Debra smiled and stretched out her arms. Marion scooped her up and held her in his arms."The wedding dress!" Randy hurried behind them.The train of the wedding dress prepared by Caleb was such a hassle. It had to be held up the entire way."Wait." Erica lifted her skirt and dragged Liza down the stairs with her.Garland hurried to follow, while Michael shook his head helplessly. This pickup was really something.The wedding vehicle was a pumpkin carriage. Once Marion set her inside, Debra pointed at the two white horses at the front."Wow! Now this is flashy.""Grandpa prepared it.""This is a bit embarrassing."It was like something from a fairy tale. Who would've thought that Caleb, at his age, still had such a childlike heart?In a rickshaw, Erica marveled, "Wow, Caleb is a genius."Sitting beside her, Randy asked, "Do you like it?""It's nice and creative. I love it," Erica replied with a broad smile.Randy looked at her and asked, "How about we use this for our wedd
Randy's interest was piqued. "Count me in. I'll be there to bear witness to the gift."Garland echoed, "Me too."Liza raised her hand. "Same here."Erica smacked them on the head. "It's their wedding night. You want to cause a ruckus in their bridal chamber?"The three shrank back, not daring to say another word."Chop chop," Erica called for attention. "The guests will be taking their seats soon. Get ready for the big event."Together with Liza, she escorted Debra backstage. In the meantime, the guests began to take their seats.The Houston family had few members, and the Frazier family had no relatives left. So, at the main table, besides Caleb, there were only Andrew, Randy, Erica, Michael, Garland, and Liza to fill the seats.Liza looked around the grand hall and whispered, "Aren't castle weddings usually held in a church with a priest? Why does this feel hybrid?""Stumped me," Garland muttered, equally puzzled.The stage was so big, and he wondered if there would be a co
Caleb took a deep breath, thinking it was Marion's arrangement.But Drake was a troublemaker, not suitable for the happy occasion.Those around Caleb tried to soothe him."Mr. Houston Sr., today's a joyful day. Turning someone away who came to congratulate us would ruin the mood.""Exactly. Why not let Mr. Lowe come in and have a drink?"Caleb thought about it and tacitly approved. The guards surrounding Drake quickly dispersed."Mr. Lowe, this way," the butler said, stepping forward to guide him.Drake casually looked around, but the guests shrank back, uneasy with his presence.Ignoring their reactions, Drake pointed to the table where Caleb was seated."I want to sit there.""Mr. Lowe, that's the main table, reserved for family members only.""Michael counts as family? And what about Randy? Erica is just a distant relative, right? Then there are Fermin and Liza. Since when did they join the Houston family?"Drake was adamant about it. "Let me sit at that table, or my men
If anyone had checked, they would've known the invitation wasn't meant for Drake.Luckily, the Houston family didn't want to make a scene and let them in.Outside the venue, the robbed guest sighed in the cold and left. He was late, giving Drake a chance to take his invitation.It was unbelievable that a famous man like Drake would stoop so low to rob others.Backstage, Debra sat as the artist touched up her makeup. Once it was done, Erica asked, "Have you memorized the ceremony flow? Want to go over the script again?"Debra saw her nervousness in the mirror and laughed, "Why are you even more nervous than me?""Because I've never been a bridesmaid before. What if I mess up on stage?" Erica worried."You won't. Bridesmaids don't even have to speak," Debra reassured her.Just then, footsteps sounded outside. Debra looked over and saw Garland and Liza coming in."What are you doing here instead of staying at the main table?" Erica asked."It's my brother. He said he couldn't ea
"It's time to walk in," Erica exclaimed, helping Debra to her feet.Liza suddenly looked flustered. "What am I supposed to do?""We just walk on either side of the bride. The flower kids will carry her train, so don't worry about it," Erica reassured her.Right then, two children pushed the door open. Their adorable looks melted Erica's heart."Whose little angels are these? Caleb did such a good job," she said.The flower children, a boy and a girl, looked like porcelain dolls. But just as Erica reached out to them, the girl protested, "Lady, you'll smudge my foundation.""Foundation?" Erica blinked, surprised that this little girl knew about cosmetics.Before she could respond, the boy chimed in, "Lady, please don't interrupt our work."The two kids walked over to Debra and carefully lifted her train.Erica felt slighted. "You..." Before she could finish, Liza tugged her arm. "The wedding is about to start. If you make them cry, who's going to carry the train?"Erica nod
Drake, sitting at the main table, had a mouthful of wine and frowned. "What's the relationship between Michael and Debra? Why is he acting like her family?""Probably just a boss-subordinate relationship," Kale replied.Drake put his glass down. "Well, that makes sense. The Frazier family has no one left. Can't exactly pull Ralph out of prison.""You're right, boss."The music in the venue was so loud it felt like the sound waves were going to shatter their eardrums."Who designed this wedding?""I'm not sure."Drake took a deep breath. If he were not bound by etiquette, he would have turned around and left by now."Mr. Houston, do you take Ms. Frazier to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, forsaking all others, and being faithful to her for as long as you both shall live?""I do.""Ms. Frazier, do you take Mr. Houston to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him for better or for worse, in
"Hurry! Where's the dress for the toast?" Erica rushed to find the next set of clothes for Debra.Just as they reached the changing room, a staff member handed Erica a white dress. Without looking closely, Erica was about to pass it to Debra.The staff member quickly intervened, "Miss Mathis. That's not for the bride. It's for you.""For me? Do bridesmaids need to change clothes too?" Erica asked, surprised.Liza hurried over. "What about me?""I'm sorry, Miss Eaton, this one is for Miss Mathis," the staff member explained.Liza grumbled, "We're both bridesmaids. Why does Erica get to change and I don't? I don't care. I want to change too."The staff member looked troubled. If she couldn't complete the task Randy gave her, her career was over."Here, you can change into this one," Debra chimed in, handing Liza a white gown.The staff member was relieved, admiring Debra for her foresight.Debra added, "Come with me. This one is a bit tricky to put on.""I usually don't share
As the whiskey was brought over, Randy quickly downed it in one gulp.Drake saw it and snorted, "Coward.""What? Who are you calling a coward?" Randy spat, pointing at Drake. "Don't think just because you've known Marion longer, I won't dare to punch you. Let me tell you, I'm Marion's best friend.""Who cares about your friendship? You want to hit me? Go ahead and try."Just as Randy was about to make a move, Garland quickly checked him. "Calm down. You don't want to ruin Marion and Debra's big day.""You're right," Randy said, grimacing. "But how did Marion, a lone wolf, manage to get married? While I'm still stuck with nothing."Unsure how to comfort him, Garland patted him on the back, which caused him to retch.A strong smell of alcohol wafted through the air. Garland, who hated bad smells, immediately felt queasy and almost gagged from the stench."What the hell?" He shoved Randy away in disgust."Sorry." Randy wobbled.Drake couldn't help but roll his eyes. 'What kind o
It was afternoon already.Debra and Marion parked their car outside the valley.Looking at the sprawling terrain ahead, Debra couldn't shake the memory of trekking through it with Kale just days ago.Revisiting this place made her shiver."Your injury's still fresh," Marion said. "I can go alone."Debra shook her head. "We agreed on going together. Besides, I'm not here to fight. It will be fine."Marion ruffled her hair. "Alright, we're in this together."Enoch brought Erica here to lure them in. That much was clear.Now that they were here, they'd get her out.With night closing in, they quickly followed the route they'd mapped out and headed in.The map from Juan came in handy. In less than 30 minutes, they reached a clearing smack in the middle of four towering mountains.Mist hung light in the air, and the jagged peaks all around gave off a heavy, oppressive vibe.Through the fog, figures in black cloaks and white masks stepped out.Debra slid behind Marion, their han
Jordan signaled the guards at the door to stop Randy.But they didn't stand a chance. In three seconds flat, Randy laid them out.Jordan watched him vanish down the hall, dumbfounded. 'When did he get this good?'At the entrance, more guards tried to block Randy. He didn't slow down as he threw punches at them.Even with their number, they couldn't catch him.30 seconds later, Randy was in his car, peeling out toward the valley. Scenes from his childhood flashed across his mind."Leg up. Fist tight. Punch!" Caleb shouted.Erica eyed the wooden dummies in front of them and aimed for perfection.Randy's attention was all on her. He was not interested in these self-defense skills at all."Randy, focus!" Caleb whacked his arm with a cane. "Get real or go home."Randy couldn't care less. The truth was, he had already learned it all.At eight years old, his freakish athletic genes got him shipped off to a two-month boot camp. There, his raw talent made him untouchable in the junio
Lara came downstairs, smirking at Michael. "This time, even if you want to let them off, it won't happen."Michael was unfazed. "Don't say stuff that'll get twisted. I never plan to do that.""Oh, please. I know you better than that," Lara snorted. "Drop the act."Growing up, Michael had been given the best of everything.They were both in line to take over, but Michael got the bishop's favor from day one.Even if he didn't fight for it, he'd eclipse her. The bishop's partiality never failed to rattle her.She was a woman. True. But she was not any inferior to Michael.The partiality was unbelievable. This world's full of women outshining men.She was the one to help the bishop build something huge. The altar was only for her to ascend.She stepped up to Michael. "Wanna bet on what happens when Debra and Marion hit the valley? I can't wait to see Debra getting pierced by bullets. It would be so much fun."She observed Michael's expression, but there wasn't a crack."You done
The guard at the gate quickly stepped out of the booth. "Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Houston. Unfortunately, Mr. Osborne isn't home.""We're not here for him," Marion said flat-out. "I want last night's security footage."The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, but without Mr. Osborne saying so, I can't just hand it over.""Randy is lying in the hospital right now," Debra cut in. "Erica went missing from your place last night. If you don't cough up the tapes and something happens to her, can you take the heat?"The guard was shocked. "Mr. Randy Osborne in the hospital? And Miss Mathis is gone? I'll grab the footage. Hang on."He dashed to the security room. But when he pulled up the feed, the screen was pitch black."What's wrong? Is it busted?" Debra asked.The guard smacked the console a couple of times, and the picture flickered on. There was Enoch, stuffing a sack into his trunk and driving off.That explained why the cameras outside had only caught Enoch.Debra felt a chill run thro
A loud crash blasted through the phone, followed by screeching static.Debra's gut sank. "Randy's in trouble. Let's hurry."Jordan quickly rounded up a crew to track down Randy, while Debra and Marion bolted out of the house.That phone call screamed car wreck. Marion had Randy's location pinned fast, and an ambulance was already on its way."Don't panic. The ambulance is almost there," Debra reminded him, watching him push the speedometer.It was fine if it was just a regular crash. But if the Illuminati had set it up, the consequences were unimaginable. Enoch must have lost his mind to target his son.Debra and Marion had both lost their parents to car accidents. Marion would be devastated if he lost another person close to him."Quick! Get him out!"Thick smoke poured from the crash site. Debra's bad vibes grew.They jumped out and saw Jordan's people loading Randy onto a stretcher."How bad is it?" Debra ran up, desperate for details."Not too serious," Jordan replied. "
The maid froze. "Didn't Miss Mathis leave last night? I don't know where she is. But she's not here."A bad feeling hit Randy like a ton of bricks. He bolted out of the room and ran to the guest room next door. When he flung the door open, Erica wasn't there. The bed was pristine, with no sign of anyone sleeping in it.Erica was lazy as hell. There was no way she'd make the bed herself.Randy lost his head until what Theda had said suddenly echoed in his mind.If Enoch were the mastermind behind the Illuminati, he might have done something to Erica."Where's my dad?" Randy asked, his blood running cold.The maid had never seen him like this. He barked, "I'm asking you where my dad is."She stammered, "I called him last night like you asked. He came back for a bit and took off again."Now he confirmed that Enoch had taken Erica."Give me the phone.""Yes, sir."The maid handed it over.Randy dialed Enoch's number but could not get through.Sweat beaded on his forehead. The
Erica laughed, getting the implication.Randy coughed dryly. "Mom, what are you even saying? I'm not that kind of person."With that, he hustled Erica out of the room.As the door closed, she frowned. "What now? Your dad is suspicious.""Well, we'll deal with it when he gets back. Now take a rest.""Alright."He led her to a clean guest room."Yvette seemed fine just now. Didn't look like she's got any mental issues.""It comes and goes. She can be normal and confused at times.""Has she seen a doctor?""Yeah. They say it's from some big shock. If she takes it easy, she's pretty much fine. Her nerves are just shot. My dad kept her locked up here all these years. Probably doesn't want folks to know he's got a crazy wife."In his mind, Enoch always put profit and reputation first.If people found out he had a nutcase for a wife, he might ditch her. Even if he didn't, he'd freeze them out.One question was always hovering in Randy's mind. If Yvette wasn't tied to the Potter f
"Erica, let's head upstairs."Randy held Erica's hand as they walked up the stairs.The second floor was dead quiet, and the hallway lights were dim. At the far end was Yvette's bedroom.The door was wide open. Inside, Yvette sat at her vanity, brushing her hair.Nearing 50, she still looked good, though she'd let time take its toll. Her face was lined with wrinkles."Randy? You're back," she exclaimed, catching his reflection in the mirror.She turned around and saw him standing there, holding Erica's hand."Mom." Randy squeezed Erica's hand. "I brought Erica to see you."Yvette's eyes shifted to Erica, and she searched in her memories.After a while, she caught it. "Erica, I remember you. Randy always talked about you when he was a kid. I thought you two were just rivals or something."Yvette walked over to Erica and grabbed her hand. "Randy's a bit of a wild one, but he's great with girls. This is the first time he's brought a girl home. If you two are serious about each o
Everyone nodded at Marion's call. They split tasks fast.Randy drove Erica toward the Osborne Mansion, speeding through the dark.When they parked, he didn't budge from the driver's seat."Don't stress. I'm here with you," Erica said, squeezing his hand.She knew what ate at him. If Enoch was really the Illuminati's head, it would spark a war. His relationship with Enoch would be unmendable."I never saw this coming," Randy said, his face shadowed with a rare gloom.He had always known Enoch didn't care about him, Yvette, or their family.In fact, he had never known much about Enoch. Without Theda's hunch today, he'd never have linked Enoch to the Illuminati."If Enoch is tied to them, what will you do?" Erica asked, watching him closely.She knew that blood was thicker than water."I don't know." Randy shook his head.Being the heir to the Osborne family never mattered to him, but he could not deny his bloodline.If it came to picking sides, he didn't know if he'd back Mar