Ivan had no idea what was going on. Presumably, Debra should be on the third floor, but now the attic had suddenly caught fire.On the second floor, Erica and Randy stepped out to see Barton help Andrew back to his room."Mr. Andrew Potter?"Garland and Liza were shocked too. They'd never seen him in such distress."Minor fire. Mr. Andrew Potter needs rest," Barton said flatly. "Please keep quiet about this, especially from Mrs. Houston."Liza frowned. "Why?""No questions. Trust that it's for her sake," Barton replied.After they left, Liza muttered, "Weirdoes!"...Debra jolted awake the next morning, shooting upright before dizziness slammed her back down. Drake watched silently from a chair."Quick. I need to go upstairs." She tried to kick off the blankets, but Drake stopped her."Let me go." Her usual calm shattered into a raw panic. "I'm going to the third floor."Drake hesitated. For once, he felt guilty. But he couldn't cave.Clenching his fists, he lied, "You've
When Debra arrived on the third floor, she couldn't believe her eyes.The attic had been transformed. It was nothing like what she had seen the night before.The door was old, but the lock was different. As far as she remembered, she had smashed the door with a hammer, but there were no traces of any damage.Drake narrowed his eyes. He knew Andrew was capable, but he hadn't expected that in just one night, Andrew could erase and rebuild everything."It can't be," Debra murmured, trying to open the lock.Drake's hand shot out and gripped her wrist. "I told you it was all a dream, but you wouldn't believe me. What are you trying to do now?"Debra turned to look at him, her expression serious. "I'm sure it wasn't a dream."Under the weight of her gaze, Drake found himself unable to retort with his usual cutting remarks.After a while, he released her hand and averted his eyes. "Even if you want to open the door, you should at least ask the owner of the house. It's rude to barge in
Drake spoke up. "She's running a fever. Have your doctor check on her.""Fever?" Barton reached out to feel Debra's forehead. "You're burning up. I'll call William over right away.""It's okay. I'll be fine after some rest," Debra declined.Drake scolded, "When Marion isn't around, you're being difficult.""I'm not.""Then I shall call him back.""Don't. Just bring the doctor." Debra grabbed his arm.Drake glanced at her hand, realizing only Marion could keep her in line."Alright. Go back now," he said, heading downstairs.Debra followed behind him but did not give up on investigating the attic.William crept out of Andrew's room. "Well? Did she notice me?"Barton shoved him back inside. "Prepare the fever shot. Make sure she sleeps longer.""Leave it to me." William puffed out his chest.Barton glanced at Andrew, still unconscious in the bed. "Keep Mr. Andrew Potter's illness confidential, especially from Mrs. Houston.""Don't worry. Patient privacy is sacred. Besides,
Garland and Liza nodded quickly. "We swear we won't say a word."Only then did Barton step aside, allowing them to leave.Erica furrowed her brow. "So, the kidnapped girl I saw at the hospital years ago was Debra?""Miss Mathis, things aren't as complicated as they seem. Just know that Mr. Andrew Potter did this to protect Mrs. Houston," Barton replied before leaving the room.Randy saw her troubled expression. "Andrew must have a reason to do this. Don't be upset.""I just feel bad keeping Debra in the dark," she replied somberly."Let's stick to Andrew's plan for now," Randy reassured her. "He'd never harm Debra. If we spill the truth now, we might end up hurting her."Erica nodded, her heart heavy. "For now. If she asks me about it..."A voice suddenly came from the doorway. "You can't tell her."Marion stepped inside."Where have you been?" Erica hurried over. "A lot of things happened yesterday. Debra's running a high fever now."Marion's jaw tightened, and he said, "Ke
Drake stood up and continued, "That's all I know. The old man didn't dedicate his life to mere wealth. The so-called treasure of Seamar City can't just be some fabled royal vault. I don't believe it, and neither should any of you."All these people possessed wealth that rivaled nations. It didn't make sense that they'd spend over a decade chasing rumors of riches they'd never seen. There had to be more to it.Marion remained silent, and Drake added, "This is everything I know. Now we're even."He turned to leave but paused at the door. "Debra will likely sleep for another four or five hours. As her husband, you'd do well to stay close."The door clicked shut behind him.Marion moved to the bedside, brushing a hand over Debra's forehead. Her skin was clammy with cold sweat. He dampened a towel in the bathroom and gently wiped the sweat from her face."Don't be afraid. I'm back," he murmured. "No one can harm you now."Debra's tense expression eased. Marion studied her, as if seei
To be more convincing, Garland cleared his throat and said, "It's simple. I'll write an article and use public opinion to crush the fraud."Marion stayed silent, and he quickly added, "You know, Debra acquired my news agency. Journalism is my trade, and I have the latest intel. I can...""Get to the point.""Uh... Since Vickie claims to be the real heiress, I'll dig up her background and expose her true colors.""Finished?""Yes.""I'll handle it. You stay here."Garland scrambled after him. "Don't you trust my skills? This'll work. I've got Vickie's first-hand dirt."Marion finally paused. Garland's eyes lit up."Believe me now?""My silence doesn't mean ignorance. Tell whoever sent you. Debra is out of their reach. Stop playing games."Garland's smile stiffened. By the time he recovered, Marion was gone.Left with no choice, Garland slipped away to call Juan.As soon as the line went through, he spoke anxiously. "Marion doesn't trust me. It seems he knows we're connected
At the same time, Marion was dealing with some journalists."Mercy. We were just paid to publish the news.""This has nothing to do with us.""We'll take down the articles right now."Marion sat on the sofa, glancing at his watch. "Ten minutes.""You heard the man," barked one of his subordinates, glowering at the newspaper executives cowering in the corner. "Ten minutes to scrub every trace of this."Marion raised a hand. "Don't frighten our guests. I'm known for being reasonable."The publishers exchanged uneasy glances before calling their teams to halt all operations.Ten minutes later, Marion refreshed the news page. Every negative headline had vanished."Don't let me see another word about this.""Rest assured, Mr. Houston. Such false reports will never surface again.""Yes. This'll never happen again.""Please, just let us go." Marion stood up, silencing the chorus with a flick of his wrist. His men then ushered the publishers out."Sir," one subordinate reported
Debra's heart sank. What happened the previous night was still vivid in her memories.She had gone to the attic and smashed the locked door with a hammer. The bed, toys, and stacks of old newspapers had felt so familiar. It couldn't be just a dream."The kidnapping case dealt a severe blow to the Potter family. They must have collected and burned those newspapers. Given my understanding of them, if they want something erased, it stays erased.""I suppose so." Debra nodded, but her doubt remained. "I need to see the attic to confirm it.""Alright. I'll go with you." Marion helped her out of bed.As they opened the door, they found Barton waiting outside, holding a key."Mrs. Houston," he said, "I've found the attic key. Let me take you there."The room exhaled a musty, dust-laden breath when opened. Debra, still sick, coughed at the stale air.Inside stood only aged clocks and furniture, relics from bygone decades. Nothing matched what she'd seen the night before."Why the sudd
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