This incident also gave the Fitzroy family an excuse to visit the Grishams. And it was rare to see Magdalene speak with Eamon personally. "Eamon, I don't have anything against Aria, but investments always come with risks." Magdalene sighed deeply. "Spending 50 million dollars is a small matter. What's most important is how people in the investment circles view us. Whether it's the Grisham family or the Fitzroy family, we're all established businesses in Ludwiten. "Jett's following her around in these reckless ventures might raise questions about his abilities, which could cause problems with future funding." Magdalene's reasoning was sound. "I know family members should support each other, but Jett's position is different. He needs to consider more factors. The Fitzroy family business will eventually be handed over to Jett. "Starting today, Jett should stop getting involved. He should focus on his own ventures first." Eamon merely listened quietly. As he gripped his teacup ti
"I can't do that," Aria said while glancing at Landon beside her, her eyes still calm. "Mr. Katz, I have my own reasons for some of my decisions. Just focus on running the factory. If anything happens, the Grisham family is still there for me." Isaiah couldn't understand her thinking, but since she put it that way, he didn't interfere further. He just let out a long sigh. After hanging up, he asked Clyde to transfer five million dollars to Aria. This time Aria did not reject Mr. Katz's goodwill. She sent him a text. "Mr. Katz, I've accepted the money. Consider it your investment stake." Isaiah did not want to invest at all. He just wanted to help Aria in case everyone else turned against her. After all, he knew better than anyone how the cannery had survived. While everyone outside was buzzing about the land deal, life at the Grisham residence continued as usual. Now, everyone working there had been replaced with their own people. Fiona was brewing tea. Her eyes were clear
After learning everything from Aria, Clyde finally understood something. Even though some things remained unresolved, Fiona had never been at fault in this marriage. He said, "From now on, do whatever you want. You can only move forward after the divorce." Clyde had always been a good father. No matter how old Fiona got, he still thought of his daughter as his little girl. "I'll make Warren apologize to you properly." The Carvers and Grishams had originally been friends who went through hardships together during special periods. When Clyde was younger, he consistently disapproved of Warren's business style. However, on major issues, the two men were like kindred spirits. Whenever Clyde needed clarity on something in the past, he would call Warren. They would argue, but by the next day, everything would be okay again. Since the two families had fallen out, Clyde had never again found such a like-minded friend. Now that she had returned, she felt both regret and guilt when she
The whispers grew louder after Jett backed out. "The Grisham family's oldest son and grandson both pulled out. Clearly, they know this project is a money pit.""It's not very nice to pull funding from his own family like that. But nobody would want to lose money!" "Exactly. We need to keep our eyes and ears open and stay far away from the Carver family. Whatever she's doing, we shouldn't get involved.""Nobody can afford to get involved! I'm scared she'll come looking for me for investment."It was only at one's lowest point that true loyalty became apparent. Some indecisive people or those with ulterior motives were now avoiding Aria; they did not even bother to hide it. Even though Aria hadn't even acknowledged them, just seeing her at the Chamber made a group of people scatter quickly as if they had seen something dirty, pretending to be busy. It was times like these when people showed their true colors. Some businesses with average profits had just eased their cash flow
Aria hadn't even made it back to her car when Warren called. "Aria, Warren actually called me up for a chat!" His laughter was so hearty that she could feel his joy even across the phone. "He's worried about you and asked me all sorts of questions. I don't know exactly what you and Fergus are up to. But as far as I'm concerned, there's nothing you can't handle." Warren was firm and confident. "Do what you need to do." Aria glanced at the car and smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Okay." She really felt the difference from before. Back then, she did business just for the money, and nobody would support her without conditions. Things were different now. She had finally seen the older generation's vision, perspective, and big dreams. Aria wanted to help make these dreams come true, just like Barron had done. Farshya's economic control needed to stay in their own people's hands. They were not stuck in the past and were open to working with anyone, but they would never grovel. After a
Magdalene pulled Jett's hand away. "What's going on with you? If your dad doesn't agree, how can we decide anything for the Fitzroy family? I know you're kindhearted, but business is complicated. "Pulling out your investment is just a wake-up call for Aria. Someone like her should be studying at home instead of playing with stocks and land deals. It's like a bottomless pit that no family fortune could ever fill. "Jett, listen to me. Don't mess around with Aria. Are you really going to do something rash that'll make me and your parents worry?" Emotional manipulation was just another Tuesday in his family. When Magdalene spoke those words, Jett stopped arguing. He looked at his mother Laura, who was also trying to persuade him. After all these years, he felt like he was seeing his family for the first time. They always told him to prioritize the family, to remember family ties, and not be like his grandfather, Mike Fitzroy. He was too stubborn and would never compromise to plea
"But Jett..." Laura said. Though Laura kept looking back nervously, Magdalene wasn't worried. "He's been hanging around Aria lately. They're family, after all, and her influence is making him too soft to hurt anyone. "He'll be fine in a few days. We should have him visit us more often to stay close." "Mom, don't worry. I understand exactly what you're saying." Though indecisive, Laura had chosen her family's side more than once in moments like these. Magdalene glanced sideways. "Don't restrict him too much. Let him do what he wants. Just make sure he doesn't go out before Monday." Laura looked confused. "Monday?" Magdalene said with a mysterious tone, "After Monday's conference, you'll understand what I'm talking about." Laura caught on, her eyes lighting up. "Mom, are you saying there's a new policy about that piece of land?" "Hush! Nothing's confirmed yet. Don't spread it around." Magdalene smiled. "Get ready to watch your money grow big time." Laura was all excited
"They want me to pull out my investment, don't they? Not a chance!" Jett said as he slumped on the leather couch, already half-drunk. He tilted sideways, mumbling like he was lost in a memory. "I have a little sister now, and her name is Aria. She wears this cute tiger-themed hat. But Leon wouldn't let me near her, always saying she's his sister and not mine." Aria stood nearby. Her hand froze when she tried to wake him, so she took his card instead. A slight smile crossed her lips as she whispered a promise. "I'll invest for you. After Monday, no one will think of you as just another useless member of the Fitzroy family. "You're Jett Grisham, the eldest grandson of the Grisham family." His steady snoring was the only response. And outside the window, the night sparkled with scattered lights. …Monday arrived in the blink of an eye. The trading floor buzzed with excitement as everyone waited for the market to open. Orion woke up in high spirits. Their plan for the gold mar
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
Dave smiled, clearly enjoying the desperation on Lewis' face. "Also, you won't be getting any more orders. Your supervisor is going to help us delete every report you've ever submitted. What a shame, Lewis. You risked your life on the front lines, only for someone else to reap the rewards behind your back. If I were you, I'd stop being so loyal. Wouldn't it be better to join us?"He was trying to manipulate Lewis, planting doubt and betrayal like poison. As Aria listened, her fists clenched slowly. Nothing crushed a person's spirit more than destroying their belief in what they stood for. They had exposed Lewis on purpose—to break his faith in the uniform he wore.The masked clients settled back into their seats, returning to their arrogant ease. They were reminded that they were above the law within these walls. No one from the outside could enter the premises, and if someone did, they wouldn't leave intact.These people had powerful connections. To them, the undercover cop was a
Aside from Aria, who had initially refused the food, everything had seemed normal to Stephanie. After all, Aria eventually accepted a drink, and nothing else appeared out of the ordinary.But the more Stephanie thought about it, the deeper her frown became. A sense of unease crept in, and she instinctively lowered her microphone, ready to rush to the basement to check things for herself. Seeing her reaction, the wealthy clients began to panic.The woman in the fox mask stood up, clutching her bag tightly, and made for the exit. She feared she would actually be arrested if she stayed any longer. She had no intention of ending up in jail just for attending an auction, especially one like this. Most importantly, she couldn't afford to have her reputation tarnished.Like her, the rest of the crowd shared the same instinct—flee.Meanwhile, Aria narrowed her eyes as she subdued a bodyguard with one hand. She maintained firm but measured pressure with her left hand, ready to act the moment
When Sasha heard the man mention the rare gem, her eyes narrowed slightly. Very few people knew about it. Only Dave and a handful of higher-ups were aware. She immediately wondered who had leaked the news.But the man's words had already ignited excitement across the auction floor."What? A rare gem?""It's been ages since we've seen one! I can't believe there's actually one today!"To these people, a rare gem referred to someone whose body was considered exceptionally valuable, blessed with natural fortune, vitality, and unmatched physical condition. It was believed that such a person couldn't fully harness the luck they were born with. But if someone else could acquire it...Not only could they preserve their youth and beauty, but their careers and fortunes could be transformed. The idea sent a thrill through the room, and their greed quickly became impossible to hide.Sasha realized the situation was slipping out of her control. She reached for her communicator to contact Dave,