The deeper one ventured into the Royal Hotel, the more they realized its vastness.The hotel had three floors, its decor untouched by time, preserving the elegance of the war period. Rather than modern designs, it retained a vintage charm—even the waitresses dressed in traditional gowns, adding to its old-world allure. Beyond the grand banquet hall lay the renowned Moonlight Tower—the very heart of the establishment. At its center stood a 16-foot-high stage, where only the finest operas were performed. Even the waiters pouring wine might double as performers. This was what set the Royal Hotel apart. Items auctioned onstage were introduced by experts, and transactions at the bidding tables often exceeded billions. Once upon a time, the Royal Hotel was the secret ground where foreign dignitaries and royal attendants conducted discreet dealings. Strict formal attire was required for all who stepped inside. To the common folk, the Royal Hotel remained an enigma. They only knew
A young woman in a gown fanned herself, momentarily stunned by her boss' reaction. She raised an eyebrow. "Boss, what happened? Did you get killed again? Or did someone steal your treasure?"She had worked with him for years, yet this was the first time she had ever seen him so unsettled. He was always indifferent—unbothered by the Chamber of Commerce holding a meeting in their hotel. To him, the game he was playing was far more exciting than watching political maneuvering. No one would expect the owner of the Royal Hotel to have such a childish hobby, but she had long figured that he was simply too lazy to engage with people. Any prestigious family in Ludwiten would seize the chance to establish a connection with him, yet none dared to approach. His presence alone was enough to intimidate. He exuded an effortless allure, dressed in an immaculate suit with a sleek watch on his wrist. His dark hair framed a gaze that seemed to pull people in. And yet, she couldn't shake the
Aria wondered if it had something to do with her past life or Barron. But since she couldn't figure it out, she decided to move forward. She tucked the ring away and stepped into the central room. Meanwhile, guests had slowly filled the theater. On stage, a performer sang under the glow of the spotlight. According to Orion's calculations, there was no way Aria would make it to the meeting on time. This session of the Chamber of Commerce had drawn a noticeably larger crowd of foreign investors. They sat watching the performance with evident excitement. Seated to the left of the stage, Clyde observed the attendees' expressions. A wave of frustration washed over him. The Chamber of Commerce had become nothing more than a tool to curry favor with outsiders. He raised his hand as if to take action, but then he let it fall, resignation settling in. The divide between the Grisham and Draycott families was clear. The families aligned with the Grishams were tied to fading industri
Everyone's first thought was the same—who was she, and why was she up there? Did she even have the right to sit in that seat?The moment Aria appeared, the performers on stage stopped playing. Even the waiters pouring coffee paused, their hands halting mid-motion as an odd expression crossed their faces. They were all equipped with Bluetooth earpieces. When they saw Aria, they exchanged glances, silently wondering whether they should intervene. Just then, Lily spoke first. "My dear sister, do you know where you are? You can't just sit there. Come down now."Sister? The person was Lily's sister?Some were bewildered, while others immediately recognized Aria. But how could Aria be Lily's sister? She was the daughter of the Carver family! Nobody dared to voice their thoughts, yet the question lingered—did the Grisham family not recognize Aria? For years, the Grishams had deliberately avoided mentioning the Carver family. However, a few of Aria's aunts had secretly seen her
Aria had grown into a woman far more beautiful and confident than anyone had expected. She was exactly the kind of person who would infuriate Orion by flaunting her sports cars. Yet, Waymond was more intrigued by something else—why had Clyde called her Dr. Genius?At that moment, realization dawned on Clyde as well. His lips trembled slightly as he glanced at Aria. Thinking back to the medical advice she had given at the Grisham residence, he finally understood the reasoning behind it. He wasn't sure whether to be impressed by her intelligence or wary of her cunning. But no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't bring himself to be angry. His gaze darkened. Aria was just as likable as she had been when she was still a baby. He wanted to step forward, to take a closer look at her. But the weight of their long-standing conflict and the misunderstanding from the yesteryears held him back. Aria, however, had always been adored by the elderly. If she could understand the stubborn
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
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
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
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