"Indeed, Ms. Carver arrived by cab." That alone was unusual. Edwin's understanding shifted with Aria's explanation–she had run away from home. Ian's eyes flickered with surprise; this was not what he had expected. Running away? Though suspicious, he maintained his composure. "Your grandfather would move mountains for you, Aria. Try to understand his good intentions." "Haven't I been understanding enough?" Aria settled onto the couch. "He made me create an online persona, and I did. I even had to memorize stuff until my head hurt. I'm a medical student, but he forces me to run the company. "He says I need to learn proper etiquette like other socialites since I'm from out of town. He's worried people will gossip." She leaned back. "I know he looks down on me but can't show it, so he argues with me at home and won't let me have friends." Her outburst left Edwin stunned. Ian put on a loving smile. "You're just being childish. Your grandfather could never look down on you. Come
Ian hid his nature too well. If Owen had not failed, he would have stayed perfectly invisible behind the scenes. This made Aria suspect he had hidden his playing cards, especially given how unusual this place felt. That was why she chose a gradual approach rather than confronting him directly. Ian said naturally, "Aria, stop being stubborn and have some hot food with your friend first. And who might this be?" "He's from Southbury." Aria pulled Simon closer. "My little brother from the back alley. Grandpa hates it when I associate with Southbury people. Even Grandma would only let them stay in courtyard houses instead of the main residence. "He got upset about this friend too. He said I was making him lose face by not following his orders." Ian could not recognize Simon as the beast of fortune. While those in the back garden would know, they were still recovering and waiting for William. They had no idea Aria would brazenly bring their target right to them—normal people would ce
A loud crash echoed from the back garden. The loud sound revealed how furious the intruder was. Aria stopped eating and asked, as anyone would, "Granduncle Ian, what's happening back there?" Ian glanced at Edwin, who quickly covered, "Nothing serious, they're just training an incompetent household staff." "Did they steal something?" Aria asked naturally. Edwin stumbled before nodding. "Yes! Ms. Carver, you're quite perceptive!" "They need proper punishment." Aria set down her fork and wiped her mouth. "Our family suffered because of that useless Dorothy. I got kidnapped because she let criminals in. "Granduncle Ian, you should fire disobedient staff. You can't go easy on them. If they conspire with outsiders to steal, they might even drain all of the Carver family's fortune. "Some people are born ungrateful. Even if you feed and care for them, they'll still bite the hand that feeds them." Aria's eyes fixed on Ian as she spoke. Though Ian's expression didn't change, Aria k
Aria thought to herself that that was exactly what she was trying to do, but she feigned shock. "Granduncle Ian was adopted? Grandpa never mentioned this! He doesn't treat Granduncle Ian like an adopted brother at all." "Mr. Carver Senior has always valued brotherhood," Edwin responded naturally, then realized he had praised their enemy. "Besides, there's a good reason for this. When the Carvers faced trouble back then, it was Mr. Ian who stepped up and protected Mr. Carver Senior." Aria doubted this version of events. Ian had let the Krowoians drain their land's energy through the Carver name. How could someone like him risk his life to save anyone? There must be other interests involved. Aria really wanted to understand how he received the protection of the Carver family's ancestors if he was not a true Carver. The house had problems, but they were not inherent. Something else was at play. As she pondered on this, her fingers tapped the table. Meanwhile, William could barel
William trusted their carefully cultivated agent would be absolutely loyal to their empire. Though not Krowonian, he had been given all the promised benefits. William could not imagine anyone would give up such opportunities. Most importantly, these were people chosen by their saintess! He blocked Ian's path with a dark tone. He looked at Ian. "I hope you won't regret this later." Ian gestured for them to leave. William said nothing more, but today's losses were severe enough to require higher authorization. People like Ian prioritized profit. Once that was gone, relationships naturally crumbled. Aria's earlier words were not casual, just as her suggestion to take a walk after eating was not random. Edwin thought nothing of it as long as she avoided the back garden. Aria chose the exit path. She left Simon behind to prevent his aura from being detected. As for herself, the spy she had let escape was from the perimeter and would not recognize her. Thus, she encountered William
Aria would wait for the mastermind to show before revealing her full strength. If not, they might retain hidden forces. The wooden doll's location remained uncertain. Aria worried about the numerous vessels and heavy vengefulness. It might lead to escaped targets and chosen ones like the Pollard family. This could not be random. The pattern reminded her of the Earthbound Manifestation she had encountered when Krowonians tried infiltrating through schools. They were possibly using similar but more subtle methods now. With life force and fortune involved, she had to take it seriously. She needed to inform her senior apprentice who was returning to Janovin soon. The Dracotigris Order must be notified too as evidence suggested they had internal problems. Aria withdrew her gaze, appearing normal as if just taking a post-meal walk. Perhaps only Simon resting upstairs would understand her true purpose. Now, she was the only practitioner in the house. No one else could sense his aura
The night deepened. The back garden appeared flawless, at least from an esoteric perspective. It was facing south with auspicious energy flowing from the east. But its perfection masked something crucial. Every piece of land had its destined fortune. It was not just humans that had souls–every blade of grass and tree had a spirit too. Nature would distribute what each deserved fairly. This layout disrupted that balance. While the house's fortune was excellent, it blocked the eastern winds. This meant the fortune of the entire wealthy district could not flow upward and would stop here instead. Aria studied the surroundings. With cameras everywhere and Sam absent, she would have to hack the mainframe herself. The security room now saw only yesterday's night footage. Ian focused entirely on Fergus. Finding a valuable new puppet was crucial to him. He underestimated Aria, while Edwin thought she was just playing around. They had opened several wine bottles, with loud party sounds
Fergus sighed deeply. "Enough about her. Let's discuss our matter." He was playing his part perfectly for Aria's plan by doing things he would normally avoid. "Granduncle Ian, Grandpa has always disapproved of Poeta. Only you can persuade his stubborn mind." After some thinking, Fergus still decided not to hold Poeta's hand when he told Ian, "I want to marry Poeta." Poeta's heart raced with excitement. She could barely conceal the greedy gleam in her eyes! "Ferg, you finally—" Catching Ian's warning glance, Poeta quickly changed course, "Bringing up marriage now will only strain things with your grandpa. I can wait, so don't fight with him because of me." Fergus gazed at her deeply. "It's not for you. It's for myself." He left those words hanging. He had to thank Aria for letting him witness everything firsthand. Ian had always protected them from Warren whenever Warren was being strict, even saving Fergus from drowning once. This planted a good impression of Ian in Fergu
"Boss, what are you looking at?" Andrew Clarke, the assistant, glanced curiously at the monitor. Caspian Ashworth set his wine glass on the oak desk and stood up, adjusting his suit. "How many times do I have to say it? Don't call me boss; I'm just an employee. I was just thinking about how long a person can live." "What do you mean?" Andrew appeared perplexed. Caspian let out a heavy sigh. "Of all the people they could have provoked, they chose her." "Do you know this new heir to the Carver family?" Andrew's eyes widened with surprise. This connection was news to him. Caspian put on an amulet. "Indeed. She's our real boss' wife. Didn't you notice the ring she wears? "That belongs to the boss," Caspian continued, his eyes fixed intently on the security feed. He unconsciously shifted his position, as if worried the person on screen might spot him. He then muttered under his breath, "The secret door moved. I thought it was the boss, but it turned out to be his wife instead.
What are you saying, Mr. Grisham Senior? Aria isn't an outsider. As your granddaughter, she has every right to participate in the Chamber of Commerce's assessment."Orion regretted sparing Clyde's life. Had he dealt with the man back then, he wouldn't be in such a passive position now. If not for someone secretly instructing him to control the Grisham family through Clyde, the latter wouldn't have survived this long—let alone stand before him, challenging his words. Leaning on his cane, Clyde ignored Orion's expression and said, "That's good. When I saw everyone looking down on my granddaughter, I thought they had forgotten the Chamber of Commerce's original purpose."I'm glad you still remember, Orion. Otherwise, if the Chamber of Commerce were overrun with fortune tellers, I wouldn't know how to face those heroic souls when I meet them in the afterlife."His words rendered Orion speechless and left Lily visibly embarrassed. After all, what kind of business association would
Orion's head nearly exploded with rage at Aria's actions. Who did she think she was? This young woman had too many tricks up her sleeve!Clyde smiled dotingly. "You don't have to say these things to flatter me, Aria. I've always respected Warren's straightforward way of doing business. Besides, when the late Mr. Barron was around, he taught me a great deal. So, don't worry. In Janovin, you have your Grandfather Warren. In Ludwiten, you have me."Clyde's seemingly lighthearted words sent a ripple through the room. Orion's face darkened, and even an inconspicuous man in the crowd furrowed his brows. As for those hoping to profit from the situation, their expressions shifted instantly. Waymond, too, was startled by how quickly Clyde had changed his stance—especially after everything he had suffered over the years. But Clyde remained indifferent to the reactions around him. He simply patted the back of Aria's hand. "You healed me, and now I know what to do. Like you said, my illne
As expected, everyone's expression shifted the moment the grandfather and granddaughter interacted. This was especially true for those who had long maintained partnerships with the Grisham family.For years, they had secretly fueled discord between the Grishams and Carvers, manipulating events to serve their own interests. Some had exaggerated conflicts, while others had deliberately concealed crucial matters. If the two families reconciled, all their schemes would inevitably come to light. The Grisham family's wrath would be unavoidable—especially once they learned the truth about Fiona's ordeal. Their alliance with Orion was built on lies to Owen and a fabricated account of Fiona's incident. Sienna had heard of Aria's disappearance and, knowing how distressed Fiona would be, had gone searching for her. In truth, Fiona had regained her sanity when she was with Owen and had wanted to reunite with Sienna. But Owen had blocked every attempt. Blinded by greed, Orion's allies
Orion was practically mocking Aria for her inexperience in doing business. After all, Aria had no foundation in Ludwiten, which focused on stock evaluation and public offerings. In this context, she was undeniably a novice. The key to success here was securing as many investments as possible. Orion had only established his foothold in the Chamber of Commerce because of his success in doing so. He cast a glance behind him and said, "Great power comes with greater responsibility. It's fine, Aria. You can take your time to learn."By now, Waymond and Clyde surely understood his message. The Grisham family still had to protect the companies that depended on them for survival.If the Grishams decided to cut off certain projects, those companies would lose funding and collapse. Orion had the capital advantage—he could drag any competitor into a price war. While he could withstand the losses, could those companies do the same? Most of them relied on exports, making Orion their linchp
Orion glanced at Rex. "Waymond, why are you getting so worked up? These people are simply ignorant. I'll teach them a lesson once the meeting is over."His wording was deliberate—if Waymond kept pressing the issue, he'd come across as nitpicky. Orion then shifted his gaze. "As for Ms. Kent, they may have been connected in the past, but it's not our place to comment." Lily nodded, looking as though she was holding herself back. Maintaining his role as the peacemaker, Orion turned to Aria. "Ms. Carver, you should mind your manners. Everyone here is your elder. "I understand you think highly of the Carver family. In Janovin, they're unmatched, but things are different here. Besides, Ms. Kent is a distinguished guest whom I personally invited, and she's also a potential member of the Chamber of Commerce. "Take my advice and stop causing trouble. Mr. Grisham Senior may have shielded you once, but he might not be able to do so again. Don't put your uncle in a difficult positi
They were livid at Aria's sheer audacity. Never had they encountered someone as arrogant as her. Rex couldn't hold back any longer. "I think you need someone to teach you some manners!"Before Clyde could react, Waymond stepped in front of Aria, blocking her from view. Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked down at Rex with an oppressive gaze. "Oh? And what exactly are you going to do about that? Teach me a lesson too?" His voice was cold as he continued. "I finally see how you all perceive the Grisham family. If that's the case, then there's no need for further business. From this moment forward, all procurement contracts between the Grisham family and the Everett and Quispe families are canceled. As for the rest, their contracts will not be renewed once they expire." Only now did they realize who they had been looking down on. Aria wasn't just affiliated with the Carver family—she was the biological niece of the Grisham family, a connection far deeper than Owen's. Regret wash
Lily clenched her fists. If she hadn't dodged in time, the silver needle would have left a scar on her face. Aria wanted her dead.Ever since she arrived at Ludwiten, Lily had been revered. Yet, Aria still treated her like this. Her gaze flickered as she reached up, covering her face. "Aria, I know you don't want to hear this, but the Grisham family has a right to know your birth chart reading." Aria tucked her silver needle away nonchalantly. "Do you know why I've spared you until now? How dare you call me your sister? You might fool a few idiots with your little tricks but don't try them on me. Next time, I won't be so nice."Knowing Aria was serious, Lily immediately backed away. She knew Aria would have killed her if not for Georgina.But indignation burned in Lily's chest. She was the one who could foresee the future—so why did she still pale in comparison to Aria? She bit her lip and shifted her gaze. The wealthy patrons who had profited from her investment tips immed
Orion didn't understand martial arts or what the staff were thinking, but he knew one thing for certain—this ignorant young woman was doomed. The Royal Hotel had upheld the same rules for years. The first floor was reserved for auctions, the second floor was strictly off-limits, and anyone who caused a disturbance would be thrown out. Only a select few were ever allowed onto the second floor. Rumors claimed that Barron had once watched a performance from an elevated seat alongside a young man—allegedly the true owner of the Royal Hotel. But no one could confirm this, and Orion found it hard to believe that a young man could have built such a powerful establishment. If he truly existed, where was his heir? Why were there no records of him? Orion's gaze darkened as he glared at Aria. He was determined to prevent the Carver family from making a comeback—no matter what it took. If he couldn't stop Aria himself, he would let the Royal Hotel handle it. After all, she had not onl