Martha panicked. She clutched her grandson as she pleaded, "Libbie, please say something. You know how Sabrina is—she's just tactless, not malicious. After all I've done for you, couldn't we just—" Draco spoke up, "No. Madam Berkin, no one can forgive these actions on Shirley's behalf. Not even me." Draco's fists were clenched tight. "You talk about being good to us, and you know exactly what kind of person my wife is. Yet you turned a blind eye to your son's behavior. Don't pretend you weren't part of spreading those rumors around the neighborhood." Initially, Martha had believed Libbie was the one flirting with her son. But after witnessing something herself, she realized her son was the real problem. She had tried being nice to the Pollards to keep things from escalating. She worried about her son's reputation and career if Libbie ever spoke up about what happened. That day, she had let her judgment slip when she mentioned to others how those from out of town loved dressin
Aria showed no mercy. Some people would never change. They would apologize not because they were sorry, but because they were scared. They were scared of losing face or all the privileges they had. The son was the real monster here, yet they had let his victim suffer the consequences of their gossip. They did that all to protect his precious career and reputation, huh? Well then, she would make sure everyone knew exactly what kind of trash the son and his family were. The police came to arrest them right in the neighborhood while another team raided his workplace. It caused quite a scene at the school where he worked. Pablo Clarkson was in the middle of self-righteously criticizing "today's unmotivated youth" when the police pinned him to his desk. He was arrested for sexual harassment. At first, his colleagues could not believe it. How could this well-mannered man in glasses be guilty of such a thing? His colleagues tried to stop the police. "Officers, this has to be a mista
"Yes, I heard." Aria met his gaze steadily. Draco smiled, but it looked more like he was crying. "Shirley was stronger than anyone. When she was little, she told me she wanted to be a soldier like me. "In elementary school, she'd always stand up for classmates who were being bullied. But these people dare say she was weak! That a few words drove her to suicide!" Draco's fists clenched. "I didn't even know what was happening. My daughter was gone before I could do anything. Don't I have the right to avenge her? These people, I..." In his youth, he had poured all his energy into protecting the border. He had wanted to keep drugs out, knowing they destroyed families. He had taken pride in protecting people. After retiring, the government treated him well by offering him another job. He was grateful and happy to have a simple family life. But he soon learned how hard things were without connections. New management meant constant overtime. Without connections or knowing how to p
Just as Draco was about to explode with anger, Aria gestured for him to stay calm. She then moved Charles' hand aside. Charles felt his stomach drop. He still remembered how this master had appeared in his dream. Aria bent down with a curious look. "Could you tell me why you call Shirley poor?" Seeing this pretty woman who wore designer shoes, Molly let her guard down. "It's obvious. Everyone at school knows they're from out of town with no money or connections. What else would you call that? "Our school isn't for just anybody. I don't even know how someone of her status could get in. Of course she did not fit in." Molly spoke casually while flexing her numb arm. Aria smiled. "So you're saying anyone who doesn't fit in is poor?" "Obviously." Molly nodded. "We have very clear divisions. Everyone knows who's who. Some people know their place, but Shirley had zero social intelligence!" Middle schoolers today really spoke with more confidence than adults. Aria noticed the poo
Molly's words shocked Draco. "What do you mean she offended someone she shouldn't mess with? Aren't there teachers watching you at school?" "Sir, are you really this naïve or just playing dumb?" Molly muttered under her breath, "So what if we're at school? Nobody really cares." Draco's head snapped up. He had been to the school countless times. After what happened to his daughter, he went there almost daily. The teachers told him that since it happened during class hours, they immediately called both the police and ambulance. A few students had broken down crying as they had no idea why Shirley jumped. They cordoned off the scene and even canceled classes for a day. The teachers looked devastated too. They mentioned how they had even arranged a scholarship for Shirley. Draco pounded his head. "I asked if anyone was bullying Shirley. They said no!" "Draco." Libbie cried, hugging him. "Please don't." "She lied to me!" Draco gritted his teeth. "She was lying! Someone was bully
"Wait." As Aria turned to leave, Libbie pressed a bank card into her hand. "I'm not sure what you do exactly. Everyone calls you Ms. Carver, and you seem like a lawyer. Everything about my daughter's case needs money. "The school tried to give us money as compensation, but I never touched it." Tears rolled down Libbie's face. "I couldn't just accept that Shirley was gone. They kept coming to me, thinking I'd be the easier parent to deal with. But neither of us signed anything. "There isn't much in this account, but please take it. My daughter can't just die without anyone knowing why. I need to know what happened to her in those final days. They claimed she had depression, and said she'd been seeing the school counselor. "But I knew my daughter. She was our little ray of sunshine. Even if something was bothering her, she wouldn't just vanish like this. Right before she left for school that last time, she was talking about the birthday cake I promised to make her the following w
Molly's face suddenly drained of color. She forced a smile while trying to cover her panic with a weak excuse. "That's just a classmate. It was my birthday party, so I invited everyone." "Strange that it's your birthday, yet she's in the center spot." Aria gave a meaningful smile. "Interesting, isn't it?" Molly looked anxious. "That's... That's just how we take photos." "Molly, I'm giving you one chance. Point out who's responsible." Aria's voice was eerily calm. "Do that, and I'll let you off. Otherwise, remember what I said. I can destroy your family's life and send you to juvenile detention easily." Molly bit her lip. She was clearly struggling to make a decision. Aria did not urge her either. "This game should be familiar to you. Just like how you guys choose the scapegoat each week, it's all about reading the room and being smart about it, right?" At the mention of the scapegoats, Molly cracked like a whip. She instantly said, "It's Tiffany Karken! Her family invested in
Molly froze. She stared blankly at Aria's retreating figure. Charles pulled at his daughter's arm. "Why didn't you tell me about what was happening at school?" "We can't afford to offend the Karkens. What's the point of talking about it?" Molly bit her lip. She hesitated, then suddenly ran downstairs after Aria, who was putting on her helmet. "I'm sorry! I'll apologize to Shirley's parents! I defended her online with a burner account because I was too scared to use my main. You saw my Instagram posts, right? "When people said she had an abortion, I stood up for her! I even tried to investigate what happened to her, but my burner account got attacked." Aria held her helmet, glancing sideways. "Got it." "You can't take on the Karkens." Molly struggled to explain. "They have powerful connections!" A slight smile crossed Aria's lips. "What a coincidence. So do I." "I hate poor people, and you've probably figured that out. I didn't particularly like Shirley, but her mom's cr
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