As Dorothy's feet left the ground, she was so scared that her face went pale. Sam was about to put force behind his grip when Aria said, "Toss the stuff, not her."Dorothy was so shocked that her mind went blank. She slumped onto the ground, her limbs as cold as ice.Sarah knew that Sam was quite strong, but she'd never seen him lose his temper. "Aria, uh…""Don't worry, Ms. Johnson," Aria said blandly. "Sam knows what he should and shouldn't do."Sam did nothing else, proving Aria right. He stood in front of the entrance, his gaze sharp. When Mindy approached him, he fanned the air in front of his nose, as if he had nothing but disdain for her. Mindy finally couldn't stand it anymore. She felt as if something were lodged in her chest. If not for Frank, she wouldn't have come here. "I have no idea why you're so stubborn. We gave you all those gifts, but you refuse to take them."Aria smiled. "It doesn't look like you're giving me gifts; it feels more like an unwarranted dona
Sam was a boy of many secrets. For example, his sense of smell was abnormally sharp, and he could pick up scents that the average person could not.For him to say that Mindy smelled bad, she must've smelled like poison. Aria tapped her fingers on the tripod intermittently. She was wondering if she should tell young Mr. York that the fumes coming out of the aromatherapy diffuser in his study smelled exactly the same as Mindy Carver. She'd only thought about this question for two seconds when Georgina called for her. "Is what Ms. Johnson said true, Aria? Did Heartbound Hall blow up on the Internet?"Aria didn't need to answer that question. Their neighbors visited in throngs during the afternoon, clamoring around Georgina and asking her questions. What had happened during the livestream was still a hot topic of discussion. Joel shared Aria's post on Facebook, and someone asked, "Who is she, Mr. Hayes?"Joel answered, "She's a young friend who treats her patients with compassion an
Cyrus tried to picture a scene where all those certified powerful figures gave new streamer gifts. The mere thought of such an occurrence becoming headline news sent shivers down his spine; it was a scenario that must never, ever come to pass.Joel said quickly, "Dr. Genius said before that she won't let you pay whenever you visit her for a consultation, so you shouldn't give her any gifts. You know as well as I that she prefers to keep a low profile and doesn't want any attention."Kenneth contemplated it. "You're very thoughtful, Joel. Very well, we understand. We'll watch her live streams and won't do anything else." Cyrus was in charge of promotion, so he suggested, "Preferably with alternative accounts."Even from the other end of the call, Kenneth recognized the voice immediately. "Cyrus."Cyrus said, "Yes, sir. I'm listening."Kenneth was intimidating despite his calm voice. "When it comes to some matters, you shouldn't judge them by what you see on the surface. You shoul
Warren leaned on his walking stick for support. "Enlisting their services isn't as simple as it once was. After that incident, they're now working under the HOU.""They resurfaced three months ago," Frank whispered. "Word has it, their boss made the call, so now they're working for both the government and as a private organization."Warren's eyes gleamed. "Do it. As long as we can find Rainbow, I'm willing to pay whatever amount."This was what an old man was hoping—for his granddaughter to come home. …Aria raised a brow when she received this message. Bernard Morgan, the representative from Grand Construction Corp., was still talking. "Are we going to help them, Ms. Aria?"Aria was still in Clearwater Alley. She was wearing Bluetooth earphones. She smiled lightly. "I was just warned against doing business with the Carver family.""Hah," Bernard said, "and who might that dumbass be?"Aria spun her teacup absentmindedly. "You're the one in charge of the Dark Web Alliance now
It was obvious that Harry wasn't entirely happy with that. The reporter was dumbfounded. Everyone else seemed to find this situation awkward as well, particularly the Short family, who were also present. They'd always been the face of Southbury, and Christian had always been the focus of attention during grand occasions where outside guests were present. On the other hand, Harry told the Short family they were not as important as they thought. However, he was the second-in-command of Grand Construction Corporation, a company even the municipal authorities had to treat with respect, so the Short family could only hold their resentment in. …Sarah laughed as she watched this unfold on TV. "This man must be a powerful businessman. The head of the Short family wouldn't still be smiling otherwise."After Aria ended the call, she said in surprise, "Do you know the Short family personally, Ms. Johnson?""I don't know them that well. I'm closer to your grandma." Sarah harrumphed. "E
Aria said calmly, "He went on a business trip."Unexpectedly, Sarah came to the rescue. "I can prove that she isn't lying to you about this, Georgina. I saw him get in his car, which is super expensive, by the way. The car itself is worth six million dollars!"Aria didn't connect the dots between six million dollars and Landon's Maybach. She was currently sending a message to her overly handsome patient.The contents were simple. "I'm borrowing you for a while."Sickly Beauty: "What do you mean?"Aria: "I'll explain later."Sickly Beauty: "Sure."Only after gaining permission from the subject himself did Aria stop feeling guilty. Georgina was worried. "I didn't know he's from such a wealthy family. After getting together with him, would you be…"Aria said promptly, "He listens to me."Georgina was happy. "That's great, then!"Aria was about to sigh in relief when Georgina said, "Why do I feel like something's wrong here? The two of you have known each other only briefly, ri
Aria smiled. "Grandma was asking what you wanted for dinner. She'll make them for you for when you come back."Landon noticed how Aria was acting differently from usual. "Grandma?"Aria's gaze didn't waver as she said, "She's beside me right now."Georgina felt embarrassed after she was mentioned. She muttered, touching her nose, "I was worried that you were lying to me." Aria smiled. "Do you believe me now?"Georgina nodded, her eyes filled with happiness. There was word on the streets about how Landon was the smartest member of the York family. That was true, seeing as how Landon smiled after hearing Georgina's words. "What did she lie to you about, Grandma?"He didn't call Georgina Ms. Harris, but instead went with what Aria called her. That took Georgina by surprise. "I was overthinking things. Aria told me the two of you are in a relationship, but I didn't believe it.""In a relationship…" Landon's gaze fell on Aria's beautiful face as he enunciated the words slowly. I
Landon seemed to have picked up on what was on Solo's mind. While fiddling with his rosary bracelet, he said, "Have those gowns made and delivered to Clearwater Alley.""Oh! You're buying them for Dr. Genius!" Solo thought it was fine, as nothing was special with that. After all, Landon and Aria were good friends, with a deep and enduring bond between them. However, Landon added, "Leave a note saying this is from her boyfriend.""What?" Solo almost sank to his knees on the floor. Landon said coolly and casually, "How are you supposed to spy for Grandpa when you cannot even handle such news?"Solo thought about how he would gladly give the job to whoever wanted it, as he really could not figure out Landon. …Harry was currently on a commercial street in Southbury. A group of people followed after him, talking about their projects and investments in a bid to reel this wealthy man from Janovin into investing his money. Marshall was among them, but he did not get to be seated
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