"Since they want to play games, we'll play along," Debra smirked.The car soon pulled up at the Royal Grand Hotel, where reporters had already gathered outside. The moment Debra and Marion stepped out, cameras started flashing."Mrs. Houston, do you have any response to the viral rumors about the real and fake heiresses?""Is Miss Vickie Donaldson truly the Frazier family's daughter?""Did you orchestrate the online smear campaign against her?"...The questions were sharp, each reporter eager to pry answers from Debra.She remained silent, but Marion's icy glare swept over the crowd. Instantly, the clamor died down.Randy stepped forward, flashing his trademark charm. "The press conference begins shortly. Save your questions for the session. Mrs. Houston will address them all."His words carried authority in media circles, and the crowd obediently dispersed into the hotel.Across the street, in the Donaldson Corporation's high-rise office, Juan stood by the window, his eyes
Juan's tactics were predictable, cycling through the same old tricks. Debra had anticipated this."They have a big story? So do we," Debra said calmly. "News thrives on spectacle. And we've got seasoned veterans on our side.""Seasoned veterans?" Erica's question hung in the air as Garland strode into the room."That will be me," he said confidently.Erica was surprised. "Mr. Eaton? What brings you here?""To save the day." Garland snapped his fingers.The doors swung open, revealing a lineup of New Age journalists and every heavyweight contact Garland had ever cultivated.Among them were legendary paparazzi who had exposed industry scandals, former chief editors of blockbuster publications, and elite reporters holding the hottest insider resources. Together, they formed an intimidating wall of media prowess."These are the titans of journalism," Garland introduced. "With them here, the others will just flock to us."Erica and Randy gave him a thumbs-up. In this city, only Gar
Vickie was touching up her makeup backstage when she heard the commotion outside.She asked with a frown, "What's going on outside?""Miss Donaldson, it seems like the reporters are going to the press conference.""What?" Vickie stood up and looked outside.Sure enough, only a few cameramen remained. Those reporters had vanished."Where did they go? Why would they suddenly leave?" Vickie panicked.There were only five minutes left before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. They would lose face if no one attended their event."Where's Juan?" Vickie anxiously looked around, but there was no sign of him.If the reporters didn't return for the ceremony, all their efforts would go to waste."Madam, I've found out what happened," her assistant said. "Debra invited some of the most influential figures in the news industry to her event. The reporters caught wind of it and all rushed over.""So, this is her plan," Vickie muttered in surprise.She had assumed that Debra would be too overwhel
On the big screen, a comparison of Vickie's before-and-after photos appeared. The details were thorough with her initial consultation, follow-up appointments, and the final results of her plastic surgery.It also included information about Vickie's so-called adoptive father. This proof was solid.A reporter stood up and asked, "A recent article from New Age has been accused of containing false information. Mrs. Houston, was this article published under your instruction?"Garland tried to get up and clarify, but Debra beat him to it.She replied calmly, "That article was written by a friend of mine. He was too eager to clear my name to verify the content. It was provided by a third party and later proved to be a trap. If anyone wishes to know the details, you may approach me after this press conference. I will provide you a copy and let you see their filthy tricks."Another journalist followed up, "Mrs. Houston, how can you prove that you are the real heiress?""Vickie claimed to
In the office of Donaldson Corporation, Vickie was fuming.She complained, "Juan never intended to help me. He was just pretending to switch sides. Boss, this mess was all because of him."She pointed at Juan, who frowned with displeasure.Across from her was a man sitting behind the desk. His posture was straight in a sharp suit, but his face was covered with a white mask, making it impossible to read his emotions.He croaked, "Is that so?"Juan sneered, "Such a petty scheme was never going to shake Debra's standing. She has Marion and Andrew by her side. As long as those two are alive, the McKinney Group will remain untouchable, standing strong against us."He turned his gaze toward Vickie and added, "No offense, but she's useless. Aside from bearing a slight resemblance to Debra, she has nothing of value."Vickie glared at Juan, seething with rage. She wanted to lash out but dared not go out of line in front of the masked man."I think you're just hung up on Debra," she snor
While the others might not know Debra's uniqueness, Andrew certainly did."Sir, shouldn't we thank Mr. Nichols?" Barton said."It's best not to contact him at this time." Andrew shook his head. "The mastermind wants to reap the benefits without lifting a finger. Why not grant his wish and find the treasure?""But if we do that, won't Seamar City fall into chaos?""Seamar City is already in chaos. I'll set off another fire."...Debra and the others returned to the Potter Mansion.Barton greeted them, holding old scrolls covered in dust."Where are you going with all that?" Erica asked wonderingly.Barton glanced at the scrolls in his hand and said, "These are maps of the old city area from decades ago. Mr. Andrew Potter said they need to be aired out to remove the musty smell, so I took them out, planning to air them tomorrow morning.""Maps of the old city area?" Garland curiously remarked. "Can I take a look?""Come on. They're so dirty," Liza chimed in."You don't unders
Debra noticed everyone's eyes had settled on her.She asked, "Remember those ledgers?""Yeah. The ledgers only contained numbers alongside regular inventory records," Erica replied.Debra mused, "If those four ledgers truly hide a treasure map, could those numbers represent geographical coordinates?"Erica shook her head. "But there are so many numbers. How could it be..."Marion cut in, "It's possible."Randy tilted his head. "How so?"Marion explained, "31°N and 120°E mark Seamar City's position relative to the equator, but Seamar City has more precise coordinates."Debra said smoothly, "Seamar City spans from 120°52' to 122°12' east longitude and 30°40' to 31°53' north latitude. Don't the numbers 30 and 120 seem familiar?"Erica clapped her hands. "Those numbers appeared repeatedly in the ledgers. They were highlighted in red.""What if they correspond to coordinates centered around Seamar City's downtown?" Debra said."30... 120..." Erica murmured, her finger tracing the
The journey into the mountains was unlikely to be peaceful.Marion sensed her unease and took her hand in his. "Don't worry. I'll bring enough people to ensure everyone's safety.""Alright." Debra nodded.Precaution was indeed necessary.That night, she knocked on Andrew's door."Come in," came his calm voice from inside.She pushed the door open and saw Andrew playing chess under the dim glow of a single lamp."Andrew," she started."I know." Andrew lifted his gaze and said, "You're eager to find out who's behind all this."Debra paused. "Is the treasure really hidden in that mountain?""I don't know.""You don't?""That mountain was leveled by my ancestors decades ago. They spent five years on the project, but after that, the land was left untended and eventually became overgrown. Now, it's nothing more than an ordinary mountain trail. I've sent people to search for it before, but they found nothing.""So, you suspected all along that this mountain might be hiding someth
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