Seeing Debra about to faint, Juan quickly withdrew his hand.Debra coughed and took a while to recover."Debra, I..."Juan reached out to touch the red mark on Debra's neck, but she cautiously backed away.Juan fell silent.Just now, he had lost control.On the way back, they both remained silent. When they reached home, she saw the warm decorations and instantly knew it was arranged by Melody through Sophie.Thinking back to the scene in the car just now, Debra chuckled bitterly.Living under the same roof as a man who had tried to kill her was incredibly revolting."Debra!" Juan's voice sounded from behind, but Debra didn't stop her steps upstairs.Right now, she didn't want to say a word to Juan, let alone listen to his explanations.The next day, as dawn broke, Debra came downstairs. Juan looked weary, leaning on the sofa as if he hadn't slept all night.She packed some daily necessities, preparing to return to her apartment.Seeing Debra coming down, Juan immediately
Moreover, Shelia was injured.Shelia's face lit up.Receiving a message from Debra last night, Erica came early in the morning.She got out of the car, and the driver placed the luggage in the trunk.Erica asked puzzledly, "Why wear a scarf in this weather?""I caught a cold," Debra laughed dryly.Erica sensed something wrong and, after pulling the scarf off, noticed the bruises on Debra's neck."Who did this? Juan?" Erica was furious.Knowing her temper, Debra tried to calm her down. "It doesn't hurt anymore.""Is it really that bastard?" Erica clenched her fists, ready to storm into the house."Don't go. I'm really fine." Debra held her back."No! I must teach him a lesson," Erica persisted.Debra held her tightly. "Juan promised not to go after your company. If you make a scene, my efforts will go to waste.""Am I afraid of him? Let him kill me if he can!"Debra quickly got Erica into the car and had the driver lock the doors.She couldn't let Erica cause a scene."D
Shelia was tearful and felt misunderstood by the whole world."Miss Mathis, how could you humiliate me like this in front of so many people? I may be poor, but I have dignity! I have never done such things," she said firmly. "You can't slander me just because Debra is your friend. Even if I'm poor, I won't let you defame me like this. Just because you're rich doesn't mean you can splash dirt on me."Erica was eager to argue, but she couldn't find the right words.Debra stepped forward and sneered, "Poor?"Shelia still had that fragile yet stubborn look as she gazed at Debra.Previously, Debra had only gone tit for tat against Shelia, never intending to force her out of school.Now Shelia's affectation made Debra regret her leniency.She approached, and Shelia retreated in fear. "What are you going to do?"She snatched Shelia's handbag, took out one bank card after another, and grabbed the suit jacket hanging on Shelia's clothes."Every single one of these bank cards is given b
Debra's words made Juan stiff.Debra pulled Erica and said, "Let's go."Before leaving, Erica spat at Juan.Originally, Debra didn't want to fall out with Juan, but she couldn't bear it anymore."Juan..." Shelia cautiously tugged at Juan's sleeve. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault.""What's going on with the bulletin board?" Juan suddenly interjected.Shelia's face twitched, but she quickly adopted a pitiful look. "Someone at school was jealous of Debra's looks, so they spread rumors. Debra misunderstood it was me, so..."Juan furrowed his brow.He never involved himself in Debra's school matters, let alone knew the rumors.Debra had never mentioned it to him."It wasn't me. I've explained to Debra, but she didn't believe me," Shelia added.Juan remained silent.Afraid Juan wouldn't believe her, she bit her lip and continued, "The Inspection Team investigated it and confirmed it wasn't someone else. But Debra is biased against me and refuses to believe it."Seeing Shelia sobbi
"Who Did It?" Juan asked."It's said that after the incident, the Inspection Team came to the school once. It was a girl named Carrie, and she happens to be Miss Miles' friend," Joe replied.Juan frowned deeply.Joe probed, "Maybe this matter is related to Miss Miles. Should we continue investigating?"Juan rubbed his temples.Debra was slandered and bullied, but she hadn't told him anything.He wondered if he was so insignificant to her."Since the Inspection Team has already investigated, there's no need for further inquiry," Juan said blandly. "Tell Shelia to stay away from those people. Don't let them influence her negatively."Joe wanted to say something, but seeing Juan's expression, he could only agree. "Will do."...Debra led Erica into Building #2. Erica hadn't expected Juan to eavesdrop, causing such a stir. "He defended Shelia so blatantly in front of you. It's infuriating!"Erica was angry but more concerned about Debra's situation. "You just had a falling out w
Melody learned about last night's incident and made a scene at home.The Frazier family was also restless. Rosalie had long wanted to see Debra embarrassed. News of Juan leaving with another woman at the banquet had spread throughout their circle.Ralph bombarded her with phone calls, but Debra didn't answer.When Joe took Debra back to the Nichols family's house, Melody was smashing water glass against the wall.Juan was silent, but his clothes were disheveled. Marks of violence were on his body, and his face was pale."Debra, you knew, right? And you let them do as they pleased?" Melody's chest heaved with anger."Juan likes her. There's nothing I can do," Debra replied calmly, showing a detached attitude.She had already prepared for the worst-case scenario.If Juan exposed her enrollment at Arcane Academy, she would just divorce him."I don't get it. What's so good about a college girl? Debra is prettier and more capable. Are you blind? How did I raise such a grandson?" Me
"I thought you wouldn't feel it," Debra chuckled bitterly. "Ever thought about how much worse words could hurt me?"After a moment of silence, Juan said, "I'll handle it.""No need." Debra turned to leave."Why didn't you tell me about the rumors at school?" Juan asked.Debra paused and sounded amused. "Tell you?"Juan felt uneasy with her tone. "If you had told me, I would have...""If I told you it was Shelia spreading the rumors, would you believe me?" Debra interrupted.Juan was taken aback. "I asked her. It wasn't her.""So, there's nothing to discuss," Debra scoffed.Simply put, Juan trusted Shelia.As Debra turned to leave, Juan grabbed her arm and asked sullenly, "Are you implying I'm biased toward Shelia?""You know the answer," Debra retorted."How do you know I haven't investigated this? Why are you so sure it was Shelia?" Juan pressed, showing no intention of letting her go."Let go!" Debra shook off his arm.The disgust in her eyes stung his heart."Admit it
Rosalie's smile vanished instantly. She stood up abruptly from her chair, her voice rising several octaves. "What? Divorce?""Why are you so surprised?" Debra said."How could you divorce? That's Juan," Rosalie said incredulously.Debra used to be head over heels for Juan, going to great lengths to marry him.It was hard to believe that she wanted to divorce Juan. They had been married only for a couple of months.Ralph pondered for a moment and asked, "Is this Juan's decision?""No, it's mine.""Have you thought this through?"Debra nodded firmly. "Yes, I have."Upon hearing Debra's resolve, Ralph seemed equally determined. "Alright then, let's proceed with the divorce.""What? No!" Rosalie pushed Ralph aside and shouted at Debra, "You're not taking marriage seriously at all. If you divorce Juan, what will become of our family? Do you want to let Ralph down?"Debra looked on coldly. Ralph took a stand and pulled Rosalie aside. "Shut up! You have no say here.""Ralph! Do yo
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
His teacher had been worried about that.Randy had racked his brain, wondering what a dad should be like. He'd wanted to roughhouse like other kids, only to receive cold stares.His mother always brushed it off, telling him not to chase fatherly love."Randy?" Erica's voice yanked him back."Huh?" He blinked, seeing everyone's concerned stares."I called you a dozen times. Why were you zoning out?" Erica frowned.Randy grinned weakly. "Well, Theda's got a point. Now I'm kind of suspecting him too.""She left a minute ago," Erica pointed out, squinting at him."I'm not covering for my dad," Randy said. "She made sense. Maybe I'll swing at home. If he's the Illuminati's head, he will be in the valley.""You were absent-minded while we hashed out the plan. Now you're playing seriously?" Erica teased. "We're not pointing fingers at your dad, just saying Theda's theory holds water. If you want to check, I'll go with you. We'll watch each other's backs."She didn't say it out loud,
Theda added, "When Jeffery ditched the Nichols family, even with his smarts, he couldn't build up enough money and power to challenge the four families that fast. Someone had his back. He once told me not to judge a book by its cover. You never know who's laughing last."Her cryptic words left them puzzled.Debra asked, "So, who do you suspect?""I'd say Enoch Osborne," Theda replied.The name dropped like a bomb. Everyone froze and then swung their eyes to Randy.Randy gaped. "My dad? No way. He's a stiff old fart, decent at business but the weakest of the four families. Calling him lazy is generous. He's a stubborn rock. How could he be the head of the Illuminati?""Don't sell your old man short," Theda said. "The last generation of the four families got hit hard. But your family? Only your mother lost it. Your father has played it safe, staying low-key and outlasting them all. I bet he's the one Jeffery meant."She shrugged. "Could be wrong. But if it's him, you're in deeper
It wasn't that Debra's crew was weak, but the Illuminati was too strong.The room fell silent.Theda continued, "Everyone here is riding your call. You know what happens when you throw pebbles at a tank, right?""I'm not backing off. We've got our reasons," Debra replied."I'm not here to talk you out of it," Theda said. "I'm saying if you need me, I'm in."Everyone blinked, caught off guard. She smiled, "What? Surprised I'd join? Or wondering why? Forget Robert's ties to you. You've already done me solids in Seamar City. I can't pay you back much, but I can pitch in here.""How do you plan to help?" Erica asked."Inside job. Boosts our odds," Theda replied. "I worked with Jeffery before. Being a Buchan, he cut me slack. With his Illuminati ties, they might trust me too. Need a message slipped in or intel dug out? I've got you.""You don't have to..." Debra started."No convincing me otherwise," Theda cut in. "It's not just for you. Juan's blood to me. Call it a favor he owes.
"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