Aria's voice remained neutral. "We're not exactly friends. The Kents took me in once, and she tried to hurt me a few times back then. Let's just say we're well-acquainted." Maxwell's smile vanished, swallowing whatever he had planned to say next. "Don't worry." Aria's smile held hidden meaning. "I'm just curious how someone with mediocre medical skills suddenly became known as a genius doctor." Maxwell understood now. "But she is skilled. She cured my wife's illness." "Did she?" Aria probed further into the topic. From Maxwell's account, she pieced together the situation. Lily could indeed perform acupuncture, though with inconsistent results. Aria had not visited the mansion recently. Still, she doubted Lily's techniques came from Georgina. Moreover, according to Maxwell, Lily had once said, "The Wagners and Furlers will both prosper. Rest assured, Mr. Furler Senior will be fine." Her words revealed two things. Mentioning the Furlers made sense, but why bring up the Wagner
"There's no need for us to meet anymore. I've made my decision. Yes, we won't have any collaborations with your team." After hanging up, the weight that had burdened Maxwell's shoulders for days suddenly lifted. His heart remained heavy. No one could stay unmoved by a family member's death. Yet Ashton's true nature, revealed at the end, left them all cold. Though other elite families remained unaware of the Furlers' situation, everything appeared calm on the surface. The ladies were particularly warm when seeing Aria out. The Janovin socialites who had waited to mock her now found themselves speechless. While they were still gossiping at their parties, their so-called "country bumpkin" had reached heights they could never attain. She did not need to socialize with them. With one move, she had brought the Lawrence family to their knees. Moreover, the high-society wives they desperately tried to please now treated Aria with so much warmth. They were practically worshipping her!
June pulled out her phone after Mark left, eager to reconnect with her social circle. When she finally got into the group chat, she tried finding a hot topic to discuss. But she realized the entire conversation revolved around ways to connect with Aria. June froze. She had to private message her friends and ask about it. "What's going on here? Aria Carver is much younger than us—should we really be giving her so much attention? When Clare came back from Aralia, I didn't see everyone acting like this." Her friend caught the bitterness in her words and stopped her. "Heavens, keep these thoughts between us. Don't ever mention this in the group!" June's face reddened. "I just don't understand what's happening." "Mrs. Shobert, we've known each other long enough, so I know what you mean. As your friend of many years, let me warn you. Ms. Carver is both capable and kind. She understands the struggles of us housewives. "You better not think Clare's been overshadowed, and don't undere
The patrol guard met Mindy's gaze and gave a subtle nod. But a closer look would reveal an unmistakable respect in him for Mindy. This was not surprising since certain powers had their fingers everywhere. And the Furler incident was just one example. "Is that really what the Furlers said?" "Yes!" The visitor pushed aside the beaded curtain. Morlock wore wooden sandals, his eyes cold. "Everything was settled. Did that old fool from the Furler family decide he didn't want to extend his life?" "The arcane seems to have failed." The attendant frowned. "A Farshyan arcane seeker must have discovered it. In his condition, it would've been noticed eventually. The priests of Mount Dracotigris aren't so easily fooled." The visitor laughed. "No matter how powerful they are, they're still beneath you. Once Morwenna emerges and souls unite, our power will be limitless. Mr. Grimalkin, as you told me—Farshya's vast territory and population are both an advantage and a liability. "With so
Aria glanced at Landon, impressed. His lie was far more polished than hers would have been. His face alone made the story believable, and she noticed how he showed no signs of deception at all. He even gave her a casual glance, showing how he was totally at ease. Sure enough, Georgina believed it. "I've heard of Mr. Bond. Sam is so lucky! Tell him to study well up there. I'll visit him in a few days!" "Of course. I'll go with you later." Aria did not want to upset Georgina. With her upcoming trip to Ludwiten, Aria insisted on having a meal at the mansion. She only provided occasional guidance on the clinic's direction now. She had left daily operations to professional managers. Even when she had lost her senses, Georgina had never given up on her. Even when she had not been herself, Georgina had not abandoned her. Aria knew the Kent family wouldn't change, especially Marshall, with his greed. She just wanted to ensure Georgina's twilight years weren't spent worrying about unw
No one really knew how pitiful Sam had been back then. Nobody would have connected that filthy, weak, and skinny child to Chaos. Even now, only the skillful arcane seekers could recognize Sam as Chaos. That's because he had not fully awakened yet. Besides, his round, childish face showed no hint of threat. When Georgina first found him, it was raining. He looked less like a child and more like a stray cat, huddled miserably in a corner. He did seem fierce since he was watching everyone with dark, suspicious eyes. Some even suspected he was mentally ill and called the police. The police confirmed he was an orphan, with no records in any database. They planned to handle it as a case of missing a child since no orphanage would take him. Sam hadn't always been like this. He appeared quite dangerous and could not speak a word. He would stare people down intensely, so it was understandable that people would be afraid of him. He even bit the police officer who tried to take him. If
"Seeing Aria like this brings me so much joy." Georgina set down her fan and took a pill, her breathing gradually steadying. Landon observed her condition without surprise. He certainly saw more than Aria did. But fate's secrets were not meant to be revealed; everyone had their own path. All he could do was ask, "Should we tell her about your condition?" "And have her worrying about me while handling everything else?" As she spoke, Georgina waved dismissively. "Managing the Carver Group means there are countless employees depending on her. "Last time I saw her, she was falling asleep sitting up. She already worries too much about me, and I know why. It's because of my granddaughter Lily." Georgina lowered her gaze, smiling. "You know the situation with the Kents. I couldn't survive in Southbury then with everyone pointing fingers and calling me a wicked mother-in-law. They said I had blood on my hands. "But Aria stood by me without judgment. Only then could I come to Janovi
"Christian was your whole world back then, so it wasn't strange you wanted to give him gifts." Though Georgina preferred not to mention him, this particular item must have been precious for Aria to consider giving it away. After explaining, her mood lightened. "I'm glad you realized what you wanted and didn't let the Kent family engagement bind you. I planned to give this to you on your first day of university since that's what the priest requested. But I feel now's the right time." Georgina had wanted to mention this during their last meeting. But Aria had looked so exhausted then, so she'd wanted to let Aria rest. By morning, Aria had already left. With Aria's upcoming trip to Ludwiten and not knowing when they would meet again, Georgina's main concern was returning these items. Aria was really curious about what they might be. Since Georgina said it was left by the old priest who used to visit her, Aria was sure it was from Tobias. She never knew he had left anything for her
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