The atmosphere grew heavy as Drake emerged with his men."Give up," he said. "Your men have been held off."The masked man laughed coldly, "What a trap! The new generation is impressive. But do you think I have no plan B?"Debra's instincts flared at his words, but before she could react, the icy press of a gun barrel jammed against the back of her skull froze her in place."What are you doing?" Erica shouted furiously.Fermin showed no trace of his earlier panic. His expression had shifted to one of detached amusement."Brother?" Liza stared in disbelief.Marion instinctively stepped forward, only to freeze when he saw the weapon trained on Debra. His hand tightened around the pistol at his waist, ready to strike at the first opening.Fermin smirked, "Don't move, Marion. I know you're fast, but are you willing to gamble Debra's life on it?"Randy pointed an accusing finger. "Why betray us?""How naïve!" Fermin's voice dripped with disdain. "We're all businesspeople here driv
Drake failed to wrest the gun away. Kale, poised to assist, froze as a deafening sound ripped through the air.Debra let out a pained grunt. Blood streamed down her shoulder, her face paling instantly. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead from the searing agony.Drake stiffened mid-motion, while Marion's expression darkened like a gathering storm. He raised his pistol, aiming squarely at the back of Fermin's head.Fermin was unfazed. "Choose wisely. Next time, it won't be her shoulder."The threat sent an uncharacteristic tremor through Marion's hand.Everyone had witnessed Fermin's lethal precision. By the time Marion steadied himself, Fermin had already dragged Debra away.Randy shook Marion's arm. "Do something."Debra's earlier words echoed in Marion's mind. "Marion, stay calm. They still need me alive."Her resolute gaze burned behind his eyes. He forced himself to calm down and started to think about the whole event."What the hell is wrong with Fermin?" he demanded, glari
Juan handed Debra over to Jordan. "Stop the bleeding. Keep her alive."Jordan met Juan's gaze briefly before glancing down at Debra's limp form."Okay," he said flatly.Vickie shot Juan a venomous look. "Still clinging to old feelings, Mr. Nichols? So desperate to keep her breathing."Juan's eyes narrowed. "Know your place. One more word, and I'll remove that tongue myself."Before Vickie could retort, the masked man cut in, "Enough! Debra stays alive. We need the treasure's location.""Yes, Boss." Vickie bowed her head.Jordan laid Debra across a truck bed. He rifled through a first-aid kit, administering a painkiller before cleaning and stitching her wound.Debra stirred weakly, her vision blurring as she recognized him."Don't move," Jordan muttered. "I'm getting you out of here."Debra gripped his wrist. "No. If I leave, they'll suspect you. I have to stay.""You can stay here. It's too dangerous," Jordan insisted, grabbing her arm. "I'm taking you back.""Don't be reck
"Fermin," Barton replied. "As you suspected, the Eaton family has secrets."Andrew fell silent, staring at the monitor that displayed the footage from the day Garland jumped out of the window. He was unconscious for about a minute before he got up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and then looked directly at the camera.The next second, the camera was shattered by a silenced pistol shot."The Eaton family heir has a split personality. If this went out, it would cause a huge scandal. No wonder Mr. Eaton Sr. has been trying to hide it.""Sir, is he a friend or foe?" Barton asked."For now, he seems more like an enemy." Andrew paused before continuing, "Tell Marion and the others to come back."After Barton left, Andrew tried to calm his unease. With Juan and Jordan there, Debra would not suffer much....Debra slowly regained consciousness, recognizing the familiar surroundings of the Nichols Mansion. A doctor was by her side, bandaging her wounds.Seeing that she was awake, th
The masked man patted Juan on the shoulder. "Come with me."Juan glanced at the door to Debra's room once again before following the masked man to the fifth floor.The hallway was shrouded in darkness. The masked man pushed open a door to reveal a master bedroom frozen in time, its décor untouched for decades.A massive oil painting dominated the wall. It was the wedding portrait of a couple. The woman radiated serene elegance, while the man beside her bore a striking resemblance to Juan, his expression stern and unyielding.The masked man strode to a vase near the bed and twisted it. With a low groan, a wardrobe slid aside, exposing a steel door that opened to a sleek, modern elevator.Juan's jaw tightened. He had lived there for years, yet never knew this hidden passage existed in his parents' old room.The masked man stepped inside first. The elevator descended silently to the second underground level. When the doors opened, Juan froze.The place sprawled before him like a sh
Juan gestured at the photographs surrounding them. "Is this the reunion you wanted? Let me remind you. Officially, you've been dead for 20 years. The Nichols family has no record of you, and I don't need you."In his memory, Jeffrey had always been a stern, unfeeling machine. Time had blurred his face in Juan's memory. Yet now, he was back to stir up chaos and trouble.Juan vividly recalled the turmoil after Jeffrey's sudden death. At the funeral, Melody had declared coldly, "The head of the Nichols family is gone. He no longer exists."That day, Juan had vowed to surpass Jeffrey and rebuild their legacy. He no longer had a father."Like it or not, you're my son," Jeffrey said calmly. "This is still my home. If Claudia knew how much you've grown, she'd be proud. I've watched you all these years. You've become capable and strong, but in matters of love, you're as soft as me. One day, that weakness will ruin you.""Save your advice," Juan snapped. "I didn't need it then, don't need
'Tear everything down and begin again? How could such an absurd thing be possible in this world?' Juan wondered.He didn't believe the nonsense but still asked, "What's your plan?""Debra is reborn. I believe Andrew is too," Jeffrey replied. "I've been searching for the trigger behind their rebirth, but I haven't found it. Maybe death is one such trigger, but who would dare risk it so easily? Only by finding the treasure can we uncover the pattern and start over again.""Start over?" Juan snorted. "That's ridiculous.""I am living proof.""You've been reborn?""After losing your mother, I was lost in despair and chose to follow her in death. But when I opened my eyes, I found myself alive, as if time had reset. However, I was only sent back to the last day of your mother's life. I couldn't change her fate. That was when I realized I had encountered something beyond natural explanation. So, I faked my death, left home, and spent years in the shadows searching for clues."Jeffrey
Jeffrey stepped back into the elevator.Juan remained silent, knowing that Jeffrey hadn't told him the whole truth.At the very least, Juan believed he hadn't been reborn. Then those memories of his past life must have been implanted in his mind while he was unconscious, likely by Jeffrey.If Jeffrey could do it to Juan, he could do the same to others. Juan decided to dig deeper to uncover what Jeffrey had been up to over the past 20 years.Melody had been confined in her room for days. At that moment, she was fuming."Where is Juan? He's back but hasn't come to see me. Does he plan to keep me locked up like this forever? Go tell him to come see me immediately," she sulked.Sophie said, "Mr. Nichols has been busy with work recently, so...""Is work more important than me? Does he no longer respect me?" Melody scowled, disappointed in both Jeffrey and Juan.Just then, the door swung open.Sophie froze, and Jeffrey gestured for her to leave. Still in shock, Sophie was eventually
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