Upon hearing the words, "invitation letter", Solo glanced over.Landon remained indifferent. "You could say that."There was a twinkle in Aria's eyes. "Are you aiming to do good deeds anonymously?"Landon coughed lightly, his voice still rough. "My health isn't optimal. The invitation would go to waste on me. Since I can't attend, I thought it best to gift it to a deserving doctor."Aria raised an eyebrow. "Didn't it cross your mind to try your luck? The York family invited numerous renowned doctors. Perhaps one of them could help cure you."Landon lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes casting a shadow below. "I thought of it before. But I don't think there's a need for that after meeting you." His words left everyone stunned.Solo fumbled, dropping the bucket, while Aria accidentally tilted her coffee cup.Sam, who had been squatting, stood up abruptly, staring at Landon.Landon realized the intimacy of his words and hastily clarified, "I meant in terms of medical expertise.
Aria seemed oblivious to Landon's fluster, her long eyelashes casting a veil of shadow over her eyes. Landon, on the other hand, found himself averting his gaze, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "So, what's the plan for the clinic?" he rasped. Aria's smile widened, lifting her head to reveal the mole beside her eye more prominently. "Still working out the details. Grandma's vision is to provide treatment opportunities for everyone. So, gaining recognition from yesterday's event wouldn't align with that."Landon muttered a response, initially considering ordering Solo to assist with the clinic's operations. However, Aria appeared to have her own agenda, implying she might not want his involvement.Grateful he didn't press further, Aria raised her cup in a toast. "Please support me when the time comes."Solo pondered if Landon's support was lacking, considering he practically lived in the clinic. Yet, he refrained from commenting.Landon even forbade them from driving the
"Let's just say they weren't exactly welcoming," Aria replied with a nonchalant shrug, picking a few choice examples from her previous encounter. "The bodyguard barred me from entry, and their secretary looked down on me. 'Respect yourself,' they said, as if I was some street urchin."It turned out Aria had long suspected Troy's identity. It was just that she said nothing about it.Given the close ties between the Jepson and Layne families, Troy likely recognized her from the party. This could explain his condescension while she administered CPR. As for the occupant of the exclusive Maybach, it didn't take much deduction to guess who it was.The person capable of commanding Troy's deference must be the rumored tycoon dominating the business world—the heir to the York family.Aria refrained from disclosing how the heir had assisted the HOU in tracking her closely. Her current guise as a "fake heiress" was her most effective disguise.Solo's expression darkened upon hearing Aria's a
Aria, oblivious to Solo's hint, maintained her smile. "I might have been influenced by those rumors as well." Solo breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that. Thankfully, Aria knew that she had misunderstood.However, Aria added, "Rich people can be quite unpredictable, though. I can't say for sure about that Mr. York."Solo was exasperated, avoiding Landon's gaze. He wished she had skipped that remark.Meanwhile, Landon stood in his white shirt and black pants, his eyes holding a hint of indifference and danger.Aria straightened up, pouring him another cup of coffee. "I was only joking earlier. But from a medical standpoint, his aversion to physical contact might indicate allergies or sensitivities."Solo was once again taken aback. Aria had managed to deduce Landon's condition without even meeting him. Though she might not excel in conversation, her medical acumen was undeniable.Upon hearing this, Landon offered a half-smile. "Indeed, Mr. York experiences discomfort with
Landon straightened up, offering a genuine smile. "Okay," he said. Their interaction felt natural. It was like they were old friends catching up. However, Solo couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the vibe. Plus, he'd never seen Landon act like this with anyone—he seemed to be flirting with Aria. It was quite rare to witness Landon behaving that way. One would find it difficult to take their eyes off Landon when he tugged at his collar, smilingly under the locust tree.A wild thought struck Solo. Could Landon be falling for Aria? He didn't dare dwell on it, though, and kept his gaze downcast.Meanwhile, Georgina had finished boiling water and called them over to cook some herbs. Georgina was happy that Aria's friends were staying over for dinner. While pondering what else to buy for dinner, she headed out with Sarah. This time, Sam joined them.Aria turned up the heat in the treatment room and asked Landon to lie down while she researched something onlin
Frank didn't bring Aria to the hospital nearby but to the Caesar Hotel located in the city center. However, they encountered quite a jam along the way.Frantic, Frank kept craning his neck, the bumper-to-bumper traffic a growing source of his anxiety. Aria leaned back in her seat and spoke calmly, "Frank, don't get too worked up. Tell me about the patient's condition.""It's not an illness. She just suddenly fainted. I didn't get to see her," Frank said, glancing at the driver before lowering his voice. "The patient has been weak since childhood and suffers from anemia. Though adopted by the Carvers, Mr. Carver Senior sees her as his granddaughter due to a resemblance to his long-lost granddaughter. Be careful with your words when you meet her." Aria responded casually, "Wasn't Ms. Carver missing since childhood? How could they determine they look alike?"Frank let out a weary sigh. "There were childhood photos," he began, "and it turns out she'd been abducted too. When I was lo
Karen nodded eagerly, urging everyone to try the desserts. However, her gaze remained fixed on the young woman. She couldn't help but wonder just how wealthy the young woman was to lead such a lavish lifestyle.While they were affluent themselves, there existed a disparity among the wealthy. For instance, they might splurge on Hermès bags worth tens of thousands, but they would only purchase three at most and rotate between them. In contrast, the young woman seemed unconcerned about her expenditure.The young woman comfortably sank into her seat, while the first woman to enter seemed to be her lady's maid. "Ms. Carver, what would you like to eat? I'll have them prepare it."Mindy Carver's voice was gentle. "Dorothy, please sit. There's no need for you to always attend to me.""How can I do that? It's my duty to take care of you," replied Dorothy Morris, the middle-aged lady's maid, with unwavering responsibility. Mindy couldn't dissuade her, so she decided to place an order.
Frank froze. "Aria, it's nothing serious, right?"Aria withdrew her hand. "Relax. Just be mindful of your diet and sleep habits. Most importantly, schedule a check-up at the hospital. It's treatable."Frank had come seeking help from Aria for Mindy. He hadn't anticipated needing treatment himself. Aria stood there, a paradox of coolness and unexpected beauty. She had swapped into a black hoodie before leaving, the garment hugging her curves and revealing a sliver of toned legs. Her cascading hair framed her slender, pale neck. Aria wore a countenance of indifference, tinged with a hint of danger. The moment Dorothy laid eyes on Aria, an immediate dislike flared within her. She found her beauty too intimidating.Approaching them, the bodyguard said, "She's Dr. Genius. Please inform her of Ms. Carver's symptoms." Dorothy smiled. "May I know your name?"As she assessed Aria, Dorothy struggled to conceal her disdain.Despite knowing Warren's decision to stay back after meeting
Everyone in the café had been enjoying their afternoon tea when they heard the commotion. They turned to look. "Where's the server?" Nisa called out. These rich ladies were all regulars who paid hefty annual membership fees. At their summons, the manager appeared with a smile before any server could respond. "Mrs. Guetta, how may I help you?" "Jonah, perfect timing. I was wondering when this place started letting country bumpkins like her in," Nisa said, her gaze sweeping over Lily. Without hesitation, Jonah Marx kicked Lily out. At that same moment, Aria arrived for their appointment. Traffic had been terrible. She had only agreed to meet Nisa because she needed to uncover something important. In her dreams, there was still one voice that hadn't appeared. The owner of that voice had harmed her mother, Fiona. She would never feel at peace until she dug out the person behind it. Aria was never worried about threats from others. For instance, she knew about Lily's wild accu
Dorian was grinning from ear to ear, showing none of the dignity expected from someone of a prominent family. He had less class than a common street hustler. The members of the Chamber of Commerce had good reason to look down on him. Dorian didn't believe that Neval, who was addicted to gambling, wouldn't return to the country for at least ten years. Once they took down the Grisham family, he'd be calling all the shots in the Chamber of Commerce! Dorian truly took after Magdalene in this aspect. The latter embodied all the worst traits of her generation—a twisted mindset and was always scheming something. Also, she was arrogant and had a superiority complex. Magdalene didn't want Neval to return, which explained why she'd readily given him money. She thought that Waymond would soon be arrested. Then, the Grisham family would go from riding high to crashing and burning, and Aria would pay the price. These were already set in stone! The prominent families' joint effort to targe
In the Fitzroy family, only Neval saw things clearly, despite being a screw-up. Everyone else was blinded by their own arrogance. Laura, of course, never saw it that way. Perhaps too much time had passed, which made her forget how she had married into the Grisham family in the first place. She had also forgotten what it meant to be grateful. Without the Fitzroy family's involvement, Orion's long-standing attempts to sabotage Waymond would have failed. This had been an unspoken secret between the two families for years. Magdalene had always been the head of the Fitzroy family. The best thing about her younger son, Dorian Fitzroy, was that he would always follow her orders. Neval wasn't her biological son, but Dorian was. As a child born in her later years, Dorian was showered with love. Now, he sat at the meeting place where several families had agreed to gather. "How do you plan to deal with Aria?" The Guettas were the ones who had organized this meeting. They used to keep
Magdalene said, "In the past, our family had helped the Grishams to survive. But now..." She took a sip of her tea. "They're digging their own grave, and we can't help them anymore." Just as she finished speaking, a middle-aged man walked in. When Magdalene saw him, her brows immediately furrowed. Her eldest son, Neval Fitzroy, was her least favorite child. He had brought nothing but shame to the Fitzroys. If he hadn't developed a gambling addiction, the Fitzroy family wouldn't have fallen this far. She asked, "What are you doing here?" Neval rubbed his hands together and snickered. "Mom, I'm a little short on cash lately. I mainly came because I missed you, but I'm also here to ask for a little money." Before Magdalene could respond, Laura stood up. "Neval, Mom just gave you 20 million last month. You shouldn't have spent it so quickly." Magdalene had been in a good mood, but now her face darkened. "Did I raise you to leech off me? How could 20 million dollars be gone so
Orion slammed his fist hard on the table. He'd been played by someone who looked like nothing more than a trust fund kid. Yet he had no choice but to let Aria manipulate him. Because no matter what he said, someone would show up to "take care of" him. At this point, he could only make everything look like a simple financial crime in order to protect himself. Aria had calculated this perfectly and planned accordingly. Even now, most people saw Aria as just some young hotshot who made money but didn't understand the bigger picture. They thought because she came from a small town, she was naïve enough to believe taking down the Draycott family would solve everything. In reality, she would be dragging herself down as well. Unless she didn't plan to stay in Ludwiten at all! Most people who thought this way were driven by pride and jealousy. They wouldn't admit they wished they were in Aria's shoes. The Carvers had raked in so much money from the stock market this time around. The
"Yes, I'm sure," Gabe said, having checked everything carefully. The old man thought for a moment. "Find a way and get someone else to tell Orion what he should and shouldn't say. If he's smart enough, he should understand." "Alright." Gabe pushed up his glasses. "Don't worry; everything will be handled." The old man's eyes were deep and calculating. "To achieve great things, some people must be sacrificed. If necessary, offer the Draycott family some benefits. Go take care of the Bellebrook situation." Gabe chuckled. "They're just some greedy, low-class people. They only succeeded because of you, yet they always think they made it on their own." "Gabe, mind your words." The old man had a kind face. Looking at him, one would think he cared for all people. Judging from his simple lifestyle, he did not seem like someone who would do bad things at all. Even the cup he used was bought from the supermarket for just over ten dollars. "Go now. As I've always said, anyone can l
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. "