"You're all taking her way too seriously." Kenny loosened his tie as he settled on the couch. "Sure, she knows a thing or two about fortune-telling, but bringing all of us down? That's not impossible."He then lowered his voice. "Mr. Carver Senior is the one teaching her all of this."Those around him shifted uneasily. "But she's Lamar! You saw how she carried herself at the reunion banquet—she's not someone to mess with."Leon's backing her, and even Percy and Jeffrey defend her. I'm not about to cross the Carvers, especially Percy. My dad says he's an exceptional lawyer."In the past, no one would dare question Kenny's words, especially in a close-knit setting like this. But today was different—nobody backed him.As the illegitimate son, Kenny always craved the upper hand, even in small circles like this. He clenched his fists. "What's Mindy supposed to do with all of you acting like this? She's too scared to even go home."Everyone went silent upon hearing that.They all had
When Ignatius entered the car, he observed Philip briefly and whistled. "Philip, this is the first time I've seen you publicly stand up to Kenny. But what did you mean when you said it would be the last time you refer to him as your brother?""It's nothing," Philip responded, sounding distracted. Ignatius had heard about the tangled mess within the Wagner family and the strained relationship between the brothers. Philip, however, had never intended to inherit the company from the beginning. "It's odd how your brother is still fixated on Mindy," Ignatius remarked, changing the subject. "He's stubborn enough to challenge Aria, but if she decides to act, your brother doesn't stand a chance."Philip suddenly asked, "Do you think he's doing all this for Mindy?""Who else would it be for?" Ignatius was somewhat naïve. Philip lowered his gaze. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. My brother always…""What?" Ignatius couldn't make out the rest. Philip had no intention of letting Ignatius
However, not everyone shared Mindy's confidence.…Inside the villa, Ian stared at the chess piece on the table, unmoving. Recent incident reports lay tucked beneath the chessboard.Aria was just a country bumpkin. How could she be so capable?Ian had spent years perfecting the art of concealing his emotions. He wouldn't let anything slip."Investigate what happened in Uludon. If she really saved Jeffrey, we need to tread carefully."The butler beside him, unusually young for his role, seemed to hold Ian's trust. "Are you worried she has something to do with the Layne family?" "Her appearance couldn't be any more timely," Ian said, placing his chess piece down. "Go and tell your boss there's no way I will cross the York family."Landon made his position clear at the reunion banquet. So, the only way our partnership succeeds is if we find a way to control Landon."The young man poured Ian a cup of coffee. "I'll pass along your message. No need to worry—my boss knows how to han
Leon immediately understood after Percy's explanation. With a glint in his eye, he pulled out his phone. After mentioning Aria in the group chat, he entered his password to initiate a transfer. Meanwhile, Aria's phone began buzzing as she wrapped up her tasks."Leon Carver has transferred 100 thousand dollars to you.""Leon Carver has transferred 100 thousand dollars to you.""Leon…"Leon sent her the first three transfers, and soon after, Elijah, Percy, and Jeffrey followed suit. However, unlike Leon, their transfers had an extra zero at the end.Aria took off her helmet and raised her eyebrows, showing her phone to the butler who came to welcome her. "Mr. Warsaw, what is going on here?"Stephen Warsaw smiled knowingly. "They're competing for your attention."Aria was completely confused. Holding a lamp, Stephen chuckled and explained what had unfolded in the living room just moments ago. "It's been a while since the Carver residence has been this lively. Mr. Leon is stil
The incident involving Leon in Aria's dream left her deeply troubled. While she couldn't predict the fate of those close to her, she knew Leon faced significant challenges. Additionally, the appearance of the wooden doll prompted her to issue a warning.Just as Leon was about to respond, his phone rang. It was Clary, reminding him about the upcoming variety show."What variety show?" Aria asked. She was worried the director would pick a spot with Earthbound Manifestation again.Leon, in his element, seemed every bit the celebrity. Though he had hesitated to bring it up, he now beamed at Aria with enthusiasm."It's a knowledge-enhancement variety show," Leon explained. "My company arranged it, and they allow a family member to join. How about coming with me, Aria?"Elijah interjected, "I could accompany you instead. Why ask someone who's not a celebrity?"Leon was quick to respond, "I want to promote the Carver family since we're trending. The Farshyan TV network caters to all age
Despite being one of the most popular actors, Leon found the comments online weighed heavily on him. At night, he often questioned the meaning of his path. However, he turned to Aria today and asked, "Do you think it's right?""What do you mean?" Aria asked, lowering her gaze to look at the score sheet. Leon averted his gaze. "Being an idol and not considering my future."Seeing Leon's timid expression, Aria was reminded of his final moments in her dream, causing her heart to ache.She wouldn't feel this way if she had not encountered Leon in her dream and learned more about his struggles. He was a vibrant young man who overcame numerous challenges in pursuing his passion. Despite his considerable effort to make it onto the world stage, a conspiracy ultimately brought him down.Moreover, the vile Owen had consistently belittled Leon."You are a shining star," Aria said as she looked at him dotingly. "Leon, you were born for the stage. You're incredible. How could you doubt it?"
Aria had never met Fergus before, but Percy mentioned that Fergus wanted to come back for the reunion banquet. Unfortunately, the overseas partner refused to sign the contract if Fergus wasn't around.Aria had heard that Fergus was quite renowned on Parker Street. Everyone talked about Fergus Carver, a Farshyan known for his remarkable intelligence and who was acclaimed as the best CEO for managing the company.If Aria's dreams were indeed glimpses from her past life, she wondered why the brilliant Fergus hadn't helped Warren to save Carver Group. After all, Fergus was overseas overseeing Carver Group's subsidiary.As Aria pondered this, Stephen led Fergus inside while pushing two suitcases.Perplexed, Leon's brows quirked when he noticed the two suitcases. There was a breeze when the door was pushed open. This was the first time Aria laid eyes on her eldest brother, Fergus. He looked every bit the elite businessman in a meticulously tailored suit, with short, tousled hair and
Worried that Aria might be out of the loop, Leon leaned in and whispered to her. "She is Fergus' first love, Poeta Summers. They were madly in love but broke up because Grandpa disapproved of them.""I can see that," Aria whispered.Leon looked surprised. "You can tell?"She could. Body language revealed a lot, and their conversation made it even more apparent. But what really caught her attention was Warren's demeanor.Noticing their quiet exchange, Fergus asked, "Leon, what are you whispering to Aria about?""Nothing much," Leon replied casually, sliding a hand into his pocket with the grace of a celebrity. "We were just talking about how flowers can still bloom, but we can't be young again."Peota couldn't help but say, "Leon, you're as funny as ever."Leon smiled politely, and from that, Aria could tell Poeta was familiar with him and his brothers."I was so surprised to see your posters overseas," Poeta added, her eyes brightening. "Your fans really adore you. Who would've
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