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
Debra caught a glimpse of Hester hovering outside the door.She had dressed up in a simple white dress that accentuated her youthfulness. She was younger than Shelia, and her pure appearance was quite endearing.She seemed to possess an allure that could captivate any man even more than Shelia had.As Hester entered the room, Shelia noticed her immediately.In terms of looks, Hester surpassed Shelia. In terms of demeanor, Hester exuded the aura of a refined lady. And in age, Hester was notably younger than Shelia.At first sight, Shelia felt that Hester was trying to imitate her, but it was clear that Hester had gone beyond mere imitation."Juan, Mrs. Nichols," Hester greeted. Her entrance caused everyone to pause and wonder about her identity.Debra smiled and introduced her to everyone. "This is Hester from the Vargas family, now caring for Mrs. Nichols Sr."Hester stood aside, smiling shyly. "Juan, your grandmother was worried you might drink too much, so she sent me to chec
Juan opened the car door, helping Debra inside before sliding into the driver's seat himself.Hester hurried after them, but by the time she exited the restaurant, Juan had already sped off with Debra.She was left behind and unhappy."Some people think copying my style will impress Juan," Shelia said smugly as she emerged behind Hester.Hester straightened herself, with confusion evident in her voice. "Do I know you?"Shelia scoffed, "Don't play dumb with me. Debra once tried to catch Juan's eye by imitating me. Now, you're just a worse copycat."Just a moment ago, she had come up with an excellent plan. The position of Mrs. Nichols was hers for the taking.No one could compete with her for it, not Debra or Hester."Is that so? But I don't think Juan takes you seriously either, so there's no point bringing up the past," Hester countered, flicking her hair. "After all, you're just a poor student sponsored by him, while I am a fair lady. I would never consider you a competitor b
Juan initially tried to deceive himself, thinking that Debra's actions were driven by jealousy. But as he looked into her eyes, he saw no signs of caring.Everything she did was calculated and designed to benefit herself."Juan, you're a businessman, and I am one too. You taught me all this," Debra said, her voice as icy as her gaze.He couldn't understand it. Even now, he couldn't fathom why the Debra who used to be devoted to him had suddenly changed.Debra, however, knew exactly why. Her old self, who had once revolved around Juan, hadn't ended well. She swore never to make the same mistakes again.In her last life, Juan had prioritized profit above all else, disregarding marital ties and even the child in her womb.In this life, she merely employed the same tactics and beat him in his own game.A smile touched Debra's lips, but her eyes held no warmth. "The three-month deadline isn't up yet. Do your best to impress me and see if I'll fall in love with you again."Juan looke
"A leopard can't change its spots," Debra said.Juan's defense of her would only serve to fuel Melody's anger.Juan's phone rang, slicing through the tension. Debra glanced down and saw that it was a call from Joe.His urgent voice came through. "Sir, we have a problem.""What's wrong?""Miss Vargas is missing!""Have you contacted her family?""Yes, she hasn't returned home."Debra listened quietly, her mind racing. There was only one route back from the Sapphire Hotel. If Hester had returned, she would have encountered Joe's car. The fact that she hadn't meant something serious might have happened.'Could Shelia have done something to Hester?' Her brow furrowed lightly as she considered the possibilities.But it seemed unlikely that Shelia would act so quickly, just after meeting Hester for the first time.Juan ended the call and said, "Go ahead and take a shower. Don't worry about this."Before Debra could respond, a text message arrived on Juan's phone.[To save Miss V
Debra showed no signs of panic despite the ordeal.The kidnapper felt an invisible pressure radiating from her."Here is a check of ten million dollars," Juan said, presenting the check.The kidnapper's eyes lit up with greed. He rushed over, snatched the check, and dashed off.Neither Debra nor Juan made any move to chase after him. This entire kidnapping felt like a poorly planned charade.Juan's gaze fell on Debra's neck, where a small trickle of blood marred her otherwise unblemished skin. The kidnapper's nervousness had caused the blade to nick her.Juan stepped closer, concern etched on his face. "Let me examine your injury.""Go check on Miss Vargas first. Don't let her suffer any longer," she said, walking straight to the workshop and opening a metal box.Inside, Hester was bound and gagged, her eyes wide with fear and helplessness. Debra ripped the tape off Hester's mouth. Hester froze, not expecting Debra's arrival. As Juan came up, she threw herself into his arms and
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