Debra shook her head and added, "If you ask me, you should return to Orkgate as soon as possible. That's where your foundation is. Your tactics won't work here."With that, she turned to Ben and said, "Go get the car. Let our people escort the bosses to the Potter Mansion. Mr. Andrew Potter has arranged a banquet to welcome everyone.""Yes, ma'am." Ben sprang into action.Soon, only Drake and Kale were left in the vast banquet hall.Drake ripped off his tie. "Go find Fermin. If he doesn't show up by midnight, there will be a price to pay."To pacify him, Kale quickly responded, "I'll get it done right away."After Kale left, Drake kicked over a nearby chair. Edgar finally emerged from the corner with a sneer. "Never seen you so desperate before."Drake was annoyed further, not expecting Edgar to show up again after the last dismissal."We've both been played by Debra," Edgar said. "If you had lent me the money back then, I could have regained control. But it's not too late now.
"Yes, boss."The subordinates quickly carried out Drake's order, but before they could get out of the hall, Juan walked in.Looking around the empty place, he remarked, "Looks like I'm late."Drake narrowed his eyes. "You knew Debra was the head of the McKinney Group. Why didn't you tell me?""What?" Juan raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know.""Don't give me that. She was your wife. How could you not know?" Drake snorted.Juan remained composed. "We were only married on paper. I didn't know anything about her affairs."His sincere expression convinced Drake, who took a deep breath and barked at his men. "What are you waiting for? Go smash the party.""Yes, boss.""Hold it." Juan stopped them.Drake frowned. "What do you want to say?""The Potter family is reputable here. If you attack them, you'll never be able to stand your ground in this city again," Juan warned."Are you saying even you can't handle the Potter family?""It's not that I can't handle them, but it's a hassle,
The Potter family was an ancient and respected clan in Seamar City, second to none in terms of reputation and influence. Never in his life had Randy seen anyone disrupting any event hosted by the Potters.Debra said, "Just in case. Drake is unpredictable and violent. There's nothing he won't do.""Alright. I'll get ready. If he dares to show up, I'll make him lose so much face that he'll have to hide in Orkgate for the rest of his life," Randy replied.Just then, Erica emerged from the banquet hall. "Randy, what are you dawdling for? There's still a lot to do inside."Debra's face lit up with a smile. "Erica."Erica froze for a moment before spotting Debra standing by a car. Erica's eyes welled up, and she rushed over to hug Debra tightly. "Oh, sweetheart, I thought I'd never see you again."Randy tugged at her clothes, reminding her, "People are watching. Mind your image."To the public, Erica was always known as an iron businesswoman. But in private, she and Randy were quite t
All eyes turned to the new arrival, and the room fell silent as they recognized Juan.Everyone knew that Debra was once Juan's wife, and their recent divorce made his presence even more unsettling.Juan and Marion were both powerful figures not to be trifled with.Randy was stunned. "What the hell? How did he get in? What were the guards doing?"He moved to intercept Juan, but before he could, Juan's men rushed in.Debra frowned. "Today's event is hosted by the Potter family, not the Nichols family. Are you trying to challenge all of us here by doing this?"Although Juan had been the dominant force in Seamar City for years, the combined strength of the five families was not something he could easily overcome.Juan glanced around at the guests and replied coolly, "You stole Drake's guests. Can't I come and do the same?""Juan, don't get cocky," Randy shouted, pushing past a bodyguard and coming out of the crowd.Erica followed suit, standing beside him."You had your days," Ra
The lollipop dangled from Marion's mouth like a cigar.While the guests were confused, he casually raised his hand, and several guards immediately rushed inside.Juan's bodyguards were good, but they couldn't compare to these people, who were trained according to military standards. Tension rose in an instant.The crowd fidgeted, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire."I'd like to see who dares to walk out of this door today," Marion said calmly.His guards drew their electric batons, and the crowd gulped nervously.Ever since Marion arrived in Seamar City, he had kept a profile so low that people had forgotten how he had made his name known.Even though he was now the head of the Houston Group and had toned down his behavior, he still could do things recklessly.The choice between money and life became clear to everyone present. Those who had been swayed by Juan's words now dared not move again.Their choice became clear, and Juan was not delighted.Marion walked up to h
"You didn't tell me about the engagement part," Debra said to Marion.She had noticed something different earlier when she entered the banquet hall, but she didn't believe Marion was behind it."Not my idea," Marion replied. "When I was pushed downstairs, they only told me to change my clothes. They didn't mention it was an engagement party.""They?" Debra's gaze shifted to Randy and Erica. "It was you guys."Randy smiled awkwardly, and Erica quickly explained, "Well, the last engagement party didn't go as planned. We wanted to make up for it, but who knew..."No one had expected Juan's arrival to cause trouble. It was infuriating.Debra turned back to Marion. "I thought you were planning a surprise for me."It would have been a pleasant surprise if it weren't for the disturbance.Marion pinched her nose and said, "Who said I didn't plan anything? It's just that they took matters into their own hands and almost ruined my plans.""Wait, you had plans and didn't tell us?" Randy
It was easy to get here but hard to get out."Mr. Eaton Sr. has only one daughter. He wants you to take care of her and keep her out of harm's way, or else..." Kale didn't finish his words, but the underlining meaning was clear.Drake rubbed his temples. "I see. If she wants to move in, let her. As long as she doesn't cause any trouble, I'll protect her."Women were just stepping stones for him. Once he had control of the Eaton family, he would have the necessary power to beat Marion."I'll arrange a room for her right away."Drake then recalled the revelation of Debra being the head of the McKinney Group. But even though she was powerful, she would yield to his drugs.He murmured, "Hold out for as long as you can, Debra."The second wave of the drugs' effects was underway. Without the cure, no one could tough it out. He believed it wouldn't take long before she crawled back to him.The party ended. Randy and Erica directed their staff to clean up.Debra watched them bicker an
Debra was startled, worried that it was Marion. She couldn't let him see her like that.She quickly braced herself against the bathroom door, and sure enough, Marion's anxious voice rang out from the other side. "Debra?"She barely managed, "It's just collywobbles. Just go wait outside."Her tone was a bit reproachful, and Marion frowned. "Did you eat something bad tonight?""Yeah, maybe," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Can you go get me some medicine?"Marion agreed, "Okay, I'll be right back."Debra breathed a sigh of relief as she heard Marion leave. She tottered to the bathtub and splashed cold water on her face, trying to stay conscious. Her hands were shaking so much that the water soaked her clothes.Marion came back and knocked lightly. "I'll leave the medicine on the table. Andrew wants to see me. I'll be back soon.""Go ahead. I'll be fine," Debra managed, hanging on a shard of senses.As Marion's footsteps faded away, she opened the bathroom door, tr
Debra's eyes narrowed at this guy she'd never heard of.Michael had kept it under wraps, proving he had never fully trusted her."Mrs. Houston," Jason said, "I'm here for Mr. Austin to negotiate. He called this shareholder vote in the name of the biggest stakeholder. He's got the right to kick it off. Any objections?"Debra plopped into the head chair. "Cut the polite crap. Everyone's here. Objections or not, this vote's happening, right? No way it's that simple.""Mrs. Houston," Jason said coolly, "today's vote's straightforward: who's better suited as the McKinney Group CEO, you or Mr. Austin? Everyone here sees what you both bring. In the past two years, you've barely shown up. Mr. Austin ran the show, held a key role, and raked in profits. He's the clear pick for CEO.""So, you're saying I suck as the boss?" Debra shot back.Michael didn't even show, sending this random assistant instead. That already pissed her off.Now this guy's veiled jabs annoyed her even more."I'm ju
Debra's heart sank.Back when she'd teamed up with Michael, she had nothing, offering him Frazier Entertainment shares to seal the deal. Later, Frazier Entertainment merged into the McKinney Group, and she handed it off to him.To keep her identity hidden, she'd tossed him more shares. With Frazier Entertainment, he'd racked up 30%.She'd thought he deserved it. For two years, he'd run the show plenty. She'd never seen this coming."Madam, you there?" Ben's voice shook.This was huge and should stay quiet. Otherwise, the company would fall into chaos.Debra's blood ran cold. She hadn't expected Michael to go so far."I'll be there soon," she said, hanging up.She turned to Marion. "Michael scooped up loose shares. He's gunning for a vote as top shareholder."Over 40% wasn't half, but it made him the biggest player. Calling a vote was his right.Debra only had 40%. If 10% of the rest sided with Michael, he could oust her."Don't sweat it," Marion said. "We'll hit it together.
That shut everyone up.If Jordan was right, Drake was gambling with his neck."That's too risky. I've gotta drag him back." Debra spun to leave.Erica grabbed her. "Jordan's guys are on it. They'll ping us if they find him. You can't go out like this and become their target.""I'm not their focus anymore," Debra said. "They'll zero in on Drake."She looked at Marion. "Get your people searching. We need his trail fast, or he's dead."Once the Illuminati squeezed the stone's location out of Drake, they'd kill him.Orkgate was now controlled by Lara. Drake had no other value for them."On it," Marion said.They split up. Erica and Randy tapped their networks."Debra, don't freak," Jordan said. "Drake is not dumb. Injured like that, he couldn't have gone far. As long as he keeps that secret, they won't kill him."Debra nodded. "Hope he doesn't do anything stupid."She should've seen it coming. A proud guy like Drake couldn't handle being down for so long.His injuries were bru
Outside their room, Drake froze mid-knock.His head was down, and his expression was hidden. Eventually, his hand dropped, and he sighed.He turned around and shuffled downstairs, leaning on the wall. He was a broken mess now, unwilling to drag them down....Debra woke up the next morning, reaching for Marion.He wasn't there. She bolted upright, threw off the covers, and ran barefoot downstairs, shouting, "Marion?"In the hall, Marion and Jordan turned as she stumbled in, still in her pajamas.Marion rushed up, slipping off his slippers for her. "What's with the panic?""I didn't see you." She heaved a sigh of relief. "Thought you'd...""Any luck?" Jordan asked Kale, who'd just walked in.Kale shook his head. "Not yet.""What's up?" Debra asked, clocking everyone's grim faces."Drake's gone," Marion said. "No note, nothing. We're looking.""Did the cameras catch anything? Could it be the Illuminati...""Not them. He walked out himself.""Why the hell would he just up a
Debra jolted awake from a nightmare, her forehead slick with sweat."Still torn up about Michael?" Marion's voice came from beside her.She settled into his arms, finally feeling a little relieved. These past two months, they'd faced everything alone. She hadn't curled up with him like this in forever."It's my fault," she whispered. "If I hadn't trusted Michael so much, the Eaton family wouldn't have been a mess. Mr. Eaton Sr. wouldn't have been in the hospital.""It's your fault," Marion said, patting her back. "Even without your trust, the Illuminati would've found a way in. That was their goal.""I just can't wrap my head around why Michael's one of them," she said.She'd spent all night recalling the past, from meeting Michael to building the McKinney Group with him. He was key to its success, but everything had been a lie."Maybe he was never with us," Marion said. "The Illuminati's everywhere. Didn't you check his background when you teamed up?""I..." Debra faltered.S
"We're all in it for ourselves." Michael shrugged. "Jeffery did his part for the Illuminati, so I'll cut you some slack.He pushed the teacup to Juan. "But I don't buy it that you're all-in. Following in Jeffery's footsteps sounds nice, but you killed him, which shows your ruthless nature. We need people like you. I don't care if you're Debra's mole or chasing your angle. Save your energy. It's pointless. Just do your job and back us up. I won't say a word about it.""Should I thank you for it?" Juan scoffed.He'd thought Michael was forced into it, but now he saw how naïve that was.Though young, Michael was already a core member, suggesting his connection to the Illuminati dates back a long time.Only intelligent and influential ones could enter the core circle. That meant he hadn't defected midway.Michael sat down across from him. "Don't look at me like that. We're not the same, and you know it.""When'd you turn on Debra?" Juan asked."Doesn't matter," Michael said, smilin
It was true they were both members of the Illuminati, but Fermin never signed up to be a lapdog.Back then, he'd teamed up with them for mutual gain. But the Illuminati wanted more than a partnership. They wanted the Eaton family on a leash.When Fermin didn't bite, Michael added, "I saw Miss Eaton crying her eyes out. We go way back. Should I cheer her..."Before he could finish, Fermin's knife flashed to his throat, nicking him. Blood trickled, but it was just a scratch."Stay away from her," Fermin growled. "Touch her, and I'll end you.""I'm just being nice here," Michael chuckled. "But if you're not cool with it, I'll drop it. But those terms? Think twice. We only help our own. If you keep playing your own game, that heart goes elsewhere. And trust me, you won't find another match."Fermin hated to admit it, but Michael was speaking the truth. Without the Illuminati's help, he couldn't find a match for Bert's heart.He lowered the knife. "Fine, it's a deal. Get your people
She only had Fermin and Bert left in this world.She had no mom and no real friends. She couldn't lose Bert or watch Fermin turn into this.She didn't want Debra's crew hurt either.Fermin pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry. Dad will be fine. I'll make sure of it."His promise unleashed her tears. The hospital hallway echoed with her cries.Once she calmed down, Fermin had someone take her away.A guard stepped up. "Mr. Eaton, our master is waiting ahead.""You've tailed me this whole way," Fermin said coldly. "Gonna keep it up? I don't like shadows."The guards stayed silent, just following orders. If their boss said stick to Fermin, they'd die before leaving his side."Loyal dogs to your master," Fermin scoffed, brushing past them.He walked into an empty ward. A tall figure in a white shirt stood by the window."You've really opened my eyes," he said, surprised."I'm flattered, Mr. Eaton," Michael said, turning around.His crisp white shirt had dried bloodstains. Notic
Liza rushed to the ICU upon receiving the news.A bodyguard stopped her. "Mr. Eaton said no one gets near the room and disturbs the patient's rest."Liza smacked him, and he bowed his head.Her eyes were red, her vibe darker than ever. "That's my dad in there. Why can't I go in? Move!""Mr. Eaton forbids it. Please, don't make things hard for us," the bodyguard said, stuck.No one there dared to defy her. They all knew how much Fermin doted on her."I don't care," she snapped. "Step aside, or I'll have my brother skin you alive. Let's see if you still block me."Her threat chilled him. She might be bluffing, but Fermin wouldn't."What's the ruckus?" Fermin's voice cut through."Mr. Eaton." The bodyguard bowed his head."Didn't I tell you no one gets near?" Fermin's tone dripped danger.Coming with him was a group of elite guards. The bodyguard was daunted by their aura.Liza stepped forward. "Dad is in a bad condition. Why wouldn't you let me see him? Does this have anythin