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
In Aria's dreams, Kylie often bullied and humiliated her with her group of friends.Aria smiled. Kylie had found her first, saving her the trouble of seeking her out.Warren asked sharply, "Do you need anything?"Kylie affected a startled look. "You're as stern as always, Mr. Carver Senior. I just want to be Aria's friend, that's all."Kylie was confident Warren wouldn't humiliate her in front of everyone, given the formal setting and his age. If he lost his temper, all the better—the media could spin it however they liked.The Wagners hadn't been disrespectful at all.Warren saw through Kylie's schemes. He considered having a stern talk with Yonah about his granddaughter's poor upbringing. If that didn't work, he might even demand a personal apology.Kylie's eyes lit up with excitement.Aria glanced at her, fiddling with her amethyst pendant. Suddenly, she chuckled. "Grandpa, go talk to your friends. I'll handle this."Warren trusted Aria wholeheartedly, and before he left, h
Kenny had gone all out, wearing a million-dollar watch and the latest high-end suit, hoping to outshine everyone around him. He thought his flashy appearance would make heads turn.But when he entered the room, no one glanced at him. All eyes were fixed elsewhere.It was Leon again!"Leon, you're taking this too far," Kenny said as he approached and placed a hand on Kylie's shoulder. "Kylie's still young. She saw something she liked and just wanted to ask about it."Plus, she's a fan of Lamar. Naturally, she took it to heart when she noticed something off with the outfit. If you think she made a mistake, you could've simply explained where the clothes came from instead of embarrassing her in front of everyone."Kenny spoke with grandeur before lifting his head, eager to see just who this country bumpkin was that the Carver family had brought back. Even Leon and Jeffrey had rushed back for her.However, the moment he saw that all-too-familiar face, he was stunned.Aria's carefree
Kylie played off her attack flawlessly and retreated with grace. While the older generation might not have cared, the incident would undoubtedly have repercussions.Kylie persistently claimed that Aria had purchased counterfeit clothing, implying she was either a cheapskate or just plain dumb. Regardless, Aria's demeanor didn't align with that of someone from a prestigious family. The ladies from various affluent backgrounds would inevitably gossip about the matter."Who told you I bought these clothes?" Aria spoke calmly amidst the discussion.Kylie replied nonchalantly, "Did you perhaps make it yourself, then?""Indeed," Aria replied, her gaze fixed on Kylie. "Leon was too kind earlier. It seems your mind is filled with nothing but stupidity."Kylie's anger flared. No one had dared to treat her so disrespectfully before."Oh, right. I forgot to mention I tend to be blunt with my words as well," Aria said with a polite smile. "Please don't take it personally, Ms. Wagner."Kyl
Landon cast a glance at Aria, curious about how much she actually knew about the stock market. She had always been modest about her knowledge, but he suspected there was more to her than she let on. The only one oblivious to Aria's true capabilities was Jett. Yet, he dared not refuse any request she made. Without hesitation, he tapped into his social circles, pulling strings where needed.Less than an hour later, Orion received word. A slow, chilling smile spread across his face. "So, the Grisham family wants to dip their hands into real estate too?"Arlo handed him a report. "Just as you predicted. It's not just real estate—Ms. Carver's making moves in the stock market as well. Fortunately, you already set a trap for Mr. Jett in advance."For the first time in days, Orion’s tension seemed to ease. A dark glint flickered in his eyes. "Fine. Let them struggle their way in. I don't care how they do it, but make sure the Carver family is crushed in the stock market.""Understood." A
Jett asked, "What exactly are you after? There's no need to bring down the Draycott family so quickly. It's not like you can win. Didn't you join the Chamber of Commerce to take things slow? You just arrived in Ludwiten. Why the rush?""Am I in a rush?" Aria asked. She wasn't after the mastermind behind the Draycott family. If she were, she would've tied Orion to the financial building and let people take pictures all day—no need for mind games.The situation was too tangled, too many people involved. The Draycott family had managed to cover up something as blatant as that incident at the bar. Someone had to be cleaning up after them.Finding a few scapegoats would have been easy, but Aria wanted more. She wanted to uncover everyone who had spread rumors about Fiona in the past.And for some reason, despite their focus on the Grisham family, it felt like they were up against the Carvers. Whoever was behind this didn't want the Carvers to regain control of the Chamber of Commerce.
Jett grew more agitated as he spoke, waving his hands as if he wanted to tear Owen apart. Aria promptly stopped him. Otherwise, passersby might think he was an escaped patient from Ludwiten's mental asylum.Owen had done many foolish things, which Aria only discovered after arriving in Ludwiten and conducting her own investigation. Warren carried guilt toward Clyde because of Owen. And while Jett was normally timid, his words weren't wrong.When Owen first came to Ludwiten, he thought he could make it big, recklessly using the Grisham family's funds and resources. But he had been deceived by several people and lost everything.Not only was he foolish, but he was also malicious—leaving behind a disaster for the Grisham family to clean up. "Jett, calm down," Aria said. "I know Owen dragged the Grisham family down. He's already been punished and won't be coming out anytime soon."You and I both despise him, but let's stop dwelling on the past. He's not worth it."Jett had never
With Landon monitoring the stock market, Aria could walk right into Orion's trap. This way, Orion would let his guard down. When people felt confident, they invested more. Aria, well-versed in the stock market, understood this all too well. She had never intended to get rid of Lily. However, things were different this time. There was a limit to how much one could withstand another's viciousness. Aria doubted Lily could predict the market flawlessly—it was impossible, just as it was impossible for her to know everything.The logic was simple. If something fell outside one's area of expertise, even the most attentive observer would only grasp the outcome, not the details. Thinking it over, Aria realized Lily only knew about major events. The smaller ones seemed to escape her notice.If she put herself in Lily's shoes, it was like remembering which lottery would have a winner but not the exact numbers drawn.After all, no one knew when they would be reborn. The only way to acce
Malcolm did not know why Aria was asking, but he remembered the details clearly. "It was after that day." Aria tapped on the desk. "No wonder the Draycotts suddenly changed their market strategy. I get it now." What was she talking about? Before Malcolm could ask, Aria continued, "Some people are trying to cheat the system. Keep an eye on things, but stay safe. If anything happens, come to me first. "Like you said, they've got deep connections. Don't bother with the police—just keep the evidence." "Got it." Before hanging up, Malcolm asked, "Should we still watch the stock market?" Aria smirked. "Yes. They're not the only ones who can play dirty." Lily had probably been reborn too. But whatever Lily knew, Aria knew as well. She had never thought to use that knowledge this way before since it hadn't seemed necessary, but things were not the same now. If her dreams were real, then in her past life, Lily had only made it to Janovin. She had played the star medical student at
After being together all this time, Aria suddenly had a thought. Were she and Landon too distant from each other? No, "distant" was not quite the right word. It was more like they did not know each other well enough. Landon always felt just out of reach, like there was a fog between them. Simply put, he was not being straight with her. The thought left her feeling uneasy. Before she could say anything, her phone rang. It must be news about the Draycotts. It had to be something big for them to call so urgently. Aria glanced at the pair. Landon smiled. "If you have questions, Jett, feel free to talk with my manager, Ms. Virelle." Manager? Seraphina caught on quickly. "Mr. Grisham, shall we step outside?" Jett was still trying to process everything. "Wait." Balancing business and personal matters as usual, Aria held her phone up and said, "I heard Ms. Virelle used to work at the Draycotts' club. Let's have a chat later." Seraphina froze, glancing at Landon. Seeing his bl
Seraphina could not let her mind go there. Maybe she should've stayed in Netherrealm for a few more years. It was not so bad down there anyway. Landon barely spared her a glance, keeping his eyes on Jett with polite interest. "Won't you sit, Jett?"Sit? Jett could barely remember why he had come in the first place. Landon's voice snapped him back. "I... Mr. York, excuse me for asking, but what's your relationship with Ms. Virelle?""She works for me." Landon glanced at Seraphina. "Ms. Virelle? That's a new title."Jett stumbled over his words. "She works for you?""Yes," Landon said casually, like it was the most obvious thing. "Isn't it obvious?"Jett could not imagine the Yorks being in that kind of business. From Jett's expression alone, Landon could guess what kind of mess his people had made in Ludwiten. Since he had been dragged into it now, he figured he owed the Grishams an explanation. "I planted her in the Draycott family. The Yorks need a foothold in Ludwiten."So
Getting out of there wasn't going to be easy. Aria did not waste any time. She moved fast behind the suite divider, her laugh carrying a different note than usual. "What a shame."Landon's hand paused as he fixed her hair, his voice as smooth as ever. "I could have them leave.""Bad timing. My cousin's out there." Aria glanced at him, taking in that perfect collarbone of his. No wonder they used to call him the untouchable one, with all those socialites dying for just a smile.She had never given much thought to that kind of thing before. All those times working with patients, she had kept things strictly professional. But things felt different now, and she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Her gorgeous fiancé had a way of making her lose her head.Landon pulled his hand back while looking down. "We should meet with your cousin. I hear the Grishams like to evaluate their in-laws.""Huh?" That had not crossed her mind. He did not seem like someone who would care about app
Aria felt something wild coming off him. It was not hatred, but something close. She was too caught up to figure out what it was. She had never felt anything like this before; it was like she was floating. Her eyes were open, but she could not focus. Even his breathing felt like an invasion, starting at her ear and spreading through her whole body. When his fingers pressed into her waist, instinct made her try to push him away. That was a bad move—it only made things more intense. He lit her up like a match, heat spreading from her neck downward till she had to tilt her head back just to breathe. It reminded her of that hazy dream, the one in which she had been caught between sleep and waking, her pulse racing and her skin on fire. But it did not feel exactly the same because what she was feeling now was real. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of the river through the massive windows. The view was blurry, but it was enough to remind her where she was. Unable t