"Not that line. The one before," Debra pressed.Randy thought for a moment. "Wrong direction of investigation?""The one before that.""These are account books, not a treasure map?""Yes, that's the one.""What about it?"Debra crossed her arms. "I always thought it was weird. If these ledgers were so dangerous, why weren't they burned? Why hide them in ancestral halls? The Osborne and Houston families probably have their versions too. Maybe combined, they are a treasure map.""I've heard of treasure maps hidden in poems or paintings," Erica said, "but account books? That's a first.""That's a wild guess," Randy echoed. "What kind of treasure would be hidden in ledgers?"Debra shook her head. "Randy, can you sneak into your ancestral hall and get something?"Randy froze as all eyes landed on him. He swallowed hard and shook his head. "I've hated going to the ancestral hall since I was a kid. Every time I go, I either piss off my ancestors or get beaten by my dad. Do you want
Erica thought for a moment. "Your task is even tougher."Garland's eyes lit up, but then Erica patted his shoulder. "The Osborne family chef's cooking sucks. Your job is to make dinner for us."Garland's smile cracked. "That's your tough task?""Obviously. Logistics are critical," Erica grinned, turning to Randy. "Let's go. Time to revisit the home you've been dreaming about."Randy hated going home or seeing his father.He sighed, "I'm only doing this for you. If it were Marion, I'd say no."Marion shrugged. "I could just raid your ancestral hall with my men. Sounds easier.""Don't." Randy paled. "My dad can't touch you, but he'll kill me."Marion was capable of such a thing. Drake and Robert were the living examples, suffering from his betrayal.That night, Randy and Erica headed to the Osborne Mansion.As Randy drove, Erica frowned. "Why are your hands shaking?"Debra chimed in from the backseat, "The car feels wobbly.""It's me that's wobbly." Randy's lips were white. "
"Huh? When?" Debra was surprised."When you were born," Randy replied. "All Four Great Families got together. You were still a baby, so you don't remember."Erica raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect you to remember something that long ago."Randy scratched his head. "I was too young to recall much. But that banquet was the fanciest I've ever seen. Stuck in my brain. Oh, and that's when I first met Marion. Back then, he was..." Before he could finish, Marion kicked the back of his seat."Just drive and stop talking.""Alright. No kicking."Randy rubbed his sore back with one hand. Debra turned her attention to Marion."You were there the day I was born?" she asked.Randy butted in, "Of course. All four families showed up. Your family was popular back then, and your dad was the life of the party. Having a daughter was a big deal. Influential businessmen from around the globe came to celebrate it."He sighed dramatically, "Your family had its day."Though decades had passed, De
The security guard squinted at Randy. "And you are?"Randy kept up appearances. "You blind? I'm Randy Osborne."The guard stayed deadpan. "ID, please."Randy exploded. "I need an ID to enter my own freaking house?""Sorry, sir. If you're impersonating him and I let you in, I'll get fired," the guard insisted.Grumbling, Randy yanked out a wallet. "See this? Designer leather. Costs more than your salary."He flipped it open to reveal a stack of cards. "Credit cards. More than you've ever had."The guard repeated flatly, "ID, please.""I forgot my damn ID, okay?" Randy spluttered.Erica came out of the car, marched over, and slapped Randy's ID into the guard's hand. "Happy? Open the gate," she said.The guard meticulously compared Randy to the photo and pulled out a scanner.After verifying the ID wasn't fake, he finally stepped aside. "Sir and Madam, please proceed.""We've got friends," Erica added, jerking her thumb at the car.Debra and Marion stepped out.The guard c
Debra teased him, "You stick out like a sore thumb here.""I'm evolved," Randy smiled, leading them into the house.The maids were cleaning in the grand hall that resembled a museum. The shelves were crammed with antiques worth seven figures. Porcelain vases and jade carvings screamed "royalty-only" back in the day.The Osborne family might as well have hung a neon "Rob Me" sign.Debra's gaze snagged on a wall glittering with rare gemstones and uncut minerals. She drifted closer, but Randy's father emerged from a side room."You guys..." His sharp eyes swept over them.Enoch Osborne had a tall, well-built frame, his posture straight and dignified. Despite being in his fifties, the sharpness and grace of his youth still lingered in his features, hinting at the strikingly handsome man he had once been."Dad," Randy greeted him. "These are Debra, Marion, and Erica. You've met them before."Enoch ignored him, "I know these famous CEOs."His words drew a distinct line between them.
"Are you suspecting me?" Enoch's voice hardened."Not really," Debra said calmly. "But you're the only one left who knows the Four Families' secrets. We have no one else to turn to."Enoch sighed, realizing they wouldn't leave without answers. "Sit."Debra and Marion exchanged a glance before taking seats across from him.Tea was served. Enoch stirred his cup. "The Osborne family survived by staying out of dramas. Drop this obsession. The Four Great Families legend? Just a gimmick cooked up by hotheaded youngsters a century ago. There's no treasure. Stop chasing ghosts.""If there's no secret," Debra countered, "why has someone spent decades scheming, killing, and laying traps? We're not naive children, Mr. Osborne. This matters."She then pulled out a gemstone. "Recognize this?"Enoch's brow twitched.Debra had three stones: one from Melody, one from Marion, and one from Jordan.Four families should mean four stones. The Osbornes possessed the last one."We had one," Enoch a
Enoch slammed his teacup down. "What nonsense are you spouting? This is the head of the Houston family, not Andrew."Yvette blinked. "Not Andrew? But Debra's..." "The tea's cold," Enoch interrupted her. "Fetch a new pot."He shoved the teapot toward her. When she hesitated, he ordered a maid nearby, "Take her upstairs."Yvette reluctantly left, glancing back at Debra.Debra watched, sensing something was off."Apologies for the scene," Enoch said. "My wife hasn't been right since falling ill over a decade ago. She often rambles nonsense.""A decade ago?" Debra pounced on the details."Just an illness. Don't read into it," Enoch replied.The housekeeper approached. "Dinner is ready, sir.""Please join me for dinner." Enoch gestured, then ordered, "Go fetch Randy and Miss Mathis."Debra subtly pressed Marion's arm. He squeezed her hand to reassure her. Presumably, they had bought Randy and Erica enough time. Right on cue, the duo burst in from the backyard. Erica shot Deb
"No wonder..." Debra muttered. "She recognized me but mistook Marion for Andrew."Marion looked nothing like Andrew.Randy glanced at Marion in the rearview mirror and dodged, "My mom is confused but still worried about the Potter family. Maybe she mixed up names. Don't overthink it."Erica turned to Debra. "But that old kidnapping case involved a lot of people. Don't you remember anything?"Debra shook her head. "I was too young. Memories before eight are fuzzy. Might've lost some after a high fever."Marion chimed in, "Get over it. Did you get the ledger?""Duh." Erica pulled an account book from her jacket. "Ta-da. Who's the genius?"Randy smirked, "Nice work, burglar queen."Erica smacked his arm. "You'd still be stuck there without me.""True that," Randy grinned. "Gotta keep you around for lockpicking emergencies."Debra chuckled at their banter as the car reached the Potter Mansion.Inside, two bodyguards were hauling Garland toward the door."Let me go. I'm not leav
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
"What're you looking at?" Lara asked, stepping out and spotting Michael by the window."Debra says the stone Drake gave us is fake," he replied."What? No way." Drake shot up from his seat."Are you messing with us?" Lara's sharp gaze landed on him."No. Debra's talking nonsense," Drake insisted."We'll see," Michael said, unruffled.Debra was offering the stone on the condition of meeting with their leader. It fit her style."She thinks she can just waltz in and see our master?" Lara sneered."The stone's a big deal to him. I bet he'll agree," Michael replied, shutting his phone."Don't tell me you're sweet on Debra," she hissed. "You keep letting her off. Don't wanna kill her, huh?""Unlike you, I don't get off on killing," he countered. "If she's not in my way, why bother? You're out there slaughtering, just making enemies for the Illuminati. You're venting rather than serving.""You don't get it. I'm building fear for the Illuminati," she justified herself. "They need to
Oscar set down the receiver and threw his hands up. "I'm not resisting. Don't spook my staff," he said.Chace tried to step in, but Oscar's look stopped him.This incident was major. Almost half of Flesta's people had fallen victim.Everyone at the company, Chace included, got hauled in for questioning. As the head, Oscar was the main target.The line went dead, and Debra's heart sank."Those bastards," Randy cursed, "hitting us on both sides. No wonder the Illuminati has been quiet. They have been gunning for our partners.""They're smart," Debra said. "Can't take us head-on, so they go after our allies. They want everyone to see partnering with us as a dead end. If we let this slide, we're doomed eventually.""What should we do?" Erica stomped, fuming. "We just sit here and watch them pick off our friends one by one?""They're showing us what happens if we cross them. They want us to bow. The only way out is to flip the script and strike first.""Strike first? What does th
Seeing Debra's worried look, Marion said, "You should just focus on healing and leave the rest to us. We might not match the Illuminati, but they won't mess with us randomly here in Seamar City."The Four Great Families had ruled Seamar City for a century. Although the former heads had faded, the new generation was sharper and stronger. They could hold off the Illuminati's push.Debra's phone rang. It was Oscar calling."You free? I've got something to tell you," he said.Debra put it on the speaker. No one could guess the aim of his call.In Flesta, the Odom family's business was booming again. He should have been busy with work."What's up?" she asked."There's big trouble in Flesta," he replied. "We didn't want to bug you, but it's spiraling out of control. We're out of moves.""What happened?" She had a bad feeling.Oscar paused. "A new drug has popped up in Flesta. Tons of our staff got hooked, just like regular folks. The police are on it now. We checked our products and
Debra stared at the pendant.What had happened yesterday came flooding back.Kale was gone, and the fact hit her hard."It's my fault," she said in agony. "If he hadn't gone with me, he would have been alive.""Everyone makes their calls," Marion soothed her. "If there's blame, it's on the Illuminati. I was terrified, almost losing you.""I felt like you were nearby, so I wasn't afraid," she said, leaning into him. "They'll pay for hurting Drake and killing Kale. I'll make sure of it.""No matter what happens, we're in this together," he said.Exhaustion took over. She closed her eyes and drifted off.When she woke up, it was already noon the next day. Her injury kept her from moving much.Everyone gathered outside her bedroom. William came in to check on her."You're fine. Just change the dressings on time," he said, packing up his kit. "You guys can come in now."Debra adjusted her clothes and leaned against the headboard. "Sorry to trouble you.""We're in this together,"
William left quickly.Marion got up to lock the door and returned to the bedside.Sitting back into the chair, he switched on a dim lamp, making sure Debra would see him first thing if she woke up."Brother..." Debra mumbled.Marion leaned in. "I'm here."Her murmurs stopped, but her hands shot up, grasping at the air. "It's so dark. Save me."He grabbed her flailing hands right away. "Don't be scared. I'm right here."But she didn't calm down. She clutched his hand, her nails scratching at his skin. "Brother, save me," she murmured, feeling like she was trapped in a pitch-black hold.Cold seawater seemed to swallow her whole. The biting chill seeped into every crack of her body. The stench of the ocean made her gag.The water was up to her chin. She stood on tiptoes, desperate for a breath in that tiny space."Save me." Her eyes flew open.Familiar surroundings came into view. Her pupils darted until they landed on Marion. Her racing heart finally slowed."Marion?" Her v
Not long after, Marion came out with Debra.William nudged Erica and Randy. "Told you it would be soon.""How's she out here fresh after surgery?" Erica gawked.Debra was supposed to recover in the hospital, but seeing her unconscious form on the stretcher, Erica figured he had his reasons."Let's go back," Jordan chimed in. "The Potter Mansion's got a top-notch medical team. If we need gear, I'll grab it.""Yeah, hospitals suck anyway," Randy said. "Let's head back. It's freezing out here."They'd planned to grab food and head in, but Erica had made them wait so Marion could have more time with Debra. Now they were all sniffling."I'm... Achoo." William sneezed again, then bolted for the car. "I'm out of there. It's freaking cold."He had treated so many patients, but this was the first time he had fallen ill.Debra, still out cold, was loaded into the back. Marion stayed close, tending to her.By the time they reached the Potter Mansion, it was the middle of the night.Wil
William rubbed his eyes in disbelief.They had taken the emergency lane to the hospital, but Marion and the others arrived right behind their heels after going through a battle."We floored it. That's not the point," Erica replied.Marion and Jordan were already striding into the hospital.Randy grabbed Erica's arm. "Come on. Let's go.""Huh? William is still here." She was puzzled.Inside, the operating room's red light glowed.Marion arrived first. The hospital director greeted him, saying, "Mrs. Houston is in surgery now. Our top doctors have assessed her. The wound's been handled perfectly, and she is out of danger."Marion's face softened a bit. Erica heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God. She's fine now."They'd been terrified seeing Debra collapse in a pool of blood."You're wiped out. Why don't you rest a bit?" Erica said, turning to Marion."I'll wait here," he replied, his eyes glued to the red light.Until it turned green, he couldn't rest his mind at ease."Well
Michael raised an eyebrow. "My plan never included you. Does our master know you snuck here from Orkgate? And you've got the nerve to question me?"Lara glared at him, her body aching from the burns. Her face twisted with anger."Take Miss Sharp back for treatment. It will take two hours to get back, so she'll have to tough it out," Michael ordered, unfazed.Before leaving with his crew, he lamented sanctimoniously, "Such a shame, ruining a pretty face like that."Lara clenched her fists, incandescent with rage....In the ambulance, Debra coughed up another mouthful of blood. It splattered right onto William's white coat."Aw." William almost griped about the mess, holding back only at the sight of her bad condition.He had to save her, no matter what. It was a promise he'd made to Andrew.He didn't even want to think about what would happen to him if Debra didn't make it today."Maybe another shot of painkiller? We've gotta get that bullet out fast," a medic suggested."Yo