"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
"Are you done?" Drake asked, his patience thinning."Yes," Debra replied, pushing the phone back across the table. "Take a look and see if there's anything you'd like to add."Drake wasn't expecting her to be so forthcoming. He glanced at the phone, checking the new social media account she'd created. There was only one post. It was a selfie, her face slightly retouched to look healthier than she actually was.The location was on the island, and the caption read, [All is well. The gunshots were just for show. I've been down with a high fever, so I've been out of it for a bit. Thanks for the concern, but I'm alive and kicking.]It was playful, light-hearted, and most importantly, believable. The post had already garnered hundreds of likes and comments within minutes.Drake closed the app and handed the phone to Peter. "Put it away.""Yes, sir," Peter replied, sweat dripping down his back.Debra, sensing her opportunity, leaned back in her chair and quipped, "Well, Mr. Lowe, we've
"Well, you can't actually..." "Enough!" Shelia stood up abruptly, her patience wearing thin. "I told you to investigate Debra. Did you do it?"Holly replied, "Mr. Blair's secretary looked into it. We know Ms. Frazier fell into the sea, her fate uncertain. Mr. Nichols was injured as well."Shelia scoffed, clearly dissatisfied. "Isn't that all over the news? Couldn't you go to the island and investigate further?""Well," Holly hesitated, "Mr. Blair's secretary isn't the same as Joe, who's always by Mr. Nichols' side. Not every bit of information is available to us, and most of what we know is just from the media. Miss, you should already know that.""You're unless," Shelia huffed.But there was nothing she could do.The Blair family was rich, but compared to the Nichols family, they were worlds apart. And with Declan away, no one listened to her here anymore.If she wanted things done, she'd have to rely on herself."Get the car ready. I'm going to the Nichols Mansion.""Miss
Debra's eyes narrowed at this guy she'd never heard of.Michael had kept it under wraps, proving he had never fully trusted her."Mrs. Houston," Jason said, "I'm here for Mr. Austin to negotiate. He called this shareholder vote in the name of the biggest stakeholder. He's got the right to kick it off. Any objections?"Debra plopped into the head chair. "Cut the polite crap. Everyone's here. Objections or not, this vote's happening, right? No way it's that simple.""Mrs. Houston," Jason said coolly, "today's vote's straightforward: who's better suited as the McKinney Group CEO, you or Mr. Austin? Everyone here sees what you both bring. In the past two years, you've barely shown up. Mr. Austin ran the show, held a key role, and raked in profits. He's the clear pick for CEO.""So, you're saying I suck as the boss?" Debra shot back.Michael didn't even show, sending this random assistant instead. That already pissed her off.Now this guy's veiled jabs annoyed her even more."I'm ju
Debra's heart sank.Back when she'd teamed up with Michael, she had nothing, offering him Frazier Entertainment shares to seal the deal. Later, Frazier Entertainment merged into the McKinney Group, and she handed it off to him.To keep her identity hidden, she'd tossed him more shares. With Frazier Entertainment, he'd racked up 30%.She'd thought he deserved it. For two years, he'd run the show plenty. She'd never seen this coming."Madam, you there?" Ben's voice shook.This was huge and should stay quiet. Otherwise, the company would fall into chaos.Debra's blood ran cold. She hadn't expected Michael to go so far."I'll be there soon," she said, hanging up.She turned to Marion. "Michael scooped up loose shares. He's gunning for a vote as top shareholder."Over 40% wasn't half, but it made him the biggest player. Calling a vote was his right.Debra only had 40%. If 10% of the rest sided with Michael, he could oust her."Don't sweat it," Marion said. "We'll hit it together.
That shut everyone up.If Jordan was right, Drake was gambling with his neck."That's too risky. I've gotta drag him back." Debra spun to leave.Erica grabbed her. "Jordan's guys are on it. They'll ping us if they find him. You can't go out like this and become their target.""I'm not their focus anymore," Debra said. "They'll zero in on Drake."She looked at Marion. "Get your people searching. We need his trail fast, or he's dead."Once the Illuminati squeezed the stone's location out of Drake, they'd kill him.Orkgate was now controlled by Lara. Drake had no other value for them."On it," Marion said.They split up. Erica and Randy tapped their networks."Debra, don't freak," Jordan said. "Drake is not dumb. Injured like that, he couldn't have gone far. As long as he keeps that secret, they won't kill him."Debra nodded. "Hope he doesn't do anything stupid."She should've seen it coming. A proud guy like Drake couldn't handle being down for so long.His injuries were bru
Outside their room, Drake froze mid-knock.His head was down, and his expression was hidden. Eventually, his hand dropped, and he sighed.He turned around and shuffled downstairs, leaning on the wall. He was a broken mess now, unwilling to drag them down....Debra woke up the next morning, reaching for Marion.He wasn't there. She bolted upright, threw off the covers, and ran barefoot downstairs, shouting, "Marion?"In the hall, Marion and Jordan turned as she stumbled in, still in her pajamas.Marion rushed up, slipping off his slippers for her. "What's with the panic?""I didn't see you." She heaved a sigh of relief. "Thought you'd...""Any luck?" Jordan asked Kale, who'd just walked in.Kale shook his head. "Not yet.""What's up?" Debra asked, clocking everyone's grim faces."Drake's gone," Marion said. "No note, nothing. We're looking.""Did the cameras catch anything? Could it be the Illuminati...""Not them. He walked out himself.""Why the hell would he just up a
Debra jolted awake from a nightmare, her forehead slick with sweat."Still torn up about Michael?" Marion's voice came from beside her.She settled into his arms, finally feeling a little relieved. These past two months, they'd faced everything alone. She hadn't curled up with him like this in forever."It's my fault," she whispered. "If I hadn't trusted Michael so much, the Eaton family wouldn't have been a mess. Mr. Eaton Sr. wouldn't have been in the hospital.""It's your fault," Marion said, patting her back. "Even without your trust, the Illuminati would've found a way in. That was their goal.""I just can't wrap my head around why Michael's one of them," she said.She'd spent all night recalling the past, from meeting Michael to building the McKinney Group with him. He was key to its success, but everything had been a lie."Maybe he was never with us," Marion said. "The Illuminati's everywhere. Didn't you check his background when you teamed up?""I..." Debra faltered.S
"We're all in it for ourselves." Michael shrugged. "Jeffery did his part for the Illuminati, so I'll cut you some slack.He pushed the teacup to Juan. "But I don't buy it that you're all-in. Following in Jeffery's footsteps sounds nice, but you killed him, which shows your ruthless nature. We need people like you. I don't care if you're Debra's mole or chasing your angle. Save your energy. It's pointless. Just do your job and back us up. I won't say a word about it.""Should I thank you for it?" Juan scoffed.He'd thought Michael was forced into it, but now he saw how naïve that was.Though young, Michael was already a core member, suggesting his connection to the Illuminati dates back a long time.Only intelligent and influential ones could enter the core circle. That meant he hadn't defected midway.Michael sat down across from him. "Don't look at me like that. We're not the same, and you know it.""When'd you turn on Debra?" Juan asked."Doesn't matter," Michael said, smilin
It was true they were both members of the Illuminati, but Fermin never signed up to be a lapdog.Back then, he'd teamed up with them for mutual gain. But the Illuminati wanted more than a partnership. They wanted the Eaton family on a leash.When Fermin didn't bite, Michael added, "I saw Miss Eaton crying her eyes out. We go way back. Should I cheer her..."Before he could finish, Fermin's knife flashed to his throat, nicking him. Blood trickled, but it was just a scratch."Stay away from her," Fermin growled. "Touch her, and I'll end you.""I'm just being nice here," Michael chuckled. "But if you're not cool with it, I'll drop it. But those terms? Think twice. We only help our own. If you keep playing your own game, that heart goes elsewhere. And trust me, you won't find another match."Fermin hated to admit it, but Michael was speaking the truth. Without the Illuminati's help, he couldn't find a match for Bert's heart.He lowered the knife. "Fine, it's a deal. Get your people
She only had Fermin and Bert left in this world.She had no mom and no real friends. She couldn't lose Bert or watch Fermin turn into this.She didn't want Debra's crew hurt either.Fermin pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. Dad will be fine. I'll make sure of it."His promise unleashed her tears. The hospital hallway echoed with her cries.Once she calmed down, Fermin had someone take her away.A guard stepped up. "Mr. Eaton, our master is waiting ahead.""You've tailed me this whole way," Fermin said coldly. "Gonna keep it up? I don't like shadows."The guards stayed silent, just following orders. If their boss said stick to Fermin, they'd die before leaving his side."Loyal dogs to your master," Fermin scoffed, brushing past them.He walked into an empty ward. A tall figure in a white shirt stood by the window."You've really opened my eyes," he said, surprised."I'm flattered, Mr. Eaton," Michael said, turning around.His crisp white shirt had dried bloodstains. Notic
Liza rushed to the ICU upon receiving the news.A bodyguard stopped her. "Mr. Eaton said no one gets near the room and disturbs the patient's rest."Liza smacked him, and he bowed his head.Her eyes were red, her vibe darker than ever. "That's my dad in there. Why can't I go in? Move!""Mr. Eaton forbids it. Please, don't make things hard for us," the bodyguard said, stuck.No one there dared to defy her. They all knew how much Fermin doted on her."I don't care," she snapped. "Step aside, or I'll have my brother skin you alive. Let's see if you still block me."Her threat chilled him. She might be bluffing, but Fermin wouldn't."What's the ruckus?" Fermin's voice cut through."Mr. Eaton." The bodyguard bowed his head."Didn't I tell you no one gets near?" Fermin's tone dripped danger.Coming with him was a group of elite guards. The bodyguard was daunted by their aura.Liza stepped forward. "Dad is in a bad condition. Why wouldn't you let me see him? Does this have anythin