The elderly residents in the neighborhood had just returned from their morning walk when they saw Aria standing in front of the clinic, tinkering with something.Someone asked, "What are you doing here, Aria?"Aria stifled a yawn before answering, "Live streaming."Live streaming? All the neighbors found this fascinating. Live streaming was a novelty to them, despite their frequent browsing of TikTok and Instagram. They gathered around Aria, eager to see how she would livestream. Aria didn't stop them. She'd chosen Shark, one of the most popular live streaming platforms. Aria knew these platforms often supported fresh faces, offering promotional boosts to new accounts. As long as she went live at a specific time, the platform would showcase her stream for three minutes, guaranteeing at least a hundred viewers.Aria had studied the platform's policies the previous day. After the initial hour, the promotion would likely increase, drawing in even more viewers.However, it was up
The chat exploded. "Are you sure you really can hold consultations like that?""She's a liar. Don't believe in her, everyone!""She's the fake daughter of the Kent family, and she's trying to scam people here because she can't earn money elsewhere. Disgusting!"The comments were getting progressively worse, but Aria didn't reply to them. Instead, she opened the medical book she was holding and started to read. The promotion time limit was almost up, but Aria remained unaffected. The more aggressive the comments were, the more people joined the stream and the more support given by the streaming platform. This in turn increased the number of viewers.100 people joined, then 200, until the viewer count was about to surpass 2,000. At that moment, the stream with the name "Heartbound Hall" became the most popular one among all new accounts, even showing up in the Hot Trending List.Although the number of viewers increased, there were also some viewers who didn't know Aria. Desp
Eric hesitated. He turned on his mic and asked, "How did you know that my upper abdomen is hurting all the time?""Holy shit! The streamer really guessed the symptoms correctly!""I gotta follow her now. That was miraculous!"Aria drummed her fingers on the table from time to time and said without much inflection in her voice, "We learned the four diagnosis methods at school, didn't we? It's obvious just by looking at you."Eric said hesitantly, "Then my illness…"Aria said professionally, "It's not stomach cancer, but I suggest that you get it treated as soon as possible. Also, eat takeout food less often and consume foods that are easier to digest, such as soup and oatmeal. Don't jeopardize your health just for the sake of your studies."The viewers had been waiting for Aria to make a fool of herself, but they were all surprised now.Eric's friends asked, "What's going on with you, Eric? Is what she said true? Are you really sick?"Eric didn't reply. He'd asked his roommates
Aria acted swiftly, promptly blurring the little girl's face while addressing the viewers. "I hope everyone can respect the privacy of others, especially that of a child."TinasMom: "Don't worry. We won't take any screenshots."LoveDancing: "Yes. You should ask the little girl what happened to her."Everyone had a bad premonition. Aria didn't ask any more questions, though. She said while reading the comments, "I'll contact this patient privately, so please wait for a while."In order to protect the patient's privacy, Aria turned her mic off. Even so, the number of viewers was still increasing rapidly. From 10,000 viewers, the number increased to 60,000 viewers, and it didn't stop there. There was no sound in the live feed now, but the viewers didn't leave. Aria contacted the little girl via DM. "When did you start feeling pain? What happened before that? Do you still remember?"As if recalling old memories, the little girl said, "Uncle Ryan bought me toys last night befor
Aria met Faith's gaze. "I suggest that you take Hope to the bathroom first. Don't let her take a shower. We'll talk after that."Faith's eyes widened in shock. Her hands were shaking as she held Hope in her arms. One minute later, she reemerged in front of the camera, her eyes red. She didn't cry, though. Faith was trying her utmost to rein in her emotions."Hope, go do your jigsaw puzzle there, okay? Mommy needs to talk to her." As Faith coaxed Hope, she tried to smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Aria offered her opinion. "I think it's better if Hope stays here with us. She's more sensitive than the average child. You'll have to do a lot of things next, and she'll feel more anxious if you shy away from her while dealing with the procedures."Faith looked at Hope. Hope raised her hand to wipe at her mother's face. She said, "I wanna stay, Mommy."Faith held Hope tightly as tears flowed down her face. "I'm sorry, Hope."Hope looked lost. Aria said, "I shouldn't need
"Heartbound Hall? Got it!" Faith ended the call hurriedly. She then muttered to herself, "Report this to the police first, and then extract proof…"As time passed, some viewers in the stream became antsy."Can someone tell us what's going on here?""Is the streamer not here? What's going on?""This streamer's so cool. So many people are in this stream despite her absence, and the stream is third on the Super Hot Trending List now!"As the stream continued to gain popularity, the moderator grew increasingly anxious. The platform had strict regulations in place, including a warning system that would disable a streamer's account after 20 minutes of inactivity.With the streamer absent for an extended period, anxiety spread among the viewers; they wondered why she was not back yet.Only after dealing with everything did Aria notice that she had received two system notifications. "The system has determined that this is a fraudulent account. A warning is issued.""Please return to
The young boy on the screen paused briefly before sniffing in disdain. Behind him was a massive study that made the wealth of TheHandsomeMrLowe clear to everyone watching.GrandeinSouthbury: "Oh… He's so cute, and his skin is so pale!"WannaDate: "Look at me! Please, young master!"Aria recognized the face on the screen. She said blandly, "Aren't you Cameron Lowe, the third son of the Lowe family?"HappyLife: "She doesn't seem that enthused. Has he misunderstood her?"Cameron sneered. "Yes, it's me. Let me tell you something here, Aria. You should stop wasting your energy. You're inferior compared to Lily. Not only would you fail to marry into the Short family, but you'd also never marry into my family. You're not worthy of that!""Oh, okay." Aria's reply sounded way too perfunctory. Cameron opened his mouth, his face reddening. "You better heed your promise, or else…"Aria didn't bother talking to him. "Where's your brother?"Cameron yelled loudly at someone behind him. As i
Before Aria could reply, the comments erupted into laughter. NewbieMochi: "Yes, Grandpa Lowe, all of us can see you!"Immersed: "This stream is amazing! LMAO. This is absolutely hilarious!"LikeYouLots: "I just saw the principal on the screen. What the heck?"GettingAJob: "He's not just a principal, is he? He's a very famous doctor too!"ForgetaboutLove: "A famous doctor?"GettingAJob: "He's the head of the neurology department in the First Affiliated Hospital. He's a really famous professional. You guys can look his name up."GonnaGetRich: "I just looked him up, and wow, he's amazing! So many people have registered for an appointment with him that you can only book one in the next year!"LikeYouLots: "You guys know what I'm feeling now, right?"Handsome: "Didn't you say that the streamer was a quack doctor? Even your principal said that she's a prodigy!"LikeYouLots: "That's why I'm completely convinced now." The viewers who had tuned into the stream initially perceived h
Chaos erupted at the auction. For all their pride and arrogance, the wealthy clients' expressions had twisted into pure panic the moment something went wrong.So, their first reaction was to seek a staff member."The power's unstable!" Dave spoke into the microphone, trying to project calm. "Everyone, stay calm. There's scheduled maintenance in town—it's just affecting the electricity. Nothing's wrong."He genuinely believed that. It was what he'd been told.But Aria knew better. The blackout wasn't random. It was a signal. Sam had tracked down the source of the call. With the exits sealed off, Aria had everything she needed to act.A faint smirk curled on her lips. Without hesitation, she grabbed Landon and swiftly took Aliya hostage. Her movements were sharp, practiced, so fast that no one around her even had time to react.Then came the needles.Aria flicked her wrist, sending a series of acupuncture needles flying. The rich guests closest to her froze in place, locked in stu
Tony's accusation stirred a ripple through the room, and it didn't escape Dave's attention. With a subtle flick of his wrist, he signaled to someone nearby.Aria caught the movement. Her fingers tensed, ready to slip free of the rope she had already loosened. But before she could act, she heard a smooth, composed voice glide through the air."I need her to boost my luck," the man said coolly. "I've done my research. She's the ideal bride for someone like me."Dave stopped in his tracks, and it seemed like he was telling someone else to verify what Landon had said."Sir, it checks out," one of the staff murmured after a brief consultation. "Mr. Crow's fate is complicated. The master said only a spiritual match could extend his life. Otherwise, he won't make it past his next birthday."Dave let out a low chuckle, visibly relaxing. "Well then, Mr. Crow, it seems you've come to the right place. Please—carry on, everyone."Aria listened in stunned silence. Landon hadn't lied. His life
Aria couldn't tear her eyes away from Dave.He was still quietly speaking to the man on the screen, their exchange shrouded in secrecy. No one nearby could hear what they were saying—but Aria could guess. It had to be a deal of some sort, something about her. Everything about Dave's posture, the glint in his eyes, told her this wasn't just business. It was personal.She glanced up at the clock again, nerves coiling in her chest. Something was wrong. Sam was taking longer than usual. That wasn't like him.The auction was nearing its close. They couldn't miss the chance to strike. Sasha, glowing with excitement, clapped her hands and declared, "Six million! It looks like no one else is bidding—congratulations to our newest member, Mr. Tiger—""Ten million dollars."The voice sliced clean through the noise, calm, clear, and cold.Everyone turned toward it.A man stood at the edge of the crowd, dressed in a sleek tuxedo dusted with black feathers, his mask intricate and dark.T
Aria had once told Sam to avoid chaos if he could—but she'd also said that when desperation knocked, rules could bend.Now was one of those moments.Sam hesitated only briefly before diving in.He had to know who was behind this. Who kept targeting Aria? Who was pulling the strings in the dark? And once Sam decided on something, there was no turning back.Without Aria by his side, he breached the system, knowing full well the other side had already alerted the police.The firewall he faced wasn't just tough—it was nearly impenetrable. It filtered everything, controlling access with surgical precision. But Sam wasn't interested in the broader network. He narrowed his focus and cut straight to the source, filtering out all the noise to lock onto the actual IP.The auction raged on aboveground. The man behind the screen, confident in his usual routine, remained calm and unaware that the mask he'd worn for years was finally slipping. He'd always stayed out of sight, appearing only
While Aria discreetly signaled to move, the auction hall was buzzing with excitement. Laughter echoed, wine glasses clinked, and the room pulsed with greed.Sasha's voice came through the mic, smooth and cheerful. "While everyone's enjoying themselves, let's welcome our latest arrival of the evening."She glanced at the man beside her—her bodyguard—who immediately stiffened under her gaze.To the crowd, it looked like he was escorting Aria to the stage under control. In truth, Aria's hand was already pressed lightly against his chest, right over a poisoned pressure point. He knew better than to resist—he'd seen what she was capable of.And she'd made her warning crystal clear—if she was exposed or captured, he wouldn't live to see morning.The guests didn't notice a thing. All eyes were on Aria, their expressions hungry. They saw value in her—fresh, young, healthy. To them, she wasn't a person. She was premium merchandise.She was brought to stand beside a young woman who had alr
Eamon and Waymond had just been thrown out of the Chamber of Commerce. Waymond's face was flushed with fury, his eyes red. "Eamon, why didn't you let me speak earlier? Mr. Lincoln was being unreasonable!"Eamon, ever perceptive, shook his head. "Mr. Lincoln's been bribed. He was never going to take our side."Wise and strategic, Eamon had always been top of his class—but now, he was even sharper when it came to reading a room."I'm guessing Aria found something during her investigation that made them nervous," he continued. "Durand couldn't have controlled Lincoln on his own. There's more to it."Waymond frowned, still struggling to piece things together. "But who could bribe Mr. Lincoln? Not even the mayor has that kind of sway. He's—""What if it's someone from the state?" Eamon cut in, eyes flicking back toward the building. "We need to tell Dad. There's no point in staying here, but there is someone we can talk to.""Who?" Waymond asked quickly. "Lucas Murray—the new secr
Durand's expression darkened; Eamon was right. Amos and the official from the state had originally wanted to work with the Grishams, especially Eamon. That was why they used the Fitzroys as a bridge to approach him. Unfortunately, Magdalene had failed to establish any rapport with the Grishams.Instead, she kept criticizing Eamon, claiming he followed Laura's every word, and insisted they had plenty of ways to manipulate the Grishams. In the end, the divorce erupted into a scandal, and the entire Fitzroy family was imprisoned.Ironically, Eamon's actions only impressed the state official more. Durand had even heard Amos say that their leader hoped Eamon would continue working with them as his involvement would ensure their plans progressed smoothly.That knowledge burned Durand with frustration. No matter what he did, he could never measure up to Eamon."It looks like you still haven't grasped the situation, Mr. Grishman. Mr. Grisham Senior has begged everyone, but where did it le
"I'm happy to take over the Grishams' responsibilities," Durand said.Waymond scoffed coldly. "You're not worthy of it.""Mr. Lincoln, it seems someone's not too happy with you."Durand, dressed like a gentleman as always, adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "Waymond, you've been in this business long enough to know how things work. The Grishams have gained a lot over the years. It's not up to you to decide whether to hold on to it."Leonardo stood, trying to ease the tension. "There's no point in arguing. Let's settle this the traditional way—with an anonymous vote. Everyone, write down whether you think the Grishams should step down. Let the vote speak for itself. That way, it'll be fair."He instructed someone to bring in a box, paper, and pens. Each member was handed a set. It was more for show than anything else; everyone already knew how the vote would go.Eamon saw right through their performance, his gaze turning cold as he sat silently. The votes were quickly cast an
"Mr. Grisham, how long your niece stays locked up isn't up to us—it depends on the severity of her crime," Durand said. "As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you should understand how serious the situation she's stirred up really is. Haven't you read any of the online news?"People are now hoping the Grisham family goes bankrupt. They're even demanding that we, the Chamber, investigate this matter ourselves!"His words made those who had previously wanted to side with the Grishams start to hesitate. With the Draycotts and Fitzroys already doomed, the Grishams had seemed like the next best option. But no one had expected Aria to make such a critical mistake.Public sentiment had turned sharply. The Chamber of Commerce was now being blamed for enabling an economic disaster. What angered the public most was Aria's carefully crafted image. If she'd shown her true colors from the start, they might have ignored her. But pretending to be righteous, only to betray the common people—that w