The latest round of interviews commenced, with every journalist eager to secure an exclusive story.Owen and Mindy beamed with pride, reveling in the long-overdue recognition. Their faces flushed with a sense of accomplishment. They felt no shame in leveraging the Carver family's fame.Mindy found validation in her years of calling Owen "Dad". As he often pointed out, Aria would pale in comparison as long as she made a name for herself in a noteworthy show.Her confidence soared with the increasing support from the audience. Given the audience's fondness for traditional styles and nostalgia, Mindy was determined to capitalize on this trend.With a growing smile, she turned her head to showcase her emerald hair clip, ensuring everyone noticed her carefully chosen accessories.This move ignited a buzz online, propelling the Carver family into trending discussions.The entire Carver Group was baffled by the sudden buzz. Had Leon or Aria inadvertently revealed their identities?Howe
Clary didn't know what Aria planned on doing next. After all, it wasn't appropriate for Aria to reveal her identity on "Exploring Farshya".Those appearing on the show were from the cultural scene, and Mindy held a considerable advantage. Few had the privilege of encountering cultural relics, but Mindy, as an apprentice of a renowned relic restorer, was an exception.Clary felt a twinge of concern for Aria. "Ms. Carver, maybe you should familiarize yourself with these relics beforehand?"Aria appreciated Clary's concern and didn't refuse the suggestion. She casually flipped through the informational booklet, her mind elsewhere. After all, she had uncovered some of the cultural relics, but revealing the unique cases the Special Missions Unit dealt with wasn't appropriate.Aria expertly maintained her composure, making it hard to read her emotions. Owen and Mindy's presence seemed to have no effect on her.…Meanwhile, Leon was far from composed. Although he kept his feelings priva
Aria raised her eyebrows at the text she received. It was quite a coincidence. She texted back, "Is the variety show you mentioned called 'Exploring Farshya'?""Yes! I can't believe you've heard of it. But then again, it makes sense since our country has many cultural relics located abroad. Through this show, I aim to educate young people about our history. You once said that a cultural relic is more than just an object; it carries the culture and stories of the people behind it."The passion of Don Hendricks, also known as "President Clippard", for cultural relics was unmistakable. Once he launched into a conversation about them, he simply couldn't stop.Don continued, "At first, I was hesitant to participate in the show because I thought it might be a gimmick. But after seeing the reactions of the heroic spirits online, I changed my mind. "I have high hopes for the guests this time. I hope they can convey to young people the mission we still need to fulfill. Of course, it woul
The spotlights illuminated the stage, revealing the host, elegantly dressed in a stunning gown amidst the dazzling setting.Unlike other variety shows, this one exuded a sense of cultural richness produced by the esteemed Farshya Channel. The host smiled warmly. "Welcome to our studio audience and everyone watching at home! You're tuned into 'Exploring Farshya'."Today, we honor the brave souls whose untold stories linger on as we present relics steeped in history and timeless romantic tales left behind by the Farshyan people. Let's welcome our guests!"First, we have Professor Hugh Meaux, an expert in poetry with extensive knowledge of the Heoburg and Ponad eras. He serves as the deputy director of the Cultural Relics Museum and will be with us throughout the recording to witness the restoration of 18 cultural treasures."Next, meet Mindy Carver, the youngest cultural relic restorer in the field. Don't let her age fool you. She's already restored hundreds of artifacts and accompan
Aria did not come across as a seasoned expert compared to the other guests. Her attire was decidedly modern—a black-and-white biker jacket paired with snug jeans. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and silver earphones hung casually in her ears.Aria stood backstage with minimal makeup; a mix of innocence and aloofness enhanced her striking beauty. However, not everyone was a fan of her style. Professor Dylan Soller, a guest invited by Mindy, disapproved of the way young people dressed these days, particularly believing that women should dress more conservatively.Despite the modern era, Dylan found Aria's outfit to undermine the elegance of her features. He felt she should have chosen a more fitting attire for the occasion. All the other guests were clad in suits and coats. At the very least, she could have worn something in solid colors. What advantage did her current outfit offer?With a dismissive glance at Aria, Dylan remarked, "You must be here on Leon's invita
At that moment, the audience engaged in lively discussions."Can anyone tell which ones are real?""I can't. They all look genuine to me."The host had mentioned that there were counterfeits among the items, suggesting there were several to choose from.After all, differentiating genuine cultural relics requires more than just a few books. It demands a deep familiarity with authentic artifacts. Perhaps only a few heirs from elite families had the privilege of that experience. For ordinary folks like them, distinguishing the real from the fake was nearly impossible."I doubt Leon would know the difference either.""He's just a celebrity who sings and dances. It'll be hard for him.""Only true experts can identify these relics. What's a celebrity like him doing here anyway?""It all depends on who he brought along."Celebrities might not have the expertise, but they could afford to hire professionals. Still, even Leon's wealth paled in comparison to Mindy's."Exactly. She's the
Don's reaction was opposite to the audience's, evident in the trembling of his ceramic cup. "It's her. It's really her!"Aria radiated an even greater charisma than she had a year ago. Though still young, her eyes possessed a calming quality that drew people in.Don could still vividly recall their first meeting. He had been at the border of Janovin, examining some rough emeralds. He was merely browsing, hoping to find something worth taking back to Farshya.Finding a relic would have been a stroke of luck. Yet, he hadn't expected to see a young woman standing nonchalantly beside a stone, instructing someone to open it with a sense of calm authority.As an expert, Don recognized instantly that the stone was worthless. There was no chance it would yield anything valuable.Cracking open stones was a gamble; the outcome was either a useless piece of rock or something precious. Even seasoned professionals relied on luck to discover rare finds. Sure, one might uncover a clear emerald
After thinking for a moment, Keith responded, "This is probably the reality for those who lack a strong background. But things are different now."Nowadays, actors and singers often come from wealthy families. Sometimes, I overhear employees grumbling that they work for the rich by day and then have to watch their spoiled kids entertain them after work."Keith caught Warren's glance and quickly added, "Mr. Carver Senior, I didn't mean you. You're certainly wealthy, but you're different."It was rare to see Keith so flustered. Nervously, he adjusted his glasses.Warren wasn't offended; he was merely curious. "But doesn't Leon have a huge fan base? From what I've seen in reports, his fans have strong purchasing power, and his commercial value is high.""Mr. Leon is indeed talented and well-known internationally. But despite that, people still mock him. Audiences tend to be more forgiving to those with affluent backgrounds."Keith raised his hand, showing Warren a video on his phone
Aria's question made Orion freeze right away. The scholarship program was his secret lifeline. He simply couldn't figure out how she knew so many details about everything! "You've been setting me up in the stock market all this time. How did you also find out about the scholarship program?" Orion felt genuinely scared now—everyone had really underestimated Aria. When had she done all this research? She'd dug deeper than he ever imagined. The scariest part was that neither he nor that person had noticed anything. They all thought she was just helping the Carver family restore their former glory. Keeping the Chamber of Commerce out of the Carver family's hands was that person's strict order. That was why the Draycotts had climbed so quickly within the organization over the years. They all assumed Aria had come to Ludwiten to target the Chamber. But now... Orion looked up again. "The scholarship program is weird business. I only handled recruitment. I don't know where those peop
Orion said, "I don't know much, honestly." He looked at Aria with hesitation, as if he was afraid to name that person. He made a gesture instead. "That person is the lieutenant governor of Ludwiten, who has many achievements to his name. "If you're brave enough to investigate, I can tell you about the deals I handled. But I don't know about the rest." Aria raised an eyebrow. Her expression said everything—she had already kidnapped him, so did he seriously think she would be afraid to investigate this further? Orion took a deep breath. "I just handle the money. That person wants something bigger—he wants to make history, but he's been in poor health lately. He needs me to keep certain people in line, but I can't give you details since I really don't have proof." "Which people does he control? And how does he do it?" Aria asked casually. Orion glanced upward, his eyes slowly losing focus. "I have no idea which people." "Mr. Draycott, I thought you would have learned by now.
"Who the hell are you?" Orion shouted as he couldn't hold back anymore. He gripped the armrests hard, almost jumping out of his chair. But Aria barely glanced his way. "I brought you here, didn't I? Who do you think I am?""Y-You're..." Orion remembered a rumor from a business dinner about a Special Missions Unit that operated outside normal chains of command. They could investigate anyone without going through regular channels.Their authority even topped the Regular Missions Unit. Orion had laughed it off back then. Every group had to answer to someone higher up, so there couldn't be a unit with that kind of freedom. In Ludwiten, everyone answered to that one big shot. But now he realized such a thing actually existed!Orion's face turned ghostly pale. "Are you… a part of the Special Missions Unit?"Only that could explain everything! With all her digging and investigating, that person would have noticed what she had been doing. But Orion did not understand something. "
Usually, in this situation, Orion would have a lawyer present. But things were different today! He did not even know which department was holding him. All his usual connections seemed blocked, which made Orion start to panic from deep inside. He sat there, fidgeting nervously. No one else was in the room. "I want a lawyer! I'm innocent!" he shouted, trying to move, but his hands were cuffed to the chair. Just then, a familiar cool voice spoke up, carrying its usual casual tone, "Whether you're guilty or not, the law will decide." It was Aria. Her presence was completely different from earlier in the office. When Orion saw her, he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. There wasn't a trace of the spoiled, rebellious, rich kid in her now. Instead, she looked at him calmly as if she were the highest authority in this place. Orion's heart sank. He wasn't stupid and knew how things worked. That was why his eyes widened as he stared at Aria. "Who are you really?" "D
Magdalene told Laura, "Now you're the partner everyone wants to work with." She laughed out loud. "This divorce couldn't have come at a better time." Laura's eyes widened as Magdalene spoke, her excitement growing by the second. "Mom, does that mean I'll be..." Laura could hardly imagine how amazing her future would be. Magdalene stroked her hair. "They won't call you Mrs. Grisham anymore. They'll call you the CEO of the Fitzroy Group." Laura's face trembled with barely contained excitement. She never considered that the shares they wanted weren't rightfully theirs but something they were taking through dirty tricks. "I was worried these families might side with Aria." Laura had genuinely been concerned about this. After all, families like the Katz family and those families working in traditional industries had started treating Aria with the same respect they once had for Barron. This was exactly what drove Laura crazy. Why should Aria get to live carefree after ruining her
Magdalene felt better than she had in a long time. She even ordered someone to open a bottle of wine to celebrate. This was the most relaxed day Magdalene had experienced in weeks. News about the Draycott family kept pouring in, and she had been feeling not just anxiety but a deep uneasiness. Over the years, the Fitzroy and Draycott families had become deeply entangled. Even without obvious business interests like others had, they shared information regularly. Even in that incident years ago, the Fitzroy family had been involved. Previously, she had worried more than anyone about the Draycott family's collapse. Now, she felt differently. First, there were the Grisham shares they would soon acquire. Second, she had learned that the Draycott family was not the only one that had lost money in the stock market because of Aria. Many prominent Ludwiten families had suffered losses thanks to her market manipulations. Magdalene understood clearly that to establish themselves in this
Aria turned her head, smiling brightly. "If you put it that way, I guess there really is something wrong with me." Lily couldn't understand why Aria still acted this way even after she had said all that. It was like Aria couldn't be bothered to take her seriously, as if she were just some random stranger with no connection to her. Lily was the one with knowledge of the future! Her face darkened. Aria noticed Lily's eyes on her, so she turned to face Lily. "You're Grandma's granddaughter, so I've cut you some slack. But you've only gotten worse by using visits to Grandma as excuses to steal things. "Anyone who cares about what you're saying can look into it. As for everything else, I'll leave that to these gentlemen." Hearing this, Lily panicked. She knew perfectly well that if Aria left, no one in that room would spare her. The most painful way to torture someone was to make them live in constant fear. Aria left the office, abandoning the terrified Lily. Those Chamber membe
Aria said, "You guys have misunderstood me. The Draycott family is just the first to fall. After that..." Aria's gaze fell on the figure hiding at the back. "Since Mr. Fitzroy is here, I won't need to make a special trip to your residence. Tell Mrs. Fitzroy Senior that your family is next on my list." Everyone who heard Aria's words wanted to eliminate her. But clearly, now wasn't the time. She had the upper hand, and the Draycott family's downfall had not benefited them at all—especially the Fitzroy family, who were already having a public clash with the Grishams. The Fitzroys wouldn't have stepped forward, but now that they'd been called out, they had to respond. Since things were out in the open, they had nothing to hide anymore. "Let's see about that." Their message was clear. Besides, they had already lost money in the stock market and weren't happy. Though they weren't as powerful as the Draycotts, they still had their backing from the mysterious man. If they united,
After this incident, members of the Chamber of Commerce couldn't keep pretending nothing had happened—especially those who had stabbed the Grishams in the back to climb up with the Draycott family. As fear crept through them, they were particularly worried that Orion might spill their secrets from years back. The corporate tower had never seen such a crowd gathered below as today. Earlier, they had kept up appearances. But the Chamber members now pushed past security, bringing their entourages charging up the stairs. Aria watched all of this with interest. She'd come here waiting for the rats to crawl out of their holes. Like the Guetta family, who were close to the Grishams but never made waves in Ludwiten. Jett's problems had enabled Aria to follow the breadcrumbs and uncover the truth. Without them, she wouldn't have spotted that the Guettas had jumped ship to the Draycotts. Those seasoned business sharks definitely had not expected to find Aria when they arrived. They wan