Upstairs, Shelia stomped on the fabric with her heels, as if trying to grind it into the floor. Her eyes were burning with anger and humiliation as she ordered, "Go find out what Debra is wearing."She had seen Debra wearing the same style the other day. Yet her clothes were disastrous.Yesterday, she had even confirmed that her dress cost much more than Debra's. The doubt gnawed at her, fueling her anger.Sophie, hiding her disdain for Shelia, pulled out her phone and showed her the latest photos from the Houston family's engagement party.In the pictures, Debra looked radiant. She was wearing an elegant floor-length mermaid gown that hugged her figure perfectly. The dress was understated yet sophisticated, with subtle diamond accents at the hem that sparkled like a constellation of stars.The same design yielded two completely different outcomes.Seeing how effortlessly graceful Debra appeared in the photos, Shelia blushed with fury."It's her. She must've bribed the designe
The second-floor dressing room was in chaos.The guests craned their necks and looked up curiously."What is happening up there?""I heard Ms. Blair is fighting with a maid.""Ms. Blair? Fighting? How disgraceful. She's supposed to be a lady of standing.""Well, no matter how high she climbs, she can't seem to leave behind her common roots. So unrefined."...Declan, standing among the crowd, could feel the weight of their whispers on his shoulders. His face grew darker with each passing comment, his mood souring further.It was bad enough that rumors swirled, but now the media had their cameras trained on the scene, hungry for the scandal.The frenzy downstairs intensified as Shelia came storming down the staircase, dragging Sophie by her hair. Shelia's face was twisted with rage.The flashes of cameras were relentless, capturing every wild expression. Within minutes, the internet exploded with headlines: [Ms. Blair Loses Control, Attacks Maid at Engagement Party.]Next doo
Their business rivalry aside, Juan's personal life was no longer any of Debra's concern.She was just about to walk away with Erica when she bumped into something solid.It was the broad chest of someone cloaked in black. Debra looked up and saw a silver mask covering his face.Debra instinctively stepped back, while Erica quickly grabbed her arm, creating distance between them.Debra gave an apologetic smile and said, "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?""It's fine." The man's reply was slow and gravelly.His voice was raspy, as though his throat had been ravaged by fire. His age was impossible to determine.Erica, eyeing the man warily, tugged on Debra's sleeve. "Sorry, sir, but we've got matters to attend to. Excuse us."Debra nodded, but as they brushed past the man, she heard a low, hoarse whisper, just loud enough for her ears alone. "Leave. Now."She froze, her heart skipping a beat. When she turned to look back, the man had already disappeared into the crowd."Debra, stop s
Debra lifted the lid of the gift box. Inside lay a sleek bank card with a small slip of paper showing the PIN."What's this?""Just take it. I'm a top-tier actor now. You think I can't afford a little gift like this?""Alright then, I'll accept it."Across the room, Marion caught her eye. He was dressed impeccably, his tailored suit fitting him perfectly, every strand of his hair in place. As he moved through the crowd, toasting guests with charming ease, he stole a glance at her. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a subtle, knowing smile.After tonight, Marion would officially be her fiancé.The thought filled her with a warm glow, her heart fluttering with excitement.But before she could fully savor the moment, a security guard hurried over."Mr. Andrew Potter had a fall as he was leaving. You should come quickly.""What?" Debra's face tightened with concern.Andrew always had his butler by his side. It was unbelievable he fell."Let's go check it out together," Erica sug
Drake's lips curled into a cruel smile as he stared down at Debra's unconscious form.The last time he had seen her, she and Marion had put on quite the performance. It was his turn now.Inside the Royal Grand Hotel, the emcee's voice boomed through the ballroom, enthusiastically announcing the next segment of the evening: the grand entrance of the soon-to-be-engaged couple.Upstairs, Marion was adjusting his tie, an uncharacteristic unease tightening his chest."Marion!" Randy burst into the room, panting heavily.Marion remained composed. "Today is my engagement, not yours. Why are you in such a hurry?"Randy was burning with anxiety. "Did you see Erica? I couldn't find her anywhere."Marion's expression hardened instantly. "I told her not to leave Debra's side for even a second."The two men locked eyes, both sensing the same gut-wrenching dread."Something's wrong."Downstairs, the guests remained blissfully unaware, clapping and cheering as the emcee continued his spirit
At the party, the host called out to Marion and Debra three times, yet neither of them appeared. An uneasy murmur spread through the crowd.Frowning, Caleb shot a sharp glance at the butler beside him. "Where are they?"The butler shifted uneasily. "I saw them just a moment ago..."Caleb's gut churned. "Tell the host to keep the guests calm. The rest of you, follow me.""Yes, sir."Next door, Melody was quick to catch wind of it.She stood on the second floor, overseeing a tense exchange between Shelia and Sophie, when the security guard entered with urgent news."Marion and Debra are missing.""Yes."She glanced at Sophie's scratched face and Shelia's disheveled hair. Her lips curved in a slow, smug smile.'If we're having a hard time, the Houston family won't have it easy either.' She thought.She broke the silence. "Sophie, do you know what kind of event this is? Get out and go downstairs.""Yes, Mrs. Nichols Sr." Sophie reluctantly left.Melody shifted her gaze to Shel
Juan's lips quirked into a brief smile. "Sure. Whatever you want."Shelia blushed, feeling a rush of triumph, but their moment was interrupted when the door creaked open again.Joe stepped inside cautiously, only to freeze under Juan's steely gaze."What's so urgent that you forgot how to knock?" Juan's voice cut through the air like a blade.Joe stiffened. "I apologize, sir, but there's an issue at the Houston family's engagement party."Her interest piqued, Shelia asked, "What happened?"Joe replied, "It seems Mr. Houston and Ms. Frazier are missing.""Missing? How is that possible?" Shelia said, observing Juan's expression.But he remained unruffled. "So what? It's not our concern.""Understood.""You can go.""Yes, sir."Once Joe left, Shelia asked tentatively, "Debra is missing. Do you not care at all?"Juan replied indifferently, "She's no one to me. Why should I?"Shelia's heart soared, her face lighting up with joy as she leaned into him, whispering, "I knew it. Y
Debra jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest. Darkness pressed in from all sides, an oppressive silence enveloping the room.Drake's mocking voice echoed in her mind. "Imagine Marion's reaction when he finds out I've taken you."Reality sank in like a stone. She flung the covers off, attempting to rise, when a wave of dizziness hit her hard.Drake had injected her with something on the plane. Whatever it was, it had drained her of every ounce of strength.Suddenly, the lights flickered on, flooding the room with a harsh brightness. Debra blinked rapidly, her vision slowly adjusting as she took in her surroundings.The room was massive and suffocating in its opulence, decked out in elaborate Baroque style. Complex carvings adorned the walls, and oversized portraits loomed down from above, making the air oppressive.A voice broke her trance. "Ms. Frazier, our boss has asked me to help you change clothes."Startled, Debra turned sharply toward the doorway. Her eyes widened i
Suddenly, Debra remembered something Drake had told her the other day."What would a rich lady like you understand? You value pride over survival. But for small-timers like them? Pride means nothing. Staying alive is all that matters."She frowned. "Theda was abandoned in the countryside when she was little and lived a tough life for over ten years, right?""Exactly.""Then how could she not understand how hard it is for small-timers to survive?"Just then, Theda and Melody took the stage. The purple satin gown on Theda seemed a bit too bold for the occasion.She started, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending the cooperation banquet between the Buchan Group and the Nichols Group. It also marks my new journey as the new president of the Nichols Group. I will lead the company toward an even brighter future."Her speech shocked everyone in the hall.After all, Juan hadn't made an appearance in days. Even if he were stepping down, he should have faced and addressed the
As Erica, Randy, Marion, and Debra entered the banquet hall, they immediately drew everyone's attention. Many people approached them to say hello.Liza tugged at Garland's arm, looking displeased. "These people are shallow. Doesn't anyone recognize us?"As the daughter of the Eaton family, she was usually surrounded by flattering people. But in Seamar City, she was reduced to second fiddle."Calm down. At our place, Debra was treated the same way. It's just home-court advantage," Garland soothed her.Liza pouted. "True. But I should get the respect I deserve. Just open a branch here and make it better than the McKinney Group."Garland smiled wryly. 'That's a fool' talk. The McKinney Group is backed by the Four Great Families. Any one of them is no small matter. It will take our entire family to compete with them.'"I'll try," he said, glancing at "Just work harder," Liza muttered, glancing at Theda, who was walking toward Debra.Theda wore a polite smile, but there was undenia
Even though Liza didn't fully grasp the tangled web of rivalries among elite families in Seamar City, she knew that Theda had been targeting Debra relentlessly.The impromptu trip overseas was all thanks to Theda.Debra stepped forward and took the invitation. "Since they have struck a deal, we might as well see what this is about."By evening, the Royal Hotel was buzzing with activity.Everyone was aware of the Buchan Group's rise in Seamar City. On top of that, the rumors about Theda taking over the Nichols Group were everywhere.Even though the Buchan Group had suffered a setback with Lester's recent scandal, the problems would be nothing if they secured a partnership with the Nichols Group.Erica stepped out of the car, her eyes taking in the extravagant scene outside the hotel.She clicked her tongue. "Wow. Theda knows how to put on a show. I've never seen a banquet this fancy here before."Seamar City didn't have many hotels of this caliber, and few people had the clout t
As Debra and Marion were chatting up ahead, Garland squeezed his way out of the crowd.It was his first time experiencing such fan enthusiasm, and he couldn't handle it. "No, I'm not your idol, just a passerby."But no matter how hard he tried to explain, the fans weren't letting him go.Garland was cute and sunny. Anyone would assume he was a celebrity.Erica and Randy were having an even worse time. Erica's mature, confident vibe attracted a lot of male fans, while Randy's handsome face and playboy look did their part in attracting attention.It took the entourage a full 20 minutes to leave the airport."My God, I've never seen anything like this. These female fans are crazy," Garland muttered, wiping the lipstick off his face."The male fans are no better. They called me Wifey.""They called you what?" Randy got worked up. "Which bastard did that?""Get lost. Stop hovering around me," Erica grumbled, pushing him away.With so many people crowding the airport, Randy had bee
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