Everyone was deep in thought when Debra caught sight of Jordan standing a short distance away.She hadn't noticed when he arrived, and neither had anyone else. They were all too absorbed in watching the news to pay attention.Randy followed Debra's gaze and looked over. He jumped. "Jordan, you scared the hell out of me. Why did you walk without a sound?""I've been here for ages," Jordan replied calmly. "You were all so focused on the news that you didn't notice me.""Kid, looks like being in the army really changes a person. I didn't even notice you sneaking up. You've gotten pretty good at hiding your presence," Erica chuckled, patting his shoulder.Jordan frowned. "I'm not a kid anymore. I have a name. Stop calling me that."Erica wasn't bothered. "You'll always be our little brother. Don't forget who taught you how to do a spinning kick when you were little."As the tension eased a little, Debra spoke up. "Let's head to the office. Who knows what kind of chaos is brewing ou
"That plot of land. Is there something wrong with the land?" Debra replied."It's not the land itself, but your over-reliance on it," Marion said.He hadn't pointed it out before because this plot of land had brought in significant profits. However, if they wanted to confront that mastermind, they couldn't just rely on this land alone."I get what you mean." Debra nodded, "If I'm just the head of the McKinney Group, I'm not qualified to meet those people.""They have been suppressing our moves," Marion said. If we want to lure them out, we'll need unconventional methods."He placed a document into her hands. "This is from Caleb, for you.""For me?" Debra was surprised.She took the folder, opened it, and found a share transfer agreement inside, along with a land transfer agreement and a will."Is this the Houston Group's land?""Yes. Caleb probably sensed that something was going to happen, so he prepared these documents and the will in advance. Now all the resources are in yo
Juan was unperturbed. "Why do you think I'd show her mercy?""Wouldn't you?" Melody asked back, taking a deep breath. "She is nothing but trouble to us. You made foolish choices for her and experienced an exile life. Now you should know how fortunate you are to lead our family."She then handed him a document. "This is the 10% stake I spent my entire savings to buy from Debra. With this, you're the largest shareholder. No one will be able to shake your position again."Juan glanced at it, a self-mocking smile playing on his lips.Melody had held onto these shares all her life, never intending to hand them over to him. Now she was offering them willingly. Clearly, things hadn't been going well for her lately."Don't worry, Grandma. I won't give them a way out. Marion will die, and so will Debra," he replied.Melody was surprised. "What?""Why? Didn't you want her dead too? You even hired someone to kill her, didn't you?" Juan asked, puzzled.Melody forced a smile. "It's true, bu
Melody fumed, watching Juan leave.She spat, "Taking the shares and turning your back. Like mother, like son. How disrespectful!"Juan stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. "Grandma, in this family, the one with power has the right to speak. Isn't that what you've always taught me? I've taken that lesson to heart. You're part of the family too. You shouldn't forget the rules."Melody was stunned. The Nichols family had always followed strict, conservative rules. Women were expected to obey their husbands and care for the household. In truth, these rules were not made from the beginning.Melody made them for her daughter-in-law to follow.When her husband was still around, he never restrained her. She was just unwilling to let go of those old-fashioned ideas, and those rules were just tools for her to control the next generations.Juan had known this for a long time but had never spoken up out of respect for Melody. But over the years, she had become more and more parano
Andrew was lying on his bed, looking pale.Barton closed the door as Debra and Marion came up."Mr. Andrew Potter's condition has been fluctuating and never seems to improve. This time, it's especially severe. He might not be able to get out of bed for a while," he said.The doctors were holding a meeting in the adjacent room.Debra glanced over at Ivan, who was cleaning the second floor."Can we see him now?""Mr. Andrew Potter needs rest. Only one of you can go in."Barton's gaze shifted to Marion, who asked, "Who does he want to see?"Barton cleared his throat and looked at Debra. "How about Mrs. Houston going in?"Debra was speechless. These people sure had convoluted ways of doing things, even their speech was like a puzzle to figure out."Alright," she finally said.Barton pushed the door open, and Debra walked in.Outside, Marion leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette.Barton said, "Mr. Houston, here is a no-smoking zone.""Will he die because of it?" Marion r
Debra looked at Andrew's serious expression and chose to believe him."You're always deceptive. I can't really believe this," she said."Whether you believe it or not is your judgment. Whether I say it or not is my decision," Andrew smiled faintly. "So, will you trust me or not?"Anyone else would be suspicious of Andrew. He was the kind of person who could control the big picture. He was the only one here who couldn't be figured out. But strangely, Debra felt a sense of closeness to him. She always said she didn't trust him, yet deep down, she had faith in him.Every time she worked with him, she was the one who benefited the most."I trust you," Debra said. "No matter what others think, I always believe you."For a moment, Andrew's expression softened, but it was barely noticeable.Soon, he regained his calm and said, "Never trust anyone completely, not even the ones closest to you.""Marion would never lie to me, neither would you," she said."Everyone has their secrets,
Emotionally, Debra didn't want Marion to hide anything from her.But she wasn't stupid. What Andrew had said earlier was practically a hint.Marion tightened his grip on her hand and murmured, "I love you."Those words came out of his mouth less smoothly than usual.He gently brushed Debra's head and added, "Don't overthink it. Just give me some time, okay?"There was an almost pleading tone in his voice. It was something Debra had never heard from him before.He was definitely hiding something, and it was serious.Debra caught those two pieces of information."Did you cheat on me?""Absolutely not.""Am I not your first woman?""You're the only woman I've ever had.""Have you done anything against your principles?""No."Marion's answers were surprisingly quick, almost anxious.Debra smiled in relief, "Then I'm not worried."Marion seemed taken aback.Debra continued, "What I want is a man who loves me completely. He might not have money or power, but he has to love m
Maybe, everyone had gone out of the banquet.Ivan came downstairs.Garland rushed over and asked, "Have you seen everyone?""Who are we talking about?""Jordan, Randy, and Erica.""No." With that simple answer, Ivan headed straight to the kitchen.Garland put his hands on his hips, fuming. "What an attitude. When Debra's around, you act like a puppy. The minute she leaves, you flip faster than anyone else."Ivan ignored him.Garland gritted his teeth. "Sooner or later, I'll catch you slipping and prove you're an undercover spy."Barton came downstairs. Garland eagerly approached him."Barton, where is everyone? Debra and Marion have disappeared too. They didn't leave us behind to attend a banquet, did they?""What banquet?""A welcoming banquet.""A welcoming banquet?""You know, when someone returns from afar, there's supposed to be a big feast.""Oh, there's been too much going on lately to prepare any banquets. But thanks for your effort. The living room looks a bit
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
The next morning, Debra was shaken awake by Liza."Debra, get up," Liza urged, moving to pull off the blankets.Debra had stayed up all night going through the materials that Andrew gave her.She was still exhausted and buried her head under the covers."It's still early. What do you want?""Get up. Let's go pick a dress. I heard there's a great store."Debra couldn't focus, and she didn't want to hear any of it. All she wanted to do was sleep."Marion, get her out of here," she yelled.Marion knocked and came in. "Please leave."He had just finished preparing breakfast for Debra.Liza was upset. "I asked my dad to help you guys. And this is how you repay me? Fine, I'll go by myself tonight."With that, she headed toward the door.Debra sighed and got up. "Alright, I'll go with you. Is that okay?""That's more like it," Liza smiled. "I'll wait for you outside. Hurry up."She hummed a tune and skipped out of the room.Debra rubbed her temples. Marion said, "If you don't w
Barton held the medicine in front of Andrew and pleaded, "Sir, please take your medicine, alright? Take it, get some rest, and by tomorrow, you'll feel better. Mrs. Houston will still be here."Andrew relaxed a little. It was true.Debra was alive. She was beautiful, elegant, and clever, just as he had always imagined. She had gotten married and was living a happy life."Being my wife is dangerous," he murmured to himself. "The life she has now is the best path I could have given her."He swallowed the pills and leaned back against the bed. Sleep eluded him, but his memories didn't.Once again, he was transported back 16 years.Jordan and the six-year-old Debra were kidnapped. His parents rushed to save Jordan but were ambushed. Both lost their lives.Andrew did his best to rescue Debra, but his legs were injured during the process.He cradled the unconscious, injured Debra in his arms, crawling desperately away from the explosions. For the first time, he understood what despai
"Help me!"A little girl's desperate cries echoed in Andrew's mind, and he woke up from a dream.The room was pitch black and eerily silent. As if drained, he weakly leaned against the head of the bed. Fragments of a memory flickered in his mind like a haunting replay."Hold my hand.""Hug me."A sweet, childlike voice seemed to call out to him again, as if it had traveled through time to reach him. He opened his eyes and was pulled into a memory from many years ago.The summer air carried the fresh scent of grass. In the courtyard, koi fish chased one another in the pond. Sunlight bathed the entire yard, its warmth embracing everything in its reach.He was just an 11-year-old boy then. In front of him stood a little girl with a chubby face. Her little hands tugged at his sleeve.Andrew bent down, as if this moment had been predestined, and smiled at her. "What now?""Swing-swing," replied the girl, pointing at a swing set not far away."It's a swing.""Swing-swing.""Alrig
Standing outside was Jordan.He asked bluntly, "What are you doing here?""I came to visit Andrew," Debra replied with a frown, sensing hostility. "Anything wrong with that?"Jordan pressed his lips together. "How is he?""Not so good. He's been coughing," Debra replied, shaking her head. "I'll leave now."Barton spoke up. "Mrs. Houston, you left something behind.""Oh right, the report Ben gave me," Debra responded, walking back to the desk to grab the papers.Once she left, Jordan went into the room and closed the door behind him.Debra paused, wondering why Andrew asked her to hide his fake illness from Jordan."Hey."Suddenly, a voice startled Debra. She turned around and saw Liza standing behind her.Liza looked puzzled. "What are you staring at so intently?"Debra composed herself and asked, "What's up?""Nothing, just bored. I haven't seen you around lately," Liza pouted. "Didn't you guys get into some kind of trouble? I called my dad. Don't worry. Within three days