"Michael Austin?"The manager thought carefully but couldn't recall anyone by that name. He said, "Ms. Frazier, our hottest talent here is Sean Chandler. Should I call him over?"Debra glanced at the manager, smiling outwardly but with no warmth in her eyes."You have half an hour to bring Michael to me," Debra said, going straight upstairs.The manager signaled to his subordinates before following Debra upstairs.Downstairs, several employees exchanged puzzled looks.'Michael? That fresh graduate?'But since it was Debra's order, they had to contact Michael immediately.Debra glanced around the office. The manager, trying to impress, said, "Madam, this office was left by the previous CEO. I had it renovated yesterday. Do you find it satisfactory?""Not bad," Debra replied, sitting down in the chair.The manager persisted, "Sean is the pillar of our company now. Wouldn't you reconsider meeting him?"Debra smiled slyly, making the manager uneasy.She knew things about Sean.
The manager looked up in surprise. "Ms. Frazier, you're the CEO. It's unusual for the boss to meet with employees. Michael doesn't deserve such an honor."Normally, just mentioning the penalty clause would make Michael give in.But this time, he was unexpectedly so disobedient and defiant.Debra picked up her bag and left the office.She found out Michael's home address and went over.Michael's family wasn't rich. In the old neighborhood, Debra's luxury car attracted a lot of attention.The manager opened the car door for her and offered, "Madam, let me take you there.""No need. I'll go up myself."The elderly residents there didn't have elevators. They had to climb the stairs.Debra reached the third floor and knocked on a rusty door.Soon, it opened.A man in casual clothes came into view.He was tall, tan-skinned, with deep eyes that held a hint of clarity. His height, nearly 6.28 feet, overshadowed Debra by quite a bit. His handsome appearance clearly outshone that of
Debra held up Michael's previous contract with the company and tore it in half.Michael was stunned.Debra said, "Here's the new contract. You can review it carefully. If you don't trust me, you can consult a lawyer. But if you believe in me, within a year, I'll make you the hottest star."Her earnest expression swayed him. "Why not promote Sean?"Sean was now the top artist for Frazier Entertainment."After a while, Sean will be out of the picture," she said calmly.It just wasn't the right time yet.Michael fell silent for a moment before asking, "So, what are your conditions?""Conditions?" Debra looked puzzled.Michael cut in coolly, "Do you want me to handle female clients for you or..."He didn't finish his sentence, but his eyes hinted at something.When she realized what he meant, she blushed with embarrassment. "That's not what I meant! I'm not asking you to handle clients for me, nor am I looking to keep you."Michael pressed his lips together. "Then what?""If t
The manager failed to stop Sean in time."Why do you give off my resources to Michael? What do you think of him? My equal?"Sean was furious. For years at Frazier Entertainment, he always got the best resources. But now, these resources had been handed to a fresh graduate.Debra leaned back in her chair. "You want to know why?""Yes!" Sean snapped. "Did he bribe you? Or maybe you're keeping him..."Debra slammed the file on the table, making Sean flinch.He had thought Debra was just a soft newcomer to the industry, but her gaze now spoke volume."Calm down, Sean," Debra said coldly. "You're just an artist in this company. Watch your words."Sean persisted, unconvinced. "I'm the top artist here! The company's success depends on me. You've just taken over. Why give away my resources?"The manager observed Debra's expression and started sweating.Debra smirked. "Your resources? Everything you have is given by the company. Top artist? Look around. Even B-list actors barely fit y
"I'll give you two choices," Debra said.Allan had just been fired, leaving Sean feeling uneasy.He didn't know how Debra planned to deal with him.Debra continued, "Option one, stay in the company, but you'll never get any roles again."Sean was shocked.She slowly added, "Option two, join the entertainment company under the Nichols Group. I'll write you a recommendation letter."Sean was stunned, not expecting such a good offer."Really?""Yeah.""I'll choose the second!" Sean was thrilled.The Nichols Group was much better than Frazier Entertainment."Alright, you can go now. I'll introduce you to the Nichols Group tomorrow. I think they'll be happy to have you," Debra said, smiling.Though Sean wasn't a top star now, the big investment had made him somewhat popular. The Nichols Entertainment was known for poaching top stars.But this wasn't entirely good news.After all, Sean had a closet full of skeletons.And those skeletons were time bombs that could affect any co
The McKinney Group's commercial street, once unnoticed, suddenly sprang up overnight.Meanwhile, chaos brewed at the Nichols Group.An emergency meeting convened, and the atmosphere in the boardroom was tense."Mr. Nichols, this commercial street was nothing but a rumor before. Someone clearly aimed to sabotage us.""Yeah, everyone knows our mall, a year in the making, is about to open. We've spent a fortune on promotions, but now this McKinney Group beat us to it.""Numerous merchants have signed contracts with them. This could cost us billions."...The directors debated fervently.In the seat of honor, Juan rubbed his temples. "Enough!"The directors fell silent."Do you know who's the owner of McKinney Group?" he asked."The owner is elusive. We've investigated but found nothing." Joe paused. "However, this street was once part of Melody's auctioned sewage area."The revelation stunned everyone."Is this true?""Mr. Nichols, you can't let her ruin our efforts."...
Marion was helping Debra organize the documents on the desk. He casually said, "Neither."Debra nodded in agreement.Lately, she had been busy with affairs of both Frazier Entertainment and McKinney Group.With the recent opening of her own company, there was a heap of things awaiting her attention.Internships would only waste her time."Is it really okay not to intern?" Erica asked.Having studied abroad before, she wasn't familiar with domestic internship mechanisms. But every time her friends mentioned it, they made it sound like writing the internship report was a painful ordeal.Randy remarked, "What could possibly go wrong? Debra can just stamp a few documents. Writing a thesis won't be a problem for her."They all could provide Debra with the necessary stamps.If not for his business overseas, Marion could have not only stamped one document for Debra but ten.Suddenly, the phone on the table rang. Randy hurried over to answer it. The caller ID showed it was the princi
"I'll give you a ride," Marion offered.Debra agreed. Marion hurried downstairs to get his car, and she followed closely.She quickened her pace after leaving McKinney Group. However, as she descended the stairs, her foot slipped, causing her to fall backwards. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, expecting to hit the ground hard, but in the next instant, she found herself in someone's arms.She opened her eyes to see Marion's smiling face.In a low voice, he said, "Take it easy. You won't be late."Debra blushed and quickly got into the car.Marion took the driver's seat, a faint smile on his face."Fasten your seatbelt and hold on tight," he said.Before Debra could fully grasp his words, he hit the gas pedal.If she hadn't held on, she felt like she might have been launched out.Not far from the apartment building, Debra saw Joe's car just arriving.Unable to enter the gated community without a key card, Joe could only wait outside.Debra picked up her bag. "I'm gonna hea
Debra chuckled, "Sometimes, you're really cheap."Marion said seriously, "But I'm always honest with you, dear.""Really?""Absolutely.""Then how do you explain the eight billion dollars you cost me at our first meeting?"Marion took a sip of his tea and grimaced. "This tea's gone cold. Let me get you a fresh cup.""Get back here." Debra grabbed Marion and yanked him down into his seat."I'll do whatever you say to make up.""Put that aside for now. Now tell me your plans for handling the banquet.""Guess we can't miss the show.""Cathryn's crush on you is public knowledge here. Are you planning to hand her fresh gossip on a silver platter?""I'm not attending it. You can go. I'll stay outside the hotel to keep guard. Won't glance at any other woman.""Wise choice."...Across town at the Eaton Mansion, Garland sat hunched over his computer.He typed and retyped search terms, only to come up empty each time."What happened to my trending topics? They're all gone?" he m
Marion set down his newspaper and walked over to examine the invitation in Debra's hand."Drake is in such a hurry. He must be desperate to secure resources.""He's eager to deal with you?""Not necessarily. It could also be trouble brewing in Orkgate.""Something happened there?"Debra tried to recall any signs of trouble from her last stay in Orkgate, but there hadn't been anything that would warrant such urgency.In truth, Drake could just stay there and rule.There was no need for him to venture overseas and stir up trouble, which ultimately led to his broken engagement with the Eaton family and his near-total loss of face.Anyone else in his position would have slunk away in shame, but Drake was too proud for that."I'm not sure," Marion admitted. "Orkgate is his territory. I promised not to interfere there."He then noticed her disappointment for not getting any juicy news. He smiled and ruffled her hair. "But I have my informants. If anything happens, they'll let me
Drake's logic was persuasive, almost hypnotic.Cathryn found herself wavering. "But Liza... ""She's your friend, right? She'll understand. Besides, this is just a business arrangement, not a real marriage. It's just to create some tension for Marion."Cathryn was convinced. "Alright, I'll prepare the gala. But you must explain everything to Liza afterward.""Okay," Drake replied.But his smile faded as soon as Cathryn left.Kale asked, "Boss, are you really going to explain this to Miss Eaton?""Explain my ass," Drake snorted. "Once I get engaged to her, I'll gain control of the Bernard family's resources. Then I'll have enough power to take on Marion. Who cares about her petty little scandals?"Kale mused, "So, you were fooling her?"Drake explained, "She's the only one left in her family. If it weren't for those resources, do you think I'd even consider an engagement with her? She's clueless. Once she hosts the gala and announces the news to the media, do you think she can
Drake sneezed in his study.Kale came in and reported, "Miss Bernard is here."Drake waved his hand. "Let her in."Kale opened the door to reveal Cathryn standing hesitantly outside. She had come upon learning that Marion had taken Debra away.Drake glanced at her and read her mind. "She was rescued. Helping you cost me a lot."Cathryn stammered, "Don't make it sound so noble. You did it for yourself.""What now? We're in this together. Marion has learned you collaborated with me to kidnap Debra." Drake rested his cheek on his hand. "But it's not a bad thing. At least, Marion can't ignore you anymore."Cathryn bit her lip, stepping forward. "I know you have other plans. We can't let her stay with Marion. You gotta help me for my father's sake."But the mention of the past only served to annoy Drake.Cathryn quickly added, "If it weren't for my father, you wouldn't have made it to Orkgate or become the Lowe family's adopted son. You owe me."Drake snorted, "You're right. I owe
She had known for a while that Melody was coming after her. That wasn't a well-kept secret. But seeing it plastered online and climbing the trending charts? That was a whole new level of absurdity."Let me see." Marion emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair.He leaned over, glanced at the phone, and nodded approvingly. "That's catchy.""I'm going to find out which genius published this." Debra's fingers flew over her phone, tracing the story back to its source. When the name of New Age popped up on her screen, she froze."New Age?" she murmured, remembering that it was Garland's news agency."Something wrong?" Marion asked.Debra blinked. "I spent 50 million dollars to buy that newspaper. So..." Her own company had just broken a report on her. That was the next level....In the study room, Garland was livid, yelling into his phone, "What were you thinking? Are you people brain-dead? Who let you publish that story? And then you dumped ad money into it too? Did you want t
"Those things aside, you need to explain something to me. What's going on with your post?" Juan placed his phone in front of Garland.He had only just seen it while walking from the study to the hallway. Garland had managed to edit and post it in that short period. The post read: [Shocking: Ex-husband's Grandmother Travels Thousands of Miles to Kill Me.]Garland was lost for words. He had forgotten to set it private.Juan demanded, "Are you going to delete it, or should I?""I'll do it." Garland grabbed his phone and logged into his alternative account.He clicked open the post, only to find that it had garnered over 99 likes.He hesitated. "How about we don't delete it?"With so many likes, the news must have spread like wildfire among his gossip-hungry peers.He added, "No one knows who I'm talking about anyway."But as soon as his voice died away, several comments popped up under the post.Love2Fly: [Bro, are you referring to Melody Nichols as the grandmother?]JusticeS
Suppressing the swirl of emotions brewing inside, he asked, "You mean, Juan's ex-wife?""Yes, it's her. She has brought nothing but misfortune to my family, and I won't allow her to keep deceiving Juan and ruining everything," she said, her voice rising with agitation.Seeing her get so worked up, Garland advised her, "Take it easy, Mrs. Nichols Sr. This matter is tricky, and we need to think carefully.""I know," Melody sighed. "Marion has been a thorn in your side. He even sent Liza back by force. The grudges run deep between you and him. If you were to get rid of Debra, it would be justice for all the grief they've caused us."Garland nearly rolled his eyes. 'Justice? Easy for you to say.'He didn't know where she got the idea of a feud between Marion and them.He believed some brainless reporters had spun the story. Now he was more convinced that the media needed an overhaul.With that thought, he replied, "That will take time and careful planning. But if it's Juan you want
Juan replied, "Just don't go too far."Garland straightened up. "Alright, let me handle this old..."Juan glanced at him, and he corrected himself. "I mean, Mrs. Nichols Sr."Turning to the mirror, he started to adjust his clothes.He put on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, ensuring he looked perfect before smoothing his hair.Dropping his usual playful smile, he said, "Verna, to the study.""Yes, sir." Verna led Garland out.In the study, Garland sat behind the desk, trying out several poses before settling on a more relaxed one. Verna announced, "Sir, Mrs. Nichols Sr. is here.""Alright," Garland acknowledged. "Show her in."Verna opened the door, and Melody entered in a white dress. She carried herself with the grace of a noblewoman from a bygone era.Garland looked her over, impressed that she had maintained her appearance so well at her age.'Bert has good taste, though she doesn't look like my mother at all,' he thought. 'But why did rumors have it that my mother was her
The maid hesitated. "Mr. Fermin Eaton is often busy with company matters, so he's rarely home.""Is he home today?""Uh...""What? Don't tell me no one is at home."The maid stammered, "Mr. Fermin Eaton is home, but he's busy with work. He might not be able to see you right now."Melody insisted, "Is this how you treat your guests? Go tell Mr. Fermin Eaton that if he doesn't come to see me, I'll pack my things and leave immediately."Her tone left no room for negotiation. The maid could only nod and leave to deliver the message.In the bedroom, Garland was upside-down, reciting lines from economic textbooks.The maid opened the door and froze at the sight. "Mr. Fermin Eaton, you're doing this again."Garland's pained voice broke through. "Verna, perfect timing. A little help here."But not far off, Juan cut him off. "Ten more minutes. Hold it.""I can't. I'm about to collapse.""If you collapse, get back up and keep going.""This is brutal."Verna interjected, "Mr. Nichol