When Debra heard the valuable gift, everything clicked into place.She understood Melody's motivations perfectly. Given Melody's obsession with reputation and status, there was no way she would reject Declan's personal negotiation and generous offer, especially since Shelia was carrying the Nichols family's heir.Debra sneered, realizing that whether in her past life or this one, Melody was always driven by profit and self-interest.In her previous life, when Debra was the heiress of the Frazier family, Melody had treated her very well. But with Shelia's pregnancy and the potential benefits, Melody was eager to elevate her instead.It seemed that history was repeating itself, with Shelia taking on Jade's identity and carrying Juan's child.Once again, Debra and Juan were entangled in this web, but she was determined not to meet the same tragic end."This is strange. For such an important occasion, where is Juan?" Leah pointed out.She wasn't the only one curious about Juan's abs
Debra glanced down at her hand, a wry smile playing on her lips.She had anticipated that Shelia might have some tricks up her sleeve, but she hadn't expected such a brazen and underhanded method.As Melody arrived on the scene, her eyes widened in horror at the sight of Shelia lying in a pool of blood. She clutched her chest, her face paling as she nearly collapsed. "My great-grandson... Debra, you murderer! How could you be so vicious, even towards a pregnant woman?"Debra stood her ground, her expression calm. Ben rushed to her side anxiously."Madam, are you okay?""I'm fine," Debra reassured him.She glanced at Shelia and then Edgar. Edgar was comforting Declan, and a realization dawned on her. Edgar was likely involved in this scheme.Leah and Jack arrived to witness the aftermath. Leah gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She couldn't believe Debra would resort to such violence.Melody called the police. When the ambulance arrived, a police car followed close behind.P
"Yes."Joe swiftly turned the car around.Meanwhile, the guests gathered around were abuzz with tonight's commotion. Melody took the opportunity to ignite public rage. "Everyone knows in Seamar City how Debra used to fawn over Juan. Now they're going through a divorce, and she doesn't want to lose her title. So, she pushed Shelia down the stairs. It's simply despicable."The crowd murmured in agreement."I heard before that Debra was pursuing Mr. Nichols. She could have pushed Shelia out of jealousy.""I think I also saw Debra push Shelia down. That was brutal!""Who would risk her child's life? I bet it was Debra who did it.""Debra is broke, and now she has killed Mr. Nichols' child. Both families won't let her get away with this. She is done for."...The murmurs continued, the atmosphere thick with tension and speculation.Suddenly, Edgar's phone rang. After a brief call, he hung up and spoke in a heavy tone. "The child is gone."Melody took a couple of steps back, her
The room fell into a hushed silence as the recording finished playing.Edgar's expression darkened. He was caught off guard by Debra's unexpected move.Debra met his gaze directly, her eyebrow raised in defiance. If he thought he could set her up, he was sorely mistaken.Declan and Melody exchanged confused glances, uncertain of what was going on.Edgar took a deep breath, attempting to regain control. "Ms. Frazier, a recording alone doesn't prove anything. Besides, everyone saw you push Jade down the stairs. That's an undeniable fact."Debra shrugged. "Mr. Odom, you misunderstand my intention. I don't plan to use this recording to prove I didn't push anyone. I merely want to show that Miss Blair tricked me into going upstairs by pretending to be Juan and said some rather bizarre things."Declan interjected, "Even if Jade said something strange, it doesn't prove you didn't push her."Melody chimed in, "Regardless, Debra killed my great-grandson. That's a fact."Pedro, feeling t
Declan paled in disbelief. "No, it can't be. This must be fabricated."Debra merely watched him coldly.Melody was equally shocked, her hand clutching her chest as she struggled to process the revelation. She had never imagined that Shelia was responsible for the child's death.Debra turned to Pedro. "Mr. Hardy, what's the charge for deliberately murdering one's own child?"Pedro was lost for words. They had never encountered such a situation before, and the implications were staggering.Declan, his face contorted with rage, shouted at Debra. "My daughter is still in the hospital. What do you want?"Debra sneered, "I don't want anything. Shelia used her child to frame me, and I need to seek justice for myself.""Jade has already lost her child. What more do you want? How can you be so vicious?""Vicious? Shelia killed her child. I can't compare with her.""You..."Declan's face turned a deep shade of red, and he looked ready to explode. But it was Melody who stepped forward,
Juan cast a glance at Joe, who immediately stepped forward to address the stunned Jack and Leah."I apologize for the disturbance. I'll arrange for someone to take you home shortly."Turning to the gathered crowd, he announced, "The dinner party is over. I'm sorry for the trouble. We'll be sending everyone a gift later. I hope you don't mind."With Joe handling the situation, Juan felt a sense of relief. He turned his attention to Pedro, gesturing for him to follow."Come with me.""Okay."Juan then addressed Edgar and Declan, his voice cold and dismissive. "See yourselves out."Declan flushed with embarrassment, his earlier bravado deflating under Juan's stern gaze. Though he had dared to make a scene in front of Melody, he wouldn't dream of doing so in front of Juan.Edgar, sensing the tension, quickly led Declan away."Mr. Odom."Debra's sudden call made Edgar pause. She looked at him meaningfully. "Take care."Edgar shot Debra a cold look. Declan sensed something odd bet
Debra handed her phone to Juan. "The video evidence is all here."Juan took the phone, frowning. "I came back for you, Debra. I'll only be at ease if you're safe.""Thanks. If you want me to be safe, you should divorce me soon."At the heart of it all, the reason for Melody's actions was Juan's refusal to divorce her."After the divorce, do you want to be with Marion?""Yes."Her straightforward answer was like a knife twisting in Juan's heart.Debra, seeing the turmoil in his eyes, spoke calmly. "I thought I made myself clear last time. You should understand how I feel. Our marriage was a mistake from the start."Juan reached out, his hand gently grasping hers. "Shelia's child is gone. Can't we..."Debra jerked her hand away, her eyes flashing with disdain. "Do you think that with her child gone, nothing is standing between us anymore? Juan, wake up! The obstacle between us has never been Shelia."Juan grabbed her shoulders, his eyes filled with desperation and confusion. "T
"A marriage certificate can't trap me, Juan. Do you even look like the head of the Nichols family right now?"Debra delivered this scathing remark and walked out.Juan stood there, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He knew he didn't embody the image of the Nichols family head at that moment.The family always expected their leaders to prioritize the family's interests above all else. With the Frazier family bankrupt and Debra having lost her chance to be Mrs. Nichols, it was time to find a more suitable candidate.Yet, despite Debra publicly asking for a divorce months ago, Juan still hadn't agreed. The elders of the Nichols family were growing increasingly unhappy with him, but they couldn't force him to change his mind.Juan watched Debra's retreating figure, his expression darkening. Joe approached cautiously and said, "Sir, Mr. Hardy is still waiting upstairs.""Tell me what happened tonight in detail," Juan said, regaining his composure.He was unaware that Melody had de
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