Landon glanced down at the majestic lizard, raising a brow. "Do I look that stupid to you?"The majestic lizard, trembling on the ground, had no idea why Landon asked such a question. It lay prostrate, barely breathing, fearing even the slightest movement.The crow cawed. Its master was the smartest man in the world, after all, unmatched in both wit and cunning. Evidently, no one could outdo the crow in the art of flattery.Landon said slowly, "Why did the lizard lie to me?"The majestic lizard shuddered, its fear escalating as it saw lightning about to descend upon it. It screamed frantically, "My lord! Please hear me out! I-I was forced out by humans! "If they hadn't dumped toxic waste into the sea, disturbing my peaceful existence, I would've never needed to consume human spiritual forms!"Someone summoned me to harm you—that's why I emerged from the sea! I swear it's the truth!"Landon's gaze grew colder, more distant as if the majestic lizard's words held no meaning to h
Landon cast a sidelong glance at the crow, which understood his unspoken command. It fell silent and reverted to its simpler form, a bird whose only sound was a caw.Tasked with notifying the right people about Landon's disappearance, the crow waited patiently for the heavy rain to relent before it took flight from the shadowy alley.Meanwhile, the bodyguards stationed at the alley's entrance were plagued by worry. Their anxiety deepened when they heard the crow's cawing. Despite the risk of angering Landon, they decided they must investigate. However, as they ventured deeper into the alley, they were struck by an eerie stillness cloaked in fog, with no visible end in sight.Realizing the gravity of the situation, they pressed on, only to find that Landon was nowhere to be seen. Their eyes fell upon a lone Charm Coin resting on the ground, and despair washed over them.…Instead of an extravagant residence, Don called an ordinary neighborhood in Janovin home. However, the neighb
Without saying a word, Aria lifted the earrings from the box and examined them closely. She didn't detect any lingering presence of vengeful spirits attached to them. However, she knew that items from ancient Occidentia could harbor hidden dangers, often tied to customs that could not be officially recorded."Where exactly did you go?" she asked, determined to gather more information about the local environment. "Did anything unusual happen during the excavation?"Don retrieved a map, his finger tracing a circle around a specific area. "There are still some aboriginal residents living there. The excavation itself went smoothly, nothing out of the ordinary on that front."He paused, contemplating his next words. "However, there was one strange occurrence. The local residents seemed particularly fixated on a young lady from our team. They never argued with us, but they followed her around everywhere. At first, they were kind, giving her fruit and food and advising her to avoid getting
Don sighed deeply. "I'm not well-versed in business management, but I've noticed many corporations are shifting toward a new direction. The voices of change are becoming louder. "Mr. Carver Senior faced significant challenges recently, and people of our generation often struggle to keep pace with these changes. We're all still learning along with everyone else. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have realized that my subordinates were mistreating those students. In our industry, it's rare to find individuals committed to their work. Many traditional crafts are fading away because no one is willing to inherit the knowledge and skills."Often, we find ourselves filled with regret when we reflect on past events."Don waved a dismissive hand, attempting to lighten the mood. "I've been rambling. But truly, your words today were impactful! The Carver family will undoubtedly reach new heights in the future!"Aria met his gaze seriously. "If you hold the Carver family in such high regar
As Aria was deep in thought, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, hinting at something ominous in the distance, as if some creature was undergoing a trial. She was just about to focus on it when her phone rang. Leon's voice came through, hurried and anxious. "Aria, are you with Landon?"…Leon still had makeup on as Clary stood beside him. His popularity had skyrocketed lately, and Clary couldn't contain her excitement. Her admiration for Aria was growing by the day. Clary had been planning to get Leon on a live broadcast, but Leon's casual mention of Landon had caught her off guard. She froze. Even if Leon had Aria's support, he shouldn't have addressed his boss so casually.Upon seeing Clary, Leon immediately shifted his gaze and turned in another direction.…Unaware of what was happening on Leon’s side, Aria shut the window. "No, I'm at Mr. Hendricks' place. I believe Landon is with Mr. Tarson right now."Leon's voice dropped to a whisper. "He's not. The York famil
Don didn't notice Aria's subtle placement of the Charm Coin. He was too concerned about his granddaughter, Daisy Hendricks' reaction to anyone messing with her room. Nyx, nestled inside the Charm Coin, understood his role. Aria had left him behind to investigate the room's strange atmosphere, which would likely intensify after dark.Before closing the door, Aria asked again, "Other than the earrings that keep returning, nothing else strange has been happening, right?"Don nodded, sounding certain as he said, "Just the earrings. I haven't mentioned it to my family because I don't want to scare them."Then, with a sudden realization, Don added, "Wait, has something happened to Daisy?"Aria responded honestly. "Something feels off in her room. When I next visit you, I'd like to meet her if possible.""Of course!" Don agreed immediately, his concern evident. He worried that his work might have adverse effects on his family.Aria acknowledged his concerns. "It's something that can b
Ian, the cunning old fox, refused to meet with any of the shareholders, which took them by surprise. A man working for Ian emerged, apologetically delivering the news. "I'm sorry, sirs, but Mr. Carver isn't feeling well. He caught a cold due to the persistent rain and is worried about getting you sick."The shareholders were skeptical. Ian had recently invited them to dinner, and it seemed implausible that he could fall ill in such a short time. They knew he was deliberately avoiding them. "Of course. We'll leave these gifts here and meet Mr. Carver whenever he's free."Naturally, Ian would gladly accept the gifts, especially when they came from his allies. Meanwhile, he sat in his tearoom, sipping tea and lamenting the shareholders' naivety. Their visit, coinciding with Landon's disappearance, handed the Yorks significant leverage against them."I told all of them to leave, Mr. Carver." William Fallon walked over with a smile, his words sounding stiff.Ian set his cup down. "Now t
Ian remained silent, his heart filled with resentment toward Mindy. Her arrogance had ignited multiple controversies, tarnishing her public image and causing irreparable damage. Their hard work now seemed to benefit their rivals, and several shareholders had even managed to break free from Ian's control.Ian couldn't fathom why William held Mindy in such high regard. Was it simply because of her background? Or was there another, more hidden reason he had yet to discover?Reluctantly, Ian replied, "We'll discuss this further once the York family has been brought to its knees."William chuckled confidently. "The master has never miscalculated a single step," he boasted. Besides, they had borrowed fortune from a dragon this time—nothing would go wrong.…The dragon William referred to was now reduced to a servile, humbled creature. He kicked some discarded jewelry aside, offering in a meek voice, "Would you like some tea, my lord?"Landon glanced around the majestic lizard's abode.
The aged voice was filled with indifference. "It seems like she reached a dead end."Amos sneered. "I don't understand why these peasants like staying in the city. Still, it's fortunate for us. Otherwise, it'd be hard to get our hands on them.""Amos," the person cut in sharply, as if reminding him of his place.Amos only dared to speak so harshly when no one was around. If word got out, his image as the perfect secretary would be ruined.He quickly calmed down and fell silent. The caller didn't press the matter, simply saying, "You need to change the way you speak and act from now on."Since she's already agreed, give her the money. Don't treat her requests as a nuisance. The more requests they make, the less likely they are to cause trouble later."After picking her up tomorrow, send a few men to check if her grandparents need any help. Make sure everything is done properly."Amos nodded. "I understand. You always see the bigger picture. We'll continue looking after them."Poo
"I promise it won't happen again!" To an outsider, it might've sounded like Amos was talking about the cafeteria mishap. But the truth was much darker. What Amos really meant was that incidents like this could continue, just never publicly. Once the media's attention died down, they could go back to doing whatever they pleased. But for now, the performance had to be flawless.The man on the other end of the call seemed satisfied. Though his voice was flat and monotonous, there was a noticeable shift; it was now less stern."She's been manipulating the stock market," he said. "It's caused major damage to several of Luwditen's corporations. We can't let her walk free."Amos removed his glasses, a grim look on his face. "That's exactly what I told the Securities Regulatory Department. It doesn't matter who comes to plead on her behalf. Even if she's the late Mr. Barron's heir, she has to face the law."She's confessed. No one's going to let her off the hook now. You know what jail'
At first, Eden didn't understand what Aria meant. But as night fell, Aria lowered her head and started fumbling with something. When she looked up again, Eden was stunned—Aria looked exactly like her.Eden's eyes widened in disbelief. She'd only seen something like this in movies. But now, it was unfolding right in front of her. So there really was such a flawless disguise technique in the world."Aria, you…""Since I'm using your identity, I have to be you," Aria said with a soft tug of her mask, smiling. She had always been bold, yet precise. Working in the Special Missions Unit meant secrecy was second nature to her—this part was routine."Stay home and rest tonight. I'll leave first thing in the morning. Once I'm gone and the coast is clear, take your grandparents and leave."Eden opened her mouth, unsure of how to respond. She didn't even know when the people watching them would leave."My team will come get you," Aria reassured her. "What's important is that your grandparent
Eden nodded. "Okay. I'll do as you say, Aria."She sent the text just like Aria instructed. Moments later, her teacher replied—everything had been arranged. A car would pick her up from home. There was no need to return to school.A cold shiver ran down Eden's spine. They knew where she lived. They'd been watching all along. Not just the school—they were everywhere.Eden didn't linger at school. Outside the entrance, the main topic of conversation was the officials' arrival for an investigation and the school's public exposure.Everyone knew the cafeteria was a mess. Students had complained countless times, but each time inspectors came, the food improved just long enough to pass the checks. Then it would all revert. It had become the norm—something they were forced to accept.Eden was no different. She just wanted to get home. She needed to see her grandparents. She feared something might happen to them next.Every step on the way home, she stayed alert, scanning her surroundings
Eden listened closely, her brow furrowing. Her teacher wasn't speaking Farshyan. School was no longer a safe place, and Eden didn't know who she could trust. Her classmates were too caught up in mocking Aria to notice anything was wrong, all assuming Eden was lucky to have been chosen.She considered calling the police, picking up her phone, but then paused. What could she even say? That there was a mole at school? Her face turned pale as she remembered how close the principal was to influential people. The authorities might not believe her, or worse, they might be involved.Despite the headlines claiming Aria had been arrested, Eden felt a spark of hope. Aria had promised she'd show up if Eden ever needed her. Taking a deep breath, Eden dialed the number Aria had given her.She didn't expect anyone to answer. But then came a cool, familiar voice. "Eden? What's wrong? Did someone give you trouble again?"Eden's heart soared. "You're not arrested! The news is fake, isn't it? I knew
Lucas gave Amos a sidelong glance. "In that case, let's do as Mr. Lune suggested—punish everyone involved."Announce to the public that Oakvale Academy will be used as a test case. We'll be conducting surprise inspections in all middle and high schools."As for why Mr. Kelsey encountered two completely different scenes during his visits—well, that's easy to explain." Lucas' gaze swept across the room. "Someone tipped off the school before your visit. If any other school received advance notice, every one of you will be under scrutiny."Though Lucas spoke with a smile, none of the seven present—including the three officials—could return it. The smile, in this context, was more chilling than rage. This was a warning. Amos, in particular, felt deeply unsettled. He had come intending to redirect Lucas' attention away from Oakvale Academy. Instead, the incident had blown up. With public attention turning toward the school, transferring Eden would soon become impossible.Still, Amo
Now that Miguel, who was an expert in covering up, was gone, the long-standing issues in the school were exposed.The group stood frozen as they watched a cafeteria worker pour something into a large pot. A closer look revealed it was leftover mushroom soup. But that wasn't the worst of it. The soup reeked, clearly spoiled, yet it was still being reheated for the students.Things only got worse when they entered the kitchen. Hygiene standards were appalling. Not a single chef wore a mask, and some were even smoking while cooking.Amos' expression darkened immediately, even before Lucas could react.One of the chefs noticed them and slammed his ladle onto the counter. "What are you doing in here? Outsiders aren't allowed in the school—don't you know that?"Unlike other schools, Oakvale Academy had somehow always slipped through the cracks during routine inspections. When required to present something, they staged it well enough to fool a camera.So, the staff never expected a surp
Aria understood that this was all the person could offer. The real mastermind would never reveal himself so easily—not even to his most trusted subordinates.Those in power never needed to explain themselves. Those who understood them would earn their favor; those who didn't were destined to remain at the bottom.Her thoughts raced. She needed hard evidence to capture whoever was behind Amos. Baseless accusations would only alert the enemy and push them deeper into hiding.Allowing herself to be arrested had been part of Aria's plan. She needed the mastermind to lower his guard. After all, she had been too visible in Ludwiten lately. With eyes constantly watching her, she couldn't make any real moves. But she couldn't let the incident at Oakvale Academy go unresolved. Her instincts told her it was the key to everything.Before Philip found his family, she had to act—and that meant changing her identity to save Even.Just then, the person's phone buzzed. He turned the screen towa
"Boss!" Weston rushed over the moment he finished dealing with the other officers. Aria arched an eyebrow, flexing her wrists. "He's the mole?""Yes." Weston nodded. The Securities Regulatory Bureau, dispatched by the Securities Regulatory Commission, was tasked with auditing listed companies—particularly sniffing out insider trading and market manipulation.While not everyone in the bureau could be corrupt, it was common for a few to be compromised.The officer who had been interrogating Aria was of a minor rank, but the one Weston had just exposed held real power.Aria looked over at the trembling man. His legs had given out, sending him to the floor. His phone lay discarded beside him as he shook uncontrollably.They had met before—at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. To him, Aria had just been a clever heiress with some market luck, thanks to Landon's influence. No one would have expected her to single-handedly bring down the Draycott family.No one would logically believe