"Regarding the unlawful detention by public officials, we will conduct a thorough investigation to give the public an explanation and clear Heartbound Hall's name."If the police had simply made a statement on their official website as they usually did, nobody would have noticed. However, Shark had issued a statement before the police did, sparking a significant commotion.Regardless of the nature of the comments, positive or negative, everyone awaited the official statement from the police. Consequently, there was a frenzy when the statement was finally released."Unlawful detention?""I mentioned earlier that the streamer had been wrongfully accused. I was watching the livestream at that time. What the police did was against protocol.""I apologize for criticizing the streamer earlier.""I don't understand why the auxiliary police officers would apprehend the streamer when it was against protocol.""It appears someone paid to falsely accuse the streamer and ensure she never re
Kent Corporation fell from grace overnight, and Marshall's carefully cultivated façade was shattered. Reporters swarmed Kent Corporation's entrance.Marshall escaped from the basement while hiding his face. He'd never felt such humiliation. He scurried into his car like a frightened mouse. As he scrolled through the damning online comments, the severity of the situation finally dawned on him.Reaching out to his connections proved futile. No one responded.Eventually, one of his cousins secretly told him, "What happened to your wife was Mr. Yaeger's idea."The mention of Frances' name sent Marshall reeling, his legs shaking uncontrollably. His phone clattered to the floor. Meanwhile, Karen sat in the interrogation room, her face drained of color. Blinded by their power and status, Marshall and Karen bullied ordinary people like Aria. They believed a simple push would force Aria, a mere "peasant" in their eyes, to abandon her livestream and flee Southbury.They never expected
The Layne family was unnerved by the loss of Ninemyth Entertainment as a promotional tool. Even the rarely-seen former patriarch, Samuel Layne, intervened. "Sever ties with some distant relatives from now on."Without the Layne family's support, Karen's fate was sealed.Lucas' involvement in the Southbury case thrust him into the spotlight, altering the course of events in Janovin.Samuel sat in the study, his gaze hazy as he addressed those below him. "What did I say before? Don't let Lucas achieve anything in Southbury. Did you pretend not to hear it?" "Dad, I—"Samuel raised his hand to cut him off. "We can't lose our opportunities in Southbury. Losing Ninemyth Entertainment is nothing much, but Lucas can't have any more achievements. This is what Mr. Hammond wants.""Dad, don't worry. It was just an accident this time."Samuel squinted at the livestream on his phone. "Investigate the girl beside Georgina. It's a bit unusual how lucky she got. If she's trouble, get rid of he
Karen, who was in the detention centre, waited for her family to rescue her. She stared longingly at the prison gate. It was only after her case was adjudicated that Marshall was allowed a supervised visit. It was impossible to save Karen; even Marshall found it difficult to ensure he wouldn't get jailed.However, Karen refused to see the gravity of the situation. She grabbed the iron bars and shouted desperately, "Marshall, you must find me the best lawyer. I refuse to accept this!"Exhaustion etched lines on Marshall's face as he urged her to calm down.Karen remained stubborn. "How can I calm down? I'm the one facing imprisonment!"Marshall lowered his voice. "What do you want, then? The newly-appointed secretary-general is among those arrested!"The news devastated Karen. "Report that your mother caused someone's death. It's the truth, after all!"Marshall desperately wanted to silence her. "Stop talking."Karen sneered. "Why should I stop talking? Even if I've lost, tha
Aria stood underneath the streetlamp, wearing a black jacket that accentuated her long legs and lean waist. "He can still consider it. We won't force them."Harry burst out into laughter. "He can only choose between going to jail and getting bankrupt. You're the best!"Aria grinned slowly. "He deserves it. I gave him a chance."Marshall couldn't blame anyone but himself for not taking the opportunity when it was offered. He had caused trouble multiple times and even got Georgina involved. Aria was never the type to forgive and forget.Marshall was lucky to be part of the Kent family; otherwise, he would have been among those jailed.Marshall turned to Georgina for help. Just like before, he knelt down and cried, thinking she would save him. However, Heartbound Hall didn't even open its doors this time.Georgina sat in the backyard, gently stroking the bracelet left behind by her husband, Kingsley Kent. "Kingsley, our son has been incompetent since he was young. You told me to g
Thus, Agnes had to respect Lily. "Dorothy, it's all thanks to you."Dorothy patted Lily's hand fondly. "I'm pretty fated with her. On the way here, she was incredibly humble, insisting she shouldn't treat anyone until she graduates. But it's obvious she's very outstanding!"Lily couldn't bring herself to admit that it was pure luck. When Yonah suffered a sudden attack, Dorothy declared Lily could save him. Put on the spot, Lily couldn't say no. Thankfully, she had the medical book she had stolen from the Kent family. Lily recalled Karen mentioning that Georgina was talented in healing people. Thus, Lily believed that the medical book contained valuable knowledge. Plus, considering the book's evident age, she decided to follow its instructions. Although the book's messy handwriting was hard to decipher, she roughly followed the acupuncture instructions. Unexpectedly, Yonah woke up after she administered the two needles.The Wagner family was one of the Big Four Families with co
Karen's stupidity not only led to her own downfall, but she also affected Lily! Knowing the Kent family was teetering on collapse, Lily steeled herself not to let Karen's troubles become her own.After getting out of the car, she gave Marshall a call. Her voice was devoid of warmth. "Did Grandma or Aria set up the livestream?"Unfamiliar with his daughter's distant tone, a chill ran down Marshall's spine. Yet, Lily was his only hope. "Probably your grandmother. I'm not sure. When I found out about this livestream, it was already popular."Lily tried to suppress her anger. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?""What they're doing is no different than begging for money. It's just that they're doing it online. Your mother and I didn't think too much about it." Lily was furious. "Social media is the trend right now! Don't you know that?"Marshall had never been scolded by someone younger than him, so he felt slightly unhappy. "Lily, watch your attitude!"Lily suddenly recalled her fi
Lily wondered if Heartbound Hall's success was due to Aria's or Georgina's medical skills. This piece of information was very important to Lily.Lily had plenty of things on her mind, so she didn't reply to Christian's message. She switched on her laptop the moment she entered her room.Lily checked Aria's academic performance. The latter was still in the bottom ten of the school; she hadn't improved at all. Although Lily let out a sigh of relief, she still felt frustrated. Even without the Kents' support, Aria could still rake in money through the livestream, thanks to Georgina. Lily couldn't help but think how lucky Aria was. Clenching her fists, her eyes grew cloudy. However, it didn't matter anymore. She already had connections with the Wagner family.The Wagner family kept a low profile as they amassed their wealth. In the end, they beat everyone and emerged as the final winner.Lily grinned. Even if Aria gained fame from her livestreams, she depended on her viewers' gifts
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