Debra put down her phone. Carole sat in the office waiting for Debra to come in. After seeing Debra, she didn't look friendly."Michael instructed me to have you assist with his shoot as a general assistant. There's nothing else for you to do at the moment," Carole said in a displeased tone, clearly suspecting Debra of some manipulation behind the scenes."Okay, I understand." Debra was about to leave when Carole suddenly added, "Some interns don't focus on learning anything else. They just like to set their sights on men. Young people these days really make the workplace chaotic!"Debra ignored her. She didn't want to waste time on someone like that."Did you hear? Michael specifically asked for this intern to be his assistant. I wonder what kind of relationship those two have.""What relationship could they have? She's simply relying on her looks to flirt around.""I even saw her sneakily meeting Michael in the hallway last time. She's so pretty. I never would have thought.
Michael whispered, "Are you hiding something from me?"Debra tightened her belt one last notch, causing Michael a slight discomfort. He lowered his head and saw Debra had already withdrawn her hand. "I'll tell you when you become a movie star.""What's going on? Why is it taking so long?"The production assistant was pushing hard from the side. Approaching Debra, he frowned. "Can you do your job? If not, get lost!""If my actions are slow, does that mean I should leave too?"Michael's tone was indifferent, causing the production assistant to change his expression immediately. "I'm sorry, Mr. Austin, let's quickly take the photos," he said.Michael remained still, his gaze cold as he looked at the production assistant. "Shouldn't you apologize?"The production assistant didn't expect Michael to confront him for a mere staff member but couldn't afford to offend the currently popular male artist. He turned to Debra, saying, "I'm really sorry. I lost my temper.""It's okay. Just be
"Look, who is this woman?""I have no idea. Mr. Tyson personally welcomed her. It seems like she has quite a background.""Given her appearance, could she be some rich family's daughter here to experience life?"...People below started whispering again."Ms. Miles's abilities are evident to all of us. Whatever position you desire, you can choose freely here!"Liam carefully pleases Shelia.Shelia sat in the general manager's chair and glanced at the office area outside, expecting to see Debra but couldn't find her anywhere."I don't need a high position. After all, I'm here to learn. Is the team leader position still available?""Of course! But the team leader role might be beneath you. Ms. Miles is more than capable of being our vice president."Shelia smiled faintly, saying, "Vice president is unnecessary. I fear it might cause gossip.""Alright! No problem. Do I need to inform Mr. Nichols?"Upon hearing Liam's words, Shelia felt a sudden panic. She said, "Juan doesn't k
After introducing Shelia, Liam left. Carole, who looked down on everyone, unexpectedly stepped forward to praise Shelia."Graduates from prestigious schools are indeed different. I'll need to learn a lot from you!" Carole said.Shelia responded with a polite smile on her face, but a hint of pride flashed in her eyes.Debra, uninterested in the flattery around her, was about to leave when Shelia suddenly called out to her, "Debra, I didn't expect you to be interning at this company too. Can you join me for a coffee after work?"Carole glanced at Debra, then at Shelia, asking, "Do you two know each other?"As Shelia was about to speak, Debra quickly interjected, "Not really acquainted." After that, she left abruptly.Shelia briefly showed embarrassment on her face, but Carole dismissed it. "She relies solely on her looks and looks down on everyone. I can't stand such women!""Don't be so quick to judge. Maybe she has her reasons. I remember hearing about some incidents involving
Sheila sneered, thinking Debra was just trying to save face. She said, "We didn't use condoms that night. If I get pregnant, you won't have a choice but to divorce him! Why embarrass yourself like this?""Get your facts straight. I'm not the one unwilling to divorce now. You should talk to Juan about that."Debra glanced at her watch. She really shouldn't waste time with Sheila here.As Debra left, Sheila couldn't help but feel suspicious.Could it be that the one who had been unwilling to divorce all along wasn't Debra, but Juan?In the evening, as Debra hurriedly arrived at the McKinney Group's entrance, a figure suddenly lunged at her from behind.Startled, Debra looked up and saw Juan in front of her. She was momentarily stunned. "Juan?"With a scent of tobacco and alcohol on him, Juan's cheeks slightly flushed, appearing somewhat unclear-headed. "Debra, you finally come.""Are you out of your mind?"Glancing at the McKinney Group and then around to ensure no one was the
Debra walked into the company, while Juan's face was deathly pale. Joe, who had just arrived, draped a cloak over Juan. "Mr. Nichols, it's too cold out here. You've drunk a lot. Let's get you home quickly.""She knows everything...""What?""She already knows about me and Shelia..."Juan's voice was barely above a whisper. He had thought that by cutting ties with Shelia, he could forget about what happened that night. But now it seemed that what was done couldn't be undone."Mr. Nichols, let's leave first..."Joe felt sorry for Juan. Juan's expression darkened. "Why is Shelia at Tyson Enterprises? Find out for me.""Mr. Nichols, why not ask Ms. Miles first?""I don't want anything to do with that woman anymore!"He blamed himself for being kind and helping Shelia back then. He had only felt pity for the girl and, considering her talent, had shown her some extra care. But he never expected Shelia to have other intentions.Meanwhile, Debra had just entered the preside
"Marion, that's nonsense!"Debra quickly handed the family emblem to Marion.The emblem of the Houston family was so important that even an outsider like her knew it, yet Marion had placed such a crucial emblem in her hands."Debra, whatever I give away, I never take back."Marion placed the emblem on Debra's chest.The Houston family's emblem represented the head of the Houston family. With this emblem, one had absolute authority within the Houston family.Marion looked at Debra with a smile and whispered, "You're the wife I have chosen."Debra's heart pounded, unsure how to respond.In her previous life, she had always been focused on Juan and had never been decisively chosen.But Marion's words stirred something in her heart."I..."Just as Debra was about to speak, Randy's voice suddenly came from outside the door. "Marion, the things you asked me to buy..."Randy's voice abruptly stopped upon seeing the scene inside.Debra hurriedly distanced herself from Marion.Ran
"The McKinney Group is clearly trying to take a piece of our cake. Why don't we resort to extreme measures?"The directors whispered to each other.Unable to confront The McKinney Group openly, they resorted to underhanded tactics behind the scenes.In the past, Juan might have readily agreed without hesitation.But now, Juan fell into silence.That evening, driven by intuition and alcohol, he visited The McKinney Group and indeed encountered Debra.Could Debra truly be connected to The McKinney Group?Or perhaps, is there a connection between Debra and Tracy?Rubbing his temples wearily, Juan sighed, "I have matters to attend to. Let's discuss this later."With that, Juan got up and left.Beside him, Joe suggested, "Mr. Nichols, how about taking a sobering pill first?"After consuming a fair amount of alcohol the previous night, Juan's state of mind was visibly off."I tasked you with investigating Tracy. Have you found anything?""Not yet. His information is well hidden.
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