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
Hester quickly ran downstairs to fetch the medical kit.Debra ascended the stairs in silence.Moments later, Hester entered the room with the medical kit. She said apologetically, "I'm sorry for your injury."Debra stared at her for a while. Hester shifted uncomfortably and faltered, "Madam, why are you looking at me like this?""This trick can be effective if done well. If not, it can backfire," Debra said meaningfully.Hester stiffened. "Madam, I don't understand what you mean.""Don't you?" Debra chuckled. "Your self-staged drama was quite anticipated by me initially. However, it had too many loopholes and ended up being quite boring.""Madam, you misunderstand me. I..." Hester stammered.Debra cut her off. "Firstly, only a few people know Juan's phone number. Given the text message, the kidnapper knew your identity, but you have no relationship with Juan. Why would he kidnap you instead of me?""How would I know what he was thinking?" Hester argued, her eyes darting about.
Unnerved by Debra's piercing gaze, Hester hurriedly lowered her head and left the bedroom.As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she found Juan already finishing his conversation with Melody.Melody cast a glance at Hester, sending a shiver down her spine. From that glance, Hester sensed Melody's displeasure.She couldn't help but wonder if Melody had seen through her tricks, as Debra mentioned earlier.Juan opened the bedroom door and heard running water from the bathroom. His eyes fell on the unopened medical kit on the counter. He picked it up and took out the medicine, just as the bathroom door opened.Debra walked out, wrapped in a bathrobe that outlined her perfect figure. Water droplets were glistening in her hair.She frowned, not hearing him enter the room. She had expected him to be in a lengthy discussion with Melody, but he had come up so quickly.Juan took in her reaction and pressed his lips together. "I'll apply the medicine for you."Her injury was not seriou
"Taking a leave?" Debra murmured.She was aware of Shelia's financial struggles, which made this request for leave unusual. Moreover, interns at the McKinney Group couldn't afford to miss days without affecting their attendance record.Leanna voiced her thoughts, "Could it be related to what happened yesterday?"Debra's frown deepened. She had hinted to Leanna about Shelia's possible pregnancy last night, but she hadn't expected Shelia to act so quickly."I see. Find a way to contact Shelia and ask her what's going on. Also, reach out to Ben, having him look into nearby hospitals and check if Shelia visited a gynecologist.""Will do."Debra hung up the phone, her gaze landing on the calendar beside her.According to Erica, Marion and Randy would return from overseas in three days. She hoped to have everything sorted out before their return.Shelia found herself once again at Clarissa's small rental house. Inside, three large, intimidating men sat, their eyes gleaming with hosti