Many called Fiona a lovesick fool for marrying Owen, but Nisa knew better. No woman could foresee a man's betrayal. After all, when a man was courting a woman, he would do anything to win her over. Yet once love faded, the woman became little more than a puppet. Even if he felt nothing but disgust, he wouldn't cast her aside—not if there was still something he needed from her.Nisa took a long breath, her eyes drifting to a framed family photo on the nearby shelf. Her father's face stared back at her.If not for him, the Guetta family's business wouldn't be where it was today.Back then, Durand had been willing to give up everything for Nisa. He obeyed her father's every word and deferred to him on both major and trivial decisions. He hadn't even minded being under her father's thumb.A bittersweet smile tugged at Nisa's lips as a single tear slipped down her cheek. She stared blankly at her phone for a moment, then made a decision. Anonymously, she sent a message to Fiona."T
The letter only contained one sentence. "Stop investigating and return to Janovin immediately."To an outsider, it might seem like a threat. But Aria knew better. If this person wanted to threaten her, they wouldn't have done it this way. So, was it a warning instead?Amused, Aria studied the letter before turning to the deliveryman. "Is that all? Who gave this to you? A man or a woman? Did they say anything else?"The deliveryman responded without hesitation. "Why? Is something wrong? I just followed instructions—took the letter from the cabinet and sent it to you. As for the sender's gender, I'm not sure. I never spoke to them directly."Aria smiled, slipping a hand into her pocket. "I see. Thanks."The deliveryman then asked to take a photo for confirmation.Aria glanced at him, and in that moment, a name surfaced in her mind—Cassian. She had heard about him when she first arrived in Ludwiten—a man with ties to both worlds.She lowered her gaze with a knowing smile. A fair wa
Lily had no idea that Aria had already figured out her secret—she had been reborn. Oblivious to the danger looming over her, she was still waiting for the Wagner family to rescue her. After all, Yonah had once said her destiny held great value to him. While Lily resisted the Draycott family, she was eager to submit to the Wagners.Back then, she never understood how the seemingly inconspicuous Wagner family had emerged victorious in the power struggles among the elite. But after meeting Yonah, she finally did.She feared him. Even through the glass of a car window, she could feel the suffocating presence he exuded. That chilling moment when he seemed to see right through her—it was something she could never forget.Yet when she arrived at the Wagner residence, an unsettling silence greeted her. The housekeepers were gone, the villa pristine, devoid of any sign of life.What happened?She had been desperate to tell Yonah about Aria's secret. The businessmen in Ludwiten might di
Lily's heart pounded wildly, her frantic expression betraying the fear she couldn't conceal. If not for her past life's memories, her true identity would have remained buried forever. She knew better than anyone that the real daughter of the Kent family had died long ago. But Olivia, her cunning mother from the countryside, had spun a lie and even tampered with the DNA test. After all, Lily bore a striking resemblance to the child the Kent family had lost—the one they had exchanged years ago.As Lily lived with her past memories, she knew better than anyone else that the Kent family's daughter was dead and buried. Olivia's goal had been simple—use Lily to secure wealth. If the Kent family came looking, she would claim Lily as her own. After all, Olivia could forge hospital records with ease, leaving no trace behind. Even now, modern DNA tests could be manipulated with the right connections. The kidnappers had their own ways of making things work—otherwise, Lily's identity would
Aria stepped forward, her gaze cold. "I don't care whether you live or die. I overlooked everything you did back then because I saw you as Grandma's last living relative. "Thanks to Grandma's biological granddaughter, I was brought back to the Kent family 18 years ago. My parents didn't treat me well, but Grandma adored me. Because of that, I didn't grow up in a human trafficking village."I felt indebted to Grandma's biological daughter and wanted to repay her in some way. That's why I tolerated you for so long." Aria looked at Lily calmly. "And yet, you've just confirmed what I suspected all along. You're not Grandma's granddaughter. You're the daughter of that human trafficker."Lily's hands clenched, her expression shifting. Gone was the pitiful act—rage and vengeance twisted her face.She screamed, "So that makes me a villain? Do you think I chose to be the human trafficker's daughter?"Aria's voice was slow and measured. "Do you think it's unfair?"Lily's bitterness seeped
The words "previous life" hit Lily like a bitter wind in the dead of winter. She slowly raised her gaze to Aria, disbelief clouding her features. Lily stared at Aria as if she were some demonic entity that had no business being here. She couldn't understand how Aria knew about this.Lily could have accepted it if Aria knew of other things, but she had only confided in Orion about her reincarnation. Orion had no reason to share such a detail with Aria, especially when it seemed so inconceivable."Y-You…" Lily felt her body grow weak, as though her legs might betray her at any moment. No one had ever instilled this kind of terror in her before—not even Yonah. A cold wave of dread swept over her, and her shoulders hunched instinctively in fear.Lily now realized how much she resembled her parents. People like them only experienced true fear when confronted by someone more dangerous than they were.It was clear to Lily now—she posed no threat to Aria. In fact, Aria's strategies we
Lily fell silent, eyeing Aria warily. She hadn't expected Aria to bring up the Wagner family, especially since she had revealed nothing about them. Logically, Aria shouldn't have even noticed the family's existence. Lily's eyes darted around as she prepared to lie, but before she could, Aria let out a sudden chuckle that made Lily's fear intensify.A chill ran down Lily's spine. She didn't dare deceive Aria. The more she met Aria's gaze, the more she felt like her thoughts were being laid bare."The Wagner family used to be insignificant," Lily started, her voice tight. "They were never considered one of the top families in Janovin, only sub-par. But…"She paused, biting her lip as she gathered her thoughts."In my past life, the Wagner family became the biggest winner. After the Carver Group went under, they took over."Everyone thought they were just humble and polite. No one considered them a threat. But once they settled in Janovin, they expanded rapidly into the southern ma
Lily had always regretted not having a medical-related business in her previous life, and after her reincarnation, she was determined to make her mark in the pharmaceutical field. She knew it would prove useful in just a few months. Lily explained, "Most businesses suffered tremendous losses, especially in the physical sectors. Only those tied closely to people's essential needs thrived. Cinemas shut down, and supermarkets saw the most profit aside from medical supplies."She continued, "The Wagner family used this opportunity to solidify their dominance. After that, no other family could even come close to their standing in the business world.""Mr. Wagner Senior is incredibly capable." Lily's words caught Aria's attention."Just how capable?" Aria's question was pointed, aimed at getting more than just a surface-level answer.Lily's eyes flickered briefly. "Anyone managing such a vast enterprise has to be competent."Aria took a step closer. "You know I'm not asking to get suc
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