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
Garland trailed behind Debra, looking more like a reluctant son dragged along by his mother than a boyfriend on a date.Debra glanced at him, recalling how confident he used to be at the Eaton Mansion. But in Seamar City, he seemed timid, barely holding his head up.Garland cleared his throat and asked, "What's that over there?"The employee leading the way explained, "Those machines in the back aren't meant for the public. Unlike the ones out here that dispense toys, they can pay out real money. Much more exciting than any fishing game, right?"Garland whispered, "But I heard these kinds of games are banned.""Well, we're playing it low-key. I wouldn't tell just anyone.""Oh, so you work here, huh?""Yeah, I help the boss bring in customers.""So, these machines pay out cash on the spot?""Yeah.""Your boss must be quite the businessman. I'm in business too, and this seems like a very profitable industry. Think you could hook me up sometime?""I'll have to ask the boss. If
Once they were gone, Debra asked, "Is Juan in the interrogation room?""Yes, he's being questioned right now," Pedro replied. "It's not a good time for visitors."Debra fell silent. She had rushed from the hospital to find out why Juan had acted like that.He wasn't the type to lose control or try to kill someone so recklessly. Something was not right."Then I'll wait here until he's done," she said, sitting down in a nearby chair.Pedro faltered, "Well, the interrogation could take all night, and I heard Mr. Houston is injured. Shouldn't you take care of him? I'll let you know the results first thing tomorrow morning."Debra was indeed worried about Marion's injuries. If the police station weren't so close to the hospital, she wouldn't have taken the time to come here.Now that waiting seemed pointless, she stood up and said, "Alright, please keep me posted. I'll be next door at the hospital.""Of course, I'll send someone to handle that," Pedro replied.Once Debra was gone,
"Watch your mouth. This is Mrs. Nichols Sr.," Joe chided, standing beside Melody.The officers recognized him and fell silent."Where are you keeping Juan? Release him now!" Melody demanded, disregarding her manners.Pedro appeared, smiling nervously. "Mrs. Nichols Sr., what brings you here so late?""Juan was taken by your people. Why do you think I'm here?""Well, this is tricky. He injured Mr. Houston, which should be handled through legal procedures. He is in our interrogation room. If you want to see him, I can arrange that.""Mr. Houston? Since when does he rule Seamar City? Juan would never do anything illegal. It must be a setup."It was known to all that Marion used to be an outlaw. Framing someone was easy for him.Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind her."A setup? Marion is injured by him. Juan tried to attack me. If Marion hadn't saved me, I'd be the one in the hospital," Debra accused.Melody turned to look at her. "It was you. I knew it. Juan did so much for
The knife sank deep into Marion's right abdomen, blood seeping through his clothes."Freeze!" A group of police officers stormed in from behind, quickly surrounding Juan in a tight circle.Juan raised his hands in surrender, but his gaze locked onto Debra, who was nervously tending to Marion.Debra glared at him. "Juan, are you out of your mind?"She had imagined a thousand ways he might come after her, but she never thought he'd resort to such a crude and desperate attempt to kill her.Juan sneered, "Shame I didn't kill you. But at least I've settled the score with Marion for the stab he gave me.""Take him away!" The police hauled Juan off to a waiting squad car.Paramedics rushed up quickly. Marion glanced at Debra, who was worried sick. He reached up to ruffle her hair and managed a weak smile. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch.""The knife was in your gut. Why did you follow me, you idiot?"Debra smacked him on the shoulder. Marion's strength faltered, and he dropped to one
Debra drove to the outskirts of the city to meet Juan at their agreed spot.He was standing in the middle of a deserted lane surrounded by rundown houses."Why did you call me here? What do you want to talk about?" Debra asked.Juan looked her up and down. "Drake vowed to take you out within three months, but here you are, still standing. You're tougher than I thought."Debra scoffed, "You don't seem too happy about that.""Enough for chitchat. Did you leak those news stories?" Juan demanded.Rumors about him killing Shelia were everywhere, and the police had started investigating. Juan's disappearance only added to the suspicion."You think I did that?" Debra laughed. "Am I that despicable to you? We're done with each other. I wouldn't go out of my way to cause you trouble. If that's why you called me here, you're wasting your time. It wasn't me."She turned to leave, but Juan stopped her. "Wait!"Debra turned back. "What now?""I killed her," he admitted.Debra froze. "Why
Debra shook her head and said, "I'm not sure, but keeping them around doesn't hurt. They have their freedom as long as things are under control."Randy came downstairs. "Chatting alone is not fun. Let's watch some TV."He grabbed the remote and switched on the television.A news report blared from the screen: "The Nichols Group CEO is suspected of killing his wife and is currently missing. The police are investigating, and the case is under further review."Erica and Randy both turned to look at Debra.Randy threw up his hands. "It wasn't intentional. I just selected a random channel.""Chill." Erica smacked him on the arm. "It's just fake news. Someone like Juan wouldn't get his hands dirty to kill someone."Debra frowned and headed upstairs. The door to the study was closed, with Barton standing guard outside."I need to see Andrew.""Mr. Andrew Potter is unwell and not taking visitors.""Who are you kidding?"Debra shoved past him and opened the door.Inside, Andrew was
Drake froze mid-bite of his apple. Pointing to himself, he asked, "Debra wants me to foot the bill? I'm not her husband. She must've made a mistake."Kale explained, "Well, she sent a message saying that the machine only heats up and does nothing else. She's already being kind by not reporting it to the authorities."Across town at the Potter Mansion, Erica examined Debra's face."Doesn't look any different to me. Is this the effect of a five-figure beauty program?""Lowe brand—sold on name alone."The Lowe Group was infamous for its shady dealings in gambling, drugs, and other vices. It would take a miracle for them to develop legitimate beauty products.The company existed to scam gullible customers, pushing overpriced luxury beauty brands with celebrity endorsements and flashy ads while delivering next to no real results.Erica clicked her tongue. "If it were me, I'd smash their store to pieces.""Why didn't you bring me along?" Liza grumbled, descending the stairs.Being c
Debra felt the machine start working on her face. After a while, she asked, "This machine is pretty good. I haven't seen anything like it elsewhere.""It's developed by our company and air-freighted here," the manager replied."Which company is that? I might know them.""We're a subsidiary of the Lowe Group. It's all legit, safe, and medically certified.""I have a friend in this business who wants to buy some of these machines. Is that possible?""Well, our machines are provided by the company and aren't for external sale.""That's a shame. My friend is willing to pay a high price for the right machine. I thought this one was good, but oh well...""How many machines does your friend want to buy?""We're opening a chain store, so that will be at least 50 machines per store and around 500 in total. We also want some other instruments, so it will be around a thousand machines."Debra had calculated the cost—over ten million. Such a large order was rare in this industry.The man
Debra glanced at the business card in her hand before pulling her limited-edition sports car over to the side of the street.The pink car stood out like a sore thumb on this otherwise understated road.Debra was dressed to the nines, drawing everyone's attention the second she stepped out.The staff of Victoria's Beauty were impressed by her beauty.The manager approached and sized her up. "Miss, are you a new customer? What can we do for you?"Debra removed her sunglasses, revealing a pair of mesmerizing, smoky eyes. The manager was amazed."My friend recommended this place. I heard you've got some excellent beauty programs, so I thought I'd give it a try," Debra said lazily, settling onto the sofa and picking up a brochure.The massive diamond ring on her finger caught everyone's eye. To top it off, her wrist flaunted a luxury watch worth seven figures.The manager gasped in shock.Noticing their stares, Debra raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?""Oh, nothing. It's just
Drake was pissed off, but there was nothing he could do."Let me remind you," he said, "the person behind all this is after you, not me. I can stay out of it and be fine. You and Marion won't be so lucky."Debra countered, "Guess why they took your machines and who called the police on the docks. Do you really think this has nothing to do with you? You were smarter than this."Drake scoffed, "You think I'm clueless? That was just a disguise to mislead you. They are mainly after you. I have plenty of enemies, but none of them can beat me. If there were someone like that, I would've found out by now."Debra rolled her eyes. "Come on! Stop bragging. If you were so capable, you wouldn't be in this mess. You wouldn't have had to smash your machines and bring them here yourself."Drake was about to explode, but Debra continued, "If you're so confident, let's make a bet. Let's see who can find the mastermind first. What do you say?""You're on," Drake agreed.Debra extended a hand. Dra