Aria noticed Landon's gaze and raised an eyebrow at him. She then slid her fries across the table over to him. "Here, they're nice and crispy. But you shouldn't eat too many," she reminded him with a serious face, referring to his doctor's orders. Looking at her fries, Landon felt like laughing. Did she think that was what he had been thinking about? Some habits of hers never changed no matter how much time passed. Still, he preferred this over her old troublesome habits. He lowered his gaze and took a single fry, somehow managing to make even this simple act look elegant. After admiring his graceful movements, Aria's fingers flew across the keyboard as she searched for Lettie's old Instagram account. Too much time had passed, and Lettie couldn't remember her password anymore. She tried a few times but still could not log in. Without a word, Aria plugged in a USB drive and began working on cracking the password. Watching the rapid changes on the computer screen, Percy's dark
"This was your dream when you were younger, wasn't it?" Pointing at the earliest blog post, Aria read aloud, "One day, I want to write a book that people will remember. The title doesn't matter as long as it reaches across oceans, bridges cultures, and introduces Farshya to the world. "I want people to see the beauty of our country without prejudice. I hope the characters I create will be so vivid that they'll give strength to anyone who reads about them." Aria smiled. "That's pretty cool. It's just like my brother, Leon." Lettie had not heard these words in so long. After starting a family, her thoughts had shifted to balancing relationships, managing daily life, and pleasing her in-laws. On her first day as a newlywed, her mother-in-law, Amara, had immediately established dominance. She had insisted that their family was better suited to government work and she should give up any public-facing career. She pushed Lettie to become a teacher instead. Back then, Paxton was not
"I turned 41 this year. On my birthday, I cooked a full dinner. But I was secretly hoping he'd bring me a cheeseburger. Even if he didn't, I thought at least my daughter would be with me. I waited from noon until evening, then from evening until eleven at night. "I reheated the food seven or eight times. Sitting there alone, I played some comedy show on TV. I found myself laughing along without really following what was happening. I still craved that burger but worried my mother-in-law wouldn't be happy to see the take-out containers. "Still, it was my birthday, so I placed the order and chose the toppings. Something was missing from the table. I almost called the restaurant to ask if they could add a small cake. It didn't have to be anything fancy, just the kind you'd get from a convenience store. "But I worried the delivery person would find me annoying. I didn't want anyone to dislike me, especially not on a day like this." The post instantly shot to the top of the platform'
"Everything proved that I was just deluding myself. All these years without a career, I've been treated as less than everyone else. "On the surface, I should accept my fate. After all, only those who create economic value have a voice. Everyone around me says I married well and that I should be grateful for my life."I don't understand what's so good about it. I've tried to convince myself to compromise. Yes, I don't have a job, I'm ageing, and I've lost touch with society. These days, HR departments have an unspoken rule—34 years old is the cutoff age. "So where can I go? What kind of work can I do? Must I stay this way and keep being treated as inferior? Does being a stay-at-home mom really create no value? "Even hiring a live-in nanny in the city costs at least 15 thousand dollars a month. Stay-at-home moms don't just do a nanny's job. We're teachers, social coordinators and managers of everything inside and out. "Yet, we can't say a word, because if we do, it sounds like w
Lettie had always put Paxton's needs above her own, easily melting at his sweet words. But now, she dared to play him for a fool!In a fit of rage, Paxton slammed his phone, cracking the screen. He paced back and forth, his agitation palpable. "After all these years of supporting her, she's forgotten who she really is! If it weren't for me, she'd still be stuck working at her parents' grocery store. How else would she have become a rich man's wife?"Now she's even trying to trap me with her words. Hah! If she won't accept my kindness, fine! I'll divorce her right now!"Paxton angrily grabbed his things. Celestia beamed at his words. "Why waste time arguing with someone like her? She's just after the book royalties now that they're rolling in. That speech was probably the best she could come up with after racking her brain. The judge won't base a ruling on just one statement."Don't let this affect your health—you need to quit smoking and stay calm. Remember, we're planning for a
Celestia's face turned white with panic. Terrified that her photos would be screenshotted, her fingers moved faster than ever, but she couldn't keep up. She posted nearly three times a day, and now, the floodgates had opened."What do I do? What can I do?" Celestia was so anxious that she pulled at her hair. "Private account! I'll set it to private right now!" But it was too late. People were already taking screenshots and screen recordings, and within a minute, comments flooded Paxton's page. "I knew I recognized this homewrecker—I've seen her content!" "You've seen her content? What do you mean?" "She's a fashion influencer! She does street style and promotes clothes, bags, and beauty products! Her handle is @CelestiaNorwood." "No way! Didn't she just preach about women's independence and not relying on men? How the tables have turned!" "Wow! Her private account shows quite a different life!" "This can't be true. No influencer would date such an old guy." "Honey, tha
In that moment, Paxton felt real fear. His throat became too tight to speak. Kaiden's voice hardened, "I don't care how you do it, but contain this matter. Your personal drama is causing too much negative publicity. You can forget about that promotion. As for Mr. Hendricks Senior, you can explain this to him yourself." Kaiden did not want to get involved, but Don was once his mentor, guiding him when he needed it most. It was through family connection that Paxton's career had advanced so smoothly. His mind was in chaos now. The higher he climbed, the harder he would fall. "I'll explain everything. Don't worry! I'll apologize to my wife right away!" Hearing this, Celestia exploded. "Apologize? What about me?" Her shout drew stares across the hotel lobby. Terrified of attracting more attention, Paxton covered her mouth. "Please, keep your voice down!" Kaiden heard the commotion too. "Who's with you? Where are you now?" "I..." Paxton tried to lie. But Kaiden did not want t
Then, Celestia could immediately post a video claiming she never knew he was married when they met. That would be the best way to shift the narrative. Paxton thought about it and said, "Fine, I'll go sweet-talk her." They needed to reconcile, or the book "Voices" would no longer be his. He could lose his job, but not that book.Nobody in Farshya knew how much money it was making overseas. It had earned 50 million in annual royalties, and film studios were already showing interest. He would never give up this book! Paxton lowered his gaze. "I'll bring Daisy along. Lettie can't stand seeing our daughter suffer, so she'll back down for her sake." But this time, Paxton's calculations would surely prove wrong. Celestia stood up. "I'm coming too. I'll wait outside." She could not stay here anyway. Paxton frowned. "Don't let her see you." "I'm not stupid. I'll take photos of you two making up and post them online. That will make it credible." Celestia knew her game. "Remember, d
Amos was too stunned to react. One side of his face throbbed with pain, and fish oil clung to his hair, glistening from the dish he had been slammed into.He had always eaten fish a particular way—only one side. No matter how expensive the fish, he refused to flip it over, believing that leaving it untouched brought good fortune.But today, that superstition had been smashed—along with his pride. Pinned to the table, Amos hadn't even found the time to get angry. Confusion flickered in his eyes as he struggled to rise.Then Lucas spoke, his words crashing down like a stone wall."Amos Lune, you conspired with the Draycott and Fitzroy families to crush honest entrepreneurs. You've abused your position shamelessly."Lucas didn't stop. His tone cut sharper with each sentence."We also have evidence linking you to a human organ trafficking ring in Bellebrook. You've disgraced the people who supported your rise—and the country that invested in you."Lucas had been suppressing his ange
Lucas shook his head steadily. "Not yet."Amos, still basking in the glow of his "victory", had no idea what was coming. He answered Durand's call with a smug smile. On the other end, Durand's laughter rang out loud and triumphant."Mr. Lune, you should've seen the Grisham brothers' faces! I bet they never expected to be abandoned like that!"You played it brilliantly. One quiet move, and boom—the Grisham family's out of the Chamber of Commerce. From here, it's just a slow bleed. They'll lose everything."Amos kept his tone cool. "This isn't enough. Keep pushing the online chatter. The narrative needs to focus on how their precious granddaughter cost so many investors their savings. And don't forget her carefully crafted persona—it's about to unravel."He paused, voice crisp. "Reach out to the other businessmen. Now that the Grishams can't offer any benefits, it's time for everyone to take a bite. You understand, don't you, Durand?"Durand took a moment, then replied, "Right. Got
Cormac even thought of leaving some of his influence behind after retiring. This way, he could still have some power over decisions. He thought he could remind Lucas that not just anyone could do his job well. Therefore, Cormac remained calm after receiving the note. He was already so used to handling his daughter's troubles.Cormac strode into his lounge and asked Pedro, "Is it drunk driving again? Don't you know how to handle it?""It's not drunk driving." Pedro still seemed out of it.Cormac's expression darkened. "It's not drunk driving? Was she on drugs again? I already reminded you numerous times to get someone to keep an eye on her. Which stage of the process is she at right now? Call the people from the drug-testing institution.""No. That's not it." Pedro took off his glasses and his badge.Cormac finally realized that Pedro seemed off. "What happened? Just tell me. I doubt she'll kill someone. Although my daughter is troublesome, she won't do something like that. I kno
Aliya had never heard of the Special Missions Unit until today. But after seeing Pedro's panicked reaction, it didn't take long for her to realize that this was a group with more authority than even her father.Still, some people lived so long in privilege that they convinced themselves they were untouchable. Logic no longer applied to them.Aria was done entertaining Aliya's ignorance. With a flick of her wrist, she signaled someone to silence her. Then, she turned to Aliya with icy disdain."Don't worry," Aria said. "I'll take you with me when I pay your father a visit. Then we can ask him together what his name truly means in this state."Her voice was calm but sharp."You seem to have forgotten that his power—any power—comes from the people. And now, you're using that power to treat their lives like currency. To buy yourself a life of superiority."She stepped closer. "Organ trafficking is illegal here. That's the crime we've confirmed so far. But don't worry. We'll find the
When Pedro heard that it was the Special Missions Unit, his forehead was covered in sweat immediately. Even his mind had gone blank. At that moment, all he could think about was how doomed they were!Others might not have heard of the unit before. However, as a state official, there was no way Pedro wouldn't know them. In fact, the Special Missions Unit was something they had no control over.Technically, the Special Missions Unit had way more clearance than they did. After all, they were in charge of big cases. Sometimes, they would even work with the special troops.The Special Missions Unit belonged to the country, and they were extremely mysterious. Even people with high clearance wouldn't know who they were in real life.Pedro only managed to find his voice after a long time. As he wiped the sweat off his forehead, he chuckled awkwardly."Oh, this is all a misunderstanding. May I know who I am speaking to? I never expected the Special Missions Unit to be carrying out a missio
Aliya had never met Aria before, but this was the first time she'd seen a young woman more poised—and far more arrogant—than herself. That only fueled her rage. And the fact that Aria was stunningly beautiful didn't help either.Scoffing, she snapped, "Do you dare let us make our calls? Let's see if you still look so smug after that."The other wealthy attendees stiffened. None of them moved. With Aria in the room, they had the sinking feeling that calling in favors wouldn't end well.Aria merely tilted her head and smiled. "Of course," she said, then turned to her team. "Please hand this lady her phone. Let her make her call."The members of the Special Missions Unit didn't question her. They knew Aria well enough to understand what she was doing—she wanted the bigger fish. The call would be recorded, and with any luck, it would lead them straight to someone higher up the chain.Aliya was momentarily thrown off by Aria's easy agreement. But she quickly chalked it up to ignorance.
Aliya squinted at the unmasked man beside Aria. Now that his face was fully visible, something about him sparked a flicker of recognition. She lowered her gaze, trying to recall where she'd seen him before.Then a sharp gasp cut through the air."He's from the York family… Janovin's York family! Wait—was he Mr. Crow? Were they working together the whole time?"Even though they were all wealthy people, they weren't in the same ranks. No one dared to mess with the York family at all.If the circumstances were different, the arrogant, wealthy people from earlier would've tried to exchange contacts with Landon. That way, they could've partnered up in the future. However, with what had happened that day, those people were in a daze.Meanwhile, Aria knew those people still had no idea what was going on. So, she just removed her disguise and showed them who she really was.Aliya was stunned by what Aria had done. When she saw who the latter truly was, her gaze was filled with jealousy.
The wealthy clients that were left behind at the auction had connections to powerful people, and Dave didn't think Aria was capable enough to deal with every one of them. Although Farshya was well-developed, it had always been a country that focused on connections.Power meant everything, and Dave wanted to see how Aria and her team would deal with his guests. If he remembered correctly, Aliya was the daughter of a great leader in the state. She wanted a womb from a young lady because she wanted to have children.Before the clients got what they wanted, Aria had offended a lot of big shots. Dave thought about it for a second and hoped Aria would suffer as much as he did.Dave was right about one thing. Aliya wasn't anxious at all when someone infiltrated the auction and took control of the event. She was only stunned for a moment at first. Once everything had settled down, she calmed down and even looked a little proud."I suggest you talk to your leader first before deciding to cu
Dave had escaped, but just barely.He'd saved his life, nothing more. The documents he needed to destroy were still intact. Everything had gone completely off script.Every exit had been sealed. If he hadn't killed a villager and disguised himself with a spell, he would've died at the auction. He didn't receive any news about the ambush and was caught entirely off guard.He wasn't in Janovin, and security was that tight there. With his connections, he could've found out what was going to happen in advance. However, that wasn't the case at all.Slipping into a grimy back alley, Dave cursed his luck. Most of his men had been rounded up in the village. He could only hope a few had managed to slip through. But with sirens wailing in the distance, he knew hope was thin."Who the hell was that?" he muttered, wiping dirt off his face with a shaking hand. Normally a stickler for cleanliness, Dave was too rattled to care. "And where's the real Eden?"His mind snapped into action. The scho