The coldness in Debra's eyes deepened.Cathryn laughed mockingly, "Debra, this is all you've got? All you ever do is talk big with nothing to back it up.""If I do that," Debra said, "you'd let Liza go, right?""Of course. If you die, I'll let her walk free," Cathryn said, glancing at Liza. "We're friends. I don't want to hurt her. I just want you dead."Liza's heart sank. She didn't believe for a second that Debra would do that for her.Debra turned to Frederic and extended her hand. "Give me the knife."Frederic didn't move, and she frowned. "I said, give it to me."When Frederic still didn't respond, she added, "I'm doing this to save your lady. If something happens to Liza, how will you explain it to Fermin?"But Frederic still refused to comply. Debra leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "Trust me. Just give me the knife."Frederic's gaze flicked to the gun in Debra's right hand. Something clicked in his mind, and he slowly handed her the knife.Debra turned back to C
"But I heard you say you wanted to exchange true hearts," Marion said."I did," Debra replied. "My desire to save Liza is genuine. But that doesn't mean I have to die for it.""So why go through all this trouble? Trying to manipulate her feelings?""Not manipulation but a little strategy. Someone has to take the first step in any relationship."Marion sighed, flicking her nose. "Always scheming, aren't you?"Debra grinned, her earlier sharpness replaced by a playful gleam. This move had been unexpected, but it had worked beautifully.Not only had they caught Edgar, but Liza now owed her a huge favor. Even if there was some calculation involved, her desire to save Liza was genuine.Suddenly, Debra remembered Frederic, who had been with them. When she turned to ask about his injuries, she found him gone. Edgar was missing too.She frowned, wondering if Frederic had taken Edgar away on Fermin's orders."Hey, are you two done talking?" Liza complained. "It's freaking cold here."
Debra and Marion escorted Liza back home, where they saw Garland pacing anxiously at the doorstep."Brother!" Liza called out, making a run toward him.Garland was ready to hug her when he spotted two figures standing behind her.His smile faded, and his arms hung awkwardly in mid-air.This wasn't part of the script, and he didn't know how to react when facing Marion and Debra.And Juan was not with them.Oblivious to his strange reaction, Liza threw herself into his arms and cried, "I thought I'd never see you again."Garland glanced nervously at Marion and Debra. Liza looked up and asked, "What's wrong?"He saw her tear-streaked face and said in a deep voice, "Liza, pull yourself together. Our guests are watching."Liza was puzzled. This was their home, where she had never minded her manners.Garland then addressed Debra and Marion, "Mr. and Mrs. Houston, I presume I have you to thank for bringing Liza back safely."His polite exterior concealed a growing discomfort. His p
Garland knew Juan had been going to save Debra. It was a relief to learn that Juan was safe."Get inside and clean up," Garland urged. "Dad doesn't know yet. Or he'd have broken loose.""Let it break loose," Liza fumed. "Edgar teamed up with Cathryn to kidnap me. He's a dead man.""Cathryn?" Garland was shocked by the revelation."Son of a bitch!" Garland rolled up his sleeves.Liza quickly grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?""Of course, I'm going to beat the hell out of those bastards. How dare they mess with you?""Garland!"Just then, a figure wearing a mask entered the room.Liza scowled, "You have the nerve to come back. You..."Garland intervened, "Liza, go upstairs. I need to handle this. Go."She pointed at Juan, fuming. "Brother, you should punish him. He didn't care about my safety, opened fire while I was still around, and then just disappeared. No bodyguards do their jobs like that. He...""Alright, I'll teach him a lesson," Garland assured her, pushing her
"The waters in Seamar City run too deep. I don't want her to know too much," Juan replied, kicking the sack toward Garland. "Load him up. I'll meet you upstairs.""Hey, you're seriously dumping this on me?" Garland growled, glancing at the motionless Edgar inside the sack.His face was pale from blood loss. Of all the people he could've kidnapped, it had to be the two most cherished women. Edgar brought this on himself....Drake and Kale finally arrived at the factory, only to find the place deserted.Drake scanned the place and asked, "You're sure this is the place?""Yes, boss," Kale replied firmly. "The team tracked the signal from the phone call. It came from here."Drake glanced at his watch. Two hours had already passed since they'd set out.Maybe it was all over.His jaw tightened as frustration flashed in his eyes. "Damn Edgar! Can't even hold out for long enough to make it worthwhile."The next morning, at the Eaton Mansion. "Debra left? How could she just leave?
But if they both snuck out, he could blame it all on Liza. Bert wouldn't be as hard on him then.With that thought, Garland hurried after Liza, making sure to emphasize, "Remember, I'm only going to Seamar City to protect you. This is all for your sake.""I know. You're the best brother ever," Liza chirped.In Seamar City, Randy and Erica were waiting at the airport.Randy, with dark circles under his eyes, was seeing double. Everyone looked like Debra and Marion to him."Erica, we could've just waited at home," Randy grumbled. "They're not kids; they won't get lost. I finally took a break. I don't want to do fatigued driving.""Oh, stop whining," Erica retorted. "I'll drive later."Randy's eyes widened at the thought of Erica's driving skills. He suddenly felt wide awake. "You know what? I can drive."Just then, Debra and Marion exited the airport. Debra spotted Erica and Randy bickering in the crowd."What do you mean by that? Do you think I'm a bad driver?" Erica demanded,
Randy dropped off Debra and Erica at the Potter Mansion before heading to the company with Marion to assess the situation.As soon as Debra and Erica entered, they noticed a group of foreign medical experts bustling through the first-floor hall, deep in discussion.Meanwhile, stewards and maids hurried back and forth between the first and second floors, creating an atmosphere of tension and urgency.Debra's brows furrowed. In her past life, Andrew's illness hadn't progressed so quickly.Though many things had changed since her rebirth, an illness advancing its natural course didn't seem possible."I wonder how bad it is now," Erica muttered nervously.The sight of the bustling household had unsettled her. The last time the Potter family was in such chaos was when their former lead passed away.Debra glanced at her. "I'll go check upstairs.""I'm coming with you," Erica insisted.The second floor was just as chaotic. The maids, preoccupied with their tasks, barely noticed the t
The maids' eyes widened in disbelief. Debra's lips twitched as she watched the scene unfold.Each maid reluctantly handed over a bill to Andrew before rushing out of the room.Debra was puzzled by their dramatic reaction, but then Andrew opened a drawer in the table, revealing a thick stack of bills. The amount was equivalent to two months' salary for the maids."Are you short on cash?" Debra asked tentatively."Not at all," Andrew replied casually. "But winning money feels good."Debra rolled her eyes but didn't press the matter further. She sat down across from him."Why fake being sick?""Ever been fishing?""Fishing?""The Potter family is like the pillar of Seamar City, always steady and reliable. I was curious to see what would happen if I suddenly fell ill."Andrew placed the stack of bills he had won on the table and produced a new deck of cards, setting it down in front of Debra. "In one hour, I made 20 thousand dollars with just this deck of cards. How much do you t
Debra suddenly hacked hard, spitting blood.Erica and Randy lit up. Jordan heaved a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes."Medical kit!" Marion snapped out of it first.William hustled over, gaping at the scene."Debra, hang in there," Erica babbled, rattled."She can't talk yet," William said, rushing to stop her bleeding.Blood poured from her chest, soaking her."You're safe now," Marion soothed her."I'm okay," she rasped.The pendant given by Kale had caught the bullet and saved her life.Tears slid down her face. She'd sworn her friends wouldn't get hurt, but Kale was gone."Don't just stand there. Help me out," William urged. "She has got an hour at most if you don't move."The pendant had dulled the shot, but it was just a stone. Her chest still took a hit even though the wound wasn't deep.Erica snapped back, and Jordan signaled for a stretcher."I've got her," Marion said, lifting her onto it.The group watched with heavy hearts.As she was carried off, Mario
Debra recalled what Marion said to her when handing her the gun."There are only six shots. "If it goes down, you won't have time to reload. Aim carefully."She had aimed dead-on, but there were too many.She remembered her own words. "Even if I run out, you'll be there, right?"Unfortunately, he wasn't there.Lara fired a shot. The bullet went past the mercenaries and punched through Debra's chest."Move it!" Erica yelled, hearing the gunfire.Randy, Jordan, and the crew raced through the trees. They hadn't waited outside.After Marion took off, they'd followed, piecing together the route with their number.The flare sent them sprinting. The shots got closer but suddenly stopped."Miss, we've got company," a mercenary warned.Lara glanced at Debra, who was lying on the ground. She frowned and commanded, "Pull back."Nearby, Marion reached the flare spot, but no one was there.The gunfire had ceased, but blood stank up the air."Sir, it's gotta be ahead," a guy shouted.
Before Debra could react, Kale shoved her down. It happened too fast.Bullets ripped through him, one after another."Kale!" she screamed.He pushed her toward cover. A big tree and fallen logs shielded her.A bullet tore into his leg. He was a mess of holes, his blood gushing out.His eyes stayed wide, locked ahead. He gripped her shoulders. "Remember your promise."His hands slid off. Her white shirt was covered with blood."Debra, quit hiding," a woman's lazy voice purred.It was none other than Lara.She taunted, "We've got this place surrounded. You're not slipping out."Behind the tree, Debra's eyes burned.Lara added, "I knew Michael wouldn't kill you, so I'm here to clean up his mess. You value love and friendship, right? You'd never let them get hurt. How does it feel watching one die for you? I wonder if you can still be this though when your friends drop one by one. I don't wanna kill you, but you're a threat. Anyone who endangers our master will be eliminated."
"Can we go now?" Debra asked Michael."Be my guest," he said, stepping aside.She led Kale toward the other side of the woods. His wound needed help fast.She glanced back at Drake one last time. If he changed his mind and chose to leave with them, she would fight the Illuminati off.But he didn't."Are we really letting them go?" someone beside Michael asked.Drake's glare turned lethal. "Touch them and see what happens.""Easy, Mr. Lowe," Michael said. "You played your part well, and I will keep my word." He waved the contract. "Got what I wanted. No need for extra trouble."Debra found a safe spot where Kale bandaged his wound simply. They didn't know how long it'd take to get out.She fetched some spring water, and he asked, "Are you really giving them the company?""In their dreams," she said. "I'm not stupid to lose both Drake and the company."But the contract..." "Invalid.""How?""Think they would just drop 40% of the shares? They're greedy. They'd never let th
Michael held the contract, chuckling, "As I said, he might not wanna go with you.""Whether he comes is my problem," Debra shot back. "You promised to deliver him.""Fair enough," Michael said. "He's useless to me now. I can let him go."He waved a hand. Soon, someone dragged Drake out.When Drake saw Debra and Kale, his face twisted with anger."Get over here," Debra demanded.Drake took a step forward but stopped. "I'm not going back. Get lost.""Come on. You gave them the stone, and I lost my company. If I don't bring you back, how do I face everyone?" she said.He clenched his fists. "We're not on the same side. This is all your wishful thinking. Go away. I don't wanna see you.""Boss, I'm with you." Kale stepped up, pale from his shoulder wound.Drake's voice iced over. "Didn't you hear me? I don't want you here. The Illuminati's got more to offer. We've always been in it for profit. I never saw you as friends."His eyes were red, filled with coldness and disgust."See
Michael closed in on Debra. "I knew you'd go soft. You say you're done with me, but deep down, you're making excuses, thinking I've got some sob story. You still trust me a tiny bit, don't you? Think I won't hurt you? You try to harden up, but you still believe the world's mostly good. Should I call you naïve or dumb?"Memories flashed through her head. She was dumb.She'd known he was bad news but kept hoping he had a reason. She'd thought he wouldn't hurt her, not after all they'd been through."You wanna kill me or grab me?" she asked."If you hand over the McKinney Group, I won't kill you," Michael said. "If the four families back off from the Illuminati, I'll leave you alone. But I know you better than I know myself. You won't agree, so I'm just gonna take you out. Saves time.""Did Drake already give you the raw stone?""Yeah."That explained why they wanted to kill her instead of capturing her.She was frustrated. Drake's dumbness was beyond belief."Fine, take whatever
"It could be a trap," Kale warned, his gut screaming ambush.Debra eyed the contract. She needed it, but she wasn't dumb enough to walk into danger.If Michael had a setup, they had to bail fast."We were friends once," she said. "I gave you those shares, but you stabbed me in the back. To show your sincerity, shouldn't you hand them over yourself?""You're scared I've got something waiting, huh?" Michael smirked.She didn't answer, but her silence said it all.Michael sighed, "Didn't think we'd lose even that basic trust. Hurts a little.""Cut the guilt trip," Debra snapped. "If you wanted my trust, you wouldn't have lied to me from the start."Once she'd learned he'd played her, that trust was gone. She didn't care what he wanted. She wasn't betting her life or Kale's on it.Michael shrugged. "Fine, I'll bring it to you."He took a step, but nothing happened.Suddenly, he pulled a gun and aimed it at her head. A shot was fired before she could blink.In the nick of time,
"Let's not waste time. We've gotta get there before dark," Debra said.Then they went on with their trek.The sky dimmed. After cutting through the fog, they reached a quiet valley boxed in by mountains."This is the meeting place, according to the map," Kale said, glancing down.Debra scanned the area, but Michael was nowhere to be seen.Her brow creased, but a voice came from behind them. "I'm here."She whipped around and saw Michael in a crisp white shirt."Where's Drake?" She cut straight to it."I didn't force him," Michael said, his voice as warm as ever. "He came on his own."He sounded the same, but he felt like a stranger. They'd been partners, tight as could be. She'd never imagined facing off like this."Here's the shares you wanted," he said. "If I can't run the McKinney Group, this 30% is useless to me. The 10-something percent I bought? Name a fair price, and it's yours.""How much do you want?" Debra asked."For old times' sake, market value," he said.His
"For what?" Debra asked."You knew I was worried about Mr. Lowe, so you brought me," Kale said. "Without your suggestion, I wouldn't have the chance to come."He'd disliked her at first, but after all this time, he'd come around."You're welcome," Debra said. "Now let's focus on finding Michael and figuring out Drake's location. I brought you, but I can't promise we'll get him out today. You get that, right?""Yeah," Kale said, his voice heavy. "I've got a favor to ask.""What is it?""I know this trip is risky. Mr. Lowe is the only family I've got left. We've been through hell together. If he hadn't found me back then, I would have been dead. If I don't make it, promise me you'll save him. The world never meant much to him before. No one did. But you're different."At first, Drake grabbed Debra to get at Marion, but later, she was all he saw.Clueless about feelings, Drake never figured it out. But Kale knew she was special to Drake.In all his years with Drake, Kale had neve