"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 At first, I thought it was our competitors, but these past few days, many investors have withdrawn their investments.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.
"Debra, can you stop this?" Juan said coldly, standing protectively in front of Shelia.Debra didn't want to waste time arguing with him. She warned him straight up, "If you don't want Grandma to see these photos, you better do as I say."Juan narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?""I want you to leave the Mathis family alone and compensate them."She knew getting an apology from Juan was impossible. Besides, apologies were cheap and wouldn't cost him anything. The compensation, on the other hand, was much better.Juan replied icily, "Fat chance!""Fine! I'll just let Grandma see these photos and learn you've deceived her. She'll know you came out with me today just to meet Shelia," Debra said. "I have nothing to lose here. But as for Shelia, Grandma has already cut off all her scholarships and allowances. I can't imagine what'll happen to her if these photos end up in Grandma's hands."Shelia turned pale with fright."Are you threatening me?""Hell yeah!" Debra had no intenti
When Debra arrived at Erica's company, Erica was ecstatically jumping around, looking at the newly deposited sum."Debra! You're amazing! That jerk must be feeling miserable now, huh?"Erica hadn't expected Juan to compensate for such a large amount, but she would not reject it. Despite the minor uproar, this was a win for her."The compensation came through?" Debra asked.It had only been an hour, sooner than Erica had expected."I bet he used his personal account to transfer the money to us. There's no way it could arrive this fast otherwise. Juan must be worried about losing face," Erica replied.Seeing neither Marion nor Randy in the office, Debra couldn't help but ask, "Where are they? With something this big happening in the company, why aren't they here?""You know Marion. As soon as he heard about the trouble, he left and told me not to tell you. He probably knew early on that it was Juan's doing and went off to plan his revenge," Erica replied.Debra nodded thoughtfull
Juan had gone home early. Upon seeing Debra, Sophie greeted her eagerly, "Madam, how was the gathering today?"Puzzled, Debra glanced at Juan, who was lounging on the sofa in the living room, reading a newspaper.'So, Juan has made up a story.'Debra smiled, replying, "It was good.""You should have asked Mr. Nichols to pick you up. It's not safe at this hour," Sophie said."It's fine. He left his car to me," Debra replied.When she left the mall earlier, Debra had taken the car Juan had driven. Thinking of how Juan, who had a dedicated driver for outings, had to take a taxi back, she felt a sense of satisfaction."Sophie, there's nothing else for you. You can go home. Debra and I have some other matters tonight," Juan said.His words were meaningful.Sophie happily agreed, "Alright, I'll tidy up and go. Mrs. Nichols Sr. is waiting for me to clean up."With that, she started packing her things.After Sophie left, Debra scoffed, "You're quite good at lying. Doesn't your consc
Debra got out of the car, not having told Erica about the event and not expecting Juan to be so eager to have Shelia move in.Joe heard the sound, looking over in surprise. "Madam?"He wondered if Juan had done this just to upset Debra."Don't mind me. You can go on with your work," Debra said casually.But Joe was visibly nervous.The situation now felt like a battlefield."Debra, you're not upset, are you? We're going to be neighbors. I'll be counting on you for help," Shelia said with feigned politeness.Debra turned back and snorted, "Neighbors? What kind of neighbors?"Shelia said confidently, "I will be living here too, so..."Debra sneered and pointed to the building where Shelia would move in, then to the one where she and Erica were living."Did Juan not tell you about the price difference between these two buildings?"Shelia was surprised. "What?"Erica put her hand on Debra's shoulder and teasingly said, "Looks like Juan doesn't value you much. Your building is t
"Something's up?" Debra asked, taking her seat."Yeah.""Is it about me?""Well," Jordan faltered, "this morning, my brother mentioned some trouble with the Nichols family. It's insider info, and you probably don't know yet.""So, you came all the way to school just to gossip about this?"Jordan blushed a little, turning his head away. "Don't get me wrong. I just wanted to get some info from you.""I probably know less than you do," Debra said, dropping the teasing. "What exactly happened?""It's internal news. Some shady financial records leaked from the Nichols family, causing several funding chains to break. All cooperation with overseas institutions has been halted. Soon, they will face inquiries. That's a lot of money they're going to lose," Jordan revealed.The mention of overseas institutions made Debra think of Marion.He was the only person capable of doing such a thing."Do you know who did it?" Jordan tried to read Debra's expression.Raising an eyebrow, Debra rep
"See, you guys are my best friends. I messed up last time, so I invited you here to eat, hoping you can forgive me. It was a slip of the tongue. I'm sorry," Shelia said, oblivious to Debra's presence.Debra sat in the corner, quietly listening to Shelia's apology."My boyfriend bought me a house just across from the campus. It's boring to live alone. Why don't you move in with me? You guys are my best friends after all," Shelia said earnestly, holding their hands.Debra almost laughed out loud.'So, Juan was the boyfriend Shelia was talking about.'She understood now. If Shelia really wanted to apologize, she could have done it ages ago. In reality, she was just trying to show off the house Juan had bought for her. That was why she said these things at the most expensive restaurant in Arcane Academy."What are you staring at? Order something," Jordan said.Debra snapped out of her thoughts. "Get me a cup of tea. I suddenly crave it.""Huh?" Jordan was bewildered.Just then,
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