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
"Juan, are you crazy?" Melody was shocked.Hester also paled, her bravado crumbling in an instant. She had mustered all her courage to speak up for Juan, but his words had turned her into a laughing stock in everyone's eyes. Tears welled up in Hester's eyes, threatening to spill over.Melody whirled on Debra, her eyes blazing with fury. "Debra, did you put Juan under a spell? How did you make him say such things?""Grandma, it has nothing to do with her," Juan said, his gaze lingering on Debra's face.She looked away, and the police officer announced, "According to Mr. Nichols' testimony, Debra was kidnapped by her family members, Stanley and Rosalie.""Go arrest them immediately.""Yes, sir."The police officers went into action. Juan showed no sign of defending himself.Melody gritted her teeth, her voice dropping to a low growl. "Are you disregarding our reputation for just a woman?""I admit to what I did," Juan said, turning to Joe. "Take my grandma back.""Sir..." Joe h
Pedro found himself in a delicate situation. He needed to maintain a balance between Juan's influence and the truth at hand. He glanced at Marion and chose his words carefully."Mr. Nichols, it's not that I don't want to cut you some slack, but..." His voice trailed off, hinting at the complexity of the situation.Juan, catching the implication, turned to Marion. "Mr. Hardy, you'd better understand who's really in charge in Seamar City."Marion said nonchalantly, "You might have been the overlord before, but now it's me."The atmosphere between them grew tense. Suddenly, Debra's phone buzzed with a series of incoming messages. She glanced at the screen, and her eyes turned to ice as she looked at Juan with renewed disdain."Mr. Nichols, is this your handiwork?" she asked.Juan didn't know what she was referring to. Debra held up her phone, revealing a series of explicit photos. The images showed her, clothes torn, lying unconscious in a dimly lit room. The implications were clear
The conclusion drawn was that Debra had deliberately found an excuse to let Juan go.She explained, "I don't think Joe was telling a lie. This has nothing to do with Juan."The situation had caught her off guard, and she had doubted Juan would resort to such despicable methods. Looking back, the plot was riddled with flaws.If Juan wanted to capture her, he wouldn't have stooped down to collaborate with someone like Rosalie. Something didn't add up.Despite her desire to divorce Juan, she didn't want to accuse him without just cause.Debra turned to Marion, her expression earnest. "I know you're worried about me and went to great lengths to deal with Juan. But in the end, I let him go. I..."Marion reached out and flicked her forehead. Debra's eyes widened in surprise. Marion looked at her with a gaze filled with affection."What's there to explain?""I feel quite sorry for you.""Do what you want to do with confidence. You have me behind you."His simple words seemed to prov
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
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