Andrew skipped pleasantries and asked directly, "For what business did Mrs. Nichols Sr. call you over to Seamar City?""To help her take control of the Nichols family, of course," Theda replied. "She doesn't want it to fall into the hands of outsiders."Her smile resembled Debra's but was sharper. "Who will you help, Debra or me?""I invited you here," Andrew said coolly. "So, you know the answer.""You treat her so well," Theda murmured. "So well it almost makes me jealous."Her smile faded, and her tone turned icy. "But I won't let go of what I want. The Nichols Group is mine."She placed a small bottle of pills on the desk and added, "These should help with your condition. See you."As she exited the study, Barton stepped forward, his face clouded with concern. "Sir, I'm afraid Ms. Buchan won't give up easily.""That's her," Andrew replied. "But Debra isn't a pushover either. Let's see which of them will laugh the last."Barton hesitated. "I fear Mrs. Houston has little cha
Theda left after dropping that line, and Debra felt a twinge of unease.Theda was clearly trouble. Just then, her phone rang. It was the manager of that salon.The manager cheerfully announced, "Ms. Frazier, the equipment you ordered has arrived. It's at Warehouse No. 1. Would you like to come and inspect it?"Debra agreed, "Yeah. Please ask the delivery guys to wait. I'm on my way."She hung up the phone and saw Liza coming down the stairs.Liza was pretty but a bit spoiled. The good part was that she had a keen interest in beauty programs. Debra's plan needed someone like her."Why are you looking at me like that?" Liza asked, uncomfortable about Debra's gaze."Weren't you eager for some beauty programs the other day? Want to come with me?" Debra asked.Liza smelled a rat, eying her warily. 'Debra was never a kind-hearted person. There has to be more to it.'But despite her better judgment, she soon found herself in Debra's sports car."What is this place? I won't settle fo
Those delivery men exchanged puzzled glances.Debra explained, "I'm in business, just like my husband. The lady beside me also works in the beauty industry. To put it simply, we're looking to make quick money through some side ventures in the business.""You mean...""I've heard that arcades are doing very well these days. Several of my friends have invested, and they're making tens of millions every month. I'm interested too, but I've been struggling to find a way in. If it's just about investing, the shares in those arcades are all taken up already. So, I'm thinking of starting my own."She glanced at the machines in the box and added, "I know these machines are from Orkgate. I don't want to beat around the bush. If you guys can get me some genuine arcade machines, I promise the reward I give will be more than this."Liza realized what was going on and was not happy. They were supposed to have beauty programs rather than talk about some shitty business, especially not one relate
"So what?" Liza said, hands on her hips. "I'm the daughter of the Eaton family. What can he do to me?"With a word from her father, Drake has to bow and scrape in front of her.Debra face-palmed. 'Liza has no idea how dangerous the world could be outside her sheltered life.'"Society isn't as simple as you think," she said. "This place is not your turf. Drake could easily harm you here.""He wouldn't dare.""Why not?""Because of my dad.""He is not here."Liza thought for a moment. "Anyway, he wouldn't act against me. If he did, my dad and brother would not let him off."Knowing how stubborn Liza was, Debra didn't advise her further. As long as Liza stayed with her, Drake probably wouldn't act.Before long, the humming sound of an engine came from outside.Debra checked the time. Only ten minutes had passed since that call.Drake was faster than she had expected. His car screeched to a halt, and he stepped out."Where's Kale?"Drake and Kale were usually inseparable."H
Drake was frustrated, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, I won't argue with you. I'll check the machine first."He walked over to that unboxed machine and examined it briefly."It's genuine.""You sure?""Yep," Drake confirmed, getting up. "Where did you buy it from?"Debra looked at him warily. "What are you planning to do?""What else? To find out who's behind this."Debra let out a sigh of relief. Drake noticed her reaction and frowned."What did you think I was going to do? You thought I was going to kill someone?""You've probably killed so many people in the past that you can't even count them. Should I not be worried?"Drake pointed at her, speechless. In the end, he sighed in frustration. "You're unbelievable.""Are we done yet? When can we start the program? I'm getting tired," Liza complained.Debra glanced at her and turned back to Drake, "Your salons are quite popular. Why don't you take Miss Eaton to try it out?""No, forget it," Liza refused, unwilling
Drake scoffed, "Who else could you ask? In Seamar City, I'm the only one daring to act.""Says who? Marion can do it," Debra retorted.Drake sneered at her proud expression. "You'd let him take the risk?""No. You're the best candidate."Drake felt bitter. "When would you get good things for me?""This is a good thing. I've helped find a..." She paused, noticing his cold gaze. "A clue to who's been framing you."Drake scoffed, "Weren't you so capable before? In the end, you've only found a tiny clue.""Well, I'm better than someone who hasn't found anything.""What the...""Alright, I've found a lead for you. You just need to catch and interrogate them. Marion can't handle such concrete work where you excel in."Drake nodded reluctantly. "But I have a condition.""Go ahead.""If the police catch me again at the docks, I'll be kissing Seamar City goodbye. Forget the bet and consider me lost. I can afford ten million dollars.""Leave as you like. It's your reputation on the
Barton bolted downstairs.Debra walked into the room and saw a team of doctors crowded around Andrew's bed, trying to resuscitate him.Andrew's consciousness seemed hazy. Debra's gaze fell on a pill in one doctor's hand. The group was urgently discussing something.She stepped forward and asked, "What's that pill? You said it could save him. So, why aren't you using it?"The doctors exchanged glances but stayed silent. Just then, Barton returned, pulling William into the room."That pill works, but Mr. Andrew Potter refuses to take it.""Why not? Does it have side effects?""No.""Is it not for his disease?""Yes.""Then why isn't he taking it?"Debra sighed, moving to push the pill into Andrew's mouth.Andrew's eyes suddenly fluttered open. Despite his weakened state, he managed to catch her wrist.His voice was barely audible as he whispered, "Debra, put it down."Debra froze, leaning closer to him. "What?""Put it down." His eyes had regained their clarity, and his to
Barton glanced at Debra, then quickly looked away. "Anyway, this has nothing to do with Ms. Buchan.""Come on, stop covering for him," William said. "If he weren't head over heels for her, why would he treasure those pills she gave him? Did you see how reluctant he was to take them just now?"Before William could spiral further into speculation, Barton dragged him aside. "What nonsense are you spouting in front of Mrs. Houston? Ruining Mr. Potter's reputation. You're in it for trouble."William turned pale and clamped his mouth shut. He wondered if he had inadvertently spilled anything. He resolved to keep quiet from now on.Debra watched their interactions, her suspicion growing.That evening, she found herself lingering outside Andrew's bedroom. She peeked through the doorway, hesitating when a sudden noise echoed from inside.Alarmed, she pushed the door open to find Andrew sprawled on the floor. His face was pale, his forehead damp with sweat."Why did you get out of bed?" S
Under Randy's threat, Lara didn't dawdle. She swiped her fingerprint, and the infrared beams blinked out."My clearance only kills the lasers for three minutes," she said. "Taking me like this only slows you down. Let me go, and I swear I won't pull anything.""Three minutes? Then hustle," Randy snorted.She was full of schemes. Cutting her loose brought him nothing but danger. He would not fall for it.Lara kept her cool and led him toward the end of the hall.The place was futuristic, loaded with tech Randy had never even seen. Only people with the code could get in.Now that she had removed restrictions, it was now just another regular hallway.At the end stood a massive door. She spoke. "Our master is behind that. I can't go in, but I'll open it for you.""Do it quickly," he urged.She stepped to the side and used facial recognition. The door slid open, revealing a dark room.As he scoped it out, she broke free and tried to shove him in.Quick in reaction, he yanked her
As long as he twitched it a little, Lara would be dead.Randy growled, "Cut the crap. Try me again, and you're done."Lara didn't dare push it. She took a breath. "Okay. Follow me inside.""I know who your master is," he said. "Tell him to let Erica go, or the Osborne line ends with me."Her face shifted at that. He noticed. "What, you don't know who he is? Guess you're not that big a deal around here. So, quit stalling. Take me to him now. Touch me, and you don't live to see another day."Lara's composure crumbled.In the Illuminati, nobody knew the bishop's identity. She couldn't tell if Randy was bluffing or not.She had no choice but to lead him toward another entrance. Those goons didn't dare stop him. They just stepped aside.She took him deeper into the valley. The further in, the warier Randy got.The mist thickened, blotting out everything.At a rocky entrance, she used her fingerprint to unlock a hidden door in the mountain. It was mind-boggling that the Illuminati
Lara's face twisted. "No way he would say that. He wants the four families wiped out.""Take it up with him." Juan shrugged, heading out of the valley. "I'm not wasting my breath on you."Lara muttered in disbelief, "Our master wouldn't do that. This was our shot to take them down."Before she could piece it together, a guy rushed up. "Miss, something else showed up.""Who was it?" Lara snapped, annoyed.The four families only had Debra and Marion worth a damn to them."Looks like someone from the Osborne family.""Randy? What's that punk doing here?"Right then, a guy flew in from the mist, screaming as he hit the ground.Randy stepped out with a fierce expression. Lara barked for her crew to gear up.Everyone was puzzled, not expecting a wuss like Randy to be so good at fighting.He'd taken out every guard outside the valley solo, and not one alarm had been tripped. It meant he had memorized the layout, found the safest path, and dodged every trap.Lara sized him up serio
The Illuminati crew scattered into the mist.The leader stayed, pulling off his mask.Juan's brow creased hard. This was all he could do for them.Debra and Marion hauled out of the valley.Earlier when they were talking to that guy, she had clocked his limp. Plus, he had tapped his leg to drop hints.Through those details, she had figured out it was Juan.Juan had fed them a load of crap.Erica was inside. The bishop would show himself if they managed to find her. He would let them go if they could make a deal.It sounded reasonable but did not hold up.The Illuminati had an edge over them. If the bishop wanted to meet, he wouldn't need to snatch Erica. Even if he had her, it'd be to trade for the gemstone they held.He commanded, and they had to comply because they had zero leverage to negotiate. If they had no leverage, the bishop would not let them go.This was the tip-off dropped by Juan. Her business instinct enabled her to perceive it.Erica wasn't in the valley at a
It was afternoon already.Debra and Marion parked their car outside the valley.Looking at the sprawling terrain ahead, Debra couldn't shake the memory of trekking through it with Kale just days ago.Revisiting this place made her shiver."Your injury's still fresh," Marion said. "I can go alone."Debra shook her head. "We agreed on going together. Besides, I'm not here to fight. It will be fine."Marion ruffled her hair. "Alright, we're in this together."Enoch brought Erica here to lure them in. That much was clear.Now that they were here, they'd get her out.With night closing in, they quickly followed the route they'd mapped out and headed in.The map from Juan came in handy. In less than 30 minutes, they reached a clearing smack in the middle of four towering mountains.Mist hung light in the air, and the jagged peaks all around gave off a heavy, oppressive vibe.Through the fog, figures in black cloaks and white masks stepped out.Debra slid behind Marion, their han
Jordan signaled the guards at the door to stop Randy.But they didn't stand a chance. In three seconds flat, Randy laid them out.Jordan watched him vanish down the hall, dumbfounded. 'When did he get this good?'At the entrance, more guards tried to block Randy. He didn't slow down as he threw punches at them.Even with their number, they couldn't catch him.30 seconds later, Randy was in his car, peeling out toward the valley. Scenes from his childhood flashed across his mind."Leg up. Fist tight. Punch!" Caleb shouted.Erica eyed the wooden dummies in front of them and aimed for perfection.Randy's attention was all on her. He was not interested in these self-defense skills at all."Randy, focus!" Caleb whacked his arm with a cane. "Get real or go home."Randy couldn't care less. The truth was, he had already learned it all.At eight years old, his freakish athletic genes got him shipped off to a two-month boot camp. There, his raw talent made him untouchable in the junio
Lara came downstairs, smirking at Michael. "This time, even if you want to let them off, it won't happen."Michael was unfazed. "Don't say stuff that'll get twisted. I never plan to do that.""Oh, please. I know you better than that," Lara snorted. "Drop the act."Growing up, Michael had been given the best of everything.They were both in line to take over, but Michael got the bishop's favor from day one.Even if he didn't fight for it, he'd eclipse her. The bishop's partiality never failed to rattle her.She was a woman. True. But she was not any inferior to Michael.The partiality was unbelievable. This world's full of women outshining men.She was the one to help the bishop build something huge. The altar was only for her to ascend.She stepped up to Michael. "Wanna bet on what happens when Debra and Marion hit the valley? I can't wait to see Debra getting pierced by bullets. It would be so much fun."She observed Michael's expression, but there wasn't a crack."You done
The guard at the gate quickly stepped out of the booth. "Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Houston. Unfortunately, Mr. Osborne isn't home.""We're not here for him," Marion said flat-out. "I want last night's security footage."The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, but without Mr. Osborne saying so, I can't just hand it over.""Randy is lying in the hospital right now," Debra cut in. "Erica went missing from your place last night. If you don't cough up the tapes and something happens to her, can you take the heat?"The guard was shocked. "Mr. Randy Osborne in the hospital? And Miss Mathis is gone? I'll grab the footage. Hang on."He dashed to the security room. But when he pulled up the feed, the screen was pitch black."What's wrong? Is it busted?" Debra asked.The guard smacked the console a couple of times, and the picture flickered on. There was Enoch, stuffing a sack into his trunk and driving off.That explained why the cameras outside had only caught Enoch.Debra felt a chill run thro
A loud crash blasted through the phone, followed by screeching static.Debra's gut sank. "Randy's in trouble. Let's hurry."Jordan quickly rounded up a crew to track down Randy, while Debra and Marion bolted out of the house.That phone call screamed car wreck. Marion had Randy's location pinned fast, and an ambulance was already on its way."Don't panic. The ambulance is almost there," Debra reminded him, watching him push the speedometer.It was fine if it was just a regular crash. But if the Illuminati had set it up, the consequences were unimaginable. Enoch must have lost his mind to target his son.Debra and Marion had both lost their parents to car accidents. Marion would be devastated if he lost another person close to him."Quick! Get him out!"Thick smoke poured from the crash site. Debra's bad vibes grew.They jumped out and saw Jordan's people loading Randy onto a stretcher."How bad is it?" Debra ran up, desperate for details."Not too serious," Jordan replied. "