"Be careful. If necessary, I'll step in," Frederic said."But most of the time, you can't, right?" Debra replied.There were too many hunters here. If Frederic's identity was exposed, it would only complicate things further."Don't worry. I can take care of myself," she said, glancing at her secret weapon.It was a watch given by Juan. It had a built-in emergency alert system but required a signal to work. Now the entire venue was under a signal block.Earlier, she had been running around the second floor not just to buy Liza time, but also to search for a signal and track down Cathryn.Now that she knew Cathryn was on the fifth floor, there was no need to linger on the second."Thanks. I owe you one," Debra said.Frederic tossed her a small folding knife. "Just remember that."Then he hoisted one of the fainted socialites onto his shoulder.Debra frowned. "What about them?""Relax," he said. "I'm just putting on a show. I'll leave them somewhere safe.""Alright." Debra kic
In the restaurant's private room, Drake glanced at his watch. It was already 9:15.Over an hour had passed, and he still had no idea what was going on at the party."Mr. Lowe, with Mrs. Houston's and your support, Ivan will have a bright future. Let me offer you another toast," Grover said enthusiastically.Drake only found him loquacious.Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked down and saw a number flashing on the screen. The contact was not saved, but he knew the number all too well.As soon as he answered the call, Marion's anxious voice came through."The party is a trap. Get your people inside now.""What?"The air around Drake instantly turned cold.Grover noticed the change in his expression and asked, "Mr. Lowe, what's going on?"Drake abruptly grabbed him by the neck, seething. "You old fool, how dare you play tricks on me? If anything happens to Debra, your family will be buried with her."He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and barked at Kale, "Get the car
Before the four bodyguards could move, Debra shouted, "Cathryn, the rules of the game only say the hunters can chase, but it never said the bodyguards could join in."Cathryn snorted, "I made the rules. I can change them as I like. Grab her!""Yes, ma'am." The four bodyguards charged at Debra.She took a few steps back and said, "Have you thought about the consequences?"The bodyguards didn't flinch. She continued, "How much did Cathryn pay you? I can double it."But they were not swayed.Cathryn laughed out loud, "Stop wasting your breath. No one is going to help you tonight. You're dead meat."As the four bodyguards closed in, Debra took a deep breath, ready to fight.Unfortunately, the staircase was too narrow for her movements. Within minutes, she started to sweat.Just then, a figure appeared in front of her, kicking the hunters rushing up the stairs back down. He grabbed Debra's hand and pulled her toward the exit, with the bodyguards hot on their heels."If this goes o
The door was booted open, and the security guards were sent flying. The sudden commotion caused the masked attendees on the second floor to scatter in panic.Cathryn snapped her head toward the source of the noise. Standing at the entrance was none other than Marion. His white shirt and face were stained with blood.Cathryn hadn't expected to see him again, but where love once filled her eyes, now only hatred remained."Kill them all!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the hall.The hunters charged toward the entrance, but they were quickly overwhelmed as a wave of reinforcements poured in. One by one, the hunters were knocked to the ground.A line of black-suited bodyguards marched into the hall, forming two imposing rows.Drake strode in, his boot pressing down on one of the fallen hunters. He reached down and yanked off the man's mask, revealing an unremarkable face beneath.He snarled, "How dare you stir up trouble on my turf?"The hunters trembled. "We're just hired
"Marion...""Tell your people to find her. I have something to take care of.""What could be more important than finding Debra?"Marion's eyes glinted with coldness. "Whoever hurts her won't get away with it."When he arrived on the fifth floor, everyone else scattered in panic.Cathryn stood her ground, yelling, "You ruined my plans over and over again. Is Debra so important that you ignore your injuries and come to save her?"At some point, Debra had crept to her side."The game's over," Debra said, a bit breathless.As soon as Cathryn turned around, Debra slammed her to the ground.Cathryn couldn't match Debra's strength. She was easily pinned down."Is playing with life fun for you? Do you get a thrill from killing? This time, I won't show mercy because of Marion and your connection. Tell me everything you know. Don't try anything stupid," Debra said, knowing this was Cathryn's last desperate struggle.Everything that happened tonight wasn't something Cathryn could've or
Marion rushed over to check on Debra, who was lying on the ground.After making sure she was uninjured, he heaved a sigh of relief. "You scared the hell out of me.""I'm sorry. I miscalculated."Cathryn was frustrated about their interaction. "You will never get the answer from me."With a bitter laugh, she stepped back, tilted her head back, and fell from the fifth floor.The crash startled Drake, who was still searching for Debra. There, Cathryn lay in a pool of blood.The scene reminded Drake of Yvonne, who had died in the same way.Maybe in their minds, suicide was a way to make the men they loved feel regret and sympathy.But in reality, it only earned them cold contempt. No one would pay attention to those who didn't even value their lives.A woman's scream suddenly rang out. Drake looked over with a frown."Boss, this woman is suspicious," reported a guard, dragging over the woman."Get your hands off me. I am Liza Eaton," she snapped, shaking off his hand.The bod
Liza pushed against Drake, tears streaming down her face. She didn't notice that with every word she spoke, his expression grew paler.Hunter's Game. The name hit too close to home. Games like this left few survivors. There was no way a weak woman like Debra could last two hours.She had found a safe zone but ran off to draw fire. Only a stupid person would do something like that."Find her!" Drake growled, barely suppressing his anger. "Tear this place apart if you have to, but find Debra."Liza collapsed to the floor, trembling. She never imagined she'd face something so terrifying in her life. Her world had been perfect, with all the glitz and glamour. She had no idea it could be so dark and horrifying."Found her!" someone shouted from upstairs.Marion appeared, carrying someone in his arms. Debra was draped in his coat, exhaustion etched on her face."Debra..." Drake started to move toward her but stopped.Debra tapped Marion's shoulder. "Put me down. I can walk now.""Al
Drake wanted to argue, but Debra simply wrapped her arm around Marion's neck and waved him goodbye.Downstairs, Liza glanced at Cathryn's body. Her former friend was now disfigured and lifeless. After a moment of hesitation, she tore off the black veil from her dress and went over to cover Cathryn's face.She had once considered Cathryn her only true friend, but Cathryn had never cared about her.Liza couldn't help but feel sorrow, but there was no point in holding onto resentment. She wiped her tears and followed the others out of the venue.Watching them leave, Drake fumed. "They just left like that? Why should I stay and clean up this mess? Is that fair?""Boss, it's not fair. We should..." Kale chimed in.Drake shot him a cold glance. "And what about here? What about the people we've captured? Do you think these idiots can handle it?"Those guards were ashamed, further lowering their heads.Drake tugged at his tie in frustration. He hated wearing it, especially when he was
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