"No way," Randy refused."Me neither," Erica echoed.They'd helped Debra and Marion before. They knew how painful it was to do paperwork. Doing it again was no different from killing them.Drake stepped forward. "Let's pitch in. It's not that much work anyway.""Not much?" Randy nearly choked.The room was drowning in paperwork. Finishing it would take forever.Drake rolled up his sleeves and gestured to Kale. "You handle that side. I'll take this one.""Yes, Boss."Randy gaped, "Are you serious?"Jordan circled a small section of documents. "I'll take these."Before Debra could feel relieved, Drake added, "My time's valuable. Pay me by the minute."Jordan chuckled, "I'll work for free, but I want a ten-year partnership with the McKinney Group."Randy and Erica jumped out, seeing an opportunity."I want five million dollars," Randy said."I want the full collection of the latest limited-edition bag," Erica echoed.Debra flashed them a strained smile. "We're fully staffed
Drake knew Oscar and Chace, but he didn't know much about Michael.Michael sensed his gaze and smiled courteously. It made Drake feel like punching a pillow."I heard about the chaos and came to help," Oscar spoke up, looking around the room. "Looks like you guys are swamped."Chace chimed in, "Mr. Harper has honed his skills in handling paperwork. If you don't mind, Mrs. Houston, we're glad to join in and get these done by the end of the day.""Thanks, I appreciate it." Debra expressed her gratitude."I'm on vacation and can help too," Michael offered.Debra gave his arm a light tap. "Thanks, big movie star."Michael laughed, "Come on, we're buddies."Drake's frown deepened. 'Buddies?'He cleared his throat, trying to get attention, but Debra didn't seem to hear him.She turned to Oscar and said, "By the way, Oscar, there's something I want to discuss. Can you step out with me?""Sure." Oscar followed her out.Michael walked over to Drake and extended a hand. "Mr. Lowe, I'
Kale didn't quite catch what Drake said."Boss, what were you saying?" he asked."Pretty boy," Michael said from not far away.Kale understood the situation and knew better than to say anything.Drake hissed, "Don't speak when I'm working.""Yes, Boss." Kale bent back down to his paperwork.Outside, Debra spoke. "We've got Edgar under control. Go see him if you want."She handed him a key with an address tag. Oscar stared at the key, silent.Since childhood, his mother had fantasized about his father taking them back to Flesta. She had broomed him to be the heir to the Odom family and drilled into him that he was born with noble blood, destined to inherit his father's fortune.Even at the cost of selling blood and taking loans, she sent him to elite schools to cultivate his manners.Before Debra appeared, Oscar thought he'd spend his life repaying crushing debt. He never imagined he'd become the head of the Odom family.He handed the key back. "There is no need to see him."
Oscar shrugged. "Maybe you should check how much you've got on your plate."Theda and Robert didn't realize what was going on until they opened the door to Debra's office.Debra rubbed her temples. "How about midnight? We can grab a late-night snack.""Eight is fine," Theda smirked. "You guys might be great at a lot of things, but when it comes to getting work done, none of you can match me.""Perfect. I'll make a call. Dinner at eight it is," Debra cheered, dialing Marion's number.He picked up in a second. His voice was as gentle as always but tinged with exhaustion."Do you need me over there?""Yes, but it's not about work."Randy and Erica sensed trouble, trying to sneak away.Debra grabbed them both. "Where are you going? Five million dollars? A full set of limited-edition bags? I'll cover it."Randy cheered, "Wonderful! Why didn't you say so earlier?"Erica echoed, "Exactly. If we knew there were perks, we would've been done already."Without hesitation, the two of t
A swarm of black-clad men followed Marion into the office. Many of them looked like they'd been specially brought in from overseas."Holy crap! Marion's pulling out the big guns," Randy gasped.A few men in suits and ties walked in. "Madam, Mr. Houston sent us to help handle all kinds of affairs."Marion appeared soon after. "Let them handle the work. They're professionals hired from overseas. Some projects can't wait. We'll handle the important ones ourselves, and they'll take care of the rest.""If only you had told us earlier. We wouldn't have been sweating bullets for an hour," Randy said.Drake snapped his file shut and stood up. "Let's go, Kale."Debra called out, "We've got dinner tonight. Where are you going?""I've got a new house. Need to grab my stuff from the Potter Mansion," he replied.The room fell silent.During the month Debra spent recovering in the hospital, no one brought up the Potter family.Even though Debra hadn't said anything, everyone could tell she
Debra remained silent the entire way.Once they arrived at the Potter Mansion, Drake drove the car into the underground garage.He asked, "What do you say? Can you finish packing in half an hour?""I've already packed everything," she whispered. "Thank you."Drake acted like he hadn't heard her. "Come back within half an hour. My time is valuable."Debra nodded, realizing he was giving her time and space.She opened the car door and entered the house. It was as grand and solemn as before but felt so empty now.Andrew had been gone for a month. No more people were running up and down the stairs delivering documents. No doctors or specialists were hanging around. There was nothing left.Everything in that dream was still vivid in her memories. When she had run from the backyard to the living room, she had been greeted by warm smiles.She walked upstairs. When she reached the door to Andrew's study, her steps faltered.Inside, Andrew had been standing by the window. Basked in
Marion had told her to give him time, but he still hadn't given her a clear answer.She hadn't asked, but it didn't mean she didn't want to know.Drake and Marion had worked together. She believed Drake must know more than Robert."How would I know?" Drake threw away his cigarette. "If you want to know, ask him directly."Debra fell silent. Drake looked at her through the rearview mirror."Is he treating you poorly? Want to leave him?""Nonsense. I'd never leave him."Drake leaned back against the window. "Well, if that's the case, why do you care about some secret? You're important to Marion, and that's all that matters, right? I'll tell you this. He's never been this good to any other woman."Debra leaned back in her seat. "It's not that I care about the secret. I'm just afraid we might one day end up fighting because of it.""You're overthinking it. If Marion wanted to, he could keep that secret his whole life. Since he decides to tell you, he will. Just give him time."De
Debra frowned. "That's reckless. Street racing is illegal. What if someone gets hurt?"Marion chuckled, "Relax, no one's getting hurt."Debra wanted to argue, but when she looked back, she noticed something surprising.Despite the racing, everyone was oddly polite. They yielded to other cars and signaled properly. But when it came to racing each other, they went all out.While everyone else stayed within the speed limit while showing off their driving skills, Drake played by his own rules.By the time they reached Marion and Debra's new house, the usual 20-minute drive had been cut down to 13 minutes.Debra glanced outside, and those cars were parked perfectly in place."I'm first." Drake stepped out of his car, grinning.Erica got out of hers. "You cheated."Drake shrugged. "No one said cheating wasn't allowed."Randy quickly stepped in. "Forget about this guy. You're the real winner."Theda and Robert got out of their car, followed by Jordan. Chace's group arrived last.O
Under Randy's threat, Lara didn't dawdle. She swiped her fingerprint, and the infrared beams blinked out."My clearance only kills the lasers for three minutes," she said. "Taking me like this only slows you down. Let me go, and I swear I won't pull anything.""Three minutes? Then hustle," Randy snorted.She was full of schemes. Cutting her loose brought him nothing but danger. He would not fall for it.Lara kept her cool and led him toward the end of the hall.The place was futuristic, loaded with tech Randy had never even seen. Only people with the code could get in.Now that she had removed restrictions, it was now just another regular hallway.At the end stood a massive door. She spoke. "Our master is behind that. I can't go in, but I'll open it for you.""Do it quickly," he urged.She stepped to the side and used facial recognition. The door slid open, revealing a dark room.As he scoped it out, she broke free and tried to shove him in.Quick in reaction, he yanked her
As long as he twitched it a little, Lara would be dead.Randy growled, "Cut the crap. Try me again, and you're done."Lara didn't dare push it. She took a breath. "Okay. Follow me inside.""I know who your master is," he said. "Tell him to let Erica go, or the Osborne line ends with me."Her face shifted at that. He noticed. "What, you don't know who he is? Guess you're not that big a deal around here. So, quit stalling. Take me to him now. Touch me, and you don't live to see another day."Lara's composure crumbled.In the Illuminati, nobody knew the bishop's identity. She couldn't tell if Randy was bluffing or not.She had no choice but to lead him toward another entrance. Those goons didn't dare stop him. They just stepped aside.She took him deeper into the valley. The further in, the warier Randy got.The mist thickened, blotting out everything.At a rocky entrance, she used her fingerprint to unlock a hidden door in the mountain. It was mind-boggling that the Illuminati
Lara's face twisted. "No way he would say that. He wants the four families wiped out.""Take it up with him." Juan shrugged, heading out of the valley. "I'm not wasting my breath on you."Lara muttered in disbelief, "Our master wouldn't do that. This was our shot to take them down."Before she could piece it together, a guy rushed up. "Miss, something else showed up.""Who was it?" Lara snapped, annoyed.The four families only had Debra and Marion worth a damn to them."Looks like someone from the Osborne family.""Randy? What's that punk doing here?"Right then, a guy flew in from the mist, screaming as he hit the ground.Randy stepped out with a fierce expression. Lara barked for her crew to gear up.Everyone was puzzled, not expecting a wuss like Randy to be so good at fighting.He'd taken out every guard outside the valley solo, and not one alarm had been tripped. It meant he had memorized the layout, found the safest path, and dodged every trap.Lara sized him up serio
The Illuminati crew scattered into the mist.The leader stayed, pulling off his mask.Juan's brow creased hard. This was all he could do for them.Debra and Marion hauled out of the valley.Earlier when they were talking to that guy, she had clocked his limp. Plus, he had tapped his leg to drop hints.Through those details, she had figured out it was Juan.Juan had fed them a load of crap.Erica was inside. The bishop would show himself if they managed to find her. He would let them go if they could make a deal.It sounded reasonable but did not hold up.The Illuminati had an edge over them. If the bishop wanted to meet, he wouldn't need to snatch Erica. Even if he had her, it'd be to trade for the gemstone they held.He commanded, and they had to comply because they had zero leverage to negotiate. If they had no leverage, the bishop would not let them go.This was the tip-off dropped by Juan. Her business instinct enabled her to perceive it.Erica wasn't in the valley at a
It was afternoon already.Debra and Marion parked their car outside the valley.Looking at the sprawling terrain ahead, Debra couldn't shake the memory of trekking through it with Kale just days ago.Revisiting this place made her shiver."Your injury's still fresh," Marion said. "I can go alone."Debra shook her head. "We agreed on going together. Besides, I'm not here to fight. It will be fine."Marion ruffled her hair. "Alright, we're in this together."Enoch brought Erica here to lure them in. That much was clear.Now that they were here, they'd get her out.With night closing in, they quickly followed the route they'd mapped out and headed in.The map from Juan came in handy. In less than 30 minutes, they reached a clearing smack in the middle of four towering mountains.Mist hung light in the air, and the jagged peaks all around gave off a heavy, oppressive vibe.Through the fog, figures in black cloaks and white masks stepped out.Debra slid behind Marion, their han
Jordan signaled the guards at the door to stop Randy.But they didn't stand a chance. In three seconds flat, Randy laid them out.Jordan watched him vanish down the hall, dumbfounded. 'When did he get this good?'At the entrance, more guards tried to block Randy. He didn't slow down as he threw punches at them.Even with their number, they couldn't catch him.30 seconds later, Randy was in his car, peeling out toward the valley. Scenes from his childhood flashed across his mind."Leg up. Fist tight. Punch!" Caleb shouted.Erica eyed the wooden dummies in front of them and aimed for perfection.Randy's attention was all on her. He was not interested in these self-defense skills at all."Randy, focus!" Caleb whacked his arm with a cane. "Get real or go home."Randy couldn't care less. The truth was, he had already learned it all.At eight years old, his freakish athletic genes got him shipped off to a two-month boot camp. There, his raw talent made him untouchable in the junio
Lara came downstairs, smirking at Michael. "This time, even if you want to let them off, it won't happen."Michael was unfazed. "Don't say stuff that'll get twisted. I never plan to do that.""Oh, please. I know you better than that," Lara snorted. "Drop the act."Growing up, Michael had been given the best of everything.They were both in line to take over, but Michael got the bishop's favor from day one.Even if he didn't fight for it, he'd eclipse her. The bishop's partiality never failed to rattle her.She was a woman. True. But she was not any inferior to Michael.The partiality was unbelievable. This world's full of women outshining men.She was the one to help the bishop build something huge. The altar was only for her to ascend.She stepped up to Michael. "Wanna bet on what happens when Debra and Marion hit the valley? I can't wait to see Debra getting pierced by bullets. It would be so much fun."She observed Michael's expression, but there wasn't a crack."You done
The guard at the gate quickly stepped out of the booth. "Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Houston. Unfortunately, Mr. Osborne isn't home.""We're not here for him," Marion said flat-out. "I want last night's security footage."The guard hesitated. "I'm sorry, but without Mr. Osborne saying so, I can't just hand it over.""Randy is lying in the hospital right now," Debra cut in. "Erica went missing from your place last night. If you don't cough up the tapes and something happens to her, can you take the heat?"The guard was shocked. "Mr. Randy Osborne in the hospital? And Miss Mathis is gone? I'll grab the footage. Hang on."He dashed to the security room. But when he pulled up the feed, the screen was pitch black."What's wrong? Is it busted?" Debra asked.The guard smacked the console a couple of times, and the picture flickered on. There was Enoch, stuffing a sack into his trunk and driving off.That explained why the cameras outside had only caught Enoch.Debra felt a chill run thro
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. "