Aria went straight to the point. "He's here to deliver a letter to Grandpa. Something happened down there, probably.""Down there?" The longer Fergus listened, the more questions he had. Stephen wanted to ask Devon about Soren's whereabouts, but the letter Aria held reminded him that something more important was at stake. "Something's not right with him, my lord," Nyx reminded nervously.Something was not right with Devon, indeed. Black fog rose from behind him, and emotions roiled in his eyes as he struggled to remember where he was supposed to go back to. These were signs of a spirit's condition worsening."Why does he look like an earthbound spirit now?" Nyx muttered. "This is weird."Aria bit her finger until it bled and wrote a word on Devon's back with it. She didn't know how to make talismans, so she tried to stabilize Devon's soul with her fortune.Nyx exclaimed in shock, "Are you giving him your lifespan, my lord?"Aria didn't respond to that. When she looked at Devo
Fergus was confused upon having his name called. "Me?""Yes, you, Fergus." Aria asked directly, "What do you think about Ms. Summers?"Fergus looked at Warren and smiled. "Grandpa didn't tell you this, but I think Leon has mentioned this before—Poeta and I were a couple once.""I wanted to sit down and talk to you about certain matters, but—" Aria looked at Devon. "I'm forced to do this more efficiently. This may sound ridiculous, but I've always felt like I'm living my life a second time.""What do you mean, a second time?" Fergus frowned.Aria looked up. "Let's base everything off this assumption—what if no one in our social circles accepted me in my past life after I turned out to be the daughter of the Carver family because everyone thought that Mindy was more fitting for the role than me?"I was an ignorant country bumpkin who didn't know what to talk to the others about. Compared to the smart, likable Mindy, my awkward personality seemed particularly jarring, and nothing I
"In that dream, Leon was killed in an accident," Aria whispered, "He stopped breathing even before the ambulance arrived at the hospital."She didn't sound like she was joking. Both Fergus and Warren's pupils dilated in shock. They could never dismiss what Aria had just described as just scenes from a dream, not when they involved Leon.Stephen added, "Was that why you were there when he filmed the variety show, Ms. Aria?""It was a coincidence." Aria looked down. "But I'm glad that I went there. This also goes for Elijah. I can't treat what I saw as just something that happened in a dream."Warren could not stay calm in his seat. His hands were shaking as he touched the top of Aria's head. "Don't worry, Aria. You have me.""That's not all of it, though." Aria met Fergus' gaze. "Grandpa had you come back to help maintain the family business. And same as today, you came across Ms. Summers in the airport."The Carver family was having an extremely tough time of it. Grandpa wanted
Aria was relieved to hear that. Fergus was smarter and more responsible than she expected, which was a relief.Fergus noticed the expressions Aria and Warren were wearing. He didn't see Aria often, but he knew Warren well. His grandfather had been a decisive man his whole life, and he'd never looked so careful and tentative as if he hoped that Fergus wouldn't blame him.Fergus swallowed. His heart ached as he was consumed with guilt. Just by listening to Aria's descriptions alone, he could already feel Warren's helplessness and desperation. He couldn't fathom how difficult things would be for Warren. No matter Poeta's motives when she approached him, he shouldn't have let Warren deal with her. Fergus wasn't brought up by Warren, and a lot of people assumed that they weren't close. However, as the family's oldest son, he knew better than anyone how elated Warren had been at his birth. There were records of that day, and Fiona often told him stories.Fergus still remembered how
Was it really not that terrible? Fergus didn't think so, at least not based on what he'd seen online. He said nothing more as he transferred more money over. The money was more than enough for a few first-class seats; Aria could even have the entire carriage for herself.So this was what it felt like to have a brother indulge her. Aria smiled, her heart warm.Stephen thought that Aria and Devon would at least stay the night, but she looked at Devon and said, "I'm not waiting any longer. I'm leaving overnight."Spirits were more unstable during the day, and Aria would have an increased chance of meeting spirits who could provide her with hints if she journeyed at night.Stephen packed everything Aria would need for her, including a thermos, some sliced fruit, and bread.Aria gave everything to Devon. "We can buy the other stuff I promised you after we arrive at our destination."Devon was stunned. "This is already enough. Everyone can feast on this pile of food for days."Aria
Little Percy used to resent himself for not understanding what Owen was saying. Other kids received impeccable grades, but he couldn't even comprehend what the teachers were saying in class. The words Percy heard most often during childhood were, "Why do I have a son as stupid as you? You embarrass me."He knew that Owen was scolding him because of the high pitch of his father's voice; he'd even found fault in himself for everything. Percy didn't know if every child with developmental delays had the same thoughts as him. He'd think about how Owen wouldn't have been so mad at him if he were more typical. With that, he gradually grew up to become a people-pleaser. No one would believe that Percy Carver, the smiling fox who never lost in court, used to be a people-pleaser in his childhood.Percy only became a new person when he turned 11, and it was because he was the first person little Aria had wanted to hug. Leon had been walking circles around Aria all day, but she'd paid
Poeta had long grown tired of the stagnation in her homeland. Things were much better overseas, as everyone was more open-minded.But unlike what Poeta had envisioned, their open-mindedness often came with strings attached. While life in Farshya had felt restrictive, the lack of enforcement abroad meant her boyfriend often abused her. As a foreigner, she had no protection under local laws, which devastated her. Fortunately, she had an escape plan in the form of Fergus.She hadn't wanted to approach him with ulterior motives, but Owen had promised her that she and Fergus could rekindle their past. This was the approval Poeta longed for—a legitimate marriage sanctioned by the head of the family. However, Fergus was too unenthused, much to her disappointment. Still, Poeta reassured herself that with time and patience, Fergus would come around—he had always been steady in his love. Looking back, Poeta realized her mistake. She never would have known about Fergus' shares in the comp
Aria was speechless. Something was out of sorts with her family, wasn't it?Aria couldn't very well discourage Landon, not when Sam had already gotten a massive sum of money out of him. She bent down and asked Sam, "Did you invite this spoiled heir to come with us? He's not even used to taking the train. You're be in charge of taking care of him, alright?"Aria had worded it so nicely. Sam gestured, his eyes round, "If he passes out because of the smell, I'll carry him. Leave him to me!"Aria raised a brow. Before she could say anything, Landon appeared before them, his melodic voice cutting through the moment. "What? Is the money not enough?"That was why Sam was willing to work for him; it was hard to not like someone so generous and willing to pay. Still, Sam remained wary of Landon, who was nice to him nevertheless. Sam's eyes lit up. He made to ask for more money, but Aria covered his mouth and looked at Landon. "Are you okay with taking the train?""You're here to take