"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
Marion frowned, his sharp eyes catching something off. "No, this isn't right.""What's wrong?" Randy asked, confused."This ring is so small. How could it have been pulled up with a fishing net?" A ring like that should have sunk to the bottom of the water, impossible to retrieve by chance. It seemed more like someone had deliberately placed it there, making sure it would be found.Marion's instincts flared, and he said, "Where's the fisherman who found this ring? Bring him to me.""Right away," Randy stammered, finally realizing Marion was right.It was highly unlikely that a small ring could be caught in a fishing net, and even if it were, no ordinary fisherman would willingly hand over such a valuable item.Before long, the fisherman was brought before Marion by Randy's men. Looking at the trembling fisherman, Marion held up the ring. "Who told you to give this ring to me?"The fisherman's hands shook as he avoided Marion's gaze. "I-I found it. Just pulled it from the sea."
"Ms. Frazier, was that ring something important?" asked the maid.Debra forced a calm expression, trying not to give away her emotions."It's nothing. Just an expensive piece of jewelry. Since it's lost, then forget it.""Well, I'm Lara. If you need anything, just let me know.""Do you know where we're headed?""We're returning to Seamar City. We'll reach the shore in about three days."That wasn't surprising. Drake must have business in Seamar City, and that meant Debra needed to find a way to get word to Marion.The next morning, Debra awoke to the sound of knocking. The doctor had come to administer her medication again.Drake's order was clear. Debra should be cured within three days.So, every day, she was subjected to endless treatments: IV drips, injections, and pills.After examining her, the doctor nodded."Starting today, you can eat solid food again. No more plain oatmeal. You need better nutrition.""Avoid eating fish, right?""Yes.""Well, I'm starving," Debr
Peter recalled Drake's orders and swallowed his rage. He turned to the maids and ordered, "Switch it.""Yes, sir." The maids left, returning moments later with steak.Debra poked at it halfheartedly with her knife and fork before wrinkling her nose in disinterest. "Too greasy. Where did you find this chef? How does Mr. Lowe stand such low-quality food? Change it."Peter clenched his jaw, fighting to keep his composure. He barked at the maids, "What are you waiting for? Change it.""This is premium tuna.""Fish is a trigger food. Are you trying to make me sicker?""These are French-baked snails.""I don't eat bugs.""Sautéed greens.""Too plain."Finally, the maids placed a roasted lamb leg in front of Debra.She raised an eyebrow. "Too rich. Plus, I don't eat lamb."By now, Peter had reached his limit. "If you keep this up, I'll have to report this to Mr. Lowe.""Go ahead. In the worst case, I skip a few meals. It's not like I'll starve to death. At most, my recovery might
"I'm not a fan of wasting food," Drake replied, his tone casual but pointed."Neither am I," Debra quipped back, matching his indifference.He leaned forward. "What do you feel like eating tonight? American? Italian? French?""I'm easy to please. Whatever works," Debra replied.Her sudden shift in attitude from earlier caught Peter off guard."Sir, she's only behaving now because she's in front of you. During lunch, she..."Drake didn't even let him finish. He asked Debra, "What's the request now?"Debra smiled, "You're sharp, Mr. Lowe."Peter was confused. Drake was supposed to punish Debra, but there wasn't even a hint of anger on his face."I'd like a phone," Debra said.Drake's hand paused mid-cut as he sliced his steak. The request seemed to have hit a nerve.Peter couldn't believe his ears. "A hostage asking for a phone? Ms. Frazier, surely you're joking.""I know you gave my ring to Juan. Whatever your motives are, one thing's for sure. He doesn't believe I'm dead,"
Drake glanced at Peter and ordered, "Go to the safe and bring me my phone.""Got it," Peter replied, rattled by Debra's earlier remarks.He hurried off, running down the hall toward the inner storage compartment.Debra watched him leave, her expression calm but her mind calculating. As long as there was a phone on this ship, she had a chance.Before long, Peter came rushing back, Drake's phone in hand.Drake powered on the phone, and within seconds, notifications began lighting up the screen. Debra's instincts had been right. The incident had already made headlines across various media platforms. People were speculating about a possible terrorist attack, and the police had launched an investigation.Peter swallowed nervously. The Lowe family had long been involved with shady business. If the authorities followed the trail back to them, it would be disastrous.Drake smirked, "It's just two mercenaries, and they're both dead. Do you think that scares me?"He set his phone on the
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