"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
In the CEO's office of the McKinney Group, Randy looked like a puppy that had just been scolded for chewing up a favorite shoe."Look," he began, gesturing helplessly, "it's not my fault that the sales numbers dropped. I'm doing the work of three people here. I just can't keep up anymore. And it's not just that. Lately, we've had all these clients wanting to terminate their contracts early. I'm running all over the place, attending back-to-back meetings, and juggling both domestic and international issues. I mean, come on, you guys have to cut me some slack."Erica chimed in, "I can vouch for him. These past few days, he's been running himself ragged. It's not that he's incompetent. It's that the competition is too fierce right now. He's swamped.""Exactly." Randy straightened up. "Erica nailed it. That's exactly what I've been saying. Marion, where's my hardship bonus, huh?"Sitting comfortably on the couch opposite him, Marion didn't even blink. Instead, he calmly poured Debra a
"Bullshit!" Randy spat.In his mind, Juan was nothing but a backstabber.Debra had let Juan off the hook before, but he didn't appreciate it. Now he was working with their enemies against them.Jordan spoke up. "Miss Eaton is only staying with us for a few days. She'll be fine. Everyone, go home. If you don't, we may as well have a little competition and see who has more say in Seamar City.""I'd like to see about that," Debra's voice came from outside the hall.Then she came in with a group of people. Jordan recognized their uniforms and frowned."You have Andrew's seal?""We're not done yet."Debra raised her hand, and a new group of bodyguards armed with batons stormed into the hall. Wearing the Houston family emblem on their chests, they quickly spread out."If you're not convinced, we can fight it out," she declared. "Juan, the Nichols family has gone through three transitions. You must be pretty drained, right? Jordan, how are you handling the resources of the Lowe famil
On the second floor, Jordan received the news. "Fermin?""Yes, it's definitely him," replied the guard, handing over the watch.Jordan examined the watch. It was one of a kind, custom-made exclusively for the Eaton family.In their world, watches symbolized status, and this one undoubtedly belonged to Fermin.To this day, no one had ever dared challenge the authority of the Eaton family head."I'll go take a look," Jordan said, signaling for a group of bodyguards to follow him downstairs.Fermin was already standing in the center of the lobby.When Jordan arrived with his men, Fermin didn't flinch. Just standing there, he exuded an oppressive aura that made it hard for others to breathe."Mr. Eaton," Jordan greeted him. "What brings you here at this hour?""I don't waste time with pleasantries," Fermin replied curtly, extending his hand. "Where's my sister?"Unfazed, Jordan stepped forward and placed the watch in Fermin's hand. "Miss Eaton found the place entertaining, so I i
Iwan frowned instinctively when he spotted the man."Fermin?" he muttered to himself.Debra, on the other hand, was impressed by the change in Garland's demeanor. The clothes did make the man.She stepped forward and extended a hand. "Mr. Eaton."Fermin glanced at her without taking her hand. His voice was cold, carrying an air of natural authority."Where's my sister?" he asked.Debra was surprised at how convincing Garland's performance was.She replied, "She's been captured by the Lowe Group's new president. I knew you'd come tonight, so I'll take you to her."Not far away, Iwan listened to their exchange, his frown deepening. According to their intelligence, Fermin was already dead. Yet there he was in Seamar City.Iwan suspected that Garland was passing himself as Fermin again.After Debra left with Fermin, Iwan hesitated at the bottom of the stairs before going up.In the car, Debra patted Fermin on the shoulder. "Not bad. You're pulling this off."She took out an ear
"No, I can't do this," Garland refused, running away from Debra.He hid behind a sofa and stammered, "I didn't even have this kind of confidence when I was home, not to mention here.""Do you want to save Liza or not?" Debra furrowed her brows. "You won't need to talk. I'll give you an earpiece.""I've used it before. It's too easy to get caught," Garland blurted, then covered his mouth. "I need a little mental preparation.""We're running out of time." Debra threw the suit jacket at him. "Change into this. In ten minutes, jump out of the window from the second floor.""Jump out of the window?" Garland gasped.Debra walked up to him. "You know we have spies in the house, right? We need to make Ivan believe you're Fermin."Garland glanced at the suit jacket and thought about Liza. His resolve hardened. "Alright. I'll wear it."As Debra came out of the room, Erica asked, "How did it go?"Debra nodded. With Marion gone, they had to rely on themselves.Jordan was now in control o
Barton shook his head."Why would Jordan betray us? It doesn't make sense," Debra pressed. "Isn't this part of your plan? With Liza captured, we're in a tight spot. Just tell me the truth.""I really don't know," Barton replied with an innocent look.Debra panicked. She couldn't tell the truth from lies anymore or if this was part of some scheme. She wasn't sure if Jordan really betrayed them or if Andrew was really sick.These questions swirled in her mind and drove her crazy."Where's Marion?" she finally asked.If Andrew was gravely ill, Marion wouldn't leave his side.Barton replied, "Mr. Houston has been tied up with matters at home. He hasn't returned since he left in the morning.""He's gone all day?" Debra's eyes narrowed.That didn't add up. With Marion's efficiency, there was no way he'd take so long to handle family issues.While Debra was struggling to make sense of it all, Garland burst in, looking frantic."What do you mean Jordan is a traitor? And Liza's been
"Hey, don't touch me!" Liza shouted, struggling as the bodyguards grabbed her arms.Jordan came down the stairs and asked with a frown, "Where are Debra and Erica?""Sir, they escaped," one of the guards reported.Jordan slapped him and spat, "Useless!"The guard bowed his head and stepped back.Liza glared at Jordan. "Traitor! You're even worse than Drake. You sneaky backstabber!"Her string of insults didn't faze him one bit.She continued, "Let me remind you, I am Liza Eaton. If you dare lay a finger on me, my dad won't let you off the hook."The guards all had a headache coming on. She had repeated it so many times, but they couldn't deny the power of her family.One of the guards ventured, "Sir, what should we do? Let her go?"Jordan glanced at Liza. "Take her away and lock her up.""What?" Liza shouted, "You have the nerve to lock me up? Just so you know, if I get even a scratch, my dad will chop you into pieces.""Gag her.""Yes, sir."The guards gagged Liza and dr
"No need to chase further," Jordan said."Why not?" demanded a figure coming out of the corner.He was cloaked in a black robe, his face hidden behind a white mask. His voice was deep, altered by a voice changer."Messing with the Eaton family is not a wise decision," Jordan replied blandly."So what if I mess with them? They're nothing," said the masked man, raising his hand.At the signal, a bunch of bodyguards rushed downstairs.The guests at the party had no idea what was happening, and the cameras were soon shut off."What's going on?" the reporters protested as they were driven out of the hotel.The remaining ones in the hall were shocked. Given their experiences, they knew something big was about to happen. The only thing they could do was stay quiet."Back off. You don't want to hurt Miss Eaton," Erica shouted.But Debra heard hurried footsteps coming from inside the hall. Alerted, she said, "Something is not right. We need to run.""Relax. I dare them to lay a finge
Debra's voice turned icy. "Did you have something to do with Andrew's worsening condition?""I don't have time to waste talking to you," Jordan replied, turning to the guards. "Escort Mrs. Houston out.""Yes, sir." The guards moved toward Debra.She sensed their malice and stepped back.Erica's shouting came. "Run."She grabbed Debra's hand, and the two of them bolted down the stairs.Unsure of the situation, Liza trusted her instincts and followed them."After them!" The guards gave chase.Liza suddenly had an idea. She stopped in her tracks and stood boldly in front of the guards. The unexpected move forced them to screech to a halt.She declared, "I am the daughter of the Eaton family. If you dare lay a hand on me, my dad will make sure you regret it."Debra and Erica, who had reached the exit, heard her words and felt helpless. At such a time, no one would care about her status anymore.The guards ignored the threat, ready to act, when Jordan suddenly called out from the
Erica rushed forward and said, "Barton, you're here just in time. I need to ask you something."Barton cut her off. "Mr. Andrew Potter's condition has suddenly worsened. It's very serious right now. Please come back with me immediately.""What?" Debra exclaimed. "He was fine yesterday."An image of the previous day suddenly popped into her mind. Jordan had gone into Andrew's room right after she left."Do you know about this?" Debra asked. "Jordan is the new president of the Lowe Group?"Barton, as Andrew's trusted aide, was supposed to know if this was part of Andrew's plan."What?" Barton was puzzled. "Mr. Jordan Potter?"Debra decided to go upstairs to confront Jordan. Erica quickly reached out to stop her."Where are you going? Didn't you just say we can't go up there earlier?""I have to go and ask him. What is he doing? Betraying the family?""Betrayal it is," Liza chimed in. "I'm going with you."She grabbed Debra's arm and rushed up the stairs.The guards immediatel