Erica shoved Randy out of the room and slammed the door in his face.Debra came out of her room and bumped into the scene.She raised an eyebrow as she noticed Randy's flushed face. "Got drunk again?"Randy was frustrated. "In films, the heroine always looks at the hero lovingly, but why does my heroine hit me?""Wrong approach, maybe," Debra replied. "I think you need to make another proper confession.""Confession? I've confessed a hundred times, but she only sees it as a joke. What can I do?""I mean a formal confession," Debra said. "You're too casual all the time. No girls would take you seriously with the way you talk. The situation is a bit awkward. Think carefully about how to confess and make her accept you.""Right." Randy nodded. "I'll make a plan."Debra shook her head as Randy rushed out in the middle of the night. Then she turned to knock on the door. "Erica, it's me."Erica cautiously opened the door. In the room, only a desk lamp was on.Debra stepped inside a
"No," Erica muttered, "I can't.""That's right," Debra said, standing up. "I heard Randy has something special planned for you. Well, he may appear carefree, but he's serious about relationships. People like him can be hurt easily. If you reject him, he probably won't come near you again. You should think about it carefully."With that, she stepped out of the room, giving Erica some space to think.There was only a thin veil between Randy and Erica, but afraid of her rejection, he could only approach her cautiously. Erica, on the other hand, was afraid of the awkwardness and kept backing away.That was normal since they were childhood friends. Starting a romantic relationship was a lot to adjust to.It was a matter between the two people. Debra couldn't help them much.The next morning, the news of the partnership between the Buchan Group and the Nichols Group was all over the headlines. Theda's new role was highlighted.In the conference room, several shareholders were present,
"How so?" Debra retorted. "When you took all the advertisers from me, did you show any mercy?"The air in the room grew tense. None of those shareholders dared to intervene.Debra leaned in and whispered to Theda, "If I'm right, you signed a betting agreement with Runestone Bank. They invested two billion dollars in Buchan Entertainment's rise in Seamar City. But if you can't make four billion dollars in three years, you lose the bet. And if you lose, you know what the consequences are, right?"If she lost, she'd have to repay the four billion. If she couldn't, everything she had pledged would go to Runestone.Debra had figured out the motives behind her sudden cut with the Buchan Group and her eagerness to take over the Nichols Group, and Debra had obtained more information on her through Marion.Debra continued, "What do you think Melody would say if she found out? Would she still want you to take charge of the Nichols Group?""Not your concern," Theda spat.Her bet with Runes
Debra could have waited for more days before Buchan Entertainment's artists collapsed from overwork.Then she could swoop in and steal all their artists."Isn't the current situation good enough? I don't make things too hard for others, especially women. If I did that, you'd not only face the consequences of losing the bet but also those sky-high penalty fees from the advertisers. That would drive you to your grave," Debra replied nonchalantly.Theda was confused. In her mind, people like them never held back when dealing with enemies, but Debra was an exception."But having a kind heart doesn't always lead to a good outcome," Theda muttered. "I was seriously trying to take down the McKinney Group."Debra shrugged. "I felt no pressure."Her confident look made Theda frown, but deep down, Theda knew she could never achieve that goal.It wasn't because Debra was running the McKinney Group so well, but because Andrew was standing behind her.Theda smiled bitterly, "Luck is really
Debra paused, and Juan added, "I know you and Marion are getting married, so happy wedding.""Thank you," she replied without looking back.Juan shook his head and smiled bitterly as she walked away without hesitation.Theda came up, surprised to see the agreement in his hand. "She just gave it to you like that?""She never cared about this stuff," Juan replied, handing it to her. "The Nichols Group's future depends on you now.""I'll do my best," Theda replied. "But if Debra knew taking over the company wasn't in her best interest, would she thank you for disrupting everything?"Juan remained silent, and she lamented, "What a shame! She probably sees you as a traitor now."Before leaving, Juan glanced at her. "Just focus on your issues here."Theda wasn't offended. The shares were in her hands now. That was all that mattered.Outside, Debra got into Marion's car. He said, "I saw someone go in.""Who was it?" Debra asked with feigned ignorance.Marion turned his head away. "
"12 outfits? Are we hosting a flowing banquet?" Debra was astounded.Marion smiled indulgently, "Then we won't change.""You can't skip that part." Caleb's voice suddenly came, and he hobbled in with his cane.The attendants quickly stepped aside.Caleb smiled and walked over to Debra. "That's not too many. Marion's mother did the same at her wedding. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and you'll have the best of everything.""Well, this is my second.""There wasn't even a ceremony. It doesn't count."Debra was amused, and Marion chimed in, "Changing outfits takes time and energy. She looks great without changing anyway.""What do you know?" Caleb almost poked his cane in Marion's face. "It's the custom. No negotiation."With that, he signaled for the attendants to bring the dresses.Soon enough, they brought a wedding dress for Debra. "This is a designer piece with a five-meter-long train.""How long?" Debra thought she had misheard.One of the attendants replied, "Five-m
Just as Debra and Marion were locked in a tender gaze, Erica's voice suddenly echoed from the doorway.She rushed inside and admired Debra's wedding dress. "I've never seen such a gorgeous wedding dress in my life. It's making me want to get married too."Halfway through her words, she suddenly realized Randy was standing behind her.She cringed and corrected herself. "I mean, I want to wear a wedding dress, not get married."Randy imagined Erica in a wedding dress and blushed."Erica, what brings you here?" Debra asked."Me? Randy told me Caleb asked me to come," Erica replied, glancing around. "But I don't see him anywhere."Debra explained, "He was here but left a moment ago.""Left? Then why did he ask me to come?""Probably to try on the bridesmaid dress."Debra winked at the attendant, who immediately stepped forward. "That's right, Miss Mathis. Mr. Houston Sr. wanted you to try on your bridesmaid dress. And Mr. Osborne, your groomsman suit is ready too. Everything's up
Marion was equally astonished.Debra asked him, "So, you've been setting up the venue abroad?""I don't know." Marion frowned in doubt.This wasn't his plan. He had chosen a domestic hotel as the wedding venue."Caleb pulled a fast one, as usual," Erica chimed in, coming downstairs in her bridesmaid's gown. "He probably wants to give you an unforgettable wedding."Walking beside her, Randy reminded them, "There are three hours left for you to try on wedding gowns. You need to finish within the time limit, or Caleb might make you stand at attention as punishment."Debra felt like the Houston family had raised the alert level to DEFCON 1. This didn't feel like a wedding at all. It was more like a mission to complete."Madam, we have 12 models with similar body types to yours. They'll be at your service," said the attendant.Debra understood the implication. She had three hours to select 12 satisfying ones from the one thousand gowns. With a helpless smile, she sprang to action.
"You're not part of the Houston family. Stay out of our business," one of the shareholders snapped."Exactly," another chimed in. "Your ancestors were just deputies. You have no right to speak here."Randy's face darkened. "Say that again?"Marion raised a hand. "So, you want me to step down?""We want an election," Corey said. "The Houston family has had its time at the helm. As shareholders, we're obliged to choose the most suitable candidate. It doesn't have to be you, Marion.""Let's vote, then." Marion shrugged.Randy was shocked. "Are you serious? These people are just trying to force you out. You can't...""If it's an election, let's have it," Marion said, tapping the table.A group of shareholders then filed into the room. They were all old associates of the Houston family, loyalists who had stood by Caleb for years. They lined up behind Marion as a show of support.Corey scoffed, "There are ten of us, and we control 55% of the shares. What's the point of calling in th
Debra wished she was wrong.She looked down at the file in her hands. Pure Color hadn't even launched yet. It didn't make sense he was interested in it unless he was also reborn.She closed the file and made a call.A calm, professional voice answered, "Hello, Nichols Group."Debra stayed silent for a moment, and the receptionist spoke again."Hello?""Does Mr. Nichols have any appointments today?""His schedule is fully booked for the next few days. You can leave your name and number, and we'll contact you within eight hours.""Never mind."Debra hung up the phone, remembering something told to her by Theda. If Theda and she could be reborn, there could be more cases.If Juan had also been reborn, the future would hold even more uncertainties.The office landline suddenly rang, breaking her train of thought.Debra picked it up, and Garland's urgent voice came through. "Debra, get back here. Something's happened.""What's going on?" Debra tensed up.Garland replied, "A lo
The next day, at the McKinney Group headquarters, Ben handed a file to Debra."Since Juan took over, the Nichols Group has been recovering. Here are a few brands and shops he's recently acquired," he reported.Debra opened it, scanning the contents. Most of the pages detailed partnerships with big-name brands, but a few unfamiliar names caught her attention."They have partnered with several major brands and acquired a few smaller ones," Ben explained. "The brands we originally intended to sign with are now choosing the Nichols Group because of Juan's takeover. Given their recent moves, it's clear they're expanding their business scale and trying to take our market share. If this continues, our market share could drop from 70% to 40% or even less."When Debra didn't respond, he continued, "Madam, we need to come up with a plan to safeguard our profits.""These brands look familiar.""That's normal since they're some of the most well-known brands on the market.""I'm not talking
Garland returned to his room and quickly locked the door, ensuring no one was around. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number."Hello? Verna? Get my dad on the phone. What's going on? You heard me. Fermin is alive. Get my dad on the line now."Verna stared at the receiver, baffled."Who's calling?" Bert asked, slowly coming down the stairs.Verna snapped back and replied, "Sir, it's Mr. Garland Eaton. He's saying something about Mr. Fermin Eaton coming back to life."Bert frowned and came over to pick up the phone.Garland's voice came again. "Verna? Are you listening?"Bert took a deep breath. "What nonsense are you spouting now?""Dad," Garland exclaimed. "You won't believe this, but your beloved Fermin is still alive."Bert's expression darkened. "Nonsense. You know he died in that car accident. How could he still be alive?""But he is," Garland insisted. "The new president of the Lowe Group caught Liza yesterday. Debra asked me to impersonate Fermin to help with negot
For the most part, Debra was unbothered by the playful banter among the group.But the situation in Seamar City was far from simple. She was beginning to struggle with distinguishing friend from foe.Garland faltered, "To be honest, someone sent me here. I can't tell you who it was, but I promise I have no intention of betraying anyone here. As for Fermin showing up... I genuinely have no idea."Debra fell silent, unsure of what to do, but she couldn't bring herself to just believe him like that. Andrew had taught her to question everything, even if it pained her to doubt those closest to her."Alright," she said finally. "Words are just words. Let's check the surveillance footage. Then we'll know if you really passed out in the courtyard last night."Before he could react, he called the surveillance room. When the call didn't go through, she dialed Barton instead."Mrs. Houston, what's up?""I want to check the surveillance footage of the garden.""I'm sorry, Mrs. Houston. The
Debra led Garland into her room, and he panicked."I don't think I should go in since Marion isn't around," he said weakly.Debra sat down on the sofa. "Only Marion and I know your secret. This room is soundproof and safe for private talks.""O-Kay," Garland sighed in relief.Debra cut straight to the point. "Actually, I'm curious. Did Fermin come to Seamar City as well?""What? That's impossible." Garland was shocked.But then, he remembered the time he had been caught snooping around Debra's meals. Cornered, he had lied and claimed that Fermin liked her.Fermin's death was a closely guarded secret within the Eaton family. No one outside could know the truth. Even if Debra and Marion were his friends, he couldn't reveal it.Debra pressed, "Why not? How are you so sure?""He's always busy with work, and his trips have been handled by me," Garland explained. "Why do you ask?"Debra tossed an earpiece onto the table. "Remember this?""It's a Bluetooth earpiece. What about it?"
"Uh..." Garland interrupted. "Edgar's just a nobody, right? He's from Flesta. How could he possibly know anything about Seamar City's affairs?""I don't know," Debra replied, her tone clipped. "But for now, he's our only lead. Let's just hope he's still alive. Otherwise, we'll be back to square one."Garland's nerves tightened at her words. Back then, Juan had handed Edgar over to the Eaton family, and they'd discreetly stashed him overseas.If these people discovered Edgar was abroad, it wouldn't take much digging to trace it back to him. And if that happened, Juan's cover would be blown. But if Garland didn't hand Edgar over, the trail would go cold, leaving them stuck once again. As Garland frantically tried to think of a way to quietly send Edgar away without exposing himself, he suddenly felt the weight of several pairs of eyes on him. Looking up, he found everyone staring at him with suspicion."He wouldn't happen to be in your hands, would he?" Debra asked.Garland'
"Debra." Randy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.Realizing everyone was staring at her, Debra blinked. "What?"In the living room, the group sat in a circle, deep in discussion.Erica spoke up. "We were talking about the current situation. Why are you zoning out again?""Yeah, that's the seventh or eighth time today," Randy echoed. "Oh, wait, where was I?"Erica reminded him, "You were talking about how Juan and Jordan have teamed up. They signed a five-year partnership agreement.""Right. Five years," Randy continued. "If they bring all that chaos and shady behavior from Orkgate to Seamar City, we're doomed."Drake shot him a cold glare, and Randy chuckled nervously, "Take it easy. I wasn't talking about you. Everyone knows how messy Orkgate is."Drake leaned back on the sofa. "I'm not from Orkgate. Say whatever you want."Even so, Randy toned it down. "Anyway, that's the situation. The two traitors are getting chummy. I bet they're both working for that mysterious per
"The sheep all died, and the boy never lied again," Debra said. "Are you comparing yourself to the boy?"Andrew sensed her lingering frustration but remained calm. "This story is meant to teach children not to lie, but I want to show you how to deceive the enemy."Debra's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?""When a person lies too often, it becomes impossible for others to discern the truth," Andrew explained. "Take my supposed weakness, for example. You never know when I might die. The first time I fell seriously ill, you believed me. But it was all a show. The second time, you were suspicious. After observing me, you concluded I was acting again, only to find out it was another layer of deception. By the third time, I played a smaller trick to convince you I was truly on the brink of death. You trusted me once more, only to discover I was orchestrating something far greater. Each time, you couldn't fully grasp my intentions. This blend of truth and lies will confuse your enemies."