Rosalie scrutinized Debra's face, searching for any sign of sadness or shock, but found none. Feeling a twinge of boredom, she awkwardly said, "Well, they say Marion is cold-hearted. Since you're divorced, he can't possibly..."Debra shot a cold glance at Rosalie, and she recoiled in fear."If I remember correctly," Debra said, her tone indifferent, "you were divorced before you married Ralph. Have you forgotten how you ended up in this house?""I..." Rosalie was rendered speechless.Debra stood up. "Why should women make things difficult for other women? You should have been more mindful of your words.""You're right. I'm sorry," Rosalie conceded, stepping aside.With Debra now dominating the Frazier family, Rosalie dared not provoke her too much.Debra's lips curled in distaste. "There are things to handle at the company. I'll be leaving now. The table is dirty; please clean it up."She lazily adjusted her clothes and strode out of the house.Once Debra was gone, Rosalie gla
That would save Debra a lot of trouble.Ben's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and hastily stuffed it back into his pocket.Ben worked for Marion, and she rarely saw him this flustered."Is something wrong?""No, not really," Ben nervously replied.Debra extended her hand. "Let me see.""Madam...""Hand it over."She noticed it was his work phone, rarely used for personal calls. Something related to Marion must have caused this reaction.With sweat all over his back, Ben placed his phone in her hand.The message was from Randy, brief and to the point. [Houston family handover party tonight. Keep it from Debra.]She quickly realized the gravity of the situation. Marion had been back in the country for a while, and Caleb had announced that he would hand over the leadership of the family to Marion. But the handover party hadn't happened yet until now.Now she understood why. Marion had blocked the news to keep her in the dark."Madam, I...""Ben, rememb
Randy's gaze darted around the room as he deliberately avoided eye contact with her. Erica sensed something was amiss."Did something happen when you and Marion went abroad?""No, absolutely not. Don't overthink it, and please, don't mention it in front of Debra."Randy glanced around furtively, ensuring no one was within earshot. "Let's not talk here. Come with me."He grabbed Erica and led her out of the house. "Explain yourself, Randy. Explain right now," Erica demanded.Unbeknownst to them, Debra had overheard their exchange from the car. She rolled down the window, and Ben broke out in a cold sweat.After a moment of tense silence, he asked, "Madam, should we get out?"Debra didn't respond. Her mind raced as she processed Randy and Erica's peculiar behavior. It was evident that something had transpired between Cathryn and Marion."Let's get out.""Okay," Ben responded, swiftly exiting the vehicle and opening the door for her.Debra emerged from the car, a vision of ele
Debra's eyes dimmed.Randy covered his eyes, unable to bear witness to the impending drama. Erica, on the other hand, watched Debra anxiously.Marion spotted Debra in the crowd almost instantly, but his expression remained unchanged. Cathryn, standing elegantly by his side, noticed the shift in his attention and followed his gaze, her eyes landing on Debra.She frowned, asking, "Marion, who is she?"Marion replied indifferently, "Someone you shouldn't ask about."Marion withdrew the hand she had linked with his, leaving her staring blankly.Marion began to walk towards Debra, but she turned away and headed in the opposite direction.Unable to stop Debra, Erica rushed up to Marion. "What is going on between you and Cathryn? And you..."Marion put a hand up to interrupt her, his eyes never leaving Debra's retreating figure. "Marion!" Erica stomped her foot in frustration.Randy placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's their private matter. We shouldn't interfere."Erica wh
Cathryn's smile froze on her face. She felt awkward about Marion's slight toward her.A trio of noblewomen huddled together, their eyes following the three people as they whispered among themselves."Isn't that Mrs. Nichols? Why is she holding hands with Mr. Houston?""I always suspected their relationship was unusual. I didn't expect them to be together before she's even divorced.""Isn't Cathryn supposed to be Mr. Houston's fiancée? This is going to be interesting."...Their whispers were cut short as a few bodyguards approached them."Sorry, ladies, Mr. Houston has instructed us to ask you three to leave.""Why should we leave?" one of the ladies protested.Then she felt a cold glare from nearby. She looked over and lost her momentum at the sight of Marion. She was quickly ushered out, her companions following suit.Cathryn felt a pang of jealousy and humiliation. She walked up to Marion, her voice trembling with emotion. "Marion, Mrs. Nichols is a married woman. What you
Marion explained, "I promised to take responsibility because Shawn entrusted me with it on his deathbed. What were you thinking?"Randy stared at him, dumbfounded. "What? Entrusted on his deathbed?"He realized how bad Marion was at expressing himself.Erica huffed, "Why didn't you speak clearly? Any woman would misunderstand that."Randy, realizing the gravity of the situation, urged Marion. "You should go find Debra. If you delay any further, she might cut ties with you completely."Marion was already striding away, his figure disappearing into the crowd.Randy watched him go, muttering under his breath, "What's the point of having a mouth if you can't use it properly?"Debra slid into the backseat of her car. Ben asked, "Madam, are you going home?""Yes."Debra's phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the screen, expecting to see Marion's name, but it was Rosalie calling.She answered, and before she could utter a word, Rosalie's panicked voice filled the line."Debra, somet
Stanley's chair screeched across the floor as he abruptly stood, his eyes blazing with indignation. "Debra, what kind of tone is that? Who do you think you are, questioning my mother?"Debra cast a cold, unyielding glance at them. "I am the head of the Frazier family. I have every right to question her, and even if I were to send her to prison, it would be within my authority."The weight of the Frazier family's name and its generations-old traditions hung heavy in the air, causing Stanley to turn pale.Rosalie tried to smooth things over. "It's a misunderstanding, Debra.""A misunderstanding? Weren't you trying to send me to Juan's bed?"Rosalie was left speechless. That had indeed been her plan, but Debra's unexpected return had thrown a wrench into her machinations.Debra's voice was as cold as ice. "I'm lenient enough to forgive you a couple of times. This time, I won't let you off the hook."As she pulled out her phone, Stanley lunged forward. "What are you doing?""Callin
Rosalie's eyes glinted with a cold, calculating ruthlessness as she dragged Ralph towards the sofa. "Now's the time. Get Debra into Juan's bed. The Nichols family has stricter rules than ours. Melody is not one to be trifled with. As long as Debra is still Juan's wife, they won't tolerate her controlling the Frazier family. Then we can find a way to take over the company.""I'll drop Debra off at the hotel. Mom, you handle things here.""Okay."Stanley glanced down at Debra, who lay unconscious on the floor. With a grunt, he effortlessly hoisted her onto his shoulder and strode out of the room. In the garage, he threw her into the backseat of his car.Outside the villa, Ben was waiting anxiously for Debra's news when a sports car zoomed past him. A sense of unease washed over him, and he called Debra. He waited for a long time, but no one was answering."Shit!" he muttered, his heart pounding in his chest. Feeling the urgency of the situation, Ben immediately called Marion."He
Debra's eyes narrowed. "I get why you want to kill me, but Drake was your ally. Isn't this a bit too cruel?"Cathryn spluttered, "Drake used me like a pawn. I just want him to pay for it. Compared to the humiliation he put me through, 20 billion dollars is nothing. It can't even restore my dignity.""Dignity is something you give yourself," Debra retorted. "Drake gave you choices. You were blinded by greed.""Shut up!" Cathryn snarled. "Don't act all high and mighty with me. You think you're so pure? If you were, why did you throw yourself at Marion? At your engagement party, Erica protected you. Randy stood by you. Andrew had your back. You have Michael and Oscar supporting the McKinney Group for you. Even Juan can't forget you. With all these people loving you, why did you have to steal Marion?"Debra hadn't realized Cathryn harbored so much resentment. She let out a cold laugh. "Everything I have, I earned with my blood, sweat, and tears. Do you think Marion would love you if yo
Frederic caught Liza, who was paralyzed with fear, and pushed her toward the car.Meanwhile, Debra kicked Edgar in the chest and pinned him under her heel. "Tell me, what's in Seamar City?"She had gone to great lengths to corner Edgar, intending to have Randy keep an eye on him in Seamar City until she could return to confront him.But Edgar had fled overseas, taking Liza and Cathryn hostage in his desperation.With his thigh pierced, Edgar could barely fight back. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he spat, "What's in Seamar City? Are you seriously pretending you don't know? It's wealth beyond imagination. The kind of fortune every merchant dreams of.""What treasure?" Debra leaned in, her expression intense. "Be specific."Edgar's hand suddenly darted to his waist. In a flash, he drew a concealed dagger and slashed toward her. In reflex, Debra caught it.Frederic immediately raised his gun, only to find it hard to aim at Edgar. He was trying to use Debra as a shield."Help
"True." Drake stood up. "Get the car ready. We're going.""Yes, boss." Kale shook his head.Drake never cared about his reputation. He just needed an excuse to go.Once in the car, Kale started the engine and asked, "Boss, where are we headed?""How would I know? Didn't Cathryn tell you where she was?""No, she didn't."Silence settled in the car.Inside the abandoned factory, Edgar glanced at Liza. "Fermin hasn't shown up yet. Looks like he doesn't care about you that much."Liza retorted, "No way. He loves me the most. He'll come to save me.""Seems like we can't rely on you. I should contact Marion instead." Edgar pulled out his phone, planning to instruct Marion to leave the money in a safe spot.Suddenly, a pair of headlights penetrated the darkness, shining directly at him."See? I told you my brother would come to rescue me." Liza pointed at the black car in the distance.Quickly, a figure emerged from the car. It was Frederic, who was dressed in a sharp suit that bo
"Me?" Debra muttered.Edgar held no personal grudge against Liza. The only person he hated there was Debra.She was the only reason for his downfall."Yes, you," Edgar replied. "You're full of tricks, and I don't trust you. If you don't take her place, I won't let her go."Debra laughed, "Then don't let her go. The Eatons are not after me anyway. And a little heads-up. If I get a scratch, Marion will make you pay a heavy price."Before Edgar could respond, she continued, "Well, I can go over and take her place."Edgar's eyes narrowed, and she added, "Relax! I might be able to fend off a couple of amateurs, but against you? I wouldn't stand a chance."Edgar scoffed, "At least you're self-aware."Only then did he cut Liza loose. The marks on her skin were deep. For someone who had lived a life of luxury and privilege, the humiliation was unbearable.She glared at Edgar, eager to slap him, but the cold steel of his gun kept her rooted in place.Meanwhile, Marion sped down the de
Kale hesitated.Drake furrowed his brow. "What is it?"Kale sighed, "Miss Bernard was kidnapped by Edgar.""Oh, and what does that have to do with me? Edgar needs money, right? He wants a ransom?""Yes.""Well, he should be asking Marion for money. Marion was the one who promised to take care of Cathryn."Drake brushed it off and loosened his tie. "Go pack your things. We don't need to get involved in Cathryn's affairs. Someone else will take care of it.""But...""What is it now?""Debra has also been kidnapped.""By Edgar? Ha!""I heard it over the phone. Besides Debra, Liza has also been taken. It sounds like Edgar is demanding a ransom of one trillion dollars.""One trillion? Has he lost his mind?""Desperate people do desperate things."Inside the abandoned factory, Debra leaned against the van and took out her phone."Are you sure you don't want me to call Marion? Both of them have already made calls. What's holding you back?" she said."Shut up!" Edgar snapped.
The line went through, but the one answering the call was Kale.He warned, "Miss Bernard, I believe Mr. Lowe made himself clear. If you insist on bothering him, he'll show you no mercy."Cathryn hadn't expected this number to belong to Kale. It turned out Drake hadn't given her his number at all.But with Edgar staring at her from the side, she had to bite the bullet and try again. "Can you please let Drake take the call? I have something very important to tell him.""Mr. Lowe isn't interested," Kale refused flatly, ready to hang up.Cathryn cried out, "I've been kidnapped by Edgar. He'll kill me if I can't come up with a ransom of 20 billion dollars."But Kale was unimpressed. "Well, you're no longer engaged to Mr. Lowe. Whether it's 20 billion or 20 dollars, it has nothing to do with us."Cathryn's last hope was dashed. Edgar heard it and said, "So, you're useless now.""No. Don't kill me," Cathryn pleaded.Edgar snorted, "The Eaton family would pay 40 billion for Miss Eaton
"Not your concern," Edgar spat, pressing the gun barrel against Liza's forehead. "Call Marion and tell him to prepare the ransom. Otherwise, I'll kill her.""Go ahead," Debra said indifferently. "Cathryn and I are rivals, and I've never gotten along with Liza. Killing either of them won't affect me."Liza was pissed off. From the look on her face, Debra knew she was cursing her.Debra added, "Save your energy. Using their lives to threaten me won't work. You'd be better off making them call their families. Maybe Drake cares enough about his fiancée to pay up. As for Mr. Eaton Sr., he's old and ruthless. I'd suggest contacting her brother instead. Maybe then, you'll have a chance to walk away with the money."Liza listened with growing irritation. Undoubtedly, Debra was the devil's advocate."You make a good point," Edgar admitted, ripping the duct tape off Liza's mouth.She immediately shouted at Debra, "You shameless viper! You...""Shut up!" Edgar pressed the gun harder agains
Edgar sneered, "All three of you are in my grasp. Marion, the Eaton family, and Drake are at my mercy."Debra glanced at the stun baton in her hand, her voice calm but biting. "What makes you think that way?"She began walking toward Edgar, her every step steady and deliberate.Edgar used to be the head of the Odom family. His fighting skills were not bad.But Debra's confident demeanor made him hesitate and wonder if she could really take him on.Liza struggled, managing to bring her stiletto heel down hard on Edgar's foot. He grunted in pain and loosened his grip on her.She bolted, but Edgar quickly recovered, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her back.Debra coldly stared at him. "Let me guess. You used Cathryn to lure Liza here and then used Liza to trick me, didn't you?"Edgar snorted, "So what?"Debra laughed mockingly, "Edgar, you used to be the most powerful man in Booton, and now you've stooped to kidnapping women to survive? No dignity left?""Dignity?" Edgar sn
"How did you know?" one of the men exclaimed, reaching for the stun baton in his pocket.Debra casually touched the crest on their chests. "The logo is wrong. Be more careful with your forgeries."She turned around and raised her voice. "I'm already here, Mr. Odom. Why don't you come out with Miss Eaton? We'll have a little chat."Soon, a figure emerged from the abandoned factory. In just half a month, Edgar had become extremely haggard. His face was covered in stubble. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt was dirty.Debra clicked her tongue. "Mr. Odom, you don't look so good. Is the allowance from the McKinney Group not enough for you?"Edgar was infuriated. If it weren't for her schemes, he wouldn't be in this state.Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How did you know it was me?""Liza, a spoiled and arrogant girl, would never apologize to me. I had people track your moves, but you got away. So, I guessed you'd come here. You need money, don't you?"Now that everything was expo