God knew how panicked Marion was when that guard raised his gun at Debra."I..." Debra murmured, "I couldn't find you.""That's not an excuse." Marion frowned. "Do you not trust me, or are you just used to handling everything yourself? Even if you stood there doing nothing, I could find you in a second. You shouldn't have rushed it like that.""The doors were closing, and I was worried that the guy would get away, so..." she explained."I don't care about the Illuminati. I care about you." Marion cupped her face, his tone serious. "You can't go solo like that again.""What if I do that again?" Debra looked at him.Marion pinched her cheek and muttered, "I'll break your legs so that you can't run off again."Debra slapped his hand away. "It was a special case today. I won't do it again.""Remember what you said. Don't make me worry," Marion relented, pinching her nose."By the way, what's the situation now?""I've handled it.""How?"He fell silent, but she didn't press furt
When Debra and Marion came back, Michael quickly ended the call."You didn't check in with Hannah before leaving?" Debra asked."This trip is for work," Michael replied, closing his laptop. "Hannah was just briefing me on tomorrow's schedule."He noticed her disheveled appearance. "You guys came back so early. Guess the investigation didn't go as smoothly?""Let's just say it was a bit intense. Marion can tell you about the details," Debra said, sitting down on the couch.Marion habitually warmed up some milk for her and grabbed some pre-sliced cake from the fridge.He didn't stick around in the living room but went straight to the kitchen to boil eggs.Michael raised an eyebrow. "Feels like he doesn't quite like me."Marion heard it, his grip tightening around an egg. Then there was a cracking sound.Michael added, "My visit seems untimely. Should I move out?"But he made no move to get up.Debra took a sip of milk. "No way. I can't let you leave, especially since you're th
"See you around," Michael said, smiling at Marion.His action got under Marion's skin. Taking a deep breath, Marion turned off the stove and took the eggs out.Debra glanced at him. "You seem hostile to Michael.""He's not worth my time," Marion replied flatly, peeling the eggs.Then he walked over to her and gently pressed the egg against her injured spot."This will help reduce the swelling. You went too hard on yourself. It's gonna hurt tomorrow.""Michael was just messing around. Don't be fooled by his innocent look. He's got a mischievous side. I think he just wanted to see if you cared about me. He wasn't trying to provoke you."Marion hummed in response, seemingly unbothered by it.He looked down at the bruise and sighed, "He wasn't wrong about one thing.""What is it?""I failed to take good care of you.""That was my doing. It wasn't your fault.""My job is to protect you. I can't let you get hurt even in the slightest." Marion pinched her nose. "I'll carry you to
Late into the night, Debra leaned against the head of the bed, waiting for Marion to come back after washing his hands.But then, the showering sound echoed from the bathroom.After a while, he walked out. His hair was still damp, and the bathrobe hung loosely on him, revealing his toned muscles and perfect V-shaped lines.The dim light from the bedside lamp reminded Debra of the banquet earlier.Her face flushed. She instinctively reached for the light switch to break the mood, but Marion grabbed her wrist.His palm was warm, and under the soft light, there was a glint of desire in his deep eyes."I'm clean," he croaked, having washed off the scent of blood.In fact, before leaving the castle, he had already changed into a new jacket, worried that Debra might catch the disgusting smell of blood."Alright," she said shyly, a bit overwhelmed by his strong desire.Marion smelled faintly fresh. Different from his usual tobacco, this scent was clean and pure."Don't hurt yourself
Bert's face darkened as a loud noise echoed from outside the basement.A group of masked men had blown open the basement door.Fermin's shackles were quickly removed, and then he vanished from the surveillance footage.On the second floor, Bert had instructed that Liza be kept under guard to stop her from running around.Sitting on the bed, Liza was worried about Fermin when a sudden loud noise came from outside."Who's there?" She turned pale from fear.When she got up to check, she saw Fermin standing at the door.He had changed into a black shirt, and his face was no longer the mess it had been the day before. Even his stubble had been neatly groomed.He opened his arms with a smile, "Come here.""Fermin." Liza rushed into his arms, hugging him. "Did Dad let you out?"Fermin playfully ruffled her hair. "He didn't let you out, but you still managed to sneak down to the basement. Weren't you afraid of his punishment?""I was worried about you," Liza replied, but her express
Fermin's men aimed their rifles at Bert.Fermin led Liza downstairs and casually said, "Be careful. Don't let anything go off by accident. The old man's too frail for this.""Fermin..." Liza's face went pale.She knew Fermin wouldn't harm their father, but at that moment, her heart still twisted with worry.Outside, a luxury car pulled up. Fermin raised his hand and ordered, "Fall back."His men quickly withdrew from the property.Bert stood there, barely able to keep himself upright. The butler immediately stepped forward to support him. "Sir, stay strong.""That bastard pointed a gun at me." Bert's words were cut off by a sudden surge of something in his throat.The next second, blood gushed from his mouth.The butler was alarmed. "Sir!"Outside, Liza looked back at the house, worried about Bert.He was too old to handle such a shock.Fermin brushed it off. "Don't worry about him. Get in the car."Liza reluctantly sat in the passenger seat.She'd try to talk to Fermin w
It was late at night.Inside the church, soft light filtered through the colored glass, casting a shadow that stretched long and unnerving.Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the vast space. A young man dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask entered."Didn't get the job done, and you're still here to face me?" The bishop's voice was low and ominous.The young man was unfazed. "Debra and Marion are keeping Drake well protected. We had no chance to move. The Potter family guards escorted him the whole way from the airport. We couldn't act."The bishop paused, his fingers tightening around the ring in his hand."The Potter family?" he muttered, "Without Andrew leading them, they're just a bunch of misfits.""It's not so easy to remove Andrew," replied the young man. "Rumor has it that he was crippled in a kidnapping incident, but he's still walking. And another rumor said he was dying, but he's still kicking and alive.""The Four Great Families only have one person like that.
Before Debra could respond, Erica's voice came through the phone."Debra, I'm not complaining, but this is getting unbearable. Please hurry back. Drake can't get out of bed. Jordan comes and goes like the wind. Theda is caught up in her own things. Oscar and Chace are gone. It's just the two of us, and we can't hold it together much longer."Debra was swayed. "I...""Three more days," Marion interrupted, "and we'll be right back."Marion took the phone and ended the call.Debra frowned. "The workload is too much. Ben can't handle it alone. Randy and Erica have their own companies to worry about. Three days might be too long.""I've sent someone to help them. We can't leave in the next three days.""Why not?""Fermin escaped."Debra was shocked by the news. The last time she saw Fermin was over a month ago. He had stabbed her and then disappeared."What happened?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?"Marion hesitated. "Mr. Eaton Sr. called. They didn't want
Debra suddenly hacked hard, spitting blood.Erica and Randy lit up. Jordan heaved a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes."Medical kit!" Marion snapped out of it first.William hustled over, gaping at the scene."Debra, hang in there," Erica babbled, rattled."She can't talk yet," William said, rushing to stop her bleeding.Blood poured from her chest, soaking her."You're safe now," Marion soothed her."I'm okay," she rasped.The pendant given by Kale had caught the bullet and saved her life.Tears slid down her face. She'd sworn her friends wouldn't get hurt, but Kale was gone."Don't just stand there. Help me out," William urged. "She has got an hour at most if you don't move."The pendant had dulled the shot, but it was just a stone. Her chest still took a hit even though the wound wasn't deep.Erica snapped back, and Jordan signaled for a stretcher."I've got her," Marion said, lifting her onto it.The group watched with heavy hearts.As she was carried off, Mario
Debra recalled what Marion said to her when handing her the gun."There are only six shots. "If it goes down, you won't have time to reload. Aim carefully."She had aimed dead-on, but there were too many.She remembered her own words. "Even if I run out, you'll be there, right?"Unfortunately, he wasn't there.Lara fired a shot. The bullet went past the mercenaries and punched through Debra's chest."Move it!" Erica yelled, hearing the gunfire.Randy, Jordan, and the crew raced through the trees. They hadn't waited outside.After Marion took off, they'd followed, piecing together the route with their number.The flare sent them sprinting. The shots got closer but suddenly stopped."Miss, we've got company," a mercenary warned.Lara glanced at Debra, who was lying on the ground. She frowned and commanded, "Pull back."Nearby, Marion reached the flare spot, but no one was there.The gunfire had ceased, but blood stank up the air."Sir, it's gotta be ahead," a guy shouted.
Before Debra could react, Kale shoved her down. It happened too fast.Bullets ripped through him, one after another."Kale!" she screamed.He pushed her toward cover. A big tree and fallen logs shielded her.A bullet tore into his leg. He was a mess of holes, his blood gushing out.His eyes stayed wide, locked ahead. He gripped her shoulders. "Remember your promise."His hands slid off. Her white shirt was covered with blood."Debra, quit hiding," a woman's lazy voice purred.It was none other than Lara.She taunted, "We've got this place surrounded. You're not slipping out."Behind the tree, Debra's eyes burned.Lara added, "I knew Michael wouldn't kill you, so I'm here to clean up his mess. You value love and friendship, right? You'd never let them get hurt. How does it feel watching one die for you? I wonder if you can still be this though when your friends drop one by one. I don't wanna kill you, but you're a threat. Anyone who endangers our master will be eliminated."
"Can we go now?" Debra asked Michael."Be my guest," he said, stepping aside.She led Kale toward the other side of the woods. His wound needed help fast.She glanced back at Drake one last time. If he changed his mind and chose to leave with them, she would fight the Illuminati off.But he didn't."Are we really letting them go?" someone beside Michael asked.Drake's glare turned lethal. "Touch them and see what happens.""Easy, Mr. Lowe," Michael said. "You played your part well, and I will keep my word." He waved the contract. "Got what I wanted. No need for extra trouble."Debra found a safe spot where Kale bandaged his wound simply. They didn't know how long it'd take to get out.She fetched some spring water, and he asked, "Are you really giving them the company?""In their dreams," she said. "I'm not stupid to lose both Drake and the company."But the contract..." "Invalid.""How?""Think they would just drop 40% of the shares? They're greedy. They'd never let th
Michael held the contract, chuckling, "As I said, he might not wanna go with you.""Whether he comes is my problem," Debra shot back. "You promised to deliver him.""Fair enough," Michael said. "He's useless to me now. I can let him go."He waved a hand. Soon, someone dragged Drake out.When Drake saw Debra and Kale, his face twisted with anger."Get over here," Debra demanded.Drake took a step forward but stopped. "I'm not going back. Get lost.""Come on. You gave them the stone, and I lost my company. If I don't bring you back, how do I face everyone?" she said.He clenched his fists. "We're not on the same side. This is all your wishful thinking. Go away. I don't wanna see you.""Boss, I'm with you." Kale stepped up, pale from his shoulder wound.Drake's voice iced over. "Didn't you hear me? I don't want you here. The Illuminati's got more to offer. We've always been in it for profit. I never saw you as friends."His eyes were red, filled with coldness and disgust."See
Michael closed in on Debra. "I knew you'd go soft. You say you're done with me, but deep down, you're making excuses, thinking I've got some sob story. You still trust me a tiny bit, don't you? Think I won't hurt you? You try to harden up, but you still believe the world's mostly good. Should I call you naïve or dumb?"Memories flashed through her head. She was dumb.She'd known he was bad news but kept hoping he had a reason. She'd thought he wouldn't hurt her, not after all they'd been through."You wanna kill me or grab me?" she asked."If you hand over the McKinney Group, I won't kill you," Michael said. "If the four families back off from the Illuminati, I'll leave you alone. But I know you better than I know myself. You won't agree, so I'm just gonna take you out. Saves time.""Did Drake already give you the raw stone?""Yeah."That explained why they wanted to kill her instead of capturing her.She was frustrated. Drake's dumbness was beyond belief."Fine, take whatever
"It could be a trap," Kale warned, his gut screaming ambush.Debra eyed the contract. She needed it, but she wasn't dumb enough to walk into danger.If Michael had a setup, they had to bail fast."We were friends once," she said. "I gave you those shares, but you stabbed me in the back. To show your sincerity, shouldn't you hand them over yourself?""You're scared I've got something waiting, huh?" Michael smirked.She didn't answer, but her silence said it all.Michael sighed, "Didn't think we'd lose even that basic trust. Hurts a little.""Cut the guilt trip," Debra snapped. "If you wanted my trust, you wouldn't have lied to me from the start."Once she'd learned he'd played her, that trust was gone. She didn't care what he wanted. She wasn't betting her life or Kale's on it.Michael shrugged. "Fine, I'll bring it to you."He took a step, but nothing happened.Suddenly, he pulled a gun and aimed it at her head. A shot was fired before she could blink.In the nick of time,
"Let's not waste time. We've gotta get there before dark," Debra said.Then they went on with their trek.The sky dimmed. After cutting through the fog, they reached a quiet valley boxed in by mountains."This is the meeting place, according to the map," Kale said, glancing down.Debra scanned the area, but Michael was nowhere to be seen.Her brow creased, but a voice came from behind them. "I'm here."She whipped around and saw Michael in a crisp white shirt."Where's Drake?" She cut straight to it."I didn't force him," Michael said, his voice as warm as ever. "He came on his own."He sounded the same, but he felt like a stranger. They'd been partners, tight as could be. She'd never imagined facing off like this."Here's the shares you wanted," he said. "If I can't run the McKinney Group, this 30% is useless to me. The 10-something percent I bought? Name a fair price, and it's yours.""How much do you want?" Debra asked."For old times' sake, market value," he said.His
"For what?" Debra asked."You knew I was worried about Mr. Lowe, so you brought me," Kale said. "Without your suggestion, I wouldn't have the chance to come."He'd disliked her at first, but after all this time, he'd come around."You're welcome," Debra said. "Now let's focus on finding Michael and figuring out Drake's location. I brought you, but I can't promise we'll get him out today. You get that, right?""Yeah," Kale said, his voice heavy. "I've got a favor to ask.""What is it?""I know this trip is risky. Mr. Lowe is the only family I've got left. We've been through hell together. If he hadn't found me back then, I would have been dead. If I don't make it, promise me you'll save him. The world never meant much to him before. No one did. But you're different."At first, Drake grabbed Debra to get at Marion, but later, she was all he saw.Clueless about feelings, Drake never figured it out. But Kale knew she was special to Drake.In all his years with Drake, Kale had neve