Debra said, "You did pick some great fruit. You've done a better job than my housekeeper."Marion smiled. He wouldn't reveal that he had taste-tested each fruit, which was why it took him so long.A faint buzzing sound could be heard coming from the bedroom.Erica said, "Someone's phone is vibrating."Everyone exchanged glances, and Randy said, "I never keep my phone on vibrate."Marion stayed silent, and Erica pulled out her phone. "Mine's here."Debra suddenly remembered that she had set her phone to vibrate after hanging up on Joe yesterday.She quickly pushed back her chair and ran to the bedroom.There, her phone was vibrating on the bedside table. It was Joe calling.Debra answered, "Hello?"Relieved, Joe said, "Madam, you've finally answered."What's up?""Mr. Nichols was looking for you all night. He found out you left with Marion and got so mad that he hung up on me. He didn't go to the office today. Could you please call him and tell him about it? There are import
"Madam! You're finally back!"Debra rarely saw Sophie so emotional. Clearly, she had suffered a lot in the past few days."Sophie, is Juan home?""Yes, Mr. Nichols is home." Sophie hesitated and added, "But that vixen is here too."Mentioning Shelia made Sophie grit her teeth in hatred.Debra was surprised that Shelia could still stay there after Melody stepped in.Juan must really like Shelia, since he even went against his grandmother's wishes for her.Debra tried to use the fingerprint scanner at the front door, but it didn't work."Mr. Nichols changed the lock codes last night," Sophie explained.She entered the new code, allowing Debra to enter the house.Juan was with Shelia in the living room. Shelia was reading under Juan's patient guidance. They were acting like a couple in love.Sophie cleared her throat and announced in a stressed tone, "Sir, Mrs. Nichols is back."Juan glanced at Debra indifferently, as if she were a stranger."Who allowed you to enter my house
Debra walked away without looking back. Shelia tugged on Juan's sleeve and said, "Those were just her angry words. Don't be upset."Juan quietly pulled his hand away.Shelia looked at her empty hand, stunned.Juan said flatly, "There are things for me to do at the company. You stay at home and study. Tell Sophie if you need anything.""Juan..." Shelia tried to stop Juan, but he had already left.Sophie, who was cleaning the floor, snorted at Shelia's actions. 'The couple has just had a spat, yet Shelia fancies herself the hostess of this house.'Shelia's pride was injured by Sophie's expression.Debra returned to the apartment opposite the school, where she and Erica had gone that morning. Erica was excited. "You proposed a divorce to Juan? Did he agree?"Debra recalled it and said, "He didn't say anything.""Silence is acquiescence. I'll have my lawyer draft the divorce papers right away. We'll take a chunk of his fortune and kick that scumbag to the curb," Erica said enthu
Seamar City's sanitation workers quickly mobilized, and the sewage area Debra had bought started its cleanup and renovation. In a few months, it would be completely transformed. To save time, Debra had already begun other projects.Following the municipal statement, many entrepreneurs started investing in her project, ensuring ample funds and even a surplus.In the evening, Debra hosted a dinner at home. Randy placed a folder on the table and whistled, "In half a month, you've secured billions in funding. This is incredible!"Marion chimed in, "With extra money, we can start other businesses before this project finishes."Debra nodded. "I know. That's why I diverted some funds for a small investment.""Small investment?" Marion raised an eyebrow. "You spent hundreds of millions. That's not small."Debra didn't expect Marion to find out so quickly.But she hadn't intended to hide it from him. Recently, with her busy dealing with Juan, Marion had been handling many matters, making
As soon as Debra got into the car, Joe pleaded, "Madam, please go easy on Mr. Nichols. He won't divorce you."Debra closed her eyes. "When did the old lady arrive?""This afternoon," Joe replied.It was just as she had guessed.Melody must have caused a scene. Once things calmed down, they called her back.Melody was always domineering and wouldn't tolerate any disobedience.By now, Shelia should have been sent away.The car stopped outside the Nichols family's house, and the gate was open. Debra walked in, seeing Sophie standing by respectfully. Melody was sitting on the sofa.Juan was kneeling on the floor, while Shelia was nowhere to be seen.Melody asked, "Is everything packed?""Yes, Mrs. Nichols Sr." Sophie pushed out a suitcase. "These are all Miss Miles's belongings."Melody turned to Joe and asked, "How much of this was bought with Juan's money?"Joe nervously stepped forward. "Miss Miles's living expenses have always been covered by Mr. Nichols, so..."Melody sne
The Nichols family had always upheld strict discipline, and Juan was raised by Melody. He didn't even dare to dodge now. Melody's strikes were fierce, and Juan's body was soon covered in bruises.Debra watched impassively as Juan gritted his teeth and silently endured it.Melody didn't stop until the cane broke. "Will you apologize now?"Juan remained silent.Debra knew his stubborn nature. If he was still holding out after being beaten this badly, it meant he had no intention of apologizing.She intervened, saying, "Grandma, please take it easy. I don't blame Juan. Let's call a doctor to check on him."Debra put on a gracious act, which cooled Melody's temper somewhat.Melody knew Juan's personality too well.Getting him to apologize was mission impossible.Melody had just put on a show to make Debra feel better.She patted Debra's hand and said, "Don't worry. I'll keep him in check, and I promise you, that woman will never set foot in our house again. You're the only host
"And don't try to threaten me with my time at Arcane Academy. Worst case, we get a divorce and both lose," Debra said, not worried Juan would tell Melody.On the contrary, he would keep this secret, at least until he'd extracted enough benefits from the Frazier family.Juan took a deep breath. "What do you want?""A deal. I'll speak well of you in front of Grandma, but you have to play along with my act.""Play along with your act?" Juan looked at her skeptically. "Is it that simple?""In front of others, you must act like the perfect husband. Accommodate me, back me up in front of my family, and stand up for me when needed. This is a small effort for you, and you won't lose anything," Debra said, cutting to the chase.She still needed Juan's help to deal with Ralph. However, since the recent scene caused by Melody, Juan had been giving her the cold shoulder.After a moment of thought, Juan agreed, "Alright, you have the deal.""Good." Debra set down her tablet, dusted off her
"He is very crafty. At first, I thought it was our competitors, but these past few days, many investors have withdrawn their investments. No matter how many social events I attend, I can't keep them. Finally, I caught someone and confronted him. He revealed that Juan had warned everyone against investing in my company," Erica spluttered.Debra was shocked by the news.She was aware of Juan's capabilities, but she hadn't expected him to go this far for Shelia.Although Erica was from the Mathis family, she was also Caleb's granddaughter.Going against the Mathis family was equivalent to offending Caleb. Juan couldn't be so foolish as to target Erica."Don't worry. I'll handle this," Debra said before hanging up the phone. She hadn't intended to do anything drastic to Juan and Shelia. But now, seeing how Juan had no plans to spare Erica, she felt she had been too lenient.If Juan showed no mercy, she wouldn't either.Moments later, she stood up and walked out of the restaurant.
"What? Mrs. Houston would never do something like this. Maybe the car hit a nail on the road," replied the guard."What are you waiting for?" Melody sulked. "Get a car to send us back."It was a scorching summer day. She wouldn't just walk home like that.The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, Madam. Mr. Andrew Potter took all the cars out today. There's nothing available to send you back."Melody's face darkened. "Are you telling me the Nichols family doesn't have a few cars to spare?"She was already upset about giving all her savings to Debra, and this incident was the last straw.The guard explained, "Mr. Andrew Potter is thrifty. I'm sorry, but you might have to walk about two kilometers to the commercial street to catch a ride. Mr. Andrew Potter likes his quiet, so no cars are allowed in this area."Melody was furious. "You did it on purpose."Erica came out of the house. "What are you talking about? We've always been polite to our guests. Well, there is one vehicle available,
At the Potter Mansion, Melody laid everything she owned on the table."This is all my savings. When can I get that 10% share?" she asked.Debra was amazed by the dazzling collection of treasures. She clicked her tongue. "They say no one in Seamar City understands jewelry better than you. True that. Your lifetime's collection is breathtaking."Melody was not flattered at all. Her mood soured even further.Debra picked up a bracelet from the table. "Take this bracelet, for example. Its value must be millions. I have to say, an impeccable eye."Melody picked up the sarcasm in her tone. "Yes, these things are fine. But now, they're all yours."Debra set the bracelet down, her smile unwavering. "Well, business is business. I need some assurance before I can help you. Now that I've seen your collection, I feel much more at ease. Don't worry. You'll have your 10% share within seven days.""Why do I have to wait seven days?" Melody grumbled, dissatisfied.Debra sighed, "I don't want to
Melody was weak, her breaths shallow."Joe has been waiting outside," Sophie said. "I'll let him in now."Joe came in and stood by the bed. "Madam, what can I do for you?""I plan to use all my savings to buy back the 10% shares.""Madam..."Joe hesitated, knowing what they were facing. If Melody did that, she would have nothing left."I've made up my mind. Help me up first.""Yes, Madam."Joe assisted her to stand. Melody slowly walked to the safe and used her fingerprint to open it. Inside, there was only a set of keys and a card.Melody took them. "Wait for me downstairs. We'll go to the vault in half an hour."Joe was taken aback. The vault was a secure storage facility for the rich, housing anything from jewelry to property deeds. It was said to be as secure as a national treasury, impossible to breach."Madam, are you planning to give all your money to Debra?" he asked."What else can I do?" Melody replied bitterly. "I can't let the shares fall into outsiders' hands."
"Will you harm Debra?""Never.""Mark your words."Marion wrapped up the talk and left the room....Downstairs, Debra and Erica were chatting with Randy.When Marion came down, Randy muttered, "What took you so long? Drake's already gone."Marion hummed in response, uninterested in anything about Drake.Debra asked, "Did the conversation not go well?""Seriously?" Randy sighed. "Even you couldn't get Andrew to talk? That guy must have a mouth of steel.""Quit rambling nonsense." Erica gave him a light smack on the arm. "After all this chasing around, we still don't know what the treasure is.""At least we know one thing. Andrew knows the truth, right?" Debra chimed in, looking at Marion for confirmation.Marion sighed, "If he doesn't want to talk, no one can make it.""That's true," Randy muttered. "Honestly, who in this world has a tighter mouth than him? No wonder he works in intelligence. He could be the chief of the CIA.""Would you stop running your mouth?" Erica sc
"You mean the Buchan family might use this as an excuse to remove Theda?" Erica asked."Their business wasn't big to begin with. It was Theda's skills that gave them status in Wrastow City. I heard Theda likes to go it alone and has offended many people. Those veterans aren't fond of her. Now that she's caused the Buchan family such losses and lost the Nichols family's support, the elders will want her out. To keep them quiet, she needs leverage," explained Debra.Erica stroked her chin. "So, Theda must repay the company's losses, or those veterans will use this as an excuse to remove her."Debra nodded. "Theda holds a 10% stake in the Nichols Group, but it's her personal asset. It doesn't benefit the Buchans. If she can't sell these shares to fill the deficit, the shareholders won't let it go. So, I'm sure when the news of the Nichols Group selling Buchan Entertainment at a low price reaches Wrastow City, the shareholders will demand Theda to pay for the losses.""Brillant! Let's
"What do you mean?" Debra was confused.She turned to Randy and asked, "Didn't I tell you to pick them up? What's the 250 bucks?""He despised my car and called for a luxury ride. My car was right there in front of him, and the dispatch went to me," Randy explained.Erica grabbed his ear and asked, "When did you start picking up fares behind my back?""Ow, it hurts!" Randy yelped. "I'm just making a little extra money. I've helped Marion run errands a lot. Picking up someone along the way is nothing unusual.""Including girls?" she asked.Randy smiled obsequiously, "Well, it's the system dispatching. Sometimes I don't even know if it's a guy or a girl, but my front seat is reserved only for you."Erica let go of him. "That's more like it."Drake had no time for their banter."When can I take office?""Just wait a little longer.""Wait?""In 24 hours, I'll make sure you take office of the Nichols Group."Erica whispered to Randy, "I've never seen anyone so eager to start wo
"Forget it," Marion chimed in. "I'll ask him when we get back."Among them, he knew Andrew best.Debra's phone suddenly rang, attracting everyone's attention.She held it up and said, "It's probably a scam call."Marion pressed the Answer button, and Drake's voice came through."Debra? Tell Marion to send someone to pick me up at Seamar City Airport."Randy almost slammed on the brakes. "Wasn't this supposed to be a scam call? Why is this guy here?""Randy?" Drake sneered over the phone. "Let this guy pick me up."He hung up, and Debra gaped at the screen. "Did he change his number?""No, you just never saved it," Marion replied....An hour later, at Seamar City Airport, Drake and Kale were still waiting."Boss, do you think Mrs. Houston is not coming?" Kale asked tentatively.Drake checked his watch. "Marion burned down my house. I haven't settled that score yet. Picking me up is the least he can do.""You're right, boss," Kale agreed.Soon, a black Cadillac pulled up
Caleb asked, "What was recorded in those accounts? Do you remember?"Debra replied, "The accounts showed some strange discrepancies. The income and expenses for the Fraizer, Osborne, and Houston families didn't match up. There were big differences in food and goods records, with a combined loss of 1.2 million. Meanwhile, the Potter family gained the same amount that same year. Marion and I believed the three families were subsidizing the Potter family.""Subsidizing the Potter family," Caleb muttered in thought. "Let me think this over."Randy blurted, "What's there to think about? It's obvious. The Potter family's leader was obsessed with intelligence gathering and clueless about everything else. In the end, we had to cover for them."Erica smacked the back of his head. "Do you ever think before you speak? Look at Andrew now. Does he look like someone who doesn't know how to make money?""It doesn't mean his dad or ancestors were good at it," Randy retorted.While they were bick
"I know my dad. If there was a family heirloom, he might have stacked it away," Randy said thoughtfully."Why?" Debra was puzzled.Randy shook his head. "Not everyone is like Marion's parents. They were true love to each other."Debra didn't get his meaning. Erica leaned in and whispered, "Randy's parents had an arranged marriage. They both had someone they liked.""I see," Debra murmured.It was just surprising that Randy turned out so carefree despite the situation in his family.Randy added, "I'll go home and ask my dad. If we find it, then we can confirm that the Nichols family took the gem from the Frazier family."Everyone nodded in agreement.Debra turned to Caleb. "Grandpa, you said these four rings are the symbols of the Four Great Families. What's the secret behind them? Is it the treasure of Seamar City?"Caleb sat down, recalling the past. "The treasure of Seamar City is just a legend. My father came here during the wars of the last century. The four families each