Once, Debra had been the heiress to the Frazier family and Juan's wife. She was someone Shelia had once begrudgingly respected.But now, Debra had fallen from grace. The Nichols family had cast her aside, the Frazier Group had crumbled into bankruptcy, and Shelia had triumphantly taken her place as Juan's fiancée.Yet, despite her fall, Debra dared to lay a hand on her."Hit you?" Debra spat, grabbing Shelia's hair. "Well, that's just the start. You've schemed against me time and time again, and I let it go because you weren't worth the effort. You wanted Juan, and I gave him up. But you couldn't leave it at that, could you? You kept coming for me. So now, we settle this."Terror crept up Shelia's spine as Debra's icy gaze bore into her. This wasn't the timid, compliant woman she remembered. Debra was now dangerous and ruthless.Debra turned to the bodyguards. "Melody Nichols has confessed to hiring a hitman. Take her to the police.""Yes, ma'am." The bodyguards moved swiftly, gr
Jade's eyes were bloodshot, her once gentle face now a mask of barely contained fury.She had been hidden away by Edgar, forced to live in the shadows, while Shelia paraded around the city center, having stolen everything that was rightfully hers—her father, her name, and her very identity.Shelia panicked and cowered. She hadn't expected Jade to be alive, let alone standing right in front of her."It wasn't me. I didn't want to take everything from you," Shelia stammered. "You just weren't lucky enough. Even if you were still alive, your dad wouldn't have accepted you. The Blair family would never acknowledge a prostitute like you."Jade clenched her fists. "Yes, I'm a prostitute. But that doesn't give you the right to steal everything from me."She turned to Debra and pleaded, "I have a grudge with Shelia. Could you let me deal with her?"Debra nodded. "Everyone has to face their debts. I'll leave her to you."Shelia's heart sank. She shouted at Debra, "You have no right to de
"Yes, ma'am... I mean, Ms. Frazier," Sophie replied.Debra left with the bodyguards.Melody was shaken. Shelia tried to scream but was silenced by one of the guards.Just when they arrived at the gate, another group of people rushed over. Juan stepped out of the car, his expression indifferent as he stood face-to-face with Debra.Melody and Shelia saw hope. Shelia bit the guard's hand, and as he winced, she shouted, "Juan, save me.""Juan, get rid of this crazy woman," Melody shouted, struggling.Debra frowned, recalling the events of the other night. After sending her to the ship, he headed back alone. She hadn't expected him to make it back alive."Melody hired a hitman to kill me. I have proof. Shelia attempted murder and Jade's identity. You know this as well. What now? Going to fight me?""Name your price," Juan said calmly. "Whatever I can give, I'll give."Debra laughed coldly. "I want the Nichols Group. Will you give it up in exchange for Melody not going to jail?""Y
"Three months is it," Debra agreed, leading Jade and the others to leave.In three months, she would take over Juan's company.Juan silently watched her leave. Suddenly, the sharp crack of a slap echoed in the air.Standing before him, Melody snapped, "How could someone so foolish be part of this family? You've brought disgrace upon us all. Go after her and dissolve your promise. Do you hear me?"She pushed him, desperate to protect the family's legacy that had been built over decades. But no matter how hard she pushed, Juan didn't budge.Finally, he grabbed her hand and said coldly, "Have you had enough?"Melody froze, shocked by his tone.He added, "I've spent my life following your rules. I owe this family nothing, but I owe Debra everything. Grandma, I'll pay you back for raising me and make sure you're comfortable for the rest of your life."Without waiting for a response, he turned to Sophie, who had been lingering by the door. "Pack her things and take her back to the ol
The icy look in Juan's eyes daunted her. Shelia tried to leap off the bed, but Juan was quicker.He seized her hair, yanking her back so forcefully that clumps of it tore free.She screamed in agony, but Juan didn't stop there. He calmly reached beneath the bed and pulled out a coil of nylon rope."No, what are you doing? You can't..." Shelia's protest was cut off as he slapped a piece of duct tape over her mouth.She thrashed, but it was no use. With each twist of the rope, Juan's control over her tightened.He drew the curtains, shrouding the room in an oppressive darkness. Her muffled cries were the only sounds in the room.Shelia trembled in terror, tied down and unable to move.Juan stood over her, his voice void of emotion. "From now on, you'll stay right here as Mrs. Nichols. I'll feed you and bring you water, but you won't see the light of day or anyone else."Shelia's eyes widened in terror, her screams muffled beneath the tape."Don't worry," Juan added, unfeeling. "
Debra had returned in a hurry, unaware of the rumors.Michael glanced at Ben and said, "Debra just got back. Let her settle in and get familiar with recent business. We'll handle everything else later."Ben nodded. "Madam, there are too many eyes around here. Let's head upstairs first."Debra noticed the nervous glances from the employees. Without saying anything, she followed Michael and Ben up to the office.The moment Debra stepped inside, her eyes landed on the massive pile of paperwork stacked on her desk.She gasped, "Geeze! I'm sorry for putting you into this, Michael."Michael brushed it off, "No big deal, just a few simple contracts. All I had to do was sign."While he busied himself organizing the files, Debra turned to Ben. "Why are people avoiding me? What's going on?"Ben hesitated. "It's about you and Mr. Andrew Potter."Debra was baffled. "What about us?"Michael handed her a newspaper. Printed on the front page was a picture of her and Andrew entering the Pott
Debra said mysteriously, "This isn't about my title. This person seems interesting. Set up a meeting. I think I've found us a goldmine."She eased into the chair. Michael saw no point in it, but he knew better than to refuse her requests.He handed the newspaper to Ben. "Make it happen."Ben nodded but paused at the door.Debra looked up, asking, "Didn't I tell you to contact them? Why are you still here?"Ben held up the newspaper, pointing at a gaudy square in the bottom left corner. A cartoon Batman glared out, surrounded by decorative borders. The line went like this: "Bringing justice to the world! Add me on WhatsApp via the QR code below and submit your articles. P.S.: I'm the owner of New Age."Debra blinked, momentarily speechless. In this day and age, this was either genius or madness.She pulled out her phone and scanned the code. Up popped a profile, Batman staring back at her. She shook her head, half-expecting to hear a dramatic "I am Batman."She sent a friend req
Ben asked, "Should I have him brought to you?""No need," Debra replied, her stride unbroken. "I'll handle this myself."She pushed open the office door. The chair was facing away, but the nameplate on the desk read: CEO, Garland Eaton.The name rang a bell, but she couldn't quite place it.The chair spun around, revealing a man dressed in a casual sweatshirt and pants, black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. He was handsome, with bushy eyebrows and eyes that sparkled with mischief.Debra thought he was a little over the top."Looking for me?" Garland asked, leaning his chin on his hand as Debra's entourage filed into the office.Debra had learned something during her time in Orkgate. Sometimes, a show of force was necessary.But Garland seemed unruffled, pulling out his phone to record it.His voice was lazy yet magnetic. "Ladies and gentlemen, behold. Gangsters are harassing innocent citizens. Is there no justice left in this city?"Debra stepped forward, snatched the pho
By rights, if they were to change leadership, they'd have to follow a process.At least, they should introduce the new president. Yet the new president was directly appointed without any of the proper procedures. No one had even bothered to take the shares from Drake.It was all so strange.Marion believed the Lowe Group had hidden assets and those behind the scenes held the largest share of hidden interests. To Debra, many things still didn't add up.As the head of the Lowe Group for years, Drake should have known about this.Drake spoke blandly, "When I was adopted by the Lowe family, I was busy cramming financial knowledge. I'm not like Marion. He's a rich boy from the slums, just there for the experience. I don't know these things. So, I had to work harder than others. In the beginning, there wasn't just me as the heir. I was just transferred from overseas to make up the numbers. The Bernard family wanted to get involved with the Lowe family, so they sent some people over. Mar
A loud crash came from Drake's room.Debra paused for a moment before opening the door.Inside, Drake was still lying on the bed, but his complexion had improved a lot.In black pajamas, he threw a dart at the TV. The screen shattered beyond repair."Looks like someone's in a bad mood," Debra said.Drake glanced at her and remained unhappy."Was faking my critical illness Marion's idea?""Yes.""Have you caught the person behind it?""Not yet.""My company was taken. It was all Marion's fault.""He did it to protect you. The assassination reveals their intention to seize the Lowe Group because they think they can't control you anymore. They wouldn't stop until you were dead. You got lucky and survived, but next time, you might not be so fortunate.""I don't need him to protect me."Debra knew better than to push him. She stepped closer and softened her tone. "I talked with Marion. What he did wasn't exactly appropriate."Drake scoffed, "You and Marion are two peas in a po
Erica took out a small mirror from her pocket and began touching up her makeup.She added, "You wouldn't believe how clingy those people were. Bad for them, their opponent was me.""What exactly happened?" Debra remained confused.Erica patted Randy's shoulder and said, "Show her what we found."Randy placed a crest in front of Debra and said, "Looks familiar?"Debra frowned as she saw the Lowe family's logo on it.Randy explained, "We were ambushed on our way back. The attackers all carried this crest. They're from the Lowe family. The anti-counterfeiting mark proves it's not fake."Debra turned to Marion. "What about you?"Those people wouldn't have just gone after Randy and Erica.Marion pulled out two crests from his pocket, and Randy clicked his tongue. "Ha! Looks like the new president of the Lowe Group can't wait to kill them. It's funny, though, he only sent a bunch of incompetent fools.""I think he's declaring war on us," Erica chimed in. "But his men are weak."De
"Randy, get the hammer from the trunk," Erica said. "Let's beat the crap out of them.""Are you serious?" Randy swallowed hard.He didn't think they needed to go that far. Fighting with hammers could kill these people. Giving them a small punishment would be enough."Erica...""Cut the crap, and do as I say. Or I'll beat you up too."Randy shook his head and complied.The thugs quickly rushed up. Erica swiftly raised her leg, her high heel slashing across one face and leaving a deep gash.The thugs kept charging, thinking they could crush her with their number.Through their moves, Erica sensed their desperation to kill Randy and her.It prompted her to launch even fiercer attacks. Every move she made was aimed at a vital spot.Randy watched in awe, tossing the hammer to her. Once armed, Erica was almost unstoppable.Caleb had trained her at a young age and taught her how to use agility and speed to her advantage. With these skills, she could beat people with greater strengt
Maybe, everyone had gone out of the banquet.Ivan came downstairs.Garland rushed over and asked, "Have you seen everyone?""Who are we talking about?""Jordan, Randy, and Erica.""No." With that simple answer, Ivan headed straight to the kitchen.Garland put his hands on his hips, fuming. "What an attitude. When Debra's around, you act like a puppy. The minute she leaves, you flip faster than anyone else."Ivan ignored him.Garland gritted his teeth. "Sooner or later, I'll catch you slipping and prove you're an undercover spy."Barton came downstairs. Garland eagerly approached him."Barton, where is everyone? Debra and Marion have disappeared too. They didn't leave us behind to attend a banquet, did they?""What banquet?""A welcoming banquet.""A welcoming banquet?""You know, when someone returns from afar, there's supposed to be a big feast.""Oh, there's been too much going on lately to prepare any banquets. But thanks for your effort. The living room looks a bit
Emotionally, Debra didn't want Marion to hide anything from her.But she wasn't stupid. What Andrew had said earlier was practically a hint.Marion tightened his grip on her hand and murmured, "I love you."Those words came out of his mouth less smoothly than usual.He gently brushed Debra's head and added, "Don't overthink it. Just give me some time, okay?"There was an almost pleading tone in his voice. It was something Debra had never heard from him before.He was definitely hiding something, and it was serious.Debra caught those two pieces of information."Did you cheat on me?""Absolutely not.""Am I not your first woman?""You're the only woman I've ever had.""Have you done anything against your principles?""No."Marion's answers were surprisingly quick, almost anxious.Debra smiled in relief, "Then I'm not worried."Marion seemed taken aback.Debra continued, "What I want is a man who loves me completely. He might not have money or power, but he has to love m
Debra looked at Andrew's serious expression and chose to believe him."You're always deceptive. I can't really believe this," she said."Whether you believe it or not is your judgment. Whether I say it or not is my decision," Andrew smiled faintly. "So, will you trust me or not?"Anyone else would be suspicious of Andrew. He was the kind of person who could control the big picture. He was the only one here who couldn't be figured out. But strangely, Debra felt a sense of closeness to him. She always said she didn't trust him, yet deep down, she had faith in him.Every time she worked with him, she was the one who benefited the most."I trust you," Debra said. "No matter what others think, I always believe you."For a moment, Andrew's expression softened, but it was barely noticeable.Soon, he regained his calm and said, "Never trust anyone completely, not even the ones closest to you.""Marion would never lie to me, neither would you," she said."Everyone has their secrets,
Andrew was lying on his bed, looking pale.Barton closed the door as Debra and Marion came up."Mr. Andrew Potter's condition has been fluctuating and never seems to improve. This time, it's especially severe. He might not be able to get out of bed for a while," he said.The doctors were holding a meeting in the adjacent room.Debra glanced over at Ivan, who was cleaning the second floor."Can we see him now?""Mr. Andrew Potter needs rest. Only one of you can go in."Barton's gaze shifted to Marion, who asked, "Who does he want to see?"Barton cleared his throat and looked at Debra. "How about Mrs. Houston going in?"Debra was speechless. These people sure had convoluted ways of doing things, even their speech was like a puzzle to figure out."Alright," she finally said.Barton pushed the door open, and Debra walked in.Outside, Marion leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette.Barton said, "Mr. Houston, here is a no-smoking zone.""Will he die because of it?" Marion r
Melody fumed, watching Juan leave.She spat, "Taking the shares and turning your back. Like mother, like son. How disrespectful!"Juan stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. "Grandma, in this family, the one with power has the right to speak. Isn't that what you've always taught me? I've taken that lesson to heart. You're part of the family too. You shouldn't forget the rules."Melody was stunned. The Nichols family had always followed strict, conservative rules. Women were expected to obey their husbands and care for the household. In truth, these rules were not made from the beginning.Melody made them for her daughter-in-law to follow.When her husband was still around, he never restrained her. She was just unwilling to let go of those old-fashioned ideas, and those rules were just tools for her to control the next generations.Juan had known this for a long time but had never spoken up out of respect for Melody. But over the years, she had become more and more parano