Juan paused. "Help me keep an eye on Ivan.""Sure," Garland agreed."Debra is smart, but she trusts the people around her too easily. She's not ruthless enough. Sooner or later, she's going to get hurt by this," Juan sighed."Not ruthless enough? Where did you get that from?" Garland asked, puzzled.He had spent quite a bit of time with Debra. Marion was supposed to be the decisive one, but from what he saw, Debra called the shot.Marion was tough on others, while Debra was tough on herself. It only meant she could be even tougher on others.Juan was silent for a moment. "With Marion by her side, I'm not worried. But things in Seamar City are chaotic. Your father was right to keep you at home. It's not too late now. You can still go back.""Uh... How chaotic are we talking about?""Bloodshed."...The next day, at the Royal Grand Hotel, Drake adjusted his suit."How do I look?" he asked.Kale nodded. "You look great.""Good," Drake said. "Make sure to bring more people. To
Debra asked, "What happened?"Randy's expression was grim. "There was a shooting. It sounds serious. Drake is in the hospital."Debra quickly looked at Marion, whose brows were knitted together."Let's go find out," she said urgently.Randy hurried to catch up. "Wait for me."Garland came out of his room, wondering what was going on."Drake? That arrogant, overbearing man?" he muttered. "He got hurt? Could this be the bloodshed mentioned by Juan?"A chill ran down his spine. If someone like Drake could get shot, the rest of them would stand no chance....At the hospital, two operating rooms were in use.Debra and Marion arrived to see the red lights glowing.A nurse approached them. "Both patients are in surgery right now. You'll have to wait outside.""How serious is it?" Debra asked."Very serious," the nurse replied grimly.Moments later, one of Drake's men approached, looking shaken."We didn't see this coming. We were keeping watch downstairs when we suddenly heard
The doctor said, "This guy is lucky. Most people's hearts are on the left, but his is on the right. He'll recover fully with proper rest."Debra breathed a sigh of relief.Drake and Kale were wheeled out of the operating rooms, both still unconscious. For the time being, they couldn't tell her anything.In the car outside, Randy learned something through a call. His expression turned grim in no time.He rushed into the hospital and shouted, "Guys, I've got some bad news.""Sir, please keep your voice down here," a nurse reminded him."Sorry. It's an emergency," Randy apologized, rushing toward Debra and Marion. "Something is up at the Nichols Group.""Take a breath and explain," Debra replied."Alright." Randy steadied himself. "It's Juan. He came back.""What?""And he's back with the 45% stake. How did he even get it back?""I gave those shares to Drake. He was supposed to use them to take over the Nichols Group today. How did they end up with Juan?""I'm stumped too. Wha
Randy floored the gas pedal, speeding all the way to the Nichols Group headquarters.The security guards at the gate stepped forward to block them. "Mrs. Houston, Mr. Osborne, you can't go in.""Get out of my way!" Randy growled, slamming the accelerator.The guards panicked and scrambled to the side. A loud crash echoed as the car smashed through the glass doors."Go! I'll cover for you," Randy urged."Got it." Debra leaped out of the car and bolted into the building.The guards tried to stop her, but she stared them down, taking the executive elevator to the top floor.By the time she arrived at the meeting room, everyone except Juan had already left.It had been a while since they last met, but nothing about him had changed. Ever cold and composed, he closed the laptop in front of him. With Joe standing by his side, he seemed to be that same business tycoon who ruled Seamar City."Juan, you should explain this," Debra demanded.Juan glanced at her and replied nonchalantly,
Juan's tone was filled with cold mockery.Debra was not surprised. This was your typical Juan. To him, the family interest always came first. Other things didn't matter.She said, "Alright, I'm impressed by your grand scheme of giving away and taking back the shares. I underestimated you. I thought...""Thought I was stuck on petty feelings and wasted my life because of you?" Juan scoffed. "You're overestimating yourself. As long as I want it, I can have any woman. You don't really think I'm obsessed with you, do you? Don't kid yourself. Just stick to Marion and tell him I'm back. This city still belongs to me."Debra clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms."You haven't changed a bit," she spat.She used to think that she had misunderstood him, that he had changed, and that they could leave each other in peace.Here he was, making it clear that it had been all her wishful thinking. He had always been the kind of man who would abandon everything and use a
Debra barely glanced at the list before turning to Randy."Got a hammer in the trunk?""Yeah, why?"Debra walked straight to the trunk, pulled out a hammer, and headed back.Then, right in front of everyone, she hit the glass doors with the hammer and eventually smashed them.Randy gasped, impressed by her courage and sad about losing no money. Meanwhile, the smile on Joe's face faded away.Finally venting her anger, Debra tossed the hammer aside, pulled a checkbook from her purse, scribbled an amount, and handed it to Joe."Take it and return the balance," she said nonchalantly, turning to Randy. "Let's go."Randy swallowed hard, still reeling from the shock about her temper. Then they drove off, leaving Joe standing frozen in place.By the time they got back to the ward, Marion was already inside.The anesthesia had worn off, and Drake's face was bloodless as he lay on the bed. It was almost a miracle that he came around so quickly despite the severe injury."How did thing
"Are you looking for trouble?" Drake scowled.Randy responded, "Calm down. We need to figure out if Juan is the mastermind and what tricks he's playing. Now that the Nichols Group is back in his hands, it won't be long before he brings it to new heights. Then we'll face a tough opponent.""Like I'm afraid of him," Drake snorted. "A coward stabbing people in the back. Sooner or later, I'll chop him up and feed him to the dogs.""Doesn't sound like your injury's bothering you much," Debra interjected. "By the way, wasn't the stock transfer agreement always with you?""I left it to Kale," Drake replied. "Before we left, I told him to have it ready. Then the shooting happened, and we didn't pay attention to it after that.""So, before the shooting, the agreement was with Kale. But after that, no one kept track of where it went?" Debra said."No, the agreement wasn't on him. It was in his room," Drake clarified.Marion chimed in, "I've asked him. Said he left the agreement in his roo
In the bedroom, Debra stared out the window. Without her noticing, an hour had passed.Marion saw her sitting there in a daze from the door and went over to hug her from behind.He murmured, "Thinking about Juan?"Debra snapped out of her thoughts and poked his head. "No. I'm thinking about the mastermind behind all this.""Isn't it Juan?" Marion muttered, his tone tinged with jealousy."I'm analyzing the situation here," Debra said, leaning back into his arms. "Personal feelings aside, do you think this mastermind is someone we know?""I'm not sure," Marion replied."They know all of us inside out. They've never slipped up. Even the people working for them have never seen their faces," Debra continued to analyze."Thinking too much won't help," Marion said, holding her tighter. "One thing's for sure. I won't let them hurt you."Suddenly, there was a loud commotion downstairs."I saw Ivan enter Debra's room. And during the day, he was nowhere to be seen. He's a traitor.""No
"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