Debra walked over and slipped a bracelet to the man, who took it and fled for life.Debra scanned the swelling crowd and flashed Drake a victorious smile. "I did it, Mr. Lowe."Within half an hour, she had successfully attracted a thousand people.Drake's eyes narrowed as he quickly pieced together what had happened. "You used me."Debra had crafted the entire scenario to draw a crowd.She met his gaze, unflinching. "In this city, what else could draw more attention than your golden reputation?"The crowd began lifting their phones and taking pictures of Drake.Drake was displeased. "I told you to attract a thousand people through playing piano, not making a scene.""A thousand people are already here. Getting them to listen to me play? That part's easy," Debra replied, confidence radiating from her.Before he could respond, she strode over to him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward the piano. "Thanks for saving me, Mr. Lowe. Will you do me the honor of playing with me?"
The last note faded, and Drake hadn't played a single key.Afraid the crowd might notice it, the manager swiftly signaled the security team to disperse the onlookers.Debra looked sideways at Drake. "Mr. Lowe, did I meet your requirements?"He had demanded that she attract a thousand people, but the crowd in the square had far exceeded that number.Drake's scrutiny lingered on her a moment too long, making Debra squirm. "Mr. Lowe?"Snapping out of his thoughts, he stood up and muttered, "You've met the minimum standard."In fact, she had far exceeded his expectations."You know how to create buzz and how to leverage people when necessary. Seems like you've got more than just a bit of cunning.""That's for sure.""I wasn't complimenting."Turning to the manager, he ordered, "Get her into a proper uniform and then bring her back.""Yes, boss.""Wait," Debra interrupted. "You're not going to let me deal cards anymore?"She had worked so hard to get close to Drake's inner circ
The manager held up six fingers in front of Debra.That was no small change. Debra felt a surge of anxiety mixed with curiosity about Drake's true intentions, but for now, she had to play it by ear.Not long after, the manager led Debra up to the lounge area on the second floor. Along the way, she felt the lustful stares of several men and shifted uncomfortably.In the lounge, she found Drake leaning against a pool table.The manager announced their arrival, "Mr. Lowe, she's here.""Good," he replied, his voice smooth but lacking warmth.The lounge was thick with haze, the sharp scent of cigars hanging heavily in the air. Debra instinctively held her breath.Drake set down his cigar and scrutinized her from head to toe."The dress is a bit too loose," he commented."That's Miss Sharp's dress. I'll have some new ones made for Ms. Frazier tomorrow," the manager said.Debra searched in her mind for anyone bearing that family name and then grasped something faint.In her past li
One song after another, Debra played according to the sheet music. In this casino, the music served as mere background noise, while the patrons were absorbed in the thrill of gambling."Ms. Frazier has already played through an entire book of sheet music. Should we..." the manager asked."Let her play it again," Drake replied indifferently, his gaze unwavering.He had been there watching for two full hours, and during that entire time, Debra's hands hadn't stopped moving over the keys.But apparently, the customers were more interested in her looks than her music. No less than a dozen people had approached Drake to negotiate deals.A rotund man approached and said, "Mr. Lowe, you know, I'm a simple man with simple tastes. How about you name a price for me to take her?"Whether by design or chance, Drake positioned himself just two meters away from Debra, close enough for her to overhear every word."Mr. Bender," the manager interrupted, "that is our newly hired pianist, and she
Just as Sam attempted to take Debra away, a sudden force yanked him backward, his joyous laughter morphing into a bloodcurdling scream.Drake seized Sam's hand with an iron grip, the sickening crack of bones breaking echoing in the tense air.Sam's face drained of color as he cried out in agony, "Mercy, Mr. Lowe. Please, have mercy."Drake's expression remained grim, his grip tightening until Sam's wrist snapped.Sam writhed and screamed on the ground. Harland signaled for security to drag him away.Debra, still perched on the piano, asked, "Mr. Lowe, what was that for? You ruined my long-term meal ticket."Drake squinted at her. "You want a sugar daddy? I'll make that happen for you."Before Debra could process his words, he yanked her off the piano bench and shoved her toward the crowd of onlookers."Go ahead and pick one," he said coldly. "See if they're willing to take you home."Debra scanned the room, but every guest had been paralyzed by the shocking display of violence
"Drake."When Debra rushed outside, she spotted a black Porsche parked at the curb and heard his order to close the car door.The driver glanced into the rearview mirror, observing Debra rush toward them. "Boss, aren't we going to wait for Ms. Frazier?""Drive.""Yes, boss."The driver pressed the gas pedal, and the car sped off, leaving Debra behind in the middle of the square.Frustration flickered across her face. That was typical Drake.It was not a bad thing, though. With him gone, she could explore the casino and observe its operations up close.A smirk curled on her lips as she turned, striding back toward the building.In the car, the driver couldn't resist voicing his concern."Boss, it's getting late. Ms. Frazier's out there alone, without a phone. It's not safe.""What's your point?""Maybe we should go back and pick her up. What if something happens to her?"Orkgate was a dangerous place after dark, full of unsavory characters lurking in the shadows. Debra's go
Debra confirmed the memories from her past life hadn't served her wrong. In just a few short years, Drake would marry Miss Sharp and further solidify his status in Orkgate.If that happened, any hope of avenging her and Marion's parents would be slim."Here we are," Harland announced, gesturing for her to enter the lounge. "Have a good rest. I'll have someone bring some food."Debra nodded, stepping inside with a gracious smile."Thank you.""No worries."Once Harland left, Debra took a moment to survey the room. To her surprise, there were no guards stationed outside the door. Drake hadn't bothered to keep an eye on her.Moments later, a group of waitresses entered, each balancing dishes that they set before Debra with practiced grace. One of them looked strikingly familiar.Debra squinted, recognition dawning. "Ava, right? We met hours ago."She had taken Ava's place as the dealer earlier.Ava nodded with a polite smile. "I didn't expect you to remember me, Ms. Frazier. Yes
Debra quickly thought on her feet. "If you don't believe me, you can ask Harland. It's my first time here. I was just trying to find the restroom, but this place is enormous. Could you tell me where it is?"The mention of Harland made the guard hesitate. He lowered the walkie-talkie, glancing back at Debra, who looked genuinely lost. He pointed ahead. "It's right ahead on the left.""Thank you," Debra said, her eyes lingering on the elevator door.If she didn't gather some information tonight, she might miss her chance. She made a quick decision and turned back to the guard."Oh, by the way, you mentioned something about swiping a card earlier. Does this elevator need a special card to use?"The guard shot her a sideways glance. "Only VIPs with a gold card can go upstairs. No card, no entry."Feigning curiosity, Debra asked, "What's upstairs? Is it fun? Can I get one from Harland?"The guard's demeanor softened. "I can't say for sure, but you could ask him if you're interested."
Under Randy's threat, Lara didn't dawdle. She swiped her fingerprint, and the infrared beams blinked out."My clearance only kills the lasers for three minutes," she said. "Taking me like this only slows you down. Let me go, and I swear I won't pull anything.""Three minutes? Then hustle," Randy snorted.She was full of schemes. Cutting her loose brought him nothing but danger. He would not fall for it.Lara kept her cool and led him toward the end of the hall.The place was futuristic, loaded with tech Randy had never even seen. Only people with the code could get in.Now that she had removed restrictions, it was now just another regular hallway.At the end stood a massive door. She spoke. "Our master is behind that. I can't go in, but I'll open it for you.""Do it quickly," he urged.She stepped to the side and used facial recognition. The door slid open, revealing a dark room.As he scoped it out, she broke free and tried to shove him in.Quick in reaction, he yanked her
As long as he twitched it a little, Lara would be dead.Randy growled, "Cut the crap. Try me again, and you're done."Lara didn't dare push it. She took a breath. "Okay. Follow me inside.""I know who your master is," he said. "Tell him to let Erica go, or the Osborne line ends with me."Her face shifted at that. He noticed. "What, you don't know who he is? Guess you're not that big a deal around here. So, quit stalling. Take me to him now. Touch me, and you don't live to see another day."Lara's composure crumbled.In the Illuminati, nobody knew the bishop's identity. She couldn't tell if Randy was bluffing or not.She had no choice but to lead him toward another entrance. Those goons didn't dare stop him. They just stepped aside.She took him deeper into the valley. The further in, the warier Randy got.The mist thickened, blotting out everything.At a rocky entrance, she used her fingerprint to unlock a hidden door in the mountain. It was mind-boggling that the Illuminati
Lara's face twisted. "No way he would say that. He wants the four families wiped out.""Take it up with him." Juan shrugged, heading out of the valley. "I'm not wasting my breath on you."Lara muttered in disbelief, "Our master wouldn't do that. This was our shot to take them down."Before she could piece it together, a guy rushed up. "Miss, something else showed up.""Who was it?" Lara snapped, annoyed.The four families only had Debra and Marion worth a damn to them."Looks like someone from the Osborne family.""Randy? What's that punk doing here?"Right then, a guy flew in from the mist, screaming as he hit the ground.Randy stepped out with a fierce expression. Lara barked for her crew to gear up.Everyone was puzzled, not expecting a wuss like Randy to be so good at fighting.He'd taken out every guard outside the valley solo, and not one alarm had been tripped. It meant he had memorized the layout, found the safest path, and dodged every trap.Lara sized him up serio
The Illuminati crew scattered into the mist.The leader stayed, pulling off his mask.Juan's brow creased hard. This was all he could do for them.Debra and Marion hauled out of the valley.Earlier when they were talking to that guy, she had clocked his limp. Plus, he had tapped his leg to drop hints.Through those details, she had figured out it was Juan.Juan had fed them a load of crap.Erica was inside. The bishop would show himself if they managed to find her. He would let them go if they could make a deal.It sounded reasonable but did not hold up.The Illuminati had an edge over them. If the bishop wanted to meet, he wouldn't need to snatch Erica. Even if he had her, it'd be to trade for the gemstone they held.He commanded, and they had to comply because they had zero leverage to negotiate. If they had no leverage, the bishop would not let them go.This was the tip-off dropped by Juan. Her business instinct enabled her to perceive it.Erica wasn't in the valley at a
It was afternoon already.Debra and Marion parked their car outside the valley.Looking at the sprawling terrain ahead, Debra couldn't shake the memory of trekking through it with Kale just days ago.Revisiting this place made her shiver."Your injury's still fresh," Marion said. "I can go alone."Debra shook her head. "We agreed on going together. Besides, I'm not here to fight. It will be fine."Marion ruffled her hair. "Alright, we're in this together."Enoch brought Erica here to lure them in. That much was clear.Now that they were here, they'd get her out.With night closing in, they quickly followed the route they'd mapped out and headed in.The map from Juan came in handy. In less than 30 minutes, they reached a clearing smack in the middle of four towering mountains.Mist hung light in the air, and the jagged peaks all around gave off a heavy, oppressive vibe.Through the fog, figures in black cloaks and white masks stepped out.Debra slid behind Marion, their han
Jordan signaled the guards at the door to stop Randy.But they didn't stand a chance. In three seconds flat, Randy laid them out.Jordan watched him vanish down the hall, dumbfounded. 'When did he get this good?'At the entrance, more guards tried to block Randy. He didn't slow down as he threw punches at them.Even with their number, they couldn't catch him.30 seconds later, Randy was in his car, peeling out toward the valley. Scenes from his childhood flashed across his mind."Leg up. Fist tight. Punch!" Caleb shouted.Erica eyed the wooden dummies in front of them and aimed for perfection.Randy's attention was all on her. He was not interested in these self-defense skills at all."Randy, focus!" Caleb whacked his arm with a cane. "Get real or go home."Randy couldn't care less. The truth was, he had already learned it all.At eight years old, his freakish athletic genes got him shipped off to a two-month boot camp. There, his raw talent made him untouchable in the junio
Lara came downstairs, smirking at Michael. "This time, even if you want to let them off, it won't happen."Michael was unfazed. "Don't say stuff that'll get twisted. I never plan to do that.""Oh, please. I know you better than that," Lara snorted. "Drop the act."Growing up, Michael had been given the best of everything.They were both in line to take over, but Michael got the bishop's favor from day one.Even if he didn't fight for it, he'd eclipse her. The bishop's partiality never failed to rattle her.She was a woman. True. But she was not any inferior to Michael.The partiality was unbelievable. This world's full of women outshining men.She was the one to help the bishop build something huge. The altar was only for her to ascend.She stepped up to Michael. "Wanna bet on what happens when Debra and Marion hit the valley? I can't wait to see Debra getting pierced by bullets. It would be so much fun."She observed Michael's expression, but there wasn't a crack."You done
The guard at the gate quickly stepped out of the booth. "Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Houston. Unfortunately, Mr. Osborne isn't home.""We're not here for him," Marion said flat-out. "I want last night's security footage."The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, but without Mr. Osborne saying so, I can't just hand it over.""Randy is lying in the hospital right now," Debra cut in. "Erica went missing from your place last night. If you don't cough up the tapes and something happens to her, can you take the heat?"The guard was shocked. "Mr. Randy Osborne in the hospital? And Miss Mathis is gone? I'll grab the footage. Hang on."He dashed to the security room. But when he pulled up the feed, the screen was pitch black."What's wrong? Is it busted?" Debra asked.The guard smacked the console a couple of times, and the picture flickered on. There was Enoch, stuffing a sack into his trunk and driving off.That explained why the cameras outside had only caught Enoch.Debra felt a chill run thro
A loud crash blasted through the phone, followed by screeching static.Debra's gut sank. "Randy's in trouble. Let's hurry."Jordan quickly rounded up a crew to track down Randy, while Debra and Marion bolted out of the house.That phone call screamed car wreck. Marion had Randy's location pinned fast, and an ambulance was already on its way."Don't panic. The ambulance is almost there," Debra reminded him, watching him push the speedometer.It was fine if it was just a regular crash. But if the Illuminati had set it up, the consequences were unimaginable. Enoch must have lost his mind to target his son.Debra and Marion had both lost their parents to car accidents. Marion would be devastated if he lost another person close to him."Quick! Get him out!"Thick smoke poured from the crash site. Debra's bad vibes grew.They jumped out and saw Jordan's people loading Randy onto a stretcher."How bad is it?" Debra ran up, desperate for details."Not too serious," Jordan replied. "