Shelia's face contorted with anger. "Do you have any idea how much money you owe? You expect me to help you? I don't have that kind of money."Clarissa's eyes gleamed with a mix of desperation and hope. "But you've got that sugar daddy, haven't you? I heard he treats you well and takes you everywhere. Aren't you about to become his wife soon? The Nichols family is filthy rich. They can easily cover the debts."Shelia paled at the mention of Juan. "If I were to become his wife, those creditors wouldn't be hounding me."She knew Clarissa had been boasting to the creditors about her impending marriage to Juan, and they knew Juan had taken her to various events.But now, they somehow learned Juan cut off all her funds and came knocking, taking away almost everything valuable.Gritting her teeth, Shelia hissed, "If you hadn't leaked my info, those creditors wouldn't be here. You're dragging me down with you. Why don't you just disappear?"Clarissa's face was twisted with resentment. "
Clarissa eyed her warily. "How can I help you?"Shelia leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I know you've been around the casino scene for years. You must know some heavy hitters. I need a favor."As Shelia shared her plan, Clarissa paled with fright. "No. Absolutely not!"Shelia's eyebrows furrowed in displeasure."Why not? Back then, you weren't afraid to dispose of bodies. Are you scared now?""That girl was an orphan. No one would investigate much for her. And you were there as a replacement; it was foolproof. Of course, I wasn't scared. But Debra is the daughter of the Frazier family and Juan's wife. How could I dare touch her?"Clarissa wasn't foolish. She knew the stakes were high. If they followed Shelia's plan, she might end up dead in a matter of days.Shelia tightened her grip on Clarissa's hand. "I'm not asking you to kill her. You need money urgently. Just kidnap her and use her to ransom Juan. I'll handle the rest, and you'll have no involvement.""But..."
Juan, concerned that Debra might misinterpret his intentions, explained, "Taking over your family business isn't a simple matter. I just...""I know what you mean," Debra interjected, a smile playing on her lips, though her eyes held no warmth. "I was just teasing you. Don't take it seriously."She was more than glad to meet those insiders. Knowing more people meant more opportunities.Juan nodded, relieved that she understood his perspective."Joe is waiting downstairs for us."He extended a hand to Debra, but she didn't take it. Instead, she said, "You go ahead. Send me the location.""Not together?""I think I'll change into something else," Debra said, gesturing to her simple attire.She hadn't even applied makeup before leaving today.Juan chuckled, his eyes sweeping over her. "You look good in anything. No need to dress up.""Can't do that," Debra insisted. "After all, I'm meeting clients. I should look presentable to complement your handsome appearance."A faint smile
Debra stood on the second floor, a slight smirk playing on her lips as she watched Hester scurry about.She hadn't expected Hester to be so eager, but it worked in her favor. It saved her the trouble of devising another plan to bring Hester out into the open.Returning to her room, Debra selected her gown for the evening. Naturally elegant, she didn't require much adornment, but tonight she intended to shine. It was time to leverage her identity as Mrs. Nichols and make a wave.An hour later, she descended the stairs, but Hester was nowhere in sight.Melody sat on the sofa, her eyes narrowing as she took in Debra's attire. "It's late. Who are you going out with, dressed like that?""Grandma, I have a business discussion with Mr. Nichols. It's almost time, so I must leave now," Debra replied, having no intention of accommodating her anymore."Debra, what's with this attitude?" Melody snapped. "Have you forgotten how you begged me when you wanted to marry Juan?"Debra paused, a sm
Hester looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief."Why aren't you going yet?" Melody added.A smile blossomed on Hester's face, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "Thank you, Mrs. Nichols Sr."Melody watched Hester leave, her lips curling into a sneer. The Vargas family was indeed insignificant, but girls from such humble backgrounds were easy to manipulate.Since Debra didn't seem to care much about her position in the Nichols family, perhaps it was time to give her a wake-up call.Plenty of women wanted to marry into the Nichols family. Debra was replaceable....Debra arrived at the Sapphire Hotel, where Juan had reserved a table with the best view in the hall.Today, the restaurant was filled with Juan's business associates, their eyes turning to Debra as soon as she entered.She was a vision in a rose-red gown, her long, curled hair cascading to one side. When Juan saw her, his thoughts drifted back to the land auction, where he had first realized how stunning she looked wi
Outside the Sapphire Hotel, Leanna escorted Shelia inside."Come, have a seat," she said, finding a spot not far from where Juan was seated.Debra, hearing Leanna's voice, spoke to Juan. "I'm going to the restroom. I'll be back soon.""Okay," Juan replied, his eyes following her as she stood up and walked away.Leanna leaned in, her voice reassuring as she spoke to Shelia. "Today's gathering must have been overwhelming for you, right? You're just an intern. It's tough for you to join us for drinks." Despite her comforting tone, she kept a keen eye on Shelia's expression.Ever since Shelia entered the restaurant, her eyes had been scanning the hall, searching for Juan.It didn't take long for her to spot him, seated amidst a group of business bosses in the center of the room. A glint appeared in Shelia's eyes.These days, no matter what she did, she couldn't get through to Juan. Even Joe had stopped answering her calls. If Leanna hadn't mentioned the Sapphire Hotel often housed
Debra emerged from the restroom, her gaze sweeping over the tense scene before her."What happened? I stepped away for a moment, and everyone's on edge?" she asked, her eyes landing on Shelia.Shelia turned around, her expression souring as soon as she saw Debra.Debra was dressed to impress, exuding an air of grace that made Shelia's attire seem tacky and out of place. Shelia looked more like a nightclub girl trying too hard, lacking the refinement of a true socialite.Debra had always questioned Juan's taste in women. Shelia's looks were unremarkable, her figure nothing special. Her only redeeming quality was her innocence, but tonight, she had tried to dress more maturely, which only served to overshadow that one advantage.She appeared like a nouveau riche, lacking any sense of sophistication."Miss Miles, you're here too.""Debra...""I prefer you call me Mrs. Nichols," Debra interrupted.Shelia looked reluctant to acknowledge Debra's identity in front of so many people.
The waiter swiftly brought a new glass for Debra, but Shelia felt offended.She knew Debra was provoking her."Shelia, have you ordered?" Leanna emerged from the restroom, her voice slicing through the tension.Shelia shook her head. "Not yet."Leanna's eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. "What's going on? You can't even handle something as simple as ordering. Forget it! I'll take care of it."Her tone carried an air of authority. The people present realized that she was not Shelia's colleague but her supervisor.Shelia blushed with embarrassment and quickly returned to her seat. Juan knew that Debra had done that on purpose to give Shelia a hard time.He whispered, "Are you upset?""No," Debra replied, shaking her wine glass. "I just don't like people touching my things."Juan smiled wryly. "I thought you might be jealous. Seems I was overthinking."Before, Debra had never arbitrarily troubled Shelia. He had thought it was jealousy driving her actions, but now it seemed Debra