Reagan still couldn't believe it. His hands were shaking as he adjusted his glasses.If Marshall knew about Aria's identity, he would regret everything!Reagan finally understood why Bernard would assign Kent Corporation some projects. It was all because of Aria!Reagan took his glasses and spoke. "Ms. Ken—Boss…""It looks like you recognize who I am." Aria smiled.Reagan quickly replied, "I didn't know you were the one at the Kent Residence. If I did, I would have…"Aria fiddled at the coffee set. "I didn't want anyone to know, so what you did was right."Harry couldn't understand what they were saying. "The Kent Residence? What are you guys talking about?"Reagan lowered his eyes. "Mr. Ingerton, I'll explain to you later."Harry didn't care about that, only having one thing in mind. "Boss, let's return to Janovin now. Hahaha! I'm so happy. Once you return there, we can rule that place!""I can't go back now. You saw it for yourself. I just started my business." Aria smiled.
"I… I…" Harry didn't know what to say.In the end, Aria helped him out by explaining, "Grandma, the Lowe family introduced him over. He has been on Southbury's television show before."Georgina's attitude changed as she looked at Harry. "You've been on television before? You're considered our VIP customer, then. We'll give our all to serve you."Harry was fortunate to have been on television for two consecutive days."There's no need for that. I—"However, Aria interrupted him with a smile, "That's right. I'll treat him to a meal later.""Yes. You guys should dine out." People of Georgina's age only trusted what they saw on television. "Mr. Lowe Senior still keeps us in mind."Harry wondered who she was referring to.Aria glanced at him. "Mr. Lowe Senior has always been like that. He even supported me when I was streaming. That's why Mr. Ingerton noticed us. He originally wanted to invest in the Lowe family. We're merely a tag-along."Harry, who came specifically from Janovin,
Marshall was quite smart. Since Harry had made such a big scene when going inside, he would have caught a lot of attention.If he asked Sarah or Clayton about it, he would know which house Harry went to. In the worst-case scenario, Marshall could ask Georgina.However, before Marshall could head inside, he saw Reagan guarding outside a skewer restaurant.Harry was sitting at the table beside the window.Marshall was astonished. He had eaten at this small, run-down skewer place since he was young. Marshall wondered why someone like Harry would be eating there.In fact, Aria was the one who chose the place—simply because it was the nearest to her. "Let's order more meat. Sam likes to eat it."Harry's smile was ingratiating. "Bring us 20 plates of lamb!"Upon hearing that, Sam put up five fingers.Aria spoke indifferently. "50 plates."Harry immediately corrected himself, "50 plates!"After saying that, he looked toward Sam and sighed. "L is only so accommodating around you. I d
Marshall couldn't comprehend why it was Aria.Marshall nearly stumbled on his feet as he backed away in astonishment. He would have fallen if the bodyguard hadn't steadied him.Marshall couldn't fathom how Harry had canceled their business meeting to meet Aria.Only after being pulled three feet away did Marshall snap back to reality. It was impossible for him to rush back and get a closer look. Moreover, he wouldn't have been mistaken by what he saw. He was certain it was Aria. And next to Aria was the beggar Georgina had taken in. Marshall pondered how Aria had managed to meet Harry. After racking his brain, a thought finally popped into his head. Muttering to himself, he mumbled, "The live stream! Karen mentioned that Aria was teaching that old bat how to stream!"An idea sparked in Marshall's mind, prompting him to reach out to Aria. Yet, he discovered he had deleted her number.Marshall cursed himself in frustration. "I'll just reach out to the old bat then!"Dialing Georg
Sam felt excited and even stopped eating his lamb meat. He quickly typed four words on his phone, "Get rid of him!"Aria fiddled with her coffee cup. "We need to lay low and do it subtly. Don't attract any attention. Mr. Ingerton, I hope you can cooperate."Goosebumps formed on Harry's head when she called him so formally. "I… I'm not used to pretending."Aria smiled. "You need to. I'm only a medical streamer from today onward. Don't slip up."Harry nodded excitedly. "Boss, isn't this a piece of cake for us?"Aria lifted her head. "You can understand it that way. Reagan, you too. Keep your eyes focused and act naturally."Reagan replied politely, "Yes, Boss… I mean, Dr. Genius.""Okay. Let's talk about the company's direction. The number of people watching my stream has been steadily increasing. Thus, Grandma and I wouldn't be able to handle it alone in the future. "We need backend customer service, dedicated operations personnel, and charities to support agriculture and educa
Jenna attempted to defuse the tension. "Look at the new fund I invested in. It hasn't been performing well at all. Didn't Grand Construction Corp. mention investing in pharmaceuticals? Why haven't they yet? Is Mr. Ingerton going back on his words?""You met Mr. Ingerton? Did he disclose anything to you?" Karen perked up, getting back to the main topic at hand.Sophia laughed. "Do you think everyone has access to him? Even your husband might not get an opportunity."Karen scoffed. "We are supposed to collaborate with Grand Construction Corp. Besides, Mr. Ingerton's secretary, Reagan, is good friends with my husband. Meeting him wouldn't be difficult!"Sophia brushed off Karen's bragging, knowing she was merely trying to impress the others.Karen was about to retort when she noticed Sophia's disbelief.Suddenly, Jenna shouted after scrolling on her phone. "Heartbound Hall! Oh my! Mrs. Kent, look. Isn't this Heartbound Hall? It's located at Clearwater Alley, so it should be."Karen
Despite not contributing financially, Karen decided she should take control of the stream. This newfound determination propelled her to stand up, abruptly ending her massage.Just then, Marshall called, urging her to return home immediately.Marshall, still in disbelief, recounted his day's events to Karen. Karen clenched her jaw, a surge of hatred bubbling within her. "When Aria left, I should have disfigured her face!"Marshall frowned. "I told you this to encourage you to mend fences with Georgina. A happy Georgina is more likely to speak favorably of us to Aria."Disgust contorted Karen's face. "She has no standards, does she? Seducing old men for gifts? No wonder she receives so much. It must all be from Mr. Ingerton." This explanation seemed more plausible to Karen. Otherwise, she might have been forced to acknowledge Aria's ability to win people over with her medical skills.Marshall got impatient. "Enough. Now's not the time to talk about this. Are you going to Georgin
"Of course, I didn't say a word! Didn't you instruct me not to divulge anything about you two when you left?" The middle-aged woman scanned the hillside cautiously.Lily narrowed her eyes. "What if they gave you money to tell them?""I'll take the money, but I'll feed them false information. There are folks who paid me to keep her from being found, after all." A sly grin spread across the woman's face.Lily breathed a sigh of relief. "That's right, Mom."The middle-aged woman was Olivia Phildez, who had mistakenly taken the wrong child years ago.Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes. It had been a while since she heard Lily call her "Mom.""Lily, your father and I have followed your instructions to the letter. You said admitting the truth would land us in jail. It's your quick thinking that's kept us safe."Having secured the information she needed, Lily felt a pang of impatience. "Good. Mom, we still need to be cautious. Once everything settles, I'll bring you and Dad to the city."
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