have been mortifying.
The reporters were all shocked. They didn't need to guess who Aria was; her identity was unmistakable. If the way Mindy had made her appearance emphasized Owen's high regard for her, Aria's appearance was the family's way of telling everyone that Aria was the real daughter of the family.None of the CEOs present expected to be greeted with this sight—they didn't expect the so-called country bumpkin to be such a beautiful woman. Leon and Jeffrey stood beside her, each taking one of her hands like gentlemen, making their affection for her clear."This isn't quite like what you told us, Mr. Carver. You told us that they were all busy, yet—" someone said, their voice dripping with sarcasm as they set down a wine glass, signaling whose side they were on.Owen's face turned pale at that remark. Warren got out of his car, and Jeffrey passed Aria to him. He was wearing a suit paired with a leather hat, and it was clear that his suit was made with the same fabric as Aria's gown.Warre
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
The three men Aria had knocked to the ground were hurting all over, yet she had the nerve to talk about following the law. Viggo knew his men were losing their cool. After all, they'd never been humiliated like this in Ludwiten before. He quickly moved to block them, forcing a smile. "Yes, you're absolutely right. "Well, they say you never really know someone until you trade a few punches. You look unfamiliar, though. You're not from Ludwiten, are you?" Viggo was fishing for information about Aria. He needed to know who she was and why their operation had suddenly derailed today. But someone as shrewd as Aria instantly caught his meaning, so she smirked. Since things had already escalated this far, it did not matter whether she revealed her identity or not. Whoever was behind these men would investigate her anyway. It was better to draw all the attention to herself now while her senior and the Public Integrity Task Force gathered evidence behind the scenes. That way, they cou
Viggo tried to explain, "You've got it all wrong—we don't mean any harm. We were just told to pick Ms. Bohmer up for paperwork. "Ms. Bohmer's a top student, and her school recommended her for study abroad. Just ask her if you don't believe me." Viggo shifted the spotlight to Eden. He figured a student like her wouldn't know how to speak up. Indeed, Eden was terrible at lying. Under Aria's watchful gaze, she nodded. She then added, "But something about them felt off. Maybe I was just being paranoid when I asked for your help." She couldn't very well tell this stranger that everything was based on a hunch, that these people gave her the creeps. They hadn't crossed any lines yet, but something felt wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on what. Eden struggled to explain, but Aria cut right to the chase. "So are you saying you need eight beefy men to escort a girl like her just to fill out some study abroad forms? Can't the teachers or the proper agencies handle it? "Looking
Hearing this, Viggo frowned. The burly men exchanged glances too as they sized up the person in front of them. They'd been in Ludwiten so long but had never met anyone as bold as Aria. They all figured that she must be some out-of-town wealthy heir who didn't know the rules here. She was practically asking for trouble when she blocked their way. These people didn't follow the stock market much. If they had, they'd know that a certain young lady had arrived in town not long ago. And she was someone who was good at dealing with those who crossed her. "You should ask around about who runs things here before acting so cocky. Since you like it here, stay right here with your bike!" As they spoke, one of them walked toward Aria aggressively, raising his arm to throw a punch. The rest moved in at the same time. But before the man could touch Aria, his hand was suddenly caught. Aria moved fast. With one leg braced against her motorcycle as a pivot point, she lunged forward and droppe
After finishing her sentence, Aria ended the call. She trusted her senior would take action on that end. Besides, nobody at the Public Integrity Task Force would dare ignore her message after hearing the way she spoke. Lucas had received his transfer orders. Just after arriving, people were already waiting for him at the train station before he had even attended any meetings. None of them were low-ranking, which matched his own status. The phone call came at an oddly perfect time. It rang right as he left the station, and it was from the Public Integrity Task Force. He hadn't forgotten why he was transferred here, so he glanced at his secretary. His secretary, Douglas Nixon, told the others, "Mr. Murray has some personal business to attend to." Douglas handled things smoothly. He immediately blocked a few people from approaching, though they were all prominent public officials from Ludwiten. Lucas did not want to delay the matter for too long. After hearing the problem, he
Besides, this spot was a perfect blind spot for surveillance. The school's security cameras couldn't reach here, and a tree blocked the view from across the street. If anyone reviewed the footage later, they would only see Eden exit the school gate and disappear after heading to the opposite side. This was exactly what Miguel and the scholarship committee wanted. Miguel had already walked away. He acted as if he'd just been out for a casual stroll, chatting with security while escorting a student along the way. Right then, Aria rode up on her motorcycle and caught the whole scene. Though she had planned to enter the school, she immediately spun her bike around and tailed the van as it drove off. Nobody noticed her because everyone in the van had their eyes fixed on Eden. The attention made Eden's skin crawl. The driver named Viggo Moseley chuckled. "You'll get used to it. The people you're meeting later are the ones handling your paperwork for going abroad." It was just a s
"Don't be silly, your grandmother and I can take care of each other just fine," Brent said. Despite the fact that he came from a village, he never thought of women as any less than men. Eden was an orphan, but her grandparents gave her all their love. "Once you go abroad, your grandmother and I will move back to our hometown. We'll farm a little land and do some other jobs while waiting for your return!" Brent's laughter put Eden much more at ease. As Miguel walked ahead, he felt nothing but mockery when he overheard her conversation. Indeed, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. If there were really such great opportunities to study abroad, the school would surely give them to children of investors and business people who supported the school. Who would choose to send a bunch of poor kids overseas? Not understanding how social class worked was just plain stupid. Eden was walking behind him, so she couldn't see his expression. When they reached the gate, the security g