"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
"Sir, she's arrogant. We should just toss her into the sea and feed the sharks," Peter said.Debra's provocations had long irritated him."Shut up!" Drake silenced him with a glare.Debra was betting on the fact that Drake had something to do with the car accident that killed her and Marion's parents.If that were true, Drake would be after the supposed treasure of Seamar City, a secret guarded by the Four Great Families. Now, with the Fraizer family fallen, she was the last living heiress.He couldn't afford to kill her just yet.Seeing the defiant look in her eyes, Drake let out a bitter laugh before releasing her throat."You're a clever woman. I like that," he said.Debra let out a small sigh of relief.Drake turned to a maid nearby and instructed, "Prepare a room. Take her there.""Yes, sir." The maid rushed over, gently helping Debra to her feet.Exhausted from her ordeal, Debra could barely stand on her own.Peter watched them leave, his confusion deepening. Not only
It was late at night.Inside the church, soft light filtered through the colored glass, casting a shadow that stretched long and unnerving.Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the vast space. A young man dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask entered."Didn't get the job done, and you're still here to face me?" The bishop's voice was low and ominous.The young man was unfazed. "Debra and Marion are keeping Drake well protected. We had no chance to move. The Potter family guards escorted him the whole way from the airport. We couldn't act."The bishop paused, his fingers tightening around the ring in his hand."The Potter family?" he muttered, "Without Andrew leading them, they're just a bunch of misfits.""It's not so easy to remove Andrew," replied the young man. "Rumor has it that he was crippled in a kidnapping incident, but he's still walking. And another rumor said he was dying, but he's still kicking and alive.""The Four Great Families only have one person like that.
Fermin's men aimed their rifles at Bert.Fermin led Liza downstairs and casually said, "Be careful. Don't let anything go off by accident. The old man's too frail for this.""Fermin..." Liza's face went pale.She knew Fermin wouldn't harm their father, but at that moment, her heart still twisted with worry.Outside, a luxury car pulled up. Fermin raised his hand and ordered, "Fall back."His men quickly withdrew from the property.Bert stood there, barely able to keep himself upright. The butler immediately stepped forward to support him. "Sir, stay strong.""That bastard pointed a gun at me." Bert's words were cut off by a sudden surge of something in his throat.The next second, blood gushed from his mouth.The butler was alarmed. "Sir!"Outside, Liza looked back at the house, worried about Bert.He was too old to handle such a shock.Fermin brushed it off. "Don't worry about him. Get in the car."Liza reluctantly sat in the passenger seat.She'd try to talk to Fermin w
Bert's face darkened as a loud noise echoed from outside the basement.A group of masked men had blown open the basement door.Fermin's shackles were quickly removed, and then he vanished from the surveillance footage.On the second floor, Bert had instructed that Liza be kept under guard to stop her from running around.Sitting on the bed, Liza was worried about Fermin when a sudden loud noise came from outside."Who's there?" She turned pale from fear.When she got up to check, she saw Fermin standing at the door.He had changed into a black shirt, and his face was no longer the mess it had been the day before. Even his stubble had been neatly groomed.He opened his arms with a smile, "Come here.""Fermin." Liza rushed into his arms, hugging him. "Did Dad let you out?"Fermin playfully ruffled her hair. "He didn't let you out, but you still managed to sneak down to the basement. Weren't you afraid of his punishment?""I was worried about you," Liza replied, but her express
Late into the night, Debra leaned against the head of the bed, waiting for Marion to come back after washing his hands.But then, the showering sound echoed from the bathroom.After a while, he walked out. His hair was still damp, and the bathrobe hung loosely on him, revealing his toned muscles and perfect V-shaped lines.The dim light from the bedside lamp reminded Debra of the banquet earlier.Her face flushed. She instinctively reached for the light switch to break the mood, but Marion grabbed her wrist.His palm was warm, and under the soft light, there was a glint of desire in his deep eyes."I'm clean," he croaked, having washed off the scent of blood.In fact, before leaving the castle, he had already changed into a new jacket, worried that Debra might catch the disgusting smell of blood."Alright," she said shyly, a bit overwhelmed by his strong desire.Marion smelled faintly fresh. Different from his usual tobacco, this scent was clean and pure."Don't hurt yourself
"See you around," Michael said, smiling at Marion.His action got under Marion's skin. Taking a deep breath, Marion turned off the stove and took the eggs out.Debra glanced at him. "You seem hostile to Michael.""He's not worth my time," Marion replied flatly, peeling the eggs.Then he walked over to her and gently pressed the egg against her injured spot."This will help reduce the swelling. You went too hard on yourself. It's gonna hurt tomorrow.""Michael was just messing around. Don't be fooled by his innocent look. He's got a mischievous side. I think he just wanted to see if you cared about me. He wasn't trying to provoke you."Marion hummed in response, seemingly unbothered by it.He looked down at the bruise and sighed, "He wasn't wrong about one thing.""What is it?""I failed to take good care of you.""That was my doing. It wasn't your fault.""My job is to protect you. I can't let you get hurt even in the slightest." Marion pinched her nose. "I'll carry you to
When Debra and Marion came back, Michael quickly ended the call."You didn't check in with Hannah before leaving?" Debra asked."This trip is for work," Michael replied, closing his laptop. "Hannah was just briefing me on tomorrow's schedule."He noticed her disheveled appearance. "You guys came back so early. Guess the investigation didn't go as smoothly?""Let's just say it was a bit intense. Marion can tell you about the details," Debra said, sitting down on the couch.Marion habitually warmed up some milk for her and grabbed some pre-sliced cake from the fridge.He didn't stick around in the living room but went straight to the kitchen to boil eggs.Michael raised an eyebrow. "Feels like he doesn't quite like me."Marion heard it, his grip tightening around an egg. Then there was a cracking sound.Michael added, "My visit seems untimely. Should I move out?"But he made no move to get up.Debra took a sip of milk. "No way. I can't let you leave, especially since you're th
God knew how panicked Marion was when that guard raised his gun at Debra."I..." Debra murmured, "I couldn't find you.""That's not an excuse." Marion frowned. "Do you not trust me, or are you just used to handling everything yourself? Even if you stood there doing nothing, I could find you in a second. You shouldn't have rushed it like that.""The doors were closing, and I was worried that the guy would get away, so..." she explained."I don't care about the Illuminati. I care about you." Marion cupped her face, his tone serious. "You can't go solo like that again.""What if I do that again?" Debra looked at him.Marion pinched her cheek and muttered, "I'll break your legs so that you can't run off again."Debra slapped his hand away. "It was a special case today. I won't do it again.""Remember what you said. Don't make me worry," Marion relented, pinching her nose."By the way, what's the situation now?""I've handled it.""How?"He fell silent, but she didn't press furt
The man trembled and spilled every bit of information he knew about the Illuminati."Sounds like you're not so useful," Marion said, watching the man shiver in fear. "Everyone here is guilty. To redeem yourselves, your souls will stay in this castle."Before anyone could process his words, gunshots erupted around them. Screams filled the air. In just moments, the castle was thick with the smell of blood."You're out of your mind!" shouted the man, rushing toward the exit.But before he could get close, he was shot dead."Sir, we'll take care of the rest," said a guard."Make sure to clear all the traces," Marion ordered before leaving the castle alone.His eyes reflected the cold light of the moon. The air around him was chilling.Since the day he arrived overseas, everyone was nothing more than a dead man to him....Debra had a dream of her coming-of-age ceremony.Everyone was smiling, and everything was perfect.Suddenly, a gunshot shattered everything. The world went bl
For a moment, the castle fell silent after the gunshot. Then, more shots rang out, each one chipping away at the crowd's composure.A man, trembling, slowly raised his hands and stood up. "I'm a member of the Illuminati."Others scrambled to follow. "Me too."Within moments, nearly 70 to 80 percent of the people in the room were on their feet.The ones who stayed seated were mostly the "merchandise"—people the Illuminati had prepared. They quickly stood as well."Mr. Houston, have mercy," one of them begged. "We were just hired. We don't even know who's in charge."The men and women, who had been laughing and flirting with the wealthy elites, were now shaking in fear.Barely covered, they huddled together, terrified that Marion would kill them.Marion leaned back in his chair, glancing at the crowd. "Words don't count. Prove it."His men raised their rifles, aiming at the heads of the so-called members."I have proof," said one of them, pulling out a badge. "Here. Look. This