Chapter 328
In the bustling streets of Oriar, the surroundings were filled with traditional-style shops and numerous old-fashioned stalls. Phoebe's group had arranged a temporary booth through the local management. Jamar and Reece, being considerate, borrowed a table and chairs and set them up at the booth. They found a white cloth and, working together, made a simple banner. Following Phoebe’s instructions, they also bought ink and brushes. The production team provided additional ink and brushes.
Phoebe turned to Raylan and said, “Raylan, you can write on the banner.” Phoebe thought, I’m curious to see how his handwriting would turn out and how he would approach it. Raylan rubbed his temples. He thought, Phoebe is always finding ways to test me. He gave a reluctant nod. “Alright, I’ll write.”
He picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the words on the white cloth: “Fortune-Telling and Divination.” Phoebe’s gaze remained fixed on him as he wrote. She couldn’t help but notice his naturally graceful posture—he carried himself with an air of elegance, reminding her of an ancient scholar she had once read about. The characters he wrote were strong, bold, and full of character; they had an effortless beauty that spoke of years of practice. She couldn’t help but admire him. “Great handwriting!” She smiled at him and said, “With handwriting like that, you must have decades of practice behind you.”
Jamar and Reece leaned in to take a closer look. While they weren’t experts in handwriting, it was obvious to both that Raylan’s writing was impressive, exuding the mark of a master. Even Carl, who had a collection of ancient scrolls and paintings, didn’t have anything that rivaled Raylan’s skill. Raylan was becoming increasingly like a man of many secrets, with depths they hadn’t yet fully uncovered.
The live stream audience couldn’t stop praising Raylan’s writing, and soon, even some renowned masters joined the live stream, offering high praise for his writing. A few collectors even expressed interest in buying the banner.
At the booth, Phoebe instructed Jamar and Reece to hang the banner before taking a seat. She turned to Raylan, who had settled beside her, and asked, “Should you go first, or should I?”
Raylan grinned. “You go ahead. I don’t usually do fortune-telling for others and haven’t read a single divination in years. I’ll wait until you’re done, then try it.” He glanced around. “It’s all about who’s meant to cross my path.” Phoebe wasn’t surprised by his response—she had expected it. She nodded with a smile. “Alright, then I’ll go first and show you what I’ve got.”
Phoebe picked up a blank sheet of paper, dipped the brush into the ink, and carefully wrote: [Currently on a live show. If you’re okay with being on camera and willing to expose any private details for fortune-telling, the fee is 100 dollars per reading.] Once finished, she handed the paper to Jamar, who found a wooden board to attach it to.
Raylan glanced at the words Phoebe had written and, with a hint of amusement in his eyes, remarked, “Your handwriting is excellent, Phoebe.” “The way you write in such a delicate and elegant style carries a refined charm,” he continued, his tone thoughtful. “You must have decades of practice. Not something a young woman in her twenties could easily achieve.” It was evident that Phoebe had a deep mastery of the craft. Raylan thought, This doesn’t look like something a young woman in her twenties could quickly achieve!
Phoebe smiled lightly, replying, “You flatter me, Raylan.” Phoebe thought, I meant to do that, and, of course, he caught on. Jamar and Reece, however, didn’t pick up on their subtle exchange and quiet testing.
After setting up, Jamar asked Phoebe, “Can we start now?” Phoebe nodded. “We’re good to go.” “You two just need to handle the money,” Phoebe added, her tone light. She thought, At this point, they’re only suitable for handling the money.
Jamar and Reece didn’t mind, grinning as they responded, “Got it, we’ll handle the cash.” They thought, We feel more at ease if we have something to do. Otherwise, we’re worried Phoebe might ask us to leave!
The combination of handsome men and beautiful women was already a draw. And several people recognized Phoebe and her group, so their booth quickly became the center of attention. However, no one initially stepped forward to ask for a fortune-telling. Everyone seemed to be hesitating, waiting, and watching.
Seizing the moment, Jamar quickly returned to the production team with a coffee set and some fine coffee. He carefully poured a cup for Phoebe and another for Raylan. Seeing this, Reece went off to buy famous local pastries and arranged them neatly in front of Phoebe. Jamar wasn’t about to let Reece outshine him. The sun had come out, and it was starting to feel warm. He grabbed a fan and stood behind Phoebe, fanning her like her servant.
The overly eager and obsequious attitude made Leon and the others watching the live stream cringe. They thought, Jamar’s becoming a full-on sycophant. Lydia, standing nearby with her assistant, watched the scene unfold. Seeing Jamar so eagerly attending to Phoebe made her stomach turn. Lydia thought, “This ungrateful child never treated me like this. He did not make me coffee or fan me or bring me a cup of water. I’m more frustrated than ever with Phoebe. And Jamar and Reece? They’re nothing but pushovers. The more Phoebe ignores them, the harder they try to win her over. This isn’t how it should be in a wealthy family. It’s shameful.” She quickly recorded a video and sent it to Elliot, followed by a message: [Look at Jamar, acting like a servant. What a disgrace!]
At the hospital, Elliot was watching the live stream with Cain. When he saw Lydia’s message, he couldn’t help but sigh in exasperation. Elliot quickly replied: [Jamar’s just helping Phoebe. How did he become a servant? What nonsense are you spouting!] [After all, their group is supposed to rely on Phoebe to make money. What he’s doing is the least he should do.] Lydia’s face darkened as she read the message. [Are you blind? He’s serving Phoebe! What else would you call it if not being a servant?]
Elliot was even more speechless. [You’ve got a problem with Phoebe lately, so everything they do annoys you. Can’t you stop making a fuss about nothing? You’re the mother, can’t you show a little tolerance?] Lydia was furious: [I raised my son, not to serve others!] Elliot sighed, frustrated. (Why are we arguing over this? You’re getting more unreasonable by the day.) Elliot thought, ‘It looks like I’ll need to call Finnian and have a serious talk. Lydia’s starting to act just like Ophelia, getting more petty and causing unnecessary drama! I’ll have to stop their relationship, or things at home will only worsen.’
Lydia thought, “How dare Elliot call me unreasonable? It feels like Elliot and his sons have all betrayed me. Just like Ophelia said, these men and Phoebe can’t be trusted—I must deal with them.”
In Solara City, Ophelia watched the video her friend had sent her. In the video, Jamar was practically fawning over Phoebe, behaving like a servant. To make things worse, Phoebe dismissively ignored him. Ophelia thought, “This is infuriating, it’s downright humiliating. I’ve never been treated like that by him. Why should Phoebe get special treatment?”
Ophelia thought, “Not only did Phoebe ruin Sienna, but now she’s got Jamar wrapped around her finger too. I can’t stand her even more now.” With a twitch in her thought, she quickly grabbed her phone and dialed Jake. She thought, I’m going to teach Phoebe a lesson. “Going to be so bold with her fortune-telling on a live stream, let’s expose her for the fraud she is. Let’s see how smug she feels after she’s humiliated on camera. Hmph.”