Debra didn't expect Erica to be so eager to open the gifts."How about you open them for me?""No way. That's something you have to do yourself. You never know, you might open a gift and find the price of an entire building inside."Debra couldn't help but laugh. She knew all the guests were wealthy and wouldn't be stingy with their gifts. But finding the price of a building in a gift? That seemed a little crazy.Just then, an attendant knocked on the door."Come in.""Madam, Mr. Houston said he's waiting for you in the lobby.""Got it. I'll be right there."Debra had changed into a more comfortable black dress. As she walked toward the lobby, an arm suddenly draped around her neck and pulled her into a corner.In reflex, she bit down on the arm, and Drake cried out in pain.When Debra realized it was him, she quickly released her bite."What are you doing?""What are you doing?""Sorry. I've had a bit of a reflex from being kidnapped before. I'll be gentler next time."D
"What the heck?" Debra felt the envelope and found a key hidden inside.She held the key in her hand and looked at the address again."A house?" she muttered incredulously.By the time Debra walked out of the hotel, Drake was nowhere to be seen. Only a car was parked by the entrance.Marion stepped out of the car, wearing nothing but a black shirt. He walked up and took her into his arms.He was reeking of alcohol, and she muttered, "Stop messing around. People are watching.""Let them watch," Marion chuckled. "They don't have a wife as good as mine.""Knock it off," Debra said, feeling the driver's gaze on them.Just as she pushed Marion away, he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground."Hey! Are you drunk and acting crazy?""Who says I'm drunk? I just like you so much."He then carried Debra into the car. The driver cleared his throat and pretended not to see anything.Back at the wedding venue, Garland and Liza couldn't find the bride and groom any
Erica stepped forward and started opening the gifts. "There are so many gifts. My hands are going to be sore from opening all these."Marion interjected, "Open them somewhere else. Don't interrupt our wedding night.""No way. The biggest event on a wedding night is opening the gifts," Randy chimed in. "You can go to sleep once we're done."Marion wanted to kick them out, but Debra spoke eagerly. "It sounds fun. Let's do it, Marion."Marion couldn't reject her proposal. "Alright."The five of them sat on the bed, with Marion helping Debra collect the opened envelopes."This one is from the postal bank. This one is from the commercial bank, and that one is from the agricultural bank," Erica muttered, sorting them.Debra was surprised to see so many bank cards."Wow, someone sent cash," Liza laughed, holding up an envelope. "Which idiot did this? 500 dollars? That's a lack of respect.""That idiot is me." Garland snatched the money, stuffing it into his pocket. "Who knew these bi
Debra remembered the ring she had taken from Melody's hidden stash. At the time, she had noticed the ring was valuable but hadn't thought much deeper about it. Now there might be a connection to it. Erica said, "That gemstone is valuable. It could be an heirloom of the Potter family. You should ask Jordan about it. Find out where it came from."Debra shook her head. "I want to, but all of Jordan's accounts have been deactivated. No one can get in touch with him now."'Except for Andrew.' The thought of him made her feel regretful. He hadn't stayed to celebrate the wedding."By the way, where is Andrew's gift?" Erica asked, looking at Randy and Garland.They had been receiving gifts that day.Garland pointed to a folder nearby. "These are gifts, right? I thought it was just a list of dowry items.""What? You looked through them?""No. But the stack of papers was thick. I could tell just by touching it."Garland grabbed the folder and handed it to Debra.Debra felt the con
Debra didn't understand why Andrew gave her such valuable gifts. They were too much as wedding gifts.The next morning, they were sprawled out on the bed in different positions. Garland and Randy were sound asleep on the nearby sofa.The first light of dawn shone on Debra's eyes. She woke up groggily and saw the bed covered in opened gifts. Erica and Liza were lying next to her.She remembered that they had spent the night opening gifts and eventually fell asleep from exhaustion."Marion?" She looked around but only saw Marion's jacket draped over her.An attendant knocked on the door, the noise waking up the others in the room.Randy jumped up from the sofa. "I'm done opening gifts. No more."Erica rubbed her eyes and got up from the bed. "What are you shouting for early in the morning?"Debra spoke toward the door. "Come in."The attendant entered, followed by a staff member pushing a food cart."Madam, we're bringing you breakfast per Mr. Houston's orders.""Breakfast? Wh
Marion glanced at his trembling arm, wracked with pain. The blood trickling from his wound had turned black."Marion, tell your woman to behave herself," Robert said, his tone eerily calm. "If she keeps going against Theda, I'll kill her."The poison began to paralyze Marion's nerves."Or," Robert continued, "I could deal with you now, then take care of her and her friends. It'd save me a lot of trouble."Marion's eyes darkened. He tried to push himself off the ground, but the venom coursing through him forced a mouthful of blood to spill from his lips.Robert strode toward him, the blade in his hand glinting coldly."Hold it!" Drake called out. "You told me you wanted to talk to Marion. I gave you the chance. But killing him here? That's a mess I don't need.""That's your problem," Robert replied flatly. "I'm here to kill, not worry about your headaches."He glanced down at Marion, who was barely holding himself up. "Don't worry. Your friends and your woman will be joining you
The bodyguards grabbed Robert, who had been stabbed in the lower abdomen.Erica intended to hit him again, but Debra quickly shouted, "Randy, call an ambulance.""On it." Randy dialed the emergency number right away.Debra glanced at Drake, who looked troubled. "Marion got injured at your place. I demand an explanation."Drake knew she misunderstood, but he was unwilling to bow his head. "I've always wanted to kill Marion. I did this. Come for an explanation anytime you want.""Boss..." Kale tried to intervene."Shut up!" Drake snapped. "You can take Marion away. We'll settle this score another day."He turned and left with Kale.Debra didn't have time to deal with Drake. She looked down at the unconscious Marion, feeling anxious. This was the first time she had seen him so badly injured.Outside, Kale couldn't help but ask, "Boss, this has nothing to do with you. Why did you take the blame?""She already thinks I'm involved," Drake replied. "It doesn't matter if I admit it o
Debra booted open the door to the hotel room and stepped in with several bodyguards.Robert had been handcuffed and was tied to a chair. The blood was oozing from his injury which was inflicted on him by Erica.A guard went over and applied a basic bandage to him. Debra walked over and pressed her finger onto his wound.Sweat instantly broke out on Robert's face, and his lips lost all color."I'm not a complicated person. The only thing I'm good at is protecting my own," Debra said coldly. "Marion is in the operating room right now, fighting for his life. I'm going to make you feel the same pain he's going through."She signaled for the cart to be pushed over. The breakfast Robert had sent to them earlier was now laid out.Debra picked up a cup of coffee, walked over to him, and pinched his nose. She poured the entire cup into his mouth in one go.Robert's shirt was soaked, his whole appearance a mess. Yet he remained expressionless, as if he was incapable of feeling anything.
Debra's eyes narrowed at this guy she'd never heard of.Michael had kept it under wraps, proving he had never fully trusted her."Mrs. Houston," Jason said, "I'm here for Mr. Austin to negotiate. He called this shareholder vote in the name of the biggest stakeholder. He's got the right to kick it off. Any objections?"Debra plopped into the head chair. "Cut the polite crap. Everyone's here. Objections or not, this vote's happening, right? No way it's that simple.""Mrs. Houston," Jason said coolly, "today's vote's straightforward: who's better suited as the McKinney Group CEO, you or Mr. Austin? Everyone here sees what you both bring. In the past two years, you've barely shown up. Mr. Austin ran the show, held a key role, and raked in profits. He's the clear pick for CEO.""So, you're saying I suck as the boss?" Debra shot back.Michael didn't even show, sending this random assistant instead. That already pissed her off.Now this guy's veiled jabs annoyed her even more."I'm ju
Debra's heart sank.Back when she'd teamed up with Michael, she had nothing, offering him Frazier Entertainment shares to seal the deal. Later, Frazier Entertainment merged into the McKinney Group, and she handed it off to him.To keep her identity hidden, she'd tossed him more shares. With Frazier Entertainment, he'd racked up 30%.She'd thought he deserved it. For two years, he'd run the show plenty. She'd never seen this coming."Madam, you there?" Ben's voice shook.This was huge and should stay quiet. Otherwise, the company would fall into chaos.Debra's blood ran cold. She hadn't expected Michael to go so far."I'll be there soon," she said, hanging up.She turned to Marion. "Michael scooped up loose shares. He's gunning for a vote as top shareholder."Over 40% wasn't half, but it made him the biggest player. Calling a vote was his right.Debra only had 40%. If 10% of the rest sided with Michael, he could oust her."Don't sweat it," Marion said. "We'll hit it together.
That shut everyone up.If Jordan was right, Drake was gambling with his neck."That's too risky. I've gotta drag him back." Debra spun to leave.Erica grabbed her. "Jordan's guys are on it. They'll ping us if they find him. You can't go out like this and become their target.""I'm not their focus anymore," Debra said. "They'll zero in on Drake."She looked at Marion. "Get your people searching. We need his trail fast, or he's dead."Once the Illuminati squeezed the stone's location out of Drake, they'd kill him.Orkgate was now controlled by Lara. Drake had no other value for them."On it," Marion said.They split up. Erica and Randy tapped their networks."Debra, don't freak," Jordan said. "Drake is not dumb. Injured like that, he couldn't have gone far. As long as he keeps that secret, they won't kill him."Debra nodded. "Hope he doesn't do anything stupid."She should've seen it coming. A proud guy like Drake couldn't handle being down for so long.His injuries were bru
Outside their room, Drake froze mid-knock.His head was down, and his expression was hidden. Eventually, his hand dropped, and he sighed.He turned around and shuffled downstairs, leaning on the wall. He was a broken mess now, unwilling to drag them down....Debra woke up the next morning, reaching for Marion.He wasn't there. She bolted upright, threw off the covers, and ran barefoot downstairs, shouting, "Marion?"In the hall, Marion and Jordan turned as she stumbled in, still in her pajamas.Marion rushed up, slipping off his slippers for her. "What's with the panic?""I didn't see you." She heaved a sigh of relief. "Thought you'd...""Any luck?" Jordan asked Kale, who'd just walked in.Kale shook his head. "Not yet.""What's up?" Debra asked, clocking everyone's grim faces."Drake's gone," Marion said. "No note, nothing. We're looking.""Did the cameras catch anything? Could it be the Illuminati...""Not them. He walked out himself.""Why the hell would he just up a
Debra jolted awake from a nightmare, her forehead slick with sweat."Still torn up about Michael?" Marion's voice came from beside her.She settled into his arms, finally feeling a little relieved. These past two months, they'd faced everything alone. She hadn't curled up with him like this in forever."It's my fault," she whispered. "If I hadn't trusted Michael so much, the Eaton family wouldn't have been a mess. Mr. Eaton Sr. wouldn't have been in the hospital.""It's your fault," Marion said, patting her back. "Even without your trust, the Illuminati would've found a way in. That was their goal.""I just can't wrap my head around why Michael's one of them," she said.She'd spent all night recalling the past, from meeting Michael to building the McKinney Group with him. He was key to its success, but everything had been a lie."Maybe he was never with us," Marion said. "The Illuminati's everywhere. Didn't you check his background when you teamed up?""I..." Debra faltered.S
"We're all in it for ourselves." Michael shrugged. "Jeffery did his part for the Illuminati, so I'll cut you some slack.He pushed the teacup to Juan. "But I don't buy it that you're all-in. Following in Jeffery's footsteps sounds nice, but you killed him, which shows your ruthless nature. We need people like you. I don't care if you're Debra's mole or chasing your angle. Save your energy. It's pointless. Just do your job and back us up. I won't say a word about it.""Should I thank you for it?" Juan scoffed.He'd thought Michael was forced into it, but now he saw how naïve that was.Though young, Michael was already a core member, suggesting his connection to the Illuminati dates back a long time.Only intelligent and influential ones could enter the core circle. That meant he hadn't defected midway.Michael sat down across from him. "Don't look at me like that. We're not the same, and you know it.""When'd you turn on Debra?" Juan asked."Doesn't matter," Michael said, smilin
It was true they were both members of the Illuminati, but Fermin never signed up to be a lapdog.Back then, he'd teamed up with them for mutual gain. But the Illuminati wanted more than a partnership. They wanted the Eaton family on a leash.When Fermin didn't bite, Michael added, "I saw Miss Eaton crying her eyes out. We go way back. Should I cheer her..."Before he could finish, Fermin's knife flashed to his throat, nicking him. Blood trickled, but it was just a scratch."Stay away from her," Fermin growled. "Touch her, and I'll end you.""I'm just being nice here," Michael chuckled. "But if you're not cool with it, I'll drop it. But those terms? Think twice. We only help our own. If you keep playing your own game, that heart goes elsewhere. And trust me, you won't find another match."Fermin hated to admit it, but Michael was speaking the truth. Without the Illuminati's help, he couldn't find a match for Bert's heart.He lowered the knife. "Fine, it's a deal. Get your people
She only had Fermin and Bert left in this world.She had no mom and no real friends. She couldn't lose Bert or watch Fermin turn into this.She didn't want Debra's crew hurt either.Fermin pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. Dad will be fine. I'll make sure of it."His promise unleashed her tears. The hospital hallway echoed with her cries.Once she calmed down, Fermin had someone take her away.A guard stepped up. "Mr. Eaton, our master is waiting ahead.""You've tailed me this whole way," Fermin said coldly. "Gonna keep it up? I don't like shadows."The guards stayed silent, just following orders. If their boss said stick to Fermin, they'd die before leaving his side."Loyal dogs to your master," Fermin scoffed, brushing past them.He walked into an empty ward. A tall figure in a white shirt stood by the window."You've really opened my eyes," he said, surprised."I'm flattered, Mr. Eaton," Michael said, turning around.His crisp white shirt had dried bloodstains. Notic
Liza rushed to the ICU upon receiving the news.A bodyguard stopped her. "Mr. Eaton said no one gets near the room and disturbs the patient's rest."Liza smacked him, and he bowed his head.Her eyes were red, her vibe darker than ever. "That's my dad in there. Why can't I go in? Move!""Mr. Eaton forbids it. Please, don't make things hard for us," the bodyguard said, stuck.No one there dared to defy her. They all knew how much Fermin doted on her."I don't care," she snapped. "Step aside, or I'll have my brother skin you alive. Let's see if you still block me."Her threat chilled him. She might be bluffing, but Fermin wouldn't."What's the ruckus?" Fermin's voice cut through."Mr. Eaton." The bodyguard bowed his head."Didn't I tell you no one gets near?" Fermin's tone dripped danger.Coming with him was a group of elite guards. The bodyguard was daunted by their aura.Liza stepped forward. "Dad is in a bad condition. Why wouldn't you let me see him? Does this have anythin