Isaiah's decision was not just because Aria had helped the Katz family. His family had reached its limit. Though his son was decent, he lacked business acumen and could not sustain the family legacy. Isaiah knew what would happen to Katz Cannery after he was gone. He had always worried about the factory workers, but now he had nothing to fear. Aria had not only inherited Barron's business sense but also his integrity. He felt at peace leaving the factory in Aria's hands. He was also eager to see their products reach international markets. The members of the Katz family were indeed loyal—no one opposed Isaiah's decision. Instead, cheers erupted. Even his descendants looked at Aria with gratitude. They knew how close the Draycotts had pushed them to the edge. If not for Aria, bankruptcy would have been their only option within days. The Draycotts had always thrown their weight around. They would show up again and again, pretending to do them a favor while refusing to keep the "
Aria could win the test easily, but she did not want to do it this way. The rise of Katz Cannery had left everyone restless, and the Draycott faction was already showing cracks. Those who had been on the fence started secretly reaching out to the Grishams. Orion knew about this, but he could not spare the energy to worry about loyalty now. The Draycotts were not completely clear of this mess yet. He needed to maintain his connections with the more powerful ones! Orion was not worried about other things; he just feared his insider information pipeline would be affected. These people never hesitated to take what was offered, but they turned cowardly at the first sign of trouble. Sure enough, someone had already returned their previous gifts. "Mr. Draycott, given the circumstances, we should keep our distance. You should lay low for a while." Orion laughed. Keep their distance? "Mr. Cortez, you might be fine, but my company can't afford to lay low. "I hear your wife might be exp
These people had watched the Draycotts rise to power. The Draycotts had surpassed the Grishams in such a short time, which was something impossible to achieve just by absorbing factories. Besides, the Draycotts had never even run actual factories; they would always convert them to other uses after acquisition. Their real profits came from the shadows. No one knew exactly how much money Orion had, but it surely exceeded even the Grishams at their peak. The Draycott Group's funding seemed endless. They held shares in nearly every successful company in Ludwiten, especially in construction, finance, and entertainment. In Ludwiten, the Draycotts were like a predator that fed on others' blood. Others were not foolish. They could all tell that someone powerful backed him. As for Aria, besides her fiancé from the York family, she could not have any other meaningful connections. Even the Yorks had to play by Ludwiten's rules. Yet these clever people forgot one thing—desperation leads to
Someone in the Foundation texted. "You know what needs to be done." Seeing this, Orion quickly replied. "Rest assured, the supply remains steady. I'll make the Carvers regret coming to Ludwiten." Clearly, these powerful figures weren't easily fooled. "She won't be easy to handle. Be careful and cut your losses if needed." Orion replied with a simple "Yes." Logically, someone of his status who commanded such influence in business circles shouldn't show such deference to anyone. Yet he acted like the lowest-ranking member of their group. The powerful figures seemed unconcerned with his plans, only caring about their supply. "The last batch wasn't good enough. They're too old." "Find a way to select a few more soon." "Don't focus solely on profit. Remember to give back when necessary." Orion had an epiphany. Yes, if Aria could build her reputation by supporting domestic brands, he could polish his image by "supporting" schoolchildren. There had been fewer activities this
"Haven't you seen him too?" Cassian pondered. "What do you think?" The butler struggled to answer. In both his character and appearance, Landon was practically identical to that person. At first glance, he almost thought they were the same person. But thinking carefully, how could that be possible? No one could avoid ageing, even with the most advanced medical technology. He and Cassian were practically at death's door, having lived through everything. Yet seeing someone who looked like a ghost from the past almost made him rush to reconnect. He had also asked at the Royal Hotel but had gotten no response. If it really was that person, he should be extremely old or no longer alive after all these years. "Mr. Merrick, would you like to meet him yourself?" the butler asked softly, refilling the tea. Cassian glanced at the documents handed to him. "Yes, but approaching through the Yorks would be too obvious." "Does that mean…" The butler's eyes lit up with joy. Cassian's age
The shareholders at the Carver Group did not understand what had happened at first. After watching the video, their expressions changed. Warren did not hold back anymore. "Is anyone here from overseas marketing?" "Mr. Carver Senior, I'm here." Aria's actions would have excited everyone in the overseas department. Warren turned to him. "I remember you saying our consumer goods weren't very popular overseas since even the domestic market preferred foreign brands. What about now?" "I believe it's time to try!" The director's voice trembled with excitement. Warren nodded with satisfaction. "Then do it. I want you to capture 50% of the market share first. Money isn't an issue." "Understood!" The meeting had everyone's blood pumping. The professionals could see what Warren was planning. Aria's move to Ludwiten wasn't coincidental. The Carvers had never limited themselves to the domestic market. It had always been difficult to achieve before, and people thought it was just t
Aria knew what she was facing long before the nightclub incident came to light. It was not just about business interests but the entire profit chain that existed behind it. Why had such a nightclub existed for so long without anyone investigating thoroughly? Was she the only one who could see the problems with it? That certainly was not the case. The truth was that those working for the powerful ones simply lacked the ability or courage to investigate further. Any matter connected to the Draycott family was quietly swept under the rug. Aria was not foolish. The subtle comments made by the veteran cops were filled with hidden meanings. She observed the commotion from afar, contemplating how to break the stalemate. If she remained in her current position, even if the Draycott family fell, the people behind them would emerge unscathed. In reality, the situation had already progressed to the point where a deputy chief had committed suicide to escape punishment. Aria already had
Magdalene asked, "So Jett was just taken away without any explanation? They're practically treating him like a Carver family lackey by making him follow someone even younger than him!" She looked displeased when talking about this matter. "You're his mother, so you should be the one having control over his actions. This situation might be causing a stir, but what does it have to do with Jett? "No one even remembers he's the Grisham heir anymore!" The older generation valued reputation above all else. Magdalene selfishly hoped the Ludwiten business circle would remember Jett's success rather than the Carver family. There was nothing wrong with that desire, but the problem lay elsewhere. "Mother, you know the Katz family situation was handled entirely by Aria. Jett doesn't understand these matters, does he?" Jett's mother, Laura Fitzroy, was quite frustrated as she tried to explain things to Magdalene. "The Grishams were facing a huge crisis, yet Clyde never approached me becau
Amos was too stunned to react. One side of his face throbbed with pain, and fish oil clung to his hair, glistening from the dish he had been slammed into.He had always eaten fish a particular way—only one side. No matter how expensive the fish, he refused to flip it over, believing that leaving it untouched brought good fortune.But today, that superstition had been smashed—along with his pride. Pinned to the table, Amos hadn't even found the time to get angry. Confusion flickered in his eyes as he struggled to rise.Then Lucas spoke, his words crashing down like a stone wall."Amos Lune, you conspired with the Draycott and Fitzroy families to crush honest entrepreneurs. You've abused your position shamelessly."Lucas didn't stop. His tone cut sharper with each sentence."We also have evidence linking you to a human organ trafficking ring in Bellebrook. You've disgraced the people who supported your rise—and the country that invested in you."Lucas had been suppressing his ange
Lucas shook his head steadily. "Not yet."Amos, still basking in the glow of his "victory", had no idea what was coming. He answered Durand's call with a smug smile. On the other end, Durand's laughter rang out loud and triumphant."Mr. Lune, you should've seen the Grisham brothers' faces! I bet they never expected to be abandoned like that!"You played it brilliantly. One quiet move, and boom—the Grisham family's out of the Chamber of Commerce. From here, it's just a slow bleed. They'll lose everything."Amos kept his tone cool. "This isn't enough. Keep pushing the online chatter. The narrative needs to focus on how their precious granddaughter cost so many investors their savings. And don't forget her carefully crafted persona—it's about to unravel."He paused, voice crisp. "Reach out to the other businessmen. Now that the Grishams can't offer any benefits, it's time for everyone to take a bite. You understand, don't you, Durand?"Durand took a moment, then replied, "Right. Got
Cormac even thought of leaving some of his influence behind after retiring. This way, he could still have some power over decisions. He thought he could remind Lucas that not just anyone could do his job well. Therefore, Cormac remained calm after receiving the note. He was already so used to handling his daughter's troubles.Cormac strode into his lounge and asked Pedro, "Is it drunk driving again? Don't you know how to handle it?""It's not drunk driving." Pedro still seemed out of it.Cormac's expression darkened. "It's not drunk driving? Was she on drugs again? I already reminded you numerous times to get someone to keep an eye on her. Which stage of the process is she at right now? Call the people from the drug-testing institution.""No. That's not it." Pedro took off his glasses and his badge.Cormac finally realized that Pedro seemed off. "What happened? Just tell me. I doubt she'll kill someone. Although my daughter is troublesome, she won't do something like that. I kno
Aliya had never heard of the Special Missions Unit until today. But after seeing Pedro's panicked reaction, it didn't take long for her to realize that this was a group with more authority than even her father.Still, some people lived so long in privilege that they convinced themselves they were untouchable. Logic no longer applied to them.Aria was done entertaining Aliya's ignorance. With a flick of her wrist, she signaled someone to silence her. Then, she turned to Aliya with icy disdain."Don't worry," Aria said. "I'll take you with me when I pay your father a visit. Then we can ask him together what his name truly means in this state."Her voice was calm but sharp."You seem to have forgotten that his power—any power—comes from the people. And now, you're using that power to treat their lives like currency. To buy yourself a life of superiority."She stepped closer. "Organ trafficking is illegal here. That's the crime we've confirmed so far. But don't worry. We'll find the
When Pedro heard that it was the Special Missions Unit, his forehead was covered in sweat immediately. Even his mind had gone blank. At that moment, all he could think about was how doomed they were!Others might not have heard of the unit before. However, as a state official, there was no way Pedro wouldn't know them. In fact, the Special Missions Unit was something they had no control over.Technically, the Special Missions Unit had way more clearance than they did. After all, they were in charge of big cases. Sometimes, they would even work with the special troops.The Special Missions Unit belonged to the country, and they were extremely mysterious. Even people with high clearance wouldn't know who they were in real life.Pedro only managed to find his voice after a long time. As he wiped the sweat off his forehead, he chuckled awkwardly."Oh, this is all a misunderstanding. May I know who I am speaking to? I never expected the Special Missions Unit to be carrying out a missio
Aliya had never met Aria before, but this was the first time she'd seen a young woman more poised—and far more arrogant—than herself. That only fueled her rage. And the fact that Aria was stunningly beautiful didn't help either.Scoffing, she snapped, "Do you dare let us make our calls? Let's see if you still look so smug after that."The other wealthy attendees stiffened. None of them moved. With Aria in the room, they had the sinking feeling that calling in favors wouldn't end well.Aria merely tilted her head and smiled. "Of course," she said, then turned to her team. "Please hand this lady her phone. Let her make her call."The members of the Special Missions Unit didn't question her. They knew Aria well enough to understand what she was doing—she wanted the bigger fish. The call would be recorded, and with any luck, it would lead them straight to someone higher up the chain.Aliya was momentarily thrown off by Aria's easy agreement. But she quickly chalked it up to ignorance.
Aliya squinted at the unmasked man beside Aria. Now that his face was fully visible, something about him sparked a flicker of recognition. She lowered her gaze, trying to recall where she'd seen him before.Then a sharp gasp cut through the air."He's from the York family… Janovin's York family! Wait—was he Mr. Crow? Were they working together the whole time?"Even though they were all wealthy people, they weren't in the same ranks. No one dared to mess with the York family at all.If the circumstances were different, the arrogant, wealthy people from earlier would've tried to exchange contacts with Landon. That way, they could've partnered up in the future. However, with what had happened that day, those people were in a daze.Meanwhile, Aria knew those people still had no idea what was going on. So, she just removed her disguise and showed them who she really was.Aliya was stunned by what Aria had done. When she saw who the latter truly was, her gaze was filled with jealousy.
The wealthy clients that were left behind at the auction had connections to powerful people, and Dave didn't think Aria was capable enough to deal with every one of them. Although Farshya was well-developed, it had always been a country that focused on connections.Power meant everything, and Dave wanted to see how Aria and her team would deal with his guests. If he remembered correctly, Aliya was the daughter of a great leader in the state. She wanted a womb from a young lady because she wanted to have children.Before the clients got what they wanted, Aria had offended a lot of big shots. Dave thought about it for a second and hoped Aria would suffer as much as he did.Dave was right about one thing. Aliya wasn't anxious at all when someone infiltrated the auction and took control of the event. She was only stunned for a moment at first. Once everything had settled down, she calmed down and even looked a little proud."I suggest you talk to your leader first before deciding to cu
Dave had escaped, but just barely.He'd saved his life, nothing more. The documents he needed to destroy were still intact. Everything had gone completely off script.Every exit had been sealed. If he hadn't killed a villager and disguised himself with a spell, he would've died at the auction. He didn't receive any news about the ambush and was caught entirely off guard.He wasn't in Janovin, and security was that tight there. With his connections, he could've found out what was going to happen in advance. However, that wasn't the case at all.Slipping into a grimy back alley, Dave cursed his luck. Most of his men had been rounded up in the village. He could only hope a few had managed to slip through. But with sirens wailing in the distance, he knew hope was thin."Who the hell was that?" he muttered, wiping dirt off his face with a shaking hand. Normally a stickler for cleanliness, Dave was too rattled to care. "And where's the real Eden?"His mind snapped into action. The scho