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
Ivan and Debra got into the car.Randy and Erica stood at the door, looking worried.Marion took out his pistol and loaded it with bullets."Stop looking," he said. "The game is on.""Huh? What game?" Randy was confused.But before he could process it, Marion threw a set of clothes at him. "Put these on. We're getting ready to move."Randy had no idea what was going on....Debra's car was running steadily on the road."What should we do if there is an ambush? Should I help you or them?" Ivan asked."Depends on the situation," Debra replied, taking out a file.Ivan glanced at it, guessing it was the stock transfer agreement.Debra continued, "They're after this document, not my life, right?""It's hard to say," replied Ivan.Debra tried again, "If I give them this agreement, won't they let me go?""Not necessarily.""Why?""Your existence is a threat to them. They won't let you live."Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes.A bullet darted over and shattered the
"Damn!" Randy ripped off the broken mask from his face and yanked the voice changer off his neck. "Who the hell told you to shoot at me? Do you know how much my suit costs?"Ivan glanced down at the gun in his hand and then at the driver, who crawled out of the car.The whole thing was just an act.Debra stood up and dusted off her clothes. "Pardon us. We had to be cautious."Those masked men were disguised by the Potter family's bodyguards.Ivan furrowed his brow. "Why? Were you testing me?""You must be new to Seamar City," Debra said. "This road doesn't lead to the Nichols Group. It's the opposite. If you'd paid attention, you would've noticed it earlier.""So, last night, the message you made me send was also part of the test," Ivan said, realization dawning on him.Randy patted him on the shoulder. "Not just testing you. We're going to round up all those people. Congrats, kid. You passed the test."Ivan was stunned. Sure enough, Debra was as cunning as their boss had said
Debra took a detour and headed to the Nichols Group.Seemingly in a good mood, she hummed a tune in the car. Her easy air drew a glance from Ivan.He had reason to believe she was either careless or reckless. Even though Marion was sort of a legend, he couldn't just fend off those skilled fighters of their boss.It was a dead end, and yet Debra didn't look worried at all.In the passenger seat, Randy spoke up, "Don't worry, Ivan. Your family is now under Drake's protection. Even if you're exposed, nothing will happen to your family."Ivan didn't reply. He wasn't worried about his family at all. What worried him was the failure of this mission.If Debra succeeded in taking over the Nichols Group, they would be facing a serious problem....At the entrance to the Nichols Group Headquarters, Theda glanced at her watch.Joe reminded her, "Ms. Buchan, the meeting starts in ten minutes. Please head upstairs to prepare.""I'll just wait here," Theda replied.Joe tried again, "Mrs.
Theda took her seat and continued, "I didn't come right away because I was waiting for someone. As everyone knows, Mr. Nichols' shares are not in my hands. So, I was waiting for the share transfer agreement to be handed over to me. Only then can the ceremony be perfect, right?"Just then, someone knocked on the door.Theda said, "Come in."Robert entered and handed a folder to her."What took you so long?""Sorry.""Never mind."What mattered was that the agreement was now in her hands.She opened the folder, and inside was a thick stack of papers.The first page was blank. She frowned and flipped it over until she saw a big, glaring turtle drawn on it.Her face turned dark. She continued to flip through the papers quickly, surprised to find that the turtle had transformed into an animated gif. Then a fist appeared next to the turtle, and the middle finger was slowly raised toward it."What's this? Where did you get this file?" she huffed.Melody gave no heed to Theda's com
Marion looked at the bandages on the table. "Weren't you just crying from the pain a second ago?""It doesn't hurt when I remove it myself. But when you do it in front of me, I feel bad and want to cry," Debra replied.Marion didn't know what to say. He sprinkled some medicine on her wound, and she immediately felt a cool, soothing sensation."Did you used to eat candy when you were hurt?""No.""Huh?""I don't like sweet stuff. It's Drake. We used to go on missions together. He was hot-tempered and often got hurt. He didn't bother carrying any candy, so he'd always stuff it in my pocket. I didn't know if it worked or not, but it seemed to help him.""No wonder.""There you go. Just rest for now. Don't think about anything.""Alright." Debra lay down but poked her head out from under the blanket. "Aren't you curious about how I made it back?""I don't want to ask.""Why?"Everyone else had been eager to know.She noticed his frown and said, "Actually, it was..."Marion qu
At the Potter Mansion, Debra was lying by the edge of the bed.Marion woke up in the middle of the night, feeling someone holding his hand. Startled, he turned to see Debra lying beside him. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming."Debra?" he murmured.Debra slowly opened her eyes and flashed a sweet smile. "You're awake."Marion realized this wasn't a dream. Without a second thought, he pulled Debra into his arms. His sudden movement tugged at Debra's wound, causing her to gasp in pain.Marion quickly let go, his face filled with concern. "Did your wound tear? Let me see."He carefully unbuttoned Debra's top. Sure enough, there was some blood seeping from her shoulder.The wound on her shoulder had been caused by a bullet from Fermin. While it only pierced the skin, it couldn't handle any rough movements.Debra teased him, "I didn't expect the fearless Marion to be so anxious one day."Marion said seriously, "It's bad. I'll treat your wound."He got up from the bed and hur
"Alright." Debra got up from the bed.Juan added, "Give me your ring."Debra looked down at her ring and took it off.Juan said, "I'll give it back later."Debra left the room, knowing Juan didn't owe her anything anymore.Juan sat down and looked at the dim table lamp. His mind drifted to the previous night when he invited Vickie there.When she arrived, Vickie took in the surroundings and frowned. "What do you want to see me for?"Juan looked at her face, which resembled Debra's, and felt a wave of disgust. In his mind, one could replace Debra, and no one else could have that face."You've always wanted to take Debra's place, right? I'm giving you that chance," he said, tossing a set of clothes to her. "Put these on. You know how to look more like her.""What are you getting at?" Vickie asked suspiciously."Debra is dead," Juan replied. "From today on, you are her.""Really?" Vickie's face lit up with joy.She had suffered so much only for this moment."Yeah." Juan nodde
"Debra is back from the dead!" Randy screamed.Erica smacked him on the back of the head and snapped, "Look closely. She's not dead.""Not dead?" Randy pointed at Debra's face. "But her face..."Debra wiped her face with the sleeve. The grayish powder came off, revealing her bare skin."It's just makeup," she said."Almost gave me a heart attack. I thought you were..." Randy gaped.Drake's lips curled up, and he poked Debra's head. "Why didn't you wake up sooner? Wanted us to mourn you?"Debra explained, "There were spies outside. If they found out I wasn't dead, Juan would be in danger."Erica froze. "Juan? What's this got to do with him?""Let me explain later. I need to wash my face first." Debra stood up and looked around. "Where's Marion?""He passed out," Robert replied. "I used almost all my strength. It'll take him some time to wake up."Debra furrowed her brow. "Why did you hit him?""Ask him," Robert said. "He rushed to the Nichols Mansion, got into a gunfight, an
Randy exclaimed, "This is fake. Who did this? I'll tear them apart."Erica chimed in, "This news can't be true. It must be a smokescreen to confuse us."Theda looked at the ring in Robert's hand. "Could Marion's desperate actions today be because of this?"Everyone was taken aback....Jeffrey read the news. "Well done."Juan asked, "Aren't you sad about killing Vickie after training her for so long?""Dying as the daughter of the Frazier family is a blessing for her," Jeffrey replied indifferently. "Debra's body has been burned to ashes, and Vickie is no longer useful. Sacrificing her to create chaos and shake the Four Great Families was a brilliant idea."He paused and added, "Send the body to the Potter Mansion. I want them to understand that with Debra dead, their resistance is meaningless.""Got it," Juan replied, slowly retreating.In the basement, he dismissed everyone and looked at the lifeless woman in the coffin. "Once you're back, don't show up again," he whisper
William fidgeted at the sight of so many big shots in the room. Robert's presence alone sent a shiver down his spine.Earlier, when Marion was carried in on Robert's back, he didn't dare utter a sound.William cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders, trying to muster some courage.Standing on the side with Chace, Oscar spoke up. "Do we need medical equipment? I can have some brought over.""No need. This house has everything," William replied.He stepped forward and worked on loosening Marion's stiff arm. It took quite a while before he finally pried open the tightly clenched hand.Blood had pooled in Marion's palm. William let out a low whistle. "What an iron!"He pulled the bloodstained diamond ring from Marion's grasp and studied it. "That's a huge rock. Must've cost a fortune."Everyone's gaze fell on the ring."Wait... Isn't that Debra's ring?" Erica rushed inside. "Why is it covered in blood? Is she..."Drake snatched the ring from William's hand and inspected it. "
"How could this be?" Theda smiled faintly. "We just want to take our people and avoid any casualties. That's all.""If that's all, I might consider it," Jeffrey replied, looking at Marion. "But someone might not want to leave."Drake stepped forward. "We can settle the score later. Even if we don't take your life now, we will eventually."Marion knew Drake was telling him to leave. His hand, clutching the ring, was already bleeding.Drake and Robert noticed and grabbed Marion's arms."Let's go," Robert said firmly.They had to leave now. Otherwise, mutual destruction was unavoidable.But Marion refused to move.Finally, Drake said, "If you don't leave, we'll all die here. I'm not ready to die yet. Don't drag me down with you."Oscar said, "Mr. Houston, let's go. We can save Mrs. Houston another time. If we keep this up, we'll just be making useless sacrifices."Marion still held his ground.Robert frowned and struck Marion on the back of his neck."You guys talk too much,"
"I'm gonna kill you!" Marion shouted.He raised his gun and fired three shots at Jeffrey.But Jeffrey seemed to have already anticipated Marion's move. With just a quick motion, he pulled Ivan in front of him.The three bullets hit Ivan right in the heart. Ivan slowly looked down at his chest. It was only then that the pain hit him all over his body. He finally realized he was dying.He turned to look at Jeffrey. His lips parted, but no words came out. By the time he collapsed, Jeffrey's men had surrounded Marion.Marion's hand tightened around the bloodstained ring. He had come for a bloodbath. If he couldn't save Debra, he wasn't planning to leave alive.Juan spoke up. "Save your energy. No matter how much you fight, the result won't change. You might as well think about how to make your exit.""He's not leaving," Jeffrey said, turning to Marion. "Your bullets have run out, and I won't give you a chance to reload. Everyone who came here is going to die."At his command, sever
Jeffrey muttered, "A shame. She was promising."Pulling a blanket over Debra's face, he turned to Juan. "The four families will retaliate now that she's dead. Clean this up.""How?""Burn her. Suppress the news of her death. Let no word leak tonight."Without hesitation, Juan strode to the bedside, flicked open a lighter, and set the curtains ablaze. Flames crawled hungrily across the sheets, engulfing the figure beneath the blanket. Only when fire fully consumed the body did Jeffrey nod and exit....At dawn the next day, Melody's funeral procession began.Pallbearers carried the coffin through the mist-shrouded gates. The air seemed to thicken with foreboding.The first gunshot tore through a pallbearer's chest before anyone registered the danger."It's Marion Houston!" someone shouted.Marion emerged from the fog, his forces fanning out behind him. Bullets rained down as the remaining bearers collapsed. The Nichols family guards rushed forward, only to fall under crossfire