"Who knows if you can become Mrs. Nichols? Paying upfront is our standard procedure here," sneered the man, his voice dripping with malice. "Not a cent less. Otherwise, I'll cut your fingers off one by one."Shelia panicked, speaking with feigned composure. "I only have 100 thousand dollars on me right now. But don't you know about the Nichols family? If you kill me, you're killing their future heir in my womb."Her words made the man hesitate. Shelia pressed her advantage and continued, "Think about it. Juan and his wife have long been at odds. As soon as you take care of her, I can leverage my pregnancy to become Mrs. Nichols. How much more money would that bring you? I promise you, once I marry Juan, I'll give you not just one million dollars, but two million.""Words are cheap. You must sign and seal," he said, taking out a document from his pocket.One of his accomplices scribbled something on it and placed it before Shelia. She scanned the paper, her face turning pale as she
"Madam, Mr. Nichols sent us to pick you up. Please, come with us," the driver said politely.Debra looked over and found him unfamiliar. "Where's Joe?""Joe had something to handle, so I came instead," the driver replied, his tone respectful yet hurried.Debra pressed further, "I don't think I've seen you before.""I'm new, ma'am. Just hired," he explained."With Juan hiring new drivers, how would I not know?" Debra mused.Only Juan required a dedicated driver in the entire company. Before today, only Joe had filled that role. Even when Joe wasn't available, one of the other company drivers would step in. She had never seen this man before.The driver faltered, unsure of how to respond, but he swiftly moved to open the car door for her. She leaned in, peeking through the car window, and spotted a man's silhouette in the backseat.Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her from behind. A rough hand clamped a cloth over her mouth and nose.Debra's eyes widened in shock as a gruff
In Seamar City, few dared to cross Juan, let alone hack into his phone."Get the tech department on this immediately," he said. "I want to know who's behind this.""Yes, sir," Joe replied, hurriedly taking the phone and scurrying out of the office.Juan's heart pounded like a drum in his chest, a sense of foreboding washing over him.He snatched the car keys from his desk and rushed out. He sped through the city streets, his mind racing faster than the powerful engine of his sports car.Bursting through the front door, he found Melody and Hester having dinner in the grand living room.Debra was nowhere to be seen.Melody looked up and frowned at his disheveled appearance. "Juan, don't you have a meeting at the company today? Why are you back so early?""Where's Debra?" Juan asked.Hester's expression flickered, a mix of unease and guilt flashing across her face. Melody, however, remained nonchalant. "Who knows which man she might be meeting up with? You're supposed to keep her
The breaking news of Debra's kidnapping instantly dominated the trending charts.Erica, lounging at home with the news playing in the background, was jolted upright by the headline that flashed across the screen.She wondered aloud, 'Debra was kidnapped? Who did it?'Her phone rang, and she snatched it up to see Randy's call."Hello? Randy, listen to me..." she started anxiously."Debra was kidnapped?" What answered her was not Randy, but Marion's deep and steady voice."I just saw the news," Erica replied. "I don't know if it's true. When are you coming back?"Debra had been staying with the Nichols family, and Erica wasn't privy to the details of the arrangement with Juan. They had kept their distance to maintain Debra's secret identity as the McKinney Group's president. And now such a thing had happened."Marion? Marion, are you there?" Erica pressed the phone to her ear, but only silence echoed back.She was at a loss, having not faced such a situation before. After a whil
In response to Shelia's barking, the one on the other end of the phone sneered, "The one we've taken is Juan's wife. The ransom we can demand from him is far higher than what you'd pay for a mere hit job. Thanks to the address you provided, we found Juan's home."Shelia paled at his words, and the man added, "But don't you worry, if Juan pays the ransom, we'll clean up this mess for you. If he doesn't, we'll still handle it. Just a matter of time.""You can't do this," Shelia protested. "Once you contact Juan, he'll stop at nothing to find out who you are, and then I'll be exposed."She knew how resourceful Juan was. It wouldn't take him long to figure out who the kidnappers were, and he'd certainly trace it back to her.Even if Debra died, her dream of entering high society would be shattered."That's not our problem," the man snorted. "We're just doing our job and making a little extra on the side.""No, how can you do this?" Shelia shouted frantically, but the line was already
Usually, victims would scream or beg for their lives upon waking, but Debra was different. She showed no sign of fear."Juan's woman is truly extraordinary," the leader sneered, grasping Debra's chin and tilting her face up. "Quite the pretty face too."Debra met his gaze steadily. "Don't bother trying to scare me. You won't do anything until you get your ransom."The three men were clearly seasoned criminals, and they had a code they followed.The leader released Debra's chin and shrugged. "True, but if someone else pays us to kill you after we get Juan's money, we'll do just that. You're a dead woman either way. We might as well enjoy the fun."Debra chuckled, her lack of fear irritating the leader. "What's so funny?" he growled."I'm laughing at how naïve you are," Debra replied coolly. "Do you know who Juan is? And who I am? Can you guarantee you'll safely get the money and escape by boat? You can't. And if you touch me, Juan will hunt you down. You know what he'll do to you
"Sir..." Joe tried to advise again.Juan cut him off. "Nothing is more important than Debra's life. Do you understand?"Joe swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."He swiftly ordered their men to unload bundles of cash from the trunk. Aboard the boat, one of the kidnappers pressed a knife against Debra's neck. They climbed to the highest deck, and one of them shouted, "Bring all the money up here. Don't try anything foolish, or we'll kill her."Joe instructed the bodyguards, saying, "Get all the money up there."The bodyguards sprang into action, carrying bundle after bundle of cash onto the boat. Debra watched coldly.Once the last bundle was on board, Joe used a megaphone to declare, "You've got the money. Let her go."The kidnappers tore open the bundles, their eyes widening at the sight of the crisp bills."Alright, let her go," instructed the leader with a grin.Hidden in a secluded corner of the shore, Shelia watched with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. Suddenly, the boat's eng
In the stillness of the night, Juan returned home and booted open the gate.The commotion roused Melody from her sleep. With Hester's assistance, she made her way to the living room, where she saw a gloomy Juan.She wrinkled her brows and asked, "Is anything wrong?""You come over!" Juan stepped forward and grabbed Hester roughly.His furious look caused her to gasp in fear. "Juan, what are you doing?""Don't call me that!" Juan snapped. "How could you be so malicious? Did you replace that $10 billion?"Hester desperately shook her head. "It has nothing to do with me. Please, you must believe me.""Believe you?" Juan narrowed his eyes. "Debra fell into the sea, and she's still missing. If she's dead, I'll make your family pay."Hester's face turned ashen, and Melody stepped in. "Enough!"Taking a deep breath, she continued, "This has nothing to do with Hester. She didn't have the authority to change the money. It was my decision."Juan staggered back, as if struck by an unsee
"Shut up! I don't need your opinion," Liza huffed, turning to leave.Debra called after her, "Leave the invitation. I'll need it in two days."Liza was pissed off, knowing Debra was taunting her. Her fists clenched at her sides, but there were more pressing matters at hand.So, she bit her tongue and flung the invitation back onto the table.Debra scoffed, seeing through her intention. "Save yourself the trouble. She won't see you."Liza froze mid-step and turned back to face her. "How so?""If she wanted to see you, she wouldn't be ignoring your calls and messages," Debra replied nonchalantly. "In families like ours, it's better not to invest too much emotion. You treat her as your best friend, but she leaves you for interest.""You're lying!" Liza snapped, her voice trembling. "You're just trying to drive a wedge between us. Cathryn would never treat me like that.""Let's make a bet then," Debra said, her smile widening. "If you manage to contact her before the party, I'll ad
Liza's voice roused Debra from her lazy slumber. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sauntered out to find the courtyard in chaos.Leaning against the doorframe, she asked, "What brings you here so early, Miss Eaton?"She was dressed in a red lace nightgown that accentuated her fair skin and striking features. Her every movement was graceful and alluring.Unimpressed, Liza glared at her. "Early? It's practically noon."Debra plugged her ears. "What do you want?""Ma'am, I'll get rid of her. You can go back and continue your nap," offered the guard.Debra waved him off. "No need. Let her in."She tightened the blanket around her and walked into the living room.The weather there was unpredictable. It was sometimes scorching and sometimes freezing.She sat on the sofa and poured herself a cup of tea. The absence of hospitality annoyed Liza."Where are the servants?""There aren't any.""What the hell? Is this how you treat your guests? You invite me in, and you won
Bert's expression turned grave. A servant approached him. "Sir, I heard that Miss Bernard is getting engaged to Drake. Invitations have been sent out, but Miss Eaton doesn't know yet.""Keep it that way," Bert ordered. "Liza is impulsive and might do reckless things if she finds out. She's spoiled, but she values her friendship with Cathryn. It would break her heart to know Cathryn is with Drake now.""Understood. I'll make sure the news is contained," said the servant.Juan silently watched the scene. Garland peeked through the door crack."What's got you so captivated?""Nothing."Juan sank back into the couch, his expression unreadable."You know, Liza has got a way with people," Garland said, his tone smug. "When she gets involved, your grandmother has to pack her things and go back.""That's not what I'm worried about.""Then what are you worried about?""Did you get the invitation?""Invitation? What invitation?""To the engagement party of Cathryn and Drake.""What?
Garland looked at the files, his initial spark of interest instantly extinguished.Just then, Liza's voice echoed from outside the door. "Why are you still here? My dad doesn't like you. Why are you still hanging around?"Juan frowned, and Garland perked up his ears. "Sounds like a fight. Should I go break it up?"But Juan knew better. Garland was more likely to stir the pot than calm things down."Miss Eaton, please take it easy."Juan cracked open the door to see Liza tossing Melody's luggage out, scattering expensive jewelry and dresses across the floor.The maids tried to calm her down, but Liza was beyond control.Melody's face darkened as the scene unfolded. The noise drew Bert out of his room.He scolded, "Liza, mind your manners.""Dad! Why are you letting her stay in our house? I don't like her. I don't want her here." Liza threw a tantrum.Seeing her belongings strewn across the floor, Melody said bitterly, "I guess I've overstayed my welcome. I'll pack my things an
Debra chuckled, "Sometimes, you're really cheap."Marion said seriously, "But I'm always honest with you, dear.""Really?""Absolutely.""Then how do you explain the eight billion dollars you cost me at our first meeting?"Marion took a sip of his tea and grimaced. "This tea's gone cold. Let me get you a fresh cup.""Get back here." Debra grabbed Marion and yanked him down into his seat."I'll do whatever you say to make up.""Put that aside for now. Now tell me your plans for handling the banquet.""Guess we can't miss the show.""Cathryn's crush on you is public knowledge here. Are you planning to hand her fresh gossip on a silver platter?""I'm not attending it. You can go. I'll stay outside the hotel to keep guard. Won't glance at any other woman.""Wise choice."...Across town at the Eaton Mansion, Garland sat hunched over his computer.He typed and retyped search terms, only to come up empty each time."What happened to my trending topics? They're all gone?" he m
Marion set down his newspaper and walked over to examine the invitation in Debra's hand."Drake is in such a hurry. He must be desperate to secure resources.""He's eager to deal with you?""Not necessarily. It could also be trouble brewing in Orkgate.""Something happened there?"Debra tried to recall any signs of trouble from her last stay in Orkgate, but there hadn't been anything that would warrant such urgency.In truth, Drake could just stay there and rule.There was no need for him to venture overseas and stir up trouble, which ultimately led to his broken engagement with the Eaton family and his near-total loss of face.Anyone else in his position would have slunk away in shame, but Drake was too proud for that."I'm not sure," Marion admitted. "Orkgate is his territory. I promised not to interfere there."He then noticed her disappointment for not getting any juicy news. He smiled and ruffled her hair. "But I have my informants. If anything happens, they'll let me
Drake's logic was persuasive, almost hypnotic.Cathryn found herself wavering. "But Liza... ""She's your friend, right? She'll understand. Besides, this is just a business arrangement, not a real marriage. It's just to create some tension for Marion."Cathryn was convinced. "Alright, I'll prepare the gala. But you must explain everything to Liza afterward.""Okay," Drake replied.But his smile faded as soon as Cathryn left.Kale asked, "Boss, are you really going to explain this to Miss Eaton?""Explain my ass," Drake snorted. "Once I get engaged to her, I'll gain control of the Bernard family's resources. Then I'll have enough power to take on Marion. Who cares about her petty little scandals?"Kale mused, "So, you were fooling her?"Drake explained, "She's the only one left in her family. If it weren't for those resources, do you think I'd even consider an engagement with her? She's clueless. Once she hosts the gala and announces the news to the media, do you think she can
Drake sneezed in his study.Kale came in and reported, "Miss Bernard is here."Drake waved his hand. "Let her in."Kale opened the door to reveal Cathryn standing hesitantly outside. She had come upon learning that Marion had taken Debra away.Drake glanced at her and read her mind. "She was rescued. Helping you cost me a lot."Cathryn stammered, "Don't make it sound so noble. You did it for yourself.""What now? We're in this together. Marion has learned you collaborated with me to kidnap Debra." Drake rested his cheek on his hand. "But it's not a bad thing. At least, Marion can't ignore you anymore."Cathryn bit her lip, stepping forward. "I know you have other plans. We can't let her stay with Marion. You gotta help me for my father's sake."But the mention of the past only served to annoy Drake.Cathryn quickly added, "If it weren't for my father, you wouldn't have made it to Orkgate or become the Lowe family's adopted son. You owe me."Drake snorted, "You're right. I owe
She had known for a while that Melody was coming after her. That wasn't a well-kept secret. But seeing it plastered online and climbing the trending charts? That was a whole new level of absurdity."Let me see." Marion emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair.He leaned over, glanced at the phone, and nodded approvingly. "That's catchy.""I'm going to find out which genius published this." Debra's fingers flew over her phone, tracing the story back to its source. When the name of New Age popped up on her screen, she froze."New Age?" she murmured, remembering that it was Garland's news agency."Something wrong?" Marion asked.Debra blinked. "I spent 50 million dollars to buy that newspaper. So..." Her own company had just broken a report on her. That was the next level....In the study room, Garland was livid, yelling into his phone, "What were you thinking? Are you people brain-dead? Who let you publish that story? And then you dumped ad money into it too? Did you want t