Debra eyed Drake's hand wrapped around her waist, her brow furrowing. Every instinct screamed at her to pull away, but she held back."Are you dancing or juggling?""Cut the crap. Your turn to lead.""With pleasure," Debra replied, taking the reins and steering them into a clumsy waltz.As they finished, the room exploded in applause. In the corner, Yvonne seethed, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Debra extricated herself from Drake's grasp. He excused himself and headed to the bathroom.While no one was paying attention, Juan swooped in with a smirk. "Well, well, well, it didn't take you long to find a new lap to sit on. Marion must be kicking himself for tangling with my family over you."Debra rolled her eyes. "Spare me the drama, Juan. What do you want?"She spotted Kale watching them from across the room, his gaze fixed and intense. She tried to shoo Juan away, but he stuck to her like a bad smell."Tomorrow, 8 PM. I'll wait for you at the cas
"I think so," Debra replied casually. "Next time, just give me a list. I'll memorize it.""You'll have it tonight, and you'd better know it by tomorrow," Drake said."For real?""Why would I lie to you?""And the video I asked for?""Not happening.""Come on, Drake. I need it for protection. You saw what happened tonight. Yvonne threw champagne in my face. Next time, it could be acid.""She won't get another chance.""What do you mean..."Before Debra could press further, Kale interrupted, "Boss! Something's wrong with the car."Drake tensed, grabbing Debra's arm. She tried to pull away, but he commanded, "Hold onto the handle."Debra felt the car speeding up unnaturally, and a sinking feeling hit her. Something seemed to be wrong with the brake lines.But Kale seemed to handle the situation with ease. The car was heading straight for the riverbank, and at this speed, they'd plunge into the water in no time.Drake rolled down the window by her side. "On the count of three,
"Pardon me, I just never thought I'd see the day when the illustrious Mr. Lowe would be dripping wet like a drowned rat.""You're not much better," Drake retorted nonchalantly. "Besides, this isn't my first rodeo. I won't crumble just because you're having a laugh at my expense."Debra raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Judging by your tone, it seems your brake line has been tampered with more times than you've changed your socks."Drake shrugged. "Well, I'm the head of the Lowe family. In Orkgate, there's a cutthroat around every corner waiting to see me six feet under and steal my throne.""Fair point." Debra nodded.Orkgate was a hotbed of chaos, teeming with schemers who'd stop at nothing to eliminate Drake. The severed brake line was just another page in their playbook.Back at the Lowe Mansion, Debra hurriedly showered and stepped out of the bathroom. Lara entered her room, carrying an assortment of clothes.While toweling her hair dry, Debra inquired, "Where's Drake?""Mr.
"Brutal? People like that are a dime a dozen here. They're loyal to the highest bidder," Drake snorted. "This isn't your sunshine-and-rainbows Seamar City. Kind hearts don't last long here."Debra fell silent, the weight of his words pressing down on her. Orkgate was a world away from Seamar City, where injustice and crime were as common as the city's smog."Now that you know Yvonne's behind it, what's your plan?""Yvonne has her uses. I'm not going to punish her. Not yet. You should rest. This isn't your fight."Seeing the dismissal in his eyes, Debra turned to leave.Suddenly, Drake called out, "Oh, Kale has printed those documents. You've got one night to memorize them. I expect a recital tomorrow."Debra whirled around. "You're kidding, right? First, you tell me to rest, and now you want me to pull an all-nighter?""Will you do it or not?""Alright, I'll do it."These files were too important to miss out on. There were only two days left until her appointment with Marion.
"What happened?" Drake's brow furrowed as he stood up.Edgar's eyes widened. "Ms. Frazier? You mean Debra, Marion's runaway fiancée?"Drake paused. "You know her?""More than that," Edgar said, his expression darkening.Debra had vanished during her engagement party. Some said she ran off with another man, while others said she still pined for Juan.The entire Seamar City was buzzing with gossip about Debra’s sudden disappearance. But Edgar never imagined Debra would be with Drake.Drake turned to leave, disinterested in the gossip. Edgar quickly stopped him. "Mr. Lowe, about the loan...""We'll discuss it another day. Butler, see the guest off," Drake said, leaving Edgar gaping like a fish out of water.Edgar's face darkened as reality sank in. Debra fainted at the worst possible moment. He couldn't help but suspect she did it on purpose.But with Drake's dismissal, he had no choice but to leave in frustration.Upstairs, Debra lay on the bed, looking as pale as the sheets sh
"Oh? Go on," Drake said, his interest now fully piqued.Debra explained, "From what I've gathered, the Odom family is teetering on the brink of ruin. Their debts are astronomical, and the interest alone is eating them alive. 30 billion dollars is far from enough to turn the tide. Edgar will probably use it to pay off what he owes to the McKinney Group. In the end, you'll be left empty-handed, while the McKinney Group walks away with your money. Can you really afford a loss like that?""You seem well-informed about McKinney Group's inner work." He leaned in and gazed into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts. "Didn't you resign a long time ago? How do you still have such insight?"Debra didn't flinch under his scrutinizing stare. "I may have left, but that doesn't mean I'm out of the loop. My connections run deep."Drake raised an eyebrow. "So, what's your suggestion? What should I do?""Edgar's ambition far exceeds his competence," Debra said bluntly. "If I were in your shoes, I'
Drake let out a low hum, piecing together the fragments. "So, Shelia's your rival in love? You are jealous of her and hate her alliance.""Jealous?" Debra shot him an incredulous look. "How did you get that idea?""Then why else would you be so upset over Edgar's connection to her?" Drake pressed, still toying with the notion.Debra, exasperated by his assumption, sulked, "Anyway, Shelia was my ex-husband's mistress. She's always been out to get me, so naturally, anyone associated with her is an enemy in my book."Drake's lips curved into a slow smile. "Well then, consider Edgar out of luck. I won't be helping him.""Really?""Yeah.""You're this agreeable?""What, you don't trust me? I can walk right out of here and make that deal with him if you'd prefer.""Wait." Debra nearly jumped up, seeing his playful smirk. "Fine. Go ahead. But don't come crying to me when you lose money."She flopped back onto the bed. Drake finally dropped the act. "Get some rest. After all, you're
Before Marion left, his words had been crystal clear. If anything happened to Debra, William would answer for it.But seeing her now, battered and bruised, William knew he was doomed. If Marion found out, the repercussions would be catastrophic."Quick question," Debra said, breaking his train of thought. "What are Juan and Marion up to?""Juan? Juan Nichols?""Yes, him.""No, I haven't heard anything about him.""Then why did he invite me to meet him at the casino tomorrow?"William's confusion only deepened. Knowing she couldn't get any answer, she waved it off with a sigh. "This place is too dangerous. If you are recognized, Drake won't let you slip through the cracks. Thankfully, that manager who saw you is dead.""I'm just here to patch you up," William said, focusing on her wounds. "If we don't treat these properly, you're at risk for infection. You need to be extra careful these next few days. Marion told me finding evidence isn't as important as keeping you safe."Debr
"See you around," Michael said, smiling at Marion.His action got under Marion's skin. Taking a deep breath, Marion turned off the stove and took the eggs out.Debra glanced at him. "You seem hostile to Michael.""He's not worth my time," Marion replied flatly, peeling the eggs.Then he walked over to her and gently pressed the egg against her injured spot."This will help reduce the swelling. You went too hard on yourself. It's gonna hurt tomorrow.""Michael was just messing around. Don't be fooled by his innocent look. He's got a mischievous side. I think he just wanted to see if you cared about me. He wasn't trying to provoke you."Marion hummed in response, seemingly unbothered by it.He looked down at the bruise and sighed, "He wasn't wrong about one thing.""What is it?""I failed to take good care of you.""That was my doing. It wasn't your fault.""My job is to protect you. I can't let you get hurt even in the slightest." Marion pinched her nose. "I'll carry you to
When Debra and Marion came back, Michael quickly ended the call."You didn't check in with Hannah before leaving?" Debra asked."This trip is for work," Michael replied, closing his laptop. "Hannah was just briefing me on tomorrow's schedule."He noticed her disheveled appearance. "You guys came back so early. Guess the investigation didn't go as smoothly?""Let's just say it was a bit intense. Marion can tell you about the details," Debra said, sitting down on the couch.Marion habitually warmed up some milk for her and grabbed some pre-sliced cake from the fridge.He didn't stick around in the living room but went straight to the kitchen to boil eggs.Michael raised an eyebrow. "Feels like he doesn't quite like me."Marion heard it, his grip tightening around an egg. Then there was a cracking sound.Michael added, "My visit seems untimely. Should I move out?"But he made no move to get up.Debra took a sip of milk. "No way. I can't let you leave, especially since you're th
God knew how panicked Marion was when that guard raised his gun at Debra."I..." Debra murmured, "I couldn't find you.""That's not an excuse." Marion frowned. "Do you not trust me, or are you just used to handling everything yourself? Even if you stood there doing nothing, I could find you in a second. You shouldn't have rushed it like that.""The doors were closing, and I was worried that the guy would get away, so..." she explained."I don't care about the Illuminati. I care about you." Marion cupped her face, his tone serious. "You can't go solo like that again.""What if I do that again?" Debra looked at him.Marion pinched her cheek and muttered, "I'll break your legs so that you can't run off again."Debra slapped his hand away. "It was a special case today. I won't do it again.""Remember what you said. Don't make me worry," Marion relented, pinching her nose."By the way, what's the situation now?""I've handled it.""How?"He fell silent, but she didn't press furt
The man trembled and spilled every bit of information he knew about the Illuminati."Sounds like you're not so useful," Marion said, watching the man shiver in fear. "Everyone here is guilty. To redeem yourselves, your souls will stay in this castle."Before anyone could process his words, gunshots erupted around them. Screams filled the air. In just moments, the castle was thick with the smell of blood."You're out of your mind!" shouted the man, rushing toward the exit.But before he could get close, he was shot dead."Sir, we'll take care of the rest," said a guard."Make sure to clear all the traces," Marion ordered before leaving the castle alone.His eyes reflected the cold light of the moon. The air around him was chilling.Since the day he arrived overseas, everyone was nothing more than a dead man to him....Debra had a dream of her coming-of-age ceremony.Everyone was smiling, and everything was perfect.Suddenly, a gunshot shattered everything. The world went bl
For a moment, the castle fell silent after the gunshot. Then, more shots rang out, each one chipping away at the crowd's composure.A man, trembling, slowly raised his hands and stood up. "I'm a member of the Illuminati."Others scrambled to follow. "Me too."Within moments, nearly 70 to 80 percent of the people in the room were on their feet.The ones who stayed seated were mostly the "merchandise"—people the Illuminati had prepared. They quickly stood as well."Mr. Houston, have mercy," one of them begged. "We were just hired. We don't even know who's in charge."The men and women, who had been laughing and flirting with the wealthy elites, were now shaking in fear.Barely covered, they huddled together, terrified that Marion would kill them.Marion leaned back in his chair, glancing at the crowd. "Words don't count. Prove it."His men raised their rifles, aiming at the heads of the so-called members."I have proof," said one of them, pulling out a badge. "Here. Look. This
The Illuminati lackeys, totaling 30, were all dead now.Their bodies lined up neatly in a row.Marion took off his mask and casually tossed it into the corner. The guests recognized him and froze in place.Everyone there had heard of his infamous name. But they never thought he'd be bold enough to do a massacre.One of his men placed a chair behind him, but Marion didn't sit. Instead, he slowly stepped forward and casually removed the mask of a plump man.He smirked, When he saw the man's face, Marion smiled in a way that was hard to describe. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Pearson.""M-Mr. Houston..." Harvey Pearson sweated nervously.Marion casually asked, "Does your wife know you're here?" "We're just here to have some fun, Mr. Houston. We haven't done anything to offend you. We wouldn't dare."Marion ignored him, turning to rip off more masks."Mr. Glenn, Mr. Stokes, Mr. Salazar..." he muttered, raising his hand.At the signal, his men removed the masks of the remaining guest
The moment the gunshot rang out, Debra felt a gust of wind rush past her ear, followed by a ringing in her ears. It felt like the whole world went silent.In the nick of time, Marion had appeared and twisted the guard's neck. Then the bullet missed its target.Marion was dressed in a suit and a black mask, like many others did. Still, Debra recognized him at a glance."Let's go," he urged.With the alarm set off, all the guards would be gathering on the second floor in less than two minutes.The two of them rushed downstairs and quickly blended in with the chaotic guests.Unfortunately, the exit had been shut, and guards were closing in on them from every direction.Debra, who had inhaled too much of the gas, was already delirious.Her mind was foggy, and her legs felt as though they were floating. She focused on Marion's hand gripping hers, and memories of someone else holding her hand flooded her mind.The memory was blurry, like a dream, and the figure of the young man in t
It was the symbol of the Illuminati.A man's voice echoed through the castle."Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Kingdom Come. Here, you can fulfill your every craving."The atmosphere in the room seemed to get even hotter because of it, but the voice rang a bell to Debra, whose cheeks were starting to burn.Back in Orkgate, the scent released by Drake's men wasn't this strong.The people around her seemed hypnotized. Many had abandoned their dignity and danced wildly in the ballroom.The gamblers were all in deep, their faces flushed with excitement. Meanwhile, the women on sale started using every trick they could to satisfy the buyers.The male pets were even openly draped around the rich women, their hands roaming all over their bodies.Debra felt sick just watching it from the corner. She looked around, trying to find Marion.Without success, she focused on tracing the source of that earlier voice. She looked up at the second floor, but there wasn't a single soul.She was
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