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
Randy and Erica exchanged a glance, speechless."Figures," Randy muttered. "He never lifts a finger when I ask him to pass a file, but when Debra asks him to manage the company, he agrees without a second thought."Erica chimed in, "Well, they're a loving couple."She turned to Marion and reminded him, "Speaking of which, Caleb is still planning the wedding. He insists on having the wedding first before getting the certificate. He wants a grand affair, with the betrothal gifts and dowry all going to the bride as a show of our family's approval."Marion replied, "I just want to get the certificate. If he drags his feet, I might just take over the wedding planning myself."Erica shook her head. "You can't do that. He is looking forward to this. If you take it away from him, he might just throw a tantrum in the streets."Marion rubbed his temples, regretting ever agreeing to let his grandfather plan the wedding.Debra reassured him, "Don't worry. We have plenty of time. You think I
Randy gave Oscar a thumbs-up. "Well said. Next year, I'm nominating you for the Top Ten Youth Role Models award. You've got my vote.""Yeah, right. Like it's your job to hand out awards," Erica snorted, smacking Randy on the back of his head.Randy winced, rubbing his head. "Erica, could you not hit me every time I say something?"Chace stepped forward and addressed Debra. "Ms. Frazier, we're returning to Booton to take care of the Odom Group. We're here to say goodbye."Debra nodded. "Okay. Seamar City has been chaotic lately. You might be better off staying away for now."Oscar hesitated. "Michael wanted me to pass on a message. The entertainment industry has seen an influx of fresh talent recently. They're all incredibly skilled—too polished to have come out of nowhere. Someone's been grooming them for years. No one knows who's backing them, but each one is rising fast. If they make it to the top, the capital behind them will reap unimaginable profits. Michael thought you'd und
Debra interrupted Erica and Randy's bickering. "Alright, guys. I'm just thinking. If the opponent has been planning this for a while, these artists in their pocket will be serving some enterprise after they gain fame, right? But we know all the entertainment companies in Seamar City. Are there any upstarts?" Randy shook his head. "Nope, at least I haven't found any. But that's the weird part. Suddenly, there are all these new arcades and casinos, and even the entertainment industry is flooded with new faces. Whoever is behind this can't stay invisible."Debra thought for a moment. "I'll find a chance to check it out.""Think twice," Randy cautioned. "That place is a mixed bag. It's fine if Drake is behind this. If not..."That would mean another force was at play.As evening fell, Debra changed into casual clothes and blended into the crowd, making her way to a newly opened arcade.The arcade was on the second floor of a mall, surrounded by old residential areas. Despite the loc
Garland laughed drily, "You're joking, Mrs. Houston."Debra smiled playfully, "But you do seem a little different from the last time we met. You should remember the 50 million dollars I spent on you, right?"Garland replied, "That isn't a big deal. I can pay you back."Debra turned serious. "That's not how things work. A person should have integrity. You promised me, and since I'm the boss, you can't back out so easily. You're a man of your word, aren't you?"Garland recalled Juan's advice and sighed, "To be honest, I was under a lot of pressure at home, so I came here to have some fun. Nothing more to it."Debra raised an eyebrow. "That's a wild coincidence. You just arrived in Seamar City, and here we are meeting."Debra wasn't one to believe in coincidences, especially not in a world full of hidden agendas.But Garland stuck to Juan's script and spoke seriously. "I feel the same way. You didn't intentionally seek me out, did you?"Debra immediately associated this with Andre
"Opportunity?" Drake scoffed. "I don't think so."He had been played like a fool. The machines made by his company had been shipped without him knowing. It was all a ruse for him to become a scapegoat.He was determined to settle this, no matter what."Get ready, Kale. We're going to Seamar City.""Seamar City?""Yes. To settle the score with those sneaky bastards."Late that night, Juan returned home. Unattended for a couple of days, the house was now thick with dust. He flicked on the lights, and a foul odor wafted down from upstairs.Covering his nose and mouth, he ascended the stairs. As he opened the master bedroom door, a putrid stench hit him like a wall. His eyes flashed with disgust as he took in the scene before him.On the bed lay Shelia, emaciated and barely recognizable. Her hair was dry and yellowed, her body skeletal, and her eyes sunken deep into their sockets. Her lips were cracked, and her body reeked of decay."Help me," she rasped, each word an effort."St
Inside the arcade, Garland strode up to the counter to exchange tokens.The cashier's eyes flickered to the stack of cash and the deck of credit cards. Then she couldn't help but steal a glance at the casually dressed man."Here are your tokens, sir."Garland grabbed the four large buckets of game tokens, handing two over to Debra. With deliberate emphasis, he raised his voice. "It's my treat today. Have fun!""Thank you, Mr. Eaton," Debra replied, stressing her tone.As they wandered over to one of the fishing machines, Garland leaned in and whispered, "Are you sure this will work?""Yeah," Debra whispered back. "Do you see anyone else in this arcade who would blow five thousand dollars on tokens without blinking? They'd be fools if they didn't take the bait.""But why does it have to be me footing the bill?""Because I didn't bring any money.""What?""Besides, what kind of men would make the ladies pay at places like this? These people are drawn to rich male customers. Don
"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