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,
The next day, the bulletin board was surrounded by people.As Debra stepped onto campus, she sensed people's strange glances.Not far away, a man's angry shout rang out. "Go away! What are you looking at?"Immediately, he tore something off the board.Debra wrinkled her brow, finding Jordan in the encirclement. With a grim expression, he crumpled the paper in his hand.A nervous energy crackled through the crowd. Students scattered as Debra approached, stealing glances at her and Jordan.Debra teased, "A few days apart, your temper has gotten worse.""This is not a joke. Look at this. Can you still smile?" Jordan tossed the crumpled paper to her.Puzzled, Debra unfolded it.It depicted a curvaceous woman in revealing lingerie, her face unmistakably labeled with scandalous words like call girl, stripper, and using sex to get ahead.Debra glanced briefly and then shook the paper in front of Jordan. "Just because of this?""Or what else? Debra, you really have thick skin, still
Debra tactfully suggested, "Your influence in Orkgate is undeniable, but sometimes you can be a bit misguided. Why don't we...""No. I'm doing this alone," Drake refused, heading toward his study.Debra was speechless. If Drake took things into his hands, Orkgate would be turned upside down. If he stirred the pot too much, the target would surely flee the city. She couldn't let him act so recklessly.Kale had just escorted Garland and Liza to the guest room.Seeing Drake return, he asked, "Boss, are you sure about letting them stay here?""Why not? It's not like we're short on guest rooms," Drake replied dismissively.He then ordered, "I need you to gather information on every business in Orkgate, big or small, whether they're our partners or not. Get their details and map out their network. Don't miss a thing."Kale blinked. "Every business? And their network?"Orkgate was vast and bustling, with countless businesses. Compiling all that information would take weeks, even with
That was a jab at his intelligence.Drake sulked, "Who are you insulting? Of course, I noticed.""You did?" Debra said. "I thought you were scared of Fermin's status, so you didn't kick them out.""I was just being kind for your sake," Drake stated. "If they were not your friends, I would have kicked them out long ago."Unhappy about her challenge, Drake turned to leave.Debra quickly stopped him. "Take it easy. I was just kidding. I'm sorry, okay?""It's too late. Apology unaccepted," Drake scoffed, shaking off her hand.But then, something occurred to him, and he asked, "Wait. You'd never apologize to me for no good reason. What do you want?""Well, I need a favor," she replied."No way." Drake covered his ears. "Whenever you come to me, it's never for anything good. I've already been more than generous in letting you and Marion stay here. Don't push your luck.""I won't be so absolute." Debra swatted his hands away from his ears. "Isn't Orkgate your territory? Do me a favo
"You've misunderstood. That's not what I meant," Debra explained."I think that's exactly what you meant," Drake interrupted. "You can forget about it. Since I've already agreed to let Marion recuperate here, you're not backing out. None of you are leaving until Marion fully recovers."He turned to Kale and ordered, "Go prepare rooms for Miss and Mr. Eaton. We're not short of guest rooms."His gaze shifted to Debra, his tone dropping to a menacing warning. "Make sure they behave themselves in my house."Debra reassured him, "Don't worry. We're all nice people here."Liza rolled her eyes, uninterested in the exchange. As long as there was good food and fun, she couldn't care less about the rest.But Garland's expression tightened with discomfort. If he stayed there, it would be difficult for him to update Juan on Debra's situation.It had already been days, and Debra still hadn't gone back. Juan must be worried sick.While Garland wrestled with his thoughts, he suddenly felt a g
Behind Liza, Drake spoke up. "That's right. Who would dare lay a hand on Miss Eaton? That would be suicide."Liza crowed, "Tell me about it."Drake's eyes grew even colder. Debra, aware of Drake's disdain for the arrogant heirs of wealthy families, feared he might lose his temper.She quickly intervened, "Mr. Lowe is kind enough to take us in, and he was once engaged to you. You should be more polite.""Exactly," Garland chimed in. "You should learn from Mrs. Houston and be humbler."Liza was unimpressed. "But Dad said a girl should be tough and not let anyone push her around. Should I listen to you or Dad?"Garland was at a loss for words. From a young age, Bert spoiled Liza, giving her the best of everything and ensuring she never faced any hardship.This upbringing had made her arrogant and willful, believing her family name could protect her from anything. It had, except for that one time when she helped Cathryn and incurred Marion's wrath.In fact, Bert was contemplating w
Liza ignored Garland and said, "I don't believe it. Bring them here."Not interested in arguing with her, Drake said, "They're upstairs. Go find them yourself."Garland hadn't expected Drake to be so accommodating this time. He grabbed Liza's arm and urged, "Let's go upstairs."Liza remained skeptical as she headed upstairs. Drake couldn't stand the sight of her and walked back to his study.Not knowing where Debra was staying, Liza asked Kale, "Which room are Debra and Marion in?"Having been insulted by her earlier, Kale shrugged. "Can't recall the room number. You'll have to figure it out yourself.""Is this how you treat your guests? If my brother is mad, you're in trouble."Garland's eyes widened, and he groaned inwardly, 'Making trouble for Drake? That's suicidal.'"Liza, calm down. You can't go around threatening people." Garland forced a smile, trying to ease the tension. "The second floor isn't that big. It won't take us much time to find out."He then dragged her tow
"What do you mean my chef can't make fish soup?" Drake was confused.Then he realized that Kale must be behind this. His face darkened as he called out, "Kale, come in."Kale knew he couldn't keep this a secret for long, but he hadn't expected it to be exposed so quickly. With his head down, he entered the room. "Boss.""What's going on with this fish soup?" Drake demanded."I saw how you craved the soup, so I asked Mrs. Houston to make it.""And you used my name?""Yes."Drake wanted to curse, but with Debra still around, he held back."Get out."Kale turned to leave when Drake called out again, "You too."Debra was speechless, but she hadn't planned to stay anyway.Watching her go, Drake felt a heaviness in his chest. Kale, already at the door, tried to reason, "Boss, actually...""Shut up and get out!"Kale quietly closed the study door behind him.Suddenly, an angry voice rang out. "Where is he? Drake, show yourself!" Liza stormed in, followed by Garland, who caut
Kale tossed the fish onto the cutting board.Debra laughed, "What's going on? Running out of chefs?""We have chefs," Kale replied without missing a beat, "but none of them know how to make carp soup.""It's simple to make. What kind of chefs are they?" Debra reasoned."I'll come back for it in half an hour. Thank you for your help," Kale said, leaving the kitchen.Their whole exchange was simple and dry. Debra looked down at the fish and shook her head.Time passed, and eventually, Kale returned as promised. Debra, having simmered the soup for 20 minutes, handed him the steaming pot."There you go. But fish soup is a bit too nutritious for breakfast," she said."Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Houston," Kale said, his tone oddly formal.He quickly took the soup upstairs.Upstairs, Drake glanced at the fish soup and asked, "What's this?""Fish soup made by Mrs. Houston," Kale replied."Debra? She made this for me?" Drake raised an eyebrow. "Since when is she so kind to me?
"Why is that?" Debra asked."I've grown used to life here. If I leave, I don't know where I'll go or if I'll find work. I don't even know where I'll live," Lara replied. "Mrs. Houston, you're right. I never sought revenge because, deep down, I'm selfish. If Drake dies, I'll lose the stable life I have now. I don't dare to face the uncertainties of the future."Debra nodded knowingly. It was hard to go from extravagance to frugality. If one had seen much of the world, they couldn't go back to being a frog in a well.Even though Drake kept Lara by his side for his purposes, she had enjoyed luxuries that ordinary people couldn't dream of.Despite being a maid, Lara ate gourmet meals, lived in a nice room, and witnessed the extravagant lifestyle of the upper class.She didn't have anyone to rely on and had no good education. Leaving Drake would only make her homeless.From the beginning, she and Drake had a mutually beneficial relationship. There was nothing to hate about it."It's
Kale explained, "The only place open for delivery at this hour was a small joint, and the soup has gone cold in the chilly weather. Cold fish soup always turns fishy."Drake's face twisted in disgust. "Toss it. File a complaint.""Yes, boss." Kale picked up the fish soup and dumped it back into the bag.Drake stared at the documents on his desk, muttering, "A pampered lady knows how to make soup. What a surprise!"Then he suddenly remembered that Debra not only knew how to make soup but was also good at playing the piano, dancing, and manipulating people. It had been almost a year since they first met. He had kidnapped Debra multiple times but had never gained any advantage. Instead, he had lost a lot."She's my nemesis," he declared seriously.If Debra wasn't his nemesis, she couldn't have played him like a fool. Ever since she appeared in his life, he had been nothing but unlucky.His estate in Seamar City was burned down. One of his fiancées was dead, and the other publicly b