Aria looked up, only to see a humble-looking couple outside the door, shouldering heavy bags and looking worn from a long trip.Aria retracted her arm. "Yes, it is."Olivia was pleasantly surprised. "Do you know Dr. Carver, then?""It'll be me. Who are you—"Before Aria could finish her sentence, Olivia covered her mouth and broke out in sobs. "Oh, Aria! My poor child! We've finally found you!"She sobbed with so much grief that she'd almost cried herself hoarse. Aria's neighbors gathered around her. "What's happening?" they asked. "Are they Aria's biological parents?"Aria stopped in the middle of her actions once again and turned her gaze to the couple. Grant Renner had dark skin from being exposed to sunlight for too long. He looked humble with the airs of an impoverished man. "Olivia missed you badly. We were afraid that she wouldn't get to see you, so we took an overnight bus here.""You shouldn't have told Aria that!" Olivia said. She pulled on Grant's sleeve, her ey
Grant pushed Olivia, stopping her from going on. However, Olivia's eyes reddened even more, which made it clear that things were difficult in her family.Georgina was sad upon hearing that. She turned to the side and looked at Aria, whose knuckles rapped on the table repeatedly, following a rhythm as she mulled over something in silence.Georgina wanted Olivia and Grant to stay after dinner, but they shook their heads and said they'd booked a hotel nearby. They left the bag to Aria before they departed for their hotel. Georgina considered the matter for a long time. She was so focused on it that she couldn't concentrate on the drama she was watching. "Your younger brother is suffering from a serious illness.""Apparently." Aria spun a teacup with her fingers. This was what she'd do when she had something on her mind. Georgina sat up straight. "Let's go to Uludon, Aria. You should meet your brother.""Sure." Aria smiled. "You're right. I should meet him."Olivia and Grant had
Grant was playing card games on his phone, a cigarette between his lips, as he said nonchalantly, "Okay, okay. Lily didn't lie to us at least—she really does have a pretty face.""The trip back tomorrow must go smoothly no matter what." Olivia frowned. "Lily didn't tell us how smart the girl is. Remember the questions she asked me yesterday? They were all subtle traps!"Olivia and Grant had worked as human traffickers for many years. Olivia was especially skilled in acting. The average person would find it very difficult to see through her disguise—only seasoned criminal investigation professionals would be able to.Grant was much less skilled, and that was why he was often reticent. He was usually in charge of transportation and other tasks. "Don't worry. We'll be taking a path we know well tomorrow. Our reunion with our long-lost daughter is a legitimate reason, so no one will look deeper into it."Olivia felt conflicted. "That one family is to blame. They've been watching us lik
As it rained outside, the raindrops pitter-pattered on the window. Georgina didn't know why exactly, but she felt unsettled. Maybe it was because Aria wasn't here with her. No matter how many patients came to the clinic for consultations, the clinic still felt empty. …While it rained heavily in Southbury, it was only cloudy in the mountains. Olivia woke Aria up. "Aria, do you want to go into the rest area and have a bowl of soup?""Sure." Aria seemed agreeable. However, she carried her bag everywhere she went, which made Grant, who was smoking not far away, pay attention. The driver they'd hired was a man called Shane Jasser. He tilted his chin at Grant, who lowered his voice as he said, "Don't get too hasty."Aria hadn't drunk any of the spiked water they'd prepared. What if she got up again when they were halfway to their destination?It would be dangerous if they tried to subdue her on the highway; they should start only after they were on the roads leading to Uludon.
Olivia smiled brightly. "Aria met someone she knew.""Really? That's great! You should come with us." Grant set his hand on Jonathan's shoulder enthusiastically.Jonathan shook his head quickly. "No, it's fine. I drove here."He turned his gaze toward Aria. "Uh, I'll be going now. While on the way… Take care!"He emphasized the two words at the end. Aria was smart; she would surely realize that something was wrong. However, Aria smiled. "Don't worry, Mr. Brooks. My parents will take care of me, so I'll be fine."She lowered her head and had some of her soup. Upon noticing that, Grant let go of Jonathan's shoulder. He said, looking touched, "Aria—"Jonathan felt anxious upon seeing how obtuse Aria was, but he couldn't say anything, not when they were Aria's parents. He could report this to the police and have them investigate the couple, but he worried he'd be affected if this backfired on him.Everyone else might not know about Perry Town, but not the local citizens of Uludo
The town chief had seen photos of Aria. Satisfied with her looks, he requested to meet Aria soon. Olivia and Grant wanted to take Aria to him as soon as they could, but they had to continue with the act lest Aria fight back. Many female students they'd brought here were initially reluctant, but they had no choice but to stay in Perry Town and care for the children after everything was set in stone. A woman would want to settle down after they'd given birth to children of her own—that was the rule.When they were almost in Perry Town, Olivia contacted the local matchmaker, and they agreed to set up a meeting tonight for fear of anything unexpected happening if they'd decided on a later date. There were few paved roads on the way to Perry Town. The roads to the town were all littered with craters, so the trip there became very bumpy.It was normal for the authorities to accidentally leave out some corners of the country during their construction efforts, and Perry Town was one
"I—" Liam Renner was still a young boy. Upon hearing Aria's statement about his health, his eyes started darting around nervously. Olivia said immediately, "He looks healthy, but he's still coughing a lot." She directed this next question to Liam. "Why did you come out, anyway?"Liam was having a cold—that much was true. He said nasally, "I missed my sister.""Okay, okay, let's go inside," Grant said with a smile, "It's time for Aria to taste our cooking."Olivia and Grant were both very astute. They entered the house together with Aria, holding a conversation all the while.Four generations of the same family lived together in the Renner home. Grant introduced them to Aria one by one, from her grandparents, uncle and aunt to Rainie Spencer, her sister-in-law.Everyone in that house looked relatively normal, save for Rainie. She looked about three years older than Aria and had a head of messy hair. She seemed to be spacing out as she held a baby in her arms.Aria had to call ou
"She knows that she shouldn't have done that now, Olivia. We can't let the baby go hungry, can we?" Geoff tossed a walnut into his mouth. "She's been beaten into submission at this point, so don't worry. We seized her from the town center, so now she knows that it's pointless even if she seeks help from the town authorities. She's given up. She told me that she wants to spend her life with me."Grant was annoyed. "I'm not trying to bring you down, Geoff, but why haven't you managed to subdue her? It's been three years since then.""She was a university student, you know. They're hard to deal with because they know more stuff." Geoff leered. "Speaking of this, the 'daughter' you've brought home this time looks pretty, Grant. She seems meek too. Maybe I can—"Olivia interrupted him, "No, you can't! You aren't allowed to lay your hands on her! The town chief—Mr. Barter—has set his sights on her, and they'll come over to take a look at her later, so you'd better keep your thoughts to yo
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