"I thought you wouldn't feel it," Debra chuckled bitterly. "Ever thought about how much worse words could hurt me?"After a moment of silence, Juan said, "I'll handle it.""No need." Debra turned to leave."Why didn't you tell me about the rumors at school?" Juan asked.Debra paused and sounded amused. "Tell you?"Juan felt uneasy with her tone. "If you had told me, I would have...""If I told you it was Shelia spreading the rumors, would you believe me?" Debra interrupted.Juan was taken aback. "I asked her. It wasn't her.""So, there's nothing to discuss," Debra scoffed.Simply put, Juan trusted Shelia.As Debra turned to leave, Juan grabbed her arm and asked sullenly, "Are you implying I'm biased toward Shelia?""You know the answer," Debra retorted."How do you know I haven't investigated this? Why are you so sure it was Shelia?" Juan pressed, showing no intention of letting her go."Let go!" Debra shook off his arm.The disgust in her eyes stung his heart."Admit it
Rosalie's smile vanished instantly. She stood up abruptly from her chair, her voice rising several octaves. "What? Divorce?""Why are you so surprised?" Debra said."How could you divorce? That's Juan," Rosalie said incredulously.Debra used to be head over heels for Juan, going to great lengths to marry him.It was hard to believe that she wanted to divorce Juan. They had been married only for a couple of months.Ralph pondered for a moment and asked, "Is this Juan's decision?""No, it's mine.""Have you thought this through?"Debra nodded firmly. "Yes, I have."Upon hearing Debra's resolve, Ralph seemed equally determined. "Alright then, let's proceed with the divorce.""What? No!" Rosalie pushed Ralph aside and shouted at Debra, "You're not taking marriage seriously at all. If you divorce Juan, what will become of our family? Do you want to let Ralph down?"Debra looked on coldly. Ralph took a stand and pulled Rosalie aside. "Shut up! You have no say here.""Ralph! Do yo
"Uncle Ralph, thank you," Debra whispered.She knew divorcing Juan now would make life tough for the Frazier family, but she swore it wouldn't last long.Debra stayed at the house. After sending away the peripheral branches of the family, Ralph called her to the study.Ralph seemed much older these years, his face filled with concern. "Debra, is Juan really not good to you?""Not that he's bad. He just doesn't like me.""And you?"Debra fell silent.She once loved Juan deeply, but now she had let go.Ralph looked at her expression and patted her shoulder, sighing. "Debra, I'm sorry for what you've been through."Debra shook her head. "Actually, I want to discuss something with you.""About you and Juan?""No, I want to take over the Frazier Group for a while."Ralph looked puzzled, then said, "I know you've learned a lot at Arcane Academy these days. If you want experience, I can give you a few smaller companies. If you take over the Frazier Group, I'm worried...""I under
Debra slapped him across the face, leaving half of his face red.Stanley was stunned and looked incredulously at her. "You hit me?""As I said, if you dare disrespect me, I'll teach you a lesson," Debra said coldly.Stanley's temper flared up. "Damn you!"Before Stanley could finish his sentence, Debra slapped him again, this time with full force, instantly swelling his face."Watch your mouth! I didn't wrestle with you only for Ralph's sake. Don't think I'm a pushover. Cross me again, and I will show you no mercy," she snapped.Before she married Juan, she had been living here with them. Stanley was still young, but under Rosalie's instigation, he often secretly hindered her.He had ruined her schoolwork or stolen her things. She had never made a fuss about it.But now, she had no reason to indulge him anymore.Stanley trembled with anger, ready to fight back. Debra shouted at those downstairs, "Are you all just loafing around? Bring your young master back!"At her command,
"Sorry to disturb you. I'll talk things through with Debra," said Juan.His gaze stayed fixed on Debra, trying to read her emotions, but since he entered, Debra hadn't spared him a glance."Debra..." Ralph started.Debra knew what he wanted to say. "Uncle Ralph, I'll go now."Ralph held his breath. "Safe trip."Debra nodded and then followed Juan out of the house."You go head. I'll drive my own car."Debra headed towards the garage. Juan grabbed her hand, frowning. "Are you still mad?"Debra remained silent.Juan spoke softly, "I was wrong to lose control.""That's not the issue at all." Debra withdrew her hand. "Let's talk about it when we get home."Debra turned and entered the garage. Juan watched her back, lost in thought.The two cars drove on, one behind the other. Knowing Debra was upset, he didn't speed up, just silently following.The streets were empty and eerily quiet. Debra played soft music, contemplating how to discuss divorce with Juan later.The traffic l
Debra opened the car door and struggled to climb out. Choked by the smoke, she coughed incessantly.She got out of the car and went to check on Juan. In the driver's seat, he was already unconscious. His forehead was bleeding, and his body was cut."Juan!" Debra exclaimed, rushing to open the car door to pull Juan out."Juan, wake up! "Looking around, Debra saw no one nearby, just the two collided cars. She noticed Juan's car was leaking oil from the rear, a sense of dread filling her. She shook Juan's shoulders urgently. "Juan! You have to wake up!"Juan furrowed his brow and struggled to open his eyes. Debra's worried face was in front of him.His mind was cloudy, but he felt like he had seen this face somewhere before.It was just too distant for him to remember."Juan!"Debra's voice was intermittently near and far. "Can you move? Come out! The car is about to explode!"There was already a flame at the rear of the car. Seeing Juan unable to say a word, she gathered her s
Debra struggled to pull out the phone from Juan's pocket and then called 911. Then she faded into unconsciousness.The next day, she groggily opened her eyes to see Joe bustling around. Her voice was hoarse and weak. "Where's Juan?"A flicker of relief crossed Joe's face, and he asked quickly, "Madam, are you asking for water?"Debra shook her head, asking again, "Where's Juan?""Mr. Nichols," Joe hesitated, "he's severely injured and currently in intensive care."Debra struggled to sit up. Joe quickly held her arm. "Madam! The doctor said your injuries are serious too. You mustn't get out of bed!"Debra, devoid of strength, knew Juan had been hurt trying to save her.She couldn't be relieved unless she saw him."Madam..."Joe tried to stop her, but suddenly, noise erupted outside the room."Where's Debra? How is she?"Debra recognized Ralph's voice. Joe went out to check. Sure enough, Ralph and Rosalie had arrived. Rosalie was searching anxiously, looking for Debra."How i
"I know," Debra said. "Even though Rosalie is always mean, she wouldn't do something like this."At least not now.Debra didn't finish her sentence. Ralph nodded and replied, "That's the way she is. I'll check the home surveillance when I get back. We'll find out.""Okay."After Ralph left, Debra got off the bed. Her ankle seemed to be sprained. The pain was sharp as soon as she stood.Joe freaked out. "Madam, why are you getting up?""I want to check on Juan.""Madam..." Joe hesitated.Debra noticed Juan's room was partially open, indicating someone was already inside. She approached and glimpsed a white figure.It was Shelia.Joe blocked Debra's view and said reluctantly, "Madam, you should go back and rest."Debra's eyes dimmed.That explained why Joe had prevented her from visiting Juan."Alright." Debra turned back to the ward.At the end of the day, she had overthought.Juan was in good hands with Shelia. There was no need for her to worry.Her phone rang suddenly
"Yep.""I thought you meant my company.""Not really," Garland quickly reassured her. "Even if Theda has those shares, she can't compete with you."Debra took a sip of what she thought was tea, only to realize it was Coke. She glanced at Garland, who was wolfing down his food with no regard for manners."I've heard that you have a ruthless streak and get things done efficiently," she probed. "If we join hands, dominating overseas and Seamar City markets won't be a problem. What do you think?"Garland nearly choked on the food. 'Ruthless? Efficient? That sounds more like my dad.'As for cooperation, he didn't have the authority to make that decision."What you're saying makes sense," he stammered. "Given our relationship, a partnership wouldn't be a problem. But this is a big decision. I'll need to discuss it with my dad."Noticing Debra's suspicious look, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, I'll talk to the shareholders and get my dad's approval.""I heard that your father
Lara recounted what happened to Debra, who muttered in confusion, "Huh? He only recorded my meals?"She glanced at Marion, who was equally clueless."He didn't ask anything else. But since no one was eating in the dining room, he went back to his room.""He made his actions so obvious," Debra mused. "I'll test him again and find out what he is trying to do."Marion advised, "From the way things are going right now, his brain doesn't seem so sharp. You should be careful not to overplay your hand when probing him. I'm afraid he won't catch on.""He's the heir to the Eaton family. He can't be that dull," Debra reasoned."I'm not calling him a fool," Marion explained. "But he has been acting like one."Fermin's recent behavior had betrayed his low intelligence.When they were at the Potter Mansion, he had maintained his sophistication, but over time, he couldn't be bothered to fake it anymore, always showing his true colors in front of them."I'll go try something," Debra said, st
"Liza and Fermin are here," Debra said, changing the subject."I heard." Marion nodded."I suspect Fermin is here to keep an eye on us," Debra shared her thoughts. "He is the heir to the Eaton family. It doesn't make sense for him to come here personally. But his interaction with Liza suggests they are real siblings. I just don't get why he'd bother monitoring me."They had stayed at the Potter Mansion for a while, but nothing had happened. If Fermin was as cunning as rumors suggested, he wouldn't have been sitting around and doing nothing.Debra had deliberately let them stay to keep an eye on them. But Seamar City remained peaceful."Are you doubting his identity now?" Marion asked."Doubting is one thing. Knowing what he's up to is another, and finding out his true identity is yet another," Debra replied, shaking her head. "I don't know if he's dumb or playing dumb. We need to find an opportunity to test him.""Then let's test him," Marion agreed. "Finding out what he's monit
When Debra returned to the room, she saw Marion trying to get out of bed and walk.She hurried over to support him. "The doctor said you shouldn't be moving around right now. Why aren't you listening?"Marion brushed it off. "My physical condition is better than most people's. I'll heal faster.""Cut the nonsense," Debra retorted. "The venom may have been neutralized, but you're still weak. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You're eager to go back and retaliate against the Buchan family."The mention of the Buchan family made Marion pause, realizing she must've interrogated Robert."So, you know.""Of course, I know. Think you could handle things without me finding out?"She tapped his forehead and said, "You didn't have to fight them. If Theda wants the Nichols Group so badly, let her have it. I don't care.""I know," Marion said, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I just don't want anyone to steal your things."He could feel Debra's obsession with the N
Debra tactfully suggested, "Your influence in Orkgate is undeniable, but sometimes you can be a bit misguided. Why don't we...""No. I'm doing this alone," Drake refused, heading toward his study.Debra was speechless. If Drake took things into his hands, Orkgate would be turned upside down. If he stirred the pot too much, the target would surely flee the city. She couldn't let him act so recklessly.Kale had just escorted Garland and Liza to the guest room.Seeing Drake return, he asked, "Boss, are you sure about letting them stay here?""Why not? It's not like we're short on guest rooms," Drake replied dismissively.He then ordered, "I need you to gather information on every business in Orkgate, big or small, whether they're our partners or not. Get their details and map out their network. Don't miss a thing."Kale blinked. "Every business? And their network?"Orkgate was vast and bustling, with countless businesses. Compiling all that information would take weeks, even with
That was a jab at his intelligence.Drake sulked, "Who are you insulting? Of course, I noticed.""You did?" Debra said. "I thought you were scared of Fermin's status, so you didn't kick them out.""I was just being kind for your sake," Drake stated. "If they were not your friends, I would have kicked them out long ago."Unhappy about her challenge, Drake turned to leave.Debra quickly stopped him. "Take it easy. I was just kidding. I'm sorry, okay?""It's too late. Apology unaccepted," Drake scoffed, shaking off her hand.But then, something occurred to him, and he asked, "Wait. You'd never apologize to me for no good reason. What do you want?""Well, I need a favor," she replied."No way." Drake covered his ears. "Whenever you come to me, it's never for anything good. I've already been more than generous in letting you and Marion stay here. Don't push your luck.""I won't be so absolute." Debra swatted his hands away from his ears. "Isn't Orkgate your territory? Do me a favo
"You've misunderstood. That's not what I meant," Debra explained."I think that's exactly what you meant," Drake interrupted. "You can forget about it. Since I've already agreed to let Marion recuperate here, you're not backing out. None of you are leaving until Marion fully recovers."He turned to Kale and ordered, "Go prepare rooms for Miss and Mr. Eaton. We're not short of guest rooms."His gaze shifted to Debra, his tone dropping to a menacing warning. "Make sure they behave themselves in my house."Debra reassured him, "Don't worry. We're all nice people here."Liza rolled her eyes, uninterested in the exchange. As long as there was good food and fun, she couldn't care less about the rest.But Garland's expression tightened with discomfort. If he stayed there, it would be difficult for him to update Juan on Debra's situation.It had already been days, and Debra still hadn't gone back. Juan must be worried sick.While Garland wrestled with his thoughts, he suddenly felt a g
Behind Liza, Drake spoke up. "That's right. Who would dare lay a hand on Miss Eaton? That would be suicide."Liza crowed, "Tell me about it."Drake's eyes grew even colder. Debra, aware of Drake's disdain for the arrogant heirs of wealthy families, feared he might lose his temper.She quickly intervened, "Mr. Lowe is kind enough to take us in, and he was once engaged to you. You should be more polite.""Exactly," Garland chimed in. "You should learn from Mrs. Houston and be humbler."Liza was unimpressed. "But Dad said a girl should be tough and not let anyone push her around. Should I listen to you or Dad?"Garland was at a loss for words. From a young age, Bert spoiled Liza, giving her the best of everything and ensuring she never faced any hardship.This upbringing had made her arrogant and willful, believing her family name could protect her from anything. It had, except for that one time when she helped Cathryn and incurred Marion's wrath.In fact, Bert was contemplating w
Liza ignored Garland and said, "I don't believe it. Bring them here."Not interested in arguing with her, Drake said, "They're upstairs. Go find them yourself."Garland hadn't expected Drake to be so accommodating this time. He grabbed Liza's arm and urged, "Let's go upstairs."Liza remained skeptical as she headed upstairs. Drake couldn't stand the sight of her and walked back to his study.Not knowing where Debra was staying, Liza asked Kale, "Which room are Debra and Marion in?"Having been insulted by her earlier, Kale shrugged. "Can't recall the room number. You'll have to figure it out yourself.""Is this how you treat your guests? If my brother is mad, you're in trouble."Garland's eyes widened, and he groaned inwardly, 'Making trouble for Drake? That's suicidal.'"Liza, calm down. You can't go around threatening people." Garland forced a smile, trying to ease the tension. "The second floor isn't that big. It won't take us much time to find out."He then dragged her tow