"Nichols, Debra, you both spoke so well just now. I really learned a lot," Shelia said.Debra couldn't bring herself to smile.Juan and Debra had been displaying their affection, and Shelia seemed to be hinting that it was all for show.She wasn't entirely wrong.There had never been any genuine affection between Debra and Juan."It's crowded here. You should go back to school," Juan said coldly.Debra was surprised because he had never spoken to Shelia like this before.She wondered what had gotten into him today.Soon, she figured it out. Juan must have been cautious because of the journalist's question earlier.Shelia couldn't conceal her disappointment.Since the night of her birthday, Juan had been distancing himself from her. Even though she had called him to explain the matter, it didn't help much."Okay, I'll go back," Shelia agreed.Juan saw Shelia's despondent expression and started to regret his harsh tone.Watching Shelia walk away, Debra remarked, "A girl's he
"Hey, that's my 98-inch Ultra HD TV!" Randy lamented, turning to Marion, and grumbled, "What is wrong with you? It accompanied me for countless days and nights. Just because you were in a bad mood, you broke it. You're simply...""I'll compensate you," Marion interjected.Randy sniffled, changing his tone. "You're simply rich."Marion had no mood for this banter. Randy continued, "Debra was so affectionate with her husband on TV. Does that bother you? Honestly, you should give up on her.""That's just for show.""She even purposely got close to Jordan at school. Is that also for show?""I saw that coming," Marion replied nonchalantly.He knew Debra wouldn't let such a valuable magnet slip by.Sure enough, in just a few days, Jordan and Debra had become acquainted, and the Potter family had even subtly helped Debra handle this matter. It was not merely for the sake of their reputation.They had every reason to distance themselves and smear Debra.After all, she was Juan's wife
Juan never guarded against Melody, who had brought him up.But Debra knew what Melody was capable of.In her previous life, her marriage to Juan was orchestrated by Melody.Melody had tampered with the wine without telling her.That was why she had avoided drinking earlier.After searching fruitlessly, Debra was filled with doubt. "Could it be my imagination?"In the dead of night, she tossed and turned in bed, faintly hearing movement downstairs.Since he started coming back often, Juan had cleaned up a guest room, and they had been sleeping in separate rooms like before.Debra pushed open the door and found the light in the kitchen on.She went down the stairs and saw Juan in a loose bathrobe, drinking cold water from the fridge."Juan?" she called out softly.In the dim light, she vaguely saw him stiffen."Why are you out here?" he said, his voice hoarse. "Go back!"His cheeks were unnaturally flushed, and she could tell something was wrong.Panic clawed at Debra's thr
Debra swiftly pulled out a stun gun as Juan was about to tear her clothes.Juan collapsed on the floor, his face flushed red.Rubbing her temples, Debra muttered to herself, "If this isn't handled properly, it could affect his health."Dragging Juan towards the bathroom, Debra drew a tub of cold water. After confirming it wouldn't be lethal, she started removing Juan's clothes.But just then, Juan opened his eyes.Debra froze in mid-motion. 'Damn! Looks like the stun gun isn't strong enough.'"Listen, I'm trying to help you, nothing more," she said, raising her hands high.The effects of the drug still lingered, but the shock had jolted Juan awake a bit."Get out!" he croaked.Debra ran out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.Soon, the sound of running water filled the bathroom.Seizing the opportunity, Debra went upstairs. As she reached the guest room, a strange fragrance greeted her.It was mixed with the aroma of the essential oil Juan often used for better sl
"Really?" Carrie's eyes lit up, but soon she deflated. "Someone so impressive wouldn't be interested in me. I wonder why he's here at our school. Can't be to pick up his girlfriend, right?"Shelia quickly thought of Debra.At the auction, Marion had defended Debra, so something might be going on between them.Sure enough, after Debra and Randy came out of Building #2, they headed towards Marion's car together.Marion even courteously opened the car door for Debra.This scene left Carrie stunned. "Isn't she a mistress trying to steal your boyfriend? How come she's getting into someone else's car? Does she know Mr. Houston? Unbelievable!"Shelia felt jealous. 'Why does Debra always have men surrounding her?'Inside the car, Randy naturally took on the role of the driver."You called me over so urgently. Did you find out who anonymously spread the rumors?"Marion was always so efficient."The ID was newly registered, but we managed to track down her IP.""Where is it?""Right
"Marion, are you crazy? How could that piece of sewage area be worth billions?"Even if they used it to launder money, it wouldn't be worth ten billion dollars.Randy gestured as if to pat Marion's forehead, but Marion swatted his hand aside. "The municipality has issued a document.""What kind?" Randy scratched his head, clueless.Debra explained, "For urban environmental protection and greening, the municipality will fund the redevelopment of all sewage areas. So, this place will soon become a greenbelt, and I won't need to spend a dime.""For real?" Randy was skeptical."Additionally, I'll receive a two-billion-dollar subsidy for corporate development," Debra said."What?" Randy stood up from his chair.Marion calmly added, "Moreover, the surrounding land was owned by the real estate tycoon, Mr. Stephen. For this conversion, he has started a new project to transform the area into high-end residential and commercial developments.""Are we talking about a major redevelopment
Debra, who had kept her phone on mute the whole way, took it out and saw two missed calls from Ralph.She raised an eyebrow. "He sure finds out things fast."Randy asked curiously, "Who is it?""My uncle," Debra replied. "Looks like I won't be going back to school today. Could you guys take me to his home?"They understood what she meant.Ralph wanted a piece of the cake."I'll take you there," Marion said.Debra was surprised.Marion didn't have to do this for her."What? You don't trust my driving skills?""How could I? I just feel bad troubling you so many times."Randy couldn't hold back a laugh. "Really?""I'll never forget your help," she said, glad to have Marion escort her.Marion drove her to the Frazier family's house and even opened the car door for her.Word of this quickly reached Rosalie's ears.Rosalie couldn't believe it. "Who did you say? Marion Houston?"The servant nodded.Ralph heard it and asked, "What's going on? Marion is here? We've never offend
Rosalie was not happy about the revelation, but she didn't think Debra would reject Ralph's request.That was a piece of land measuring 60 thousand square meters.She didn't want Debra to benefit from it.Debra feigned surprise. "Green zone? Why wasn't I informed?""Because you've never been involved in these matters. Ralph is looking out for your best interests. This large piece of land will make us rich," Rosalie said, her eyes sparkling.Anyone with brains knew the value of the land once the municipal document came through.Debra sighed, "Ralph, why didn't you tell me earlier? It's too late now.""What do you mean?" Rosalie tensed up.Ralph stammered, "You wouldn't have...""I sold it three hours ago.""What?" Rosalie exclaimed."In fact, I bought it on a whim. Later, I regretted it because it turned out to be in a sewage area. It was a hot potato I was trying to sell, but there were no buyers until Marion found me today. He wanted it, and afraid he'd change his mind, I s
"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