Debra glanced instinctively towards the kitchen. Marion stood at the stove, wearing a black apron. He looked quite relaxed, the spatula in his hand moving deftly as he fried eggs.Sensing her gaze, Marion looked up. Debra quickly averted her eyes, but it was too late. He had caught her staring."Breakfast's ready," Randy shouted from the kitchen, carrying three plates piled high with food.Marion placed a dish in front of Debra, the eggs cooked to perfection.Randy, setting the plates down, remarked with a playful pout, "Man, when will you ever be this considerate toward me?"Erica chimed in, "Maybe in your next life."As just Debra began to eat, her phone buzzed with an incoming message from Juan.She glanced at Marion to see if he had noticed, and seeing that he was engrossed in his own meal, she opened the message.Juan: [8 PM, Royal Grand Hotel.]Debra hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen. She thought about the dream she'd had and typed her reply.Debra: [No ne
Erica rolled her eyes. "I think they're birds of a feather. Did you resolve the issue with Cathryn?"Debra shrugged. "Cathryn can't stir up any trouble. Marion wouldn't even bother looking at her."Erica's mood soured further, and she kicked Randy. "It'd better be that way."Randy yelped in pain, "Hey! Why did you kick me for no reason?"Debra's arrival at Nichols Group headquarters caused quite a stir."Isn't Ms. Frazier? What is she doing here?""Isn't it obvious? She was publicly at odds with Mr. Nichols before. Now that the Frazier Group is bankrupt, she's naturally here to seek his help.""I thought she had a lot of pride, but it turns out she's just here to beg Mr. Nichols to reconcile?"...The whispers reached Debra's ears, but she ignored them.The recent news about the Frazier and Nichols families had been quite unpleasant, and her visit to the Nichols Group was bound to spark gossip. But she wasn't focused on that right now.Joe, who had been waiting on the first
Juan's words carried a ring of truth that was hard to dismiss.Debra fell silent, contemplating the notion that perhaps people could indeed change.In this life, Juan had seen through Shelia's façade, which explained his withdrawal of affection for her."Do you have impressions of these companies?" she asked, placing several files on the table.The files contained detailed information about various companies that Juan had targeted in her previous life. Although she knew the likelihood of getting a positive response from Juan in this life was slim, she felt compelled to try.Juan shifted his gaze to the files, his expression thoughtful. "No."Sure enough, because of her intervention, Juan had not yet taken notice of these subsidiaries of the Frazier Group.Debra took a deep breath, her mind racing with memories and revelations. Ever since having that vivid dream, she had instructed someone to investigate the accounts of those subsidiaries. The findings were grim; the companies ha
"We do have an agreement, but..."It was not compulsory. Instead of voicing her protest, Debra picked up the contract from the table.The document was labeled as a contract with Potter Entertainment. She scanned the pages, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion."The agreement is there, but it's not a sell-yourself contract."Andrew glanced at her, and she quickly corrected herself. "I mean, you want to hire me?"Andrew replied calmly, "That's the idea. The contract is very clear."Debra struggled to find the right words. "I did consider entering showbiz, but I...""But you plan to enter showbiz with McKinney Group, not with me?""Uh... Yeah."Debra squirmed under his gaze, feeling trapped.Andrew pressed on. "Don't forget our previous agreement. The Frazier Group's collapse has affected my family. This is a chance for you to make up."Debra felt a pang of unease. Andrew knew her weak spot and was pushing her into a corner. She put down the contract, her shoulders slumping slig
The Frazier family owned several properties, but they had been left vacant for years. Debra found a luxurious apartment close to the city center that suited her needs perfectly. The apartment was sprawling, at least 150 square meters, more than enough space for her to start anew.The moving company efficiently cleared out and organized everything within three days.One day, Debra did something she hadn't done in a long time.She posted on social media. [Embracing a brand-new life!]Under the caption was a half-face photo of herself and a picture of her new living room.The comments started pouring in almost immediately.Erica: [Wow, I love it. Want to come over for a meal.]Randy: [Ditto. I can cook for myself.]Marion: [Nice.]The comments touched Debra. In her previous life, she had few friends, but in this one, she had gained a supportive circle.As she refreshed her feed, she noticed a like from Juan. Her mood soured instantly.A new comment appeared.Jordan: [The room'
"Hannah, who is she?" they asked.Hannah introduced Debra, "Meet Debra Frazier. She's your new colleague and a new rival."Eyes narrowed, and whispers began to buzz. Three girls stood out to protest."I know her. She's the Frazier family's heiress who's been trending recently.""Not the heiress anymore. She's broke.""Hannah, this is ridiculous. Are you just going to let some pampered princess waltz in here and compete with us?"Debra shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of their stares. She was an outsider, and she knew it. Before arriving, Andrew had warned her that only one person would emerge from this practice room. More people meant more competitors. And she had taken a shortcut to get here."You can choose to leave. No one is stopping you," Hannah said, unperturbed about their protests.The atmosphere in the room turned tense, and she continued, "If you don't want to leave, then train hard. Even if you can't be the standout, at least you can be a second-stringer."
A sweet-faced girl among them was annoyed. "What do you mean? You think just because Hannah is backing you, we won't dare to do anything?"That cool girl echoed, "You only got into this room because of your internet fame. We're the ones who put in the real effort every day. Don't you find it disgusting how you're behaving?"Debra raised an eyebrow. "You think it's unfair?""Of course, it is!" the others barked, their frustration palpable.Debra was unfazed. "There's no such thing as absolute fairness in this world. Some people use their brains. Some rely on their looks, and others use their connections. If you want to be in this industry and expect fairness, you're nothing but a bunch of naïve kids."The sweet-faced girl, her confidence bolstered by her father's status as the chairman of Potter Entertainment, stepped forward. "You're just arguing for the sake of it.""Am I?" Debra stepped forward, grabbing the expensive necklace around the girl's neck. "This is an overseas luxury
Debra hadn't given much thought to her debut. Perhaps Andrew wasn't taking it too seriously. Her debut just fit the public sentiment, and it could boost the Potter family and the McKinney Group.Besides, she had never seen any contract clauses mentioning penalty fees for withdrawing from training.On her first day, Debra familiarized herself with the environment. At night, Hannah handed her a stack of profiles about all the trainees. As she flipped through the pages, a few faces stood out.Freya George, the lead girl, had an air of cold detachment. Eve Cameron was the chairman's daughter, and Ashley Steele was that sweet-faced girl.These three were undoubtedly the strongest contenders. The rest of the trainees seemed to blend into the background, lacking the spark that set the top three apart.Debra had long been aware that the entertainment industry was little more than a playground for the elite. However, she hadn't expected that even a public selection would be predetermined.
Under Randy's threat, Lara didn't dawdle. She swiped her fingerprint, and the infrared beams blinked out."My clearance only kills the lasers for three minutes," she said. "Taking me like this only slows you down. Let me go, and I swear I won't pull anything.""Three minutes? Then hustle," Randy snorted.She was full of schemes. Cutting her loose brought him nothing but danger. He would not fall for it.Lara kept her cool and led him toward the end of the hall.The place was futuristic, loaded with tech Randy had never even seen. Only people with the code could get in.Now that she had removed restrictions, it was now just another regular hallway.At the end stood a massive door. She spoke. "Our master is behind that. I can't go in, but I'll open it for you.""Do it quickly," he urged.She stepped to the side and used facial recognition. The door slid open, revealing a dark room.As he scoped it out, she broke free and tried to shove him in.Quick in reaction, he yanked her
As long as he twitched it a little, Lara would be dead.Randy growled, "Cut the crap. Try me again, and you're done."Lara didn't dare push it. She took a breath. "Okay. Follow me inside.""I know who your master is," he said. "Tell him to let Erica go, or the Osborne line ends with me."Her face shifted at that. He noticed. "What, you don't know who he is? Guess you're not that big a deal around here. So, quit stalling. Take me to him now. Touch me, and you don't live to see another day."Lara's composure crumbled.In the Illuminati, nobody knew the bishop's identity. She couldn't tell if Randy was bluffing or not.She had no choice but to lead him toward another entrance. Those goons didn't dare stop him. They just stepped aside.She took him deeper into the valley. The further in, the warier Randy got.The mist thickened, blotting out everything.At a rocky entrance, she used her fingerprint to unlock a hidden door in the mountain. It was mind-boggling that the Illuminati
Lara's face twisted. "No way he would say that. He wants the four families wiped out.""Take it up with him." Juan shrugged, heading out of the valley. "I'm not wasting my breath on you."Lara muttered in disbelief, "Our master wouldn't do that. This was our shot to take them down."Before she could piece it together, a guy rushed up. "Miss, something else showed up.""Who was it?" Lara snapped, annoyed.The four families only had Debra and Marion worth a damn to them."Looks like someone from the Osborne family.""Randy? What's that punk doing here?"Right then, a guy flew in from the mist, screaming as he hit the ground.Randy stepped out with a fierce expression. Lara barked for her crew to gear up.Everyone was puzzled, not expecting a wuss like Randy to be so good at fighting.He'd taken out every guard outside the valley solo, and not one alarm had been tripped. It meant he had memorized the layout, found the safest path, and dodged every trap.Lara sized him up serio
The Illuminati crew scattered into the mist.The leader stayed, pulling off his mask.Juan's brow creased hard. This was all he could do for them.Debra and Marion hauled out of the valley.Earlier when they were talking to that guy, she had clocked his limp. Plus, he had tapped his leg to drop hints.Through those details, she had figured out it was Juan.Juan had fed them a load of crap.Erica was inside. The bishop would show himself if they managed to find her. He would let them go if they could make a deal.It sounded reasonable but did not hold up.The Illuminati had an edge over them. If the bishop wanted to meet, he wouldn't need to snatch Erica. Even if he had her, it'd be to trade for the gemstone they held.He commanded, and they had to comply because they had zero leverage to negotiate. If they had no leverage, the bishop would not let them go.This was the tip-off dropped by Juan. Her business instinct enabled her to perceive it.Erica wasn't in the valley at a
It was afternoon already.Debra and Marion parked their car outside the valley.Looking at the sprawling terrain ahead, Debra couldn't shake the memory of trekking through it with Kale just days ago.Revisiting this place made her shiver."Your injury's still fresh," Marion said. "I can go alone."Debra shook her head. "We agreed on going together. Besides, I'm not here to fight. It will be fine."Marion ruffled her hair. "Alright, we're in this together."Enoch brought Erica here to lure them in. That much was clear.Now that they were here, they'd get her out.With night closing in, they quickly followed the route they'd mapped out and headed in.The map from Juan came in handy. In less than 30 minutes, they reached a clearing smack in the middle of four towering mountains.Mist hung light in the air, and the jagged peaks all around gave off a heavy, oppressive vibe.Through the fog, figures in black cloaks and white masks stepped out.Debra slid behind Marion, their han
Jordan signaled the guards at the door to stop Randy.But they didn't stand a chance. In three seconds flat, Randy laid them out.Jordan watched him vanish down the hall, dumbfounded. 'When did he get this good?'At the entrance, more guards tried to block Randy. He didn't slow down as he threw punches at them.Even with their number, they couldn't catch him.30 seconds later, Randy was in his car, peeling out toward the valley. Scenes from his childhood flashed across his mind."Leg up. Fist tight. Punch!" Caleb shouted.Erica eyed the wooden dummies in front of them and aimed for perfection.Randy's attention was all on her. He was not interested in these self-defense skills at all."Randy, focus!" Caleb whacked his arm with a cane. "Get real or go home."Randy couldn't care less. The truth was, he had already learned it all.At eight years old, his freakish athletic genes got him shipped off to a two-month boot camp. There, his raw talent made him untouchable in the junio
Lara came downstairs, smirking at Michael. "This time, even if you want to let them off, it won't happen."Michael was unfazed. "Don't say stuff that'll get twisted. I never plan to do that.""Oh, please. I know you better than that," Lara snorted. "Drop the act."Growing up, Michael had been given the best of everything.They were both in line to take over, but Michael got the bishop's favor from day one.Even if he didn't fight for it, he'd eclipse her. The bishop's partiality never failed to rattle her.She was a woman. True. But she was not any inferior to Michael.The partiality was unbelievable. This world's full of women outshining men.She was the one to help the bishop build something huge. The altar was only for her to ascend.She stepped up to Michael. "Wanna bet on what happens when Debra and Marion hit the valley? I can't wait to see Debra getting pierced by bullets. It would be so much fun."She observed Michael's expression, but there wasn't a crack."You done
The guard at the gate quickly stepped out of the booth. "Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Houston. Unfortunately, Mr. Osborne isn't home.""We're not here for him," Marion said flat-out. "I want last night's security footage."The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, but without Mr. Osborne saying so, I can't just hand it over.""Randy is lying in the hospital right now," Debra cut in. "Erica went missing from your place last night. If you don't cough up the tapes and something happens to her, can you take the heat?"The guard was shocked. "Mr. Randy Osborne in the hospital? And Miss Mathis is gone? I'll grab the footage. Hang on."He dashed to the security room. But when he pulled up the feed, the screen was pitch black."What's wrong? Is it busted?" Debra asked.The guard smacked the console a couple of times, and the picture flickered on. There was Enoch, stuffing a sack into his trunk and driving off.That explained why the cameras outside had only caught Enoch.Debra felt a chill run thro
A loud crash blasted through the phone, followed by screeching static.Debra's gut sank. "Randy's in trouble. Let's hurry."Jordan quickly rounded up a crew to track down Randy, while Debra and Marion bolted out of the house.That phone call screamed car wreck. Marion had Randy's location pinned fast, and an ambulance was already on its way."Don't panic. The ambulance is almost there," Debra reminded him, watching him push the speedometer.It was fine if it was just a regular crash. But if the Illuminati had set it up, the consequences were unimaginable. Enoch must have lost his mind to target his son.Debra and Marion had both lost their parents to car accidents. Marion would be devastated if he lost another person close to him."Quick! Get him out!"Thick smoke poured from the crash site. Debra's bad vibes grew.They jumped out and saw Jordan's people loading Randy onto a stretcher."How bad is it?" Debra ran up, desperate for details."Not too serious," Jordan replied. "