Marion rushed over to help her, having no time to deal with Erick. Debra was stained with blood, her face unusually red.He shouted at the maid, "Go fetch the first aid kit!"The maid hurriedly went off. When she came back with the kit, Marion snapped at Erick, "Get out!"Erick fled in a hurry. The maid followed him out, closing the door.Marion quickly tended to Debra's wounds. She was struggling to hold herself together."I feel terrible." She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her body was burning up, and her consciousness was fading."Hang on!" he said, holding her close to him.She found relief in his arms. A coolness spread through her skin. Marion placed her in the bathtub, cold water cascading down from the shower. Her thin dress was soaked.Marion kept his eyes low, focusing on wiping her body with a wet towel. Debra's hands were unusually hot. She grabbed Marion's wrist, her gaze unfocused."Marion, I feel awful," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. She had never fe
Marion's throat rolled. He reached out and supported Debra's neck. Just as he was about to fiercely kiss her, Marion regained his senses. Suppressing the desire in his eyes, he said in a hoarse voice, "If you still think this way when you're sober, I won't let you off, but... not now."Debra's eyes remained confused. Marion's hand struck Debra's neck, and she fainted in his arms the next second.Marion wrapped Debra's body tightly in a towel, then carried her up in his arms.Ralph and Rosalie were outside at that moment. Ralph didn't understand what had happened, but Rosalie looked tense.Marion emerged from the room carrying Debra. His cold gaze swept over Rosalie.Rosalie, afraid and guilty, averted her eyes."I'll settle this score with you when I come back!"Leaving those words behind, Marion hurriedly left with Debra.Ralph, puzzled by what had happened, looked suspiciously at Rosalie beside him and asked, "What's going on here?""It's Marion's fault! It has nothing to do
Debra frowned and said, "I don't know how she drugged me. When I was locked in therhe room, I couldn't find my phone either.""Rosalie's bold! I underestimated her before." Erica, infuriated, said, "Debra, don't worry, I'll go to the Frazier's right now and set things straight for you!""Don't!"Debra grabbed Erica's hand and said, "Marion and Randy have already gone. Help me with the discharge procedures now. I want to go see for myself.""Okay."Erica didn't refuse.There was such a drama. How could Debra not be present?After completing the discharge procedures, Erica drove Debra to the Frazier's.Meanwhile, the Frazier's was already in chaos.When Marion barged in with people, Ralph's mood couldn't get any worse. "Mr. Houston! What exactly do you want to achieve this time? Did we offend you?""You should ask your wife about that."Marion's gaze was fierce.Rosalie dared not say anything on the side.Ralph knew Marion wouldn't cause trouble without reason. He turned to
Lying on the ground, Erick heard Rosalie's words and quickly pleaded, "Rosalie! Please, Rosalie, help me! I don't want to be taken away! Help me, please!""Shut up! It's all because of your lustful desires. It has nothing to do with me," Rosalie retorted.Ralph instantly understood what had happened from Rosalie's words. "How dare you!" he exclaimed angrily.Rosalie quickly said, "Honey, let me explain!"Debra and Erica entered the Frazier's by this time, witnessing the chaos. Marion's men were still searching things.Rosalie's mood worsened when she saw Debra.Ralph approached Debra and demanded, "Explain yourself properly in front of Debra! Give me an explanation!"Fearful, Rosalie hastily pointed at Erick kneeling on the ground. "You know my brother has been divorced twice already. It isn't easy for him to find a new wife. Since Debra and Juan are heading for divorce, if they could get together, wouldn't that be good news?"Shrinking back, Rosalie continued, "Moreover, if
"Honey, trust me. I have nothing to do with this!"No matter how Rosalie tried to defend herself, this time Ralph showed no mercy. He raised his hand and slapped Rosalie hard across the face, causing her to fall to the ground. Her face turned pale."Y-You just hit me?"After so many years of marriage, Ralph had always been obedient to her. Even though they argued sometimes, Ralph had never laid a hand on her before!But for Debra, Ralph had argued with her several times and now resorted to violence!"You're engaged in such disgraceful behavior and caused harm and trouble. What do you expect from me? Rosalie, I've truly misjudged you! Debra's a member of our family. Your usual unkind behavior is one thing, and plotting against her is totally another thing!" Ralph pointed at Stanley beside him. "Look at what influence you've had on our child! It's an attempted murder! I shouldn't have married you!"Rosalie realized that this time Ralph was truly angry. Debra had always been a sore
"That's impossible!"Rosalie blurted it out. Debra raised an eyebrow and said, "Rosalie, when you joined us, was it for the Frazier family's money instead of my uncle, Ralph?""I..." Rosalie glanced discreetly at Ralph's suspicious look nearby and immediately fell silent."Of course, I genuinely love your uncle! It's not about the money!""If that's the case, signing an agreement to renounce inheritance rights shouldn't be a big deal," Debra said. "Later, I'll have a lawyer draft a contract for you. I can't really let you walk away with nothing."Debra smiled faintly, "Stanley can still work at the Frazier Group in the future. It's just relinquishing inheritance rights. If something happens to Uncle Ralph later on, although you and Stanley won't inherit his legacy, you'll still receive a substantial monthly pension. This way, your later years are secured."Upon hearing that, Rosalie became angry. "What good is a few thousand dollars? Debra, you clearly want to take the entire e
No matter how much Erick shouted, nobody paid any attention. Marion's people quickly took him away. Debra turned around to leave, and Ralph said, "Debra, I'll hand all the decision-making power in the company over to you. I'm getting old, so run it well. Those people in the company dare not disobey you." Debra turned back, furrowing her brows slightly. Regardless of how Rosalie treated her, Ralph always cherished her and never changed. "Uncle Ralph, thank you." After leaving the Frazier's, Debra walked briskly, avoiding contact with Marion. "Debra! Why are you walking so fast?" Erica caught up with Debra. Debra didn't even lift her head. "N-Nothing." "What's wrong?" Seeing Debra's face burning red, Erica put her hand on Debra's forehead, saying, "You're not sick, so why is your face so red?" Debra bit her lip. She really didn't want to think about what had happened today. Marion, walking behind Debra, smirked slightly. Randy honked twice to snap Marion out o
"Erica!"Debra quickly interrupted Erica, shaking her head at her."What happened?" Juan sensed something was wrong and said solemnly, "I have no idea today the Fraziers were having a family banquet. You should have called me...""You don't know? Debra called you, but you didn't pick up! Don't you have a mouth? Can't you ask questions?""A call? What call?"Juan looked bewildered. He had never received any calls today!Erica sneered, "How ridiculous! Now you're pretending to be clueless."Anxiously, Juan explained, "Debra, listen to me, I really didn't receive any call...""I just wanted to inform you, not necessarily have you accompany me. It's fine that you didn't pick up."Not wanting to argue with Juan there, Debra said, "If you want to apologize, I'm telling you I don't blame you anymore. Can we leave now?"Juan fell silent, unsure of what to say, and simply moved aside.Debra and Erica got into the car and soon drove into the neighborhood.Watching Debra leave, Juan t
"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