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
"Let go!"Debra tried to push Juan away, but his grip was like a vice. She couldn't break free, no matter how hard she tried. Her eyes flashed with defiance."Do you think this will make me love you? All it does is make me hate you more.""As long as you're with me, I don't care whether you love me or hate me."Juan's gaze bore into her, filled with a deep, almost desperate affection. It was a far cry from his image in her past life.But Debra knew better. She didn't forget what he had done to her and how he had killed her. Her feelings for him had been long gone."I don't want to be with you. Even if you use every trick in the book against the Frazier family, I will never stay by your side."She felt his fingers dig into her wrist. Now Juan's voice held suppressed anger. "Debra, don't force my hand."A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "When did the great Mr. Nichols start using these kinds of tactics on women? Do you know what you look like right now? You're like a humble suitor
Marion swiftly removed his coat and wrapped it around Debra, pulling her tightly into his arms. His voice was cold, laced with a hint of anger as he glared at Juan."You're despicable, Juan."Ben arrived belatedly, panting heavily."Madam," he said, catching his breath, "I've already called the police. They'll be here soon.""The police?" Juan snorted, looking at Marion. "Are you out of your mind?"He knew Marion's background and his involvement in illegal activities. It was a risky move for someone like him to invite the authorities.Debra was also taken aback. She whispered sharply, "Marion, do you even know what you're doing?"She wasn't sure if Marion's illegal activities had reached Seamar City. If they had, calling the police could spell trouble for him. He had been in this line of work for years and knew the game well."A certain CEO kidnaps his wife in the middle of the night, tries to rape her, and is then arrested by the police," Marion said, his voice icy and cutting
It seemed that Juan would get away with punishment."Please come with us to the police station," said one of the police officers.His tone was much softer, but this was not an outcome Juan wanted.Joe chimed in, "Didn't your chief explain the situation to you?"The officer nodded, unmoved. "He did, but we still need the three of you to come with us for a statement."Their insistence prevailed, and Juan laid his eyes on Marion. 'Is Marion behind this?'Debra was also surprised. She didn't know that Marion's influence had already permeated Seamar City.In her previous life, Marion had only established himself here three years later. She wondered how he had gained such clout so soon."We are just doing our job. Please don't make this difficult for us, Mr. Nichols," the officer reiterated, gesturing for them to follow.It appeared that a trip to the police station was inevitable.Juan cast Marion a cold glance. "Mr. Huston, well played.""Likewise," Marion responded, escorting D
Debra found herself unable to avoid Marion's intense gaze. His eyes, serious and sincere, bore into hers."I don't like being in debt, and I don't have any romantic debts. My heart belongs to you alone, now and forever.""I don't believe in love," Debra said, her voice flat. "Maybe in the past, I could have fallen for you. But now, I don't want to easily fall for anyone."The lessons from her past life were too painful. She admitted that Marion's words had momentarily moved her, but it wasn't enough to risk the rest of her life.Life was precious, and having been given a second chance, she wasn't about to drown in love again."Alright, then I'll stay by your side until you accept me.""You..."Just then, the driver got into the car, interrupting the intimate atmosphere."Mr. Houston, Ms. Frazier, don't worry. It won't take long," a police officer said politely, taking the passenger seat.Debra suddenly remembered that the Houston family had a strong military background. The mi
Hester felt a surge of happiness when she heard Melody's promise. "I will follow your instructions."The police car loitered outside for half an hour before slowly making its way to the station. As they finally arrived, Juan stepped out, his face grim and stormy. Joe followed closely behind, his body tense with barely contained anger.The driver had intentionally driven in circles, aiming to make a spectacle of them and stir up public opinion. They cursed at Marion for this underhanded move."Mr. Houston, Ms. Frazier, please get out of the car."Debra emerged, wrapped in Marion's coat. Her eyes met Juan's gaze with an icy resolve.Juan glanced at Marion, his voice cold and accusatory. "Mr. Houston, you've got some impressive tactics. I've seen it now."Marion was unruffled. "Compared to yours, my methods are indeed more sophisticated.""Mr. Nichols, please come with us to make a statement," the officer instructed, leading Juan away. Juan's gaze lingered on Debra, but she refus
"Stop right there."Marion's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. Melody halted mid-step, her eyes narrowing as she turned to face him. "What's the matter? You're just a mere junior, an illegitimate son of the Houston family. Do you think you can lecture me?""You're right." Marion shrugged.Debra's heart swelled with a mix of emotions. Marion was ready to stand up for her, even against a prominent figure like Melody. After all, this wasn't a conflict between men but a war between women.Melody's gaze flicked between Marion and Debra, her lips curling into a sneer. "Oh, I see. You two are in cahoots. Debra, you betrayed Juan and hooked up with Marion, right? No wonder you're so eager for a divorce. You must think you've landed a better catch."Debra snapped, "Melody, I respect you as an elder and usually give you some leeway. But don't push your luck. If you go too far, I won't be so accommodating."In her past life, Debra had shown Melody kindness, only to be met wit
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