The atmosphere grew heavy as Drake emerged with his men."Give up," he said. "Your men have been held off."The masked man laughed coldly, "What a trap! The new generation is impressive. But do you think I have no plan B?"Debra's instincts flared at his words, but before she could react, the icy press of a gun barrel jammed against the back of her skull froze her in place."What are you doing?" Erica shouted furiously.Fermin showed no trace of his earlier panic. His expression had shifted to one of detached amusement."Brother?" Liza stared in disbelief.Marion instinctively stepped forward, only to freeze when he saw the weapon trained on Debra. His hand tightened around the pistol at his waist, ready to strike at the first opening.Fermin smirked, "Don't move, Marion. I know you're fast, but are you willing to gamble Debra's life on it?"Randy pointed an accusing finger. "Why betray us?""How naïve!" Fermin's voice dripped with disdain. "We're all businesspeople here driv
Drake failed to wrest the gun away. Kale, poised to assist, froze as a deafening sound ripped through the air.Debra let out a pained grunt. Blood streamed down her shoulder, her face paling instantly. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead from the searing agony.Drake stiffened mid-motion, while Marion's expression darkened like a gathering storm. He raised his pistol, aiming squarely at the back of Fermin's head.Fermin was unfazed. "Choose wisely. Next time, it won't be her shoulder."The threat sent an uncharacteristic tremor through Marion's hand.Everyone had witnessed Fermin's lethal precision. By the time Marion steadied himself, Fermin had already dragged Debra away.Randy shook Marion's arm. "Do something."Debra's earlier words echoed in Marion's mind. "Marion, stay calm. They still need me alive."Her resolute gaze burned behind his eyes. He forced himself to calm down and started to think about the whole event."What the hell is wrong with Fermin?" he demanded, glari
Juan handed Debra over to Jordan. "Stop the bleeding. Keep her alive."Jordan met Juan's gaze briefly before glancing down at Debra's limp form."Okay," he said flatly.Vickie shot Juan a venomous look. "Still clinging to old feelings, Mr. Nichols? So desperate to keep her breathing."Juan's eyes narrowed. "Know your place. One more word, and I'll remove that tongue myself."Before Vickie could retort, the masked man cut in, "Enough! Debra stays alive. We need the treasure's location.""Yes, Boss." Vickie bowed her head.Jordan laid Debra across a truck bed. He rifled through a first-aid kit, administering a painkiller before cleaning and stitching her wound.Debra stirred weakly, her vision blurring as she recognized him."Don't move," Jordan muttered. "I'm getting you out of here."Debra gripped his wrist. "No. If I leave, they'll suspect you. I have to stay.""You can stay here. It's too dangerous," Jordan insisted, grabbing her arm. "I'm taking you back.""Don't be reck
"Fermin," Barton replied. "As you suspected, the Eaton family has secrets."Andrew fell silent, staring at the monitor that displayed the footage from the day Garland jumped out of the window. He was unconscious for about a minute before he got up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and then looked directly at the camera.The next second, the camera was shattered by a silenced pistol shot."The Eaton family heir has a split personality. If this went out, it would cause a huge scandal. No wonder Mr. Eaton Sr. has been trying to hide it.""Sir, is he a friend or foe?" Barton asked."For now, he seems more like an enemy." Andrew paused before continuing, "Tell Marion and the others to come back."After Barton left, Andrew tried to calm his unease. With Juan and Jordan there, Debra would not suffer much....Debra slowly regained consciousness, recognizing the familiar surroundings of the Nichols Mansion. A doctor was by her side, bandaging her wounds.Seeing that she was awake, th
The masked man patted Juan on the shoulder. "Come with me."Juan glanced at the door to Debra's room once again before following the masked man to the fifth floor.The hallway was shrouded in darkness. The masked man pushed open a door to reveal a master bedroom frozen in time, its décor untouched for decades.A massive oil painting dominated the wall. It was the wedding portrait of a couple. The woman radiated serene elegance, while the man beside her bore a striking resemblance to Juan, his expression stern and unyielding.The masked man strode to a vase near the bed and twisted it. With a low groan, a wardrobe slid aside, exposing a steel door that opened to a sleek, modern elevator.Juan's jaw tightened. He had lived there for years, yet never knew this hidden passage existed in his parents' old room.The masked man stepped inside first. The elevator descended silently to the second underground level. When the doors opened, Juan froze.The place sprawled before him like a sh
Juan gestured at the photographs surrounding them. "Is this the reunion you wanted? Let me remind you. Officially, you've been dead for 20 years. The Nichols family has no record of you, and I don't need you."In his memory, Jeffrey had always been a stern, unfeeling machine. Time had blurred his face in Juan's memory. Yet now, he was back to stir up chaos and trouble.Juan vividly recalled the turmoil after Jeffrey's sudden death. At the funeral, Melody had declared coldly, "The head of the Nichols family is gone. He no longer exists."That day, Juan had vowed to surpass Jeffrey and rebuild their legacy. He no longer had a father."Like it or not, you're my son," Jeffrey said calmly. "This is still my home. If Claudia knew how much you've grown, she'd be proud. I've watched you all these years. You've become capable and strong, but in matters of love, you're as soft as me. One day, that weakness will ruin you.""Save your advice," Juan snapped. "I didn't need it then, don't need
'Tear everything down and begin again? How could such an absurd thing be possible in this world?' Juan wondered.He didn't believe the nonsense but still asked, "What's your plan?""Debra is reborn. I believe Andrew is too," Jeffrey replied. "I've been searching for the trigger behind their rebirth, but I haven't found it. Maybe death is one such trigger, but who would dare risk it so easily? Only by finding the treasure can we uncover the pattern and start over again.""Start over?" Juan snorted. "That's ridiculous.""I am living proof.""You've been reborn?""After losing your mother, I was lost in despair and chose to follow her in death. But when I opened my eyes, I found myself alive, as if time had reset. However, I was only sent back to the last day of your mother's life. I couldn't change her fate. That was when I realized I had encountered something beyond natural explanation. So, I faked my death, left home, and spent years in the shadows searching for clues."Jeffrey
Jeffrey stepped back into the elevator.Juan remained silent, knowing that Jeffrey hadn't told him the whole truth.At the very least, Juan believed he hadn't been reborn. Then those memories of his past life must have been implanted in his mind while he was unconscious, likely by Jeffrey.If Jeffrey could do it to Juan, he could do the same to others. Juan decided to dig deeper to uncover what Jeffrey had been up to over the past 20 years.Melody had been confined in her room for days. At that moment, she was fuming."Where is Juan? He's back but hasn't come to see me. Does he plan to keep me locked up like this forever? Go tell him to come see me immediately," she sulked.Sophie said, "Mr. Nichols has been busy with work recently, so...""Is work more important than me? Does he no longer respect me?" Melody scowled, disappointed in both Jeffrey and Juan.Just then, the door swung open.Sophie froze, and Jeffrey gestured for her to leave. Still in shock, Sophie was eventually
"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