Garland heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Juan didn't take the bait."We've discussed most of it. As long as you're ready, we can start our collaboration anytime," Garland replied smoothly.Juan faltered, "Recently, my financial situation has been a bit tight, so this partnership could benefit both of us. I'm sure you wouldn't have any objections, right?""Of course not. It's an honor to work with a great businessman like you," Garland replied, then realized his mistake.It was Juan who should feel honored to work with him.Luckily, Erica and Randy were too focused on the conversation to catch that.Juan replied, "You flatter me, Mr. Eaton. It's my honor to work with you. Let's discuss the contract next time. Something comes up, and I need to go."The call ended, but Garland's heart hadn't fully settled.Randy remarked, "Looks like you did contact him for us. I'm impressed."Erica chimed in, "Sorry for doubting you.""No worries, guys. We're all friends. I won't hold it ag
Erica stared at Garland suspiciously. "Just a second ago, you were saying you suspected Juan. Now you're defending him. Which side are you on?"Garland was at a loss for words. Under the pressure, he could only lie through his teeth. "Of course I suspect him. What I said earlier was just based on my interactions with him. Does that prove anything? It just shows our enemy is too powerful. Juan is way too good at hiding his true self. He's definitely the mastermind behind the scenes."Erica patted his shoulder. "That's the kind of awareness I like to see. You're smarter than I thought. No wonder you're the boss of the Eaton Group.""I'm flattered," Garland replied with a forced smile.With that, he headed upstairs, as if nothing had happened.Liza followed him, still harboring doubt. Garland shut her down. "Give me a break. I'm going to bed.""I..." She still had questions to ask him.Back in his room, Garland's heart was still pounding. He pulled out his phone and dialed Juan's n
Juan paused. "Help me keep an eye on Ivan.""Sure," Garland agreed."Debra is smart, but she trusts the people around her too easily. She's not ruthless enough. Sooner or later, she's going to get hurt by this," Juan sighed."Not ruthless enough? Where did you get that from?" Garland asked, puzzled.He had spent quite a bit of time with Debra. Marion was supposed to be the decisive one, but from what he saw, Debra called the shot.Marion was tough on others, while Debra was tough on herself. It only meant she could be even tougher on others.Juan was silent for a moment. "With Marion by her side, I'm not worried. But things in Seamar City are chaotic. Your father was right to keep you at home. It's not too late now. You can still go back.""Uh... How chaotic are we talking about?""Bloodshed."...The next day, at the Royal Grand Hotel, Drake adjusted his suit."How do I look?" he asked.Kale nodded. "You look great.""Good," Drake said. "Make sure to bring more people. To
Debra asked, "What happened?"Randy's expression was grim. "There was a shooting. It sounds serious. Drake is in the hospital."Debra quickly looked at Marion, whose brows were knitted together."Let's go find out," she said urgently.Randy hurried to catch up. "Wait for me."Garland came out of his room, wondering what was going on."Drake? That arrogant, overbearing man?" he muttered. "He got hurt? Could this be the bloodshed mentioned by Juan?"A chill ran down his spine. If someone like Drake could get shot, the rest of them would stand no chance....At the hospital, two operating rooms were in use.Debra and Marion arrived to see the red lights glowing.A nurse approached them. "Both patients are in surgery right now. You'll have to wait outside.""How serious is it?" Debra asked."Very serious," the nurse replied grimly.Moments later, one of Drake's men approached, looking shaken."We didn't see this coming. We were keeping watch downstairs when we suddenly heard
The doctor said, "This guy is lucky. Most people's hearts are on the left, but his is on the right. He'll recover fully with proper rest."Debra breathed a sigh of relief.Drake and Kale were wheeled out of the operating rooms, both still unconscious. For the time being, they couldn't tell her anything.In the car outside, Randy learned something through a call. His expression turned grim in no time.He rushed into the hospital and shouted, "Guys, I've got some bad news.""Sir, please keep your voice down here," a nurse reminded him."Sorry. It's an emergency," Randy apologized, rushing toward Debra and Marion. "Something is up at the Nichols Group.""Take a breath and explain," Debra replied."Alright." Randy steadied himself. "It's Juan. He came back.""What?""And he's back with the 45% stake. How did he even get it back?""I gave those shares to Drake. He was supposed to use them to take over the Nichols Group today. How did they end up with Juan?""I'm stumped too. Wha
Randy floored the gas pedal, speeding all the way to the Nichols Group headquarters.The security guards at the gate stepped forward to block them. "Mrs. Houston, Mr. Osborne, you can't go in.""Get out of my way!" Randy growled, slamming the accelerator.The guards panicked and scrambled to the side. A loud crash echoed as the car smashed through the glass doors."Go! I'll cover for you," Randy urged."Got it." Debra leaped out of the car and bolted into the building.The guards tried to stop her, but she stared them down, taking the executive elevator to the top floor.By the time she arrived at the meeting room, everyone except Juan had already left.It had been a while since they last met, but nothing about him had changed. Ever cold and composed, he closed the laptop in front of him. With Joe standing by his side, he seemed to be that same business tycoon who ruled Seamar City."Juan, you should explain this," Debra demanded.Juan glanced at her and replied nonchalantly,
Juan's tone was filled with cold mockery.Debra was not surprised. This was your typical Juan. To him, the family interest always came first. Other things didn't matter.She said, "Alright, I'm impressed by your grand scheme of giving away and taking back the shares. I underestimated you. I thought...""Thought I was stuck on petty feelings and wasted my life because of you?" Juan scoffed. "You're overestimating yourself. As long as I want it, I can have any woman. You don't really think I'm obsessed with you, do you? Don't kid yourself. Just stick to Marion and tell him I'm back. This city still belongs to me."Debra clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms."You haven't changed a bit," she spat.She used to think that she had misunderstood him, that he had changed, and that they could leave each other in peace.Here he was, making it clear that it had been all her wishful thinking. He had always been the kind of man who would abandon everything and use a
Debra barely glanced at the list before turning to Randy."Got a hammer in the trunk?""Yeah, why?"Debra walked straight to the trunk, pulled out a hammer, and headed back.Then, right in front of everyone, she hit the glass doors with the hammer and eventually smashed them.Randy gasped, impressed by her courage and sad about losing no money. Meanwhile, the smile on Joe's face faded away.Finally venting her anger, Debra tossed the hammer aside, pulled a checkbook from her purse, scribbled an amount, and handed it to Joe."Take it and return the balance," she said nonchalantly, turning to Randy. "Let's go."Randy swallowed hard, still reeling from the shock about her temper. Then they drove off, leaving Joe standing frozen in place.By the time they got back to the ward, Marion was already inside.The anesthesia had worn off, and Drake's face was bloodless as he lay on the bed. It was almost a miracle that he came around so quickly despite the severe injury."How did thing
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