As the tension in the room thickened, Debra suddenly piped up."It seems Mr. Odom has a particular fondness for male trainees. I suppose that means us ladies are out of luck when it comes to investments."The implication hung in the air like a thick fog, and Edgar's frown deepened. He withdrew his hand from Oscar's shoulder as if it were on fire.Henry began to sweat bullets, not expecting Debra to be so blunt.In a bid to smooth things over, he interjected, "Haha, you're joking, Debra. Mr. Odom will invest in the whole program. All of you will be funded. Mr. Odom is a real man."But his effort only made things worse as everyone struggled to stifle their laughter.Edgar's voice turned silky, a mocking undertone barely concealed. "Mrs. Nichols, it seems I must have offended you in the past. Why else would you be so keen on targeting me now?"Debra shrugged. "Mr. Odom, you're joking. There is no such thing."Edgar leaned in, his voice a low whisper meant only for her ears. "The n
Debra pondered for a moment before replying, "Technically, we're enemies."Oscar fell silent, seemingly weighing whether she was telling the truth. Debra continued, "I've been straight with you about my relationship with Edgar. It's only fair you do the same."She could see Edgar was gunning for Oscar, just like a predator stalking its prey.The murderous intent in Edgar's eyes had been unmistakable."No comment."He turned to leave, but Debra's next words stopped him cold."Is he your brother?"Oscar whirled around, his hand shooting out to grasp Debra's neck, not tightly, but firmly enough to send a clear message. "How do you know that? Who are you?"Debra remained composed. "Your reaction just confirmed it."Oscar was taken aback, his grip loosening. Debra vaguely remembered some rumors about the Odom family from her previous life. Although the Odom family had dealt with them, it was better to believe in their existence than to dismiss them.Given the resemblance betwee
"If I go talk to him..." Oscar began.Debra cut him off, her voice assured. "It's pointless, Oscar. You didn't choose to be born into this mess, but your very existence here threatens Edgar's status. Nothing you say will change that. He might act friendly to your face, but behind your back, he'll be scheming to take you down."Oscar fell silent, his expression troubled. He just wanted to dance and find his stage, away from the drama and the politics.Seeing his turmoil, Debra softened her voice. "Here's the deal: come find me tonight. I have a business proposition for you. If you agree, I promise Edgar won't bother you anymore."Oscar looked at her, surprise and suspicion warring in his eyes. "You have a solution?"Debra shrugged. "Believe me if you want. If not, just forget it. I'm not here to force you into anything."With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Oscar staring after her. "Tonight at 8:30, back practice field."Tomas, who had been lurking nearby, tried to catc
Oscar frowned, his voice a low growl. "What's it to you?"He barely knew Freya. They were just neighbors, nothing more. Yet here she was, reminding him of his family rule.He shrugged off her hand, recoiling from her touch. Freya flushed, stung by the rejection.Tomas, overhearing, stepped in. "Oscar, that's no way to talk to a lady. Don't worry, Freya. I'll have a word with him."But his chivalry only fanned Freya's humiliation. She stormed off, finding Debra in the dance studio. She marched up, hand raised to strike, but Debra caught her wrist."What's your problem?"Freya, always the picture of calm, was unraveling."You're shameless. Stringing men along, and now you're after Oscar too?"She tried to wrench free, but Debra held firm. "I don't know what you're talking about. Are you jealous?"Her words hit a nerve, and Freya's face darkened."I...""I see." Debra released her, stepping back. "If you like someone, you should make an effort to win them over. If you like him,
Eve heard her father's summons and skipped over, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Hello, Mr. Odom. I'm Eve Cameron.""This is my daughter," Henry introduced.Edgar, with a polite smile, responded, "Ah, I didn't expect your daughter to be here as an intern. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Cameron."Eve blushed, her heart fluttering like a hummingbird's wings. Before she could utter another word, Henry steered her aside."Mr. Odom, allow me to introduce the team leader and backbone, Freya George."Edgar's eyes gleamed with interest as he took in Freya. "Impressive. There aren't many with such a commanding presence in this industry. I believe Miss George will shoot to stardom."Everyone around was surprised by Edgar's high praise for Freya. They showed looks of astonishment.Debra, however, was unimpressed. Freya had confronted her earlier out of jealousy, and now Edgar was trying to get close to Oscar through Freya.Unaware of Edgar's hidden agenda, Freya basked in the p
Debra's words were a gauntlet thrown, a challenge only she and Edgar understood.Edgar's smile faded like the setting sun.Ashley whispered her ridicule. "Has Debra lost her marbles? Does she really think her dance is worth five billion?""Who does she think she is? She is done for," echoed another trainee.Their eyes gleamed with anticipation of Debra's imminent downfall.Edgar waved a dismissive hand. "I'm not in the mood today. Since you sprained your ankle, let's forget about it."Henry mopped the sweat from his brow, relief flooding through him. He couldn't afford to offend Debra with Juan backing her, nor could he cross Edgar, the head of the Odom family.Eve, ever the opportunist, stepped forward. "Mr. Odom, if Debra won't dance, I will. I'm a much better dancer than her."But Edgar didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he stood up and said, "Let's wrap this up. I hear you have physical training sessions in the afternoon.""Yes, but the intense training is usually in
They were going to participate in a show, and offending the investors now was akin to shooting themselves in the foot.Gritting their teeth, the trainees began the grueling run.Debra shot a cold glance at Edgar, aware that he was trying to mess with her and possibly with Oscar too. His tactics were as transparent as they were nauseating.Intentionally falling behind, Oscar leaned close to her and said, "Slow down. Time isn't an issue; keeping your breath steady is most important."Without waiting for her to respond, he added, "I'll be here waiting for you at 8:30 tonight."Then he picked up his pace and ran ahead. Freya watched the exchange, her fists clenched in anger.After an hour of relentless running, they barely managed to finish 30 laps. The boys were holding up, but the girls were struggling. Though in the winter chill, sweat drenched their bodies.Their makeup was smudged, but they couldn't wipe their faces. It was simply tormenting.Edgar observed their exhaustion wi
"Tango." Debra offered her hand to Edgar, a challenge in her eyes.He took it without hesitation. Henry signaled the broadcast room, and soon, the practice field was filled with the sultry rhythm of the tango.Edgar wrapped an arm around Debra's waist, whispering, "No wonder Juan can't let you go. If you were mine, I wouldn't either.""Is that so?" Debra's response was swift and painful—a stomp on his foot. Edgar winced, but she wasn't done. She stepped on his foot again, driving him back."I heard you're backing Juan's investment in this trainee program. Is it true?""Juan likes you so much. Even with the divorce issue, he still shares everything with you.""You've invested several billion. Aren't you afraid of losing it all?"Edgar shrugged. "Juan's investments are solid. I'm not worried.""Who said that Juan's investments are always safe?" Debra looked up at him, a sly gleam in her eyes. "Believe it or not, I can make that program bleed money within three months."Edgar c
Debra's eyes narrowed at this guy she'd never heard of.Michael had kept it under wraps, proving he had never fully trusted her."Mrs. Houston," Jason said, "I'm here for Mr. Austin to negotiate. He called this shareholder vote in the name of the biggest stakeholder. He's got the right to kick it off. Any objections?"Debra plopped into the head chair. "Cut the polite crap. Everyone's here. Objections or not, this vote's happening, right? No way it's that simple.""Mrs. Houston," Jason said coolly, "today's vote's straightforward: who's better suited as the McKinney Group CEO, you or Mr. Austin? Everyone here sees what you both bring. In the past two years, you've barely shown up. Mr. Austin ran the show, held a key role, and raked in profits. He's the clear pick for CEO.""So, you're saying I suck as the boss?" Debra shot back.Michael didn't even show, sending this random assistant instead. That already pissed her off.Now this guy's veiled jabs annoyed her even more."I'm ju
Debra's heart sank.Back when she'd teamed up with Michael, she had nothing, offering him Frazier Entertainment shares to seal the deal. Later, Frazier Entertainment merged into the McKinney Group, and she handed it off to him.To keep her identity hidden, she'd tossed him more shares. With Frazier Entertainment, he'd racked up 30%.She'd thought he deserved it. For two years, he'd run the show plenty. She'd never seen this coming."Madam, you there?" Ben's voice shook.This was huge and should stay quiet. Otherwise, the company would fall into chaos.Debra's blood ran cold. She hadn't expected Michael to go so far."I'll be there soon," she said, hanging up.She turned to Marion. "Michael scooped up loose shares. He's gunning for a vote as top shareholder."Over 40% wasn't half, but it made him the biggest player. Calling a vote was his right.Debra only had 40%. If 10% of the rest sided with Michael, he could oust her."Don't sweat it," Marion said. "We'll hit it together.
That shut everyone up.If Jordan was right, Drake was gambling with his neck."That's too risky. I've gotta drag him back." Debra spun to leave.Erica grabbed her. "Jordan's guys are on it. They'll ping us if they find him. You can't go out like this and become their target.""I'm not their focus anymore," Debra said. "They'll zero in on Drake."She looked at Marion. "Get your people searching. We need his trail fast, or he's dead."Once the Illuminati squeezed the stone's location out of Drake, they'd kill him.Orkgate was now controlled by Lara. Drake had no other value for them."On it," Marion said.They split up. Erica and Randy tapped their networks."Debra, don't freak," Jordan said. "Drake is not dumb. Injured like that, he couldn't have gone far. As long as he keeps that secret, they won't kill him."Debra nodded. "Hope he doesn't do anything stupid."She should've seen it coming. A proud guy like Drake couldn't handle being down for so long.His injuries were bru
Outside their room, Drake froze mid-knock.His head was down, and his expression was hidden. Eventually, his hand dropped, and he sighed.He turned around and shuffled downstairs, leaning on the wall. He was a broken mess now, unwilling to drag them down....Debra woke up the next morning, reaching for Marion.He wasn't there. She bolted upright, threw off the covers, and ran barefoot downstairs, shouting, "Marion?"In the hall, Marion and Jordan turned as she stumbled in, still in her pajamas.Marion rushed up, slipping off his slippers for her. "What's with the panic?""I didn't see you." She heaved a sigh of relief. "Thought you'd...""Any luck?" Jordan asked Kale, who'd just walked in.Kale shook his head. "Not yet.""What's up?" Debra asked, clocking everyone's grim faces."Drake's gone," Marion said. "No note, nothing. We're looking.""Did the cameras catch anything? Could it be the Illuminati...""Not them. He walked out himself.""Why the hell would he just up a
Debra jolted awake from a nightmare, her forehead slick with sweat."Still torn up about Michael?" Marion's voice came from beside her.She settled into his arms, finally feeling a little relieved. These past two months, they'd faced everything alone. She hadn't curled up with him like this in forever."It's my fault," she whispered. "If I hadn't trusted Michael so much, the Eaton family wouldn't have been a mess. Mr. Eaton Sr. wouldn't have been in the hospital.""It's your fault," Marion said, patting her back. "Even without your trust, the Illuminati would've found a way in. That was their goal.""I just can't wrap my head around why Michael's one of them," she said.She'd spent all night recalling the past, from meeting Michael to building the McKinney Group with him. He was key to its success, but everything had been a lie."Maybe he was never with us," Marion said. "The Illuminati's everywhere. Didn't you check his background when you teamed up?""I..." Debra faltered.S
"We're all in it for ourselves." Michael shrugged. "Jeffery did his part for the Illuminati, so I'll cut you some slack.He pushed the teacup to Juan. "But I don't buy it that you're all-in. Following in Jeffery's footsteps sounds nice, but you killed him, which shows your ruthless nature. We need people like you. I don't care if you're Debra's mole or chasing your angle. Save your energy. It's pointless. Just do your job and back us up. I won't say a word about it.""Should I thank you for it?" Juan scoffed.He'd thought Michael was forced into it, but now he saw how naïve that was.Though young, Michael was already a core member, suggesting his connection to the Illuminati dates back a long time.Only intelligent and influential ones could enter the core circle. That meant he hadn't defected midway.Michael sat down across from him. "Don't look at me like that. We're not the same, and you know it.""When'd you turn on Debra?" Juan asked."Doesn't matter," Michael said, smilin
It was true they were both members of the Illuminati, but Fermin never signed up to be a lapdog.Back then, he'd teamed up with them for mutual gain. But the Illuminati wanted more than a partnership. They wanted the Eaton family on a leash.When Fermin didn't bite, Michael added, "I saw Miss Eaton crying her eyes out. We go way back. Should I cheer her..."Before he could finish, Fermin's knife flashed to his throat, nicking him. Blood trickled, but it was just a scratch."Stay away from her," Fermin growled. "Touch her, and I'll end you.""I'm just being nice here," Michael chuckled. "But if you're not cool with it, I'll drop it. But those terms? Think twice. We only help our own. If you keep playing your own game, that heart goes elsewhere. And trust me, you won't find another match."Fermin hated to admit it, but Michael was speaking the truth. Without the Illuminati's help, he couldn't find a match for Bert's heart.He lowered the knife. "Fine, it's a deal. Get your people
She only had Fermin and Bert left in this world.She had no mom and no real friends. She couldn't lose Bert or watch Fermin turn into this.She didn't want Debra's crew hurt either.Fermin pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. Dad will be fine. I'll make sure of it."His promise unleashed her tears. The hospital hallway echoed with her cries.Once she calmed down, Fermin had someone take her away.A guard stepped up. "Mr. Eaton, our master is waiting ahead.""You've tailed me this whole way," Fermin said coldly. "Gonna keep it up? I don't like shadows."The guards stayed silent, just following orders. If their boss said stick to Fermin, they'd die before leaving his side."Loyal dogs to your master," Fermin scoffed, brushing past them.He walked into an empty ward. A tall figure in a white shirt stood by the window."You've really opened my eyes," he said, surprised."I'm flattered, Mr. Eaton," Michael said, turning around.His crisp white shirt had dried bloodstains. Notic
Liza rushed to the ICU upon receiving the news.A bodyguard stopped her. "Mr. Eaton said no one gets near the room and disturbs the patient's rest."Liza smacked him, and he bowed his head.Her eyes were red, her vibe darker than ever. "That's my dad in there. Why can't I go in? Move!""Mr. Eaton forbids it. Please, don't make things hard for us," the bodyguard said, stuck.No one there dared to defy her. They all knew how much Fermin doted on her."I don't care," she snapped. "Step aside, or I'll have my brother skin you alive. Let's see if you still block me."Her threat chilled him. She might be bluffing, but Fermin wouldn't."What's the ruckus?" Fermin's voice cut through."Mr. Eaton." The bodyguard bowed his head."Didn't I tell you no one gets near?" Fermin's tone dripped danger.Coming with him was a group of elite guards. The bodyguard was daunted by their aura.Liza stepped forward. "Dad is in a bad condition. Why wouldn't you let me see him? Does this have anythin