Despite the earlier commotion, Aria noticed that Clyde had not moved a muscle. Now, sitting beside him, she could see the complex emotions on his face. "In the past, the Chamber of Commerce united during economic hardships to fight for our place in the international market. But they're actually relying on a foreigner now. How ironic." "Dad." Waymond tried to console him. Clyde looked up. "It's fine. We can't blame them; businessmen care about profits more than anything else. No one wants their company going bankrupt when they have so many mouths to feed." He did not blame those who left their seats. Everyone needed to survive. But was this still the same Chamber of Commerce they once knew? Understanding Clyde's thoughts, Aria turned her attention back to Alaric. So this was the man who had feelings for her mother, Fiona? He was certainly handsome and looked quite young, though unapproachable. If what he said was true about supporting her side, she might need to reconsider h
Bruce's words drew everyone's attention to Aria, a clever move that clearly showed his loyalty to both Orion and the Sloane family. Earlier, many had been wary about the potential reunion of the Grisham and Carver families, so they were hesitant to pick sides. By speaking up now, Bruce was clearly signaling his allegiance to Orion while proving his loyalty to Alaric. As expected, Orion smirked, though he pretended to be fair. "Mr. Wade, that's going too far. We need to give young people a chance to prove themselves. Aria isn't just riding on family connections. Hasn't the Carver Group been doing well under her management?" "Mr. Draycott, we all know how the Carver Group was really revived." Bruce hesitated before continuing, "I won't be partnering with Ms. Carver. Let's see if anyone else here is interested." This had always been a contentious topic. After all, Aria was just a young woman recently brought back from a small town. How could someone like her possibly revive a stru
Why did Priscilla look so much like Aria's mother, Fiona? Aria's eyes narrowed dangerously as she observed Priscilla's mismatched features. Her finger tapped lightly on her phone—a telltale sign of her anger. As a medical student, she knew human anatomy inside and out. While Priscilla was beautiful, her smile was not natural. These were not her original features; they had been altered. This reminded Aria of the suicide case at the club. All those young women who had promoted the venue on Instagram had gotten plastic surgery. What stood out was that they had all gone to Priscilla's medispa. Aria hadn't connected these dots before, and even now, the thoughts merely flickered through her mind. She continued studying the newcomer as she raised an eyebrow. It was not just the features—Priscilla even mimicked Fiona's way of speaking. The Draycott family's intentions were truly sinister. Not only was Orion ruthlessly devouring their own kind in business and trying to replace Waymo
In the past, Priscilla's behavior might have softened Clyde's heart. After all, who wanted to believe that a child they watched grow up could become so unfamiliar? But after his illness and seeing his family at a disadvantage, everything became clear. Besides, Aria had exposed the Draycott family's spies within the Grisham household. How could Clyde still be soft-hearted? He looked away and ignored her, then spoke only to Aria, "After this test is over, I'll go with you to see your mother." The misunderstandings needed to be cleared up. He really wanted to see his daughter now and properly ask what had happened back then. Aria smiled brightly at this. "Sure thing, I'll hurry up then." Fiona's absence was likely due to the Draycott family blocking her entry. Aria wasn't worried about this. In fact, Fiona's absence from this gathering was better, allowing her to figure out Alaric's true nature. Despite her long involvement with the Grisham family, this was the first time Pris
The surrounding whispers shattered Priscilla's proud façade as her face flushed. It was true that Alaric had not cared about anyone during their school days, but how could he claim not to know her? She had even asked Fiona to deliver her love letter to him. Another reason she hated Fiona was precisely because she had refused to help, saying confessions were better done in person. She even suggested sleeping with him back then, knowing he was a playboy. She was just hoping to become his girlfriend, but he had never acknowledged her existence. Priscilla thought that after all these years, he couldn't possibly forget her after her huge transformation. How could he deny knowing her in front of everyone? When Priscilla was on the verge of losing control, Orion felt nothing but embarrassment. He pushed her aside. "Priscilla, this is a Chamber meeting. Handle personal matters privately." Didn't she realize that Alaric's single statement had already made their allies question how clo
"You... you!" Priscilla was furious. Her already mismatched features were now contorted with fury, devoid of any beauty. Someone in the crowd let out a snicker after hearing Aria's words. Everyone turned to see it was a Royal Hotel server. He coughed, covering his mouth. "Sorry." But he seemed unable to contain his laughter. The Chamber members felt secondhand embarrassment for Priscilla. What started as whispers had turned to pin-drop silence. The silence only made Priscilla seem even more ridiculous. It was obvious to Orion that Priscilla was totally humiliating him. "Take Ms. Draycott downstairs," he growled at his assistant. Priscilla stared at him in disbelief. "Orion, I'm a Chamber member too. You can't..." "Take her down!" Keeping her here would only embarrass the entire Draycott family. The assistant didn't hesitate as he moved to escort her out. Priscilla refused to leave, shouting, "Orion! Have you lost your mind? Why would you attack me instead of that woman?
Priscilla's fate left everyone shaken. She had undoubtedly become the Chamber's laughingstock. Businessmen were never fools. It was clear Priscilla had lied about her connection to the Sloane family. What about Orion? Would Alaric really back him financially? While everyone speculated, the aloof man suddenly spoke to Aria. His attitude was unreadable as his deep green eyes settled on her. "What did you want to discuss?" Instantly, the crowd erupted in whispers. Orion's face turned as withered as autumn leaves. He stood frozen and could not speak a word. Alaric's status in the business world left him powerless. Aria now showed perfect manners. "May we speak privately?" Alaric signaled his bodyguard, and the foreign-looking man with an earpiece cleared a path. "You don't have much time left." Alaric was referring to the auction items. Aria was unbothered. "Then I'll be brief." A wall of people separated them from the others. No one could hear their conversation. As Or
At that moment, Alaric realized Aria knew something—especially about his feelings. As he stopped hiding it, his gaze settled back on her. "I did something that upset your mother. She probably sees me as some scoundrel who takes what he wants and ruins families." "To be frank, even if my mother hadn't gotten divorced, you wouldn't have given up on her, right?" Aria said, then added, "You're way better than that good-for-nothing father of mine." Those words restored Alaric's confidence. "Really?" "Of course. You're much more handsome than he is. Richer too, I bet." Aria counted off on her fingers. "Most importantly, you actually care about my mother." Alaric didn't deny it. His voice grew serious. "So, are you here to tell me you'll help me pursue your mother?" Before Aria could speak, he continued, "I won't use her as part of any deal." Aria smiled. "I feel the same way, Alaric. My mother shouldn't be used as a bargaining chip." Good, so Alaric truly loved Fiona to his c
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