"I'm afraid they'll smash up the place," Barton said worriedly."It doesn't matter," Andrew replied calmly, placing a white piece among the black ones. "Do you think Ivan is a crucial piece for that person?""He's the first one to infiltrate us.""I let him. Otherwise, he couldn't even have set foot in the house.""That's true.""Keep him around. He's still useful. Maybe one day, this black piece can be turned into an ally.""Understood."...Downstairs, Garland spoke again. "I swear, I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me, check the surveillance footage. Every five steps, there's a camera. You'll see that it was Ivan's doing."Erica nodded. "He has a point. Debra, why don't we ask Barton to pull up the footage from this morning? If it shows Ivan wasn't at home, we would get rid of him."Ivan tensed up. "Mrs. Houston, it wasn't me."Debra came downstairs. "Let's check out the surveillance then. It won't take much time.""Okay." Erica nodded, about to head upstairs w
"Seriously? Do you two have to flirt at a time like this?" Randy grumbled.Marion glanced at Ivan. "You can stay."Then he led Debra back upstairs.Randy frowned. "These two have zero sense of danger."Erica patted his shoulder. "Feels like we're the only ones worried here.""No kidding." Randy shook his head helplessly. "What kind of people are these?"Upstairs, Debra said, "It looks like Andrew is trying to cover for Ivan.""You saw it?" Marion asked."It's so obvious. I'm not that stupid," Debra replied.Marion led her into their room. "The others are not stupid either. They're just playing along with what Andrew said.""So, does that mean Ivan really has a problem?""Yeah.""And Andrew wants us to pretend we don't know?""Exactly. I think he's trying to set up a scheme to turn Ivan from a foe to an ally.""How do we turn him? Reason with him? Appeal to his emotions? Or...""Emotions," Marion mused. "If they can exploit your soft heart to infiltrate us, we'll turn the
"You're giving away your car? Are you out of your mind?" Erica pulled Randy aside and whispered, "This isn't how you redeem a troubled teenager. You're just throwing money at him. As the son of the Trennery family, do you think he's short on money? Use your brain, okay.""What should I do?" Marion groaned. "I've never done anything like this before. If it were a girl, maybe I'd know what to do, but for a guy, I'm clueless.""Step aside. Let me handle this," Erica said, scrolling through her phone.Randy gawked at the screen. "Does Google have an answer for that?""Ever read redemption novels? Way more useful than Google.""What redemption novels?""Here, it says to treat him well, take a bullet for him, and touch him with love.""What? Take a bullet for him? What kind of novel is this? Even if I sacrifice my life, what good is his redemption to me?""That's how it's written in novels. How would I know otherwise?"Not far away, Debra overheard their conversation. Now she was co
Debra, stepping out of her room to find Marion, paused as she passed by the guest room.Standing there was William, shaking his head."What's wrong? Is it serious?" she asked.William let out a deep breath.Debra grew even more anxious. "Is it so bad that even you can't fix him?"Drake had seemed so energetic earlier. It might have been his final burst of strength."It's not like that. I just think Drake's had it rough.""Why?"William glanced at the unconscious man on the bed. "He was cursed to meet someone like Marion."With doubt in mind, Debra stepped into the room and spotted Marion sitting casually by the bed.She asked, "Did you do something to Drake?""Nothing much," Marion replied, glancing at Drake. "William came up with a way to keep him in bed for a while. That's all.""Huh?" Debra walked to the bed and saw Drake's lifeless face. "You had William stab him?""No.""You had him knocked out?""I did that myself.""You must have exerted a lot of strength."Debr
Marion observed Debra's expression and sighed, "With Ralph's capabilities, he never could've made that accident look flawless. It was all just a trap set by the Lowe family. Ralph took the blame for a murder that wasn't his.""What?" Debra was shocked."The person who set Ralph up was the previous head of the Lowe family. He had been working with K for over 20 years. Drake traded this secret for his release from the police station.""You never told me this.""I just didn't want you to be heartbroken."Debra felt a sharp pain in her chest. As expected, the car accident that killed her parents wasn't that simple."You weren't worried about me being heartbroken," she said. "You were just afraid I'd lose my mind and relentlessly pursue the truth just like you're doing now."Marion had been enduring all these years, trying to find the killer of his parents. He kept the pain all to himself."Don't worry. Even if I find out the killer is someone else, I won't act rashly," Debra said.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Liza grumbled. "Drake isn't a good person anyway. His life or death has nothing to do with us."Garland chided, "Drake was once your fiancé. Don't be so harsh."Liza felt embarrassed and shot back, "I am harsh. I just hate him. So what? I don't care."She stormed upstairs, fuming. Garland sighed, knowing her temper too well.Turning to Randy and Erica, he apologized, "I'm sorry about this. I'll talk to her later. We're all decent people here."With that, he hurried upstairs to soothe Liza. Whenever she was upset, she would tell Bert about it. He was afraid that Bert would fly over immediately and spank him.When passing by Drake's room, Liza glanced inside and saw him lying lifeless on the bed. Unbothered by it, she quickly turned away. She even blamed him for the grievance she was suffering."Miss Eaton, why aren't you going in?" Debra asked, suddenly appearing behind her.Startled, Liza sprang around to face her. "I was just thinking about so
"The slums overseas remain slums because the poor stay poor," Debra said slowly. "The wealthy won't hire them. Their only income comes from begging. Maybe a few with strong physiques can do labor work for a meager wage, but the number of people who change their fate is very few. Even if they beg bitterly, they can't afford those expensive medical bills. Just earning enough to live is already tough. If they turn to robbery, it's only because they've hit a dead end."Liza softened her tone. "But as you like, that's just an 'if'.""Yes, it is," Debra agreed. "Maybe the person who robbed you was indeed a vicious criminal, but that doesn't mean there aren't unfortunate souls in the slums. You don't know Drake's character or his past, yet you constantly insult him. Is it just because of his bad reputation? Or because he was once a servant in the Bernard family and then rose above his station?""Who cares about his past? I have no interest," Liza mumbled."Drake was once a child from the
Late at night, on the rooftop of a skyscraper, a man in a black tactical jacket aimed a sniper rifle at the window of an office building across the street.Inside, Caleb sat at the head of the conference table.The sniper wore a white mask. After a moment of adjustment, he fired. The gunshot echoed, and the man inside the meeting room collapsed instantly. Chaos erupted within the office building."Good job!" Behind him, a deep voice spoke. "You're even more promising than Ivan."The sniper turned slowly. His voice was cold and steady. "As I said, Drake will die.""Thankfully, you were there when Ivan missed his shot," the man said, stepping forward and patting the sniper's shoulder. "Now, it's your turn to step into the spotlight.""I'll let you take care of the Lowe Group's resources." His deep voice carried a sinister hint of amusement. "After all, what's more painful than betrayal by someone you trust? Isn't that right, Jordan?"The sniper removed his mask, revealing a sharp,
Barton shook his head."Why would Jordan betray us? It doesn't make sense," Debra pressed. "Isn't this part of your plan? With Liza captured, we're in a tight spot. Just tell me the truth.""I really don't know," Barton replied with an innocent look.Debra panicked. She couldn't tell the truth from lies anymore or if this was part of some scheme. She wasn't sure if Jordan really betrayed them or if Andrew was really sick.These questions swirled in her mind and drove her crazy."Where's Marion?" she finally asked.If Andrew was gravely ill, Marion wouldn't leave his side.Barton replied, "Mr. Houston has been tied up with matters at home. He hasn't returned since he left in the morning.""He's gone all day?" Debra's eyes narrowed.That didn't add up. With Marion's efficiency, there was no way he'd take so long to handle family issues.While Debra was struggling to make sense of it all, Garland burst in, looking frantic."What do you mean Jordan is a traitor? And Liza's been
"Hey, don't touch me!" Liza shouted, struggling as the bodyguards grabbed her arms.Jordan came down the stairs and asked with a frown, "Where are Debra and Erica?""Sir, they escaped," one of the guards reported.Jordan slapped him and spat, "Useless!"The guard bowed his head and stepped back.Liza glared at Jordan. "Traitor! You're even worse than Drake. You sneaky backstabber!"Her string of insults didn't faze him one bit.She continued, "Let me remind you, I am Liza Eaton. If you dare lay a finger on me, my dad won't let you off the hook."The guards all had a headache coming on. She had repeated it so many times, but they couldn't deny the power of her family.One of the guards ventured, "Sir, what should we do? Let her go?"Jordan glanced at Liza. "Take her away and lock her up.""What?" Liza shouted, "You have the nerve to lock me up? Just so you know, if I get even a scratch, my dad will chop you into pieces.""Gag her.""Yes, sir."The guards gagged Liza and dr
"No need to chase further," Jordan said."Why not?" demanded a figure coming out of the corner.He was cloaked in a black robe, his face hidden behind a white mask. His voice was deep, altered by a voice changer."Messing with the Eaton family is not a wise decision," Jordan replied blandly."So what if I mess with them? They're nothing," said the masked man, raising his hand.At the signal, a bunch of bodyguards rushed downstairs.The guests at the party had no idea what was happening, and the cameras were soon shut off."What's going on?" the reporters protested as they were driven out of the hotel.The remaining ones in the hall were shocked. Given their experiences, they knew something big was about to happen. The only thing they could do was stay quiet."Back off. You don't want to hurt Miss Eaton," Erica shouted.But Debra heard hurried footsteps coming from inside the hall. Alerted, she said, "Something is not right. We need to run.""Relax. I dare them to lay a finge
Debra's voice turned icy. "Did you have something to do with Andrew's worsening condition?""I don't have time to waste talking to you," Jordan replied, turning to the guards. "Escort Mrs. Houston out.""Yes, sir." The guards moved toward Debra.She sensed their malice and stepped back.Erica's shouting came. "Run."She grabbed Debra's hand, and the two of them bolted down the stairs.Unsure of the situation, Liza trusted her instincts and followed them."After them!" The guards gave chase.Liza suddenly had an idea. She stopped in her tracks and stood boldly in front of the guards. The unexpected move forced them to screech to a halt.She declared, "I am the daughter of the Eaton family. If you dare lay a hand on me, my dad will make sure you regret it."Debra and Erica, who had reached the exit, heard her words and felt helpless. At such a time, no one would care about her status anymore.The guards ignored the threat, ready to act, when Jordan suddenly called out from the
Erica rushed forward and said, "Barton, you're here just in time. I need to ask you something."Barton cut her off. "Mr. Andrew Potter's condition has suddenly worsened. It's very serious right now. Please come back with me immediately.""What?" Debra exclaimed. "He was fine yesterday."An image of the previous day suddenly popped into her mind. Jordan had gone into Andrew's room right after she left."Do you know about this?" Debra asked. "Jordan is the new president of the Lowe Group?"Barton, as Andrew's trusted aide, was supposed to know if this was part of Andrew's plan."What?" Barton was puzzled. "Mr. Jordan Potter?"Debra decided to go upstairs to confront Jordan. Erica quickly reached out to stop her."Where are you going? Didn't you just say we can't go up there earlier?""I have to go and ask him. What is he doing? Betraying the family?""Betrayal it is," Liza chimed in. "I'm going with you."She grabbed Debra's arm and rushed up the stairs.The guards immediatel
"What's going on?"Liza looked around, and her gaze landed on a huge pendulum clock on the wall.It gave a low, echoing chime. Debra looked over and saw it struck eight at night.A beam of light shone down onto a sofa on the second floor. Sitting on it was a masked man.Debra stared at him and had an oddly familiar feeling.Erica had the same feeling. "This guy...""Welcome to the party. I am the Lowe Group's new president."The voice was so familiar that both Debra and Erica froze in shock.Liza patted them on the shoulder. "Is that Andrew's brother? Did I hear wrong?"She didn't know what was going on, but the new president turned out to be Jordan.Just a few days ago, when they saw the news, he hadn't said anything.On the second floor, Jordan removed his mask, revealing a frosty face. Everyone stared at him in surprise because Jordan had disappeared from Seamar City for an entire year.He used to be reckless and lazy. Somehow, he became the new president of the Lowe G
"What is this? Do I have to wear this ugly thing to attend your party?" Liza grumbled, tossing the mask back with disdain. "I spent two hours on my makeup. If I wear this, all that effort will go to waste. No way I'm wearing it."The security guard replied politely, "I'm sorry, but rules are rules. Without the mask, you can't go in.""I've never heard of such a ridiculous rule," Liza huffed, ready to leave.Debra grabbed her hand. "Don't you want to have fun anymore?""I..." Liza hesitated.Debra leaned in and whispered, "The new president of the Lowe Group is trying to impress people. Just put on the mask and take it off once you're inside. What are they gonna do? Can they just throw you out?""Sounds like a plan." Liza nodded. "Even Drake didn't dare mess with me. Why should I care about them?"She picked up the mask again and put it on.Erica nudged Debra. "I guess you're going to be a pro at handling kids."Debra pressed a finger to her lips.The three of them entered the
Faced with the same question, Debra explained again, "Got it from a fall when I was a kid.""Fell?" Erica muttered, skeptical. "It doesn't look so."She suddenly remembered something major from back in the day. The major families all sent their representatives over.There had been a little girl who was injured on her back and rushed to the hospital.Erica remembered it well because Andrew had been holding that girl."What's wrong?" Debra turned and saw Erica spacing out.Erica came to her senses. "Ah... Nothing. It doesn't look like a fall.""You're talking like Liza." Debra twirled in front of the mirror and said, "What do you think? Should I change into something else? It doesn't look so good if it reveals the scar.""Why not wear this one instead?" Liza came out, holding an azure gown. "It's pretty and not too flashy."Debra took it and nodded with satisfaction. "This one it is."Liza grabbed Erica and pulled her toward the changing room. "I picked one for you too. Let's g
At her call, ten bodyguards walked into the room.Debra explained, "For safety's sake, these are our bodyguards for the day. Get familiar with them so there are no misunderstandings later."Liza was unimpressed. "Are ten of them enough? I usually bring 20."Erica snorted, "You want 20. Ask your daddy. Too many people will be arrestive.""What? Are you judging me?" Liza fumed."I am. I haven't even slapped you yet," Erica countered, rolling up her sleeves.Debra quickly stepped in. "Alright, it's about time. Let's go."She grabbed Erica's arm and headed toward the door. Liza followed them reluctantly.The whole morning was spent at a salon. Debra and Erica kept yawning, but Liza was full of energy."Is she really a spoiled lady?" Erica muttered, trailing behind Liza. "My barn needs a workhorse like her."Finally, they arrived at the store Liza had mentioned. Debra and Erica were grateful for a short break.Liza pulled Debra over. "Look at all these beautiful dresses. Can't wa