Debra sighed. "There is a catch. I have to play the part of Mrs. Nichols for the next six months. After that, we're done for good."Oscar raised an eyebrow. "He wants to buy time for the Nichols Group?""Most likely. They've taken a blow from us. Even though they're back in operation, their stocks are running low. This year's profits are looking grim. These six months are crucial for their recovery.""Clever move. Even in divorce, he's angling for a return on investment.""Putting business first. That's Juan."Debra shrugged, unsurprised. In her last life, he had married her primarily for the Frazier family's connections.Oscar chimed in, "Well, at least it's a divorce."Debra said, "So, I agreed."Besides, she would get a sum of money.Across the room, the sycophants who had once fawned over Shelia now swarmed Debra."Mrs. Nichols, I always thought you and Mr. Nichols were a power couple. I'm so glad to see you reconciled.""Indeed, Mrs. Nichols. With the Frazier family's r
The specter of her past loomed large, and the last thing Shelia wanted was for it to be paraded in public. Joe's hint was as subtle as a freight train, his implication crystal clear.The Nichols family couldn't afford to welcome a former mistress, fresh off the heels of a lost child, into their esteemed household. They needed to maintain appearances, present a united front, and resurrect their floundering reputation and finances.Declan, grasping the situation, said, "Jade, don't make a scene.""Dad...""I understand Mr. Nichols' concerns," Declan said, turning his attention back to Joe. "He's doing what's best for the Nichols family. Since you've divorced Debra, how long must my daughter wait?Juan remained silent, leaving Joe to fill the void. "Six months. The contract with Ms. Frazier ends in six months. Until then, Miss Blair will have to be patient."Shelia bristled, "Why should I wait? The position of Mrs. Nichols should be mine!""Silence!" Declan barked.Shelia shrank b
Declan and Shelia made a hasty exit from the Nichols' residence.Juan descended from the second floor, his eyes scanning the room.Joe approached him and reported, "Sir, I didn't see Mr. Tracy here."A flicker of disappointment in Juan's eyes. He had hoped to finally unmask Tracy, but Tracy didn't even show up."Though Tracy didn't show," Joe continued, "Michael did."As if on cue, Michael sauntered over."Mr. Nichols, a pleasure to meet you.""Me too. Why didn't Mr. McKinney come to the event?"Michael chuckled, a sound like velvet. "Mr. McKinney couldn't make it, but I'm here. It's all the same, really."Juan raised an eyebrow, catching the undercurrent in Michael's words.In the past, Michael had been nothing more than the McKinney Group's top actor, but not a power player. But now, he was implying something more."Mr. Austin, could you enlighten me?"Michael's smile deepened, his eyes glinting with a mysterious light.Tracy, the supposed power behind the McKinney Group
Debra ended the call.Oscar, noticing her tense expression, sidled up to her."Anything wrong?""You and Michael should stay to know some veterans in the entertainment industry. Something is coming up, and I have to leave early.""But can you really leave at a time like this?"Debra's eyes darted to Juan, who was engrossed in conversation with Michael. "I'll slip away quietly."She downed a glass of wine and handed the empty glass to a stunned Oscar. With a glance around, she hiked up her skirt and dashed towards the exit.Oscar made a futile grab for her, but she sprinted out of the hall.Fifteen minutes later, a sleek sports car screeched to a halt in front of the gate.Erica jumped out and questioned Debra, "What's happening? Why the sudden change of plans?"Randy echoed, "Did that Juan threaten you? Don't worry. With Marion backing you up, he wouldn't dare try anything."Debra shook her head. "No. I just made a deal with him.""What kind of deal?""I signed a divorce
"How could there be robbers?" Debra frowned.The place was a fortress, bristling with guards, maids, and bodyguards, not to mention the state-of-the-art security system. It was virtually impregnable. No ordinary robber could infiltrate it.Erica tugged nervously at Debra's arm. "The police should be here any minute. Let's not get involved. We should go."Debra shook her head. "No police. I'm going in."Randy was astounded. "Debra, don't be reckless."Debra glanced at the grand entrance, having a general idea of what was going on.She made a dash toward the house. Inside, the hall was chaotic and dark.Suddenly, a pair of hands gripped her arms. "Boss, we've got a woman here."The robber's voice caught the attention of their leader in the darkness."Let her go.""But...""I said, let her go."The voice was unmistakable. Even though it was lowered, Debra knew exactly who it was."Debra, get out of here," Juan said weakly.Debra ignored his warning, moving closer to the mask
"The first aid kit is here," the maid announced, placing the kit in front of Debra.Erica and Randy rushed in, their faces etched with concern. Erica took one look at the disarray and instantly knew who the so-called 'robber' was.She offered, "Take my car. The ambulance could take forever to get here.""Okay." Debra nodded, swiftly instructing the security guards to carry Juan into the car.At the hospital, doctors swiftly began emergency treatment on Juan.Erica and Debra sat on a bench."He'll pull through. The doctor said the wound wasn't critical.""But excessive blood loss can still be fatal. Where's Randy?"Debra rubbed her temples, her voice laced with worry. "He had something urgent to attend to.""He went to find Marion, didn't he?"They both knew Marion was behind the attack. His reckless, impulsive actions had left Juan fighting for his life. Though the knife had missed any vital organs, the risk of complications lingered like a dark shadow.The doctor emerged
Debra cast a glance at Juan, his form still and silent on the hospital bed."I'll come back when he's better."With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the ward.As the door clicked shut behind her, Juan's eyes fluttered open.Joe was totally surprised."Sir, you're awake.""Help me sit up."Juan's voice was hoarse. Joe quickly assisted him, propping pillows behind his back."Sir, is this an act?"Juan remained silent, his mind replaying the events. The security alarm had blared early, a warning that only Debra could have triggered.When the intruders burst in, Juan could have easily evaded the knife, but he hadn't. He had taken the blow deliberately, gambling on Debra's reaction.A wry smile tugged at the corners of Juan's mouth."She must still care for me."Joe hesitated before speaking. "Mrs. Nichols used to love you so deeply. If you're hurt, she'd definitely be concerned.""Concerned?" Juan muttered. "If she cared, she wouldn't have left."His face was p
"Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if you left evidence behind? You promised me you wouldn't take these risks again," Debra said.Today, Marion had shown up with a motley crew of hardened men she'd never seen before.But she knew from her past life that Marion had an ulterior motive for coming to Seamar City. His sights were set on Juan, the biggest obstacle standing between him and total control of the city.She just hadn't expected so many twists and turns this time around, but Marion's goal remained steadfast, and his forces were more formidable than ever.If any of these men were caught, Marion could be doomed. She couldn't bear the thought.She looked at Marion, waiting for an explanation, but he remained silent as a statue."You have other business in Seamar City, don't you?" she pressed.Marion finally nodded. "Yes."Debra's voice grew colder, her frustration bubbling to the surface."You've already conquered overseas, yet you're still here, vying f
Liza grinned cheekily, "My allowance has gone up every year, but don't lose heart. I'll tell Dad to raise your allowance too."She looked at Garland's sullen face and patted his shoulder. "Cheer up. I'm off shopping."She leisurely hummed a song and skipped away.Far away in Seamar City, Robert was reporting his duties to Theda."These past few days, most of the McKinney Group's clients have jumped ship and joined us. Now that their artists are on hiatus, we can grab their endorsement deals. Within a month, we'll swallow up all the resources they're holding onto," he said."Is Debra doing nothing about this?" Theda asked."She did," Robert replied. "Michael has been working around the clock. Debra's trying to use him to salvage the situation. But it's not working.""Michael may be their ace, and Debra's relying on him to secure only luxury brand endorsements. But if she doesn't care about the smaller deals, we'll take them," Theda said, tapping her chin. "Without clients or reso
On a beach overseas, Debra lay on a lounge chair.In front of her was the blue sky, white clouds, and the endless ocean. The golden sand glittered in the sunlight.She wore sunglasses and flashed a peace sign for a picture before posting it on social media.In the picture, she showed half her face, while the other half captured their artists building a sandcastle.The caption read, [Blue skies, white clouds, the ocean, playful employees, and a boss you'll never have.]The comments section quickly exploded.[I know team building, but I've never heard of a boss taking their employees abroad for it. I want such a boss.][Girl, you just took away all my idols.][The McKinney Group's artists have all gone on break. My happiness is gone.]...In floral trunks, Garland was grumbling while digging in the sand with a shovel, "Your wedding hasn't even happened, and you're already on a honeymoon? You can have your honeymoon. Why let me arrange everything and foot the bills?"Liza heard
Erica chimed in, "Right now, with half the entertainment industry's resources in their hands, their artists are already strained. If they take our deals too, those artists will be run into the ground. Even if they worked 24/7, they wouldn't be able to handle that kind of workload.""To capitalists, artists are just tools to make money. They couldn't care less about how the tools feel. And since those artists are mostly rookies, their rates are relatively low. After layers of exploitation, the pay they take home won't match the work they're doing," Debra replied. "Meanwhile, our artists are enjoying paid vacations for two months, traveling and relaxing. Do you think the Buchan Group's artists will feel okay with that? These are skilled professionals, but they're stuck doing assembly-line work. With such intense workloads, their performance will inevitably suffer, and the quality of their work will drop. For artists, no good work means no staying power. Their popularity will fade, and a
"She's probably trying to catch us off guard with this move," Debra said, calming down. "She's pushing her artists to work nonstop, taking on every gig they can get. By marketing them so aggressively, she's maintaining a temporary buzz. Advertisers will shift their partnerships from our artists to hers. If we lose most of our clients all at once, it'll throw our company into chaos. That's when she will swoop in."Andrew muttered, "So, it's a mind game? Theda knows how to play dirty."But Erica still looked troubled. "Now we know what she's doing. What can we do? Just sit by when she steals our clients?"If they lost their clients, their artists' commercial value would plummet. That would be a heavy blow to their business. Their revenue would dive, and they would lose their standing in Seamar City.Debra smiled mysteriously, "If Theda wants to disrupt us, we'll meet changes with constancy.""What do you mean?" Erica was puzzled."Didn't Michael just say that artists aren't machine
Compared to those mass-produced artists, these people under Theda's management had been trained for years.They were different from those who debuted just because of their looks. These people were versatile and unique in their own ways.Randy mumbled, "I've tried my best, but every time we fight back, they come up with something new. The advertisers we worked with before saw the momentum behind their publicity. Plus, their new talents were cheaper, so they all switched sides. Our ad revenue has dropped significantly. Even our commercial street has to feature ads for those Buchan artists. It's like quenching a thirst with poison."Erica chimed in, "This is the least we can do. Their artists are riding the tide. It makes sense that advertisers would go for them. We can't just tell people not to run ads for them."Debra nodded. "Advertisers choose who's trending. And those newcomers are popular and affordable. Michael is better but beyond the average advertisers' reach."Erica got an
Soon, the interrogators came out of the room. It seemed they wouldn't get any answers today.Kale had been waiting outside the station.When Drake and Debra walked out, he quickly went up."Boss, the plane tickets are ready.""Good."Before getting into the car, Drake said, "I'll give you an answer within three days. Don't forget our bet."Debra shook her head, surprised that he took that lopsided deal so seriously.Her phone rang with a call from Erica. "Check the news!"Debra, sensing her urgency, opened the news app.The top headline was about Buchan Entertainment. The article showcased a lineup of attractive artists and members of popular bands.Randy's words resurfaced in her mind. When she had just returned to Seamar City, he mentioned that a surge of artists had become wildly popular, rivaling the fame of Michael back in the day.Since Oscar left the entertainment industry to take over the Odom Group, these artists had been gaining even more momentum, almost as if the
"You think I'm scared of being caught?" Drake tried to pull his arm away, but Debra held on tightly.In the end, Drake snapped, "Fine! I won't go."The police were already closing in. Running now would only make things worse. Being dragged back in cuffs wasn't exactly appealing.Debra let go of him and smiled cheerfully, "Thank you for your cooperation."Pedro personally led the operation. Within minutes, the officers subdued the six thugs and loaded them into the vans.Pedro glanced at Debra and pointed at Drake. "About Mr. Lowe..."Debra explained, "Mr. Lowe is a witness. He's cooperating with us to clear his name and assist in solving this case. Isn't that touching, Mr. Hardy?""Thank you, Mr. Lowe. Much appreciated," Pedro said gratefully.But then he scratched his head and added, "Well, since Mr. Lowe is a witness, he'll need to come to the station for a statement. I know it's inconvenient, but I'm sure a generous and upright person like Mr. Lowe won't mind, right?"Befor
"I'll talk. It was Matthew Ledger. Please, spare me, Mr. Lowe," Silas said, terrified.He was just a small-time worker running errands for the bigshots.Drake narrowed his eyes, not expecting Matthew to be so bold."Boss, what should we do with these people?" Kale asked."Bind them all up." Drake glanced at the boat. "Stuff them in there, along with the machines, and send them to the West Factory. We'll go meet Matthew.""Yes, boss." Kale gave orders to cram those men into boxes.Among the group, six men suddenly pulled out their guns. "Don't move!"Debra saw it and opened the car door.Looking nothing special, these people had blended into the crowd and acted only at the critical moment.Debra knew that the shipment of so many machines couldn't go unsupervised. She hadn't noticed anyone hidden earlier, but it turned out they'd been embedded within the group.Clearly, whoever was behind this had infiltrated Drake's company."Stand back!" The six men grouped, scanning their s
Presumably, Silas had smuggled out countless machines and made a fortune over the years.Drake pulled out a bank card and said, "There's not much in here, but it's got 300-500 thousand dollars. I'd appreciate it if you guys could help carry all the machines down. Consider this a tip."Everyone was excited to hear that. It was easy money to make.The leader quickly ordered his men to unload the cargo. Drake handed the card over and glanced at his watch.Then he looked over at the car parked 100 meters away from the dock.Inside, Debra rolled down the window but had no intention of stepping in. She was simply enjoying the show.The men brought down the boxes, emptying the cargo ship.Drake nodded and said, "Thanks, everyone."The leader laughed, "No worries. You've already paid us."Drake smirked, "It's for carrying the evidence down."Before those men could react, Kale and his team sprang from their hiding spots.Realizing it was a trap, the men tried to flee, but Kale's peop