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
The crowd erupted at Kylie's words.Plagiarism? Stealing? If that were true, the Carver family's stocks would plummet!There was only one way out—disown Aria. The banquet had to end early, or the shareholders would revolt if the news spread.This wasn't the first time. Stocks once worth over 20 dollars had dropped to mere cents overnight. With the market in turmoil, no one dared gamble on a company's fate.Everyone, including the major shareholders, turned their eyes to Aria, voices rising in heated discussion. Kylie barely hid her glee.Leon's expression darkened, but before he could speak, Aria smiled and calmly said, "I did design the clothes. But what evidence do you have of plagiarism?""It's way too similar—it has to be plagiarism!" Kylie nearly lost her composure.Mindy, feigning pity, stepped in. "Kylie, enough. Aria just got back. She probably didn't mean to copy. It's just a habit she hasn't shaken yet.""Mindy, after how she'd humiliated you earlier, you're still def
"She's so young. Plus, I heard Lamar is a noble in Nobeeta."It seemed that nobody believed in Aria.Kylie laughed dismissively. "Ms. Carver, if you want to get out of this, you should come up with something more believable."Though Lamar remains elusive, her Nobeetan origins are widely recognized. Her designs are consistently exotic. To convincingly pose as her, you must closely mimic her style."Aria replied calmly, "Have you ever met Lamar, or heard her claim to be from Nobeeta?""Well…" Kylie couldn't retort.Aria grinned. "You haven't seen or heard Lamar make such a claim. The guests mentioned it was all just rumors. I used to design outfits with an exotic flair to attract overseas orders."I didn't anticipate such strong demand from Farshya. The less I produced, the higher the prices I commanded. I only intended to cover some tuition fees, but it seems I have considerable support from all of you."Her demeanor stunned the ladies and made them reconsider. After all, they c
Verona paused, studying Aria's face. "Your eyes are like Fiona's. Rainbow, I'm Verona Ander. I even held you as a child.""You did misunderstand Mindy, but it's not your fault. After all, you've been away from home for many years. I understand that accepting your biological parents will be difficult."As Verona spoke, she reached out to pat Aria's head. "You were quite the troublemaker when you were younger. Mistakes happen, and you can always apologize. But I won't let anyone slander you. I promise. Why don't you let me see your gown?"Verona was trying to earn Aria's trust. Since Aria's return, Jeffrey and Leon acted differently. They should consider Fiona's feelings. After all, Fiona was someone who couldn't bear to see Mindy or Aria get hurt.Verona glanced around the room. "You should believe my words. During my time in Nobeeta, I had contact with Lamar's brand. I know things that most people do not.""Ms. Ander, we all believe in you," one of the socialites said smilingly.
Luke always supported doing anything beneficial to the company."Should I post it now or wait until the start of the month? Larmir Fashion Week will be happening then. We could capitalize on that to boost our visibility. It's your debut using Farshyan elements in gown design. I'm sure it will cause an uproar, especially in Farshya. They're our main—"Luke was a whirlwind of words, his speech punctuated with exclamations. Rarely contacted by Lamar, his excitement had clearly gotten the better of him.Aria, however, cut him off. "Post it now. I want to see it on the company's official website in two minutes. If I don't, you can turn in your resignation."In other words, Aria also owned the company.Few at the banquet were familiar with Nobeetan, and those who were stood across the room. The socialites closer to Aria had no training in Nobeetan. Meanwhile, some of the ladies who had studied in Nobeeta couldn't discern the details of the conversation but noticed Aria directing someone
What else could Kylie say? She was already dumbfounded. She wouldn't be in such an awkward position if she had reined in her arrogance. But she had been harsh with Aria and offended the Carver family in public.Kylie thought she had hit Aria's sore point as the latter kept silent. She never expected Aria to be Lamar! Why didn't she reveal it earlier?Was Aria deliberately waiting for Kylie to make a scene before addressing the issue?The thought terrified Kylie. For the first time, she scrutinized Aria closely. Was she really just a bumpkin?There was no time to ponder further; the room was abuzz with exclamations and discussions.As Kylie had wished, she was now the center of attention at the banquet. But she would have preferred to remain unnoticed. Nervously gripping her sleeves, she wished she could vanish.Kylie glanced at Mindy, hinting at the latter to help her.Mindy avoided her gaze at first, but she soon remembered the Wagner family was backing her. Thus, Mindy held