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
The words that were supposed to help Debra seemed to only push Freya further into her madness.Juan, realizing this, shouted, "Shut up!"Cathryn was scared into silence.Edgar asked Freya sternly, "What do you want?""I just want to destroy her and this show," she shouted, her voice shaking with emotion. "I've sacrificed so much for this show. But just before it started, I got kicked out and was required to pay a huge penalty. You made me do this."Debra, surprisingly calm, just smiled and spoke quietly."It was Cathryn who made you do this, right?""It has nothing to do with anyone else. I want your life.""If you take my life, Oscar won't like you. You won't continue with the show, and you'll still face the penalty. Who's going to pay that? I think it's Cathryn."Freya's grip on the knife loosened slightly, her resolve wavering. Debra pressed on, her voice steady and reassuring."Now that the show is ruined, Cathryn's demand was probably for you to kill me. She'll pay the p
Cathryn watched with bated breath as Freya held the knife, anticipating the moment she would stab Debra.But to her dismay, Freya's hand dropped. The instant Freya ceased her threat, security guards stormed in, seizing her and pulling her away from Debra.Debra took two hurried steps back, and Juan rushed over to check on her. His gaze lingered on a red mark marring her collarbone.He froze, and Debra adjusted her clothes. "I'm fine. Thank you, Mr. Nichols."She pulled away from him. Cathryn was disappointed, her eyes fixed on Freya. She couldn't comprehend why Freya hadn't followed through with their plan.Freya, in turn, shot Cathryn a cold, knowing look. A hint of panic flickered across Cathryn's face as she realized the potential consequences if Freya ratted her out.Even if her words were seen as false accusations, they might alert Debra."Mr. Nichols, what should we do with her?" one of the security guards asked.Juan replied sternly, "Take her away and send her to the
"Yes."Debra saw no reason to hide it from Juan any longer. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "I hope we can proceed with the divorce as soon as possible."Juan felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest. It was so intense that he could hardly breathe."Does it have to be this way?"Debra paused mid-step, her back to him. Slowly, she revealed the harsh truth. "Juan, I don't love you anymore."Those simple words felt like a dagger twisting in his heart. He instinctively clutched his chest, the pain almost unbearable.As the head of the Nichols family, he had weathered many storms and losses, but he had nearly forgotten the raw, aching sensation of heartbreak. Until now.Debra went on to leave, her expression serene. Before uttering those words, she recalled the first time she met Juan and how he held her hand, guiding her forward.She had truly loved him, but that love belonged to a different lifetime. Given a second chance, she refused to repeat her mistakes.Her love for Ju
"See you around," Michael said, smiling at Marion.His action got under Marion's skin. Taking a deep breath, Marion turned off the stove and took the eggs out.Debra glanced at him. "You seem hostile to Michael.""He's not worth my time," Marion replied flatly, peeling the eggs.Then he walked over to her and gently pressed the egg against her injured spot."This will help reduce the swelling. You went too hard on yourself. It's gonna hurt tomorrow.""Michael was just messing around. Don't be fooled by his innocent look. He's got a mischievous side. I think he just wanted to see if you cared about me. He wasn't trying to provoke you."Marion hummed in response, seemingly unbothered by it.He looked down at the bruise and sighed, "He wasn't wrong about one thing.""What is it?""I failed to take good care of you.""That was my doing. It wasn't your fault.""My job is to protect you. I can't let you get hurt even in the slightest." Marion pinched her nose. "I'll carry you to
When Debra and Marion came back, Michael quickly ended the call."You didn't check in with Hannah before leaving?" Debra asked."This trip is for work," Michael replied, closing his laptop. "Hannah was just briefing me on tomorrow's schedule."He noticed her disheveled appearance. "You guys came back so early. Guess the investigation didn't go as smoothly?""Let's just say it was a bit intense. Marion can tell you about the details," Debra said, sitting down on the couch.Marion habitually warmed up some milk for her and grabbed some pre-sliced cake from the fridge.He didn't stick around in the living room but went straight to the kitchen to boil eggs.Michael raised an eyebrow. "Feels like he doesn't quite like me."Marion heard it, his grip tightening around an egg. Then there was a cracking sound.Michael added, "My visit seems untimely. Should I move out?"But he made no move to get up.Debra took a sip of milk. "No way. I can't let you leave, especially since you're th
God knew how panicked Marion was when that guard raised his gun at Debra."I..." Debra murmured, "I couldn't find you.""That's not an excuse." Marion frowned. "Do you not trust me, or are you just used to handling everything yourself? Even if you stood there doing nothing, I could find you in a second. You shouldn't have rushed it like that.""The doors were closing, and I was worried that the guy would get away, so..." she explained."I don't care about the Illuminati. I care about you." Marion cupped her face, his tone serious. "You can't go solo like that again.""What if I do that again?" Debra looked at him.Marion pinched her cheek and muttered, "I'll break your legs so that you can't run off again."Debra slapped his hand away. "It was a special case today. I won't do it again.""Remember what you said. Don't make me worry," Marion relented, pinching her nose."By the way, what's the situation now?""I've handled it.""How?"He fell silent, but she didn't press furt
The man trembled and spilled every bit of information he knew about the Illuminati."Sounds like you're not so useful," Marion said, watching the man shiver in fear. "Everyone here is guilty. To redeem yourselves, your souls will stay in this castle."Before anyone could process his words, gunshots erupted around them. Screams filled the air. In just moments, the castle was thick with the smell of blood."You're out of your mind!" shouted the man, rushing toward the exit.But before he could get close, he was shot dead."Sir, we'll take care of the rest," said a guard."Make sure to clear all the traces," Marion ordered before leaving the castle alone.His eyes reflected the cold light of the moon. The air around him was chilling.Since the day he arrived overseas, everyone was nothing more than a dead man to him....Debra had a dream of her coming-of-age ceremony.Everyone was smiling, and everything was perfect.Suddenly, a gunshot shattered everything. The world went bl
For a moment, the castle fell silent after the gunshot. Then, more shots rang out, each one chipping away at the crowd's composure.A man, trembling, slowly raised his hands and stood up. "I'm a member of the Illuminati."Others scrambled to follow. "Me too."Within moments, nearly 70 to 80 percent of the people in the room were on their feet.The ones who stayed seated were mostly the "merchandise"—people the Illuminati had prepared. They quickly stood as well."Mr. Houston, have mercy," one of them begged. "We were just hired. We don't even know who's in charge."The men and women, who had been laughing and flirting with the wealthy elites, were now shaking in fear.Barely covered, they huddled together, terrified that Marion would kill them.Marion leaned back in his chair, glancing at the crowd. "Words don't count. Prove it."His men raised their rifles, aiming at the heads of the so-called members."I have proof," said one of them, pulling out a badge. "Here. Look. This
The Illuminati lackeys, totaling 30, were all dead now.Their bodies lined up neatly in a row.Marion took off his mask and casually tossed it into the corner. The guests recognized him and froze in place.Everyone there had heard of his infamous name. But they never thought he'd be bold enough to do a massacre.One of his men placed a chair behind him, but Marion didn't sit. Instead, he slowly stepped forward and casually removed the mask of a plump man.He smirked, When he saw the man's face, Marion smiled in a way that was hard to describe. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Pearson.""M-Mr. Houston..." Harvey Pearson sweated nervously.Marion casually asked, "Does your wife know you're here?" "We're just here to have some fun, Mr. Houston. We haven't done anything to offend you. We wouldn't dare."Marion ignored him, turning to rip off more masks."Mr. Glenn, Mr. Stokes, Mr. Salazar..." he muttered, raising his hand.At the signal, his men removed the masks of the remaining guest
The moment the gunshot rang out, Debra felt a gust of wind rush past her ear, followed by a ringing in her ears. It felt like the whole world went silent.In the nick of time, Marion had appeared and twisted the guard's neck. Then the bullet missed its target.Marion was dressed in a suit and a black mask, like many others did. Still, Debra recognized him at a glance."Let's go," he urged.With the alarm set off, all the guards would be gathering on the second floor in less than two minutes.The two of them rushed downstairs and quickly blended in with the chaotic guests.Unfortunately, the exit had been shut, and guards were closing in on them from every direction.Debra, who had inhaled too much of the gas, was already delirious.Her mind was foggy, and her legs felt as though they were floating. She focused on Marion's hand gripping hers, and memories of someone else holding her hand flooded her mind.The memory was blurry, like a dream, and the figure of the young man in t
It was the symbol of the Illuminati.A man's voice echoed through the castle."Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Kingdom Come. Here, you can fulfill your every craving."The atmosphere in the room seemed to get even hotter because of it, but the voice rang a bell to Debra, whose cheeks were starting to burn.Back in Orkgate, the scent released by Drake's men wasn't this strong.The people around her seemed hypnotized. Many had abandoned their dignity and danced wildly in the ballroom.The gamblers were all in deep, their faces flushed with excitement. Meanwhile, the women on sale started using every trick they could to satisfy the buyers.The male pets were even openly draped around the rich women, their hands roaming all over their bodies.Debra felt sick just watching it from the corner. She looked around, trying to find Marion.Without success, she focused on tracing the source of that earlier voice. She looked up at the second floor, but there wasn't a single soul.She was
The bodyguards at the entrance were intimidating.When Debra handed over her invitation, she worried there might be fingerprint scans or facial recognition. That would make things tricky.But the guards barely glanced at it before waving her through. Debra was surprised by how smoothly things went.This castle was one of the top three landmarks overseas, and it had never been open to the public. During the day, it was a tourist attraction. But now, someone managed to host a private banquet right there.Once inside, she was faced with one more hurdle. Rows of scanners stood ahead, all meant to detect any restricted items.Debra was carrying no gun, but Marion had given her a Bluetooth earpiece to stay in contact.To minimize suspicion, they decided to enter separately. She would go in first, and he'd follow shortly after.She hesitated for a moment before taking off the earpiece and tossing it into a shadowed corner.Just as she stepped forward, someone in front of her triggered