Kale couldn't fathom why Drake was so sure about that.Just then, a voice from outside the suite announced, "Boss, Mrs. Houston is here.""And Marion?" Drake asked."No sign of him," the guard replied.Drake nodded with satisfaction. "Good. I'll go greet her."The guard was surprised that Drake wanted to welcome Debra in person.Kale turned to the staff and ordered, "Clean up the room."The staff entered and saw more than a dozen suits laid out on the bed. It showed how seriously Drake was taking this engagement party.In the banquet hall, the guests were all business associates of the Bernard family, many of whom were dissatisfied with Marion's leadership.Debra entered and felt countless eyes on her. Their hostility and scrutiny were plain to see.Everyone knew that Marion had come back with his new wife this time.Although they weren't officially married, their relationship was public knowledge. Almost everyone there knew Cathryn's affection for Marion. Many had assumed C
Debra scoffed, "That's a bit rude. She's your fiancée?"Drake shrugged. "Business arrangement. No feelings involved.""Aren't you straightforward?" Debra snorted, her gaze flickering to the group of journalists. "But if you plan to use the Lowe family to outmaneuver Marion, I'd save myself the trouble if I were you.""Doubting my capability?" Drake leaned in. "You played me so many times. I've been kind enough not to hold it against you. But today, you'll bear witness to how I take everything Marion holds dear.""Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't come here to see you win anything.""Oh? Then why are you here?""To watch you make a fool of yourself."...In the center of the banquet hall, the host took the stage and enthusiastically began introducing the evening's main event: Drake's engagement with Cathryn.The reporters sprang into action, publishing the news on various platforms.As the host's voice echoed through the room, Drake handed his champagne glass to Debra. "Watch closely. E
"No. It must have been an oversight by my staff," Drake said, casting a glance at Liza.Then, with deliberate flair, he took Cathryn's hand in his and smiled. "Cathryn and Miss Eaton are such good friends. How could we possibly forget to invite Miss Eaton to our engagement party? Isn't that right, Cathryn?"Cathryn's face went as pale as a sheet as Drake pushed the problem to her.Debra, who had been sipping the champagne that Drake had handed her earlier, nearly choked. 'Wow, passing the blame like that?' "I..." Cathryn struggled to form a response.Drake cut in with feigned surprise, "What? Did you really forget to send Miss Eaton an invitation?"Cathryn paled further. She couldn't invite Liza, who had just broken off her engagement to Drake. Yet here was Drake, throwing the blame squarely on her shoulders.Cathryn found herself in a tight spot.Just then, Garland spoke up. "That aside, you get engaged again right after you break off your engagement with Liza. With your act
In just a few days, Fermin had managed to uncover all of Drake's associates. His tactics were indeed as formidable as the rumors suggested."The Eaton family may not be much, but we hold considerable influence here," Garland declared. "You failed Liza and wronged the Eaton family. You know what? While we may not control other territories, anyone who dares to do business with the Lowe family will face our wrath."Everyone in the crowd was shocked. They had believed that Drake would rise there as a new star, capable of challenging the Houston family. But now, it seemed that this star had been snuffed out before it could even shine.Debra struggled to stifle a laugh. She downed her champagne and placed the empty glass on a nearby table.Raising her voice, she said, "Mr. Eaton has made his point clear. Why is everyone still lingering here? Want to fight alongside Drake?"Drake glared at her. "You're enjoying this a bit too much, aren't you?"But his threat fell on deaf ears. She said
Garland, who had never been in a romantic relationship, cleared his throat.'Not in public. But when is it going to be my turn for a sweet romance like this?' he sighed.Drake grabbed Cathryn's arm and yanked her back. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"Cathryn bit her lip, irritated by the public display of affection. She shrugged off Drake's grip and stepped forward once again. But before she could get close, Marion shot her a cold glance."Marion.""Don't come near me."Marion's gaze held no hatred, but it was distant and cold."Miss Bernard," Garland stepped in, "assaulting someone with a weapon is a criminal offense. For the sake of your friendship with Liza, I can plead with Mr. Houston on your behalf. But whether or not he forgives you depends on Ms. Frazier."He turned to Debra, expecting her decision. All eyes fell on her.Liza tensed up, unsure of how Debra would deal with Cathryn.Debra didn't mince words. "Attempted assault with a weapon? No, I won't forgi
Ignoring Drake's cold glare, he turned back to Debra and said, "Honey, the drama's over. I'll go pull the car around.""Sure," Debra replied smoothly.Before leaving, Marion cast a glance at Garland, who immediately felt a shiver down his spine.Marion's presence was just overwhelming.'How could anyone say that we could stand against Marion? I'm the bravest one in the family, but he still gives me chills,' he groaned inwardly."Mr. Eaton, do you remember when I paid you 50 million to work for me?" Debra asked."Yeah," Garland replied casually.Debra was puzzled, and Garland's earpiece buzzed.He quickly corrected himself, "I do remember. At New Age.""Good," Debra said, turning to leave.Garland was confused by her actions."Kale, have someone clean this up. We're leaving," Drake said, his mood sour.Then he paused and turned to Cathryn. "Miss Bernard, since the party is ruined, let's call off our wedding plans.""What did you say?" Cathryn was shocked.She had lost her
Drake rushed out of the hotel, followed closely by Kale."Boss, why are we in such a hurry?""You wouldn't understand."Drake strode toward the parking lot, but Marion's car was gone.He frowned in confusion. By right, Marion couldn't get his car away so quickly."Boss, what are you looking for?""The car.""Huh?""Where's Marion's car?""Driven away? I guess.""Driven away."Drake's mind raced. Given Marion's character, he wouldn't just leave without causing trouble.Something then hit Drake, and he cursed, "Shit!""Boss, what's wrong?" Drake didn't answer, instead quickening his pace toward his Ferrari. There it was, with two wheels missing.He had taken one wheel of Marion's car, and Marion retaliated with more despicable methods.Just then, a Bentley circled the hotel. Debra rolled down the window and laughed, "Mr. Lowe, it looks like your days here are numbered. Go back to Orkgate and be your big shot.""Debra!" Drake growled through gritted teeth.Inside the ca
Juan rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He must have sinned in his past life to end up teaching someone like Garland."Are you feeling unwell?""Being your mentor is the biggest regret of my life."Juan turned and left the room, leaving Garland dumbfounded.The door slammed shut behind him. Garland muttered incredulously, "But you said I was doing well."Juan drove to the Legacy Hotel and saw Drake standing in the cold.His jacket and tie had been torn off. He was directing a tow truck to take away his beloved car.He felt a pang of envy as the Porsche pulled up.Juan rolled down the window, taking in his sorry plight. "Mr. Lowe, having a rough day?"Drake couldn't muster a smile. "The whole fucking world is against me."Kale opened the car door for Juan. "Please, Mr. Nichols.""Park the car in the underground garage. I don't want anyone to mess with my wheels," Juan said.That was adding insult to injury. Drake cursed under his breath, "Debra's bad taste in
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