"Give me a couple minutes," Aria said, then turned to Ignatius. "I'm teaching them to follow the current trends."Ignatius said obediently, "I'll do it immediately.""Wait till the area is no longer barricaded." Aria handed him three cherry wood branches, freshly taken from the tree, and told him to set them in front of his bedroom window. She then gave three to Philip as well. "That goes for you too," she said.Ignatius and Philip were touched. "How can we possibly thank you, Ms. Aria?""Thank me according to the market price." Aria prodded Sam, who showed his bank account number immediately.Aria asked Will, "How much does Mr. Windsor charge for his rituals, Uncle Will?""It depends on the situation. It's as much as several million bucks if it's a big deal. He charges 600 thousand dollars minimum."Aria looked at Philip. "600 thousand dollars then. That'd be 200 thousand dollars from each of you."Ignatius paid promptly. Philip also wanted to pay Lamond's share, but Aria st
When Aria had met Fiona on the street, she hadn't expected her to be her mother. While most in their social circle knew Rainbow had been found, Warren hadn't made it public yet. But surely Warren would have told Owen about it. So why was her mother still looking for her? Had Owen not yet told Fiona that she was back?Aria narrowed her eyes coldly. Startled by the sudden shift in her demeanor, Will pulled her aside and whispered, "Mrs. Carver's sick, so she's always kept to herself. If you want to meet her, you'd need Mr. Carver's approval.""Why do I have to go through so many hoops just to meet my mother?" Aria scoffed. Before Will could answer, Ignatius and Philip approached. Ignatius cheerfully cut in, "Ms. Aria, we can arrange a meeting with Mrs. Carver. Can we, Philip?""Absolutely," Philip confirmed. "Leave it to me. I'll make sure of it.""Thank you," Aria said, grabbing her black bag. She and Sam followed Philip and Ignatius out.Now that Georgina had neighbors to ke
Fear laced Philip's voice. "It's quite scary. Mrs. Carver seemed calmer with her husband and Mindy around. The doctor said her excessive sadness affected her mentally."Hesitantly, Philip asked, "Ms. Aria, what's your take? Do you think something malevolent befell Mrs. Carver?"Aria put away her amethyst pendant. "No. Mrs. Carver is a kind and blessed soul. Evil entities wouldn't dare to approach her."Ignatius felt envious hearing that. "If that's the case, why does Mrs. Carver have this sickness?""Didn't the doctor already say it's because of her excessive sorrow?" Aria replied. However, it was obviously a lie.Will finally understood, but Philip continued to ask, "If she's just ill, why are you in such a rush to meet her?""I'm fated with her," Aria said nonchalantly.Philip became serious. "I understand! Saving those fated to you can lead to ascension, right?""You've been reading too many novels." Aria remained unfazed. "Why did you say you found a doctor to diagnose her
Philip shuddered at the thought. He immediately said, "Ms. Aria, Kenny offended you before. Could you forgive him for my sake?""You're quite good to Kenny," Aria said flatly.Philip scratched his head. "Kenny has been taking care of me since I was young. He's just a bit love-struck this time."The car stopped outside the hotel."I'm not interested in your brother," Aria replied before briskly exiting the car.Sam, clutching her black backpack, tugged at Aria's clothes. His eyes gleamed with excitement upon seeing the hotel. He signed, "I like this place!""With such chaotic energy, no wonder," Aria muttered to herself, a fortune teller's perspective revealing a troubled atmosphere within the hotel.However, she kept her thoughts to herself and entered the hotel swiftly, followed closely by Philip and Ignatius.The Carver family owned the modernly-decorated hotel.Upon arrival, the guest relations manager warmly greeted Philip, "Mr. Wagner, Ms. Carver will be here soon. She me
Will reacted swiftly, stepping in front of Aria. "Do you have any idea who you're addressing? You're nothing but a glorified attendant!""Y-You!" Dorothy's hands shook from anger.Mindy recognized Will and stopped Dorothy.Philip had mentioned bringing a doctor on the phone, but Mindy hadn't expected it to be Aria. How was Aria connected to everyone, even Panne Street's Will Weller?Mindy clenched her fists, about to speak, but Philip was quicker. "Mindy, your assistant seems rather aggressive. One would think she was a Carver by blood," he commented sarcastically.Mindy sighed. "Dorothy didn't mean any disrespect. I understand how confusing this must be.She then directed a seemingly innocent look at Aria. "Dr. Genius, perhaps you could explain why Dorothy reacted so strongly to seeing you?"Explain?Aria got straight to the point. "A dog tried to bite me, so I dealt with it.""How dare you!" Dorothy fumed, wishing she could kill Aria then and there.Aria's attention was on
Aria stood under the lights, her nonchalant expression revealing neither anger nor happiness. However, her curved lips hinted at a trace of mischief.For some reason, Owen found her face oddly familiar. This was especially true of her dark eyes, which seemed to pierce right through him, causing a disquieting sensation.He wondered if Aria knew him."You…" Owen, intending to deal with the situation, softened his demeanor. When Dorothy saw that, she shouted, "Mr. Carver, you must stand up for Ms. Carver! This young woman is the doctor from Janovin! She's the one who has been slandering Ms. Carver's reputation!"Owen immediately stopped in his tracks.Mindy's face was filled with tears as she whispered, "Dorothy, stop it. I'm fine.""Ms. Carver, I can't stay silent! I've watched you grow up. Others might not care about you, but I do."Pounding her chest, Dorothy continued, "It's all because I'm not from an influential family. Otherwise, I can stand up for you like Mr. Wagner. "
With that, the entire lobby went silent. This included the managers who had been discussing the situation amongst themselves and even Mindy, who had been sobbing the entire time.Only Will seemed prepared to back Aria. "That's right. I was about to say that too. Mr. Carver, your biological daughter is back. Why are you treating this outsider like royalty? Something's definitely fishy!""Will Weller!" Owen's anger flared. "Don't think I won't dare to do anything to you! Where are the security guards? Don't just stand there! Kick them out!"The security guards were about to make a move when Sam returned and blocked them off. He then subtly signaled to Aria that he had found Fiona.Aria acknowledged his signal with an eyebrow raised. She then prepared to leave with Sam. However, a new voice filled the lobby before she could depart."Owen, what are you doing to my guests?"It was Fiona. As usual, she wore a hospital gown, her long dark hair cascading down her back. Her pale lips acce
Before Owen could do so, Aria grabbed Fiona's hand. She looked into her eyes and asked, "Who's Mindy?""She's my daughter." Fiona clutched her long hair with one hand. "My daughter is very obedient. Tiny, too, like a baby."Aria lowered her gaze, her eyes seemingly possessing some magical power. "Mindy is not your daughter.""Mindy isn't my daughter?" Fiona went from confusion to doubt.Aria nodded. "She's not. Nobody bullied your daughter.""Nobody bullied my daughter. Nobody bullied my daughter." Fiona returned to normal after repeating the sentence. When she looked around, she found everyone looking at her weirdly."Did I have an episode again?" Fiona looked at Aria with a bitter smile.Aria held her hand. "No. You just answered a couple of my questions."Fiona could feel warmth spreading from her hand. Only Aria would describe her episode in such a calm way.Seeing Fiona composed, Aria's gaze turned steely. "Sam, bring that woman here," she instructed.Uncertainty cloud
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
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