Juan leaned in. "Who did you go to see 'Absurd World' with?"Debra's heart pounded. "You're still clinging to that? I went with Erica. Is that a problem?"But Juan was relentless. "I had Joe check the ticket records for every theater in Seamar City. There's no trace of you or Erica. You didn't go to any cinema. Why did you lie?"Debra's jaw dropped. "You're insane," she managed to say. "Joe is your top secretary, and you made him dig through ticket records? You've officially lost it.""'Absurd World' wasn't a box office hit. It wasn't hard to check," Juan said, his tone serious. "Stop dodging the question. Why did you lie?"Debra knew that he liked the film, something even Joe didn't know.In the past, Debra's eyes had always been filled with fear and disgust when she looked at him, and he could never understand what he had done wrong.And today, Debra mentioned the Farley family. A businessman's intuition told him that something was amiss.As Debra remained silent, he added,
"Run! Little lambs!"The deranged laughter of the mercenaries echoed through the air, followed by the deafening sound of gunfire.Debra had already forgotten about the sharp pain in her ankle as she sprinted for her life."Hold on to me. Don't let go!" Juan shouted, pulling her along as they raced through the dark cave.There was light ahead, but she could feel Juan was slowing down."Juan, we're almost there."But suddenly, a low grunt of pain made her come to a halt. She turned around and saw that Juan's leg had been shot."Juan!" Debra's voice cracked with panic, but there was no time to process the shock. The mercenaries were closing in on them.Supporting Juan, Debra looked back at the approaching men, her gaze cold and steady."Are you sent by Drake?" she asked through clenched teeth.The two mercenaries exchanged glances. They didn't say a word, but their expressions confirmed her suspicions.Eyeing the guns they held, Debra forced herself to keep calm. "Drake enjoys
Debra closed her eyes and let herself fall backward into the abyss.Juan's pupils shrank, a deep, raw terror rising in his chest. He stumbled forward, trying to reach her, but it was too late. He could only watch as her body disappeared into the raging sea below."Debra!" he cried out.His chest felt like it was being ripped apart.The two mercenaries watched with indifference. One of them raised his walkie-talkie and spoke in a flat tone. "Boss, the target has been taken care of."Juan fell to his knees, his vision clouding with red. Debra's last words echoed in his mind."Avenge me."Slowly, he turned to face the mercenaries. "Tell Drake. I will hunt him down. I will kill him."The mercenaries exchanged amused glances. They didn't take his threat seriously. There was no way someone so broken could take on a man like Drake.As they approached him with their guns raised, the sound of a gunshot suddenly echoed from outside the cave. The mercenaries froze, turning toward the ent
The voice sent chills down Debra's spine. Instinctively, she took a step back, but before she could retreat further, her wrists were gripped tightly. Drake stood just inches away from her, his pale eyes glinting with sinister amusement that made her skin crawl."Scared of me?""Screw you!"Her strength took Drake by surprise as she tore her hands free. Without hesitation, she swung her arm and slapped him across the face with all the force she could muster.The sharp sound of the slap echoed in the air, releasing the fury, frustration, and hatred that had built up inside her.This bastard had treated her like prey, dragging her into a sick, twisted game."Mr. Lowe!" Peter freaked out.Drake's face reddened from the impact of Debra's slap, and a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.But instead of reacting with anger, he casually wiped the blood away, inspecting it with a cold, detached expression."In all these years, you're the first to make me bleed," he mu
In the cabin, Drake rested his face on his hand and stared at the mirror that displayed Debra's every move."Sir...""What do you think she's doing?""She..."Peter looked over and saw Debra curling up in the corner, unmoving."Maybe she's scared.""Scared?"Drake raised an eyebrow. He'd seen people terrified out of their minds in this same room, but none of them acted like Debra.That was not fear."Make some noise.""Yes, sir."Peter went out, and soon after, the muffled sound of women screaming echoed from the adjacent room. Debra, however, remained in the same position.Peter returned. "It's done, sir."Drake frowned, observing Debra's lack of reaction."Is the mirror tampered with?" he asked, suddenly standing up. "Go open the door.""Huh?"Peter snapped out of it, grabbed the keys, and went to open the door.When it swung open, Debra remained slumped in the corner. Drake strode forward, yanking her up by the arm. Still, she didn't react.Drake frowned and felt h
Debra woke up groggily, unsure how long she had been out. The room around her was pitch black, and memories started to rush back.She remembered that she had been thrown into this dark room by Drake's people.A sharp pain shot through her arm, causing her to suck in a breath. She instinctively tried to pull her arm away, but a man's voice cut through the darkness."Don't move.""Who are you?"A nurse turned on a flashlight, and Debra squinted against the sudden brightness."You've got a fever," the nurse explained, "Mr. Lowe ordered us to treat you."Debra glanced at the discarded plastic packaging on the floor. It said fever medication.She relaxed slightly, though her tone remained cold. "How long does Drake plan on keeping me locked up in here?""That's up to Mr. Lowe," the doctor said without any emotion. "We don't question his decisions."Seeing that they were only there to treat her, Debra pressed further. "Is he planning to kill me?""If Mr. Lowe wanted you dead, he w
"Where is she?"Drake scanned the surroundings, noting that there was nowhere to escape.Peter replied, "She's still in there. It's been five minutes, and she hasn't come out yet.""Check," Drake ordered."Yes, sir." Peter banged on the restroom door, his voice harsh. "Open the door."There was no response."Mr. Lowe is here, and there is no escape. Open the damn door!" Peter's voice grew increasingly agitated, but there was still no response from inside.He looked back at Drake, confused. "Could it be that she passed out again?"Drake wasn't a man known for patience. With a swift motion, he pulled a gun from his waist and fired at the lock. The door splintered with a loud crack, and he kicked it open."Move," he barked.Rushing in, they found Debra standing by the sink, drying her hands casually.Not happy about the intrusion, she huffed, "Mr. Lowe, is there anything you need in the women's restroom?"Drake sullenly looked back at Peter, who shifted awkwardly.He barked a
Almost instinctively, Drake grabbed Debra's arm.He was shocked by her actions.Debra was already dangling off the edge of the ship, the ocean waves crashing against her ankles. All it would take was for Drake to let go, and she'd plunge straight into the sea."Mr. Lowe!" Peter was horrified. Drake's voice was filled with fury as he shouted, "What are you waiting for? Get her up.""I-I'll go get someone," Peter stammered."No need." Debra struggled against Drake's grip.But he only tightened his hold. "Are you so eager to die?""My life is my own to decide. Either you give me the respect I deserve, or..." Debra insisted.Drake gritted his teeth, anger flashing across his face. No one had ever dared threaten him like this before."Sir, I've got the rope.""Pull her up.""Yes, sir."A rope was lowered down, hanging right beside Debra. But even with it within reach, she made no move to climb up.Drake's jaw clenched, and he sighed, "Fine, you won. Get up now."Seeing that
Robert glanced at everyone in the room and turned to leave.For three straight days, Lester was frozen out, while operations continued as usual.Far away on a beach, Debra took off her sunglasses and stood up from her lounge chair.Garland, who had been playing on the sand, looked up and asked, "Are you heading back already?""Yeah, it's time to go." Debra casually tossed her sunglasses aside.In the distance, Marion pulled up in a car. He walked over to Debra, draped a jacket over her shoulders, and said, "I've booked the tickets. Mrs. Houston, your vacation's over.""Are you going back to Seamar City? Wonderful!" Garland jumped up for joy.He'd been stuck here, dealing with all the expenses while the artists and staff lived it up.Finally, he could go back and continue to slack off at the Potter Mansion.Debra scanned the staff, who were still goofing around. "Guys, it's time to head back. There's a ton of work waiting for us. Let's get back on track and stay focused."The
Robert watched Lester leave. "Ma'am, should I stop him?""Let him go," Theda said, leaning back in her swivel chair and closing her eyes. "The penalty fees alone are more than he can afford. He'll have no choice but to come crawling back."She hadn't expected Lester to mess up at such a critical time. Back then, he had promised her that he would rise to the top of the industry. But now, just as things were getting started, he caved under pressure."What's the plan now?" Robert asked."There are plenty of other artists," Theda replied, stretching her arms. "Split Lester's resources among them. If he doesn't want wealth, there are plenty of others who do."She stood up and added, "I'm feeling a bit tired. Go tell them to get ready for an all-out fight. If they pull this off, I'll make sure they're well rewarded.""Understood." Robert left the office and headed to the lounge.Inside, a group of exhausted artists slumped over the tables. When Robert walked in, one of them asked eage
Randy was amazed. "It hasn't even been a few days. Debra's plan works fast.""It's a mind game. They were nobodies, and in less than a month, they rose to stardom. Naturally, their egos are inflated. With all that pressure, it's no surprise they'd lose control of their emotions," Debra explained, hooking her arm around Marion's and leaning her head on his shoulder. "Marion taught me all this. Pretty impressive, right?"Both Erica and Randy were speechless.Garland came downstairs and greeted them. "What's the occasion today? You've prepared so much food."Erica replied, "We're celebrating our first victory. Buchan Group is going down.""Really?" Garland raised an eyebrow.Debra smiled, "It's just the start. There's more fun ahead."Far away at the Buchan Group Headquarters, Robert reported, "Today, the 17th advertiser has pulled out. Even the previous endorsers are terminating their contracts with Lester. We can afford the penalties, but it means all the money we made before is
Marion leaned down to kiss Debra. Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open, taking them aback.They turned to see Randy standing in the doorway.Realizing what he'd walked in on, Randy awkwardly cleared his throat and glanced upward. "Weird, huh? Where'd everyone go in the middle of the day? Guess I'll check downstairs."Before leaving, he added, "Oh, by the way, top trending news. Buchan Entertainment's A-lister Lester Ashford just assaulted a fan."Debra immediately grabbed her phone. Sure enough, the top trending topic was #LesterHitsFan, and the story had gone viral across the internet.She tapped into the headline and saw a video shot by a fan.In the video, fans greeted Lester at the airport as he got off the plane. A group of female fans held banners and chanted, "Lester, we love you."The airport wasn't overcrowded, and everything seemed orderly.But as soon as Lester heard the chant, he smashed his water bottle to the ground and yelled, "Idiots! Does no one want you at ho
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