The simpler the words, the more they touched people's hearts. Ellie froze while recording everything. She'd been observing Queenie and Aria's interactions, and she'd managed to obtain some information from listening between the lines. It seemed that Queenie's past incarnation was related to those heroic spirits and that her people's ancestors from previous generations were now back. Why would someone say that they wanted to protect the people if not for that?Ellie had seen someone on the Internet talk about how people had lost their dreams and aspirations in an age of consumerism. Doctors and teachers alike didn't carry out their responsibilities well—there were many recorded occurrences of teachers hitting their students in the face. Also, more and more people started to opt for higher-salary positions. It was hard to say if this was right or wrong when the economy was worsening because both survival and earning money were vital.However, many hoped for the emergence of a g
Warren took the phone. He was furious, close to losing his composure. "I heard about what happened in the church, Aria. To think that this memorial was there—how preposterous! "You must look deeper into it, Aria. Who on earth would sell out our country like that? What motives do they have?"You need not worry. Even if this happened in Nymeria, the Carver family would still have your back as long as there was a reason behind it. If we really can't do anything, Fiona's brothers can be of help too!"They'll surely take your side if they hear about this." Warren's voice deepened. "This isn't just a matter of who was hurt. We must be wary of this happening while also making sure that the perpetrators receive the punishment they deserve, regardless of who they may be or how complicated the situation in Nymeria is!"Warren saw through everything. For this to have happened in a church, a mere priest's efforts weren't enough. He was surely supported by donors and bolstered by his connectio
"This is great! Our child is back again, honey!" The prospective father hugged his wife, his eyes reddening. He'd been most worried about how his wife would be sad after the results of her pregnancy check-up were revealed. She had suffered a lot during her pregnancy, including frequent bouts of sickness. Her physical condition caused him to seriously consider the doctor's suggestions despite his reluctance to say goodbye to this new soul who had come to exist after various tribulations and difficulties. It was the product of their lovemaking, after all. Everything was headed in a better direction now. "Do you think it's related to the comment I left today?" The woman quickly pulled out her phone and added a comment under her original one, informing everyone about this. As if fated, the heroic spirits were able to return to where they were supposed to go. The relevant authorities in Nymeria were held accountable, but this wasn't the point. On the same afternoon, a few sets o
As if anyone would just accept this! No one would! Not a single Farshyan would let that happen!The police officers were furious, but Lorna behaved like a madwoman, unable to be reasoned with, which put them at a standstill. At this moment, Aria walked in, saying coolly, "Did the deity you believe in tell you that the authorities could access records of you accepting a foreign permanent resident card and money through bank transfers?"Lorna suddenly shifted her posture, but she looked up and smiled at Aria. "I'm not Farshyan anymore, that's true. However, we members of the diaspora community have done a lot for the sake of this country these years.""Are you sure about that?" Aria pulled a chair over and sat down opposite Lorna. "The usual process of acquiring a resident card differs from yours. "You came to the city from a small fishing village, and you participated in some activities when you were at school. I won't go into the specifics, but everything is included in the info
Lorna was obviously panicking. She didn't know how the authorities had managed to unearth her participation in certain demonstrations. Lorna was from Chershia, which was connected to another city outside the mainland through a bridge. Hornwell was known for its elite universities. Lorna had joined at first because she wanted to assimilate herself into the local community, but she later realized that the students there were way more progressive than those on the mainland. She joined demonstrations and protests but was quickly stopped by her grandfather who learned about it. No one could have found information on that, surely!Lorna told herself to calm down. Everything would be resolved nicely once her grandpa arrived. Wayne Chester—Lorna's maternal grandfather—worked in one of the first government-backed companies, which made him very well-connected. The Chesters also owned assets worth an enormous sum of money.Lorna hadn't done anything that problematic; she'd just given
"Stop talking!" Maverick finally shed his disguise completely. "I won't tell you who's backing me up—look for the answer yourself. You'd never find it!"He'd gone crazy. "The Farshyan people will never triumph against us. The memorial is just the beginning. You only learned about it because we failed to conceal it well."Maverick was exhibiting clear signs of madness as he rambled, "You're one of them Carvers, aren't you? Every single member of your family will die a miserable death!"Aria got up. "The memorial was only the beginning, huh? What's next, the babies?"Aria had obviously gotten it right, judging from how Maverick froze abruptly for a moment. She continued, "Even if you refuse to tell us anything, we can uncover parts of your plans through your records."We know that the person above you is currently in Janovin. He's quite knowledgeable in fortune telling, and he's an elderly person. You told me that I'd never find him. "I thought about it from another perspective, f
Everyone in the interrogation room fell silent upon seeing the name list. None of them would have expected those important figures, who should be servicing the people, to be guilty of harming them instead, motivated by their superstitious ideals.They would drink medicine for their bad livers and attempt to compensate for their ailing lungs by looking for a child with abundant positive energy. Certain politicians were among those mentioned, too. Even the members of the HOU were shocked to see those names, much less those police officers in charge of the interrogation. Had the enemy's influence really been spread so far and wide using those superstitious ideals? How long had it been since the beginning? Could Nymeria still be salvaged?Aria didn't waste any more time. She ordered the information about this to be locked down and the culprits arrested.Some of the people on the list valued their lives greatly. Upon noticing that something was amiss, they had already gone up to the
"Something went wrong with the batch of goods you wanted," the butler said tentatively, afraid of angering the other man. "The topic is also trending online. They're saying that a church was honoring invaders of our country."The hunchbacked old man clenched his fists tightly upon hearing that. His breathing became louder, audible even from a distance. "Leave, close the door, and allow no one to enter. I have some matters to attend to."The butler bowed slightly, saying, "Yes, sir." He ventured carefully, "What if the young master came? When he came to your study last time, he seemed to have—""My study? Why would he be there?" The old man stood up straight, looking at his butler with his sunken eyes. "Did he notice?"The butler shook his head. "No, no! I distracted him before he could enter the room."The old man was silent for a while. "Keep an eye on him and see if he's acting out of the ordinary recently.""Yes, sir." The butler took his leave. The old man didn't get back
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