"Contact Edgar. Tell him that I'll meet him at 8 PM at the Royal Grand Hotel.""Yes, ma'am."Later that evening, the Royal Grand Hotel had been set up with an elaborate feast. Debra arrived, dressed in a black gown. Silver tassel earrings glittered by her ears, accentuating her long hair, which tumbled down her back like a river of night.She was a vision, mesmerizing enough to make anyone stop in their tracks. Even Edgar, who had arrived earlier, found himself momentarily lost when she walked in.He had seen plenty of beautiful women in Booton and even more within his circle, but none of them were like Debra. There was something about her, especially those eyes, which seemed to hold an almost hypnotic allure.By the time Edgar snapped out of it, Debra had already seated herself across from him. Her smile was polite but carried an edge. Edgar finally remembered the goal of this meeting."Mr. Odom, you've been in Seamar City for a while now. How are you finding it? Settling in alr
Debra remained silent, which made Edgar believe his threats were starting to take effect.His tone softened, as if offering her a lifeline. "Think about it before you give any answer."He raised his glass of wine, prepared to take a sip, when Debra broke the silence."You won't dare."Edgar paused mid-motion, his eyes narrowing dangerously."What did you just say?"His gaze grew darker, a silent promise of consequences lingering in the air, but Debra didn't waver."I said, you won't dare," she repeated, tilting her head slightly. "Otherwise, you would've made your move already instead of negotiating with me here. If you make a move, it won't just be the McKinney Group you're fighting.""Is that so?""I'm one of the McKinney Group's shareholders and, as you know, the legal wife of Juan. Opposing me means opposing the Nichols family. But that's just the beginning," Debra continued, her voice steady and measured. "The McKinney Group's biggest strategic partner is the Potter Group
"So, you noticed I was provoking him.""Crystal clear."Ben knew Debra's personality. She'd never stir the pot without a reason. But every word she had spoken earlier was aimed at Edgar's weakest spots. While he might have appeared outwardly calm, Ben could sense that inside, he was already fuming."You can tell it, but he's too caught up in his pride to realize it," Debra said, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "Edgar wants to take down Oscar. If he can't negotiate with me, he'll turn to someone else. We'll give him exactly what he's looking for, just enough to make him act recklessly."Ben caught on to her strategy. "You're setting a trap for him."Debra nodded. "Tomorrow, have our people reach out to him. Someone like Edgar, with his massive ego, won't be able to handle the humiliation for long. He'll rush into action and try to find allies who'll help him go against us.""But won't he think about the consequences?""I've already spelled out the consequences for him. If Edgar
Early the next morning, Ben handed a stack of contracts to Debra."As per your instructions, all our business partners have agreed to go along with the plan. They'll contact Edgar and express interest in signing contracts with him. In return, we'll compensate them generously."Debra nodded as she skimmed the documents, her lips curling into a small smile."If they reach out to Edgar directly, it'll be too obvious," she remarked, tapping her fingers on the table thoughtfully. "Let's leak a little information to lure him. Once he takes the bite, our partners can bleed Edgar dry. They don't need to worry about anything else after that.""Will Edgar fall for it?""Oh, he will," Debra said affirmatively. "After getting disrespected and humiliated, he will be desperate to prove himself. Once he's fixated on a victory, he won't care how much money or effort he pours into it."Ben nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, there's something else I need to bring up." "What is it?" Debra asked, t
Debra tidied up the desk and said, "Please keep an eye on some of my tasks for me. There's nothing extraordinary. Just ensure everything runs as usual. For business-related issues, consult with Marion and Randy. Most importantly, keep a close watch on Edgar. Report every movement of the Odom family to me.""Yes, ma'am."The phone in her office rang. She picked up the receiver, and the voice of the receptionist came through."Ma'am, Mrs. Nichols Sr. insists on seeing you. We can't seem to stop her.""What does she want?""Well, she didn't say.""Don't let her come up. I'll go down shortly.""Understood."The receptionist hung up, glanced at the glamorous elderly lady, and went to pour her a cup of tea."Madam, Ms. Frazier is coming down.""I'm her grandmother-in-law. She should come to greet me properly."Melody settled herself into a chair, sipping her tea with a scowl. "What kind of tea is this? It's terrible. Does the McKinney Group think it's acceptable to serve such poor
"I'm not here to cause trouble. I just have something to say to you."Melody tried to maintain her composure, but there was already a crack in her expression."Well then. But if I catch you making a scene here again, things won't be so civil.""Are you threatening me, your grandmother-in-law?""Not really. Just don't forget that I still have your IOU. If I were to push for repayment, I doubt you could come up with that much money in such a short time."Melody was furious but found herself trapped.Debra had the upper hand, and she had no choice but to swallow her pride."I see you don't want to make this mess any bigger. So, remember what I said. Don't test my limits," Debra added, restarting the elevator.Melody was not happy, but she couldn't afford to escalate things further.Once they stepped into the office, Melody glanced at the space."Looks like your boss treats you quite well.""Get to the point," Debra said as she sat down in her chair.Melody sat across from her
Debra's smile slowly faded. "Shameless? Me? Perhaps your memory is failing you. When Juan cheated on me with Shelia, didn't you once say, 'What man doesn't fool around a little?' Why does the tune change when it's a woman in question?""Men and women aren't the same.""You sure are hard on your own gender."She knew what kind of person Melody was. She didn't want to waste any more time arguing. Her tone turned cold and distant."If you're here to talk about that, then I think we're done. I have work to do, so I won't see you out."Melody's temper flared. She slammed her hand down on the desk."I'm giving you a chance here. Don't you dare be so ungrateful.""A chance? What kind of chance?"Debra leaned back in her chair, calmly watching Melody puff herself up with righteous indignation.Melody snorted, "You know just how many women would kill to marry into the Nichols family, don't you? The only reason you're wearing the title of Mrs. Nichols? Juan favors you. But if I were t
"Just now, when Melody came by, his car was already waiting downstairs." Debra was stunned, not expecting Andrew to show up so soon."Madam?" Ben called out.Snapping out of her thoughts, Debra gave a helpless sigh and got up from her seat. "Alright, I'm heading down."Andrew's luxury car was unmistakably parked near the entrance. Debra opened the car door, assuming it was just the driver inside.To her shock, Andrew was seated there in the back. The air between them immediately thickened with awkwardness."Mr. Andrew Potter, you're here in person?" She laughed drily.From what she knew, Andrew was always swamped with work. 'What on earth made him come here at this hour?'A faint smile played on Andrew's lips. "The doctor suggested I get some fresh air. But judging by your expression, it seems you weren't expecting or wanting me to show up.""Of course not. Your personal visit really flatters me."Andrew's smile deepened. "Get in the car.""Alright," she muttered, biting ba
"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