Debra looked at Andrew, asking, "Mr. Andrew Potter, are you suffering from depre..."Before she could finish, Andrew wrinkled his brows, a silent warning that made Debra swallow her words.She couldn't reveal his secret to his face. His severe depression was likely his most closely guarded secret. If news of his mental illness spread while he was at the helm of the Potter family, it would be exploited mercilessly. Those vying for power within the family would seize the opportunity to employ underhanded tactics.Debra opted for a more indirect approach. "Mr. Andrew Potter, taking medicine alone won't solve the problem. Why not find the root of your issue and resolve it completely?""Thank you for your suggestion," Andrew said blandly, turning to the butler. "See Ms. Frazier out.""Yes, sir," the butler replied, his voice trembling slightly.It was the first time he had witnessed someone speak so candidly to Andrew. He had half-expected a storm to brew, but Andrew remained calm.A
Outside the house, Michael stood tense, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap. His face was a mask of calm, but his hand gripped the knife hidden in his sleeve, ready to act at the slightest provocation.Debra stepped out and said, "Why so tense, Michael? It's time to leave."Michael asked, "It's settled?""Yeah."Seeing that she was unharmed, Michael relaxed his guard, but only slightly.The Potter family was like a bottomless quagmire filled with unknown dangers. If Juan was the ruler of Seamar City, then Andrew was its most mysterious king.Everyone knew that while one could cross Juan and live to tell the tale, offending Andrew was akin to signing their death warrants.Once inside the car, Michael reached over, his hands gently checking Debra's shoulders and arms for any signs of injury.Satisfied that she was unharmed, he asked despite the presence of the driver, "Did you offend him?""No.""Then why did he meet you?""He gave me a friendly reminder."Debra leane
Board members of the Nichols Group shouted and cursed, their voices echoing off the walls.Juan's sudden entrance brought an abrupt silence, as if someone had hit the mute button."Mr. Nichols, you need to come up with a solution. The finance department can't produce over a hundred million to support this project. If something goes wrong now, then...""I will cover the cost," Juan interjected calmly.With his declaration, the room settled down immediately.One board member, emboldened by the recent turmoil, dared to ask, "Mr. Nichols, are you planning to use your own money to fix the problems?"In the past, such a question would have been unthinkable, but Juan's recent actions had left everyone puzzled and concerned.They voiced their dissatisfaction one after another."Mr. Nichols, aren't you going to do anything about Mrs. Nichols' tantrums? It's affecting the company's image.""I think it's best if you divorce her. The Frazier family is now backed by the McKinney Group. The
"Yes, sir," Joe responded.The board members, who had threatened Juan with resignation, almost collapsed to the ground.They had forgotten the steely resolve and power Juan once wielded. His recent nonchalance had lulled them into a false sense of security."Sir, are you sure about letting them resign?" Joe asked cautiously. "They are all senior board members, after all."Juan's expression remained impassive. "I want to send a clear message to my grandmother. No matter how far her influence reaches, it stops at the company's door and mine.""Understood, sir." Joe nodded, knowing better than to argue.Juan pulled out a card and handed it to Joe. "This should cover everything. I need some time to myself."Joe faltered, "Sir, while the construction site issues have been resolved, there's still the matter of Mrs. Nichols."He paused, bracing himself for Juan's glare. "Mrs. Nichols keeps sending divorce papers daily. We can't keep ignoring them.""Arrange a meeting with her tonight
The restaurant area of the Emerald Hotel was exclusively reserved by Juan. The lighting was dim, and retro music played softly in the background. The chef meticulously arranged the dishes, the presentation creating a somewhat ambiguous mood.Debra glanced at the dishes on the table, her expression cool and detached. "I thought you came to see me to sign the divorce papers."Earlier that day, there had been a significant uproar at the Nichols Group. The resentment towards her was palpable, and Debra couldn't believe that Melody hadn't made any move in such a high-pressure situation.Juan was supposed to discuss the divorce with her now, not arrange a private dinner."Does Marion know about your relationship with Tracy?" Juan suddenly asked.Debra frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"Juan replied, "Tracy opposed the Nichols Group for your sake. Before you had the accident, you had the Frazier Group merge with his company. Your relationship must be special."Realization dawned
Shelia's public tantrum drew the attention of everyone around them.People outside the restaurant cast curious and disapproving glances at Debra and Juan, their expressions filled with silent judgment."Sir." Joe rushed into the scene, but Juan's steely gaze cut through him like a knife. "Who brought her here?""I..." Joe stammered, unable to form a coherent response. He knew it was useless to excuse himself.Hidden in the bushes outside the hotel, a figure snapped a photo of the drama and slipped away.Debra's patience was wearing thin. "You keep making a scene. Don't bother me.""You're not allowed to leave." Shelia, her face contorted with jealousy and rage, grabbed Debra's hand. "Everyone, look. This woman is divorced and trying to seduce my husband."More and more people gathered around. Juan snapped, "Shelia, what do you think you're doing?""I'm carrying your child. Yet you're here looking for your ex-wife. Do you even want this child?""I never wanted this child."Deb
In a nearby corner, a wheelchair lay tipped over on its side. A familiar figure came into view.Debra's eyes widened in surprise. "Andrew?"Then it clicked. The Emerald Hotel was owned by the Potter family, so it wasn't unusual for Andrew to be here, even at this late hour."It's nothing, thank you," Andrew said politely.Debra noticed that his legs weren't entirely paralyzed but seemed difficult to use. He managed to pull himself back into the wheelchair with a grimace of effort.He didn't seem particularly surprised to see her, which made sense. Juan had booked the entire restaurant in the Emerald Hotel, and as the owner, Andrew would naturally be aware of the arrangements.Debra's initial instinct was to flee, but she hesitated, caught in a moment of indecision. She decided to make small talk to buy herself some time. "Mr. Andrew Potter, where's your assistant?"Andrew replied calmly, "He's handling something for me."Debra nodded. "Should I..."Her eyes darted towards the
As Debra settled into her seat, Andrew slid a cup of instant coffee towards her.She glanced at the steaming cup and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you really have it."Andrew took his seat across from her and began meticulously brewing his tea, seemingly uninterested in discussing the commotion downstairs.Debra, however, couldn't contain her curiosity. "Mr. Andrew Potter, you mentioned a disturbance downstairs. Was it caused by Shelia?"The Emerald Hotel was owned by the Potter family, and no one had dared to cause trouble within its walls.Shelia, not being part of their elite circle, was an exception to this unspoken rule. If an ordinary person had caused a scene, the hotel would have handled it discreetly.But Shelia was now practically a member of the Nichols family, and she was carrying Juan's child, which made it a different matter. Any repercussions would likely fall on the Nichols family."Shelia..." Andrew mused. "I don't remember that name.""You don't?" Debra was taken 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