Agnes tried to pull Kylie away. "Kylie, are you crazy?"Kylie couldn't possibly be that foolish! Didn't she see how Landon acted? He came here just to support Aria!However, Kylie seemed to have lost her mind. "Mom, listen to me. There's no way he would fall in love with a country bumpkin. They have nothing to talk about. He's such a dignified person!"Agnes wished she could slap some sense into Kylie. Yet, Kylie was surprisingly strong, making it impossible for Agnes to restrain her.Seeing everyone look at her as if she were insane, Kylie felt a chill in her heart. She rushed over to Mindy, grasping her hands. "Mindy, you know him best. We've observed him for years. He's rejected you time and again. There's no way he'd be interested in an outsider. Please, say something, Mindy!"But Mindy's mind went blank when Landon arrived at the banquet. She hadn't expected him to come.The Carver family had hosted many events in the past. On her birthday, Owen had personally invited the
However, Landon had already made his move, leaving no room for Mindy to turn things around. Whether Mindy was a bitch or not didn't matter to him—it wasn't his concern. But with Aria involved, Landon wouldn't hesitate to expose Mindy."Someone once said that the most important thing for a woman is having manners."Landon's gaze shifted to a wealthy woman who typically went unnoticed. "Ms. Yallaton, both of these individuals openly express their admiration for me. Do you not see a problem with that? Yet, when it comes to my fiancée, you're quick to criticize. Why is it acceptable for these two to act this way but not for her?"Felicia Yallaton tried to respond. "That's different. For so many years, Mindy—""Yes, it is different," Landon cut her off, his tone indifferent. "Aria is my fiancée. As for those two… I've rejected them countless times in private, never showing any interest. Their actions have been affecting my life for too long."Landon's expression hardened. "If my fiancé
The ladies felt a surge of anger, wishing they could tear those bitches apart!Aria, however, remained composed, a plate of pastries in hand as she observed the unfolding drama. Her calm demeanor reminded them of Fiona, and they couldn't help but admire her self-control.Yet, not everyone shared their perspective. Verona, for instance, felt a strange tug of sympathy for Mindy despite understanding the situation. She had to pinch herself to suppress the peculiar feeling.Even Leon was affected. Had Landon not rebuked Mindy, he might have fallen for her trap. Leon was confused and conflicted, drawn to pity her despite his disdain for her. He began to question his own sanity, wondering if he had contracted some sort of illness.Leon decided to discuss his feelings with Aria later, unaware that she was already privy to the situation.Nyx, who had teetered on the brink of rebirth across countless lifetimes, only to be denied reincarnation each time—even in the warmth of his mother's wo
Aria replied with a measured tone, "There's no haste. He's within reach. We might have to rely on modern means to bring him to light."As she spoke, Aria glanced at her watch. "It's 8:10 pm. We can identify the culprit if we check all the guests who arrived around this time.""How should we investigate?" Despite their maturity, the twins were still just kids.Aria smiled. "It's easy. We'll just hack into the surveillance system."But first, Landon needed to return Sam to her.Just as Aria was about to approach, Owen intervened. "Landon, you've misunderstood. I've raised Mindy since she was a child, so I know her well. She likes you, but she's never been clingy. You're crossing the line by publicly condemning her."Owen, already considering himself Landon's father-in-law, expected Landon to show him some respect and let the matter slide. But Landon's smile only grew wider. "Mr. Carver, I'm engaged to Aria. Everyone saw how those two made things difficult for Aria before I arrived.
"Mr. Carver, it would be wise for you to stay," Landon said, his tone dismissive. "You know what the York family's bodyguards are capable of."Owen's face flushed with anger. "Are you threatening me? This is a Carver family event!""You're right, but I'm the Carver family's son-in-law," Landon replied coolly, glancing toward the second floor where Warren stood, leaning on a cane. "I've already consulted Grandpa, and he said you should stay behind and watch."Although it felt satisfying to see Owen being dealt with, wasn't it too early for Landon to call Warren "Grandpa"?Leon turned his head, trying to see which brother shared his sentiment. However, none of them were looking at him. Instead, they were focused on Warren.Well, Warren had hidden his intentions well.Warren had always doted on Aria, so he could not tolerate what was happening. His calm demeanor was due to his alliance with Landon for the final move. As such, with Warren's decree, Owen was stuck. Owen flung his ha
The scene erupted into chaos. Whispers circulated among the attendees as they struggled to reconcile the Wagner family's strict upbringing with the scandalous actions of their grandchild.Kylie's scheme against Aria at the banquet was laid bare. Kylie claimed Aria was the one spreading falsehoods, though she herself was the true source of malice!As the crowd buzzed with discussion, Kylie's anxiety mounted.Her previous excuse of being Lamar's fan, which had allowed her to deflect blame, was no longer viable. The damning footage exposed her true intentions.No one would trust Kylie now. Everyone knew she had been plotting against Aria!Desperate to salvage her reputation, Kylie grabbed a nearby waiter and demanded, "Turn it off! Turn it off now!" Her harsh tone only highlighted her lack of grace and growing unpopularity.Agnes was mortified. She couldn't believe Kylie's audacity in targeting the York family. While the Carver family might lack the connections to delve into such
Frank, with his pudgy hands, dragged a middle-aged man forward, followed by the York family's bodyguards.With a smile, Frank said, "You wanted to confront him, so here he is."Frank tossed Reghan at Mindy's feet.Reghan looked up, desperation in his eyes. "Ms. Mindy, please help me. Mr. Levin accused me of playing a video without permission. I told him you gave me the USB drive, but they didn't believe me. Ms. Mindy—""Silence!" Mindy's demeanor had shifted dramatically. Her true nature was on full display. No longer the weak and gentle figure, her eyes glinted with malice. "The video I gave you was about Dad missing Aria! Whose orders are you following to scheme against me?"Reghan was taken aback, unable to reconcile this harsh side of Mindy with her usual considerate self. "I didn't! Ms. Mindy, you gave me the USB drive. We didn't even review it because you provided it.""That's enough!" Mindy clenched her hands. "All you're spouting is lies. Take him away!"Mindy didn't bot
Disregarding families of similar status, even those lower in rank wouldn't dare to flatter the Wagner family again.Agnes was still contemplating her next move. Both Mindy and Kylie struggled, but the York family's bodyguards were different from those of other prestigious families. They were fiercely loyal and only followed orders from their employer. Owen had failed to prevent their actions and was forcibly pinned to the ground.Red wine splattered onto his white suit, leaving him disheveled.Unable to tolerate the situation any longer, Owen shouted at Fiona, "Mindy is also our daughter. Even if she's not our biological daughter, she has been by your side for years. How can you do this to her?""No, I have never acknowledged her," Fiona retorted with fiery eyes. "Owen, you were exploiting me when I was vulnerable! People may call me heartless today, but I will never tolerate someone who has continuously plotted against Aria and tried to replace her. I'd already held myself bac
A single thought consumed Laura's mind—she had to find a way to make her husband dislike Aria.She had always hesitated to play the villain, but when she heard Aria wanted Jett to trade stocks with her, she couldn't hold back anymore.Choosing her words carefully, Laura said, "Eamon, I don't know what Aria is thinking. Could this just be an impulsive decision, like her father back then? Is she dragging people along without much thought?"Of course, I don't think Aria is as calculating as Owen. But people say the stock market and real estate are part of a bubble economy. The Grisham family didn't build their fortune through these channels."She doesn't have anyone guiding her, yet she's rushing into this. It makes me worried."She lifted her gaze. "Honey, you know these markets are different. If something goes wrong, people won't come after Aria—they'll come after Jett. Whether it's financial trouble or a mistake he makes…"She clenched her teeth and pressed on. "I don't want Jett
Waymond was never one to speak carelessly. He had already ordered his subordinates to investigate the Fitzroy family's accounts.In his eyes, Laura Fitzroy's biggest mistake was her continued loyalty to her family despite everything that had happened.Still, this was Eamon's family matter, and Waymond had no intention of letting the younger generation get involved.But Aria was no ordinary junior. The moment she heard Waymond's words, she already knew where the problem lay.Jett's phone had been ringing non-stop; most calls were from his mother. Aria wasn't some naïve newcomer to society—she understood what those calls meant. Laura didn't want Jett following her, and there were plenty of reasons for that. But Aria had no interest in meddling in their family affairs. The best way to handle it? Pretend she didn't know.Meanwhile, Laura was too anxious to eat. Jett wasn't answering, and Magdalene's words left her deeply unsettled.Laura had never had an issue with Aria before. In
The higher-ups had already released the official documents, though they lacked detail.As the head of a listed company, Waymond handled things differently from Jett. "If you want to acquire land, you must deal with the relevant government departments. Your cousin's connections won't be enough—I'll go."He worried that Aria might be taken advantage of. The industry had its own unspoken rules, after all."No need, Uncle Waymond. Don't worry. I'll ask for your help if I need it, but I'd like to try reaching out first." Aria smiled.Still, Waymond sensed that she had something else in mind. After a brief pause, he said, "Mr. Barron left behind many connections in Ludwiten—people from all walks of life."One of them is an old-timer, Cassian Merrick. His influence runs even deeper than the Grisham family's. Want me to reach out to him for you?"Aria had heard of Cassian ever since she set foot in Ludwiten. Though over a hundred years old, he hardly looked it.Back then, his name carri
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