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
Alaric's devotion to Fiona was undeniable, so it was hard to imagine why he had lived so recklessly in his youth. Fiona's misunderstanding made sense. Even ignoring his past, who would believe he could be so loyal and devoted with looks like his? Aria then recalled Owen's old schemes. In her dreams, they were crystal clear. She had not studied it closely before, but thinking back now, she suspected Fiona's marriage to the Carver family had been orchestrated. Still, if Fiona had not married into the Carver family, Aria wouldn't exist. If this truly was Fiona's regret from her youth, Aria hoped to use this opportunity to uncover the whole truth. Their conversation seemed long but lasted only three minutes. When the black-clad bodyguards stepped aside, Alaric announced, "Business battles here aren't child's play. The Sloane family has no interest in unprofitable ventures." After that, he headed back to the crowd. Standing far away, Clyde's brows furrowed with worry. And Orion
"Would all guests please return to their seats? We'll now begin the bidding." The performer on stage raised his hand. "We've placed silver dollars in the container on each table. The auction items will follow the same principle—the highest bid wins." As everyone looked down, they found out that the silver dollars were genuine. "Just this one must be worth quite a bit." "What? Do you actually dare try selling anything from the Royal Hotel?" The silver dollars were all from 1914, which meant that the treasures here must be abundant. While playing with the silver dollar, Aria suddenly became curious about the Royal Hotel's current owner. Once this was over, she planned to investigate who was running such a unique establishment and when it was built. As she pondered this, Caspian felt an inexplicable chill down his spine across the wall. "First item, starting bid one silver dollar. Interested guests may raise their paddles now." The first item was a phone holder. Aria kne
"Tell Ms. Kent to keep raising. Since Aria actually dares to wage a price war with the Draycott family, let's teach her a lesson." According to tradition, each party started at auction with only two silver dollars. More partners meant more silver dollars accumulated. In addition to the Grisham and Carver families, only six groups stood with Aria. Meanwhile, at least 16 people backed Lily. Aria was severely outnumbered in silver dollars. This was Lily's most satisfying moment all year. She glanced at Aria across the room and raised her paddle. "16 silver dollars." She believed this number would hurt Aria the most. If Aria bid, she would have only two silver dollars left, while Lily would still have 18. With five projects remaining, Aria would be finished. If Aria did not bid, each failed bid would waste two silver dollars. Lily would always have the upper hand. It was a perfect opening move. She could not wait to see how badly Aria would lose. "16 silver dollars once, 16 s
Landon's sudden appearance wasn't just a coincidence. With Aria's intelligence, she would figure something out soon—he knew that. He hadn't planned on revealing himself like this. But something that belonged to him was here, and the demonic energy in this place… Aria couldn't face it alone.She studied him from head to toe, her hand still in his. His grip was firm, protective."There's a lot of mist ahead," he said quietly. "We'll need to tread carefully."Aria tilted her head. "You speak like you know this place well.""I do," Landon replied with a calm honesty. "I was deathly ill once. My soul wandered into a place just like this. Homer pulled me back."His voice made it sound like a distant memory, and Aria gave a soft laugh, tightening her hold on his hand. "You really are full of surprises. I guess it's true—handsome men are the most dangerous."But Aria's thoughts were racing. Why had he come after her like this, knowing it would reveal parts of himself he'd tried to keep h
Landon was still handling the stragglers behind Aria when he paused, his gaze flicking upward. Cameras were mounted in every corner—too many eyes. Vanishing without a trace wasn't an option.He glanced in Aria's direction, then lowered his head. His lips moved in a whisper, but the sounds were incomprehensible—something rhythmic, otherworldly. It was less like a speech and more like a chant—an exorcism.Meanwhile, Dave descended into the underground, calm and unrushed. That place reeked of foul energy, dense and suffocating. His master had cast a spell over it—one designed to kill anyone who dared to enter, no matter their strength. Dave wasn't afraid. He had more pressing priorities—destroying documents, erasing traces, minimizing damage.His bodyguard stayed close, watching for anyone who might try to stop them.Aria, moving swiftly, reached the lower floor—only to halt. Mist curled along the ground, thickening with every step. The air turned icy. And the corridor behind her…
"Why would there be people outside?" asked Dave. He had been disguising himself as a doctor for years, and that was the first time he looked so anxious. After all, if someone did approach their building, the villagers would have informed them about it. However, they received no news this time.Dave wondered what was going on."Dr. Dave, what should we do now? I think we're surrounded!"He was still in his coat as he slightly clenched his fists. "Let's move out. Bring the girls in the basement with us.""T-They're not in the basement."When Dave heard that, he looked furious. "What do you mean they're not in the basement?""Someone took them away, and I'm guessing it was her fault!" The bodyguard pointed at Aria, who was standing on the highest point, showing off her skills. With swift, lethal kicks and a taser turned weapon, no one dared get close.Whoever touched Aria would die, and no one dared to approach her at all.As for Landon, he still had his mask on as he stood behind
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