Thaddeus took a slow drag from his cigar, narrowing his eyes. "Don't provoke the authorities. From the looks of it, Mr. Jenson is the one pulling the strings. Keep an eye on things and don't trouble those with deep pockets."Hand over the insignificant things and don't make things difficult for them at the start. Understood?"The man across from him rubbed his hands together. "Don't worry. It's not our first time dealing with people like them—we know exactly what to do."Mr. Jenson has brought plenty of outsiders to our village over the past decade, and none of them walked away unscathed. Those spoiled heirs who only know how to flaunt their flashy sports cars? They're nothing to us."Thaddeus nodded approvingly. "We can't let anyone gain leverage over us. One of them is from the Fitzroy family—we shouldn't risk ruining that connection."The man placed his cup down with a dull thud. "Of course. Though, I wonder what tricks Mr. Jenson used to lure them here this time. I also heard
Orion never believed anyone could escape his trap—especially not Aria, who hadn't even completed her education. Did she really think a mere fraction of business knowledge was enough to take him on?He sneered, malice twisting his expression. No one in the Chamber of Commerce had ever seen this side of him. To Aria, he was an elder, a respected figure. And in front of so many people, he had always maintained that façade.But things were different now. He would make sure she experienced what it was like to be in hell. Even her father had fallen into his trap—what chance did she have? Anyone wanting to enter the property industry had to get past the Draycott family first.Orion moved aside as Arlo leaned in and whispered something that made him frown. "They still haven't been found?""No. But I don't think they've been taken. If something went wrong, the higher-ups would have an update."Orion's brows remained furrowed. "It may not be a major issue, but we need to find them. As for t
Lily was practically a living legend in Orion's eyes. With the stock market booming, there was nothing they couldn't invest in. Orion didn't forget about dragging Fergus into the mess. "Has the eldest Carver son, that so-called God of Parker Street, bought the stocks?""Mr. Draycott, don't worry. We've inflated gold prices. Once the stock market opens on Monday, prices drop. Mr. Carver will be left with nothing but regrets."Orion's smile deepened when he saw that. The Carver family would soon be ruined. He couldn't wait to see how the arrogant Aria handled the chaos.…Meanwhile, Aria took Jett through the urban village. The villagers eyed them curiously. Word had spread that a foolish investor was interested in the land, and they could barely hide their amusement. Still, they didn't voice their thoughts, choosing instead to treat the newcomers with extra warmth.Jett felt a prickle of unease under their stares. Despite the village's proximity to the city, the residents displ
"Stopping them now is impossible. If we do, it's the same as cutting off their financial lifeline," Aria texted. Fergus understood the situation. No one in the stock exchange market would believe them—especially the older investors, who placed more trust in their exclusive insider tips.Something flickered in Aria's eyes as she considered the matter. After a moment, she said, "Fergus, leave this matter to me."Fergus immediately responded, "Okay. I'll keep buying as you instructed."Knowing he was dependable, Aria didn't reply further.Still, Fergus remained concerned. "I heard about the plot of land. Be careful. Don't forget about us—Elijah and Leon live close to you, too."Aria chuckled at his message. Fergus was being overly cautious. If Elijah and Leon got involved, it would be far too crowded. What would they do—hold a fan meet-and-greet?Still, when the time was right, she intended to use their influence to her advantage.She put her phone away. Jett, who had been watc
"Why?" Jett demanded, frustration threatening to overwhelm him. He couldn't understand—it felt like his mind was about to explode. In his memories, his grandmother had always given him whatever he wanted.When he struggled with physics, Magdalene feared he'd wear himself out studying, so she pulled strings at a prestigious university abroad, sparing no expense to make things easier for him.Her approach to education was completely different from Clyde's.Jett had always believed Magdalene understood him best, granting him the most freedom in the world. No matter what he did, she thought he was amazing, filling him with confidence from an early age.Aria studied him. Knowing the road ahead would be difficult, she understood Jett had to break free from his comfort zone."It's because you're the eldest son of the Grisham family," she said. "I might be standing in your way."Jett found the notion ridiculous. "What do they mean? We've only known each other for a few days."Their firs
The villagers had only one goal—money.They didn't care about policies or the higher-ups. All they saw was an easy mark, a rich outsider who could be deceived. It had become second nature to them, playing the part of helpless victims to gain the moral high ground.Jett used to be oblivious to this, but now that he understood, cold sweat gathered on his back. The way the villagers eyed Aria's car with barely concealed greed sent a chill down his spine.Jett wanted to back off. "Aria, even if there's the slightest chance that the government had some policies in place, let's not get involved in this mess. We can take our time solving things at home."Aria twisted the bottle cap, took a sip, and said casually, "Who told you I wanted to solve things at home?"She maneuvered the steering wheel with one hand and shot him a glance. "You're the eldest grandson of the Grisham family. I'm only here to cure Grandpa. Nothing else matters to me."She added, "We're doing business, not handling
The modified off-road vehicle was already eye-catching, but the row of bodyguards in black standing beside it made the scene even more striking. Amid them, Landon stood out effortlessly. He was dressed in a well-tailored wine-red suit, his long legs and slender waist accentuating his natural elegance. A cigarette rested between his fingers, adding an air of quiet indulgence.Aria raised an eyebrow. She never thought he smoked.Yet, even surrounded by bodyguards, he remained the focal point—making them seem like mere backdrops.At that moment, she finally understood what it meant for someone's presence to command attention. Landon embodied that completely.It felt only natural for her to stop her car upon seeing her fiancé.Landon's indifferent expression softened the moment he saw Aria, causing the people around him to exhale in relief. Though they didn't know the reason for his improved mood, at least they wouldn't have to bear the brunt of his temper.Stepping out of her car,
Aria enjoyed talking to smart people. Her eyes lit up. "It's a package deal. The land comes as a gift, along with the urban village. They need to dangle some hope in front of me to lure me into the trap."Landon chuckled. "Seems like the Draycott family believes in Lily's predictions. They think she's completely accurate."Aria took a sip of water. "Well, she's been spot on with the stock market. And she's not wrong about the big picture, either. Didn't they bring up developing the land at today's meeting?"He nodded. "They left out the details, though."Aria mused that no matter how many times Lily was reborn, Landon would still win.Leaning in closer, she whispered, "Yes, and it's a lot. I know you're smart, but keep it down. We're still in the village—someone might overhear."Landon pushed her forehead back with his left hand. "I smell like cigarettes."Aria raised an eyebrow. "It smells good."Unlike with others, Landon’s presence put her at ease.His gaze flickered toward
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
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