Kale didn't quite catch what Drake said."Boss, what were you saying?" he asked."Pretty boy," Michael said from not far away.Kale understood the situation and knew better than to say anything.Drake hissed, "Don't speak when I'm working.""Yes, Boss." Kale bent back down to his paperwork.Outside, Debra spoke. "We've got Edgar under control. Go see him if you want."She handed him a key with an address tag. Oscar stared at the key, silent.Since childhood, his mother had fantasized about his father taking them back to Flesta. She had broomed him to be the heir to the Odom family and drilled into him that he was born with noble blood, destined to inherit his father's fortune.Even at the cost of selling blood and taking loans, she sent him to elite schools to cultivate his manners.Before Debra appeared, Oscar thought he'd spend his life repaying crushing debt. He never imagined he'd become the head of the Odom family.He handed the key back. "There is no need to see him."
Oscar shrugged. "Maybe you should check how much you've got on your plate."Theda and Robert didn't realize what was going on until they opened the door to Debra's office.Debra rubbed her temples. "How about midnight? We can grab a late-night snack.""Eight is fine," Theda smirked. "You guys might be great at a lot of things, but when it comes to getting work done, none of you can match me.""Perfect. I'll make a call. Dinner at eight it is," Debra cheered, dialing Marion's number.He picked up in a second. His voice was as gentle as always but tinged with exhaustion."Do you need me over there?""Yes, but it's not about work."Randy and Erica sensed trouble, trying to sneak away.Debra grabbed them both. "Where are you going? Five million dollars? A full set of limited-edition bags? I'll cover it."Randy cheered, "Wonderful! Why didn't you say so earlier?"Erica echoed, "Exactly. If we knew there were perks, we would've been done already."Without hesitation, the two of t
A swarm of black-clad men followed Marion into the office. Many of them looked like they'd been specially brought in from overseas."Holy crap! Marion's pulling out the big guns," Randy gasped.A few men in suits and ties walked in. "Madam, Mr. Houston sent us to help handle all kinds of affairs."Marion appeared soon after. "Let them handle the work. They're professionals hired from overseas. Some projects can't wait. We'll handle the important ones ourselves, and they'll take care of the rest.""If only you had told us earlier. We wouldn't have been sweating bullets for an hour," Randy said.Drake snapped his file shut and stood up. "Let's go, Kale."Debra called out, "We've got dinner tonight. Where are you going?""I've got a new house. Need to grab my stuff from the Potter Mansion," he replied.The room fell silent.During the month Debra spent recovering in the hospital, no one brought up the Potter family.Even though Debra hadn't said anything, everyone could tell she
Debra remained silent the entire way.Once they arrived at the Potter Mansion, Drake drove the car into the underground garage.He asked, "What do you say? Can you finish packing in half an hour?""I've already packed everything," she whispered. "Thank you."Drake acted like he hadn't heard her. "Come back within half an hour. My time is valuable."Debra nodded, realizing he was giving her time and space.She opened the car door and entered the house. It was as grand and solemn as before but felt so empty now.Andrew had been gone for a month. No more people were running up and down the stairs delivering documents. No doctors or specialists were hanging around. There was nothing left.Everything in that dream was still vivid in her memories. When she had run from the backyard to the living room, she had been greeted by warm smiles.She walked upstairs. When she reached the door to Andrew's study, her steps faltered.Inside, Andrew had been standing by the window. Basked in
Marion had told her to give him time, but he still hadn't given her a clear answer.She hadn't asked, but it didn't mean she didn't want to know.Drake and Marion had worked together. She believed Drake must know more than Robert."How would I know?" Drake threw away his cigarette. "If you want to know, ask him directly."Debra fell silent. Drake looked at her through the rearview mirror."Is he treating you poorly? Want to leave him?""Nonsense. I'd never leave him."Drake leaned back against the window. "Well, if that's the case, why do you care about some secret? You're important to Marion, and that's all that matters, right? I'll tell you this. He's never been this good to any other woman."Debra leaned back in her seat. "It's not that I care about the secret. I'm just afraid we might one day end up fighting because of it.""You're overthinking it. If Marion wanted to, he could keep that secret his whole life. Since he decides to tell you, he will. Just give him time."De
Debra frowned. "That's reckless. Street racing is illegal. What if someone gets hurt?"Marion chuckled, "Relax, no one's getting hurt."Debra wanted to argue, but when she looked back, she noticed something surprising.Despite the racing, everyone was oddly polite. They yielded to other cars and signaled properly. But when it came to racing each other, they went all out.While everyone else stayed within the speed limit while showing off their driving skills, Drake played by his own rules.By the time they reached Marion and Debra's new house, the usual 20-minute drive had been cut down to 13 minutes.Debra glanced outside, and those cars were parked perfectly in place."I'm first." Drake stepped out of his car, grinning.Erica got out of hers. "You cheated."Drake shrugged. "No one said cheating wasn't allowed."Randy quickly stepped in. "Forget about this guy. You're the real winner."Theda and Robert got out of their car, followed by Jordan. Chace's group arrived last.O
Erica asked, "What dream?""I mean... Fermin passed out, too. But he woke up faster than all of us," Debra replied.She had been planning to ask why she didn't see Fermin in the dream, but the whole thing had to do with rebirth. With everyone around, she didn't want to bring up the topic.The power of the four gems was unbelievable, and rebirth sounded absurd. Besides, after everything happened, her gems were gone. The one in Jeffrey's possession had disappeared, too.Maybe they vanished after running out of energy, or Fermin had taken them away.According to Jordan, he had stepped away for a while to bring reinforcements. Fermin could've left during that time.Randy changed the subject. "Let's not talk about this on such a happy day. Anyway, our biggest threat, Jeffrey, is dead. Juan has made it clear that he won't target us anymore. From now on, we all live in peace and head toward a bright future."Erica snorted, "That last part doesn't sound like something you'd say, does it
"So, the threat still exists.""Exactly.""Who is their leader?""I don't know. But I think the person is right around you."Debra looked back at the cheerful group. She didn't want to doubt any of them.Her eyes fell on them one by one. She trusted every single person there. If one of them was the traitor, she didn't know what to do.She ended the call and went back. Randy and Erica urged her to sit down.The conversation carried on, but Debra couldn't focus.Michael sensed her unusual behavior and pulled her outside while the others were drinking their rounds.Enjoying the cool night air, he asked, "Was it Juan who called you?""How do you know?" Debra glanced at him.He was looking into the distance. She immediately understood. "You're like another version of me in this world. We've worked together for so long. I'd be surprised if you didn't know."Everyone there was her friend, but only Michael had understood her from the very beginning.Other than Marion, he was the f
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