Finally, Marion set Debra down from his back."Open your eyes and see. Do you like it?" he said.Debra opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by warm, simple decor. It wasn't a cold black-and-white color scheme but a soft, creamy shade. The room was filled with fluffy, cute stuffed animals and a cozy, pretty sofa. Any girl would love such a place.A golden retriever dashed out from the corner, leaping toward Debra and showering her with enthusiastic licks.Debra laughed, barely able to fend it off. "Ori, stop. Alright, I will let you lick me. Then you should stop."She crouched down, and the dog happily licked her cheek several times before finally sitting down and wagging its tail."This is our new home." Marion wrapped his arms around her from behind and continued, "After we're done with things here, we can go to the mountains and spend a few relaxing days. If you want to stay in the city, we can always come back. No matter where you want to go, I'll be by your side.""S
Marion gently kissed Debra.The mist in the bathroom made the air thick, and Debra's face turned even redder.Marion's voice was low and husky. "Honey, what do you say? Shall we make up for our delayed wedding night?""One round is enough," Debra stammered. "One round.""Ten rounds? Okay," Marion grinned....The next morning, Debra woke up from the soft bed, feeling sore all over. Even the hunter game was not as exhausting as last night.She glanced at Marion, who was lying beside her with his eyes open."I'm going to sleep in a separate room from now on," she huffed."This is the only bedroom. Don't even think about running away," Marion said, tightening his embrace....At the Potter Mansion, Randy was sitting in the living room, watching Ivan prepare food in the kitchen.He felt uneasy. "Haven't Debra and Marion come yet? It's already afternoon."Erica reassured him, "Relax. With Andrew here, nothing will happen.""I don't know, but this guy keeps giving us cold looks
Debra looked over at the kitchen.He came out wearing an apron, with a pot in his hands and a harmless smile on his face."Mrs. Houston, I made soup for you and Mr. Houston," he said.His double face was something else.Randy rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't imagining things. The guy had been all gloomy in the kitchen, but in the blink of an eye, he looked sweet and innocent."Put it there," Debra replied.Ivan complied and went back to the kitchen.Neither Debra nor Marion seemed interested in the soup.Randy ventured, "Aren't you two going to try it?""No need. It's undrinkable," Debra responded.Skeptically, Erica lifted the lid and sniffed at it. There was no smell.She tasted a spoonful and frowned. "How did he manage to make something that's both bland and bad?""Really?" Randy stepped forward to have a taste.His face twisted. "How did he make it sweet and salty? Doesn't he even try his own soup?"Debra wasn't bothered by it. Ivan wasn't going anywhere anyway
Debra asked, "So, it's all just a title with no real power?""Melody Nichols handed over 10% of her shares to Theda. Theda got the full backing of the shareholders. How can you say she has no real power?" Andrew replied, looking at Marion. "Marion was hurt just at the right time."Debra fell silent. She had always thought Robert was just a brute with no brains. Now it looked like he had injured Marion on purpose to delay their return. That bought time for Theda to convince those shareholders.Thankfully, Theda's position was not solid yet.Andrew added, "Theda is vengeful, just like you. She's going to go head-to-head with you."In just a year, the McKinney Group had broken the Nichols Group's monopoly. The two companies were now going neck and neck. To reassure the shareholders, Theda would have to spare no effort to deal with Debra."I need to speak to you privately," Marion suddenly chimed in.Debra looked over and saw his cold determination."Well, remember to take care of
Downstairs, the quartet was playing poker.Ivan came out of the kitchen, and Debra called him over.When Marion came down, Randy randomly placed a card on the table and said, "What did you guys talk about? Why is it that even Debra can't listen?""Private matter," Marion replied, noticing their signals under the table.They were teaming up against Ivan. Marion pretended he hadn't seen anything, but Debra winked at him.Taking the hint, he walked behind Ivan and signaled to Debra.Ivan tossed out a card, and Debra exclaimed, "Gotcha!"Ivan was dumbfounded, and Randy laughed, "Kid, you're still too young. Pay up."Ivan took a deep breath and handed Debra a green note.In just a few rounds, Ivan had already lost over a thousand dollars.Erica deliberately spoke. "I hear that Theda has been throwing her weight about lately. Financial magazines are lining up to feature her on their covers. They say she's going to be the next big shot after Juan.""So what if she becomes the Nicho
Marion dragged Ivan to the living room.Seeing his eyes darting around, Debra demanded, "Spill it. Who are you sending this message to?""No one," Ivan stammered."Stop lying," Randy snorted. "You think only young people can use this stuff? I've been at it longer than you have."In no time, he cracked the code and projected the content onto the TV. The screen showed an email address, and the subject of the email hadn't been edited yet.Debra said, "Look into the email address.""It's from overseas," Randy replied. "Give me two hours, and I'll have the registration details.""You can save the trouble," Ivan chimed in. "That's my account."Debra frowned. "What do you mean?""I don't want to investigate you guys, but the person behind all this has been threatening my family. I have to follow their orders, or we won't survive in Orkgate," Ivan explained.Debra raised an eyebrow. "So, did you meet them before?"Ivan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I did."Debra pressed, "W
Facing their doubt, Ivan explained, "They sent me to kill you, but things were exposed. They showed up again the night you took me and threatened me with my parents' lives. They asked me to stay close to you and deliver information. I had no choice.""Sounds reasonable." Debra nodded, then asked, "But I need a reason to keep you alive. You haven't given me one.""I..." Ivan faltered, hanging his head. "I can't give you a reason."Randy laughed, "You blabbered on for so long, and in the end, you don't have any evidence to make us believe you?""If I wanted to kill Mrs. Houston, I wouldn't have hinted to Mr. Houston to save her," Ivan replied, looking at Debra. "I owe Mrs. Houston. If there's danger, I'm willing to sacrifice my life to save her.""That sounds touching," Debra said, "but empty promises mean nothing. If you want to stand on our side, you have to pledge loyalty. Here is your chance."Debra picked up the small computer and handed it to him. "Now, message your people an
Debra smiled, "Well, this is a chance to verify his statements."Erica was against it. "He may be telling a lie.""I'm always a gambler on fate," Debra replied casually.At those words, Andrew's expression suddenly relaxed.He shook his head and said, "Well then, let's do it your way. Just be careful.""Andrew, how could you agree?" Erica argued.But then, Marion also changed his mind. He said, "Let her go. I'll make sure nothing happens to her."Randy was stunned by the twists. He warned, "If anything happens, you'll be a widower.""Alright, stop talking," Erica said, nudging him.Debra turned to Ivan and said, "You can send the message now. I'll be leaving at eight tomorrow morning with the share transfer agreement."Ivan's mind raced. He didn't know what Debra was thinking, but this worked just fine. He'd be by her side tomorrow, and these people wouldn't be able to save her."I'll do it," he agreed, quickly typing on his computer."Alright, let's all rest early," Debra
"What? Mrs. Houston would never do something like this. Maybe the car hit a nail on the road," replied the guard."What are you waiting for?" Melody sulked. "Get a car to send us back."It was a scorching summer day. She wouldn't just walk home like that.The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, Madam. Mr. Andrew Potter took all the cars out today. There's nothing available to send you back."Melody's face darkened. "Are you telling me the Nichols family doesn't have a few cars to spare?"She was already upset about giving all her savings to Debra, and this incident was the last straw.The guard explained, "Mr. Andrew Potter is thrifty. I'm sorry, but you might have to walk about two kilometers to the commercial street to catch a ride. Mr. Andrew Potter likes his quiet, so no cars are allowed in this area."Melody was furious. "You did it on purpose."Erica came out of the house. "What are you talking about? We've always been polite to our guests. Well, there is one vehicle available,
At the Potter Mansion, Melody laid everything she owned on the table."This is all my savings. When can I get that 10% share?" she asked.Debra was amazed by the dazzling collection of treasures. She clicked her tongue. "They say no one in Seamar City understands jewelry better than you. True that. Your lifetime's collection is breathtaking."Melody was not flattered at all. Her mood soured even further.Debra picked up a bracelet from the table. "Take this bracelet, for example. Its value must be millions. I have to say, an impeccable eye."Melody picked up the sarcasm in her tone. "Yes, these things are fine. But now, they're all yours."Debra set the bracelet down, her smile unwavering. "Well, business is business. I need some assurance before I can help you. Now that I've seen your collection, I feel much more at ease. Don't worry. You'll have your 10% share within seven days.""Why do I have to wait seven days?" Melody grumbled, dissatisfied.Debra sighed, "I don't want to
Melody was weak, her breaths shallow."Joe has been waiting outside," Sophie said. "I'll let him in now."Joe came in and stood by the bed. "Madam, what can I do for you?""I plan to use all my savings to buy back the 10% shares.""Madam..."Joe hesitated, knowing what they were facing. If Melody did that, she would have nothing left."I've made up my mind. Help me up first.""Yes, Madam."Joe assisted her to stand. Melody slowly walked to the safe and used her fingerprint to open it. Inside, there was only a set of keys and a card.Melody took them. "Wait for me downstairs. We'll go to the vault in half an hour."Joe was taken aback. The vault was a secure storage facility for the rich, housing anything from jewelry to property deeds. It was said to be as secure as a national treasury, impossible to breach."Madam, are you planning to give all your money to Debra?" he asked."What else can I do?" Melody replied bitterly. "I can't let the shares fall into outsiders' hands."
"Will you harm Debra?""Never.""Mark your words."Marion wrapped up the talk and left the room....Downstairs, Debra and Erica were chatting with Randy.When Marion came down, Randy muttered, "What took you so long? Drake's already gone."Marion hummed in response, uninterested in anything about Drake.Debra asked, "Did the conversation not go well?""Seriously?" Randy sighed. "Even you couldn't get Andrew to talk? That guy must have a mouth of steel.""Quit rambling nonsense." Erica gave him a light smack on the arm. "After all this chasing around, we still don't know what the treasure is.""At least we know one thing. Andrew knows the truth, right?" Debra chimed in, looking at Marion for confirmation.Marion sighed, "If he doesn't want to talk, no one can make it.""That's true," Randy muttered. "Honestly, who in this world has a tighter mouth than him? No wonder he works in intelligence. He could be the chief of the CIA.""Would you stop running your mouth?" Erica sc
"You mean the Buchan family might use this as an excuse to remove Theda?" Erica asked."Their business wasn't big to begin with. It was Theda's skills that gave them status in Wrastow City. I heard Theda likes to go it alone and has offended many people. Those veterans aren't fond of her. Now that she's caused the Buchan family such losses and lost the Nichols family's support, the elders will want her out. To keep them quiet, she needs leverage," explained Debra.Erica stroked her chin. "So, Theda must repay the company's losses, or those veterans will use this as an excuse to remove her."Debra nodded. "Theda holds a 10% stake in the Nichols Group, but it's her personal asset. It doesn't benefit the Buchans. If she can't sell these shares to fill the deficit, the shareholders won't let it go. So, I'm sure when the news of the Nichols Group selling Buchan Entertainment at a low price reaches Wrastow City, the shareholders will demand Theda to pay for the losses.""Brillant! Let's
"What do you mean?" Debra was confused.She turned to Randy and asked, "Didn't I tell you to pick them up? What's the 250 bucks?""He despised my car and called for a luxury ride. My car was right there in front of him, and the dispatch went to me," Randy explained.Erica grabbed his ear and asked, "When did you start picking up fares behind my back?""Ow, it hurts!" Randy yelped. "I'm just making a little extra money. I've helped Marion run errands a lot. Picking up someone along the way is nothing unusual.""Including girls?" she asked.Randy smiled obsequiously, "Well, it's the system dispatching. Sometimes I don't even know if it's a guy or a girl, but my front seat is reserved only for you."Erica let go of him. "That's more like it."Drake had no time for their banter."When can I take office?""Just wait a little longer.""Wait?""In 24 hours, I'll make sure you take office of the Nichols Group."Erica whispered to Randy, "I've never seen anyone so eager to start wo
"Forget it," Marion chimed in. "I'll ask him when we get back."Among them, he knew Andrew best.Debra's phone suddenly rang, attracting everyone's attention.She held it up and said, "It's probably a scam call."Marion pressed the Answer button, and Drake's voice came through."Debra? Tell Marion to send someone to pick me up at Seamar City Airport."Randy almost slammed on the brakes. "Wasn't this supposed to be a scam call? Why is this guy here?""Randy?" Drake sneered over the phone. "Let this guy pick me up."He hung up, and Debra gaped at the screen. "Did he change his number?""No, you just never saved it," Marion replied....An hour later, at Seamar City Airport, Drake and Kale were still waiting."Boss, do you think Mrs. Houston is not coming?" Kale asked tentatively.Drake checked his watch. "Marion burned down my house. I haven't settled that score yet. Picking me up is the least he can do.""You're right, boss," Kale agreed.Soon, a black Cadillac pulled up
Caleb asked, "What was recorded in those accounts? Do you remember?"Debra replied, "The accounts showed some strange discrepancies. The income and expenses for the Fraizer, Osborne, and Houston families didn't match up. There were big differences in food and goods records, with a combined loss of 1.2 million. Meanwhile, the Potter family gained the same amount that same year. Marion and I believed the three families were subsidizing the Potter family.""Subsidizing the Potter family," Caleb muttered in thought. "Let me think this over."Randy blurted, "What's there to think about? It's obvious. The Potter family's leader was obsessed with intelligence gathering and clueless about everything else. In the end, we had to cover for them."Erica smacked the back of his head. "Do you ever think before you speak? Look at Andrew now. Does he look like someone who doesn't know how to make money?""It doesn't mean his dad or ancestors were good at it," Randy retorted.While they were bick
"I know my dad. If there was a family heirloom, he might have stacked it away," Randy said thoughtfully."Why?" Debra was puzzled.Randy shook his head. "Not everyone is like Marion's parents. They were true love to each other."Debra didn't get his meaning. Erica leaned in and whispered, "Randy's parents had an arranged marriage. They both had someone they liked.""I see," Debra murmured.It was just surprising that Randy turned out so carefree despite the situation in his family.Randy added, "I'll go home and ask my dad. If we find it, then we can confirm that the Nichols family took the gem from the Frazier family."Everyone nodded in agreement.Debra turned to Caleb. "Grandpa, you said these four rings are the symbols of the Four Great Families. What's the secret behind them? Is it the treasure of Seamar City?"Caleb sat down, recalling the past. "The treasure of Seamar City is just a legend. My father came here during the wars of the last century. The four families each