Declan stormed out of the room, leaving behind a wave of stifled laughter from the eavesdroppers in the next room.It was hard to believe a supposedly philanthropist could argue so bitterly with a renowned old lady.Randy was holding back laughter so hard that his face was turning an interesting shade of red.A loud crash echoed as Melody, in her rage, upended the table. The sudden noise startled everyone, and a waiter rushed in to clean up the mess. Only then did the suppressed laughter burst forth."I didn't expect Melody could be so harsh. She was almost cursing," Erica said. "This is the juiciest thing I've ever heard."She turned to Debra and continued, "This has dashed Shelia's hope of marrying into the Nichols family."Debra raised an eyebrow. "With things having turned out like this, Melody has no more reason to keep Shelia around."In truth, someone like Jade would have been a prime marriage partner for the Nichols family. Her age was suitable. Her family background was
"Marion..." Debra murmured, blushing.Marion closed the door and whispered, "So, this was the show you wanted to see.""Are you upset about it?" Debra's eyes, usually so full of life, now held a spark of naive guilt. "I didn't expect you to come."She had only intended to bring Erica to the show. She hadn't anticipated Randy's presence, nor had she thought they would tell Marion.Marion stroked her cheek. "So, you didn't plan to tell me from the start?""I was afraid..." Debra tried to explain, but his intense gaze silenced her.Marion croaked, "Afraid I'd be jealous?"Debra managed a small, almost imperceptible nod. She was too entangled with the Nichols family. Legally, without a divorce, she was still Juan's wife."I'm not so petty." He pinched her cheek and murmured his warning, "Dealing with the Nichols family is fine, but if you dare rekindle old feelings with him...""It won't happen," Debra interjected, her voice filled with sincerity. "I don't have old feelings for hi
'I must be crazy to share my bed with Marion,' Debra thought.The sound of running water from the bathroom only served to amplify her nervousness.The bathroom door creaked open, and she quickly shut her eyes, feigning sleep. Marion tiptoed across the room, the soft click of the bedside lamp being turned off signaling his approach. The mattress dipped slightly as he lay down beside her.The heat of Marion's body was palpable, sending Debra's nerves into overdrive. There was no way he could sleep like this.She shifted, turning her back to him, but Marion's arm draped over her, pulling her close.His deep voice was a whisper in her ear. "Sleep tight."Before she could respond, Marion nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing against her skin in soft, tender kisses. The numbing sensation made her tremble."Marion...""Yes?""It's itchy.""Itchy?"Marion's voice was a low rumble, captivating and intense.Debra turned to face him, and he immediately captured her mouth in a deep, pass
Debra woke up to a bright morning, her body aching and stiff. As consciousness slowly returned, she realized that her legs were almost numb.The memories of the previous night came flooding back. Marion had promised to be gentle, but his passion had been anything but. She had been swept up in his fervor, their bodies entwined in a dance that left her breathless and exhausted.Embarrassment washed over her as she recalled her own eager participation. She thought that she must be crazy to invite him to stay over and initiate such intimacy.She groaned softly and pulled the covers over her head, wishing she could hide from the day."Get up and have lunch." Marion's deep voice called from outside the door, a hint of amusement in his tone.Debra struggled to sit up, her body protesting with every movement. Marion entered the room, his expression a mix of tenderness."Do you need help getting out of bed?" he asked."My legs," Debra whispered. "I can't stand."After their second round
Debra answered the phone to hear Hannah's anxious voice on the other end. "The show's this afternoon. Did something happen? Should I send someone to pick you up?"Debra glanced at Marion sitting across from her, noticing his amused smile. She quickly looked away, feeling a slight flush on her cheeks."No need. I just got up late," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'll be back soon."Turning to Marion, she said, "I'm full. There is a show today, and I need to go over.""I'll give you a ride," Marion offered.Seeing Debra struggle to get up, he went over and scooped her up in a bridal carry.When Debra arrived at Potter Entertainment, she found all the trainees ready to leave. In the lobby, Eve led the group, her voice dripping with disdain. "Acting all high and mighty, making us wait for you."Hannah frowned and whispered to Debra, "The show tonight requires preparation this afternoon. Why are you so late?"Debra whispered back, "Don't ask now. Just take them over."
"Whatever. With so many people in one group, how can the audience focus on anyone? Isn't it better that Debra is gone?"The trainees whispered among themselves.The director's team entered the room, silencing the chatter. "Make sure everyone's makeup is perfect today. Mr. Nichols and Mr. Odom will be joining us."The news sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd."Mr. Odom is coming? That's big. But is Mr. Nichols coming too? This show is going to be a hit!" "Could Mr. Nichols be coming because of Debra?""They've been in the middle of a divorce for ages. Debra's whereabouts are unknown. How could Mr. Nichols be coming for her?"...Amidst the lively discussion, no one noticed a female staff member standing quietly in the corner, her face obscured by a baseball cap.Juan stood in front of the stage, glancing at his watch. "Has Debra arrived yet?"Joe shook his head. "I checked. Mrs. Nichols isn't backstage."Juan fell silent for a moment. He pulled out his phone, inten
Hannah approached Juan with a composed smile."Mr. Nichols, everything is fine. Why not take a seat and enjoy the show first?"Juan's brow furrowed in impatience. "Debra is sick. Why didn't you tell me?"Hannah maintained her calm demeanor. "While Ms. Frazier is indeed under the weather, it won't impact the program. Moreover, it's Ms. Frazier's express wish that the show must go on."Joe asked, "Sir, should we proceed?"Juan remained silent, and Hannah added, "Mr. Nichols, the show is about to start. I'm sure you don't mind this little delay." Hannah leaned in and whispered, "Ms. Frazier will be here soon. Don't worry."At her reassurance, Juan's frown eased slightly.Just then, the guests and judges arrived. Many of them came to greet Juan and Edgar."Mr. Nichols, Mr. Odom, it's a pleasure to meet you."Hannah stepped aside and wiped her sweat. Debra had certainly passed the responsibility to her effectively. The man before her was none other than the formidable Juan. Angerin
The director, acutely aware of Cathryn's status, maintained a respectful demeanor towards her. Cathryn approached Juan, greeting him with a polite nod. "Mr. Nichols."Juan hummed in response.Cathryn glanced around the set before inquiring, "Where is Mrs. Nichols?"Juan's heart constricted slightly. The director quickly interjected, "Ms. Frazier isn't here today because she's not feeling well.""Oh, that's a shame," Cathryn replied, taking her seat in the special guest area. As today's honored guest, she had been looking forward to controlling Debra's debut. It was indeed a pity that Debra wasn't present.Seeing that no one else was speaking, the director wisely moved on to other tasks, and the show continued as planned.The female trainees from the trainee team took the stage, their energetic dance routine eliciting excited cheers from the audience.Debra sat in the most conspicuous spot, wearing a mask to conceal her identity. She clapped slowly, her eyes not on the performe
Back at the Potter Mansion, Debra stared at the equity document. Her father's handwriting and the Frazier Group's stamp stood out.She dug into a drawer, pulling out her seal which hadn't been used for two years. She pressed it onto blank paper, comparing it to the one on the document. She expected differences, but they were the same.That stamp was real. Her father had signed off on this.She didn't get it. In her memory, they and the Potters barely crossed paths.A knock came at the door, interrupting her thoughts. She stashed the seal fast. "Come in."Marion stepped inside, and she smiled, "You're polite to knock. Thought it was Erica.""Didn't wanna barge in and spook you," Marion replied, nodding at the equity document. "Still thinking about that?""I tried to figure out why Andrew has our shares," Debra said. "I've been at it all afternoon and still don't get it.""Andrew's a big-picture guy. Maybe it was just a deal between your families. Let it go," Marion said, rufflin
"Mrs. Houston." Jordan's voice snapped her back.He continued, "Pass this equity document around. Let everyone see it. With Andrew's vote, Mrs. Houston stays."The shareholders inspected it. Once they confirmed the stamp and legal weight, the outcome was obvious."What now?" Jordan eyed Jason, who remained composed on the surface but felt bitter inside."You pushed for a fair vote," Jordan said. "Aren't you satisfied with the outcome? You won't threaten them to change their votes, will you? Well, I brought some people too. They can spar a little if you like."The room crackled with tension. Those shareholders, sensing trouble, started slipping out.The outcome was clear, with Debra winning."Well then, we're out," Jason said."Hold up," Debra stood, stepping toward him. "Tell Michael he can keep the shares he bought. But the 30% I gave my friend? He doesn't deserve it. I want it back in three days. If he doesn't deliver, I'll take it my way.""I'll pass it on," Jason replied,
"I vote for Mr. Austin." Kraig kept his head down.Debra fell silent. She'd braced for the worst, but never thought a veteran on her team would betray her."Well, that settles it," Jason smiled. "Mrs. Houston, the top spot isn't yours anymore. The shareholders have spoken..."Jordan's voice cut through the room. "Who said that's the final vote?"His appearance surprised everyone, including Debra."Didn't you double-check the McKinney Group's shares?" he added.Seven shareholders were present: four from the Frazier Group, and three from the corporate side. The results of the vote were clear enough.Jason didn't flinch. "I don't think you hold any shares. You've got no say here.""I don't," Jordan replied. "But someone does."He pulled out an equity document. "This is Andrew's 1% stake in the McKinney Group. He authorized me to vote for Mrs. Houston."Jason's brow furrowed. The other shareholders swapped confused looks. They had never heard Andrew had any shares.Debra stared
The people saying these things were all entrepreneurs who'd bought shares in the Frazier Group. Debra had long known what they were. They were sexists who'd never let a woman hold real power."You guys don't seem to hold that many shares yourselves, do you?" Debra leaned back in her chair. "Anyone else want me to step down? Or got a problem with me? Just spit it out."The room went quiet. If this election could've been neutral, they'd have rather sat it out. But that wasn't an option."If no one's got anything to say, let's vote," Debra said lazily. "Let's see how many of you want me gone.""Think carefully before you open your mouth. It'll save us trouble," Marion chimed in.The sound of a gun being cocked echoed through the room. The air tensed instantly.Marion wasn't big on brain games. He preferred action. If these people hadn't contributed to the company, he'd have brought in his people instead of listening to their nonsense."Are you threatening us?" Jason said. "This ele
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