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
Aria straightened up, ignoring Dorothy. She grabbed her black bag and stood there with a cool and aloof demeanor. "Frank, let's go. No need to deal with people like them."Frank, on the verge of a heart attack, stammered, "Aria, please listen. That woman doesn't represent the entire Carver family. You—""Mr. Levin." Suddenly, a gentle yet elegant voice interrupted from a distance. Dorothy immediately adopted a respectful demeanor. "Ms. Carver, why are you here?"Mindy, with her flowy dress and graceful demeanor, looked ethereal. Her long, fair hair was elegantly pinned to one side with a diamond clip, and her face had a notably pale complexion that tugged at one's heartstrings. "What do you mean by that?" Mindy asked, her voice soft yet firm. "The Carver family raised me, and I intend to repay their kindness when I have the opportunity."Dorothy shot a glare at Frank, irked by his verbosity.Frank didn't hold back. "Ms. Carver, I'm merely explaining to Dr. Genius. After all, t
Dorothy stomped on her feet. "How arrogant! Who does she think she is?"Mindy furrowed her brows and grabbed Dorothy's arm. "Dorothy."Dorothy seemed intimidated and muttered, "I just think that brat doesn't know what's best for her. Ms. Carver, you've already apologized to her in front of everyone, yet she refuses to accept it."After Aria left, Frank could no longer contain his anger. "You're the one who doesn't know what's best for you! Anyone who wants my position can have it. I resign! I can't keep cleaning up after your mistakes. Why did you summon a doctor if you're not even ill? Are you just playing games?"There was a glint in Mindy's eyes at Frank's words. "Mr. Levin, please calm down. It's not worth losing your job over a doctor.""Not worth it? Ms. Carver, do you realize how highly your grandfather regards her? In fact, you should be the one to break the news to him. Dr. Genius isn't kidding. She won't change her mind about not treating your family." Frank seemed fearl
"I don't care what you do; just make sure I don't see her in Southbury anymore!" Karen angrily terminated the call, disgust evident in her eyes. She hadn't intended for things to escalate to this level. After all, Aria was someone Karen had raised. She couldn't bring herself to be so cruel to her.Regardless, it was Aria who refused to stay away from her!Suddenly, Karen recalled something and sent a text message. …As Aria parked her vehicle, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, cloaking Clearwater Alley in darkness. Back then, the functionality of the streetlights wouldn't have fazed her in the slightest. Unbeknownst to her, a few figures had followed her into the shadows that evening. Aria carried a black bag and had a half smile on her face. The half-smile didn't quite reach her eyes, hinting at a deeper emotion beneath the surface indifference. Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the shadows at the corner, bathed in the faint glow of the second working streetlig
It couldn't be anyone from her past. Aria had meticulously hidden her identity. Whoever had followed her there had struck a nerve, especially considering her grandmother lived there.The thug's voice wavered with fear as he spoke. "I-I honestly don't know. Please, I beg you. We just take odd jobs. We'll do anything for money. I swear, I don't know who ordered us here!" The guy's speech was all jumbled up, barely making any sense. Aria, however, wasn't buying it. "Illicit work, is that it?" The thug hesitated, glancing nervously at his leader sprawled on the ground. Aria saw that and casually planted her black boot on the man's hand. A yelp of pain erupted as he curled into a fetal position."Yes, yes, alright!" he conceded through gritted teeth. "We do illicit work!"Aria released her foot, her gaze turning to the pale-faced man. "You seem to be in charge here. Tell me more about this job.""They wanted us to force you out of Southbury, no matter what. Think about who you mig
After the incident with the Katz family, the Fitzroys would certainly be restless. After all, not once during the entire event did Aria allow Jett to take any credit. Aria wanted to observe the Fitzroys' intentions and Laura's reaction. Human nature seemed the most unpredictable element, so taking preventive measures seemed wise. As for Jett, it was time for him to grow up. Otherwise, the Grisham family's situation would remain unsolvable. Jett hadn't failed to reflect. Today's events involving the Katz family had shaken him deeply. Before this, he had never truly understood what kind of enterprise his grandfather Clyde wanted to build. The concept of "national brands" had remained unclear to him. Many of the family's decisions had left him puzzled. But today, everything had finally clicked into place. He had even begun doubting himself, wondering if all those years abroad had been worthless. When he voiced this concern aloud, Aria responded, "Having a global perspective is
That was how certain things worked. They would initially seem insignificant until their loved ones brought them up repeatedly, causing doubt to creep in. Laura lifted her gaze. "Mom, I still think you're overthinking it. Clyde wouldn't ignore Jett and hand everything to Aria." "That's debatable." Magdalene glanced away. "After all these years, you must have forgotten. From the moment Aria was born, she stole all of Jett's attention. Even her first birthday celebration outshone the Grishams' eldest grandson. "Your late mother-in-law made poor decisions in her confusion. You can't allow the same here. Look at what happened with the Katz family. More people will support Aria, and where will that leave Jett? "As the Grishams' eldest grandson, how awkward will his position become?" With each of Magdalene's questions, Laura fell deeper into silence. She had never considered these things before. She had been happy that the Grishams and the Carvers were on good terms again. Moreo
Magdalene asked, "So Jett was just taken away without any explanation? They're practically treating him like a Carver family lackey by making him follow someone even younger than him!" She looked displeased when talking about this matter. "You're his mother, so you should be the one having control over his actions. This situation might be causing a stir, but what does it have to do with Jett? "No one even remembers he's the Grisham heir anymore!" The older generation valued reputation above all else. Magdalene selfishly hoped the Ludwiten business circle would remember Jett's success rather than the Carver family. There was nothing wrong with that desire, but the problem lay elsewhere. "Mother, you know the Katz family situation was handled entirely by Aria. Jett doesn't understand these matters, does he?" Jett's mother, Laura Fitzroy, was quite frustrated as she tried to explain things to Magdalene. "The Grishams were facing a huge crisis, yet Clyde never approached me becau
Aria knew what she was facing long before the nightclub incident came to light. It was not just about business interests but the entire profit chain that existed behind it. Why had such a nightclub existed for so long without anyone investigating thoroughly? Was she the only one who could see the problems with it? That certainly was not the case. The truth was that those working for the powerful ones simply lacked the ability or courage to investigate further. Any matter connected to the Draycott family was quietly swept under the rug. Aria was not foolish. The subtle comments made by the veteran cops were filled with hidden meanings. She observed the commotion from afar, contemplating how to break the stalemate. If she remained in her current position, even if the Draycott family fell, the people behind them would emerge unscathed. In reality, the situation had already progressed to the point where a deputy chief had committed suicide to escape punishment. Aria already had
The shareholders at the Carver Group did not understand what had happened at first. After watching the video, their expressions changed. Warren did not hold back anymore. "Is anyone here from overseas marketing?" "Mr. Carver Senior, I'm here." Aria's actions would have excited everyone in the overseas department. Warren turned to him. "I remember you saying our consumer goods weren't very popular overseas since even the domestic market preferred foreign brands. What about now?" "I believe it's time to try!" The director's voice trembled with excitement. Warren nodded with satisfaction. "Then do it. I want you to capture 50% of the market share first. Money isn't an issue." "Understood!" The meeting had everyone's blood pumping. The professionals could see what Warren was planning. Aria's move to Ludwiten wasn't coincidental. The Carvers had never limited themselves to the domestic market. It had always been difficult to achieve before, and people thought it was just t
"Haven't you seen him too?" Cassian pondered. "What do you think?" The butler struggled to answer. In both his character and appearance, Landon was practically identical to that person. At first glance, he almost thought they were the same person. But thinking carefully, how could that be possible? No one could avoid ageing, even with the most advanced medical technology. He and Cassian were practically at death's door, having lived through everything. Yet seeing someone who looked like a ghost from the past almost made him rush to reconnect. He had also asked at the Royal Hotel but had gotten no response. If it really was that person, he should be extremely old or no longer alive after all these years. "Mr. Merrick, would you like to meet him yourself?" the butler asked softly, refilling the tea. Cassian glanced at the documents handed to him. "Yes, but approaching through the Yorks would be too obvious." "Does that mean…" The butler's eyes lit up with joy. Cassian's age
Someone in the Foundation texted. "You know what needs to be done." Seeing this, Orion quickly replied. "Rest assured, the supply remains steady. I'll make the Carvers regret coming to Ludwiten." Clearly, these powerful figures weren't easily fooled. "She won't be easy to handle. Be careful and cut your losses if needed." Orion replied with a simple "Yes." Logically, someone of his status who commanded such influence in business circles shouldn't show such deference to anyone. Yet he acted like the lowest-ranking member of their group. The powerful figures seemed unconcerned with his plans, only caring about their supply. "The last batch wasn't good enough. They're too old." "Find a way to select a few more soon." "Don't focus solely on profit. Remember to give back when necessary." Orion had an epiphany. Yes, if Aria could build her reputation by supporting domestic brands, he could polish his image by "supporting" schoolchildren. There had been fewer activities this
These people had watched the Draycotts rise to power. The Draycotts had surpassed the Grishams in such a short time, which was something impossible to achieve just by absorbing factories. Besides, the Draycotts had never even run actual factories; they would always convert them to other uses after acquisition. Their real profits came from the shadows. No one knew exactly how much money Orion had, but it surely exceeded even the Grishams at their peak. The Draycott Group's funding seemed endless. They held shares in nearly every successful company in Ludwiten, especially in construction, finance, and entertainment. In Ludwiten, the Draycotts were like a predator that fed on others' blood. Others were not foolish. They could all tell that someone powerful backed him. As for Aria, besides her fiancé from the York family, she could not have any other meaningful connections. Even the Yorks had to play by Ludwiten's rules. Yet these clever people forgot one thing—desperation leads to
Aria could win the test easily, but she did not want to do it this way. The rise of Katz Cannery had left everyone restless, and the Draycott faction was already showing cracks. Those who had been on the fence started secretly reaching out to the Grishams. Orion knew about this, but he could not spare the energy to worry about loyalty now. The Draycotts were not completely clear of this mess yet. He needed to maintain his connections with the more powerful ones! Orion was not worried about other things; he just feared his insider information pipeline would be affected. These people never hesitated to take what was offered, but they turned cowardly at the first sign of trouble. Sure enough, someone had already returned their previous gifts. "Mr. Draycott, given the circumstances, we should keep our distance. You should lay low for a while." Orion laughed. Keep their distance? "Mr. Cortez, you might be fine, but my company can't afford to lay low. "I hear your wife might be exp