As Aria was deep in thought, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, hinting at something ominous in the distance, as if some creature was undergoing a trial. She was just about to focus on it when her phone rang. Leon's voice came through, hurried and anxious. "Aria, are you with Landon?"…Leon still had makeup on as Clary stood beside him. His popularity had skyrocketed lately, and Clary couldn't contain her excitement. Her admiration for Aria was growing by the day. Clary had been planning to get Leon on a live broadcast, but Leon's casual mention of Landon had caught her off guard. She froze. Even if Leon had Aria's support, he shouldn't have addressed his boss so casually.Upon seeing Clary, Leon immediately shifted his gaze and turned in another direction.…Unaware of what was happening on Leon’s side, Aria shut the window. "No, I'm at Mr. Hendricks' place. I believe Landon is with Mr. Tarson right now."Leon's voice dropped to a whisper. "He's not. The York famil
Don didn't notice Aria's subtle placement of the Charm Coin. He was too concerned about his granddaughter, Daisy Hendricks' reaction to anyone messing with her room. Nyx, nestled inside the Charm Coin, understood his role. Aria had left him behind to investigate the room's strange atmosphere, which would likely intensify after dark.Before closing the door, Aria asked again, "Other than the earrings that keep returning, nothing else strange has been happening, right?"Don nodded, sounding certain as he said, "Just the earrings. I haven't mentioned it to my family because I don't want to scare them."Then, with a sudden realization, Don added, "Wait, has something happened to Daisy?"Aria responded honestly. "Something feels off in her room. When I next visit you, I'd like to meet her if possible.""Of course!" Don agreed immediately, his concern evident. He worried that his work might have adverse effects on his family.Aria acknowledged his concerns. "It's something that can b
Ian, the cunning old fox, refused to meet with any of the shareholders, which took them by surprise. A man working for Ian emerged, apologetically delivering the news. "I'm sorry, sirs, but Mr. Carver isn't feeling well. He caught a cold due to the persistent rain and is worried about getting you sick."The shareholders were skeptical. Ian had recently invited them to dinner, and it seemed implausible that he could fall ill in such a short time. They knew he was deliberately avoiding them. "Of course. We'll leave these gifts here and meet Mr. Carver whenever he's free."Naturally, Ian would gladly accept the gifts, especially when they came from his allies. Meanwhile, he sat in his tearoom, sipping tea and lamenting the shareholders' naivety. Their visit, coinciding with Landon's disappearance, handed the Yorks significant leverage against them."I told all of them to leave, Mr. Carver." William Fallon walked over with a smile, his words sounding stiff.Ian set his cup down. "Now t
Ian remained silent, his heart filled with resentment toward Mindy. Her arrogance had ignited multiple controversies, tarnishing her public image and causing irreparable damage. Their hard work now seemed to benefit their rivals, and several shareholders had even managed to break free from Ian's control.Ian couldn't fathom why William held Mindy in such high regard. Was it simply because of her background? Or was there another, more hidden reason he had yet to discover?Reluctantly, Ian replied, "We'll discuss this further once the York family has been brought to its knees."William chuckled confidently. "The master has never miscalculated a single step," he boasted. Besides, they had borrowed fortune from a dragon this time—nothing would go wrong.…The dragon William referred to was now reduced to a servile, humbled creature. He kicked some discarded jewelry aside, offering in a meek voice, "Would you like some tea, my lord?"Landon glanced around the majestic lizard's abode.
Aria quickly noticed something off about Sam's condition. She set her helmet down smoothly and moved toward the alley. The bodyguards tried to follow her but were stopped by Sam, who walked behind Aria with a bag slung over his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with excitement.As Aria made her way there, she tried to recall any evil spirits that would compel someone to make a choice. Yet, as she entered the alley, she sensed something different—it wasn't the work of an evil spirit. The dense, swirling fog and the unnatural shift in the weather, along with the bit of gossip Leon had shared, reminded her of an old myth she had once heard.According to legend, a snake could become a majestic lizard after a hundred years, and with a thousand more years and an ordeal in the three realms, it could finally transform into a dragon.These lizards, she recalled, would often take human form and seek out someone they were fated to meet. They'd ask that person a single question—"Do I look like a dr
Sam was uninterested in exchanging pleasantries with the majestic lizard. He longed to catch it, grill or deep fry it and enjoy it seasoned with cumin and chili flakes. It would surely taste delicious.Aria pinched Sam's cheeks and lifted his chin, saying sardonically, "Now, now, we can't be too hostile to this man who's just trying to help."She shot a sideways glance at the majestic lizard, a hint of mischief in her smile. "We'll have to trouble you to lead the way.""It's no trouble at all. This alley hasn't been safe lately," the majestic lizard replied, oblivious to the intent behind her smile. Whenever it was out to take a soul, it'd mimicked the first person he had consumed. "Everything will be fine as long as you walk out of it."Aria casually remarked, "Judging by your uniform, you seem to be an electrical technician at the network.""Oh, yes. We work overtime every day, but our salary remains low. It's a tiring profession." The closer they were to the mist, the harder
The majestic lizard seemed to recall something important, quickly darting behind Aria. After all those years, it had grown weary of battling fortune tellers. Landon was waiting; if he sensed the lizard had fought with this young woman, it would be doomed.Determined to act quickly, the majestic lizard resolved to eat Sam first before turning to Aria.Cunning by nature, it thought holding Sam hostage and threatening Aria with him was a solid plan. But just as it reached for Sam, Aria interrupted, saying, "I forgot to remind you of something. For your own safety, it's best not to target my younger brother here."The majestic lizard, of course, ignored her warning. It relished the taste of children, especially those with tender flesh and petite forms. But the moment it extended its claws, it was thrown to the ground with an unexpected force.The impact left the lizard dizzy, and tears welled in its eyes from the pain. It was stunned. Since when had human children become so strong? It
Sam wasn't about to listen to the majestic lizard. With all the recent rain, he knew they were surely due to the majestic lizard's machinations, which only fueled Sam's disdain.In Sam's mind, the best-tasting animals were those he caught himself. Warren had set up a grill just for him, and Sam imagined how good the majestic lizard would look sizzling over the flames.Warren would surely benefit heavily from eating the majestic lizard's meat too, so Sam was willing—albeit reluctant—to give Warren some of it. He could start marinating the meat any time now.Sam always took everything seriously. He let the majestic lizard scream its fill as he took a coil of red rope out of his bag expressionlessly and tied it around the lizard.What could be more terrifying than encountering Chaos? Discovering that he had learned how to wield Demonbind made by arcane seekers!The majestic lizard sank into despair. It couldn't fathom what Chaos was doing. Why was Chaos sprinkling salt on his face? T
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