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
Poeta could feel how much Aria meant to the Carver family, especially to Fergus. Back then, he only had eyes for Poeta whenever she was around, but now, all his focus seemed to be on Aria.Maybe it had been too long. They hadn't seen each other since their breakup at university. Poeta had only come back after hearing Fergus was still single.The pot was still piping hot. Poeta was considerate. Knowing the Carver family had plenty to talk about, she didn't butt in afterward.As they ate, Leon added some meat to Aria's plate and advised, "Aria, look at how Fergus doesn't listen to Grandpa now that he has a girlfriend. Lovesickness is dangerous. I know you like that bad boy Landon, but be careful. Don't marry him just because he's good-looking.""Leon, for once, you make sense," Percy said, adjusting his glasses. Like the lawyer he was, he advised, "Aria, you should think it over. You need not rush to get married. Besides, you've just come back to Janovin."Elijah was even more dir
Seemingly fearful to offend Aria, Poeta quickly explained, "Aria, I'm sorry. I misspoke. I didn't mean it like that. I just want Mr. Carver Senior to know how serious I am about Ferg."Poeta followed her words with a sincere bow to Warren, a clear display of her modesty.Compared to Lily, Poeta was harder to read. Her sincerity made it difficult to find any fault with her.Warren, who had felt suffocated moments before, could now breathe easier.Warren found it hard to explain the events from back then. Poeta's behavior often seemed off, but he knew telling Fergus would fall on deaf ears.Giving Poeta that sum of money back then had been a mistake. Warren's aim was to gauge her resilience, yet the credit card had since become a thorny issue. He regretted listening to Leon. In the end, it looked like he was the one who had made the wrong choice!When Warren glanced at Leon, the latter guiltily turned his head away, his handsome face betraying his guilt. Who could have predicted th
As the trio departed, Poeta turned to Stephen with a smile. "Mr. Carver Senior has really changed. It must be because of Aria's return.""Has he?" Stephen responded politely. "Mr. Carver Senior has always been reasonable. He was just overwhelmed with responsibilities in the past. "This way, Ms. Summers. Mr. Fergus is occupied with an international meeting. His room is down this hall. Let me know if you need anything."Poeta smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mr. Warsaw."The Carver residence was massive, and the bright lights scattered throughout gave it a cozy, inviting feel, even though it was already late into the night. The study remained lit, a beacon of activity.Instead of seeking out Fergus, Poeta made a phone call before heading off to sleep.Warren meant it when he said he no longer cared. His focus now was solely on listening to Aria's plans for Leon."His contract is still tied to the York family," Warren commented with a smile. "That cunning Landon clearly recognized Leo
Warren slept soundly that night, while a certain someone wasn't as lucky. Aria was exhausted after dismantling manifestations one after another. For some reason, Nyx and the twins hadn't dared to come out of Aria's arcane implements, especially after arriving at the Carver residence.Nyx said, "Your family's heavenly fortune is overwhelming, my lord. It makes us feel unwell."Nyx and the twins were all evil spirits once, so they would naturally be on their best behavior in a patriotic merchant's territory.From this, one could infer how unstable the Carver family's foundation had once been. Certain evil presences had taken the opportunity to undermine the family.Aria said nothing. After taking a shower, she used a special method to make three sleeping bags so that the spirits could use them. She wasn't good at handicrafts, but according to Tobias, she was very talented at designing those items. Other people would have to perform spells and create the shapes immaculately for thos
Dream-Poeta didn't return to the family with Fergus, unlike in real life. They exchanged a hasty goodbye at the airport once before reuniting when Fergus attended a banquet.It was like how things would go in many novels—Fergus often found himself thinking about Poeta whenever he saw her. Perhaps his first love was simply too unforgettable, and he wanted to get to the bottom of why they'd broken up. Perhaps he wanted to ask Poeta himself why she'd chosen to leave when they'd been deeply in love.Poeta refused to say anything no matter what Fergus did, so he sought Warren out. He told Warren that he'd get by alone without the family's support, almost similar to what he'd said in Warren's study in real life. Warren would never let Fergus get tangled up in trivial romantic affairs. Carver Group was at a critical juncture, and Fergus' priority was to manage the company so that the unemployment rate could be salvaged.This was why Warren forcibly intervened in their relationship. Unl
In Aria's dream, she'd gotten to know about Fergus' engagement not because she was invited but because Fergus had gotten into an accident on the day. He fell unconscious and was in a vegetative state. Poeta, whom Fergus was already legally married to, inherited all his shares of Carver Group. Aria had been thinking about how Warren shouldn't have died so early, judging from both his physical condition and estimated lifespan. Now she had the answers. Warren was hit by bad news again and again, and he, already weak due to his serious illness, could no longer handle it.He dragged his weak body to the hospital, where he visited Fergus. His grandson remained unconscious even until the day he died. After Warren's death, some of the choices he'd made as head of the company were denounced. Naysayers talked about his archaic way of thinking and how it was incompatible with modern development. Owen started expanding Carver Group's business overseas. He fired many of the company's emp
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