Michael's face was alight with joy and relief. He stepped forward, wrapping her in a tight embrace, needing to assure himself that she was real and not just a figment of his imagination.Debra gently patted his back. "I promised you'd be a top actor and a superstar. I won't go back on my word."Michael pulled away, his joy transforming into a wide smile. He knew Debra wouldn't be taken down so easily."Why?" Michael asked, with a barrage of questions filling his mind. "Why did you acquire the Frazier Group? Why summon me here? Why not announce that you're still alive?"Debra leaned back in her chair. "Didn't you always suspect I was Tracy?"Tracy was just a pseudonym she had used to conceal her identity from Juan. The world thought the president of McKinney Group was a man, but the real mastermind was her.Michael had always been more perceptive than others, already suspecting her connection to the McKinney Group. She knew he would understand the meaning of her call for a meeting
An artist like Sean, who relied more on his charm and good looks than his talent, was bound to face a reckoning sooner or later.When Debra hinted at her plans, Michael understood that she had a strategy in place. Sure enough, within just three days, Sean found himself embroiled in a massive scandal.With the Best Actor Award ceremony fast approaching, he couldn't afford any negative publicity. Nichols Entertainment did its best to contain the situation, but the tabloids were relentless.The internet exploded with salacious rumors of Sean seeking prostitutes, sleeping with fans, and even being kept by a fifty-year-old female CEO.The scandal went viral instantly, with numerous alleged victims coming forward, armed with incriminating photos and evidence that Sean couldn't refute.Three days of escalating controversy culminated in Sean being blacklisted by the industry. Panic swept through Nichols Entertainment as their prized asset became a liability overnight.Worse still, Sean f
Upon receiving the news, Juan rushed to the seaside, where the rescue team laid out a piece of clothing before him. "Sir, is this the clothing your wife was wearing?"Juan stared at the clothing, his expression momentarily blank. He recognized the dress. It was the same one Debra had been wearing in the surveillance footage on the day of the kidnapping."Yes.""We infer that your wife must have perished, and the search and rescue efforts have been halted. Please accept our condolences."After days of scouring the sea with no sign of Debra, the discovery of this piece of clothing seemed to seal her fate.Juan frowned, protesting, "Her body hasn't been found. You can't just say she's dead."Before he could say more, Joe noticed his distress and intervened. He said to the rescue team, "Thank you all for your hard work these past few days. We will prepare a small token of appreciation for you. Please take a rest now."The team members nodded and left.Juan shrugged off Joe's hand.
But Juan's dynamics didn't even come near Melody's.The affection she had shown Debra in the past was merely superficial, a means to an end.Now that Debra was presumed dead, Melody had shifted her favor to Shelia, a woman she had once disdained, solely because Shelia carried the Nichols family's heir.The hypocrisy of it all filled Juan with a profound sense of disgust, a feeling he had never associated with his family.Melody, oblivious to Juan's inner turmoil, looked up at him with a puzzled chuckle. "Juan, why are you still here? Go rest upstairs. Shelia and I will handle things here."Her dismissive attitude annoyed Juan. His voice was filled with coldness as he declared, "If you like this house so much, you can have it."With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Melody staring after him in confusion.Shelia, sensing the tension, asked tentatively, "Grandma, is Juan angry?"Melody waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about him. He'll come back once he's co
With Debra presumed dead, he had to arrange her funeral and handle the divorce paperwork for the Nichols family once again.Juan let out a sudden laugh. It was a sound of resignation. "Alright, let's do as my grandma says."After all, his whole life seemed to be just a puppet dance orchestrated by the Nichols family.News of the grand funeral for Mrs. Nichols reached Debra's ears. The event was being held on a massive scale, almost as if to ensure that everyone in the high society circles knew about it. Invitations were sent out to industry elites, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists, each of them holding a significant position in the business world.Debra looked at the invitation in her hands, her lips curling into a sneer. Cutting off useless ties was a common tactic used by the Nichols family.It was the same in her previous life and this too."What should we do, Ms. Frazier?" Ben asked.They hadn't anticipated the Nichols family's rush to hold the funeral. If Debra were offic
On the day of the funeral, Shelia appeared in a black dress. Her belly was still flat, but she pushed it out to emphasize her pregnant state. She wanted everyone to know that she was carrying the heir to the Nichols family.Melody greeted the arriving guests with a dignified nod, but her gaze flicked anxiously around. Juan was conspicuously absent. She turned to Shelia, asking, "Where is Juan?"Shelia shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't see him this morning."Just then, Joe hurried over. "Mr. Nichols said he won't be coming today.""Not coming? That's not acceptable," Melody said unhappily.Since Juan and Debra hadn't divorced yet, they were still seen as a loving couple. It was inappropriate for him to be absent from his wife's burial.Melody ordered, "Go fetch him. Tell him it's my order. If he doesn't come today, he can forget about having me as his grandmother.""Understood." Joe quickly left.The guests whispered among themselves."Who is that woman with Melody?""
Melody furrowed her brow and chimed in, "Why didn't you come back if you were alive? Do you know how worried everyone was? And now you show up at the funeral. How thoughtless can you be?""You received the clothes retrieved by the rescue team and couldn't wait to hold the funeral. Naturally, I had to come and see for myself." Debra looked around the church, taking in the surroundings, and remarked, "It's a style I like, but unfortunately, I won't be able to enjoy it."She vividly remembered how she had tried so hard to please Melody in her past life. She had listened to Melody's every word and shown Melody with more respect than she had shown her parents.But Melody had seen her as nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded at will.When Melody found that Shelia could benefit Juan more, she welcomed Shelia into the family without a second thought, casting Debra aside like an old, unwanted toy.Like Juan, Melody had ice running through her veins.Debra turned her attention
The moment Debra stepped into the venue, camera flashlights flickered incessantly.This was more than just a news story; it was a sensation, a spectacle that would be splashed across every headline and trending on every platform. Some media outlets had even started live broadcasts. Debra surveyed the scene with cold detachment. This chaos was perfect for her purposes—a grand stage on which to blow the divorce news out of proportion.Joe sensed things were out of control and quickly pulled out his phone to alert Juan.By the time Juan arrived, the ambulance had already spirited Melody away, and Debra's people had efficiently cleared out most of the guests from the church.As Juan strode into the grand hall, his eyes immediately locked on Debra. A surge of joy propelled him forward, but before he could reach her, Shelia intercepted him."Juan, you can't go over there," Shelia exclaimed. "Melody just passed out because of her.""Move aside," he commanded, pushing past Shelia with
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. "
The maid froze. "Didn't Miss Mathis leave last night? I don't know where she is. But she's not here."A bad feeling hit Randy like a ton of bricks. He bolted out of the room and ran to the guest room next door. When he flung the door open, Erica wasn't there. The bed was pristine, with no sign of anyone sleeping in it.Erica was lazy as hell. There was no way she'd make the bed herself.Randy lost his head until what Theda had said suddenly echoed in his mind.If Enoch were the mastermind behind the Illuminati, he might have done something to Erica."Where's my dad?" Randy asked, his blood running cold.The maid had never seen him like this. He barked, "I'm asking you where my dad is."She stammered, "I called him last night like you asked. He came back for a bit and took off again."Now he confirmed that Enoch had taken Erica."Give me the phone.""Yes, sir."The maid handed it over.Randy dialed Enoch's number but could not get through.Sweat beaded on his forehead. The
Erica laughed, getting the implication.Randy coughed dryly. "Mom, what are you even saying? I'm not that kind of person."With that, he hustled Erica out of the room.As the door closed, she frowned. "What now? Your dad is suspicious.""Well, we'll deal with it when he gets back. Now take a rest.""Alright."He led her to a clean guest room."Yvette seemed fine just now. Didn't look like she's got any mental issues.""It comes and goes. She can be normal and confused at times.""Has she seen a doctor?""Yeah. They say it's from some big shock. If she takes it easy, she's pretty much fine. Her nerves are just shot. My dad kept her locked up here all these years. Probably doesn't want folks to know he's got a crazy wife."In his mind, Enoch always put profit and reputation first.If people found out he had a nutcase for a wife, he might ditch her. Even if he didn't, he'd freeze them out.One question was always hovering in Randy's mind. If Yvette wasn't tied to the Potter f
"Erica, let's head upstairs."Randy held Erica's hand as they walked up the stairs.The second floor was dead quiet, and the hallway lights were dim. At the far end was Yvette's bedroom.The door was wide open. Inside, Yvette sat at her vanity, brushing her hair.Nearing 50, she still looked good, though she'd let time take its toll. Her face was lined with wrinkles."Randy? You're back," she exclaimed, catching his reflection in the mirror.She turned around and saw him standing there, holding Erica's hand."Mom." Randy squeezed Erica's hand. "I brought Erica to see you."Yvette's eyes shifted to Erica, and she searched in her memories.After a while, she caught it. "Erica, I remember you. Randy always talked about you when he was a kid. I thought you two were just rivals or something."Yvette walked over to Erica and grabbed her hand. "Randy's a bit of a wild one, but he's great with girls. This is the first time he's brought a girl home. If you two are serious about each o
Everyone nodded at Marion's call. They split tasks fast.Randy drove Erica toward the Osborne Mansion, speeding through the dark.When they parked, he didn't budge from the driver's seat."Don't stress. I'm here with you," Erica said, squeezing his hand.She knew what ate at him. If Enoch was really the Illuminati's head, it would spark a war. His relationship with Enoch would be unmendable."I never saw this coming," Randy said, his face shadowed with a rare gloom.He had always known Enoch didn't care about him, Yvette, or their family.In fact, he had never known much about Enoch. Without Theda's hunch today, he'd never have linked Enoch to the Illuminati."If Enoch is tied to them, what will you do?" Erica asked, watching him closely.She knew that blood was thicker than water."I don't know." Randy shook his head.Being the heir to the Osborne family never mattered to him, but he could not deny his bloodline.If it came to picking sides, he didn't know if he'd back Mar
His teacher had been worried about that.Randy had racked his brain, wondering what a dad should be like. He'd wanted to roughhouse like other kids, only to receive cold stares.His mother always brushed it off, telling him not to chase fatherly love."Randy?" Erica's voice yanked him back."Huh?" He blinked, seeing everyone's concerned stares."I called you a dozen times. Why were you zoning out?" Erica frowned.Randy grinned weakly. "Well, Theda's got a point. Now I'm kind of suspecting him too.""She left a minute ago," Erica pointed out, squinting at him."I'm not covering for my dad," Randy said. "She made sense. Maybe I'll swing at home. If he's the Illuminati's head, he will be in the valley.""You were absent-minded while we hashed out the plan. Now you're playing seriously?" Erica teased. "We're not pointing fingers at your dad, just saying Theda's theory holds water. If you want to check, I'll go with you. We'll watch each other's backs."She didn't say it out loud,
Theda added, "When Jeffery ditched the Nichols family, even with his smarts, he couldn't build up enough money and power to challenge the four families that fast. Someone had his back. He once told me not to judge a book by its cover. You never know who's laughing last."Her cryptic words left them puzzled.Debra asked, "So, who do you suspect?""I'd say Enoch Osborne," Theda replied.The name dropped like a bomb. Everyone froze and then swung their eyes to Randy.Randy gaped. "My dad? No way. He's a stiff old fart, decent at business but the weakest of the four families. Calling him lazy is generous. He's a stubborn rock. How could he be the head of the Illuminati?""Don't sell your old man short," Theda said. "The last generation of the four families got hit hard. But your family? Only your mother lost it. Your father has played it safe, staying low-key and outlasting them all. I bet he's the one Jeffery meant."She shrugged. "Could be wrong. But if it's him, you're in deeper
It wasn't that Debra's crew was weak, but the Illuminati was too strong.The room fell silent.Theda continued, "Everyone here is riding your call. You know what happens when you throw pebbles at a tank, right?""I'm not backing off. We've got our reasons," Debra replied."I'm not here to talk you out of it," Theda said. "I'm saying if you need me, I'm in."Everyone blinked, caught off guard. She smiled, "What? Surprised I'd join? Or wondering why? Forget Robert's ties to you. You've already done me solids in Seamar City. I can't pay you back much, but I can pitch in here.""How do you plan to help?" Erica asked."Inside job. Boosts our odds," Theda replied. "I worked with Jeffery before. Being a Buchan, he cut me slack. With his Illuminati ties, they might trust me too. Need a message slipped in or intel dug out? I've got you.""You don't have to..." Debra started."No convincing me otherwise," Theda cut in. "It's not just for you. Juan's blood to me. Call it a favor he owes.
"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