Lara trembled, her pale face contorted with pain. "Just to keep me around as a potential pawn, he sacrificed so many people. Orkgate is a den of evil. Human lives mean nothing here. There's no justice. The rich keep getting richer, while the poor are forever trapped in misery. This city is rotten to the core."Debra was taken aback, finally realizing how lawless Orkgate was. If Drake reigned here, more lives would be gone.Tentatively, Debra asked, "Are you staying here for revenge?""Revenge?" Lara laughed bitterly. "This is Orkgate, and Drake is the king here. Do you think I can even dream of revenge? No. I am staying here because I've accepted my fate. Just want to survive."She wiped her tears and stepped back."I'm telling you this because I don't want you to make any pointless sacrifices. No matter what you plan to do, you won't win against them.""Lara...""I've said enough for today. I need to go now."She turned and walked out of the room. Debra silently walked to the
"You've been there and seen everything, haven't you?" Drake replied.Debra walked straight to his desk. Drake frowned, ready to close his laptop, but Debra blocked his action, moving to his side to catch a glimpse of whatever he had been watching.He quickly closed the video and frowned. "What are you up to?""Nothing," she replied, and as he relaxed his guard, she quickly grabbed the laptop.Drake stood up, his face darkening. "Debra!"Debra reopened the video. The room's decor mirrored one on the third floor, confirming that Drake had been monitoring. The screen displayed a man and a woman tangled on a bed. The woman looked painful, and the man was none other than Conrad.Feigning astonishment, Debra said, "I didn't expect you to enjoy these kinds of films.""Give it back!" Drake snatched the laptop from her and closed it forcefully. "What exactly are you here for?""I just wanna know if Miss Sharp had worked on the third floor before.""So what if she has?""Well, you foug
"Juan has arrived in Orkgate. I want to see who he's really here for," Drake replied.Kale reasoned, "He's here to discuss business with the Sharp family. It can't be for Ms. Frazier, right?"Drake waved his hand in disapproval. "Don't be so naïve. She's his ex-wife. Back on the island, Juan would've walked through fire for her."Kale replied, "But Juan lost his memory. He doesn't even remember Ms. Frazier. This seems pointless."Drake snorted, "Memory loss? You really believe that?""I...""As long as he isn't targeting me, I don't care if he's pretending or not.""Understood."As night draped itself over the city, Debra was helped up by Lara. Her gaze fell on Kale, who was holding a burgundy gown."A banquet?""It's Mr. Lowe's arrangement.""Is he doing this on purpose? I'm injured. How am I supposed to attend any banquet like this?" "You can choose to go or not.""I don't...""But Mr. Lowe wants to let you know that Mr. Nichols will be there too.""Juan? Why is he in
No one in this crowd recognized her as Juan's ex-wife, but that was to be expected.Orkgate and Seamar City were worlds apart, and the currency here was twice as valuable. It was reasonable that no one there had heard of Debra, especially since her family had gone bankrupt."As Debra scanned the bustling venue, Drake suddenly halted, extending his arm in front of her. She frowned at the gesture."What are you doing?""As my companion, shouldn't you behave like one?""So?"As she played coy, Drake withdrew his arm and snorted, "Whatever."With that, he turned on his heel, striding toward the hotel entrance. Debra hurried to catch up, taking his arm with a sweet smile. "I was just joking. As your companion, I'll stay by your side every step of the way."Drake was unimpressed. "I don't like jokes. If you do it again, I'll leave you here. The night here is cold. With your toughness, I believe you can hold up for several hours."Debra forced a stiff smile. She wouldn't admit that s
"Shaken? Marion is such a weak man. Can his grandfather lock him up if he really wants to save me? He is just pathetic. Don't worry. I won't change my mind. In this world, no one is reliable but yourself," Debra said."Well said," Drake replied, a hint of approval in his voice. He smiled, adding, "Once we bring Marion down, I'll hand him over to you. You can do whatever you want with him—whips, canes, anything you like. I guarantee we'll make him beg for his life."His words shook Debra's nerves, but she kept her calm facade intact. "Alright, I imagine that day won't be far off."As they stepped into the banquet hall, all eyes turned to them, glasses raised in greeting."Mr. Lowe doesn't usually attend events like this. What brings him here tonight?""Didn't you notice his companion? I've got the scoop that Miss Sharp has fallen from grace. This lady is his new favorite. Mr. Lowe brought her here to flaunt."Gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd. Everyone had been convinced
As the banquet proceeded, Debra moved beside Drake, listening to his introduction of the top businessmen in Orkgate. The Lowe family's influence stretched far and wide, and every businessman in the room sought to maintain his favor. Even though the Sharp family was hosting the event, it was clear who truly commanded respect.Debra leaned in and whispered, "You command such respect here, don't you?"Drake smirked, "Your ex-husband holds his own, too."Debra followed his gaze and spotted Juan across the room, effortlessly mingling with a cluster of prominent businessmen. His calm demeanor, perfectly measured smile, and poised stance reflected the kind of power that didn't need to shout to be recognized.Raised in the Nichols family, he had learned how to navigate power dynamics as if born to it.As Debra studied Juan from afar, Kale approached Drake with urgency."Miss Sharp is upstairs.""Make sure she doesn't cause any trouble.""Yes, boss."But before he could go into actio
Without warning, Yvonne raised her glass and threw its contents directly at Debra's face."Yvonne! What the hell are you doing?" Drake snapped, pulling Debra behind him. "Go upstairs. Now!"But Yvonne stood her ground, her gaze fixed on Debra with burning contempt. "I hear you're from Seamar City, Debra. Your family's gone bankrupt, haven't they? Quite a fall from grace."The crowd watched in stunned silence, curious about Debra's past.Drake's expression darkened further. He shot a warning glance at Conrad, whose hands were now clenched in desperation. Now he regretted acknowledging Yvonne as a legitimate daughter. She was expected to bring glory to the family, but what they received was only shame.He had planned to keep Yvonne locked in a hotel and eventually find a reason to cut ties with her. But now, things had spiraled out of control.In a final attempt to salvage the situation, he hurried forward and grabbed Yvonne's arm. "Your wounds aren't healed yet. Don't cause a scen
"Ms. Frazier, please follow me," Kale said.Debra followed behind him, but her attention remained riveted on Juan and Yvonne.The two laughed and chatted, their fingers dancing over the piano keys. They seemed to be lost in their own world.The crowd around them was entranced by the duet.Debra didn't get it. Juan was already engaged to Shelia. Yet there he was, flirting with Yvonne."These are the clothes Mr. Lowe requested for you," Kale said as they entered the presidential suite on the second floor of the hotel.Debra glanced at the gown in her hands, and a wave of realization washed over her. Yvonne had splashed water on her so that she couldn't keep Drake company for the night.Showering, doing makeup, styling hair, and changing outfits would take at least two hours. By then, the banquet would be nearly over.Yvonne was trying to sabotage her chances of becoming acquainted with the entrepreneurs from Orkgate and the key partners of the Lowe Group.Determined not to be ou
Debra sighed, "Just drive normally. I won't ask anymore.""Thank you for your understanding, Mrs. Houston," Barton said.The car ride smoothed out after that."Thanks, honey," Marion said."Just shut up." Debra glared at him, and he quickly zipped his mouth.When they arrived at the Potter Mansion, Debra helped Marion out of the car.The hall was empty except for a maid cleaning."Barton, do you know where Erica and Randy are?" Debra asked."They went out for a meal last night and never came back. Maybe they stayed out," Barton replied."Stayed out?" Debra muttered.Just then, a voice echoed from upstairs. "You're finally back. Where were you all night? Why is no one here?"Garland looked down, surprised to find Marion injured.Remembering Juan's visit last night and his talk of disappearing for a while, Garland had a chilling thought. 'Eventually, Juan made a move against his rival in love.'It was understandable. No men could stand their loved ones being with someone els
Juan was never one to run from a fight. Yet Barton looked all serious."If you don't believe me, you can go and ask the police. Juan has fled. Mr. Andrew Potter has sent people to track him down. As long as he doesn't leave Seamar City, everything is still in control.""Honey, is the car here yet?" Marion limped into view behind her.Barton fought back the urge to laugh and said, "Mr. Andrew Potter has instructed me to escort you both home.""Oh, much appreciated," Marion replied, tossing his cane to Barton.He grabbed Debra's arm and said, "Walking is hard for me. Be my crutch, honey."She glanced at his hand. "Behave yourself. Don't make me slap you."Knowing she was still mad at him, Marion turned back to Barton. "She's not in a great mood. Don't mention anything that'll upset her. Go bring the car around."Once Barton left, Marion leaned heavily on Debra, his voice soft and dramatic. "I'm really too weak to walk."Debra sighed and helped steady him. "Juan being picked up b
Garland jumped in fright and almost tumbled down the stairs.His jaw dropped when he saw Juan standing there. "You got caught too?"Barton glanced at them before sensibly stepping away to give them space. His actions further confirmed Garland's guess.He dragged Juan to a quiet corner and bombarded him with questions. "How did you walk into their trap? What do they plan to do with you? What's your situation now? Are they going to lock you up with me? Should we pretend we don't know each other?"Though he'd only been in this house for a few days, he had realized that every single resident was shrewd and cunning.Outmaneuvering them was just mission impossible.Juan said calmly, "No one can know I'm here, especially not Debra. Got it?""Why not? Didn't you come back for her? Why do something good and keep it a secret?" Garland leaned in and whispered, "And about that wife-killing thing... Is it true or false? It's all over the news. I don't want to believe it, but knowing your tem
Late at night, Barton brought Juan to Andrew's study.The mansion was quiet, with no one on guard. Andrew was seated there at ease, and Juan asked, "Aren't you worried about being found out?Erica, Randy, Garland, and Liza were all staying there. And if Debra and Marion came back, his meeting with Andrew would be exposed.Andrew casually replied, "Marion is in the hospital getting treated. They won't be back anytime soon.""What about Garland and Liza?""Isn't Garland your sidekick? You think he'll rat you out?"Andrew always seemed to have everything under control, and it was hard to read his mind.Barton invited Juan to sit down and poured him some tea.Andrew said, "Debra must hate you to the core because of your actions. With all this media attention, you would have to step down. Are you really fine with that?""I've wanted to quit for a long time," Juan replied. "I don't believe you don't want to retire."The burden of the Potter family would crush anyone else within thr
Once they were gone, Debra asked, "Is Juan in the interrogation room?""Yes, he's being questioned right now," Pedro replied. "It's not a good time for visitors."Debra fell silent. She had rushed from the hospital to find out why Juan had acted like that.He wasn't the type to lose control or try to kill someone so recklessly. Something was not right."Then I'll wait here until he's done," she said, sitting down in a nearby chair.Pedro faltered, "Well, the interrogation could take all night, and I heard Mr. Houston is injured. Shouldn't you take care of him? I'll let you know the results first thing tomorrow morning."Debra was indeed worried about Marion's injuries. If the police station weren't so close to the hospital, she wouldn't have taken the time to come here.Now that waiting seemed pointless, she stood up and said, "Alright, please keep me posted. I'll be next door at the hospital.""Of course, I'll send someone to handle that," Pedro replied.Once Debra was gone,
"Watch your mouth. This is Mrs. Nichols Sr.," Joe chided, standing beside Melody.The officers recognized him and fell silent."Where are you keeping Juan? Release him now!" Melody demanded, disregarding her manners.Pedro appeared, smiling nervously. "Mrs. Nichols Sr., what brings you here so late?""Juan was taken by your people. Why do you think I'm here?""Well, this is tricky. He injured Mr. Houston, which should be handled through legal procedures. He is in our interrogation room. If you want to see him, I can arrange that.""Mr. Houston? Since when does he rule Seamar City? Juan would never do anything illegal. It must be a setup."It was known to all that Marion used to be an outlaw. Framing someone was easy for him.Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind her."A setup? Marion is injured by him. Juan tried to attack me. If Marion hadn't saved me, I'd be the one in the hospital," Debra accused.Melody turned to look at her. "It was you. I knew it. Juan did so much for
The knife sank deep into Marion's right abdomen, blood seeping through his clothes."Freeze!" A group of police officers stormed in from behind, quickly surrounding Juan in a tight circle.Juan raised his hands in surrender, but his gaze locked onto Debra, who was nervously tending to Marion.Debra glared at him. "Juan, are you out of your mind?"She had imagined a thousand ways he might come after her, but she never thought he'd resort to such a crude and desperate attempt to kill her.Juan sneered, "Shame I didn't kill you. But at least I've settled the score with Marion for the stab he gave me.""Take him away!" The police hauled Juan off to a waiting squad car.Paramedics rushed up quickly. Marion glanced at Debra, who was worried sick. He reached up to ruffle her hair and managed a weak smile. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch.""The knife was in your gut. Why did you follow me, you idiot?"Debra smacked him on the shoulder. Marion's strength faltered, and he dropped to one
Debra drove to the outskirts of the city to meet Juan at their agreed spot.He was standing in the middle of a deserted lane surrounded by rundown houses."Why did you call me here? What do you want to talk about?" Debra asked.Juan looked her up and down. "Drake vowed to take you out within three months, but here you are, still standing. You're tougher than I thought."Debra scoffed, "You don't seem too happy about that.""Enough for chitchat. Did you leak those news stories?" Juan demanded.Rumors about him killing Shelia were everywhere, and the police had started investigating. Juan's disappearance only added to the suspicion."You think I did that?" Debra laughed. "Am I that despicable to you? We're done with each other. I wouldn't go out of my way to cause you trouble. If that's why you called me here, you're wasting your time. It wasn't me."She turned to leave, but Juan stopped her. "Wait!"Debra turned back. "What now?""I killed her," he admitted.Debra froze. "Why
Debra shook her head and said, "I'm not sure, but keeping them around doesn't hurt. They have their freedom as long as things are under control."Randy came downstairs. "Chatting alone is not fun. Let's watch some TV."He grabbed the remote and switched on the television.A news report blared from the screen: "The Nichols Group CEO is suspected of killing his wife and is currently missing. The police are investigating, and the case is under further review."Erica and Randy both turned to look at Debra.Randy threw up his hands. "It wasn't intentional. I just selected a random channel.""Chill." Erica smacked him on the arm. "It's just fake news. Someone like Juan wouldn't get his hands dirty to kill someone."Debra frowned and headed upstairs. The door to the study was closed, with Barton standing guard outside."I need to see Andrew.""Mr. Andrew Potter is unwell and not taking visitors.""Who are you kidding?"Debra shoved past him and opened the door.Inside, Andrew was