"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."
"Boss, Ms. Frazier..." Kale muttered.The mention of Debra annoyed Drake once again. "I left her at the casino. Do you plan to pick her up?"Kale bowed his head. "No, boss."Drake glanced at his watch. It was already midnight and the liveliest hour for the casino. People from all walks of life would be there to have fun."She is too stubborn, and perhaps a few more hours at that chaotic place would knock some sense into her. Bring her back when she realizes her mistakes.""Yes, boss."Debra had been staying in the lounge for over two hours. Harland approached the door and asked, "Has Mr. Lowe come back yet?"The guard shook his head, and Harland waved him off. Debra went out to check the situation, and Harland quickly put on a flattering smile."Ms. Frazier, if you feel bored, you can walk around. Just don't get lost. This place is both safe and dangerous.""Do you think Mr. Lowe has forgotten about me?""Of course not. You're Mr. Lowe's favorite. He wouldn't leave you here a
Late into the night, the square was empty.The mongrel, who had just wrapped his arm around Debra, quickly pulled away."Ms. Frazier, I didn't mean anything by that earlier. Please, don't go telling Marion.""I know you didn't. Honestly, if it weren't for you, I'd still be stuck in there."Just now, she had unexpectedly spotted William pacing outside the lounge. His appearance was good, but his accent was funny."Where's Marion? Has he come?""Oh, he's here. The moment he heard you were in trouble, he flew over and dragged me along. I had to push back several surgeries. Ms. Frazier, you should compensate me."But the news made Debra anxious. She grabbed William's arm, her voice urgent."Where is he? You need to make him leave. Drake already has people ready to capture him.""Marion loves you more than his life. Do you think he'll just leave? He guessed you'd try to get into the casino, so I've been posing as a businessman, gambling for days to keep an eye on things. Finally, y
Debra quickly pulled herself together and settled down on a bench nearby.In no time, several cars arrived. Drake stepped out, with Kale and several others trailing behind him.As they passed, none of them seemed to notice her. Debra called out in a teasing tone, "Mr. Lowe, where are you going in such a hurry?"Drake halted, momentarily taken aback. He turned, half-expecting his mind to be playing tricks on him, but there she was, casually seated on a bench.The cold wind ruffled her hair and gave her an almost ethereal quality.Kale frowned. "Boss, do you want me to grab her?""Stay here," Drake ordered."Yes, boss."Drake strode over to Debra and seized her arm with an iron grip."Ouch!" Debra winced, glaring up at him. "What are you doing?""I want to ask you the same thing," Drake snapped. "You've got some nerve to go with a random guy."Debra shrugged. "Do you really care who I leave with?"Drake's chest tightened with frustration. He stared into her defiant eyes, torn
"Get in." Drake shoved Debra into the bedroom.She stumbled and shot him an angry look. "Seriously, Mr. Lowe? Is this necessary?"He had been silent the entire drive back, but the moment they arrived at the villa, his true colors emerged.His face darkened, and his voice turned to ice as he said, "If you weren't still useful, you'd have been a dead body now.""I know," Debra replied, her tone calm and steady. "Otherwise, how would I dare act so boldly in front of you?"She leisurely made her way to the plush sofa and poured herself a glass of wine.Drake narrowed his eyes, but instead of losing his temper, he let out a low chuckle. "You enjoy yourself as if this is your home.""I was playing piano throughout the day, and my fingers are still numb. It's just a glass of wine. Don't be so stingy."While sipping her wine, she observed his expression and noted that he wasn't really angry."Since I did such a good job tonight, how about you answer me a question?""Shoot.""How muc
Debra nodded and led the way back to her room, Lara trailing closely behind. As they reached the door, Debra suddenly yanked Lara inside, catching her off guard."Ms. Frazier, what are you doing?" Lara stammered."I need to talk to you about this dress," Debra said, cutting straight to the chase.Lara's façade dropped, her expression turning serious. "Ms. Frazier, I have to warn you. This dress belongs to Miss Sharp. If she finds out you wore it, you won't like the consequences."Debra was skeptical. "It's just a dress. Surely, she wouldn't go that far over something so trivial, would she?""With Miss Sharp, you can never be sure," Lara replied, her tone grave. "Her belongings are off-limits to everyone, whether it's clothing or people."Debra's eyes sharpened as she began to realize that Lara wasn't just another naive maid. Surviving this long in Drake's cutthroat world required a certain savvy."Drake didn't kill me because you covered for me, right?" Debra probed.She had ta
The bodyguards at the entrance were intimidating.When Debra handed over her invitation, she worried there might be fingerprint scans or facial recognition. That would make things tricky.But the guards barely glanced at it before waving her through. Debra was surprised by how smoothly things went.This castle was one of the top three landmarks overseas, and it had never been open to the public. During the day, it was a tourist attraction. But now, someone managed to host a private banquet right there.Once inside, she was faced with one more hurdle. Rows of scanners stood ahead, all meant to detect any restricted items.Debra was carrying no gun, but Marion had given her a Bluetooth earpiece to stay in contact.To minimize suspicion, they decided to enter separately. She would go in first, and he'd follow shortly after.She hesitated for a moment before taking off the earpiece and tossing it into a shadowed corner.Just as she stepped forward, someone in front of her triggered
When they entered the dream, the gems were real.Fermin had woken up faster than them and taken the gems. Then he must have found a way to hide them or hand them off to someone else.In other words, this whole thing was planned. "If that's the case, Mrs. Houston and the others are in danger," Barton said anxiously, realizing someone in their group was a traitor.The Illuminati couldn't have collected so many rare stones for nothing. There had to be a scheme."I need to think this through," Andrew muttered, pressing his forehead.Barton noticed his pale face and immediately stepped forward. "Sir, are you having another episode? William said you shouldn't stress yourself out. I'll get your medicine.""Come back," Andrew said. "I'm not taking any medicine right now.""It won't work, sir. The doctor warned you against thinking too much. That's why you left Seamar City to enjoy peace. Mrs. Houston has Mr. Houston looking out for her. You don't need to worry, sir."Andrew had thoug
Michael chuckled, "You probably won't believe this, but after I finished work, I found this thing right outside my door.""What?" Debra was shocked.Michael explained, "Since that night you asked me to keep an eye out, I reached out to a few international contacts. But I came up empty. Then, the very next day, this thing was sitting outside my door."Debra mused, "So, you think someone knew you were investigating, so they gave you a shortcut?""If that's the case, then the organization must be massive, and the entertainment industry could very well be their way of spreading their influence," Michael said.A lightbulb went off in Debra's head.At those banquets held by the Lowe family, most of the guests were from the entertainment industry. Whether they were once-famous stars or rising ones, these celebrities were typically the targets of wealthy businessmen.If the entertainment industry was being used to spread Illuminati teachings, then it wasn't the stars trapping the rich m
When the bathroom door opened, Debra was soaking in the bathtub.She asked awkwardly, "Uh, where's the towel?"It was her first time staying in that house, and she hadn't expected the towel not to be in the bathroom.Marion was relieved to see her fine. "I'll get it for you."He walked over to grab the towel, then entered the bathroom and draped it over her shoulders.Her cheeks looked rosy, maybe because of the heat in the bathroom.Worried about her injury, he gently lifted her out of the bathtub. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. Their breaths mixed as she was held close to him.His arms were robust, easily lifting her with no effort."Are you tired?""I-I am.""Then lie down and let me serve you."He kissed her forehead, but she tapped his shoulder. "Hey! I just finished my shower."It was getting dark. Marion ordered takeout, all of Debra's favorite dishes.Her body was sore all over. She didn't want to move, and Marion had to feed her.Leaning on t
"Marion, what are you doing?" Debra shot him a warning look.Marion shrank back."Alright. I'll call again when I get there," Michael said."Okay." Debra ended the call and looked up to see Marion's frustrated look."I'm hungry," she said, pecking him on the lips.Marion lost what little control he had left. He tilted her chin up, pressed a hand to the back of her neck, and kissed her deeply.It wasn't until they were both breathless that he finally pulled away."Let's go eat," he said.Debra glared at him, knowing he was doing that on purpose."Well, I'm not that hungry anymore," she said deliberately.Marion looked back and met her limpid eyes. His lips, slightly swollen from his kisses, were soft and inviting like ripe cherries."I am hungry, though." His voice was low, teasing.This time, his kisses were slow, lingering. His lips trailed down to her neck, and their breaths both quickened.Debra's silk nightgown slipped down to her waist, the lace straps of her undergar
The doctor and nurses led Liza out of the room.She could tolerate it as long as they didn't use electroshock therapy.Fermin was left alone in the room.The moment the door closed, he shouted, "Hey! Where are you taking my sister?"But his head hurt too much. Instead of pressing further, he sat there, curiously scanning the room.His expression and actions didn't look fake."Sir..." The butler hesitated."Keep him locked up." Bert struck the floor hard with his cane.They couldn't let him out until they made sure Fermin's personality was gone."Understood." The butler followed Bert out of the room.Beyond the reach of the security cameras, the corners of Fermin's lips curled into a faint smirk....Debra curled up in Marion's arms.He never slept more than four or five hours a night. Any longer, and he'd wake up on his own.She shifted, rubbing against him."Want to sleep a little longer?" he asked gently.Debra opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I
The sounds of violent banging echoed through the enclosed room.Despite the nurses' best efforts to hold him down, Fermin pounded the bed in agony."Strap him down," ordered the doctor.The nurses quickly bound Fermin to the operating table.Behind the one-way mirror, Bert watched with pain. His hand gripped his cane tightly.Electroshock therapy was one of the most dangerous treatments. But it was the only way to make Fermin believe he was dead, allowing his personality to enter a dormant state."Sir, maybe we should leave for now," the butler suggested, unable to watch any longer."I can't, not when Fermin is still inside," Bert replied, his voice heavy.He didn't want Fermin to suffer or go out to hurt others."Fermin!" Liza stumbled down the stairs, nearly falling in the process.Several servants, who were chasing after her, stopped at the entrance since they were not allowed in there.They had sealed off the elevator, but Liza, in her desperation, had chosen to take the
Once everything was settled, Marion walked back to the living room and lifted Debra off the sofa.For over a month now, Debra hadn't needed to walk on her own."If you keep pampering me like this, my legs will be useless.""It's fine. I'll carry you for the rest of your life."He was confident in his strength. Even when he was old, he believed he could still lift weights without breaking a sweat.Debra was light. He had no trouble lifting her at all.The bedroom was dimly lit. Marion gently laid her down on the bed and lay beside her.Debra smiled, "You're always watching me sleep. This time, let me watch you.""Okay," Marion agreed, placing her hand over his chest.Soon, Debra heard his steady breathing.Marion was a light sleeper. The slightest movement would wake him.Debra stayed still, quietly watching his sculpted face, straight nose, plump lips, sexy Adam's apple, and well-defined collarbone.Suddenly, he murmured, "How am I supposed to sleep with you staring at me l
When she woke up the next morning, Debra instinctively reached out to feel around.She muttered, "Marion, what time is it?"There was no response. She opened her eyes and found Marion wasn't in bed.After a quick wash, she went downstairs.Marion, who had come back from his mission, was cooking breakfast in the kitchen. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up."You're up so early," he said, noticing it was only 7 a.m.He had gotten used to Debra's routine."Breakfast is ready. Come eat," he added, setting two sandwiches and a bowl of oatmeal on the table.Since Debra's injury, her health had been poor. While in the hospital, she'd repeatedly had fevers. Recently, she could only eat light food.She had slept deeply last night, probably because she was exhausted.After she took her seat, Marion sat next to her and began to gather her hair into a bun."You're getting better at this," she chuckled."Anything for you," he replied with a smile.A bodyguard came in and repo