Aria smiled as she watched Seth walk down the stage. Her mind buzzed with suspicion—someone high up must be behind the Uludon kidnappings. Birth certificates and DNA reports were very difficult to legitimize without the overseeing efforts of the relevant authorities.However, everything seemed perfectly normal under investigation, and this was why many people found it extremely difficult to search for their children and verify the relevant information.When the HOU tried to investigate who among the higher-ups would be behind this, they failed to uncover anything. So Seth was from the Layne family in Janovin, huh? Did he just basically serve his family to her on a silver platter?Aria's gaze darkened as she held her trophy in her hands. To Seth, she was nothing but an ordinary citizen with the audacity to disrespect him. The Layne family had been among the most powerful in Janovin for too long. They could dictate how an ordinary citizen's life would go with just a single order
With every word Aria uttered, Norman's face grew thunderous. Though she never directly mentioned his family, everyone understood the target of her scathing remarks.Norman felt suffocated under the weight of their collective scrutiny. He had underestimated Aria's eloquence. In just a few sentences, she had brought the Short family to a profound humiliation.Given her feelings for Christian, Norman had assumed Aria would be easily manipulated. According to Christian's account, Aria had harbored resentment since their annulment and had been relentlessly pursuing him. Besides, Christian also mentioned that what had happened in the manor back then was nothing but an act. Hence, Norman had attempted to flaunt his family's closeness to Kenneth's student. But Aria's ruthlessness caught him off guard.Aria coolly said, "Mr. Short, your son made it clear he wanted me ousted from the hall. Yet you were there, dismissing it all as a misunderstanding. Does this overconfidence run in your fami
The Short family found those words insulting, but they dared not retort. They had no choice but to leave with their tails between their legs.The Short family had employed many underhanded methods to ensure that Christian and Aria's engagement was broken off. They meticulously chose Lily as Christian's fiancée, believing a well-educated daughter from a wealthy family like her could match Christian. They'd made that pact with the Kents years ago to accumulate more power, and since Aria couldn't contribute to that, they called off the engagement. However, no one anticipated Aria becoming Kenneth's student.The news left a bitter taste in the Shorts' mouths. They tried so hard to hide their regret that they looked like they'd swallowed a lemon.Oblivious, Christian approached his uncles, Darren and Herbert. "Why do all of you look like you've eaten something sour?""It's all thanks to you! And yet you have the nerve to ask this question!" Darren Short, Norman's eldest brother, gritt
"Lucas, please order a roasted pork knuckle for us."Kenneth was the only person who could give Lucas such an order. Everyone feared Kenneth—this was not just a rumor.Even now, Lucas would be wound up whenever he met Kenneth, and he dared not act out of line. Aria, on the other hand, spoke to Kenneth naturally, as if he was family. "The pork knuckle is too greasy. You have high blood pressure, so you should order another dish in place of this.""We'll listen to Aria—change it to another dish." Kenneth had Aria sit down beside him. His gaze was filled with relief and worry. "You accomplished a great feat during your visit to Perry Town."Aria poured a cup of tea for Kenneth. "It was merely a coincidence. I was looking into my background at that time.""That wasn't a coincidence. Lucas here told me everything. You had someone pass a note to him before you left." Kenneth pointed at Lucas. "He's fortunate to have you, a fellow student of mine, who's more than meets the eye. "You ta
On a rare occasion, Kenneth's voice boomed with excitement. "You're going to Janovin too?""Yes. I haven't told you yet, but I found my biological parents. They're from Janovin." Aria poured Kenneth another cup of tea. "I wanted to introduce them to you formally after I arrived in Janovin. Heartbound Hall is planning to open more branches there too."Kenneth's smile widened. "That's a good idea. After opening these branches, you can help patients who find it hard to visit the clinic physically and those who live too far away from the clinic.""It's what my grandma wanted." Aria didn't take any credit for the idea. The more time Lucas spent with her, the more he admired her. "We'll meet again in Janovin, then!"Aria picked up on the meaning behind his words. "Are you returning to Janovin too, Lucas?""Not immediately, but it's definitely on the horizon." Lucas chuckled, not keeping it a secret. "My family and Mr. Kane have a plan. After three years in Southbury, I'll be moving so
Lucas finally understood why the elderly residents of Elmer had taken a liking to Aria. Despite her young age, she was perceptive and never brought up what she'd noticed. She appeared cold and aloof, but she held a burning passion.Lucas couldn't help but wonder what legends Aria would create after going to Janovin. He was very eager to see everything unfold. Some, however, remained oblivious to the current situation. …Mindy was barred from entering the Carver residence once again. Holding a bowl of hot soup, she pleaded emotionally, "Mr. Watson, this is soup is beneficial for Grandpa's health. The doctors approved it, knowing it wouldn't harm him.""I'm sorry, Ms. Carver," Keith said mechanically, "Mr. Carver Senior's health is highly unpredictable. A specialist has advised careful monitoring of his diet, and it's best he avoids anything outside what's prescribed."Mindy was on the verge of tears. "What do you mean? Are you saying this soup isn't allowed? Mr. Watson, do you u
"What misunderstanding could possibly warrant you handling it alone, Mindy?"It was Owen, looking impeccable in a crisp suit. Beside him were his doctor and secretary, all three of them dragging suitcases, clearly just off a planeMindy laughed, her face alight with surprise. "Oh, you're back, Dad! Where's Mom?""Long-haul flights are extremely tiring, and you know how frail Fiona is. She didn't want to come back to the villa, so she's staying the night in a hotel." Owen set his bag on the couch. "Did your grandpa give you a hard time again?"Mindy shook her head. "No."Dorothy couldn't hold everything in anymore. "Mr. Carver, Mr. Watson has gone overboard. Ms. Carver worked so hard to make a bowl of soup for Mr. Carver Senior, but Mr. Watson said that Mr. Carver Senior shouldn't drink it, and he barred Ms. Carver from entering the Carver residence.""Dorothy!" Mindy uttered brusquely.Dorothy muttered, "Ms. Carver, you always keep everything to yourself and never tell your fami
Warren was happily shopping online in his study. He wanted to liven up the house, especially with Aria's homecoming. Her room, in particular, deserved a cheerful makeover.Just as Warren was on a spending spree, Owen arrived. Warren used to get furious with Owen, but now he simply let him be. Warren sat silently, listening to Owen's lengthy monologue. Only when Owen's mouth went dry did he look up and say, "I won't agree to it."Owen frowned. "Why? Why can't you acknowledge Mindy after all these years?" Mindy said demurely, "Dad, please don't argue with Grandpa. It's okay if the adoption doesn't happen. He isn't feeling well, so maybe we should discuss this later."Owen was barely containing his anger. "Dad, you need to give me a reason!""It's been so many years, you say. Have you forgotten about your biological daughter?" Warren said coolly.Mindy was bewildered. This was the first time Warren had reacted this way to the topic. Usually, it ended in a heated argument. Why was
Aliya had never heard of the Special Missions Unit until today. But after seeing Pedro's panicked reaction, it didn't take long for her to realize that this was a group with more authority than even her father.Still, some people lived so long in privilege that they convinced themselves they were untouchable. Logic no longer applied to them.Aria was done entertaining Aliya's ignorance. With a flick of her wrist, she signaled someone to silence her. Then, she turned to Aliya with icy disdain."Don't worry," Aria said. "I'll take you with me when I pay your father a visit. Then we can ask him together what his name truly means in this state."Her voice was calm but sharp."You seem to have forgotten that his power—any power—comes from the people. And now, you're using that power to treat their lives like currency. To buy yourself a life of superiority."She stepped closer. "Organ trafficking is illegal here. That's the crime we've confirmed so far. But don't worry. We'll find the
When Pedro heard that it was the Special Missions Unit, his forehead was covered in sweat immediately. Even his mind had gone blank. At that moment, all he could think about was how doomed they were!Others might not have heard of the unit before. However, as a state official, there was no way Pedro wouldn't know them. In fact, the Special Missions Unit was something they had no control over.Technically, the Special Missions Unit had way more clearance than they did. After all, they were in charge of big cases. Sometimes, they would even work with the special troops.The Special Missions Unit belonged to the country, and they were extremely mysterious. Even people with high clearance wouldn't know who they were in real life.Pedro only managed to find his voice after a long time. As he wiped the sweat off his forehead, he chuckled awkwardly."Oh, this is all a misunderstanding. May I know who I am speaking to? I never expected the Special Missions Unit to be carrying out a missio
Aliya had never met Aria before, but this was the first time she'd seen a young woman more poised—and far more arrogant—than herself. That only fueled her rage. And the fact that Aria was stunningly beautiful didn't help either.Scoffing, she snapped, "Do you dare let us make our calls? Let's see if you still look so smug after that."The other wealthy attendees stiffened. None of them moved. With Aria in the room, they had the sinking feeling that calling in favors wouldn't end well.Aria merely tilted her head and smiled. "Of course," she said, then turned to her team. "Please hand this lady her phone. Let her make her call."The members of the Special Missions Unit didn't question her. They knew Aria well enough to understand what she was doing—she wanted the bigger fish. The call would be recorded, and with any luck, it would lead them straight to someone higher up the chain.Aliya was momentarily thrown off by Aria's easy agreement. But she quickly chalked it up to ignorance.
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