The security guards were dragged out by other staff members, their pitiful screams echoing outside.Marion stood up from his chair, his voice cold as he spoke. "I was only gone for a few months, and you sold the place to someone else. It seems I haven't been strict enough with my subordinates. Horace, don't you agree?"Horace Thom wiped his sweat and hurriedly replied, "Mr. Houston, these were orders from higher-ups. I'll tell you everything. It was the Eaton family who approached us for a partnership. Since you weren't here, Mr. Orrell decided to collaborate with them. Who knew that the Eaton family had already been in cahoots with the Lowe family? We had no choice but to follow Mr. Orrell's orders.""Parker Orrell?" Marion asked, a cold smile playing on his lips.Horace nodded. "Yes, it was all Mr. Orrell's doing. We thought you knew about it, sir."Marion took Debra's hand, seeming disinterested in Horace's explanations.Horace was eager to explain further, but Marion waved hi
"Are you really planning to choose a new manager from those people?""I won't choose any of them.""Then why did you..."Debra stopped mid-sentence, realizing Marion's true intention. He was setting them up to kill each other. They would all die fighting for the manager's position."Ha, I told you not to kill anyone, and you found a way to make others do the dirty work?""Darling, you've got me all wrong. If they didn't have those greedy thoughts, they wouldn't have acted. Such people deserve to die."He held out his hands, showing them to her. "My hands are clean. I haven't done anything bad.""You're still talking." Debra playfully poked his forehead.Marion smiled and took her hand. "I know. Don't worry. I've made sure no one will die.""That's more like it," Debra said, satisfied.She understood that in Marion's position, many things were beyond his control. But she hoped he could minimize the bloodshed, so they could have a peaceful life together."Where are we going ne
Neither Marion nor Debra picked up the conversation.Parker steeled himself and continued, "Mr. Houston, is there something important you need to take care of this time?""Yes, there is," Marion replied casually. "Bring them in."Several henchmen escorted Parker's wife and daughter into the room, their hands bound tightly. Parker's wife, a heavyset woman, had her makeup streaked with tears, while their daughter was crying in her high school uniform. "Dad, save me."Parker's face paled. "Mr. Houston, what are you doing? I've been loyal to you for years. Why did you take my wife and daughter?""That's not quite accurate, is it?" Debra interjected. "You were loyal to the Eaton family, not Mr. Houston."The mention of the Eaton family struck Parker dumb. He panicked. "Mr. Houston, I can explain."His legs gave way, and he crumpled to the floor. Marion was known for his ruthlessness, and Parker knew that betrayal meant certain death."It was the Eaton family," he stammered. "They ap
Debra eyed the school emblem on Phoebe's chest. "Miss Parker, I've heard about your high school. The annual tuition is in the seven figures. I doubt Parker's salary could cover such expenses."Phoebe looked at her father with fear. Sibyl interjected, grasping anything that came to mind. "It's my parents' money and has nothing to do with Parker.""Mrs. Parker, don't be so hasty. I'm not finished yet," Debra said, glancing at Parker. "This doesn't even include the expenses for Parker's mistress. I noticed that his secretary has quite a figure and some expensive jewelry. He has a wife, a daughter, and a mistress to support. I doubt his salary is enough for all that.""What?" Sibyl was surprised by the revelation.Phoebe was equally shocked that her dad was keeping a mistress."Parker, how could you do this to me? You were a nobody when my family helped you rise. How dare you cheat on me? You won't get away with this," Sibyl snapped.Debra signaled to the guards, who quickly untied S
Marion frowned, and the guards quickly stepped forward to pull Phoebe away."Dad, please apologize to Mr. Houston. Promise him you won't do it again. We're willing to give up all our assets. Mr. Houston, please spare my dad," Phoebe pleaded.Debra watched with cold detachment.Marion stood up, not even sparing Phoebe a glance. "Take them away."The guards exchanged uncertain glances, moved by Phoebe's pleading, but they dared not defy Marion's command. They dragged the three away from the office."Mr. Houston!" Phoebe continued to cry out, but she was quickly gagged and dragged out.Debra remarked, "The situation here is truly something else. Even an underage girl has such deep thoughts."At her age, she was not as deep as Phoebe. Blame it on her fate. Phoebe was facing them. Any other person might have softened."Jealous?" Marion asked, embracing Debra from behind.Just moments ago, Phoebe had rushed at him so quickly that he couldn't dodge in time.For people like them, who
In the conference room, several shareholders were chatting amongst themselves."We only respected Marion because of Mr. Bernard. But now that Mr. Bernard is gone, Marion is still acting like he owns the place. Today, at the shareholders' meeting, we'll vote unanimously to remove him.""Exactly. How can a kid from the slums become the head of us? When the Bernard Group was changed to the Houston Group, I was already unhappy. It's time to settle this score."...Outside the conference room, Debra listened to their disdainful words about Marion, and her heart ached.She had heard many rumors about Marion. Some called him cold-blooded, and others called him evil. Before his heir status was exposed, everyone deemed him a grim reaper from hell. No good expressions were associated with him.But after his lineage was revealed, no one dared question his origins again. Now Debra found it hard to believe those people, living off their ancestors' achievements, had the nerve to look down on M
The door to the conference room swung open, and in walked Cathryn, surrounded by a throng of bodyguards.She was dressed in a flowing white gown, her long hair cascading down to her waist. She was exuding the grace and elegance of a noblewoman.Debra hadn't seen Cathryn in quite some time. The last time they met was at her and Marion's engagement party.Flanked by her entourage, Cathryn sat down across from Marion.Anton Ellam stepped forward and declared, "Cathryn is our chosen leader."The other directors echoed his words. "Cathryn is Shawn's daughter, and she majored in finance and economics, with outstanding academic achievements. She is far more suitable for this position than you, Marion.""At the end of the day, you're just an outsider. You caused Shawn's death and took his position."The room buzzed with murmurs, each voice dripping with contempt for Marion. In the past, no one would have dared to speak to him this way.But now, things were different. They were now back
"Cathryn, is this true?" Anton asked.Cathryn replied calmly, "The will is genuine, but there is a condition attached to it."She turned to look at Marion and continued, "The condition set by my father is that Marion must marry me. Only then will he be the legitimate heir to the Bernard Group and inherit all of my father's assets."Everyone then turned to look at Debra. Just moments ago, Marion had publicly acknowledged Debra as his wife, which meant he had violated Shawn's request.As her fingers trembled, Marion tightened his grip on her hand."Marion, when my father passed away, he entrusted me to you, asking you to take care of me for the rest of my life. You promised him. When he was alive, he always intended for you to marry me and become a part of the Bernard family. Everyone here knows that," Cathryn added.The directors immediately echoed her words."That's right. When Shawn was alive, he treated Marion like a son-in-law.""But you betrayed that trust. You took over th
Debra's eyes narrowed. "I get why you want to kill me, but Drake was your ally. Isn't this a bit too cruel?"Cathryn spluttered, "Drake used me like a pawn. I just want him to pay for it. Compared to the humiliation he put me through, 20 billion dollars is nothing. It can't even restore my dignity.""Dignity is something you give yourself," Debra retorted. "Drake gave you choices. You were blinded by greed.""Shut up!" Cathryn snarled. "Don't act all high and mighty with me. You think you're so pure? If you were, why did you throw yourself at Marion? At your engagement party, Erica protected you. Randy stood by you. Andrew had your back. You have Michael and Oscar supporting the McKinney Group for you. Even Juan can't forget you. With all these people loving you, why did you have to steal Marion?"Debra hadn't realized Cathryn harbored so much resentment. She let out a cold laugh. "Everything I have, I earned with my blood, sweat, and tears. Do you think Marion would love you if yo
Frederic caught Liza, who was paralyzed with fear, and pushed her toward the car.Meanwhile, Debra kicked Edgar in the chest and pinned him under her heel. "Tell me, what's in Seamar City?"She had gone to great lengths to corner Edgar, intending to have Randy keep an eye on him in Seamar City until she could return to confront him.But Edgar had fled overseas, taking Liza and Cathryn hostage in his desperation.With his thigh pierced, Edgar could barely fight back. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he spat, "What's in Seamar City? Are you seriously pretending you don't know? It's wealth beyond imagination. The kind of fortune every merchant dreams of.""What treasure?" Debra leaned in, her expression intense. "Be specific."Edgar's hand suddenly darted to his waist. In a flash, he drew a concealed dagger and slashed toward her. In reflex, Debra caught it.Frederic immediately raised his gun, only to find it hard to aim at Edgar. He was trying to use Debra as a shield."Help
"True." Drake stood up. "Get the car ready. We're going.""Yes, boss." Kale shook his head.Drake never cared about his reputation. He just needed an excuse to go.Once in the car, Kale started the engine and asked, "Boss, where are we headed?""How would I know? Didn't Cathryn tell you where she was?""No, she didn't."Silence settled in the car.Inside the abandoned factory, Edgar glanced at Liza. "Fermin hasn't shown up yet. Looks like he doesn't care about you that much."Liza retorted, "No way. He loves me the most. He'll come to save me.""Seems like we can't rely on you. I should contact Marion instead." Edgar pulled out his phone, planning to instruct Marion to leave the money in a safe spot.Suddenly, a pair of headlights penetrated the darkness, shining directly at him."See? I told you my brother would come to rescue me." Liza pointed at the black car in the distance.Quickly, a figure emerged from the car. It was Frederic, who was dressed in a sharp suit that bo
"Me?" Debra muttered.Edgar held no personal grudge against Liza. The only person he hated there was Debra.She was the only reason for his downfall."Yes, you," Edgar replied. "You're full of tricks, and I don't trust you. If you don't take her place, I won't let her go."Debra laughed, "Then don't let her go. The Eatons are not after me anyway. And a little heads-up. If I get a scratch, Marion will make you pay a heavy price."Before Edgar could respond, she continued, "Well, I can go over and take her place."Edgar's eyes narrowed, and she added, "Relax! I might be able to fend off a couple of amateurs, but against you? I wouldn't stand a chance."Edgar scoffed, "At least you're self-aware."Only then did he cut Liza loose. The marks on her skin were deep. For someone who had lived a life of luxury and privilege, the humiliation was unbearable.She glared at Edgar, eager to slap him, but the cold steel of his gun kept her rooted in place.Meanwhile, Marion sped down the de
Kale hesitated.Drake furrowed his brow. "What is it?"Kale sighed, "Miss Bernard was kidnapped by Edgar.""Oh, and what does that have to do with me? Edgar needs money, right? He wants a ransom?""Yes.""Well, he should be asking Marion for money. Marion was the one who promised to take care of Cathryn."Drake brushed it off and loosened his tie. "Go pack your things. We don't need to get involved in Cathryn's affairs. Someone else will take care of it.""But...""What is it now?""Debra has also been kidnapped.""By Edgar? Ha!""I heard it over the phone. Besides Debra, Liza has also been taken. It sounds like Edgar is demanding a ransom of one trillion dollars.""One trillion? Has he lost his mind?""Desperate people do desperate things."Inside the abandoned factory, Debra leaned against the van and took out her phone."Are you sure you don't want me to call Marion? Both of them have already made calls. What's holding you back?" she said."Shut up!" Edgar snapped.
The line went through, but the one answering the call was Kale.He warned, "Miss Bernard, I believe Mr. Lowe made himself clear. If you insist on bothering him, he'll show you no mercy."Cathryn hadn't expected this number to belong to Kale. It turned out Drake hadn't given her his number at all.But with Edgar staring at her from the side, she had to bite the bullet and try again. "Can you please let Drake take the call? I have something very important to tell him.""Mr. Lowe isn't interested," Kale refused flatly, ready to hang up.Cathryn cried out, "I've been kidnapped by Edgar. He'll kill me if I can't come up with a ransom of 20 billion dollars."But Kale was unimpressed. "Well, you're no longer engaged to Mr. Lowe. Whether it's 20 billion or 20 dollars, it has nothing to do with us."Cathryn's last hope was dashed. Edgar heard it and said, "So, you're useless now.""No. Don't kill me," Cathryn pleaded.Edgar snorted, "The Eaton family would pay 40 billion for Miss Eaton
"Not your concern," Edgar spat, pressing the gun barrel against Liza's forehead. "Call Marion and tell him to prepare the ransom. Otherwise, I'll kill her.""Go ahead," Debra said indifferently. "Cathryn and I are rivals, and I've never gotten along with Liza. Killing either of them won't affect me."Liza was pissed off. From the look on her face, Debra knew she was cursing her.Debra added, "Save your energy. Using their lives to threaten me won't work. You'd be better off making them call their families. Maybe Drake cares enough about his fiancée to pay up. As for Mr. Eaton Sr., he's old and ruthless. I'd suggest contacting her brother instead. Maybe then, you'll have a chance to walk away with the money."Liza listened with growing irritation. Undoubtedly, Debra was the devil's advocate."You make a good point," Edgar admitted, ripping the duct tape off Liza's mouth.She immediately shouted at Debra, "You shameless viper! You...""Shut up!" Edgar pressed the gun harder agains
Edgar sneered, "All three of you are in my grasp. Marion, the Eaton family, and Drake are at my mercy."Debra glanced at the stun baton in her hand, her voice calm but biting. "What makes you think that way?"She began walking toward Edgar, her every step steady and deliberate.Edgar used to be the head of the Odom family. His fighting skills were not bad.But Debra's confident demeanor made him hesitate and wonder if she could really take him on.Liza struggled, managing to bring her stiletto heel down hard on Edgar's foot. He grunted in pain and loosened his grip on her.She bolted, but Edgar quickly recovered, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her back.Debra coldly stared at him. "Let me guess. You used Cathryn to lure Liza here and then used Liza to trick me, didn't you?"Edgar snorted, "So what?"Debra laughed mockingly, "Edgar, you used to be the most powerful man in Booton, and now you've stooped to kidnapping women to survive? No dignity left?""Dignity?" Edgar sn
"How did you know?" one of the men exclaimed, reaching for the stun baton in his pocket.Debra casually touched the crest on their chests. "The logo is wrong. Be more careful with your forgeries."She turned around and raised her voice. "I'm already here, Mr. Odom. Why don't you come out with Miss Eaton? We'll have a little chat."Soon, a figure emerged from the abandoned factory. In just half a month, Edgar had become extremely haggard. His face was covered in stubble. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt was dirty.Debra clicked her tongue. "Mr. Odom, you don't look so good. Is the allowance from the McKinney Group not enough for you?"Edgar was infuriated. If it weren't for her schemes, he wouldn't be in this state.Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How did you know it was me?""Liza, a spoiled and arrogant girl, would never apologize to me. I had people track your moves, but you got away. So, I guessed you'd come here. You need money, don't you?"Now that everything was expo