"What an honor." Landon's smile widened upon hearing Aria's compliment. For some reason, the gold-rimmed glasses he wore made him look even more playful. The York family's bodyguards had never seen Landon like this before, and they were quite surprised.They were impressed that Aria dared to tease Landon. After all, the socialities couldn't even get close to him at parties, let alone tease him.However, Aria didn't seem to fear him at all. Her carefree attitude made it seem like she had Landon wrapped around her finger, though the bodyguards wouldn't dare to say it out loud.By how Aria teased and complimented him so naturally, it seemed that she often did something similar."That's settled then. You're mine now." After Aria made up her mind, she didn't like sharing what was hers.Landon twirled her long hair. "Yes, I'm yours.""Find out everything you can about the young woman the Carvers are sponsoring," Aria requested, yawning. Exhaustion was evident in her voice. "I can't p
Landon frowned but answered the call anyway. The person on the other end of the line seemed to be worried he would get angry. He explained frantically, "Boss, we're still working on getting a higher profit margin from our side. It's around 10% now, and I know you're not satisfied with it. As for Barry…"The phone call had attracted Aria's attention. When she looked over, she widened her eyes. Landon gently turned her head. "Don't move. I don't want to burn you with the dryer.""Go on and take the call. I can finish drying my hair." Aria felt it was inappropriate for him to blow-dry her hair while in a meeting.Landon chuckled. "I'm blow-drying my fiancée's hair right now. Can you hold off the report for a minute?"On the other end of the line, Edward Sarris was speechless. Collecting himself, he stuttered, "Go ahead, Boss! I'm sorry for disturbing you."Edward wondered why he had chosen to call five minutes before the official meeting. This awkward moment could have been avoid
Landon's body tensed as he stared at her with dark, inscrutable eyes. Their noses almost touched when he leaned closer. His touch made his Adam's apple bob slightly.Janovin was usually windy after fall began. Yet, the room was eerily quiet as the wind howled outside.Aria furrowed her eyebrows slightly, perhaps disliking the coolness of his rosary beads. When Landon looked at her, his side profile seemed to give off a sense of danger.His handsome face appeared different, unreadable.Landon leaned down and caressed her face. Then, he muttered, "You have no idea the things I could do to you."He wasn't even sure what he was capable of. Yet, Aria seemed blissfully unaware.His gaze flickered between her eyes and lips. His hand beside her tightened, betraying the struggle for control within him. The strain reddened his eyes.Landon coughed and inadvertently dispersed dust from his rosary beads, revealing a faint glow as his gaze deepened further.Finally, he lifted her from the b
Aria couldn't care less about the marriage, and Landon seemed equally disinterested. So, Aria told his grandfather to call it off. When people later compared her to Mindy, Landon replied, "The Carver family values blood relations, and the person I was engaged to is Ms. Carver. It's not that I don't want her or anything. She's the one who didn't like me. Stop spreading nonsense."By then, Landon was already suffering from severe coughing fits, yet he stood up for Aria in a circle where everyone seemed to despise her. This happened after Warren had passed away.Everything after that was a blur for Aria. When she finally intended to visit and check on him, news came of his car accident. Aria couldn't understand why he had suddenly ended up in such a situation.Aria abruptly woke up, instinctively shielding her eyes from the sunlight. For a moment, she couldn't discern whether she was dreaming or awake. It was only when she turned her head and touched Landon's pajamas that she breathe
"I picked it up from watching TV shows," Aria lied calmly. "Go and open the door for Sam. He'll have a million questions for me otherwise."Landon ran his hands through her hair and stood up. He didn't believe her for a second, though. When Landon opened the door, he saw the caution etched on Sam's face. Sam worried Aria would do something reckless because she was smitten with Landon's face. He noticed the deepening darkness in Landon's eyes. Sam glanced down at his wrist, wondering if the rosary beads were losing their effect.Landon raised an eyebrow. "Is it just you?"Sam pointed downstairs. As smart as Landon was, he caught on quickly, "Your grandmother is eating breakfast downstairs, so she asked you to come look for us?"Sam nodded in confirmation. Landon smiled slightly. "You came at a bad time today, so I won't give you any money." Sam was bemused by his statement. Landon ushered him inside. "I'll pay you if you don't visit mornings and nights."Sam made a gestur
Aria needed to gather her thoughts before explaining to Landon. However, Landon was sensitive and caught on to the key points quickly. "Do you think I'm in danger on the highway?""Yes," Aria said, meeting his gaze.Landon smiled at her. "I believe in everything you say."His words made Aria blink slightly. "Be careful of the people around you.""Okay." Landon tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "If you need anything from me about the Carvers, let me know. I've been in Janovin longer than you and might be more helpful."Aria decided to be direct. "I need you to schedule an appointment with an interior designer for me.""Who?" he asked.Aria handed him a name card. "It's a foreign interior designer named Augustus Babel."Landon's gaze darkened. "The Babel family again?""You know them? That would be helpful. He designed the Carver residence, and I think he did a fantastic job. I'd like to understand his inspiration," Aria replied absentmindedly. Landon took the card,
The man's thick Janovin accent was unmistakable as he introduced himself. "Ms. Carver, this must be your first time here. You can just call me Will."As soon as he finished speaking, a shout came from the side. "Mr. Weller, you're here! I got some good stuff today!"Will gave a firm nod, his voice exuding authority. "I'll check it out later.""Alright, I'll hold it for you then!"Aria asked with a smile, "Mr. Weller?"Will fanned himself with his hand. "Just a local courtesy. My full name is Will Weller. By the way, Mr. Carver Senior mentioned you were looking for topaz for your house. Any specific requirements?""No." Aria glanced at Sam, who was scanning the street with pursed lips. It was clear Sam was familiar with Panne Street. Aria had brought him to use his skills; he excelled at finding things quickly."Honestly, Ms. Carver, you came a little early," Will said as they walked. "But it's understandable. You probably don't know Panne Street's history."Aria offered a playf
Will initially thought Aria, coming from the countryside, would be naïve. However, her composed demeanor made him doubt himself.Will reminded himself that Warren had the ultimate authority on who was recognized. It was pointless to heed anyone else's opinion.Meanwhile, Aria maintained a distinguished smile, not bothering to discuss Owen further with Will."We're here," Will said, glancing around. "We need to line up."Indeed, a large crowd filled the shop. Those with appointments formed a line that snaked from inside to outside. The shop displayed various antiques.A man excitedly exited the shop clutching a piece of paper. "Mr. Windsor said this prescription guarantees a son if I consume it!""He even knew you wanted to have a son?" The crowd was stunned."That's right! I'm so impressed by him!"The people in line got more anxious when they heard him. Just then, two young men emerged and announced, "The fortune-telling slots are full today. The unfortunate ones, please ret
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