Lucian explained, "Someone contacted me after I made the anonymous report. They told me to bring the evidence for them to view. I was on alert and hung up the phone without saying anything."He added, "I called them using a public phone."Upon hearing that, Aria stroked his head. "You did great. I'll help you to publicize the things you didn't."Aria stood up while saying that, with Lucian following suit. "Miss."She turned back and saw Lucian's reddened eyes. "The grown-ups said bad people will go to hell. Will Radley and the others go to hell too?"Aria's gaze turned dark. "Of course. They have no reason not to go to hell."Lucian's face tensed up. "I'll wait to see their fate! I was too much of a coward back then. I owe Shirley, but I still want to tell her I managed to fulfill our promise."Lucian managed to pass the video to the person who could avenge Shirley at the right time. Lucian had not been doing well. He suffered from nightmares every night, seeing Radley and the
The old man hung up the call and called his secretary. "Inform my subordinates to report the bullying case as it is. There's no need to cover up anything.""But the Daley family is your—""Forget about that!" The old man pointed to the photo. "We need to give this girl justice!"In the meantime, Aria recovered all the videos and ordered Sam to post them online. Under normal circumstances, such cases wouldn't be made public. Many lawyers had predicted that the worst outcome for the bullies would be detention.However, the people online were stunned as the videos were revealed online. "The victim didn't take her own life. She was killed!""Although the person who provided the evidence got their voices altered, we can still hear that Shirley had been…""Oh, my goodness. Are they really less than 14 years old? They are more evil than demons!"As the bullies' faces were not censored this time, everyone could see their faces.It wasn't just a simple case of exclusion and not gett
Many people who saw Shirley's last words were touched, especially those with kids."How could they do that to such a kind child?""I found out online that Shirley is the daughter of a retired soldier.""They must punish the murderers!"Facing the public's overwhelming comments, the Department of Justice's officer cuffed Gerald.Gerald, who had wielded countless connections, revealed a look of fear for the first time. He widened his eyes when he saw the cuffs on him, screaming that he was innocent. Gerald had merits awarded by the country. He couldn't be dealt with like this!The officer understood what he was getting at. "There is concrete evidence about Radley for murder. The Daley family tried to destroy evidence, bribed officers, and blatantly ignored the law…"Gerald couldn't bear to hear what he said afterward. His face was pale, and his hands kept shaking. How could there be evidence on Radley? Could the Daley family still have a successor?Gerald looked at the officer
There were more comments online."Boys should protect girls! You'll no longer be in pain, Shirley. You're the best. Why don't we become friends in the future? I'm studying at Sunshine Kindergarten's kiddie class. Don't get lost."I don't really know how to type, so Mommy is the one typing it. I can even share my favorite biscuits with you. Shirley, don't worry. Mommy said these bad people will get the punishment they deserve.""I can only say an eye for an eye. Also, please return the merit to Draco."More and more comments were posted beneath the official account. Nobody wanted to forgive the few demons.Radley was a minor, and he relied on the tactics Gerald taught to look confident. However, Aria could tell by a glance if he was really afraid. Tiffany was in shock, with no other thoughts on her mind. Krissa was also crying, and she trembled when she heard she was going to jail. Aria didn't treat them like children. After all, she highly doubted those who thought of the shee
When Aria entered the interrogation room, Radley was drinking water. His hand froze when she saw her.Aria started calmly, "You thought all the evidence was gone, but we have all of them. As for your grandfather's merit, I think he didn't mention this to you. A lot of educators were taken away at that time. I was the one who brought them back."Aria continued, "One of the few things I regret is not taking a closer look at your grandfather's face. Don't worry. All of you will reunite soon.""What do you mean?" Radley suddenly stood up and tugged on his cuffs.Aria pressed the stop recording button on the camera. "Aren't you going to accompany your family members in jail?"She looked at him. "It's fine if you don't. You're quite young and smart. As a minor, you should know you won't be sentenced to jail for your entire life. I think going to jail is way too less of a punishment for you."She looked at the corner of the room. "So I suggested Shirley let you have a taste of the fear
Landon, who had almost recovered, could see souls that ordinary people couldn't. This included the souls that were trapped.Landon, standing by the door in a sharp suit, seemed out of place. He carried a calm and scholarly air, unaffected by anything. This was the scene Aria saw when she got out of the room. She raised her eyebrows and walked over to him.Before she got closer, he turned around as if waiting for her. His eyes were striking, and his voice was low as he spoke. "Is everything settled?"At that moment, Aria thought the scene felt familiar. It was as if she had seen something similar. However, it didn't happen here; it happened at a palace in the skies. Landon stood bathed in light and wore a deep red robe. When he turned to look at her, he had a smile on his face.Aria shook her head, trying to get rid of the scene. It was easy for her to get reality and imagination jumbled up.However, Landon gently held her shaking head. He looked down at her with an arched eyeb
"There's no need for all that trouble. Those scumbags won't get off easily," said Aria. She was holding a notebook and some documents. She scanned through everyone's faces before settling in the living room. "Mr. and Mrs. Pollard, I'm here to fulfill my promise."Libbie couldn't believe what was happening. She was already in a stupor from her neighbor's discussion. However, her mind cleared up after seeing Aria. With a trembling hand outstretched, as if to confirm the reality before her, she said in a shaky voice, "Please… come in."The rest of what Aria had to share was far too sensitive to be aired publicly, and she could already sense Draco's simmering resentment from the hallway. He must have woken up.All of Draco's neighbors wanted to follow her inside. It was not because they wanted to gossip but because they truly wanted to help. Aria didn't stop them—this was a truth that needed to be revealed for the Pollard family's suffering to be understood.Spotting Draco awake, Lib
Draco sat motionlessly, entangled in strings invisible to ordinary eyes. The Emperor Coins he wore clinked softly, their sound resonating strangely. His eyes, veiled in a dark mist, betrayed no emotion. Aria watched him in silence, choosing not to interrupt his thoughts. Instead, she calmly returned Shirley's diary to him."Shirley is a very smart girl. She must have excelled in biology and chemistry." Aria chuckled before continuing, "She mentioned a game you used to play with her when she was younger. She wrote words in a certain way only you can see."When she said that, Draco suddenly looked up.Draco thought of Aria's other identity and realized something. "Ms. Carver, can you see Shirley?"The neighbors had begun to doubt Draco's sanity, attributing his behavior to a feverish delirium. But Libbie, his wife, stood by him. She knew how capable Aria was.When Libbie turned toward Aria in anticipation, the latter faced the neighbors and nodded slightly to the couple.Aria l
Derek ended the call with a sharp click, the sound of the disconnection echoing like a slap to Celestia's face.For the first time, Celestia felt a deep, paralyzing fear. If she couldn't clear the air, her entire career would be destroyed. Years of hard work, of carefully cultivating her popularity, could all vanish in an instant.Not only was Derek actively searching for her, but even the loyal followers she once called "simps" were beginning to question her. Her phone buzzed incessantly with messages.Simp 1 was still in disbelief. "Celestia, the screenshots online are fake, right? That old hag is just trying to ruin you. I know you're not materialistic. You've never even accepted the gifts I sent you."Celestia knew she needed someone to vouch for her. She changed his nickname and sent him a screenshot. Then, with a pleading tone, she recorded a voice message. "I don’t understand why these rumors are spreading. This is what my actual screen looks like."As expected, Messiah sto
At that moment, Celestia reveled in her own brilliance. A smug smile spread across her face as she watched her followers soar. Everything was unfolding exactly as she had planned.Sitting in the car, she felt a surge of satisfaction. She knew that an old hag like Lettie wouldn't stand a chance against her.Just as Celestia was about to reply to some online comments, a few screenshots suddenly appeared in her feed.Her smile faltered, and her face drained of color. Her hands shook so violently that she nearly dropped her phone.The screenshots revealed her private conversations with Derek and several other men, including male classmates who had been pursuing her.Celestia had intended to explain things to Derek once the situation died down, but she never anticipated that such a personal exchange would be exposed to the public.Her eyes widened as she stared at her phone, frantically deleting the comment. But more and more identical comments appeared, and soon, even her fans had no
Landon looked out the window. "You'll be immune to ghosts once you see more of them. Have you ever seen a fortune teller dispelling a manifestation in the mountains? They were as afraid as you when they first started."With more experiences and encounters, they would come to realize that the world is a strange place—and eventually, they would get used to it."Aria thought the same way as Landon did. She didn't want Lettie to be trapped in self-doubt after the incident ended. Aria had encountered many patients who wrestled with the same question. "What kind of person would do such a thing? They were the ones in the wrong, not me. So why was I the one being scolded?"The world was unfair, and one had to understand this to retaliate against the unjust. Aria could have left the incident as it was, but she used this tactic to get Lettie to move on. When Lettie saw the first comment, her hand shook and she struggled to breathe. She trembled violently when she saw the photo. Some of th
Marrying into the Hendricks family would have been perfect. Too bad Paxton's hesitation led to this mess. Celestia would have to lay low for now. Social media reactions were just like Celestia expected. The online community jumped on the marketing accounts' narrative. "Exposé—The Truth Behind the Viral Story!" "We Worried for Nothing—She's Back with the Cheater!" "See? Why should we sympathize with housewives? Not only was she love-blind, but she also played the victim for attention and used us for views. She's running back to her husband's arms!" While the workers at the comment-farming company posted these messages, they had no idea that the cybercrime officers were at their door. There was no chance to escape at all; it was an immediate shutdown. They still could not figure out how their "secure" operation was exposed! Meanwhile, Celestia sat in her car as she scrolled through the comments. Delighted, her eyes lit up as she replied, "If you meet a cheater in real life, g
Cold sweat broke out on Paxton's back as realization hit. Percy was here. Judging from Aria's attitude now, could Percy be handling the divorce case? Panicking, his earlier confidence crumbled. Paxton hurried toward the parking garage. Daisy yelled at him from behind. She was crying so hard she lost a shoe. "Dad! Dad!" Paxton suddenly exploded and said, "Stop following me, you useless waste! You can't even repeat simple instructions! All that money on your education, and this is what I get? Where's your brain?" Daisy froze, her face draining of color. She had never seen her father like this. Though rarely home, he always brought her dolls and chocolates from abroad. Her classmates envied her, and Amara called her Daddy's princess. As she uncertainly reached for his shirt, he shoved her away. "Go find your grandmother! Idiot!" Daisy stood stunned. Paxton had not even noticed her scraped foot bleeding. Her eyes widened in recognition. This was just like how things were with Ama
"I... I..." Daisy faltered as she was unprepared for Aria's words. Paxton and Daisy had come hoping to manipulate Lettie as they always had. In marriages, visible violence might draw outside sympathy. But such psychological torture of exploiting Lettie's maternal love, pushing her boundaries, and destroying her self-worth was far more terrifying. As a doctor, Aria's expertise went beyond healing bodies. She specialized in psychology. Lettie's condition wasn't just trauma; it was long-term emotional abuse. Aria had seen Lettie's sleeping pills. With her pregnancy affecting hormones, they needed to address her emotional pain. If not, Aria worried Lettie might break. Aria touched her amethyst pendant. Sometimes, abandoning all illusions was the only way to start over. For mothers, children were their deepest attachment. It was better to see clearly now than suffer endless emotional manipulation. "I'm not going back with you two. I want a divorce, and I will get one." Lettie's ha
Indeed, Lettie hesitated. She looked at her daughter instinctively. After all, blood ties could not be easily broken. Paxton seized this moment to step forward and hug her. "Lettie, I knew you couldn't give up on our family. I've really learned my lesson. We'll move out and keep Mom from interfering. Please?" His movements were too quick for Lettie to react. Aria sat there with a smirk, her gaze drifting to the window. It was a great photo spot indeed. It would be a perfect picture of an adorable daughter, a caring husband, and a forgiving wife. This would become a narrative of quick reconciliation that would betray the public's support. Aria had even thought of headlines for Celestia's post. Too bad she hadn't come inside. If she had, seeing Aria's face might have shaken her confidence. Lettie didn't let Paxton's embrace last. Once she recovered, she shoved him away. Then, came the slap. "You're absolutely shameless!" Lettie could not believe his act, even now. Glancing a
As Amara stood there trembling, it drew stares from onlookers. She could not believe her son would speak to her this way. It was Paxton who had begged her to help, saying Celestia wanted to meet Daisy. He even asked her to arrange it so the girl would accept them when the divorce happened. That way, Don would not interfere too much. As a mother, how could she ignore her son's troubles? He had gone on about Celestia's background—how cultured she was and how her parents were prestigious lawyers in Ludwiten. Amara had been impressed. A simple housewife like Lettie could not possibly compare to a Ludwiten socialite. Through Amara's investigation, she found out that the Norwoods were renowned in legal circles. Daisy's grandfather was even a senior judge. That was the kind of woman worthy of her son. She had done everything to help him seize this opportunity, but how had she become the villain? Amara clenched her fists. She understood what Paxton meant now. He was making her the sc
"Now more people would hate mothers-in-laws like us." "My daughter says this isn't over. Just wait; she'll get what's coming to her." Amara had planned to go to the supermarket but ended up hiding at home, afraid to go downstairs. Don was still at the university studying his latest archaeological finds, unaware of everything. She trembled thinking about what he would do to her when he found out. Panicking, she grabbed her coat and followed them. "Paxton, let me come with you. I'll make sure you don't get taken advantage of." "Mom!" Paxton's tone became impatient. "Look how many people are outside waiting to mock us! If you come, our whole family will end up all over social media. I could take Daisy to the café unnoticed, but not you. People can't stand the sight of you right now." Amara gritted her teeth. "They can't stand me? These people have nothing better to do than meddle in our family affairs! What's wrong with our family not wanting Lettie anymore?" "Mom! How can you