"Just stay out of this," Marion said.Drake suddenly thought back to their childhood. In the slums, Marion was always the quiet one.There were many kids. Some swindled, some stole, and others fished for sympathy.Drake was the weakest of them all. Begging for food or money was his only option. The other kids bullied him and drove him to the worst place.Marion had been there with him. He had thought Marion was just another weakling. So, he kindly shared his bread with Marion, who didn't speak or eat it.The next day, a kind-hearted person gave him a gold coin, but when the other kids saw it, they beat him up and took it.At night, he hid in a haystack and cried alone.When Marion came back, he quickly wiped his tears. Marion tossed a gold coin in front of him and sat down in the corner.Different from other kids, Marion was always steady and composed.He still remembered Marion's first words to him. It was the third day they had been together.By then, he'd been ostracized a
Marion realized what was going on. "His door got blown off by the wind," he stammered."The wind blew it off? And I'm supposed to pay for it?" Debra said in disbelief.She found Drake's message on her phone and showed it to him. "Drake says some lunatic showed up at his place last night and smashed his door. Oh, and he sent me a security cam video. Wanna take a look?"The footage was crystal clear, showing how Marion barged into Drake's house.Marion didn't even blink. "I was just testing the durability of his door.""Come on. I'm not blind," Debra huffed, standing up. "Let me guess. You were afraid that Drake would spill your secrets, so you went over there to shut him up.""No, I didn't." Marion fidgeted.Debra crossed her arms. "He didn't tell me anything, and you tore down his door. You're paying for it."She tossed the bill at him and headed upstairs.Marion glanced down at the invoice and then Kale, who was standing nearby.Kale nervously bowed his head. "I'm just fol
"Mr. Lowe..." the driver started to explain.Drake cut him off with a kick. "This is trespassing. Do you have a death wish?""Mr. Lowe, this wasn't my idea. It was Mr. Houston..." the driver sobbed.He'd never driven a tractor before, and he just happened to be nearby.A moment later, Drake heard a car engine pulling up. He pushed past the driver and saw Marion stepping out of the car.Marion grabbed a sledgehammer from the trunk, and Drake's face darkened."Marion, stop!""Why? I'm here to fix your door. Saving you money. Isn't that great?"Marion headed straight to the door.Drake quickly pulled out his phone, warning, "You touch that door, and I'm calling Debra."He might not be able to handle Marion, but someone else could.Sure enough, Marion paused and turned around.Drake scoffed, "Got ya! Listen up. If you're gonna fix the door, do it right. Otherwise, I'll make Debra pay for it."Marion tossed the sledgehammer to the tractor driver. "You do it.""Me?" The guy poi
"Come on. Don't you see that giant tractor? I'm blessed that he didn't tear down my house," Drake snorted.Debra leaned in and whispered, "I added an extra 20 thousand dollars to the card. Just stop fussing over it.""That's more like it," Drake muttered.Then he caught on and frowned. "Wait, do you think I lack money?""Well then, I'll take him back and give him a proper talking-to," she said, turning to the bodyguard. "Help Mr. Lowe clean his yard. Look at the dust."She grabbed Marion and led him to leave.Once they were outside, Debra yanked open the car door."Are you going in on your own, or do you want me to invite you in?""Let me hold the door for you.""Don't give me that. Why did you come here?""Just trying to scare him a bit.""With a tractor and a sledgehammer?""Knife." Marion lowered his head. "Are you mad?""Not exactly.""Are you upset?""Not really.""Then...""I just feel helpless."The whole thing was both funny and annoying.Using a knife to sca
Debra looked sideways at Marion. "What's wrong? You seem kind of tense.""It's nothing." Marion kept his eyes on the road.After a long pause, he asked, "Is Robert going too?""Probably. He is Theda's bodyguard.""Then I'll go too."Debra put her phone down and raised an eyebrow."Why? You're not worried I'll find out about your embarrassing childhood stories from Robert, are you?""I don't have any embarrassing stories.""Right. You still haven't told me anything about your childhood. I only know you went overseas, worked for Shawn, and teamed up with Drake and Robert. What about before that?"Suddenly, Marion slammed on the brakes.Debra almost bumped her head, but luckily Marion was quick to reach out and stop her from hitting the dashboard.Her heart skipped a beat, and when she looked up, she saw the worried expression on Marion's face."Are you all right?" He checked her forehead.Debra shook her head. "I'm fine. Just that stray cat darted out of nowhere at the wrong
Early the next morning, Theda's car pulled up outside Debra and Marion's new home.Debra was dressed in a casual, comfortable outfit. As Theda rolled down her car window, she saw Marion following behind Debra."Didn't we agree it would just be the two of us? Why is Mr. Houston coming along?" she asked."I'll be her bodyguard today," Marion replied.Theda looked at the uniform he was wearing. "Yes, you are."Debra explained, "He has nothing else to do anyway. He can keep Robert company.""Really? But I heard the Houston Group still has a lot of work waiting for him. Doesn't he need to attend meetings for future decisions?" Theda asked.Debra looked at Marion, who didn't seem bothered. "Meetings can be held online."Afterward, he sat in the front passenger seat, while Debra and Theda sat in the back."Let's go to the place we planned earlier," Theda said."Sure," Robert replied, driving smoothly.Debra asked, "So, where are we going exactly?""Where else? Shopping halls for g
"What about you, sir?" The attendant turned to Marion.He darted a cold look at her, and her following words died in her throat."Ladies, please follow me." The manager led Debra and Theda inside.Upstairs was a luxury presidential suite with a relaxing ambiance, a movie theater, and a top-notch design.Theda looked around, impressed. "This place must've cost tens of millions to build. The designers were probably brought in from the best. Mr. Lowe knows how to run a business.""This place is amazing," the manager smiled. "The therapist will be right in. Please make yourselves comfortable."Debra and Theda sat down in the massage chairs. Not long after, there was a knock on the door."Come in," Theda said.Six young, handsome guys in white shirts walked into the room. Debra's smile froze on her face."Dear guests, we're the therapists assigned to your session today," one of them said.Theda whispered to Debra, "Is this the special service Drake was talking about?"Debra rarel
Getting no response, Theda opened her eyes, only to see Robert standing right next to her.She cringed, suddenly feeling like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to."What's wrong? Why did you stop talking?" Debra asked, puzzled by her sudden silence.A familiar voice came. "Mrs. Houston, feeling good?"Debra's eyes flew open. She turned her head and saw Marion standing behind her, pressing into her shoulders."Marion...""Does it feel good?"Debra darted a glance at Theda, who quickly bowed her head.Debra forced a smile. "We're just doing market research."Marion raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what did you find out?"Debra hesitated and looked at Theda again.Theda took the cue. "Oh, we found out a lot. For example, services like this attract female customers. I mean, who doesn't like a handsome guy? Money can buy joy."Both men's faces fell.To smooth things over, Debra said, "Of course, we don't think it's much fun. We were on edge the whole time.""Yea
"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
"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,"