"Check out the menu and see if there's anything you like," Marion said, handing the menu to her.Debra casually browsed through it. "Let's have everything Randy mentioned."Marion chuckled, and Randy exclaimed, "See? Marion never picks wrong! Those are all your favorites!"Debra looked at Marion, who didn't seem inclined to explain."Sorry sir, the crab just ran out. We can offer you a substitute of equal value. How about..." The waiter trod carefully, not wanting to upset Marion.Randy frowned. "What's going on? I made a reservation in advance. How can it be unavailable?" He prided himself on managing such matters impeccably, and this was like a slap in the face."We're really sorry, but the crab was already reserved by another guest. The clerk made a mistake, and we could compensate you with two other dishes. Please accept our apologies, sir.""Is this a matter of compensation? Who reserved it? I'll go speak to them!" Randy said.Debra stopped him, saying, "It's okay. The c
Dave was puzzled.That was great news for the real estate industry, and everyone in the business had learned about it.Juan furrowed his brow as he realized he hadn't contacted Debra since this morning."Mr. Clark, let's drink."Shelia knew Juan was thinking about Debra. She poured him a drink despite her uneasy feelings.Juan stood up abruptly and left the private room without a word."Mr. Nichols?"The room fell into confusion, and Shelia fretted.She found it hard to believe the land had ended up in the green zone.In the bathroom, Debra finished washing her hands and noticed her phone vibrating on the sink. Seeing it was Juan calling, she answered, "What's up?""Where are you?" His tone wasn't friendly.Confused why he was upset again, she replied, "Having a meal with friends. Can it wait until tonight?"Shelia's timid voice came from the other end. "Juan, come back. Everyone's waiting for you."Debra hung up without another word.She found it absurd that he asked abo
Shelia returned to the room, her pale face catching attention.She struggled to compose herself as she sat down. Juan noticed her pallor and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"In a hushed voice, Shelia replied, "Mr. Nichols, I-I think I just saw Debra.""Debra?"Shelia nodded, hesitating as she continued, "Not only did I see Debra, but I also saw the two men from the auction the other day. One of them seemed very close to her."One name instantly came to his mind: Marion.His eyes glinting with coldness, Juan stood up and strode towards the door.Shelia followed him, leaving everyone else bewildered."It's right ahead," she pointed, leading the way.Juan pushed open the door to the private room and saw Marion and Randy inside. They were toasting each other.Randy looked puzzled. "Juan?"Disappointment washed over Shelia as Debra's absence registered. But soon, she noticed the third set of utensils on the table. "Mr. Nichols, the utensils are still here."Juan also spotted the
Caleb doted excessively on Erica."I'm sorry, Miss Mathis. I didn't mean to. I...""Enough!"Erica frowned, turning her attention to Juan. "It's you, Juan. You better keep your mistress in check. How dare a poor student who latched onto a wealthy man be so insolent in front of me?"Being labeled a mistress, Shelia couldn't hold back her anger. But before she could retort, Juan intervened with a grim expression.Shelia was frightened by his demeanor, not daring to utter another word."It's a misunderstanding. Let me cover the expenses of your meal. Please don't take offense.""No need! The Mathis family is rich enough."Erica bluntly rejected his offer. "I'll remember this. Show them out!"Several bodyguards then escorted Juan and Shelia out of the room.Juan could easily handle these people if he chose to fight. He didn't because he was in the wrong.Once outside, Juan looked sullen."Juan, I really didn't..." Shelia started."Alright, let's not talk about it again," Juan
Debra heard the door creak open, and a streak of dim light shone through."Debra?" Juan's voice was low.Debra pretended not to hear.Juan raised his voice a bit. "Debra?"Debra frowned but kept her eyes closed. "Why are you disturbing my sleep in the middle of the night?""Get up!" Juan's tone carried suppressed anger.Frustrated, she got up and looked at Juan, who was standing at the door. "What's your problem?"Juan rushed forward and pinned her down on the bed, catching her off guard.The dim light from the doorway cast a subtle glow over him.Her breath caught in her throat, but she quickly regained her composure. "What are you trying to do?""Where were you tonight?""Having dinner with my friends.""Who?"Debra frowned. "I don't owe you an explanation. Remember, we're just using each other for benefits.""Oh really?" Juan sneered.Debra sensed trouble as Juan began to tear at her nightgown. "Legally, you're my wife. Don't you think you should fulfill your duties?"
In her previous life, after marrying Juan, Debra believed Melody's advice that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. So, despite being a lady who never touched household chores, she started cooking various dishes.But Juan never tried her cooking.It was because Juan loved Shelia more.When breakfast was ready, Juan noticed there was nothing for him. Frowning, he asked, "Where's mine?""Cook for yourself," Debra replied indifferently.Juan was annoyed. "Debra Frazier!"Debra ignored him and nibbled on her bread.Since she no longer cared for Juan, she saw no reason to exert herself to please him."I'm done," she said after finishing her meal.She took the dishes to the kitchen and prepared to leave with her bag.Juan asked, "Where are you going?""I have class this morning.""Take the day off.""Are you sick?" Debra finally lost her temper.Since this morning, Juan had been unusually hostile.He gave their housekeeper a day off, then demanded breakfast, and n
Debra reluctantly let Juan take the lead. "Fine, let's go shopping."Since it wasn't her money, she could browse as she pleased.She failed to notice the faint smile tugging at Juan's lips.At the mall, Debra surveyed the layout. She was planning to construct a large commercial street, so doing some research was necessary.Suddenly, she felt her hand being tugged and warily pulled away. Juan had returned from getting bubble tea."What are you doing?" She freaked out."Holding hands, for a photo," he replied, glancing towards a paparazzi-like figure with a camera not far away.Debra agreed, despite finding it troublesome.Juan pulled out his phone and opened the camera."What now?""Selfie."Debra stiffened in front of the lens. Juan frowned, sulking, "Can't you smile?"Debra wanted to smile, but seeing Juan in the camera, she couldn't manage more than a strained grin.Juan turned off the camera with annoyance, and Debra turned to buy more clothes.She wasn't paying the bi
'If you're so unwilling to come out with me, just stay home next time,' thought Debra.Juan ignored her and suddenly accelerated the car. "Transfer the money you spent today to me later."Debra frowned. "You dragged me out and expect me to foot the bill?""It's all for show," he replied."What's wrong with a husband spending a little on his wife?""You said it, contractual spouses."Debra was speechless.She had hoped to take advantage of Juan, but it seemed she had overestimated her position.A shrewd businessman like Juan would never accept losses."Tightwad!" Debra took a deep breath.She told herself not to get mad. She didn't want to owe him anything anyway, and money wasn't an issue for her.Back at their house, Debra's phone beeped incessantly with news notifications, each one accompanied by photos of her and Juan shopping together.They went like #Sweet Nichols Couple Shopping Together, #Romance in Real Life: Tycoon CEO Spoils His Wife, etc.Among these headlines,
Drake's logic was persuasive, almost hypnotic.Cathryn found herself wavering. "But Liza... ""She's your friend, right? She'll understand. Besides, this is just a business arrangement, not a real marriage. It's just to create some tension for Marion."Cathryn was convinced. "Alright, I'll prepare the gala. But you must explain everything to Liza afterward.""Okay," Drake replied.But his smile faded as soon as Cathryn left.Kale asked, "Boss, are you really going to explain this to Miss Eaton?""Explain my ass," Drake snorted. "Once I get engaged to her, I'll gain control of the Bernard family's resources. Then I'll have enough power to take on Marion. Who cares about her petty little scandals?"Kale mused, "So, you were fooling her?"Drake explained, "She's the only one left in her family. If it weren't for those resources, do you think I'd even consider an engagement with her? She's clueless. Once she hosts the gala and announces the news to the media, do you think she can
Drake sneezed in his study.Kale came in and reported, "Miss Bernard is here."Drake waved his hand. "Let her in."Kale opened the door to reveal Cathryn standing hesitantly outside. She had come upon learning that Marion had taken Debra away.Drake glanced at her and read her mind. "She was rescued. Helping you cost me a lot."Cathryn stammered, "Don't make it sound so noble. You did it for yourself.""What now? We're in this together. Marion has learned you collaborated with me to kidnap Debra." Drake rested his cheek on his hand. "But it's not a bad thing. At least, Marion can't ignore you anymore."Cathryn bit her lip, stepping forward. "I know you have other plans. We can't let her stay with Marion. You gotta help me for my father's sake."But the mention of the past only served to annoy Drake.Cathryn quickly added, "If it weren't for my father, you wouldn't have made it to Orkgate or become the Lowe family's adopted son. You owe me."Drake snorted, "You're right. I owe
She had known for a while that Melody was coming after her. That wasn't a well-kept secret. But seeing it plastered online and climbing the trending charts? That was a whole new level of absurdity."Let me see." Marion emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair.He leaned over, glanced at the phone, and nodded approvingly. "That's catchy.""I'm going to find out which genius published this." Debra's fingers flew over her phone, tracing the story back to its source. When the name of New Age popped up on her screen, she froze."New Age?" she murmured, remembering that it was Garland's news agency."Something wrong?" Marion asked.Debra blinked. "I spent 50 million dollars to buy that newspaper. So..." Her own company had just broken a report on her. That was the next level....In the study room, Garland was livid, yelling into his phone, "What were you thinking? Are you people brain-dead? Who let you publish that story? And then you dumped ad money into it too? Did you want t
"Those things aside, you need to explain something to me. What's going on with your post?" Juan placed his phone in front of Garland.He had only just seen it while walking from the study to the hallway. Garland had managed to edit and post it in that short period. The post read: [Shocking: Ex-husband's Grandmother Travels Thousands of Miles to Kill Me.]Garland was lost for words. He had forgotten to set it private.Juan demanded, "Are you going to delete it, or should I?""I'll do it." Garland grabbed his phone and logged into his alternative account.He clicked open the post, only to find that it had garnered over 99 likes.He hesitated. "How about we don't delete it?"With so many likes, the news must have spread like wildfire among his gossip-hungry peers.He added, "No one knows who I'm talking about anyway."But as soon as his voice died away, several comments popped up under the post.Love2Fly: [Bro, are you referring to Melody Nichols as the grandmother?]JusticeS
Suppressing the swirl of emotions brewing inside, he asked, "You mean, Juan's ex-wife?""Yes, it's her. She has brought nothing but misfortune to my family, and I won't allow her to keep deceiving Juan and ruining everything," she said, her voice rising with agitation.Seeing her get so worked up, Garland advised her, "Take it easy, Mrs. Nichols Sr. This matter is tricky, and we need to think carefully.""I know," Melody sighed. "Marion has been a thorn in your side. He even sent Liza back by force. The grudges run deep between you and him. If you were to get rid of Debra, it would be justice for all the grief they've caused us."Garland nearly rolled his eyes. 'Justice? Easy for you to say.'He didn't know where she got the idea of a feud between Marion and them.He believed some brainless reporters had spun the story. Now he was more convinced that the media needed an overhaul.With that thought, he replied, "That will take time and careful planning. But if it's Juan you want
Juan replied, "Just don't go too far."Garland straightened up. "Alright, let me handle this old..."Juan glanced at him, and he corrected himself. "I mean, Mrs. Nichols Sr."Turning to the mirror, he started to adjust his clothes.He put on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, ensuring he looked perfect before smoothing his hair.Dropping his usual playful smile, he said, "Verna, to the study.""Yes, sir." Verna led Garland out.In the study, Garland sat behind the desk, trying out several poses before settling on a more relaxed one. Verna announced, "Sir, Mrs. Nichols Sr. is here.""Alright," Garland acknowledged. "Show her in."Verna opened the door, and Melody entered in a white dress. She carried herself with the grace of a noblewoman from a bygone era.Garland looked her over, impressed that she had maintained her appearance so well at her age.'Bert has good taste, though she doesn't look like my mother at all,' he thought. 'But why did rumors have it that my mother was her
The maid hesitated. "Mr. Fermin Eaton is often busy with company matters, so he's rarely home.""Is he home today?""Uh...""What? Don't tell me no one is at home."The maid stammered, "Mr. Fermin Eaton is home, but he's busy with work. He might not be able to see you right now."Melody insisted, "Is this how you treat your guests? Go tell Mr. Fermin Eaton that if he doesn't come to see me, I'll pack my things and leave immediately."Her tone left no room for negotiation. The maid could only nod and leave to deliver the message.In the bedroom, Garland was upside-down, reciting lines from economic textbooks.The maid opened the door and froze at the sight. "Mr. Fermin Eaton, you're doing this again."Garland's pained voice broke through. "Verna, perfect timing. A little help here."But not far off, Juan cut him off. "Ten more minutes. Hold it.""I can't. I'm about to collapse.""If you collapse, get back up and keep going.""This is brutal."Verna interjected, "Mr. Nichol
The cleaners were devastated, and Lara turned even paler.Drake sat on the sofa and said, "Why are you back here? What are you up to?""Boss, I'm sorry I messed up, but I swear, I didn't say anything," Lara pleaded."Is that so?" Drake scoffed. "I'd be a fool to believe you.""I'm telling the truth," Lara said. "They brought me back to get rid of me. You can't fall for their trap."Drake pondered her words. "Whose idea was it to send you back? Debra's or Marion's?""It was Mrs. Houston's idea," Lara replied.Drake nodded. "Well then, you can stay."The quick change in his attitude took Lara aback."Boss, isn't this a bit hasty?" Kale interjected."Do you think so?""Yes.""Then go to my office and print out a new contract for her. Sign it, stamp it, and then it won't be hasty anymore.""Boss...""Do it.""Yes, boss."Lara watched Kale leave, still in disbelief."Go upstairs. You don't need to clean.""Then what should I do?""Whatever you want. Can you order takeout?
Debra pulled Marion's hand away. "Alright, no more talk like that."Outside, the night deepened. Lara stood at the gates of the Lowe Mansion, hesitating to enter.The security guards spotted her. "Lara?"Lara froze in place. Her first instinct was to run away, but a glance toward the shadows revealed Marion's men watching her intently.Caught between flight and surrender, she noticed a black car slowly emerging from the gates. Her gaze drifted to the figure in the back seat, and she stopped cold.'Juan? What is he doing here?'Before she could make sense of it, Kale, who was escorting Juan out, noticed her presence.He demanded, "What are you doing back here?"Lara was startled and instinctively took a step back. Her face went pale as she stammered, "Mr. Mclean, it's Marion and Debra. They sent me back.""Sent you back?" Kale was skeptical. "Come inside.""Okay." Lara paused and explained urgently, "I didn't tell them anything. They brought me back and left."Kale didn't eve