"Juan, are you crazy?" Melody was shocked.Hester also paled, her bravado crumbling in an instant. She had mustered all her courage to speak up for Juan, but his words had turned her into a laughing stock in everyone's eyes. Tears welled up in Hester's eyes, threatening to spill over.Melody whirled on Debra, her eyes blazing with fury. "Debra, did you put Juan under a spell? How did you make him say such things?""Grandma, it has nothing to do with her," Juan said, his gaze lingering on Debra's face.She looked away, and the police officer announced, "According to Mr. Nichols' testimony, Debra was kidnapped by her family members, Stanley and Rosalie.""Go arrest them immediately.""Yes, sir."The police officers went into action. Juan showed no sign of defending himself.Melody gritted her teeth, her voice dropping to a low growl. "Are you disregarding our reputation for just a woman?""I admit to what I did," Juan said, turning to Joe. "Take my grandma back.""Sir..." Joe h
Pedro found himself in a delicate situation. He needed to maintain a balance between Juan's influence and the truth at hand. He glanced at Marion and chose his words carefully."Mr. Nichols, it's not that I don't want to cut you some slack, but..." His voice trailed off, hinting at the complexity of the situation.Juan, catching the implication, turned to Marion. "Mr. Hardy, you'd better understand who's really in charge in Seamar City."Marion said nonchalantly, "You might have been the overlord before, but now it's me."The atmosphere between them grew tense. Suddenly, Debra's phone buzzed with a series of incoming messages. She glanced at the screen, and her eyes turned to ice as she looked at Juan with renewed disdain."Mr. Nichols, is this your handiwork?" she asked.Juan didn't know what she was referring to. Debra held up her phone, revealing a series of explicit photos. The images showed her, clothes torn, lying unconscious in a dimly lit room. The implications were clear
The conclusion drawn was that Debra had deliberately found an excuse to let Juan go.She explained, "I don't think Joe was telling a lie. This has nothing to do with Juan."The situation had caught her off guard, and she had doubted Juan would resort to such despicable methods. Looking back, the plot was riddled with flaws.If Juan wanted to capture her, he wouldn't have stooped down to collaborate with someone like Rosalie. Something didn't add up.Despite her desire to divorce Juan, she didn't want to accuse him without just cause.Debra turned to Marion, her expression earnest. "I know you're worried about me and went to great lengths to deal with Juan. But in the end, I let him go. I..."Marion reached out and flicked her forehead. Debra's eyes widened in surprise. Marion looked at her with a gaze filled with affection."What's there to explain?""I feel quite sorry for you.""Do what you want to do with confidence. You have me behind you."His simple words seemed to prov
Stanley glared at Debra, his eyes burning with a mix of hatred and fear. "So what if it's me? Do you want to throw me back in prison? You selfish, vicious woman, you stole my things and wanted to ruin me. I'm not something you can push over."He struggled against the grip of the man holding him, but another hard punch landed on his jaw. "Behave yourself!"Stanley winced, his bravado deflating like a punctured balloon. Debra looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of pity and disgust."I used to let things slide because you are Ralph's son. As long as you didn't go too far, I wouldn't make a fuss. But that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Listen, the Frazier family was built by my father, and I am the sole heiress. My position has never been something you can covet.""You're talking nonsense. The Frazier family is mine. Do you have no conscience? Have you forgotten who took care of you after your parents died? It was my dad. And now you treat me like this, you ingrate!"
Rosalie and Stanley were dragged into the dimly lit basement. Debra glanced at Rosalie, who crumpled to the floor and shook with fear."It wasn't me." Rosalie frantically waved her hands. "It wasn't our intention. We..."Debra stepped forward and reached down to pinch her jaw. Rosalie had never seen such a terrifying side of Debra before.Debra snapped, "Has Ralph ever failed you? From the moment you married into the Frazier family, hasn't he always protected you? He satisfied your every need and insisted on marrying you, regardless of his reputation. What did you do in return, you ungrateful wretch?"Tears welled up in Rosalie's eyes, and she huddled herself on the cold floor.Debra continued, her voice unforgiving, "If anything happens to him, Stanley and you can expect to spend the rest of your lives in prison.""Debra," Rosalie tried to plead for leniency, but Debra was focused solely on Ralph.Marion instructed his men to take Ralph out of the basement. Then he said to Debr
Marion said, "You did nothing wrong. When dealing with people like this, you can't afford to be soft-hearted."Debra nodded, understanding his words all too well. She had shown weakness once before when Stanley had tried to kill her. Then Rosalie and Stanley attacked Ralph. Her previous compassion seemed like a joke.Marion took Debra's hand, feeling the slight tremble in her fingers. His voice softened, a rare tenderness that he reserved only for her. "Trust me, nothing will happen."Marion was known for his rebellious nature and his usual indifference to everything around him. But now, Debra saw a different side of him. Marion was dubbed a messenger of death, bringing cruelty and bloodshed wherever he went.Yet, in her eyes, Marion always hid a gentle tenderness. He merely pretended to be indifferent, refusing to let anyone get too close.In Juan's study room, Joe stood in front of the desk and reported, "We've found out. Those photos were most likely taken by Stanley."Juan wa
"I..." Hester's face flushed a deep shade of red.She had never expected to be dismissed so callously by Juan, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words. Her family was indeed a minor household, and every socialite in Seamar City dreamed of becoming Mrs. Nichols.Juan observed her mortified expression and demanded, "Get out. I won't repeat myself."Hester bit her lip and reluctantly stormed out of the room. Joe, who had been silently observing the exchange, stepped forward."Sir, Miss Vargas is just a naïve girl. There's no need to be so harsh.""Are you telling me how to do my job?""I dare not, sir."In the past, Juan had always been more tolerant of young girls, even if it was just for show. He would never have spoken so harshly to one. Moreover, the Vargas and Nichols families shared a decent relationship, making his abrupt dismissal of Hester all the more surprising.Juan stated, "From today on, I don't want any outsiders in this house. Do you understand?""Yes, I'll t
Shelia's ears perked up at the mention of Juan. She leaned over and asked hopefully, "Are you guys talking about Juan Nichols?"One of the prisoners shrugged. "Who knows his name? I just know it's the CEO of Nichols Group.""Don't talk to her. She'll just start claiming she's a rich lady again," another prisoner sneered. "The CEO was reportedly accused of attempted rape, but he was released from the station within an hour. If she were Mrs. Nichols, how could she be stuck here for days without being bailed out?"Shelia bit her lip, the reality of her situation sinking in. She had been languishing in this prison for several days, and Juan hadn't made any move to secure her release. It was no wonder these prisoners didn't take her claims seriously.Just then, the sound of intense crying echoed through the cell. A prisoner was sobbing in the corner, clutching a ring in her hand.Having been around Juan and his luxurious lifestyle, Shelia was no stranger to valuable items. Even from a
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