Juan sat across from Stanley, his face shrouded in the dim, flickering lights of the abandoned factory. The atmosphere was thick with danger and unease, the silence broken only by the muffled pleas of Stanley, his words smothered by the tape across his mouth.Juan gave Joe a nod, and the latter stepped forward, ripping the tape off Stanley's mouth."Help! Help!" Stanley screamed, but there was no response, only the cold echo of his own desperation.Joe reminded him, "We're out in the suburbs, and it's midnight. No one will come to your rescue, and no one will hear you.""What do you want? Juan, I helped you. How can you turn on me like this?" Stanley snapped.Juan ignored his childish outburst. Joe swiftly took Stanley's phone, unlocked it, and handed it to Juan.Juan scrolled through the photos in the album, his gaze growing colder with each passing second. Finally, he reached over, opened a nearby shredder, and tossed the phone inside. The shredder roared to life, the sound of
Stanley froze, his eyes widening in surprise as several figures surrounded him in a tight circle.Marion showed no interest in it. He turned and walked out of the abandoned factory, his voice indifferent as he said, "I'll leave this to you. Teach Mr. Frazier a good lesson.""Got it."The place was soon filled with wails and pleas for mercy.As dawn broke, Debra groggily woke up, her eyes fluttering open as she stretched languidly in her bed. As her vision cleared, she saw a bruised and battered figure before her. She blinked, rubbing her eyes to ensure she wasn't dreaming.Stanley was tied up, his face swollen and bruised beyond recognition. He wore a pitiful, resentful expression."Stanley?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.Stanley had been pampered all his life, and aside from a brief stint in prison, he had never known true hardship. Seeing his once-handsome face so battered was a shocking first."I've brought him back," Marion said, sitting on the bed. "How you h
Marion's arm was robust, his muscles taut beneath his shirt. As Debra steadied herself against him, she could almost feel his heartbeat and breaths.She pulled her hand back. "Sorry, I didn't steady myself.""I've got you. You won't fall."A maid entered the room, handing him a set of brand-new clothes. Marion placed them on a nearby table and turned to Debra. "I'll wait for you outside."Debra nodded, her body still warm from the fever last night. She was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Only after Marion stepped out did she head to the bathroom to wash off the remnants of her illness.Outside the door, Marion listened to the sound of water running, the warmth of Debra's touch still lingering on his arm. He swallowed hard.After a while, Debra emerged from the bathroom, dressed in clean clothes."I'm ready. Let's go."She wore a crisp casual shirt and jeans, her hair still damp and cascading in waves over her shoulders. Marion approached her, gently gathering her hair in his
Debra looked at Ralph, her eyes filled with concern. "Uncle Ralph, have you thought this through?"She feared that Ralph might come to regret his decision later, but Ralph's expression was resolute."This beast dares hit his father. What else would he hesitate to do? Today, not only will I sever our father-son relationship, but I'm also calling a press conference to announce my divorce from Rosalie. From now on, none of my inheritance will go to them."Stanley was devastated. "Dad! You can't do this to me. Everything in the Frazier family should rightfully be mine. How can you leave it all to outsiders?"Ralph's eyes narrowed. "Outsiders? Everything in the Frazier family is from my brother's legacy. All these years, everything you've eaten and drunk was money brought by Debra. How can you shamelessly turn against her?"He had once thought Stanley was merely troublesome, but he never imagined Stanley would commit such an unforgivable act.His voice was like ice as he declared, "I
Debra shifted uncomfortably under Ralph's gaze. "It's not what you think about Marion and me.""Everyone can see the way Marion feels about you. But he is a man with a past, and that past is stained with blood," Ralph said with concern. "All I want is for you to be happy and safe. A life with Marion will never be tranquil. If there's even a shred of doubt, don't walk down that aisle. Our family has more than enough wealth to ensure you a comfortable life."Debra offered him a reassuring smile. "I understand your concerns, Uncle Ralph. But please, focus on your recovery. I can take care of myself."Ralph nodded in agreement.Stepping out of the hospital room, Debra spotted Marion and Randy deep in conversation at the far end of the corridor. She decided not to interrupt them.Ralph's words echoed in her mind, casting a shadow of doubt over her feelings for Marion."Debra!" A voice suddenly came from behind her.Debra turned to see Erica rushing over, still dressed in her evening
Marion turned around, his brow furrowing slightly as he noticed the commotion behind him. Cathryn was trying to make her way towards him, but Randy intercepted her. "Miss Bernard, you shouldn't be out of bed. Doctor's orders. Let me help you back."He had been there all night and worried that she might faint again under yet another stimulation."Marion, I need to talk to you alone," Cathryn pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.Her eyes were rimmed red, threatening to spill over with tears at any moment. However, Marion's gaze was fixed elsewhere, and he completely ignored her plea.Cathryn followed his gaze to see Debra standing behind her. She bit her lip, a pang of jealousy coursing through her.Randy, noticing Debra as well, muttered under his breath, "Oh gosh, this is turning into a battlefield."With a sudden burst of determination, Cathryn walked up to Debra and grabbed her hand. "Mrs. Nichols, can you ask Marion to talk to me? I need to clear things up."She cried
Debra stood with a calm demeanor, her voice steady as she spoke, "This is between Marion and Cathryn. We shouldn't interfere.""But Marion likes you," Erica insisted, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Cathryn is just causing a scene. Marion never once said he wanted to marry her or even liked her. She's just putting on a show, acting like she's the victim. Didn't you see how those passersby looked at you?"They acted as if Debra had done something bad to Cathryn, though the whole thing had nothing to do with her.Erica stomped her feet and continued, "If it weren't for her father, Marion wouldn't have paid her any attention."Debra shrugged, but her gaze betrayed her as she glanced at Marion and Cathryn.Cathryn attempted to grab Marion's arm, but he deftly sidestepped her."Do you dislike me touching you that much?" she asked, dropping her eyes.Marion replied indifferently, "I promised Shawn that you'd be safe for the rest of your life, but if you keep pushing me, I'll ha
"Do as you please," Marion said indifferently, turning to leave.Randy hastily followed him, leaving Cathryn standing alone amidst the crowd.Debra also turned on her heel and walked away. Erica sidled up to her."Did you catch what they were discussing?""Yes, I did."Randy’s voice had been loud, so it was impossible not to hear. But Cathryn had inadvertently caused her a lot of trouble.Erica's expression turned serious as she noted Debra's darkening mood. "Has Cathryn joining Nichols Entertainment caused you problems?"Debra remained silent, but her expression gave away her feelings."Is it serious?""I hope not."The Bernard family had substantial influence overseas, and with Marion backing them, their power had only grown. Nichols Entertainment inviting Cathryn to join them was a strategic move to cover up Sean's recent scandal.Cathryn's overseas connections could attract significant investment. That was why she and Marion had been trending lately. The Nichols Group wa
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