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
"Debra, you've been spending a lot of time with Michael lately, and your internship work has suffered. Miss Miles expects you to finish this today, or your internship might be in jeopardy," said a co-worker, placing a stack of files on the desk.Debra eyed the towering pile, which nearly obscured her computer screen. She glanced across the office at Shelia, who wore a self-satisfied smirk.Debra had anticipated some retaliation, but she hadn't expected Shelia to stoop so low.She stood up, walked over to the desk, and quickly counted the files. "If I recall correctly, these were supposed to be checked by Carole yesterday, weren't they?"The female employee remained unfazed. "So what? I'm a full-time employee. Entrusting these documents to you is a sign of faith in your abilities."Debra let out a derisive snort. "You think it's possible to check all these reports and come up with ten plans by the end of the day?"The employee shifted uncomfortably but held her ground. "Debra, thi
The office buzzed with the grand entrance. Even Shelia wore a shifting expression of disbelief.She was aware of Debra's lineage, being the daughter of the Frazier family, but she never expected Debra to be at the helm of the Frazier Group."Why? Didn't Miss Miles inform them of my identity?" Debra stood before them, her smile radiant and confident. "I'm Debra, the daughter of the Frazier family and Juan Nichols' wife."A ripple of shock passed through the room. All eyes turned to Shelia.'If Debra is Juan's wife, then what does that make Shelia? A mistress?'Shelia felt the weight of their gazes, her fists clenching in frustration."Why isn't Miss Miles saying anything? If there's no issue, please have Mr. Tyson come and talk to me," Debra said, handing the document to Ben. "I'm not feeling particularly generous today, so let's put this contract on hold for the year."Meanwhile, Carole had been alerted by the commotion. She strode up with a frown and sighed upon seeing Debra. "
A female employee stood nearby, her hands trembling.Debra hadn't intended to cause a scene, but Shelia's arrogance was intolerable. If she didn't address it today, her internship days would be disastrous."Ms. Frazier, I didn't expect you to grace us with your presence." Liam Tyson emerged from his office, a smile on his face.However, upon seeing Debra, he paused in surprise. 'What's going on?'Ben quickly introduced Debra. "Mr. Tyson, this is our CEO, and she's also Mrs. Nichols."Liam's smile faded. "Mrs. Nichols?"He glanced at Debra and then Shelia. "If this is Mrs. Nichols, then Shelia..."Shelia frowned with displeasure. Liam swallowed nervously.Juan had never brought Debra to company events, and Liam had no idea what she looked like, nor had he heard that she was a graduate student at Arcane Academy."Mr. Tyson, are you nervous?" Debra observed with amusement."Not at all," Liam replied, trying to regain his composure. "It's just surprising to have Mrs. Nichols inte
Debra dropped the stack of files onto Shelia's desk.Shelia looked up, her face paling to a ghostly white."Absolutely, you're right," Liam said.Debra smiled with satisfaction. "Then it's settled. I'll get back to work. Mr. Tyson, please sign here.""Alright, I'll sign," Liam agreed hastily.He scrawled his signature without a thought about whether they could renew the contract with Michael next year.Angering Debra was more dangerous than losing money.Shelia stood rooted to the spot, her body trembling with barely contained rage. She watched as Debra sauntered back to her workstation, looking entirely at ease amidst the tension.Debra's smile widened as she caught sight of Shelia's frustrated expression.Truth be told, Shelia was not without her strengths. She was clever, academically gifted, and possessed a certain cunning. However, she was woefully ignorant of the unspoken rules that governed their industry. She believed that her association with Juan would grant her immu
Shelia stood rooted to the spot, her mind reeling in disbelief.In her mind, Debra was just a pampered lady with no substance. Yet they let Debra lead the entire Frazier family."This is impossible. You must be mistaken!" Shelia exclaimed.Liam remained adamant. "Miss Miles, why would I lie to you? This matter has already spread within our circles. I might risk offending the owner of Frazier Entertainment, but I can't afford to offend the boss of Frazier Group."His words hit Shelia like a physical blow, draining her of all strength.Shelia wondered if they had let Debra take over under Juan's suggestions.She clenched her fists. 'Debra, with her privileged background, could rely on Juan and the Frazier family to secure the top position at Frazier Group, despite her lack of knowledge. Why? I've studied so hard for years only to end up in such a dire situation."Miss Miles, I hope you can understand," Liam said.Despite her unwillingness, Shelia knew she had no choice but to lea
Shelia was supposed to be Juan's lover, yet Juan had been surprisingly harsh with her, not even bothering to inquire about her situation."Okay, Mr. Nichols," Liam said. "I'll take good care of Mrs. Nichols. I won't let her be mistreated at the company."Juan, growing impatient, ended the call abruptly without further comment.Joe, who had been standing by, said cautiously, "If Miss Miles can't secure an internship right away, her thesis..."Juan's voice was cold and dismissive. "If she can't secure an internship, then my years of training her have been wasted. Don't mention her again. I have no further interest in her affairs.""Understood."In the afternoon, Debra received a call from Ben while she was in the middle of pouring herself a cup of tea."What's up, Ben?""This noon, several companies under the group received the same resume.""Whose resume?""Shelia Miles."Debra couldn't help but laugh. Freshly out of her job, Shelia was already scrambling for another position
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