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.
Joe said to Liam, "Mr. Tyson, you can go and deal with your work. Mr. Nichols will finish questioning soon and leave.""Great! The conference room is just ahead. It should be all set up. Please!"Liam glanced at Debra as he said that.He really didn't know what the relationship was between this intern and Juan.Shouldn't Shelia be the one most closely related to Juan?The relationships in this circle were truly complicated!Arriving at the conference room, Debra said, "You came all the way to Tyson Enterprises to see me. What else do you have to discuss?"She thought she had made things clear during their last meeting.Juan asked in a deep voice, "What's your relationship with the McKinney Group?""You already asked that yesterday," Debra replied. "Is it because Mr. Nichols drank too much yesterday and doesn't remember?"Frowning, Juan said, "Debra, I'm doing this for your own good. Tracy is a ruthless businessman. If the Frazier family cooperates with him, you won't end well
In the meeting room, Juan approached Debra and whispered, "Debra, I'm doing this for your good. Stay away from Marion, and people like Tracy. They have ulterior motives when they get close to you."Debra didn't respond but instead took a step back. "Mr. Nichols, if there's nothing else, I should leave now."Debra was the first to exit the meeting room. As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw employees in the work area craning their necks to watch.A hint of jealousy flashed in Sheila's eyes, but her expression changed when she saw Juan coming out of the meeting room.Walking in high heels, Sheila approached Juan with a bright smile, "Juan, hi!"Frowning, Juan didn't want any interaction with Sheila. He was about to bypass her when she reached out and grabbed his arm. She behaved like a girlfriend being affectionate with her boyfriend."Juan, did you come to see me?"Sheila's eyes were full of anticipation, as Debra, not far away, silently observed the scene."Debra, do y
Debra's indifference was a mirror of Juan's callousness. She used him just as he had used others. They were cut from the same cloth.Juan cast a frosty glance towards Shelia, his voice dropping to a low growl. "I'm warning you, Shelia. If you dare employ any underhanded tactics to harm Debra, I won't stand idly by."Shelia blanched and reached out to grab his hand. "Debra doesn't spare you a thought. She doesn't care for you at all. But I truly love you. Remember the joy we shared that night?""Enough!" Juan snapped, shaking off her hand.His eyes flashed with a dark intensity. "Never mention that night again. If you value your position at Tyson Enterprises, cease testing my patience. Otherwise, I'll ensure that Arcane Academy kicks you out."Shelia froze in place, knowing Juan wasn't issuing blank threats. His actions were always harsher than his words.Juan turned on his heel and strode away, leaving Shelia rooted to the spot, a dejected figure in his wake. Joe glanced at her a
Liza slammed her hands on the table. "How could you fall for a married woman?""Liza, calm down. It's not like that," Garland tried to explain.Debra interrupted him with a sigh, "Your confession was really touching. If you had shown up a bit earlier..."Liza was shocked. "You what? That's it. I'm telling Dad.""Liza!" Garland was eager to soothe her, but she dashed upstairs.Nonchalant, Debra continued to sip her soup."How could you do this?" Garland grumbled."I was speaking the truth." Debra shrugged innocently. "Or do you have ulterior motives to ask about my daily routine?"Garland swallowed hard, knowing it was yet another test.'As Juan said, Debra is not easy to fool. And following this logic, I'd be the lovelorn third male lead, following Juan. No. I don't deserve that title.'"Mrs. Houston," Garland hesitated, "honestly, I don't have feelings for you. It's just that I have my complicated reasons."He couldn't decide whether to spill everything or keep quiet. If he
"Half true, half false.""Tell me about it.""I'm not sure about the rest, but I'm certain his feelings for you are fake," Marion asserted.Debra raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying my charm is weak? How can you be so sure?""When you love someone, you can't hide it in your eyes," Marion replied.Confession was something even he found hard to do, but Garland had been too casual about it. There was no hint of affection in his eyes. Marion figured it was just an excuse.Debra blushed under his fervent gaze. "Alright. You're an expert. No one knows love better than you do."She remembered the times before she accepted Marion's feelings. She had misunderstood his constant attention, thinking he was plotting against her.It was only later that she realized he liked her."But if Garland doesn't like me, why is he recording my every move?" Debra asked.Marion looked away. "I don't know.""You don't know, or you don't want to tell me?" Debra scrutinized him. "Are you hiding somethi
Unable to bear it, Marion broke the silence."Mr. Eaton, do you have something to say?""Actually, I am not Fermin."His confession didn't surprise them in the slightest, but their reaction surprised him.He cleared his throat. "Uh, could you at least react a little? This is getting awkward.""Oh," Debra said casually. "So, why are you suddenly telling us this?""Well," Garland started to explain, "I snuck out alone and used Fermin's identity since we're twins. The outsiders can't tell us apart, and I enjoy throwing his name around. It's embarrassing, but it's the truth. You guys are my friends, and I don't want to lie to you. Please don't rat me out, or I'm done for."Debra pressed, "So, what were you in Seamar City?""It was all for the New Age," Garland replied. "I don't have any other hobbies, but I love journalism and being a reporter."He paused and added, "I swear, I never meant you any harm. If I get caught and sent back, I'll never get out again."Debra leaned in. "T
"Yes. She rattled off the pros and cons. I didn't understand a word of it, but somehow, I managed to muddle through. The problem is, I am not the decision maker. What if she follows up and presses me?" Garland said.Juan muttered, "Her company is doing well. Why would she need to work with you?""I don't know.""Did something go wrong with her company?""I've no idea.""Is the Buchan Group targeting them?""I'm not sure."Frustrated, Juan rubbed his temples. "You had a meeting. Surely, you remember something."Garland recalled it. "Well, she said something about Theda trying to get their hands on the shares of the Nichols Group. Then she said Theda couldn't get them. In the end, she proposed to work with me to dominate overseas and Seamar City markets. I told her I'd take it back to the company for discussion, but she hit me with this thing about me being the sole decision-maker for overseas operations. I panicked and said we didn't have any assets in Seamar City. Then she drop
"Yep.""I thought you meant my company.""Not really," Garland quickly reassured her. "Even if Theda has those shares, she can't compete with you."Debra took a sip of what she thought was tea, only to realize it was Coke. She glanced at Garland, who was wolfing down his food with no regard for manners."I've heard that you have a ruthless streak and get things done efficiently," she probed. "If we join hands, dominating overseas and Seamar City markets won't be a problem. What do you think?"Garland nearly choked on the food. 'Ruthless? Efficient? That sounds more like my dad.'As for cooperation, he didn't have the authority to make that decision."What you're saying makes sense," he stammered. "Given our relationship, a partnership wouldn't be a problem. But this is a big decision. I'll need to discuss it with my dad."Noticing Debra's suspicious look, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, I'll talk to the shareholders and get my dad's approval.""I heard that your father
Lara recounted what happened to Debra, who muttered in confusion, "Huh? He only recorded my meals?"She glanced at Marion, who was equally clueless."He didn't ask anything else. But since no one was eating in the dining room, he went back to his room.""He made his actions so obvious," Debra mused. "I'll test him again and find out what he is trying to do."Marion advised, "From the way things are going right now, his brain doesn't seem so sharp. You should be careful not to overplay your hand when probing him. I'm afraid he won't catch on.""He's the heir to the Eaton family. He can't be that dull," Debra reasoned."I'm not calling him a fool," Marion explained. "But he has been acting like one."Fermin's recent behavior had betrayed his low intelligence.When they were at the Potter Mansion, he had maintained his sophistication, but over time, he couldn't be bothered to fake it anymore, always showing his true colors in front of them."I'll go try something," Debra said, st
"Liza and Fermin are here," Debra said, changing the subject."I heard." Marion nodded."I suspect Fermin is here to keep an eye on us," Debra shared her thoughts. "He is the heir to the Eaton family. It doesn't make sense for him to come here personally. But his interaction with Liza suggests they are real siblings. I just don't get why he'd bother monitoring me."They had stayed at the Potter Mansion for a while, but nothing had happened. If Fermin was as cunning as rumors suggested, he wouldn't have been sitting around and doing nothing.Debra had deliberately let them stay to keep an eye on them. But Seamar City remained peaceful."Are you doubting his identity now?" Marion asked."Doubting is one thing. Knowing what he's up to is another, and finding out his true identity is yet another," Debra replied, shaking her head. "I don't know if he's dumb or playing dumb. We need to find an opportunity to test him.""Then let's test him," Marion agreed. "Finding out what he's monit
When Debra returned to the room, she saw Marion trying to get out of bed and walk.She hurried over to support him. "The doctor said you shouldn't be moving around right now. Why aren't you listening?"Marion brushed it off. "My physical condition is better than most people's. I'll heal faster.""Cut the nonsense," Debra retorted. "The venom may have been neutralized, but you're still weak. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You're eager to go back and retaliate against the Buchan family."The mention of the Buchan family made Marion pause, realizing she must've interrogated Robert."So, you know.""Of course, I know. Think you could handle things without me finding out?"She tapped his forehead and said, "You didn't have to fight them. If Theda wants the Nichols Group so badly, let her have it. I don't care.""I know," Marion said, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I just don't want anyone to steal your things."He could feel Debra's obsession with the N
Debra tactfully suggested, "Your influence in Orkgate is undeniable, but sometimes you can be a bit misguided. Why don't we...""No. I'm doing this alone," Drake refused, heading toward his study.Debra was speechless. If Drake took things into his hands, Orkgate would be turned upside down. If he stirred the pot too much, the target would surely flee the city. She couldn't let him act so recklessly.Kale had just escorted Garland and Liza to the guest room.Seeing Drake return, he asked, "Boss, are you sure about letting them stay here?""Why not? It's not like we're short on guest rooms," Drake replied dismissively.He then ordered, "I need you to gather information on every business in Orkgate, big or small, whether they're our partners or not. Get their details and map out their network. Don't miss a thing."Kale blinked. "Every business? And their network?"Orkgate was vast and bustling, with countless businesses. Compiling all that information would take weeks, even with