With her plan exposed, Debra lost the patience to keep sparring with Drake."You're right. It's getting late. I should head back."Before Drake could protest, she added, "You shouldn't be out right after a shower. Why don't you have me sent back and stay here for the night?""Since when do you make decisions for me?" Drake stood up, turning to Kale. "Go get the car.""Boss, are you sure you want to go out dressed like that?" Kale pointed out.Drake looked down at his robe before irritably ripping the towel from around his neck and throwing it at Debra. "Get out."Debra caught the towel and tossed it back, turning to leave the suite without a backward glance.Kale hurried after her. Anyone else would have been in serious trouble for defying Drake like that.Leaning against the wall outside, Debra sighed, "Does Mr. Lowe always take this long to get ready?"Kale didn't respond, his face stoic.Debra pressed on, "Who did he meet with today?"Kale remained silent.Debra knew she
By the time Debra returned to the Lowe Manion, it was already well past midnight.The living room was chaotic. Garland was anxiously holding back Marion.He said, "Mrs. Houston will be fine. Mr. Lowe has gone to find her."Liza echoed, "Yes. They will be fine."Marion's sharp gaze daunted her, but she would not step aside, especially since Garland was doing his best to stop Marion from leaving."Move!" Marion demanded, dressed in nothing but a white shirt.His sleeves were rolled up, and his face was pale. He was about to shake them off when Debra's voice came over. "Marion."The anger in Marion's eyes vanished instantly, while Garland and Liza both heaved a sigh of relief.Finally, Debra was back. Otherwise, they might have lost control of the situation.Despite his injury, Marion was as strong as a horse. He had dominated overseas for a reason.Garland was exhausted and wiped his sweat."What happened? Are you all right?" Marion asked, hurrying over to check on her.Debra
"Ugh!" Drake stormed upstairs with frustration.The confrontation ended as abruptly as it had begun.Liza shook her head, totally disappointed. "I thought we were going to see an epic showdown. All that buildup was for nothing. We still don't know who's stronger.""Obviously, it's Marion," Garland declared.Suddenly, a shoe came flying down from upstairs, hitting him squarely on the head."Ow!" he yelped, turning around. "Who did that?"Drake stood at the top of the stairs, feigning an apology. "Sorry. My hand slipped."Garland's anger vanished when he saw who it was. He laughed dryly, "No big deal. Just be more careful."Drake walked away, heading to his room.Garland punched the air with his fist, muttering under his breath, "You're nothing compared to Marion. You deserve to be stuck in Orkgate."Then something occurred to him. It was from a document Juan had forced him to read.It wrote that Drake wasn't related to the former head of the Lowe family by blood. He was just
The sudden sound of heavy footsteps outside interrupted the sweet moment.Debra frowned. "What is Drake doing in the middle of the night?"She gently pushed him onto the bed. "Stay here and rest. I'll go check it out.""Alright," Marion agreed, taking her hand. "Come back soon.""I will," Debra promised, slipping out of the room.Outside, Drake's men streamed in, carrying files in their arms.Debra figured they were probably the people Drake had sent to gather information on the local businesses, but the sheer volume surprised her.A bodyguard passed through the long line and rushed upstairs."Boss! We caught the person who tampered with the car."Drake emerged from his room. "Bring them to me.""They're right outside," the guard replied.Debra was impressed by the efficiency of Drake's team. But as the person was dragged up front, she frowned skeptically.It was a teenager dressed in an ordinary black hoodie. Immaturity and nervousness adorned his face."You were the one
Debra straightened up. "You said you got the wrong car. Which car were you originally after?""I..." Ivan hesitated.Drake was eager to kick him. "Answer the question.""It was my stepmother's car. I'm sorry.""That's attempted murder. Don't you know?" Debra said."I didn't think that much.""So, no one put you up to this?"Ivan shook his head. "I'm willing to pay for the damage.""Alright," Debra said coolly. "I'll be coming to collect that money."Ivan swallowed nervously but agreed.Debra paused as something occurred to her. "Oh, the gas tank and the lighter too.""No, that wasn't me," Ivan replied in a shaky voice.Debra nodded. "That's all. Take him away.""Wait," Drake interjected. "We finally caught the guy, and you're just going to let him go? My gut tells me he's lying. He stays until I get the truth out of him.""I'm the victim here. I'm letting him go," Debra said, winking at him.Knowing that look too well, Drake ordered his men to take Ivan away.Holding ba
Drake chewed over her words and nodded."Alright. Can I go back to sleep now?" Debra said."Go ahead." Drake waved her off but soon called out, "Hold on.""What else?""Did Theda give you the share transfer agreement?""Yes, she did.""I'm buying those shares."...After leaving the Lowe Mansion, Ivan got into a black sedan. His previously meek demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold, disdainful expression. "Debra isn't so hard to fool after all."The driver pulled his cap low, cautioning, "Our boss said not to underestimate her. She's cunning and might already suspect you."Ivan scoffed, "If she suspected me, would she have let me go? She's not that clever. Without Marion protecting her, she wouldn't have gotten this far.""You're young and inexperienced," the driver insisted. "You can't judge a book by its cover. Do your best to gain her trust and be our eyes and ears."Ivan bristled, "Don't talk to me like a senior. You're my underling here.""I'm just looking out for you
"Alright, sweet-talker." Debra looked up at Marion. "So, what do you think I should do next?""They want your life," Marion replied seriously. "This time they failed, but they'll likely try to get closer to you and seek another chance.""I feel the same way," Debra murmured, her brow furrowing. "They've been going around in circles only for the share transfer agreement. Theda was fine when she had it, but they won't let me have it.""It seems like they're afraid of our momentum," Marion said."Hopefully, through the visit, I can figure out who is behind the Trennery family.""Good luck.""Thanks."Debra left the Lowe Mansion and spotted a car outside.The driver got out and approached her with a polite smile. "Mr. Lowe arranged a car for you, Mrs. Houston. I'm here to take you to the Trennery Mansion."Debra glanced at the car and the bodyguards surrounding it.She raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been standing here?""Not long, just about an hour.""An hour?""Mr. Lo
Grover panicked. "Did my son offend you, Mrs. Houston?""Why don't we go inside and talk?" Debra suggested.Grover nodded eagerly and ushered Debra and her entourage into the house.Following behind Debra, Grover explained anxiously, "Ivan is young and ignorant. If he has offended you in any way, I hope you can forgive him.""It's not a big deal," Debra said casually. "He just cut my brake lines, punctured my gas tank, threw a lighter into it, and almost blew me up. That's all.""What?" Grover stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.That was a near-fatal offense."Get that brat down here," he barked, his voice shaking with anger and fear.The maid hurried upstairs to fetch Ivan. Moments later, he reluctantly came out, fidgeting at the sight of Debra."Get over here." Grover dragged him to stand in front of Debra.Debra rested her chin on her hand. "The car he messed with doesn't belong to me; it belongs to Mr. Lowe. He has a bit of a cleanliness obsession and doesn't like his
"No biggie. I'm just that sharp," Randy grinned."Don't flatter yourself." Erica smacked his arm, turning to Debra. "If that's the play, we'll set up around the valley early.""We scoped it out last time. Here's the terrain map Marion roughed out. Memorize the basics, just in case," Debra said.Jordan spoke up. "I'll plant people inside to learn the lay. If things go down, we'll back each other up."He paused, frowning. "But we've only got one path. Without the full picture, it's still risky.""Got it here," a voice called from the door.Everyone turned to see Theda walking in with Robert. A map was in her hand."It's you guys." Debra was surprised.Theda had been busy with her business. She barely had time to breathe, not to mention show up there."This mess is huge. If the Illuminati takes Seamar City, my business is done," Theda said.She'd seen Jeffery's crazy side. The Illuminati couldn't be anything good.She unrolled the map and stuck it on the board. "This is the val
Liza eased up, knowing Debra was always faithful.She would help if she said so."Is the Illuminati really that bad?" Liza asked, having never seen Fermin cornered like that."Yeah," Debra said flat-out.Liza fought back her tears. "I'm not as smart as you guys, but if I can help...""You've done plenty," Debra said, patting her head.The once-bratty lady had grown into someone brave and kind. They'd all seen her change.But this was too risky. They couldn't bet on her life."Everything's set," Marion said, striding in with Jordan.Liza blinked at their suits. They looked solemn, as if ready for a last stand.Debra nodded. "Alright, let's go over everyone's setup and run through the plan."Randy wheeled in a blackboard that showed the outskirts map.The Four Great Families had owned Seamar City for ages. Their eyes and ears were on every corner.They'd linked up north, south, east, and west, with Juan's lines tied in.According to intel, the Illuminati hadn't sunk deep ro
"Just listen to me and go," Fermin said, pulling his hand free.The next thing she knew, he yanked her toward the emergency exit."Fermin!" she yelped.The restaurant staff, loyal to Fermin, hustled her into the stairwell. By the time the guards outside caught on, she was gone."Get her," the guards barked.If Liza slipped away, Michael would have their heads. But before they could chase, Fermin's crew boxed them in."You know what this means?" one guard spat, dropping all politeness.They knew he was just a puppet. If he broke free, Bert's life would be done."Kill them," Fermin ordered, turning back to the restaurant.A waiter dropped a tray, the crash drowning out muffled screams from the stairwell.Liza was already in a cab. She tried to turn back, but a staffer blocked her. "Miss, you can't go anywhere but Seamar City. The Potter Mansion is your safest bet. Think of what Mr. Eaton's doing for you."Her stay overseas made her a hostage. While she was here, Fermin was lea
The driver hesitated but complied. "Sure, Mr. Eaton. How long do you plan to stay? There's a meeting this afternoon.""An hour," Fermin replied.From their conversation, Liza caught on that their family was under the Illuminati's thumb. The driver would not grill Fermin about his schedule otherwise."Who're you to butt in? He'll hang out with me for as long as he wants," she snapped.The driver bit back his gripes. "My bad. Sorry."Liza clung to Fermin's arm, heart pounding. She had been pampered her whole life, and her family had always been untouchable. She never imagined they'd be under someone else's boot.The car stopped by the mall. Liza and Fermin got out.When the guards tried to follow, she whirled. "My brother and I are going shopping. What're you tagging along for?""Protecting you and Mr. Eaton," one said.She opened her mouth to argue, but Fermin cut in. "They can carry bags for you."She hesitated. With these guards tagging along, they couldn't talk about the si
"Dad." Liza rushed to the bed, grabbing Bert's hand.In her mind, Bert was a stern old grump. He was always tough and sharp.But now, the illness had taken a toll on him. He had shrunk, and his hair had gone gray overnight.Fermin stood behind her, watching with pain.In fact, Bert had been ill for a while now. He had been grooming Fermin for years.But once he'd caught wind of Fermin's plans, Bert would rather kill him and trash their legacy than let him join the Illuminati.Fermin knew this day was coming. Liza didn't. Bert never wanted her to.She froze, feeling like his hand had twitched. She stopped crying and spun to Fermin."Did you see it? Dad moved..." she exclaimed.Fermin clapped a hand over her mouth, a move that confused her.He shook his head, warning her off. She nodded fast, signaling she'd keep quiet.Fermin checked the door and eased his hand off. "Dad's fine. Let's head home, alright?"Liza glanced at Bert with reluctance but wiped her tears. "Okay.""Co
Drake's mouth hung open, but no words came out."I swapped the drug for saline," Juan said. "You're on your own tonight. You've only had one dose, so there might still be a chance. If you don't wanna die here, suck it up. Don't let Kale die for nothing."Juan dropped that and left the room.Drake slumped on the bed. Old memories came flooding back, from their first meeting to their camaraderie. They had been through thick and thin together.If it hadn't been for him, Kale wouldn't have been dead....In the hospital, Liza kept watch outside the ICU where Bert lay.Two black-suited guards blocked the door. Even after surgery, they wouldn't let her in."When can I see him?" she asked, clenching her fists.The guards stood like statues, ignoring her."That's my dad," she shouted, pounding their chests. "I need to be with him. Move. Get out of my way.""Stop it." Fermin strode up, grabbing her swinging fist. "You're an Eaton. Act like it."He turned and slapped a guard hard. "Y
Juan arrived at a villa on Seamar City's outskirts. It was where Drake was locked up.It was pitch black in the room, with only a bed. The windows were nailed shut.The moment Drake handed over the stone, he'd guessed his fate. The Illuminati had rules for traitors: the blessing ritual.But that "blessing" was just injecting their latest drug into turncoats. They would be used as free guinea pigs. Death was the best outcome. Surviving meant real torture.It didn't hurt. Rather, it felt like heaven. That was why they called it a blessing."When did they shoot you up with that stuff?" Juan asked.Drake leaned back on the bed, nonchalant. "I gave them the stone. It doesn't matter to you. Just give me the drug."By night, he was a mess.The stuff could ease the pain for an hour. Then hell would kick in. Once the cravings hit, it felt like ants gnawing his bones.The pain wired into his nerves. At its worst, he'd bash the wall, tempted to bite his tongue off.He couldn't leave wit
To the bishop, Debra and her crew were small fry.A hundred years ago, the Four Great Families might've been untouchable. But now? Their roots were shaky.The Illuminati, on the other hand, had grown unstoppable.For the stone, he'd see them and let them feel the Illuminati's might. It was something callows like them couldn't touch."Tell them I pick the time and place," he said. "Get the stone ready. If it's fake, they'll get the harshest punishment from God.""Yes, Master," Michael replied, turning to leave.Lara stood up to protest, "I'm against this. We should take the chance to wipe them out and take their assets."In her mind, the four families were nothing. When they could snatch what they wanted, there was no need for deals or games."God spares all," the bishop muttered. "I'll give them a shot to live. If they bow, why kill them?"Lara fell silent, but Frederic stepped out of the shadows. He asked, "What about the stone Drake gave us?""Only one of the two stones is
Night settled in deep.Debra and the crew were still waiting for Michael's reply."Still nothing? They don't buy it, do they?" Erica paced, antsy."Give it time. They'll bite," Debra said, clutching her phone.She had promised Kale she would bring Drake back. No breaking that.A text finally pinged her phone. It was Michael.Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Like Debra said, the Illuminati couldn't rule out her having the real stone.If theirs was fake, Michael and his crew couldn't afford the fallout."Marion, it's on you now," Debra said.The Houston family had military muscle on tap. The Potter family owned elite guards and intel. Erica and Randy were solid backups.But this meeting? Debra had to go herself."Does it have to be now? Maybe wait till you're healed?" Erica said.Debra shook her head. "Drake is at risk every day he's with them. I can't take that chance. Just like they can't risk us holding the stone.""She's right," Randy jumped in. "Drag this out, and who