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 appearance was striking, almost like someone from an idol group. Her mysterious beauty, coupled with her attire, made her stand out. No one in the audience would suspect she had any knowledge of cultural relics—except for Don, who was seated in the special guest area.Confused, Don asked the person beside him, "Who is Dylan talking about?"The on-site director quickly intervened, worried that Don might also be upset about a celebrity participating in a cultural relic show. "There's been a misunderstanding. Despite being young and siblings, they passed the test to join this recording."Leon's test results were legitimate, and Aria's performance had been even more impressive. Her answers were quick and accurate, but the production team wasn't allowed to reveal that.Don's eyes widened in disbelief. "Dylan is outrageous! How dare he! When can I go up the stage?""Mr. Hendricks, not yet. We have to wait until all the relics are chosen," the director tried to calm him down. "Don
For a long time, people who were more educated used their knowledge to look down on those less educated, as if being well-read made them inherently superior. Yet, many of them owed their education to their parents' hard work.Knowledge was never meant to be a tool for bullying the weak.However, times have changed, and so have people's mindsets.Dylan shook his head politely. "Youngsters today can't handle a bit of advice. I don't mean any harm by it. You should just focus on proving me wrong, right? No need to get angry."Dylan then glanced at Mindy helplessly. "I don't understand the entertainment industry. Did I say something wrong?"Mindy gently tugged at Dylan's sleeve. "Mr. Soller, let's just focus on our own matters. I know how much you care about cultural relics, and I share your frustration about people taking advantage of them."But there's been a misunderstanding. I'm sure everyone here has the same good intentions in mind for participating in this show."Mindy even g
The production team was well aware of the audience's opinions, but they couldn't help but respect Aria. Though Dylan claimed to have a deep appreciation for antiques, his combative stance toward Aria suggested he was more interested in the attention. Yet, for the sake of the show's ratings, the production team had no choice but to invite someone like him. The show's host, Melody, quickly diffused the tension. "It's normal to have disagreements when analyzing artifacts. Don't take it too personally, Mr. Soller. Sometimes, young people understand more than we expect."She continued smoothly, "Let's not keep the audience waiting. I know the audience is just as excited about the appraisal! Let's begin with the first item on my left, a stunning wooden statue of Maelis from the 10th century. And with that, let the auction commence!"Excitement filled the studio as the show kicked off."Can anyone tell if this Maelis is genuine?""The first item is usually authentic.""Look! Mr. Soll
When Dylan saw the next item, he chuckled and confidently announced, "It's a finely crafted contemporary cigar glass. I'd definitely add it to my collection if I saw it elsewhere."After his words, everyone knew the item must be a fake. The colorful cigar glass and its lifelike design made one look at it more.However, this was an artifact evaluation contest; not everything was valuable enough to warrant a bid. Mindy smiled without raising her paddle. She could sense the fortune behind the artifact and recognize its authenticity by examining its texture. Those familiar with the antique world knew that genuine items never looked so new.The other team hesitated, but they slowly lowered their hands when they noticed no one bidding. Everyone assumed the second item would go without a bid. Melody was ready to move on to the third item when, unexpectedly, Aria raised her paddle and said calmly, "We'd like to bid on the second item, please."Dylan sneered inwardly. Leon's sister, jus
Dorian reached out instinctively, but he was too late. Magdalene hit the ground hard, her forehead bruised. How she wished she could just faint and escape this nightmare. But reality was merciless. With her head throbbing, she could only look at Dorian and the chaos engulfing the Fitzroy Group.Dorian's knees trembled with fear. "Mom, what should I do? That bastard must have exposed me! He'll pin everything on me. Mom—""D-Don't worry. As long as I'm here, I'll get you out of this," Magdalene said, though she was barely holding herself together.But the SWAT team would be here any second.Dorian's face turned deathly pale as a sudden realization struck him. "Mom, you told me to do everything. You said helping the Draycott family tamper with Waymond's financial statements would give us the upper hand!"Magdalene froze. Her outstretched hand dropped as she coughed up blood. "Y-You—!""Don't worry, Mom. Even if you go to jail, I'll come visit you. You're already old, but I still h
Dorian steadied Magdalene, helping her sit down. "Mom, what if Laura refuses to apologize? We need to put an end to this mess online before someone digs too deep.""Don't worry. Your brother is the one involved, and he's already on the plane. No one will link the Grisham family's accounts to you. Even if the police conducted an investigation, they'll only interrogate your brother." Magdalene took a deep breath, but it did little to calm her. Her clothes were stained with Laura's blood, making her feel utterly repulsed. Meanwhile, Dorian relaxed, reassured that he wouldn't be implicated.To him, his half-brother was nothing but an obstacle—a liability who competed for the inheritance. Though Dorian had joined the Fitzroy family late, he had Magdalene's support.Neval, on the other hand, had been nothing but a disgrace, sinking deeper into his gambling addiction. Now, at last, he served his purpose—as a scapegoat.Just as Dorian was savoring that thought, a frantic voice broke thro
Eamon never loved Laura, but he had always respected her. He fulfilled her requests, supported her family, and never strayed. While other wealthy men indulged in affairs, Eamon remained distant and polite, just as he had been in college.Their marriage wasn't filled with passion, but his world still revolved around her, Jett, and his work. Laura had a life many envied—a stable family, a respected position—yet she had only realized its worth too late. Tears welled up in her eyes. If she had been more decisive, things wouldn't have come to this. She could have continued her life as Eamon's wife, reaping its privileges whether love was present or not. Instead, she had listened to her mother and lost everything—her family, her son, and the Grisham family shares she had once taken for granted.She had never even desired those shares. So how had it come to this?Regret twisted inside her, making it hard to breathe. Clutching her shirt, she barely registered the voices around her unt
Magdalene's voice rang out, sharp with indignation. "What an ungrateful wretch! If not for my husband, you wouldn't have achieved any of this!"The PR manager remained unimpressed. "And yet we stayed here for his sake. Otherwise, with their so-called capabilities…" His gaze flickered toward Dorian, who stood frozen in shock. "Your youngest son is a fool blinded by women. He lacks competence and knowledge."As for your eldest, he has potential, but you raised him to be useless. I've been in this business too long to be deceived. You're only doing this to hold on to power."Magdalene's breath hitched. His words cut deep.The PR manager added, "Now that Fitzroy Group belongs to you, clean up the mess yourself."Her hands trembled with fury. She lifted a finger, pointing at the departing figures, but no words came out.Dorian leaned in, his voice hushed yet frantic. "Mom, what do we do? The Guetta family won't even pick up our calls."Magdalene bit down so hard on her lip that the t
The deeper people dug online, the more they painted Eamon as the perfect man—handsome, intelligent, scandal-free. Many began to feel it was a waste for him to have married Laura in the first in the first place. As for Magdalene's accusations, the public remained skeptical. They weren't entirely convinced by her words but were eager to hear the Grisham family's statement. No matter how attractive Eamon was, cheating was unacceptable.Aria stayed out of the online chaos, but she knew exactly who was orchestrating it—Eamon.Since the Fitzroy family refused to acknowledge their wrongdoing, Aria saw no need for restraint. It was time for the final blow."Expose the Fitzroy family's IP addresses," she ordered. "And have the one who photoshopped that image apologize. If he refuses, the dark web forum will make sure he regrets it."Online smear campaigns often relied on bots, just as the Fitzroy family had used them to fabricate rumors about Eamon's infidelity. After tossing out a few mi
Laura's marriage to Eamon had turned her into a laughingstock in Ludwiten. How could that heartless man transfer their marital assets ahead of time? What had she even gained from wasting years in this sham of a marriage?"I want that jerk to pay! Aren't feminists trending right now? Just spin the narrative like they do!"The Fitzroy Group had always been a family-run business, but aside from Magdalene, none of her descendants were competent enough to keep it afloat.The PR manager had long known this. Most senior employees remained loyal out of respect for the late CEO, but after hearing Laura's words, they could only exchange helpless glances. Did these spoiled heirs truly believe the internet could be so easily manipulated? That people would blindly believe whatever was fed to them? How delusional.The reality was damning. The video clearly showed Laura drugging Eamon. Instead of conducting themselves with the dignity befitting an esteemed family, they had resorted to illegal s
The Fitzroy Group's reputation was in shambles, battered by relentless criticism online. Dorian Fitzroy, the so-called CEO, had once boasted that he would triumph over Waymond and the Grisham family. Yet now, he was scrambling just to save himself.The Fitzroy family's underhanded tactics had been thoroughly exposed, with the internet tearing apart their every move.While the previous three generations of Fitzroys had been capable leaders, everything changed once Magdalene took over. Their successors had become mere opportunists, riding the coattails of others rather than proving their worth.Even within the company, employees had no idea what Dorian's actual skills were. Aside from exploiting his connections and bribing officials, he was utterly useless.Now, overwhelmed and powerless, he refused to even leave his office. When his secretary knocked, he stayed silent, praying for Magdalene to rescue him.Meanwhile, the prestigious families who had hoped to use the Fitzroys to el
"How did the video get leaked out? Did Eamon know about this beforehand and prepared for it? All you know is to cry! If I can't secure the Grisham family's shares, you'll soon be worthless!" Magdalene's voice was sharp, sending a chill down Laura's spine. The words cut deep, leaving her eyes brimming with resentment. But Magdalene had no patience for her daughter's emotions. "Who released this video? Why hold onto it for so many years? Did Eamon do this to take you down? Does he not care about Jett at all?"Laura didn't have the answers. All she felt was a deep, throbbing pain. Her phone buzzed nonstop—messages from high-society women, all pretending to be concerned but prying for gossip. Their insincere probing only intensified her hatred for whoever had exposed the truth."Mom, what's the point of yelling at me? I had no idea an old video like this would resurface. Before Jett was born, Eamon did..." She trailed off, her mind suddenly dragging her back to a buried memory.It was
Magdalene had never encountered such humiliation before. Gripping the chair for support, she trembled with fury, her face dark and rigid. The anger surged within her, rendering her speechless—only her heavy breaths betrayed the storm raging inside. People had always feared her. With her status, no one dared to raise their voice at her, much less hurl insults. In the past, when others struggled to survive, she stood above them, indifferent and untouchable.Raised in an elite family, Magdalene had long believed in class superiority. To her, the so-called common folk had no right to challenge her, let alone condemn her.Yet now, they all turned against her. Their scorn was relentless. They called her a vile, greedy old woman who leeched off her daughter's success. Some even accused her of being capable of far worse than drugging someone.Her expression darkened as she read their words. Taking a deep breath to suppress her growing panic, she swiftly contacted Neval."Board the plane