"Her hair? Annoying?" Aria paused.Lyla nodded. "Yes. She threw tantrums frequently and talked about her hair obsessively. She insisted on cutting it herself, and the stylist was at a loss.""What did she say exactly?" Aria raised a brow.Lyla thought for a moment. "She said her hair grew too fast and was bothersome.""Her hair was growing very fast?" Aria's gaze darkened.Lyla said, "A little, but it went back to normal after she joined this film crew.""It went back to normal after she joined this crew?" Aria was still thinking about the correlation between these two things.Lyla said, "Yes. The people in our company were talking about how this was related to Mr. Carver. Elara liked to watch his movies, and the opportunity to play a couple on screen with him made her very happy. She also became much more even-tempered. She dared not bring the charm with her when she was with him because she was scared that it would be discovered."Aria had a clearer idea of what was going on
"You're claiming it's justified to exploit him because he's popular," Aria stated slowly. The biting coldness in her voice made Lyla stammer. "I-I didn't mean that. You know this as well, but entertainment companies constantly strive to make their artistes stand out."Aria's gaze hardened. Elara had approached Elijah with impure motives, and her company had woven those rumors about them. Fanny wanted someone to notice her, but Elijah had ultimately become the subject of heated discussions. Regardless of the truth, Elijah was the most popular, making him the ideal choice for deflecting negative comments online or gaining publicity. This was why Aria couldn't sense any direct malice; everyone involved had ulterior motives, making everything happen more effortlessly. Aria's gaze fell on Lyla's face. She looked completely different from before, her gaze dark. "I'll give you half a day to deal with the rumors. You'll tell everyone the truth—Elijah Carver didn't know Elara persona
"Someone lied? Who?" Lyla asked.Having just tucked the strand of hair away, Aria responded, "Do as I ask, and you will keep your position. And don't involve Mr. Carver. I'll handle the contract discussion with him myself.""You can convince him to sign a contract with the company?" Lyla's eyes lit up, the brightest they had ever been. "He's never signed a contract with any management company before. Everything is taken care of by his personal studio.""Wait for my update," Aria said evenly. "Also, do something about your bad habits. I'm letting you off this time because you've never given anyone up to Mr. West and opted to give him money instead. "What happens next hinges on your performance. Remember, never try to leech off someone else again."Anyone else wouldn't understand what Aria meant, but Lyla did. She was pragmatic as far as everyone else was concerned, and it was true—she didn't really care about her artistes that much. Her strategy was to either capitalize on others'
"Hello, Mr. Channing. Our lady would like to have a word with you," Frank said politely outside the interrogation room.However, Aaron was an arrogant person. He held his case files and refused, "I don't know your lady. There's nothing we can talk about either."No matter how influential the Carver Group was, they wouldn't be given special treatment here. Thus, they shouldn't try to pull strings.Just as Aaron was about to walk past Frank, the latter replied smartly, "But our lady knows you. Why don't you hear her out first?"Aaron still didn't put it to heart. However, he took the phone since Frank had already worded it this way. The moment he pressed it to his ear, regret washed over him."Have I been gone too long, or did you lose your touch?" Aaron recognized that familiar lilting drawl. In fact, it was a nightmare come to life for him.An outsider had broken his record of being number one for many years. Plus, this person never really made an appearance, either. The only dif
Aria said coolly, "You'll know when I bring her over. Just wait and see."Even after hanging up, Aaron remained skeptical. He turned to Frank. "Your lady is No. 1! Why are you still so worried about Mr. Elijah?"No. 1? What was he talking about? Frank was puzzled. Being primarily engaged in the business world, Frank was not well-versed in criminal investigations.Aria was renowned for solving many unsolved cases as No. 1. Additionally, she was an expert in supernatural cases. She founded the Special Missions Unit and held the position of No. 1. No matter the case, Aria could solve it quickly if she wanted to.Just as Aaron was contemplating how to face No. 1, Frank took back his phone in confusion.Frank had only one realization—this notoriously aloof crime specialist who typically ignored everyone seemed to heed Aria's words. Furthermore, he was known to be unapproachable and insensitive to money. Frank suddenly had a feeling as he looked at the phone in his hand. Perhaps Aria'
"What are you trying to do?" Fanny glared at Aria.Although Fanny couldn't tell what was wrong with Sam, she felt a sense of danger she had never felt before.Aria lowered her eyes. "Didn't I say I'm here to return something?" With that, Aria showed her a bag with a strand of hair in it. "Did you forget you left this behind?"Looking at the item in her hand, Fanny was obviously flustered. "It's just a strand of hair. What evidence do you have that it's mine?""It doesn't matter if you won't admit it. We just need to run some tests." Aria raised her eyebrows. "Did you already use the thing you stole?"Fanny's eyes wavered. "What thing? You're such a weirdo! Who do you think you are to question me—"With a bang, Aria kicked open the door and looked at her from above. Meanwhile, Sam closed the door in one swift movement.The receptionist initially wanted to come up and check, but she figured nothing would go wrong and decided against it.There was a smell of rust in the air. Ar
With a whoosh, a matchstick flew past Fanny's ear and landed right behind her. A large part of her long hair was singed, leaving her momentarily speechless.Aria scratched her ears. "I'm sorry, but I can't stand listening to your complaints. You're someone who constantly blames others for your misfortune. "Just because he didn't help you, you hated him and even spread rumors about him. Really? Who is obligated to help you? They aren't even your parents!"Sure, Elijah's looks have contributed to his fame, but his films wouldn't have been a hit if he had no acting skills. Do you think the market is that shallow?"As for your appearance, I'm sure you'd be happy as a female lead. However, have you considered the audience's feelings? "Actors should align with their roles. Beautiful women play roles meant for beautiful women, while those with less conventional looks can take on other parts. "You insist on playing the role of the most beautiful woman despite not meeting those standar
The wooden doll would never forget its time at Nobeetan Concession—it had nearly ceased to exist. Back then, it was like a rat on a spit, despised and ignored, forced to skulk in shadows. It clung to a strand of hair, attached itself to other objects, waiting for someone to find it.The experiences of that time fueled its anger. The wooden doll believed the country would soon fall to the Krowonians, waiting for that day to come. Unexpectedly, Krowo was defeated. The wooden doll, already unhappy, needed to rely on lowly citizens for worship.The doll would have been lost forever without Farshya's fortune to restore its power. It desperately missed its homeland.The wooden doll could soon revive all its subordinates after absorbing a bit more resentment.The wooden doll controlled its replica and tried to move. However, Sam bit it hard. Sam wouldn't have even gone near the wooden doll if not for Aria.Although it was just a replica, the wooden doll felt unprecedented pain. It want
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