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
The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances.If it had been anyone else, they might have brushed it off.But this was Drake.They all thought back to the extravagant banquets he had hosted in Seamar City. Many of them had attended, leaving evidence in Drake's hands.If they offended him, he might leak those videos online. Their reputation would be ruined.Melody sneered, "Debra, have you lost your mind? He's just someone from Orkgate. How far could his influence reach? We have appointed Theda as the next CEO. What's your game to stir up trouble here?""That's just a decision. If everyone agrees, we can still revoke it. Isn't that right, everyone?" Debra argued, sweeping her gaze over the room.Those shareholders were as silent as the grave.Melody laughed sarcastically, "Debra, are you crazy? Theda's appointment has already been finalized. Why would we revoke it? Even if Drake holds 45% shares, so what? Without more than 50%, he has no right to remove the CEO.""Don't be so quic
"Well, that's thanks to you, Ms. Buchan," Debra grinned. "If you hadn't given me the agreement, things wouldn't have been so smooth.""What?" Melody caught the keyword and questioned Theda, "You gave her the share transfer agreement? What were you thinking?"She tried to hit Theda, but Robert rushed inside the room and blocked her.Theda looked her in the eye. "Melody, I still hold 10% shares. You better think twice before laying a hand on me.""Ingrate!" Melody spat. "If I hadn't transferred those shares to you, you wouldn't even be standing in this room. You traitor!"Theda was in no mood to argue with her. "Robert, escort Mrs. Nichols Sr. out. She no longer has a place in this company. Send her back to enjoy her retirement.""Yes, ma'am," Robert responded, dragging Melody out of the room.Theda turned to face Debra. "Mrs. Houston, that was a clever move, giving away your stocks just like that. You won, but don't celebrate too early. Trusting others like this isn't always a go
"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