Melody's voice trembled with anger and disbelief. "At least, Debra didn't kill my great-grandson, unlike Shelia. I've already been more than lenient by not sending her to prison. Yet you bailed her out. How can you be so foolish? I trained you for so many years. Why are you still stubborn?"Juan remained composed, looking at her without a word.Sophie came up to advise him, "Sir, you know Miss Miles' character. She went as far as killing her child. How could you..."Juan cut her off. "I've made my decision. I will take responsibility for Shelia. I'll get engaged to her and take care of her for life."Melody stumbled, her hand clutching her chest as if she might collapse. Sophie rushed to her side, offering support."How could I have a grandson like you?"Juan ignored her outburst, turning away and heading upstairs.Across town in his office, Edgar watched the news on the TV and kicked over the table."What's going on?" he barked.Chace bowed his head, replying, "Sir, I don't k
"But if we do that, what we've been doing might not stay hidden," Chace reasoned.They all knew Shelia wasn't truly Declan's daughter. If Declan learned about the truth, all their efforts would be for naught.Edgar understood the risks but wasn't about to let Juan emerge as the ultimate winner."There's always a backup plan.""You mean...""Go get the car. We're going to see Declan.""Understood."When they arrived at the Blair family's residence, the security guard immediately recognized Edgar's vehicle and hurried over to greet them."Mr. Odom, bad timing. Mr. Blair isn't home today."Edgar rolled down the window from the back seat. "Where did he go?"The guard hesitated. "Uh, we're not sure.""What about Miss Blair?""She went out with Mr. Blair and hasn't returned yet."The guard's expression said it all.Edgar noticed the lights on in the house. Shelia and Declan were seated in the living room, and Juan was with them. They seemed to be enjoying each other's company l
After having dinner at the Blair family's house, Juan left and got into his car.Joe said, "Marion has booked the place.""Then let's go," Juan replied, his eyes gleaming with a cold determination.He had been wanting to have a serious talk with Marion, and tonight seemed like the perfect opportunity.The car pulled up to the nightclub. Marion had rented out the entire place. The manager, recognizing Juan, immediately approached him with a fawning smile and led him to the most luxurious private room at the back.The hallway was lined with Marion's men, their presence a clear display of power.Joe muttered, "What does Marion want? Is he trying to show off?"Juan remained silent. For years, Seamar City had been his territory, but with Caleb's retirement and Marion's rise, the dynamics had shifted.The city was now a formidable three-way standoff between Juan, Marion, and the elusive Tracy, who never appeared in public.In the private room, Marion sat on the couch, a defiant sm
Marion smirked. "As I said, I have ways to deal with anyone trying to hurt Debra. How about you take a guess at what I've been up to these days, running around all over the place?"It took only a moment for Juan to realize the implication behind Marion's words. His eyes narrowed as he said, "You're the one who cut off our key funding chains?"Recently, major partners and overseas suppliers had suddenly come to a halt. Payments were delayed, and if it weren't for the Nichols family's reserve funds, their business would have ground to a standstill.Juan had initially thought this was due to the McKinney Group's impact, causing hesitation among partners and suppliers. He hadn't expected Marion to be involved.Marion's smile widened. "Every business has some dirty work to handle. You should remember what the Houston family used to do, and you shouldn't have forgotten what I used to do either."Juan clenched his fists. Few had dared to threaten him so openly. "Marion, have you thought
Debra woke up from a dream of her past life.In her dream, Seamar City had eventually become Marion's domain. She rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the lingering images. She dismissed it as just another ordinary dream.The morning sunlight streamed through her window, and she saw several missed calls on her phone.She called Ben back, and he said, "Madam, Mr. Cameron wants to see you.""Now?""Yes, he called you last night, but you didn't answer.""I see," Debra said. "Did he say why he wanted me there?""It seems to be about the trainee program."After leaving Potter Entertainment, Debra announced her new role as General Manager of McKinney Group.It was no surprise that Henry was anxious. Without Juan's sponsorship, most of the trainees had canceled their contracts, leaving him facing massive compensation fees to the production team. It was likely that Edgar's investment had already gone down the drain.At noon, Debra walked into the office building of Potter Entertai
Ashley strode towards Debra, enveloping her hand in a warm, affectionate grasp. "Ms. Frazier, we've both been in the trenches together as trainees. You know Eve, so please, don't take this the wrong way.Anyone with a pulse in the industry knew Debra wasn't someone to be underestimated. Though she held the title of general manager at the McKinney Group, whispers of her special relationship with Tracy, the group's real master, had long since spread like wildfire.The recent parade of luxury cars ferrying Debra around only served to fuel Ashley's suspicion that Debra and Tracy were entangled in a romantic liaison.Debra, however, swiftly extricated her hand from Ashley's grip, leaving the latter awkwardly suspended in mid-air.Henry stepped in, his voice dripping with sycophantic charm."Ms. Frazier, why don't we head upstairs and have a little chat? After you," he gestured, as if ushering royalty.Eve, witnessing her father's groveling display, felt a hot surge of anger and anxiet
Henry swiftly read between the lines of Debra's words. He gave a firm nod and said, "I get the picture, Ms. Frazier. Consider it done.""Excellent," Debra replied, rising from her seat. "Freya is chomping at the bit to debut, but the truth is, Potter Entertainment doesn't have the resources to make it happen. I trust you grasp the sensitivity of the matter."Henry met her gaze steadily. "Leave it to me. I'll keep the trainees in line."Debra nodded, satisfied. "I'll be heading back. Don't worry. Your position here is secure.""Understood, Ms. Frazier. Let me show you out," Henry said, gesturing towards the door.Outside the meeting room, Eve watched the exchange, her jaw clenched tight enough to crack walnuts.Ashley, never one to miss an opportunity to stir the pot, leaned in and whispered, "How does Debra still wield so much power? I heard Juan is about to get engaged to Miss Blair. Debra's not Mrs. Nichols anymore, so why is your father bending over backward for her?"Eve's e
"A gala?"When Debra strode back into the McKinney Group's headquarters, the buzz of internal chatter reached her ears almost instantly.She tossed the invitation onto her desk. "So, why didn't this invitation land on my desk yesterday?"Ben squirmed under her gaze. "This is a big deal. All the top celebrities and big-name stars will be there. I didn't think you needed to attend, so...""Cut to the chase, Ben. Who's hosting it?" Debra demanded.Ben tried to dance around the question, but Debra's steely gaze had him pinned. He finally came clean."It's the Nichols family."A smile spread across Debra's face. She knew Ben wouldn't hide the invitation without a reason. And now, she understood. He was worried about her crossing paths with Juan.Ben trod carefully. "They're going to announce Mr. Nichols' engagement to Miss Blair."Everyone in Seamar City knew about Debra's history with Juan. Now that Juan was getting engaged to Shelia, and if the invitation had landed in his still-
"I can cover your airfare," Juan replied."I'm not leaving," Liza sulked. "I'll stay here. Tell Fermin to come see me, or I'll..."Jeffrey's voice came from upstairs. "Or what?"Liza shivered and looked over. The man was looking down at her from a commanding height.She had seen Jeffrey in that cave, but she hadn't felt anything unusual at the time. Now, his presence was so overwhelming that she found it hard to breathe.Jeffrey then turned to Juan. "Miss Eaton is a guest. Give Fermin a call and tell him to come over."Juan nodded and ordered the maid, "Prepare a room for Miss Eaton."The maid quickly went to prepare the room. Liza restrained her arrogance and followed behind the maid.Late at night, Liza was tossing and turning. There wasn't even a bottle of water in the room.Suddenly, footsteps in the hallway broke the quietness of the night.A wave of fear swept over her. She was afraid that some freak from the Nichols family would come to harm her. She quickly ducked bac
Under the cover of the night, Liza slipped out with her suitcase.When Randy sent someone to take Liza to the airport, they found her room empty."Did you check the surveillance footage?" Debra asked upon hearing the news."An hour ago, she left with her suitcase," Erica replied.Randy sighed, "She just can't stay put. Going home was the best choice for her."Debra wasn't so worried about it. "Cancel the ticket. No matter where she goes, she won't be in danger.""Why not?" Erica was puzzled."She's Liza Eaton. Most people won't dare touch her. And since she's Fermin's sister, Jeffrey won't harm her. Just have someone follow her and make sure she gets back to Fermin."Erica sighed, "Now we have to clean up her mess. Doesn't she ever use her brain? If Fermin listened to her, he wouldn't have shot you in the first place.""What can we do? She's a rich girl who has never known real hardship." Randy shrugged, turning to Debra. "I'll let my people follow her.""Good," Debra replied
Randy didn't argue with Liza, knowing it was Bert's trick to comfort her.But everyone else there could see the truth.Fermin must have cracked under the pressure of growing up in the Eaton family and developed a second personality.Debra still felt something was off. The Eaton family had been keeping this whole thing under wraps. There had to be more to it.Erica muttered, "No wonder the media never reported anything about twins. Turns out Garland doesn't even exist."Liza sighed, "I've told you everything I know. I just want to apologize on Fermin's behalf. Debra, I don't think he really wanted to kill you. He..." "He was just blinded by greed and desperate to find the treasure?" Randy chimed in.Liza hung her head. Given the influence of the Eaton family, they didn't need any treasure. With the time and effort spent searching for it, they could've closed countless big deals.And yet, Fermin still went ahead with it.Debra concluded, "It doesn't matter why he did it. Fermi
Marion and Debra came down the stairs hand in hand.Randy teased, "Well, well, look who finally decided to get out of bed."Marion tossed an apple to him. Randy caught it and wiped it on his shirt. "Hey, don't waste food."Debra noticed Oscar, Chace, Theda, and Robert were all there. She stepped forward and said, "It's rare to see everyone together like this."Drake said, "Thanks to you, we're all on the same team now."Erica frowned. "We chose to be on this team."Drake shrugged. "I was speaking the truth."Just then, Liza quietly came downstairs. Everyone fell silent."Debra, I'm sorry. I didn't know Fermin would shoot at you," she muttered."I kept him close. It's not your fault," Debra replied."I thought he wouldn't show up," Liza said, her voice trailing off."I'm not mad at you. But I want to know more about his condition," Debra replied.Liza lowered her head and began to explain, "Actually, I had two brothers. My mom was pregnant with twins. One of them died, but h
Marion looked at the bandages on the table. "Weren't you just crying from the pain a second ago?""It doesn't hurt when I remove it myself. But when you do it in front of me, I feel bad and want to cry," Debra replied.Marion didn't know what to say. He sprinkled some medicine on her wound, and she immediately felt a cool, soothing sensation."Did you used to eat candy when you were hurt?""No.""Huh?""I don't like sweet stuff. It's Drake. We used to go on missions together. He was hot-tempered and often got hurt. He didn't bother carrying any candy, so he'd always stuff it in my pocket. I didn't know if it worked or not, but it seemed to help him.""No wonder.""There you go. Just rest for now. Don't think about anything.""Alright." Debra lay down but poked her head out from under the blanket. "Aren't you curious about how I made it back?""I don't want to ask.""Why?"Everyone else had been eager to know.She noticed his frown and said, "Actually, it was..."Marion qu
At the Potter Mansion, Debra was lying by the edge of the bed.Marion woke up in the middle of the night, feeling someone holding his hand. Startled, he turned to see Debra lying beside him. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming."Debra?" he murmured.Debra slowly opened her eyes and flashed a sweet smile. "You're awake."Marion realized this wasn't a dream. Without a second thought, he pulled Debra into his arms. His sudden movement tugged at Debra's wound, causing her to gasp in pain.Marion quickly let go, his face filled with concern. "Did your wound tear? Let me see."He carefully unbuttoned Debra's top. Sure enough, there was some blood seeping from her shoulder.The wound on her shoulder had been caused by a bullet from Fermin. While it only pierced the skin, it couldn't handle any rough movements.Debra teased him, "I didn't expect the fearless Marion to be so anxious one day."Marion said seriously, "It's bad. I'll treat your wound."He got up from the bed and hur
"Alright." Debra got up from the bed.Juan added, "Give me your ring."Debra looked down at her ring and took it off.Juan said, "I'll give it back later."Debra left the room, knowing Juan didn't owe her anything anymore.Juan sat down and looked at the dim table lamp. His mind drifted to the previous night when he invited Vickie there.When she arrived, Vickie took in the surroundings and frowned. "What do you want to see me for?"Juan looked at her face, which resembled Debra's, and felt a wave of disgust. In his mind, one could replace Debra, and no one else could have that face."You've always wanted to take Debra's place, right? I'm giving you that chance," he said, tossing a set of clothes to her. "Put these on. You know how to look more like her.""What are you getting at?" Vickie asked suspiciously."Debra is dead," Juan replied. "From today on, you are her.""Really?" Vickie's face lit up with joy.She had suffered so much only for this moment."Yeah." Juan nodde
"Debra is back from the dead!" Randy screamed.Erica smacked him on the back of the head and snapped, "Look closely. She's not dead.""Not dead?" Randy pointed at Debra's face. "But her face..."Debra wiped her face with the sleeve. The grayish powder came off, revealing her bare skin."It's just makeup," she said."Almost gave me a heart attack. I thought you were..." Randy gaped.Drake's lips curled up, and he poked Debra's head. "Why didn't you wake up sooner? Wanted us to mourn you?"Debra explained, "There were spies outside. If they found out I wasn't dead, Juan would be in danger."Erica froze. "Juan? What's this got to do with him?""Let me explain later. I need to wash my face first." Debra stood up and looked around. "Where's Marion?""He passed out," Robert replied. "I used almost all my strength. It'll take him some time to wake up."Debra furrowed her brow. "Why did you hit him?""Ask him," Robert said. "He rushed to the Nichols Mansion, got into a gunfight, an
Randy exclaimed, "This is fake. Who did this? I'll tear them apart."Erica chimed in, "This news can't be true. It must be a smokescreen to confuse us."Theda looked at the ring in Robert's hand. "Could Marion's desperate actions today be because of this?"Everyone was taken aback....Jeffrey read the news. "Well done."Juan asked, "Aren't you sad about killing Vickie after training her for so long?""Dying as the daughter of the Frazier family is a blessing for her," Jeffrey replied indifferently. "Debra's body has been burned to ashes, and Vickie is no longer useful. Sacrificing her to create chaos and shake the Four Great Families was a brilliant idea."He paused and added, "Send the body to the Potter Mansion. I want them to understand that with Debra dead, their resistance is meaningless.""Got it," Juan replied, slowly retreating.In the basement, he dismissed everyone and looked at the lifeless woman in the coffin. "Once you're back, don't show up again," he whisper