If the branch office collapsed, Edgar would lose even more money."Sir, we have a situation on our end too. I was going to ask you for more funds.""What?""You requested ten billion in funds a few days ago. Now, some of Flesta's projects are coming to a halt. Our investors and partners are demanding their payments. I've been delaying them as much as I can, but if we don't get the funds soon, the company might collapse. If this situation lasts more than three days, you know what the consequences will be.""Why the hell are you telling me this now?""I did try to tell you earlier, but you said it wasn't urgent.""Enough! I don't care how you do it. Those projects cannot stop, and I need my funding immediately."Chace sneered inwardly. No one would lend them so much money, and neither would the banks.Edgar was desperate, and desperate men were easy to manipulate.Chace came up with a plan."Understood.""By midnight, I want answers."Chace glanced at the clock. There was bar
The next day, Edgar waited in a café, his eyes repeatedly darting to his watch. He had been waiting for over an hour, his patience wearing thin. A waitress approached him, her eyes scanning him curiously.A waitress approached, asking, "Sir, would you like a refill on your coffee?"Her tone was polite, but her gaze betrayed a hint of judgment. Edgar was dressed impeccably, exuding an aura of success and wealth. His striking good looks made him stand out, and it was clear that the waitress was puzzled by his lingering presence over a single cup of coffee.Edgar noticed her scrutiny and realized his coffee had been finished.In the past, he wouldn't have batted an eye at ordering the most expensive items on the menu, but circumstances had changed. Now he was short of money."Yeah, please refill it," he sighed.The waitress raised an eyebrow, her disdain now obvious.Finally, Chace rushed into the café, and Edgar's irritation flared up."You're late. What took you so long? What's
Edgar rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Fine. If that's what it takes, I'll accept the loan."Chace sneered inwardly but kept his face neutral."Sir, the loan has strings attached.""What? Unbelievable!""There's always a catch.""What's the condition?""It's a personal loan from Tracy. He wants to make peace with you. In exchange for the loan, you can't go after Oscar anymore. Also, the interest rate will be higher than what we'd get from a bank. If you agree with these, he will lend you the money. If not..."Edgar didn't finish his words, believing Edgar had gotten the picture.Tracy was eager to end the feud between them, probably realizing that the Odom family wasn't easy to deal with. He was willing to meet Edgar halfway."Well, Tracy knows how to pick his battles. If the interest rate is a little higher, so be it. We'll bounce back quickly once we get things moving again."Chace stifled a laugh at Edgar's misplaced confidence. "You're absolutely right,
Caleb arranged for Debra to visit a high-end boutique for a custom-made dress, and Erica, as the maid of honor, volunteered to accompany her.Outside the boutique, several staff members had been waiting for a while. As soon as they saw Debra and Erica approaching, they quickly came forward to greet them."Mrs. Houston, Miss Mathis, this way, please."It was the first time Debra had been addressed as Mrs. Houston. Her face turned a faint shade of pink at the sound of it.Erica teased her, "Mrs. Houston... That really rolls off the tongue. After the engagement, you'll officially be my cousin-in-law, and we'll be family.""Knock it off," Debra protested, her embarrassment growing.Though it wasn't her first marriage, this was the first time she'd ever had an actual wedding.As they entered the boutique, Debra was momentarily overwhelmed by the rows upon rows of stunning dresses that lined the walls.Erica grumbled good-naturedly, "Wow, Caleb really went all out, huh? I've taken ca
Melody and Shelia stood close together, the picture of a doting grandmother and her beloved granddaughter.The sight of either of them was enough to disgust Erica, and now they had appeared together."What are they doing here?" she muttered with annoyance.The manager quickly explained, "I've heard that Mr. Nichols is also getting engaged. I presume they're here to select dresses."Erica frowned. "There are only so many high-end boutiques in Seamar City, and we just had to run into these two. Talk about bad luck."Debra shook her head. "Bad luck? I'd say they're here to stir up trouble."It didn't feel like a coincidence at all. Seamar City had plenty of boutiques, yet they had shown up at the same place and on the same day.It seemed more like Shelia had intentionally found out where Debra was going and brought Melody along for support.A staff member placed rows of dresses in front of Shelia. "Mr. Blair, these are our latest products. Feel free to take your pick."Shelia hel
"Well..." The staff member hesitated.The wedding gown and dress designed for Debra were not just any pieces. They were one-of-a-kind, custom-tailored specifically for her. The Houstons had even purchased the exclusive rights to the designs, ensuring their uniqueness.According to store policy, those gowns couldn't be sold to anyone else.Shelia grumbled, "Is there a problem?"The staff member replied, "Ms. Blair, this dress was custom-made for Mrs. Houston, specifically tailored to her measurements. I'm afraid it might not fit you properly. How about we have our designer create something just for you?"Shelia insisted, "But I want that design for my engagement dress. Either make me an identical one or make it better than what she's wearing."She shot Debra a smug, challenging look, and the staff members were caught in the middle.The tailor finished her job, putting away the measuring tape.Debra slipped back into her coat, her composure unshaken.Erica, however, was fuming.
Over the past few months, Shelia had immersed herself in the world of fashion, thanks to her time with the Blair family. She now had a decent grasp of fabrics, styles, and trends.When the staff member handed the chosen fabric to the manager, the latter asked, "What style did Mr. Blair choose?"The staff member replied, "She hasn't chosen a style yet, but we're about to show her some options."Debra glanced at the satin and said to the manager, "Didn't she say she liked the dress I'm wearing? Just show her my style."The manager hesitated. "But the gown you're wearing is a fishtail design. If we use the stiff silk satin she chose, it might not work well."Debra's gown was made from soft chiffon, which flowed beautifully and accentuated the fishtail shape. Shelia's satin, on the other hand, was stiff and not suited for such a delicate design."Well, that's what she requested," Debra said. "Maybe we think it won't look good, but who knows? She might think otherwise. Besides, the cu
"Why did you stop me from teaching Shelia a lesson?" Erica said, unable to contain her frustration.With Marion's influence in Seamar City, even if they had to face off against Juan, they wouldn't lose a step.It was clear to everyone present that Shelia had deliberately tried to outshine Debra."Did you notice the fabric she picked?""Satin?""And the style?""A mermaid dress."Erica paused, finally catching on.Shelia had picked the same style as Debra, but the fabric she chose was different.Erica mused, "And she wants to bedazzle the whole thing with rhinestones. My goodness! I can't even imagine what it'll look like."Debra grinned, "I need you to do me a favor. Talk to the designer and make sure they follow Shelia's instructions. I'll cover the cost."Erica gave her a thumbs up. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."The engagement party was just three days away, and given the tight deadline, there would be no time to fix anything if Shelia's dress ended up a disaster. If
Kale explained, "The only place open for delivery at this hour was a small joint, and the soup has gone cold in the chilly weather. Cold fish soup always turns fishy."Drake's face twisted in disgust. "Toss it. File a complaint.""Yes, boss." Kale picked up the fish soup and dumped it back into the bag.Drake stared at the documents on his desk, muttering, "A pampered lady knows how to make soup. What a surprise!"Then he suddenly remembered that Debra not only knew how to make soup but was also good at playing the piano, dancing, and manipulating people. It had been almost a year since they first met. He had kidnapped Debra multiple times but had never gained any advantage. Instead, he had lost a lot."She's my nemesis," he declared seriously.If Debra wasn't his nemesis, she couldn't have played him like a fool. Ever since she appeared in his life, he had been nothing but unlucky.His estate in Seamar City was burned down. One of his fiancées was dead, and the other publicly b
"What nursing?" Marion asked.Debra blinked at him. "You don't know?""Not really.""It means stimulating milk production for women after they've had a baby."Marion pondered. "Is it for men too?""Only for women.""Got it. If you ever want kids in the future...""You'll make soup for me?""I won't let you drink it.""Why not?""I've heard it's painful for mothers to breastfeed. I don't want you to go through that."Debra couldn't hold back her giggles. "So, if I don't breastfeed, what would our baby drink?""Formula," Marion replied matter-of-factly.Debra smirked, "Dummy, if the milk isn't expressed, it'll still hurt."Marion fell into thought. "Then let's not have kids. Just you and me, together for life. That sounds perfect. If you ever feel lonely, we can move to that house in the mountains and keep cats and dogs. Either way, I'll always be by your side. You'll never have to feel pain or loneliness."Debra's heart softened. "Okay."After they finished eating, Debra
Debra hung up the phone, determined to make Theda pay for hurting Marion."What are you doing sneaking around in the kitchen?"Drake's voice suddenly came from behind her. Startled, Debra turned around and sulked, "Do you always sneak up on people like that?""I just came to the kitchen to find something to eat. I didn't know you'd be here making calls," he replied, walking past her to grab some instant noodles from the fridge.Debra was puzzled. "Don't you have a chef?""At this hour? The chef is long gone," Drake snorted, tearing open the packet.Then he noticed a white clay pot simmering on the stove, giving off a delicious aroma."What's that?""What else? Soup for Marion.""There are servants in this house. You don't have to do it by yourself.""Marion doesn't like soup made by others."She lifted the lid to reveal a creamy soup. Drake wrinkled his nose."Isn't fish soup for nursing mothers? Is Marion on maternity leave or something?""Who told you that? It's savory a
At the Buchan Group Headquarters, Theda stood in front of a large shipping container, her hand resting on her chin. "What's inside?""We're not sure. The airline just delivered it this morning. They said it was shipped from Orkgate," the assistant replied."Orkgate?" Theda hesitated. "Open it."The assistant stepped forward and opened the container.As soon as the content was revealed, she freaked out, "Ma'am, it's Robert."Theda rushed over to check on him. Inside the container, Robert lay unconscious, his eyes tightly shut. His face was pale, drained of color."Robert!" Theda called out, patting his face.Then she noticed the blood starting to seep through the wound on his abdomen.She cried out, "Call a doctor."The assistant rushed out to fetch help. Meanwhile, Theda contacted the front desk."Find out who sent this.""It's Debra Houston."The news brought Theda a sense of foreboding. For the past few days, no one knew where Robert had been. She had searched everywhere
Drake didn't hear any noise downstairs."Haven't Debra and Marion come in?""They should have.""Then why hasn't anyone come to report me?""Boss, you said you weren't going to welcome them."Lately, Kale found it hard to figure out what Drake was thinking. One moment he was against something, and the next he was going along with it.The wedding was an example. At first, he said he wasn't going, but later, he did. Then it was this recent event. He didn't mean to hurt Marion, but he claimed that it was intentional.Now, he was doing it again, inviting them over but refusing to welcome them."Yeah. I don't care if they stay or leave," Drake said, standing up. "I'm hungry. Tell someone to make dinner."He came downstairs, but Debra was nowhere to be seen.He glanced at Lara, who was still cleaning. "Have they gone to their rooms?""Yes," Lara faltered, "but they went to the same room."Drake frowned. "I told you to prepare two rooms. Why are they sharing?""Mrs. Houston said
"I think it's fine," Debra said. "I don't believe he'd do anything to Marion."It was better to have Drake pay the bills than stay in the hospital.She turned to the bodyguard and said, "Okay. Tell your boss to send a car to pick us up.""The car's already waiting outside," replied the man. "He had prepared it, knowing you'd agree.""How thoughtful he is!""Yeah."Drake had suffered too many losses when dealing with Debra. He had drawn lessons from those failures.Debra helped Marion out of bed. The moment they stepped out of the room, Drake's subordinates hurried over to assist.They smiled flatteringly at Debra and said, "We're here to help."But Marion shot them a cold look before they could come near him. They smiled awkwardly and quickly pulled their hands back.Debra sighed and continued helping Marion out of the room."Why refuse free labor?""I don't like others touching me.""Alright, you don't like others touching you. How about I touch you?""Only you can touch
Erica felt helpless. "As long as you're happy."She just hoped Randy would not regret it later."Erica, I have a question," Debra said. "It's the trick you used on Robert. Did you learn that a long time ago?""Yeah," Erica replied. "It's not just me. Randy learned it too. When we were kids, Caleb liked to train us. You know how it is. People like us get kidnapped all the time, especially when we are younger. We were often targets for rivals or kidnappers who wanted ransom. Caleb always said boys and girls both needed to learn to protect themselves, so he made sure we learned it all.""Backstabbing like that is simple. The hardest part is showing weakness first," Randy chimed in. "It's what Caleb taught us. If you get captured, always show weakness to slacken their vigilance. Then you counterstrike with techniques like joint locks or over-the-shoulder slams. We learned all that, though I'm not as good as Erica. She was always into it and even learned boxing. Robert is stupid, messin
Erica nearly choked on the food when she heard that. "Bro, your left hand is injured. What's that got to do with your right hand?""That hand hurts too," Marion lied without batting an eyelid."Is it injured too? Let me see," Debra said, quickly checking his right hand.Stunned, Randy dropped his fork. "Come on. Can't you see he's faking it?""Faking it?" Debra examined Marion's hand and saw no injuries.Debra dropped his hand and said, "Then feed yourself.""I want you to feed me," Marion whined.Erica got goosebumps all over, unwilling to believe the man in front of her was really Marion.She put down her fork and knife. "Should we give you guys the room?"She winked at Randy, who immediately took the hint. "Right, we've got stuff to do. There's a mess in Seamar City we need to sort out. We should go."While feeding Marion, Debra sighed, "Stop messing with me.""We shouldn't interrupt your quality time," Erica explained.Right now, Marion only had eyes for Debra. She didn
Debra sighed in relief, "The doctor said you need to stay here for observation. During that time, I'll take care of you."She paused and corrected herself, "I mean, we will take care of you.""Huh?" Marion was baffled.Before Debra could explain, a knock came from the door. A group of caregivers shuffled in, looking like they wanted to be anywhere else.The air was thick with awkwardness before one of them finally broke the silence. "Sir, we're caregivers assigned to look after you during your recovery.""Oh, caregivers?" Debra arched a brow. "Funny, though. You all look kind of familiar. Haven't we met before?""No, ma'am. We've never met. We're just ordinary workers here," they insisted.Debra stood up and walked toward them, narrowing her eyes. "You mean to tell me I don't recognize the men who are always hovering around Drake?"The men panicked, their façade crumbling. "Ma'am, we're just following orders. If we mess this up, we'll be punished. Please, don't blow our cover."