"Let go!"Debra tried to push Juan away, but his grip was like a vice. She couldn't break free, no matter how hard she tried. Her eyes flashed with defiance."Do you think this will make me love you? All it does is make me hate you more.""As long as you're with me, I don't care whether you love me or hate me."Juan's gaze bore into her, filled with a deep, almost desperate affection. It was a far cry from his image in her past life.But Debra knew better. She didn't forget what he had done to her and how he had killed her. Her feelings for him had been long gone."I don't want to be with you. Even if you use every trick in the book against the Frazier family, I will never stay by your side."She felt his fingers dig into her wrist. Now Juan's voice held suppressed anger. "Debra, don't force my hand."A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "When did the great Mr. Nichols start using these kinds of tactics on women? Do you know what you look like right now? You're like a humble suitor
Marion swiftly removed his coat and wrapped it around Debra, pulling her tightly into his arms. His voice was cold, laced with a hint of anger as he glared at Juan."You're despicable, Juan."Ben arrived belatedly, panting heavily."Madam," he said, catching his breath, "I've already called the police. They'll be here soon.""The police?" Juan snorted, looking at Marion. "Are you out of your mind?"He knew Marion's background and his involvement in illegal activities. It was a risky move for someone like him to invite the authorities.Debra was also taken aback. She whispered sharply, "Marion, do you even know what you're doing?"She wasn't sure if Marion's illegal activities had reached Seamar City. If they had, calling the police could spell trouble for him. He had been in this line of work for years and knew the game well."A certain CEO kidnaps his wife in the middle of the night, tries to rape her, and is then arrested by the police," Marion said, his voice icy and cutting
It seemed that Juan would get away with punishment."Please come with us to the police station," said one of the police officers.His tone was much softer, but this was not an outcome Juan wanted.Joe chimed in, "Didn't your chief explain the situation to you?"The officer nodded, unmoved. "He did, but we still need the three of you to come with us for a statement."Their insistence prevailed, and Juan laid his eyes on Marion. 'Is Marion behind this?'Debra was also surprised. She didn't know that Marion's influence had already permeated Seamar City.In her previous life, Marion had only established himself here three years later. She wondered how he had gained such clout so soon."We are just doing our job. Please don't make this difficult for us, Mr. Nichols," the officer reiterated, gesturing for them to follow.It appeared that a trip to the police station was inevitable.Juan cast Marion a cold glance. "Mr. Huston, well played.""Likewise," Marion responded, escorting D
Debra found herself unable to avoid Marion's intense gaze. His eyes, serious and sincere, bore into hers."I don't like being in debt, and I don't have any romantic debts. My heart belongs to you alone, now and forever.""I don't believe in love," Debra said, her voice flat. "Maybe in the past, I could have fallen for you. But now, I don't want to easily fall for anyone."The lessons from her past life were too painful. She admitted that Marion's words had momentarily moved her, but it wasn't enough to risk the rest of her life.Life was precious, and having been given a second chance, she wasn't about to drown in love again."Alright, then I'll stay by your side until you accept me.""You..."Just then, the driver got into the car, interrupting the intimate atmosphere."Mr. Houston, Ms. Frazier, don't worry. It won't take long," a police officer said politely, taking the passenger seat.Debra suddenly remembered that the Houston family had a strong military background. The mi
Hester felt a surge of happiness when she heard Melody's promise. "I will follow your instructions."The police car loitered outside for half an hour before slowly making its way to the station. As they finally arrived, Juan stepped out, his face grim and stormy. Joe followed closely behind, his body tense with barely contained anger.The driver had intentionally driven in circles, aiming to make a spectacle of them and stir up public opinion. They cursed at Marion for this underhanded move."Mr. Houston, Ms. Frazier, please get out of the car."Debra emerged, wrapped in Marion's coat. Her eyes met Juan's gaze with an icy resolve.Juan glanced at Marion, his voice cold and accusatory. "Mr. Houston, you've got some impressive tactics. I've seen it now."Marion was unruffled. "Compared to yours, my methods are indeed more sophisticated.""Mr. Nichols, please come with us to make a statement," the officer instructed, leading Juan away. Juan's gaze lingered on Debra, but she refus
"Stop right there."Marion's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. Melody halted mid-step, her eyes narrowing as she turned to face him. "What's the matter? You're just a mere junior, an illegitimate son of the Houston family. Do you think you can lecture me?""You're right." Marion shrugged.Debra's heart swelled with a mix of emotions. Marion was ready to stand up for her, even against a prominent figure like Melody. After all, this wasn't a conflict between men but a war between women.Melody's gaze flicked between Marion and Debra, her lips curling into a sneer. "Oh, I see. You two are in cahoots. Debra, you betrayed Juan and hooked up with Marion, right? No wonder you're so eager for a divorce. You must think you've landed a better catch."Debra snapped, "Melody, I respect you as an elder and usually give you some leeway. But don't push your luck. If you go too far, I won't be so accommodating."In her past life, Debra had shown Melody kindness, only to be met wit
"How dare you speak to me like that?"Melody trembled with anger and humiliation. She had never been addressed so disrespectfully, and her shock was palpable.The officer, however, remained unmoved. "I've been very polite already. From the moment you walked in, you demanded to see our chief. Do you think anyone can just meet with him? You're impossible.""You..." Melody's hand shook as she pointed at the officer, her vision blurring with rage.The officer leaned in, his voice stern. "Who are you pointing at? This is a police station, not a place for your tantrums."Marion, observing the escalating tension, raised a hand to silence the officer. He said flatly, "We should show respect when dealing with the elderly."The officer quickly nodded in agreement. "You're right, Mr. Houston. It's my fault."Marion offered a slight smile. "Since Mrs. Nichols Sr. wants to see your chief so badly, bring him here.""Alright, I'll call him right away," the officer replied, hastily exiting the
Melody's eyes widened in disbelief, as she hadn't expected such disrespect from the police chief."You!""Mr. Hardy, take it easy," Marion interjected. "Juan is an important person. Arresting him like this isn't good for anyone. I think, after taking the statement, if there's no issue, you should just let him go."Eager to please him, Pedro quickly agreed, "You're absolutely right, Mr. Houston. We'll do as you say."Melody's face fell instantly, her displeasure evident in the deepening lines of her frown.Marion's tone shifted, his voice taking on a stern edge. "However, Mrs. Nichols Sr. doesn't understand the rules. Someone should properly teach her."A chill ran up Melody's spine, and she shivered involuntarily. Hester, sensing Melody's discomfort, stepped forward."Mrs. Nichols Sr. is quite elderly. Don't be so harsh," she said.Marion ignored her, and Pedro rebuked her, "Who are you? Mrs. Nichols Sr. doesn't understand the rules, but I've let it go because of her age. Are y
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