"I went to the bathroom," Debra replied.Jordan's cheeks flushed slightly, and he quickly turned away. "Let's go. There's nothing more to do here.""Alright, I'm bored too," she quickly agreed.Jordan led them to leave. Erica winked at Randy, who got the signal and left the dance floor.Just as they stepped outside, Debra's phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and raised an eyebrow. 'That's quick,' she thought, recognizing Joe's number.Erica asked, "Is it Juan looking for you?"The mention of Juan's name caused Jordan's expression to darken. Before Debra could react, he snatched the phone from her hand. "Don't answer it!" he declared, his voice filled with annoyance."Knock it off, Jordan. Give it back," Debra said, reaching for the phone.Jordan answered the call, barking, "Debra is with me! Stop calling!"Both Debra and Erica were stunned. He hung up and handed the phone to her awkwardly.Debra took the phone, her expression dazed. She had planned to make Juan believe
Erica nudged Debra gently. "Jordan is about to cut the cake. He insists on waiting for you before doing so. Let's go down."Debra nodded in agreement. "Okay."Hand in hand, they descended the grand staircase, drawing the attention of the party attendees. The guests were all from wealthy families, their eyes following Debra with keen interest. Whispers filled the air as they speculated about her presence."Isn't this Juan's wife? Why is Jordan waiting for her?""I heard Juan and her falling out. He's found a mistress, probably getting a divorce.""Could it be that Jordan has taken a liking to her? What is he thinking?"The murmurs continued, but Jordan, delighted to see Debra, paid them no mind. He quickly made his way up the stairs and gallantly extended his hand to her."Princess, please."Debra chuckled at his childish gesture. Just as she was about to take his hand, the front door burst open. Several men in black suits stormed in, lining up with military precision. Joe walke
Erica tugged at Debra's hand, her eyes filled with worry.Debra reassured her, "I'll be back tomorrow night.""I'll wait for you at home.""Alright."As Debra started to leave, Jordan picked up a piece of cake and handed it to her."I've received your gift and blessings. The first piece of birthday cake should go to you.""Okay."Debra took the cake and headed toward the door. Jordan opened the gift box, revealing a watch inside. Joy crossed his face as he carefully put it on his wrist.Debra followed Joe out. As they walked, Joe tried to reassure her. "Madam, please don't quarrel with Mr. Nichols. He has been worried about you."Debra scoffed, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Worried about me? He should worry more about Shelia, who is in prison."She knew that Andrew had contacted the warden to ensure Shelia suffered during her incarceration. Shelia had brought this upon herself, and Debra felt no sympathy for her.After they arrived at their destination, Joe left. Debra ente
Juan remained silent."Are you really apologizing to me?" asked Debra."I..." Juan's expression darkened.He was always proud and never bowed to anyone. Admitting his mistake was already a big concession.Juan pretended to be calm as he said, "I was wrong in this matter, and I misunderstood you. But it was just a girl's embarrassment that led Shelia to falsely accuse Jordan."Debra interrupted him with a chuckle. "So that's how it is."Juan pressed his lips together. Debra continued, "I was wondering why you would apologize to me out of the blue. Turns out, it's for Shelia.""I...""Are you trying to ask me to speak on Shelia's behalf to Andrew?"Juan didn't respond immediately, causing Debra to misunderstand his intentions."If that's the case, I can't help you. I know my limits, and I can't sway Andrew with my words.""That's not what I meant.""What do you mean then? Do you want me to talk to Jordan?""I didn't mean for you to intervene." Juan looked up, trying to expla
Debra frowned. "What's this?""It's what I owe you," Juan replied, unwilling to reveal more.Debra opened the box to find a diamond ring inside.When she married Juan, there was no wedding ceremony or ring. He had claimed to be too busy, and they had only obtained their marriage certificate. Yet tonight, Juan was giving her a ring, and she couldn't help but question his motives."Why give me a ring now?""I neglected your feelings before. I hope you can give me a chance."His words surprised her, but she soon regained her senses."Is this about my family?"Behind her was the Frazier family, who held a major stake in the Nichols Group's new plaza. The competition from the McKinney Group's commercial street posed a significant threat, and Juan couldn't afford a divorce at this crucial time.Her words unnerved Juan, and he grasped her arm. "Why do you always think I have ulterior motives? Can't it just be because..."His voice trailed off. "Because I like you?"Debra was stunne
Debra handed the ring box back to Juan."Give this to the girl you truly like. I've grown tired of being Mrs. Nichols."With those words, she turned and began to walk away, leaving Juan frozen in place.Later that evening, Debra returned to her apartment. The online world was abuzz with news about the McKinney Group and the Nichols Group. Rumors had spread like wildfire overnight, each one more sensational than the last.Some claimed that the Nichols Group was on the brink of collapse, losing its position as the top player in the industry. Others suggested that the McKinney Group's owner was a powerful figure beyond Juan's reach. Further rumors insinuated that Juan was merely a pawn and that Tracy had come to claim his rightful position.Erica couldn't stop laughing as she read the news. Debra leaned on the couch and sighed."Your laughter is going to collapse the bed. You don't want to disturb those downstairs.""But this is funny. I'd love to see Juan's reaction when he reads
Once upon a time, the Frazier Group was a formidable enterprise. In recent years, they had maintained an appearance of success, but only a few insiders knew the truth behind their facade."Debra, come sort out these documents."The cold voice of a middle-aged woman reached her ears, snapping her out of her thoughts."Sure, Carole," Debra replied, standing up and beginning to sort through the files.It was her first day of internship, assigned by her school to one of the Nichols Group's partners. Outsiders thought Tyson Enterprises had little economic dealings with the Nichols Group, but in reality, their growth over the years had everything to do with the Nichols Group. Their partnership was far from ordinary, and had it not been for her recent investigations, Debra wouldn't have known about their deep ties. It seemed Juan had quite a few backup plans.The internship was tedious, and her tasks were basic odd jobs.Her phone buzzed with a message from Michael, who had sent a pho
Michael was on track to become a movie star in a few years. Compared to being his boss now, it made more sense for her to partner with him for long-term benefit.Debra glanced around nervously. A male artist dragging away a junior staff member during lunch break would surely make tomorrow's headlines if caught by surveillance cameras.Michael perceived her concern and reassured her, "Don't worry, I've checked. There are no cameras around."Debra asked, "Aren't you supposed to be shooting posters?""It's already done. But I'll be busy shooting commercials.""Okay, go ahead. I've got things to do too," she said, turning to leave.Michael stopped her, handing over a packed lunch. "My grandma made this.""For me?""She made this for you."The last time she was at their house, Michael's grandmother treated her with great hospitality.Debra accepted the lunch, touched by the kind gesture from the elder."Pass on my thanks to her," Debra said, patting him on the shoulder. "Keep up
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
Everyone looked away like it was routine.Debra grinned. "Don't stress about me.""I know," Marion said."I'll be back soon.""I'll wait."He brushed her hair back, and she smiled.Then she and Kale headed into the dense woods. Erica watched, worry creasing her face."Relax," Randy reassured her. "Even if Michael's a traitor, he won't mess with Debra.""How do you know? You can't see inside someone's head. What if he's a total snake?" Erica retorted, knowing how much Debra trusted Michael.Their friendship lasted two years. They had been through thick and thin together. Yet he had stabbed her in the back without hesitation.Randy caught Marion slipping into the trees. "Where are you going?""Marion." Erica paled."Don't bother stopping him," Jordan said. "You couldn't if you tried."He'd known Marion wouldn't let Debra go alone. Three kilometers was too far. Flare or not, they might not reach her in time. Precautions were necessary.The forest was a maze. A few steps in,
Debra hugged Marion tight, drawing strength from him.That afternoon, the convoy rolled toward the valley. The area was thick with trees, with no clear paths in sight. The dense forest was silent except for chirps from birds.Jordan stopped the cars. Everyone piled out, realizing the road ended there."What's Michael thinking, picking a spot like this?" Erica muttered, scanning around.Raw places like this were accident magnets. The map barely showed the terrain. A cliff ahead would force a detour. The thick woods blocked signals, and it'd be easy to get lost. A compass might not even work."You guys wait here," Debra said, grabbing a hiking pack. "We've got enough supplies."She'd expected this possibility but hadn't thought they'd be stuck three kilometers away from the appointed spot."Be careful," Erica warned. "It's only three kilometers straight, but with no map, it could take hours."She stepped closer. "How about I going with you? I've done more hiking and might speed t
Michael wasn't just anyone to Debra. He'd been a teammate and a brother-in-arms.She needed to know his deal with the Illuminati and if their old days fighting side by side were all fake. Everything started with her, and she should be the one to end it."I'm with Debra," Jordan said.Randy waffled. "Well, we've known him forever. He wouldn't hurt her, right? I'm in too.""Are you nuts?" Erica snapped. "What if it goes south?""I'll get her back," Marion said.Erica took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll bring extra guys and wait outside. If anything happens, we're rushing in.""Okay," Debra agreed."Count me in," Kale said, stepping down the stairs.Debra knew he was worried about Drake. "I could use a backup. Kale, you're with me."Kale blinked, surprised she'd let him tag along. Then he got it. "Thanks."Debra rallied everyone. "Gear up. We're heading out.""Come with me," Marion said.The group exchanged looks, unsure what he wanted. Debra didn't ask, just followed behind him.
Back at the Potter Mansion, Debra stared at the equity document. Her father's handwriting and the Frazier Group's stamp stood out.She dug into a drawer, pulling out her seal which hadn't been used for two years. She pressed it onto blank paper, comparing it to the one on the document. She expected differences, but they were the same.That stamp was real. Her father had signed off on this.She didn't get it. In her memory, they and the Potters barely crossed paths.A knock came at the door, interrupting her thoughts. She stashed the seal fast. "Come in."Marion stepped inside, and she smiled, "You're polite to knock. Thought it was Erica.""Didn't wanna barge in and spook you," Marion replied, nodding at the equity document. "Still thinking about that?""I tried to figure out why Andrew has our shares," Debra said. "I've been at it all afternoon and still don't get it.""Andrew's a big-picture guy. Maybe it was just a deal between your families. Let it go," Marion said, rufflin