Michael's face was alight with joy and relief. He stepped forward, wrapping her in a tight embrace, needing to assure himself that she was real and not just a figment of his imagination.Debra gently patted his back. "I promised you'd be a top actor and a superstar. I won't go back on my word."Michael pulled away, his joy transforming into a wide smile. He knew Debra wouldn't be taken down so easily."Why?" Michael asked, with a barrage of questions filling his mind. "Why did you acquire the Frazier Group? Why summon me here? Why not announce that you're still alive?"Debra leaned back in her chair. "Didn't you always suspect I was Tracy?"Tracy was just a pseudonym she had used to conceal her identity from Juan. The world thought the president of McKinney Group was a man, but the real mastermind was her.Michael had always been more perceptive than others, already suspecting her connection to the McKinney Group. She knew he would understand the meaning of her call for a meeting
An artist like Sean, who relied more on his charm and good looks than his talent, was bound to face a reckoning sooner or later.When Debra hinted at her plans, Michael understood that she had a strategy in place. Sure enough, within just three days, Sean found himself embroiled in a massive scandal.With the Best Actor Award ceremony fast approaching, he couldn't afford any negative publicity. Nichols Entertainment did its best to contain the situation, but the tabloids were relentless.The internet exploded with salacious rumors of Sean seeking prostitutes, sleeping with fans, and even being kept by a fifty-year-old female CEO.The scandal went viral instantly, with numerous alleged victims coming forward, armed with incriminating photos and evidence that Sean couldn't refute.Three days of escalating controversy culminated in Sean being blacklisted by the industry. Panic swept through Nichols Entertainment as their prized asset became a liability overnight.Worse still, Sean f
Upon receiving the news, Juan rushed to the seaside, where the rescue team laid out a piece of clothing before him. "Sir, is this the clothing your wife was wearing?"Juan stared at the clothing, his expression momentarily blank. He recognized the dress. It was the same one Debra had been wearing in the surveillance footage on the day of the kidnapping."Yes.""We infer that your wife must have perished, and the search and rescue efforts have been halted. Please accept our condolences."After days of scouring the sea with no sign of Debra, the discovery of this piece of clothing seemed to seal her fate.Juan frowned, protesting, "Her body hasn't been found. You can't just say she's dead."Before he could say more, Joe noticed his distress and intervened. He said to the rescue team, "Thank you all for your hard work these past few days. We will prepare a small token of appreciation for you. Please take a rest now."The team members nodded and left.Juan shrugged off Joe's hand.
But Juan's dynamics didn't even come near Melody's.The affection she had shown Debra in the past was merely superficial, a means to an end.Now that Debra was presumed dead, Melody had shifted her favor to Shelia, a woman she had once disdained, solely because Shelia carried the Nichols family's heir.The hypocrisy of it all filled Juan with a profound sense of disgust, a feeling he had never associated with his family.Melody, oblivious to Juan's inner turmoil, looked up at him with a puzzled chuckle. "Juan, why are you still here? Go rest upstairs. Shelia and I will handle things here."Her dismissive attitude annoyed Juan. His voice was filled with coldness as he declared, "If you like this house so much, you can have it."With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Melody staring after him in confusion.Shelia, sensing the tension, asked tentatively, "Grandma, is Juan angry?"Melody waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about him. He'll come back once he's co
With Debra presumed dead, he had to arrange her funeral and handle the divorce paperwork for the Nichols family once again.Juan let out a sudden laugh. It was a sound of resignation. "Alright, let's do as my grandma says."After all, his whole life seemed to be just a puppet dance orchestrated by the Nichols family.News of the grand funeral for Mrs. Nichols reached Debra's ears. The event was being held on a massive scale, almost as if to ensure that everyone in the high society circles knew about it. Invitations were sent out to industry elites, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists, each of them holding a significant position in the business world.Debra looked at the invitation in her hands, her lips curling into a sneer. Cutting off useless ties was a common tactic used by the Nichols family.It was the same in her previous life and this too."What should we do, Ms. Frazier?" Ben asked.They hadn't anticipated the Nichols family's rush to hold the funeral. If Debra were offic
On the day of the funeral, Shelia appeared in a black dress. Her belly was still flat, but she pushed it out to emphasize her pregnant state. She wanted everyone to know that she was carrying the heir to the Nichols family.Melody greeted the arriving guests with a dignified nod, but her gaze flicked anxiously around. Juan was conspicuously absent. She turned to Shelia, asking, "Where is Juan?"Shelia shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't see him this morning."Just then, Joe hurried over. "Mr. Nichols said he won't be coming today.""Not coming? That's not acceptable," Melody said unhappily.Since Juan and Debra hadn't divorced yet, they were still seen as a loving couple. It was inappropriate for him to be absent from his wife's burial.Melody ordered, "Go fetch him. Tell him it's my order. If he doesn't come today, he can forget about having me as his grandmother.""Understood." Joe quickly left.The guests whispered among themselves."Who is that woman with Melody?""
Melody furrowed her brow and chimed in, "Why didn't you come back if you were alive? Do you know how worried everyone was? And now you show up at the funeral. How thoughtless can you be?""You received the clothes retrieved by the rescue team and couldn't wait to hold the funeral. Naturally, I had to come and see for myself." Debra looked around the church, taking in the surroundings, and remarked, "It's a style I like, but unfortunately, I won't be able to enjoy it."She vividly remembered how she had tried so hard to please Melody in her past life. She had listened to Melody's every word and shown Melody with more respect than she had shown her parents.But Melody had seen her as nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded at will.When Melody found that Shelia could benefit Juan more, she welcomed Shelia into the family without a second thought, casting Debra aside like an old, unwanted toy.Like Juan, Melody had ice running through her veins.Debra turned her attention
The moment Debra stepped into the venue, camera flashlights flickered incessantly.This was more than just a news story; it was a sensation, a spectacle that would be splashed across every headline and trending on every platform. Some media outlets had even started live broadcasts. Debra surveyed the scene with cold detachment. This chaos was perfect for her purposes—a grand stage on which to blow the divorce news out of proportion.Joe sensed things were out of control and quickly pulled out his phone to alert Juan.By the time Juan arrived, the ambulance had already spirited Melody away, and Debra's people had efficiently cleared out most of the guests from the church.As Juan strode into the grand hall, his eyes immediately locked on Debra. A surge of joy propelled him forward, but before he could reach her, Shelia intercepted him."Juan, you can't go over there," Shelia exclaimed. "Melody just passed out because of her.""Move aside," he commanded, pushing past Shelia with
With her plan exposed, Debra lost the patience to keep sparring with Drake."You're right. It's getting late. I should head back."Before Drake could protest, she added, "You shouldn't be out right after a shower. Why don't you have me sent back and stay here for the night?""Since when do you make decisions for me?" Drake stood up, turning to Kale. "Go get the car.""Boss, are you sure you want to go out dressed like that?" Kale pointed out.Drake looked down at his robe before irritably ripping the towel from around his neck and throwing it at Debra. "Get out."Debra caught the towel and tossed it back, turning to leave the suite without a backward glance.Kale hurried after her. Anyone else would have been in serious trouble for defying Drake like that.Leaning against the wall outside, Debra sighed, "Does Mr. Lowe always take this long to get ready?"Kale didn't respond, his face stoic.Debra pressed on, "Who did he meet with today?"Kale remained silent.Debra knew she
Kale made way for her, and the guards pushed open the door.The room was empty, and only the sound of water running came from the bathroom.Kale got out and closed the door behind him. Debra wanted to leave, but two steaming cups of tea on the table caught her attention. It meant someone else had just been there.The room was thick with the smell of tobacco. It was Drake's signature cigar, but the other ashtray was clean, meaning the other person didn't smoke.She wondered who it could be when the bathroom door suddenly swung open.Drake appeared, his neck draped in a towel. A bathrobe hung loosely over his frame.Debra gave him a once-over instead of looking away.Having planned to intimidate her, Drake now shifted under her gaze. Any other woman would have shyly turned away.He remembered the last time he had been in the shower. She had walked in and stared at him the same way.This woman had no sense of modesty whatsoever."What are you looking at? Haven't you seen a man b
"You're lying," Drake asserted. "Maybe I'm not as cunning as you, but don't underestimate me."He stepped closer to Juan. "You promised me those shares, then turned around and promised the same to Debra. You were playing both sides, making me work for you for nothing. Am I right?"Juan smiled coolly, "You're overthinking it."Drake scoffed, "Don't take me for a fool. You signed a share transfer agreement with Debra. In three months, the Nichols Group automatically goes to her, making your promise to me null and void. You've been paving the way for her, and now you want me to take them from her?"Juan chuckled, "You're not that dull after all."Drake's expression darkened. "Debra was targeted as soon as he got the share transfer agreement from Theda. I saw the car; they didn't want to kidnap her. They wanted her dead. The car explosion would have burned everything, including that agreement."Their intention was clear. They didn't want Debra to have that agreement."You're clever,
Faced with the threat, Juan remained composed. "I didn't tamper with the car."Drake was unimpressed. "Then how did you know this?""I saw it," Juan replied."You expect me to believe that?" Drake scoffed. "Debra is your ex-wife. You're telling me you just stood by when someone tampered with her car?"Juan explained, "I couldn't show up in front of her. I could only give her a hint."Drake was swayed, and he continued, "I could have just left, but I chose to warn her. You can ask her for confirmation. If she hadn't seen me, she wouldn't have checked the car."Drake paused. "Fine, let's say you're telling the truth. But I didn't invite you to Orkgate. You're not the CEO of the Nichols Group anymore, which means you can no longer fulfill what you promised me. Our deal is off the table. What are you doing here now on my turf?"Back when Juan rescued Debra, Drake could have finished him off. He hadn't done so only because Juan had proposed working with him to deal with Marion. The s
Debra twisted open a bottle of water and rinsed her mouth."I've heard that people who love to speed tend to get concussions. Be careful. Don't die from them in your sleep.""Don't worry. I'll live longer than you and Marion."His phone rang, and Drake sneered, "See? That's less than 20 minutes."Then he spoke into the phone. "Just bring them over."Kale hesitated. "Boss, we haven't caught them yet.""What the hell? Then why are you calling me?""We've found out his identity.""Who?"Kale revealed the answer, and Drake fell silent.Noticing his dark expression, Debra asked deliberately, "Found them? Where are they?"Drake hung up the phone, tossing the car keys to her. "It's time to close the net. Just go ahead and park the car in the garage.""Park the car? Me?" Debra blinked.Another car quickly pulled up. The driver got out and opened the car door for Drake."Kale asked me to pick you up, boss."Drake nodded and slid into the car.Debra narrowed her eyes, feeling tha
"Can it be repaired?" Debra sulked, poking her forehead with his finger. "You just wouldn't stop causing trouble for me.""It's just a car. Don't get so worked up," Debra groaned."Did you see who did it?""No.""Then how did you know the car was tampered with?""I did catch a glimpse of a shadow darting behind me. I didn't see his face, but it seemed to be a man."She pointed to the streetlight behind her, where the figure had disappeared.Drake turned to Kale, who had gotten out of the car. "Check the surveillance cameras in the area. Have our men surround the place and screen for suspicious individuals.""Understood," Kale acknowledged.Drake's gaze then flickered to the two guards. "What are you good at? You can't even catch one person.""It was me who spotted the problem," Debra chimed in. "They didn't see anything."Her words made the two guards shift uncomfortably.Drake sighed, "Forget it. Get in the car. We'll talk about it at home."The two vans pulled up, and do
Theda was implying something, and Debra probed, "I don't think so. Drake rules Orkgate, and I'm staying in his house. Who would dare to touch me?""Who knows?" Theda shrugged. "There's always someone stronger. Drake may not be the true top dog here."She stood up, smoothing out her clothes. "Robert's actions were a mistake on my part, so consider the shares as compensation. Now we're even, and I'll compete with you fairly."With that, she left with her bodyguards.Debra glanced down at the document and put it away. The purpose of the meeting was clear, but it was surprising that Theda hadn't fussed over Robert's injury.In a way, Theda was an upright opponent, but business wars needed no morals."Ma'am, are you ready to leave?" one of the bodyguards asked.Debra turned and saw them shaken. Apparently, they were afraid those two burly bodyguards might return."Let's go," Debra said calmly.Immediately, the two men flanked her and escorted her to the car. As she was about to get
Garland rushed upstairs, shouting, "Liza, you rascal. You're dead to make that call."Debra set down her knife and fork. She had been worried that Fermin was playing dumb, but now she was sure the man with them was Garland, who was simple-minded and easy to fool. That was a relief.Her phone suddenly buzzed with a message from an unknown number. She looked down and saw a message from Theda, who requested to meet her at the airport in an hour.On the second floor, Drake stormed out of his room, irritated. "Debra, can't you control your people? I don't want this racket in my house."Debra looked up to see his weary expression, realizing he had been sorting through business data all day.She replied, "Sorry about that. I'll keep them in check."At the same time, Garland's shouting rang out again. "I'll smash your phone."Noises of a scuffle ensued, which further irritated Drake.He regretted ever letting Liza and Garland stay. It was only the first day, and they were already causi
Liza slammed her hands on the table. "How could you fall for a married woman?""Liza, calm down. It's not like that," Garland tried to explain.Debra interrupted him with a sigh, "Your confession was really touching. If you had shown up a bit earlier..."Liza was shocked. "You what? That's it. I'm telling Dad.""Liza!" Garland was eager to soothe her, but she dashed upstairs.Nonchalant, Debra continued to sip her soup."How could you do this?" Garland grumbled."I was speaking the truth." Debra shrugged innocently. "Or do you have ulterior motives to ask about my daily routine?"Garland swallowed hard, knowing it was yet another test.'As Juan said, Debra is not easy to fool. And following this logic, I'd be the lovelorn third male lead, following Juan. No. I don't deserve that title.'"Mrs. Houston," Garland hesitated, "honestly, I don't have feelings for you. It's just that I have my complicated reasons."He couldn't decide whether to spill everything or keep quiet. If he