Aria stated, "The law mandates that a violent or coercive interrogation can lead to imprisonment for up to three years or criminal detention."Sherman's gaze snapped toward Aria. Aria casually added, "I advise you not to act rashly."Sherman was surprised. "Do you possess legal knowledge?""Typically, interrogations require two officers," Aria explained. "One takes notes while the other questions the suspect." She locked eyes with him. "You're alone. Haven't you considered the consequences if something goes wrong?"Aria seemed able to bewitch him with his voice and her persuasiveness. Sherman was already wavering. He'd been briefed on the case beforehand. The suspects were arrested by auxiliary police officers, whose bodyworn cameras inexplicably remained off the entire time.It was illegal, but one of them was a distant relative of Kreil Thompson, the chief of Waterfront Police Station. Aria wasn't wrong. If anything happened, he would bear the brunt of it due to his role a
A big group of people were waiting in the city hall's lobby. Lucas was not the average secretary one might see around, not to mention how he was a member of the Murray family. Everyone who knew enough would know what that name entailed. Almost everyone from all departments of the city hall was present, waiting for their new head to start a meeting. Even the streets seemed tidier these past two days.Time stretched on, but no official car arrived. Frances Yaeger, however, remained unfazed. He had refilled his thermal flask with a fresh brew of tea several times as he waited. Finally, a car pulled up, but it was speeding, which was completely out of character for Lucas' usual driving style.Confusion creased Frances' brow as the driver emerged. "Excuse me," the man addressed the crowd, "is Frances Yaeger here?""Yes, that's me. Is there anything you need with? You can take your time explaining." Frances recognized him. "Aren't you Mr. Murray's bodyguard?" Even though Frances c
Waterfront Police Station would indeed be capable of such actions. While they wouldn't risk it for major crimes, minor cases like Aria's could be a source of easy money.After Sherman left, another officer entered. This officer, a man named Larson Tanner, was slippery and thus more difficult to deal with. He paid the other two men present no heed, merely saying to Aria, "Streamers like you should also follow the rules and obey the laws. "Have you seen any famous doctors treat patients online? The Short family has the best doctors in Southbury, yet they'd never disregard other human lives like you!"Aria said coolly, "The biggest hospitals in the country, as well as the hospitals for the military, have already started their telehealth operations a long time ago. The doctors who treat patients online are also experts from various departments. "This is so patients won't need to travel to and from the hospitals, thus saving unnecessary costs. The Short family hasn't started to treat
Lucas said coolly, "Are you telling us to bribe you?" He knew that a lot of things went on behind the scenes in Southbury, but not that these people would be so blatant when insinuating these acts. Frances had told him on the phone the previous night about how Southbury was now without these problems. Lucas clenched his fists. He'd say a thorough investigation was necessary if anyone asked about the matter. Larson said nonchalantly, "With how you accused a police officer of insinuating bribery, I think there's no need for an interrogation."He set his pen down and looked straight at the three of them. They were quite difficult to deal with, and Larson wouldn't manage to get anything out of them even after nightfall if the three of them stayed together. His gaze fell on Aria—his target. He thought a young woman like her wouldn't be able to handle a hands-on interrogation. And so he said, "She's coming with me—alone!"Joel immediately realized what he was planning. Larson wante
The door to the interrogation room was kicked open. Jacob was on the brink of a mental collapse. He hadn't stood up straight ever since getting a call from Frances.Arresting an official who would be their superior while claiming that he'd assaulted a police officer—and on his first day on the job—was an immensely dumb thing to do, and the people who'd done it just had to be directly under his jurisdiction. Jacob had lost hope of retaining his position as chief of police. He prayed fervently for Kreil to understand the big picture and not do anything dumb again during the interrogation. He called Kreil repeatedly on the way here, but Kreil hadn't picked up any of his calls for some unknown reason.Jacob wanted nothing more than to be onboard a plane instead of this car, which seemed so slow in comparison. He ended up late to the scene at the end. From the moment he'd arrived at the interrogation room, he knew that his time as chief of police had come to an end. Frances di
"Regardless of who she is, you can't make an unlawful arrest!" Frances was usually a gentle, well-mannered person, but this made him fly into a rage.Kreil, unfazed by the outburst, pivoted toward Jacob. "Chief Green, you know how dedicated I am to the job."Jacob, not wanting to be implicated, responded sharply, "That's enough, Kreil! Take him down immediately!"Jacob had planned to cover up whatever he could before the new secretary-general arrived and had given all the necessary orders. As long as everything remained buried deep enough, Lucas wouldn't manage to unearth anything, and thus, he wouldn't be able to do anything in response as the new secretary-general.However, this fiasco presented itself as a perfect reason for Lucas to conduct a thorough investigation. Jacob resolved not to let Kreil utter a single word. The officers were ready to take Kreil down when Aria spoke. She did so casually, entirely unlike an ordinary citizen who'd just gotten arrested, and with a
Carol slumped on the floor. She heard nothing about Frances or a secretary-general when she agreed to take the job. She wasn't educated, so she didn't understand some of what they were talking about, but she wasn't stupid—a man who could command such deference from Kreil was surely someone important. She dared not speak. She tried to sneak away amid the arguments, but Aria had persistently blocked her path, whether intentionally or not. Carol looked at Aria resentfully. Aria said with a smile, "We have both the plaintiff and the defendant—myself—here. Chief Green, Mr. Yaeger, and Mr. Murray, I'll have to trouble you with something. Please interrogate both of us at the same time."That was what Jacob was most afraid of. If they were to be interrogated simultaneously, everything would eventually surface!Lucas studied Frances' face and spoke with the air of someone in an important position. "What do you think, Frances?"Lucas wanted to gauge the severity of corruption in South
Three agonizing hours had passed since Aria had been taken to the police station. Clueless about the situation, anxiety gnawed at her. She learned from her connections that extricating Aria wouldn't be easy. Karen had smartly chosen the perfect time to strike, coming when Sam was not around. To her, Sam was troublesome.Karen scrolled through her phone, maintaining a façade of calm. "Mom, look at how many people are scolding you online. Aria's matter can't be settled easily. She did assault a police officer, after all."She clicked on one of the comments. "Look at this comment. It's spot on. 'How dare someone who rose from poverty dare to attack our national heroes? Such streamers should all be captured and sentenced for severe crimes!'"Georgina saw that comment, which was one of the many malicious attacks on her account. However, her worry wasn't for herself but for Aria's future. She feared Aria's life would be ruined by this. Karen stared at Georgina before grabbing her bag,
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