As soon as Debra stepped into the Nichols family's house, she heard the sharp sound of something shattering. A teacup smashed right by her feet, sending shards skidding across the floor.Glancing up, Debra saw Melody seated on the couch, her face cold with discontent. Across from her stood Juan, straight-backed in a sleek black suit. His expression was stoic as he endured the scolding.Melody sneered, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Juan, I know you're busy with work, but you should also spare a thought for your home. Tell me, how many days has it been since you've seen your wife? She's moved out, and you don't even seem to care. If you're not careful, one day you'll wake up to find she's run off with someone."Debra sneered at the cutting remarks. Calmly, she stepped further into the room, offering Melody a polite smile. "Grandma, what's gotten you so upset? What happened?"Melody shot her a sideways glance. "I wouldn't dare let you call me 'Grandma'. Let's stick to 'Mrs. Nichol
"Grandma!" Juan interrupted unhappily.Melody, sensing his frustration, softened her tone but continued to press her point."I'm giving you a chance, Debra. If I expose this, you'll be discredited. No one will want to marry a woman with a reputation like yours.""That's enough."Juan's patience wore thin. He reached for the stack of photos, tearing them in half before tossing the pieces into the trash.Melody was stunned. "Juan...""Grandma, I believe in Debra. No matter what, she is my wife," Juan said, taking Debra's hand.But Melody was relentless. "You can't keep a woman like her. She'll ruin our family name. How can you be so foolish?""Sophie, take my grandma back to her room," Juan ordered."Yes, sir," Sophie replied.Juan looked down at the hand he held and released it. "Come with me."Given the way he had defended her, Debra followed him without protest. Behind them, Melody's voice carried through the halls. "She is a vixen!"She now deeply regretted her initial
"What if Marion doesn't want you by then?" Juan asked."He's not you. He would never leave me," Debra replied coldly.Juan laughed, a laugh that held a hint of self-mockery. "Leave you? Debra, listen carefully. I will never leave you. If you ask, I'll do anything for you. If you want it, even if it means handing over this entire city, I wouldn't bat an eye. But what has Marion done for you?""He won't lie to me or disrespect me. He'll give me everything he has—his life, his heart. He won't care about status or position. He'll always stand by my side, never abandon me, and certainly won't try to kill me for another woman."Debra poured out her heart, making it clear that Marion and Juan were incomparable in her mind."Kill you? How could I ever want to kill you?"Juan grabbed her arm, trying to convey his sincerity. She shook him off without hesitation."Juan, you're crossing the line."Juan couldn't understand her coldness toward him. He had been racking his brain, but he still
After a sleepless night, the sky was still dark when Joe arrived to take Debra and Juan to the airport.The reality show they were filming was set on an island, which had been rented out by the production team. It wasn't just one pair of guests participating. Each divorced couple was assigned to their own private apartment.Debra and Juan were given a secluded villa on the island. Whether it was because of Juan's status or not, the production team had gone all out. While it wasn't as grand as the Nichols family's house, it still had two stories and covered a solid hundred square meters.The other guests were housed in different sections, ensuring they wouldn't bump into Debra or Juan anytime soon.The show's requirements were simple. Debra and Juan needed to live together in this cozy villa for at least a month. The filming could stretch anywhere from one to two months, and the producers would record everything for the show's content.They had a script of sorts, dictating that the
Debra watched as Juan took over, opening the packages and boiling water.It was obvious he wasn't used to doing this. As the water started to boil over, Juan stood frozen, unsure of how to react.Debra calmly stepped in and turned off the stove. "Why don't you go wait outside?"Seeing that she wasn't making a suggestion but more of a command, Juan nodded and left the kitchen.Five minutes later, Debra walked into the living room with two plates of pasta. They sat down together, eating in silence. The tension between them hadn't eased; in fact, it had thickened."I..."Juan tried to speak, but Debra cut him off."Don't talk while you're eating."Juan swallowed his words, focusing on his food. Debra, on the other hand, finished her pasta quickly, stood up, and headed to the kitchen to wash the dishes.Andrew had sent her to the show, but he hadn't required her to cooperate.In the control room, the director rubbed his temples in frustration. "Why is there zero interaction betwe
Debra took a couple of steps back and asked casually, "How about we just chat for a bit?""Chat..." Juan started to respond but hesitated.He wasn't exactly the best at small talk. Still, with Debra in front of him, the only thing running through his mind was the question he always wanted to ask. "What is going on between you and Marion now?"Instead, he said, "How have you been lately?""Good," Debra answered without much thought. "And you?""Not so good."Her eyebrows shot up in surprise at his blunt answer. Pausing, she glanced up at the camera and said, "Cut that part out. I'll ask again."Playing it cool, she repeated the question, "So, how have you been lately?"Watching her busy herself with cooking, Juan realized she was just trying to get some material for the show. He let out a soft laugh and replied, "Great.""Good to hear," Debra said, turning her attention back to the stew.The day had slipped by, and the sky would darken in a few hours. According to the producti
Debra yelped as the hot pot burned her hand. The sharp pain made her gasp, and she quickly grabbed her earlobes to cool down."What happened?"Juan rushed into the kitchen, immediately noticing her hand. Without hesitation, he took hold of it and pulled her over to the sink to run it under cold water.She glanced at Juan and then down at his hand.Realizing how forward he'd been, Juan awkwardly let go."Uh, you can take care of it."Debra continued rinsing her hand, unfazed by his sudden withdrawal.Juan, still flustered, said, "I'll get you some ointment."He hurried out of the kitchen, heading to the living room in search of a first aid kit.From the kitchen, Debra called out, "If you can't find it, don't worry about it."As expected, there wasn't any burn cream in the kit. Juan frowned, but Debra wasn't bothered.She walked back into the kitchen, grabbed a tube of toothpaste, and began applying it to the burn. Juan reentered the room just in time to see it."What are you
The sky had darkened, and Juan suggested that Debra go upstairs to rest.After an hour of rest, she came back down, only to find several dishes on the table that hadn't been there before."What's all this?" she asked, puzzled."Try it and see if it's good," he said.In an apron, Juan looked every bit the domestic chef.Debra sat down and looked at the dishes. "Fish, beef, and turkey? You made these?"Juan coughed awkwardly, his gaze flicking toward the nearby trash can. Following his gaze, Debra saw the trash can filled with burnt food."You made all of this?" Debra asked, her smile fading."I'm not quite good at cooking," Juan admitted, looking embarrassed."Well then, just stay away and don't waste food.""Got it."Looking at the table full of food, Debra suddenly lost her appetite. After a busy afternoon, the only thing she had made was the beef stew. The rest were takeouts, and they had been sitting out for a while, turning cold.They barely touched the dinner before st
It was late into the night when Debra got off the plane.Jordan's car was already parked by the airport. It felt empty with few passengers at that hour.She spotted him at a glance and threw a package at him. He tossed his cigarette aside and caught the package.Debra said, "Kid, you've learned to smoke now?"Jordan protested, "We are the same age. Don't talk like a senior.""Force of habit," Debra smiled. "I thought you were still that red-haired guy who'd always stick up for me back in school. But just two years later, you've grown up.""Debra.""Sorry. It's kind of ingrained."Having lived through a life, she couldn't help but speak to him like an elder."Aren't you going to explain it?""There's nothing to explain. I just came back alone.""Is that all you're going to say?"Together, they walked out of the airport, and he opened the car door for her.Jordan followed her to get into the car, and she finally said, "The news is all true."Jordan froze. "A nightclub model
Josh finally got a good night's sleep.Opening his eyes, he saw Debra was already up."Are you hungry? I can go grab some breakfast for you.""No need. I'm not used to regular stuff."Marion had always made breakfast for her since they got together. At first, these were just simple little things. But now, they had become an inseparable part of her life.Debra shook her head. "Your job is done here. Think about it and come back when you're ready."Before he could respond, she turned and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.Just then, the doorbell rang.Josh threw on his jacket and opened the door.A waiter was pushing a food cart. "Sir, here's your order.""My order?" Josh pointed to himself.The waiter did not explain. He simply rolled the cart inside and left.Debra finished freshening up and stepped out of the bathroom. Her eyes landed on the cart."I said I wasn't eating. Did you order this?" she said.Josh removed the lid. Inside lay a freshly baked soufflé, topped w
Randy glanced at the car and said, "Don't be fooled by his façade. Watch how I tear it off."He yanked open the car door and grabbed Marion's arm, trying to drag him out. "Come on," Randy urged. "Erica is mad. Just do me a favor and come out."Marion didn't resist it.Erica stepped forward. "Debra is not the type to mess around. She's doing this to piss you off. I believe she's still waiting for you to explain yourself. Just get up there, talk to her, and deal with whatever's wrong with you. Got it?" "Don't be stubborn," Randy echoed. "Keep this up, and Debra is gone for good."He shoved Marion toward the hotel, but the latter just stood there, unmoving.Several guards arrived. Without a word, they started to drag Erica and Randy away."What the hell? Let go of me. Do you want a fight?" Erica snapped, raising a fist.But then, she recognized those people as well-trained soldiers of the Houston family. There was no way she could beat them.Randy didn't fare any better. He wa
"Really?" Debra raised an eyebrow."Don't judge me by appearances. I'm good at my studies," Josh replied. "One day, I'll make something of myself.""Who says working in this industry means you're a failure? The industry doesn't have ranks or status. If you feel bad about it, just tell yourself you're here to soothe souls. As long as your heart is pure, your body is too.""Thanks." Josh finished his wine in one go."Alright. You can go to bed.""Are you sure you don't wanna..."Josh hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.Though he had no problem saying honeyed words to clients, he was careful with his words around Debra."No, I'm married.""Then why are you...""Didn't your boss tell you when you started in this line of work? Don't try to pry into clients' privacy.""Sorry.""I have a card here. It's enough for your studies and starting a business. After tonight, you probably won't fit in here anymore. But I think you have the potential to be the boss in this line of work
Josh had booked the most expensive presidential suite.When Debra walked in with him, Josh went over to the table and asked, "Want a drink? I noticed you haven't really had much to drink tonight.""No thanks." Debra sat down on the couch and took off her other earring, placing it on the table. "I'll buy you for the night. You don't have to do anything. Just stay in this room and don't go out."Josh was puzzled. "What do you mean?""I mean, you can go to sleep now," Debra replied. "I don't like sleeping on the couch, so you'll be sleeping there tonight."Josh gaped. "You're spending all this money just for me to sleep on the couch?"He couldn't believe his ears. The rich ladies usually lined up to date him. Yet Debra wanted nothing from him."Not really," she replied, walking over to him. "Take off your shirt."Josh paused and complied.His figure was seductive. Debra smiled, clearly pleased with what she saw.Josh thought she was just playing hard to get, so he leaned in towa
It wasn't surprising that Debra took a liking to Josh.Josh followed her out of the club, his steps a little hesitant.Debra raised a hand, and for some reason, that simple gesture made Josh feel like a nervous rookie on his first day of work."What's wrong? Don't know how to offer your arm to a lady?" she said.Her voice had a teasing lilt to it, but she wasn't mad.Josh quickly held out his arm, and Debra smiled with satisfaction."Where do you wanna go?" he asked eagerly, unable to resist Debra.Her entire presence was magnetic. Different from the other female customers, she had a glow that made people stop and stare."Let's go to a hotel," she replied.Josh swallowed hard. For a split second, he even thought about paying for the room."I have a car. I'll drive you," he blurted."Let's just walk." Debra gestured ahead. "There is a five-star hotel straight down this road.""You wanna walk in those heels? Won't your feet hurt?" Josh asked with concern.He had always been
When they heard that one earring cost 100 thousand dollars, the six escorts began to grab the wine.Debra leaned back on the couch and scanned the room, enjoying herself.Sure enough, happiness could be bought with money. Being rich was indeed wonderful.Soon, her attention was drawn to a guy sitting in the corner.He was wearing a simple white hoodie, pale-skinned, and his features looked a bit youthful compared to the others.But his eyes were deep and captivating. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and he looked a bit tense.When he looked up and met Debra's eyes, he panicked and quickly lowered his head.Debra raised an eyebrow and beckoned to him. The young man hesitated, not fitting in with the atmosphere."What's your name?""Miss, my name is Troy Phelps.""Troy..."Debra repeated his name, clearly liking it, and her gaze shifted to the others at the table.They paused, sensing her interest in Troy.The one who had interacted with Debra earlier was not happy.
Any woman would be amazed to see these handsome guys.Debra stepped into the middle of the group. Michael stood off to the side, one hand in his pocket and the other making a phone gesture by his ear.She knew he was signaling for her to have fun and call him afterward.The club was loud and chaotic.One man, dressed in an open-collar black suit, approached her. His deep, captivating eyes sparkled with an intriguing desire. He raised his drink and gestured toward her with an inviting hand.Debra glanced at his drink and smiled. His wine was not up to standard.She made the usual nightclub gesture, ordering ten drinks and another most expensive bottle on the menu.Her move caught the attention of those around her. Before long, she became the center of attention.A group of exotic beauties wearing bikinis and holding lighted signs danced around the club. Then they brought the wine to Debra's booth.She grinned and raised her hand again.The waitresses were all stunned.Debra r
Michael was driving a convertible, and Debra sat in the passenger seat, watching the scenery outside.Even this late at night, the city was alive with bright lights, bustling streets, and neon flashing everywhere.The wind brushed against her face as Michael picked up speed.She closed her eyes, letting the rush of the ride wash over her. Compared to everything she had been through, this was nothing.After a while, she opened her eyes. "You've circled this area for half an hour. Think it's about time we head back?"Michael slowed down. "Feeling better?"Debra nodded. "A little. Probably not as fun as bungee jumping, though."She used to be terrified of heights. But after everything she had faced over the past two years, extreme sports seemed almost childish compared to real life-or-death situations.Michael chuckled, "I'll take you somewhere fun.""Sure," Debra nodded, "if it helps me unwind.""Buckle up." Michael stepped on the gas, and they sped through the city.Soon, the