Eve grumbled under her breath, "You're the one to talk. Do you dare to come and run?"Ashley hushed her. "Shh. Keep it down, or you'll be punished again."She was dissatisfied too, but they had no choice.Debra led the way, her stride steady and confident. After ten laps, the others were visibly exhausted.Debra, however, maintained a steady pace, her breathing even and controlled. Even Freya couldn't help but steal glances at her.When Freya first joined, she would have collapsed after ten laps, but Debra was still energetic.Debra gave them a casual glance. Her strong physique wasn't built overnight; it was the result of consistent routines and disciplined habits from her past.The 30 grueling laps took a full hour. Everyone lay on the ground, utterly drained. Debra struggled to steady her breath, her heart pounding in her chest.30 laps were a challenge, even for her."Good job! You can go eat now," Hannah announced. "Debra, stay."The boys, who had finished their training
After adjusting the meal according to the recipe, Hannah brought it over to Debra and sat down across from her."According to the nutritionist, you often don't get enough sleep and have nightmares. Can you tell me why?""Did Andrew send you to ask this?"Hannah merely smiled, neither confirming nor denying Debra's suspicion."If there's an issue, let him ask me himself," Debra said, having a spoonful of oatmeal.Nowadays, nothing she ate or drank seemed to matter much.Hannah observed, saying, "Your health is fine, and your body proportions are perfect. You have a pretty face, and you look great on camera. These meals are just to help improve your sleep. Trust me, in a few years, you'll look even better than now.""Thanks," Debra muttered, though her tone suggested she didn't believe a word of it.When she finished her breakfast, Hannah stood up, gesturing for her to follow."Let's go. I'll take you to the practice room."As they exited the staff cafeteria, a group of female
A derisive laugh echoed through the room as Ashley stepped forward."Do you think we're idiots, Debra? You're talking nonsense. Your company is bankrupt. What connection do you have with the Potter family? Can you really invest billions in this program?"Eve chimed in, her voice dripping with mockery. "That's right. My dad is a board member at Potter Group and knows their operations well. This project was initiated by McKinney Group and Potter Entertainment. The investment is counted in billions. Even if your company were still there, could you come up with that much?"Debra didn't even bother to explain. She had approved the investment over a month ago as the president of McKinney Group, back when the Frazier Group was still intact.It was Michael who had suggested she sign the contract with Potter Entertainment."If you don't believe me, I can't help that. Just tell me what you want.""We want you out of the practice room. Break the contract.""Sorry, no can do."Eve bristled
The teacher finished the dance, and Debra shrugged."If such a simple dance took you days to learn, you'd better quite early."Eve's temper flared. "What did you say?"Just as she was about to step forward, Debra stretched her muscles and then executed a few dance steps to get her breathing right.Debra began to replicate the teacher's routine from the first beat. Even without music, her movements were precious, fluid, and graceful. It was hard to believe she had just learned the dance.Freya was stunned, her mouth agape in disbelief. She was the team leader, and it had taken her half an hour just to memorize the moves. She had practiced all day to get it just right, but Debra had learned it in a flash."How is this possible?" Ashley was equally shocked.Outside the room, a few guys were peeking through the window, their eyes glued to Debra."Wow, this new girl has an amazing figure and dances so well.""Too bad she's married. Otherwise, I'd chase her.""I heard this broke la
Debra stood her ground, her gaze locked on Hannah, an unspoken challenge in her eyes that seemed to say, "Let's see what you do about this."Throughout the day, Eve and her group had been seeking a satisfactory answer from Debra, and it was only a matter of time before they turned to Hannah for an explanation.The blatant favoritism shown to Debra had created an imbalance that even she felt acutely.Hannah, maintaining her stern demeanor, addressed the room. "This is a company decision. You have no right to interfere, and I don't need to answer your questions."Just then, the male trainees entered the canteen. Tomas, noticing the tense atmosphere, sauntered over to Hannah with a grin and casually placed a hand on her shoulder. "Who got you so worked up?""Get your hand off me," Hannah growled.Tomas awkwardly withdrew his hand, and she glanced around the room. "Debra is different from you. Anyone else dissatisfied can speak up now.""We are all dissatisfied." Ashley and Freya st
Debra didn't move.Oscar, seated nearby, glanced at her before looking away. Hannah leaned in close to her and whispered, "Someone wants to see you. Please cooperate with me."Debra glanced at Hannah and reluctantly left with her."Ugh! Still claims she's helpless. Looks like she's enjoying it," Eve muttered, her voice laced with jealousy.Ashley nodded in agreement. "Yeah, who wouldn't be happy with a special treat? Who likes this awful food in the cafeteria?"Freya, observing Oscar for a while, interjected coolly, "Alright, let's get back to eating."The two girls went back to their seats.Tomas leaned toward Oscar and whispered, "Hey, what did that glance mean? Are you interested in her?"Oscar shot him a cold look. "Shut up and eat."A guy opposite them chimed in, "Say no more, Tomas. Don't you know Oscar's personality? He's a cold rock, not cracking anytime soon."Another guy echoed, "Yeah, and Debra is dealing with a divorce. Oscar has so many admirers. Why would he g
Hannah didn't stop Debra, and before long, a sleek black car drove up.The trainees, leaving the cafeteria, watched as Debra got into the car.Whispers filled the air as they exchanged speculative glances."I told you Debra had someone backing her. She left at such a late hour. Clearly, someone is keeping her.""Can you believe Hannah was covering for her just now? We only get to leave this place once every ten days or two weeks. Debra is really an exception."Inside the car, Debra wasted no time. She dialed the hospital head's number, her heart pounding with anxiety.When he answered, his voice was grave. "Ms. Frazier, the situation is a bit serious, but don't worry, his face is unharmed."Debra's grip tightened on her phone."I'm asking about the person, not the face.""Michael is fine. He's out of danger."Debra could tell he wasn't being entirely truthful. She hung up and turned to Ben."Fill me in about the situation.""This morning, Michael was supposed to go to the P
"But..." Shelia still wanted to protest.Edgar cut her off, his voice firm. "I've had a long day. Go to bed."Shelia finally retreated to her room, her shoulders slumping in defeat.In the spacious living room, Edgar's phone rang sharply, breaking the silence. He answered it before his secretary's voice came through the line."Mr. Odom, we've found the illegitimate child of your father and that woman."Edgar's eyes narrowed. "Who is it?""They've been living in Booton all these years. We found out the child's name is Oscar Harper."As far as Edgar remembered, that woman's family name wasn't Harper. It seemed that after all these years, she still dreamed of joining the Odom family and hoped her son would become the heir."What a fantasy!" Edgar snorted."There's one more thing.""Go ahead.""It's about Miss Miles," Chace said hesitantly. "Our people said Miss Miles sent them to cut Michael's brake lines today. Michael is now in the hospital."Edgar's brow furrowed deeply. "W
Ivan had no idea what was going on. Presumably, Debra should be on the third floor, but now the attic had suddenly caught fire.On the second floor, Erica and Randy stepped out to see Barton help Andrew back to his room."Mr. Andrew Potter?"Garland and Liza were shocked too. They'd never seen him in such distress."Minor fire. Mr. Andrew Potter needs rest," Barton said flatly. "Please keep quiet about this, especially from Mrs. Houston."Liza frowned. "Why?""No questions. Trust that it's for her sake," Barton replied.After they left, Liza muttered, "Weirdoes!"...Debra jolted awake the next morning, shooting upright before dizziness slammed her back down. Drake watched silently from a chair."Quick. I need to go upstairs." She tried to kick off the blankets, but Drake stopped her."Let me go." Her usual calm shattered into a raw panic. "I'm going to the third floor."Drake hesitated. For once, he felt guilty. But he couldn't cave.Clenching his fists, he lied, "You've
Drake carried Debra downstairs on his back.A warm teardrop hit his shoulder. He frowned, glancing sideways at her unconscious face. Even when she passed out, her brows stayed furrowed. Tears kept soaking into his shirt."What a fool," he muttered.Andrew slumped against the wall. The tiny attic room glowed with remnants of Debra's childhood. This had been her sanctuary years ago.Back then, when her parents were busy with business, they'd leave her at the Potter Mansion for weeks. Young Debra's first word wasn't Mama or Papa. It was Brother.She'd trailed him everywhere like a shadow.The mansion's vast emptiness scared her at night. She'd cry until he moved her bed near the attic's stained-glass window. His mother had joked that he would have a good husband someday, just like his dad.Debra's laughter had thawed the mansion's cold halls. She'd painted his gray world in color.Andrew looked at those familiar items and struggled to his feet. His chest burned like coals as he fl
The room was a cozy paradise. A small plush bed sat in the center, topped with a giant teddy bear. Two fairy tale books lay on a nearby desk.The floor had a fluffy pink rug, a tiny wooden rocking horse, and half-built toy blocks scattered around. Miniature castles, dolls, and delicate tea sets filled the space.Every detail hit Debra's nerves like a hammer. Something buzzed in her memory, just out of reach. Her head throbbed as the room spun around her. She forced herself forward, step by shaky step.Then she spotted a pile of yellowed newspapers crammed in a corner. She tried to go over, but each movement flooded her mind with fragmented images."Almost there," she muttered.A memory fragment flickered. Someone was reading fairy tales by her bed.She heard her younger self ask, "Brother, why do princes and princesses fall in love at first sight?" "Because they're meant to be," he replied softly."But can't the princess love someone else?" "She might have many knights, bu
Marion drove through the night, streetlights flickering across his face.A weathered old newspaper lay crumpled in the passenger seat, its yellow pages detailing every grim detail of that decade-old kidnapping case, but not a trace of warmth touched his expression.When he reached the coast, he killed the engine. Clutching the newspaper, he strode to the water's edge. A lighter flashed in his hand. Flames crawled across the brittle paper, casting dancing shadows on his tense jawline. He watched until the last ember died, then scattered the ashes across the sand....Debra had drifted into an uneasy sleep.Her dreams swirled with half-remembered fragments—a ship's deck, choking smoke, a cramped dark space.Saltwater stung her nostrils as waves pressed down on her face. She thrashed against the suffocation until she was exhausted and helplessly sank into the water. Suddenly, a child's scream pierced the darkness. "Brother, save me."Debra jolted awake. The fading image of a face
"I didn't mean it.""Just heed my advice. Marion's sweet-talk game is stronger than you think. The news must have covered both kidnapping cases. Figure out why those three are hiding it from you."Drake went back to his room, leaving Debra outside.Her mind was a mess. She couldn't understand why even Marion chose not to tell her the truth.Footsteps creaked upstairs. Debra looked up to see Ivan descending.Her eyes narrowed. "I told you not to clean the second floor and above. What were you doing up there?"Ivan stammered, "I'm sorry. Someone mentioned the attic hadn't been cleaned in years. I wanted to help." "Attic?""The one on the third floor. It's locked, so I came down."Debra's pulse quickened as she realized the mastermind was feeding her clues through Ivan.She played dumb. "Alright. Remember, don't come up here again without my permission.""Yes, Mrs. Houston." Ivan retreated.Debra stared at the staircase for a while and turned to look at Andrew's room. It was
"I..." Erica was lost for words.Debra came upstairs, suspicion flickering. "Are you hiding something from me?"Erica shrank back, and Randy jumped in. "How is that possible? I was just helping her pick an outfit. Right, Erica?"Erica forced a nod. "Y-Yeah." Marion also came up. Randy seized the lifeline. "Marion, take Debra back. I need to help Erica change."He dragged Erica away like the floor was lava.Debra's suspicion grew. Marion gently brushed her hair. "I'll find the newspapers. It's been a long day. You need to rest.""What if they're gone?" she muttered.It was a major event. She had no memory of it, and her parents had never mentioned it. It didn't make sense."Do you think Vickie's kidnapping is connected to what happened to the Potters?" she said, recalling what Erica had once told her.It was Jordan who had been kidnapped. The incident killed their parents and crippled Andrew.The thought of it always made her chest tighten. When Vickie had mentioned it, her
Erica rolled her eyes. "We've been over this. Everyone knows Vickie's a fraud, but Juan's backing her is real. In this circle, folks cozy up to powerful families to climb the social ladder. They just play dumb and prop up Vickie to get close to Juan."Liza blinked, clueless. "Why don't they just work with Debra instead?"Debra laughed bitterly, "The business owners surviving in Seamar City aren't fools. The McKinney Group and the Nichols Group are at war. From this drama, they can tell Juan is targeting me. He is untouchable here. When he wants someone to be gone, they're gone. And with Caleb's sudden death, Andrew's illness, Jordan's betrayal, and Drake's downfall, we're clearly in a tight spot. Who would bet on the underdog?"Liza gasped, "So, this is their power play to win allies?"Debra nodded.Garland gaped at Liza. "You figured that out?""Didn't you?" she asked back.Garland bristled. "Of course. I'm the family pillar. I saw through everything."Liza side-eyed him.Deb
Marion fell silent. "I wasn't in Seamar City back then. No idea what happened."Debra frowned, troubled. Marion's eyes dimmed."Let's go home.""Okay."Half an hour later, we were back at the Potter Mansion."What? You're not the Frazier family heiress?" Garland's jaw dropped.Liza smacked his arm. "Seriously? Someone named Vickie popped up claiming to be the real heiress. No one said Debra isn't.""Oh," Garland exhaled in relief. "So, that chick is a fake?""Fake," Debra said firmly.Liza tilted her head. "Why are you so sure? What if she's legit?""Girl, you're smarter than this." Erica rolled her eyes. "It's an obvious scam. No one's buying it.""Then why bother?" Liza pouted. "If everyone knows she's fake, why embarrass herself?"Debra explained, "Truth doesn't matter. She wants the title, not assets.""Why is that?" Liza remained puzzled.That title alone didn't seem so alluring."She wants the identity because of the hidden treasure," Debra replied. "One of the fou
Marion leaned against the doorframe and smiled, "No need."He'd always known. Debra had grown into a hawk soaring freely through the skies. Even without his protection, she'd fly higher and farther.His smile deepened as he listened to her passionate plans for the company's future. That alone was worth his trip....At the Potter Mansion, Andrew unlatched the golden cage, releasing the canary inside.It fluttered clumsily toward the window. Trapped too long, it had forgotten how to fly. Yet it flapped its wings and pushed onward until it took flight and disappeared into the distance."Sir, that was your favorite bird," a servant said hesitantly."Loving something doesn't mean clutching it in your hand," Andrew replied with a smile. "To love is to let go, find its true self, and pursue what it wants."His voice lowered. "To love is to step back and watch her enjoy her life."A storm brewed outside, but he knew no matter how fierce the rain was, she'd endure....After seeing