The atmosphere felt like a cult ritual. It was creepy and unnerving. "Where are the organizers? Get them out here.""Yeah. You invited us to the banquet, and now there's nothing? What's going on?""Do you even know who we are? If you mess with us, even Sunshine won't save you. We won't let this slide."The voices of the socialites kept rising until a sudden beam of light illuminated a spot on the second floor. There weren't any seats, just a large door.A woman in a black gown stepped through. When everyone saw her, they froze.Among them, Liza was the most shocked because the woman was none other than Cathryn.In just a few days, Cathryn had changed so much. Her complexion looked healthier, and her eyes were colder. She looked down at everyone with contempt."I thought it was someone important. Isn't this Ms. Bernard?""After all that scandal, how dare she show her face here?""Don't tell me you're the designer. If I had known you designed these ugly clothes, I would've rat
"She has lost her mind," murmured the socialites.Ever since Cathryn betrayed her and tried to kill Debra, Liza had thought she was insane.But Liza hadn't foreseen the craziness of such intensity. Cathryn intended to kill everyone present.Liza shouted, "I was blind enough to make friends with someone like you.""Shut up!" Cathryn growled. "You never saw me as a friend. In your mind, I was just your lapdog. Just because you're the daughter of the Eaton family, my father forced me to tolerate you in everything. I had to tag along when you wanted to go shopping. You told me to jump, and I asked how high. You don't deserve to talk to me like that."Liza was rendered speechless.Cathryn ignored her and turned to look at her mortal enemy, Debra."Debra, my ultimate prey. I've drained my fortune to trap you here. This is where it ends between us. You stole the man I love, so I'll make sure he loses you forever," she said, her eyes burning with hatred.She had been waiting for this d
If Debra hadn't retreated early, the consequences would have been unthinkable."How did you know Cathryn was targeting you?" asked Liza."My white dress said it all," Debra whispered, leading her to hide further. "This place isn't safe. Sooner or later, they'll find us. You need to do exactly what I say.""Do what?" Liza was scared.Debra quickly laid out her plan. "First, take off your high heels to save energy. Second, the second floor is safer. Head up there and hide. Those so-called hunters won't dare come too close. Third, if you're spotted by other socialites, join forces with them and say you want to help catch me.""How can I do that?" Liza was worried."If you're the only one who doesn't want to catch me, they'll treat you like a traitor. They'll sell you out to the hunters, and you'll be done for." Debra organized her thoughts. "Cathryn is desperate, not planning to leave alive. Her promise is a lie. She won't spare anyone. This is a deadly game. What we need to do isn'
The socialites panicked and frantically chased after Debra. Her white dress was too conspicuous, attracting those hunters too.Liza seized the moment and took the elevator to the second floor. In the seating area, those masked figures were still watching the game unfold.Liza steadied her breathing and hid in the corner. Everyone's attention was focused downstairs, so no one noticed her."Help!" screamed one of the socialites as she was dragged away by the hunters.Liza's heart was in her throat until Debra ran out of sight.The socialites had no idea that once Debra was caught, the game would end early, and everyone would die.Soon, Liza noticed that Cathryn was gone. Before she could look more closely, another scream echoed from the hall. "Help! I don't want to die."Liza clenched the hem of her dress, her breathing becoming shaky.In the meantime, two socialites cornered Debra."We don't want this, but there are no other choices," they said, lunging at her.These socialite
"Be careful. If necessary, I'll step in," Frederic said."But most of the time, you can't, right?" Debra replied.There were too many hunters here. If Frederic's identity was exposed, it would only complicate things further."Don't worry. I can take care of myself," she said, glancing at her secret weapon.It was a watch given by Juan. It had a built-in emergency alert system but required a signal to work. Now the entire venue was under a signal block.Earlier, she had been running around the second floor not just to buy Liza time, but also to search for a signal and track down Cathryn.Now that she knew Cathryn was on the fifth floor, there was no need to linger on the second."Thanks. I owe you one," Debra said.Frederic tossed her a small folding knife. "Just remember that."Then he hoisted one of the fainted socialites onto his shoulder.Debra frowned. "What about them?""Relax," he said. "I'm just putting on a show. I'll leave them somewhere safe.""Alright." Debra kic
In the restaurant's private room, Drake glanced at his watch. It was already 9:15.Over an hour had passed, and he still had no idea what was going on at the party."Mr. Lowe, with Mrs. Houston's and your support, Ivan will have a bright future. Let me offer you another toast," Grover said enthusiastically.Drake only found him loquacious.Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked down and saw a number flashing on the screen. The contact was not saved, but he knew the number all too well.As soon as he answered the call, Marion's anxious voice came through."The party is a trap. Get your people inside now.""What?"The air around Drake instantly turned cold.Grover noticed the change in his expression and asked, "Mr. Lowe, what's going on?"Drake abruptly grabbed him by the neck, seething. "You old fool, how dare you play tricks on me? If anything happens to Debra, your family will be buried with her."He grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and barked at Kale, "Get the car
Before the four bodyguards could move, Debra shouted, "Cathryn, the rules of the game only say the hunters can chase, but it never said the bodyguards could join in."Cathryn snorted, "I made the rules. I can change them as I like. Grab her!""Yes, ma'am." The four bodyguards charged at Debra.She took a few steps back and said, "Have you thought about the consequences?"The bodyguards didn't flinch. She continued, "How much did Cathryn pay you? I can double it."But they were not swayed.Cathryn laughed out loud, "Stop wasting your breath. No one is going to help you tonight. You're dead meat."As the four bodyguards closed in, Debra took a deep breath, ready to fight.Unfortunately, the staircase was too narrow for her movements. Within minutes, she started to sweat.Just then, a figure appeared in front of her, kicking the hunters rushing up the stairs back down. He grabbed Debra's hand and pulled her toward the exit, with the bodyguards hot on their heels."If this goes o
The door was booted open, and the security guards were sent flying. The sudden commotion caused the masked attendees on the second floor to scatter in panic.Cathryn snapped her head toward the source of the noise. Standing at the entrance was none other than Marion. His white shirt and face were stained with blood.Cathryn hadn't expected to see him again, but where love once filled her eyes, now only hatred remained."Kill them all!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the hall.The hunters charged toward the entrance, but they were quickly overwhelmed as a wave of reinforcements poured in. One by one, the hunters were knocked to the ground.A line of black-suited bodyguards marched into the hall, forming two imposing rows.Drake strode in, his boot pressing down on one of the fallen hunters. He reached down and yanked off the man's mask, revealing an unremarkable face beneath.He snarled, "How dare you stir up trouble on my turf?"The hunters trembled. "We're just hired
"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