Drake gave no response.Debra asked again, "You weren't some kind of enforcer in the past, were you?"He came out of the bathroom and called out, "Anyone outside?"The door creaked open, and Lara entered with her head down. "Yes, Mr. Lowe?""Help her change," he ordered, getting out.Lara rushed to Debra's side, tears streaming down her face. "Ms. Frazier, are you okay?""I'm fine. Thankfully, you understood my signal," Debra replied calmly.Lara had heard everything outside. She glanced at Debra's arm and whispered, "Ms. Frazier, your arm...""I broke it myself.""What?" Lara's eyes widened in shock. "It wasn't Peter?""He's not a bull. No way would one hit dislocate my arm," Debra replied.But if Drake investigated it later, he might suspect her.A woman trying to seduce her way into a man's favor was far less likely to ignite his protective instincts than one who was brave yet suffered unjustly right under his nose. She couldn't risk Drake seeing through her plan."I kn
The maids recounted the events one after another."Peter bumped into Ms. Frazier. We heard her scream for help, but when we tried to intervene, he yelled at us to back off.""I saw him slap Lara and threaten to throw her into the ocean to feed the sharks.""We saw Peter dragging Ms. Frazier away. She called for help, but Peter drove us away."...The maids, who had previously been subservient to him, were all accusing him now.Colors drained from Peter's face, and he said desperately, "Lies! You're all lying. I am innocent. These wretches are conspiring against me. Sir..."Drake narrowed his eyes, sneering, "I gave you a chance. You've wasted it.""Sir, please don't," Peter pleaded tearfully.Drake raised his hand, and the two mercenaries stepped forward, grabbing Peter's arms.With one final, desperate cry, he was thrown overboard, his voice fading into the night as the waves swallowed him.The maids huddled together, terrified, as the splash echoed through the quiet sea.
The disposal of Peter was so efficient that Debra had almost been caught.Lara whispered, "But how did you know Peter would be thrown into the ocean? What if Mr. Lowe had spared his life?"Debra explained, "A useless man like that? There's no way. Drake never lets anyone touch his prey.""I see." Lara nodded.Debra looked down at the phone in her hand. With Peter gone, no one would pay attention to his phone. And more importantly, this phone likely contained crucial evidence of Drake's crimes.If she could get this phone off the ship, it would be a critical piece of leverage to take him down.Meanwhile, at the bustling docks of Seamar City, Randy and Marion waited impatiently, their men scattered strategically throughout the area."Something's off," Randy muttered, eyes scanning the horizon. "Drake's ship should've been here by now. But there's no sign of it."Marion frowned. "What about the tracker?""It went dead hours ago. Drake probably turned off his phone, shutting down
"What is it?" Debra asked, trying to sound casual.The nurse smiled warmly. "Mr. Lowe asked me to bring you this for your wounds. He said you should apply it yourself."She then placed a tube of ointment on the table."Drake?" Debra muttered, not believing he could be so kind.Still, she nodded politely. "Thank you. I'll use it later.""No worries. I'll leave you to it," the nurse said, getting out of the room.Debra opened the tube and brought it close to her nose.She didn't know much about medicine. Toxins might be mixed in. It was better not to use it.Making up her mind, she tossed it into the trash.That night, Violet arrived at the docks of Seamar City. Stepping out of her sleek black car, she spotted two men leaning against a lamppost, smoking cigarettes. One was stocky, and the other wiry.Her lips curled into a sneer. "Have you taken care of the matter?""We've been waiting here for two days," the stocky man said with a hint of annoyance. "But we haven't seen the w
Lara was concerned. "What about you?""Don't worry about me," Debra replied. "Drake won't do anything to me for now. Make sure you get the phone to them.""I will," Lara promised.Soon after, she escorted Debra to the deck. The maids began disembarking one by one. Before leaving, Lara glanced back at Debra, who gave her a reassuring look and left.At the dock, a group of men in black suits and sunglasses stood waiting. As soon as Drake appeared, they stepped forward to greet him.One of them said, "Sir, Mr. Odom instructed me to welcome you here."Drake hummed in response.Debra was startled upon hearing the voice. It was none other than Edgar's secretary, Chace.She looked over and saw the Odom family's crests on their chests.The one thing indicated the close relationship between Edgar and Drake.Chace saw Debra out of the corner of his eye and froze. He hadn't expected to see her with Drake."Isn't that Ms. Frazier? What brings you here with..."Before he could finish, D
Drake watched with detached amusement. "With the meager salary the McKinney Group pays you, I doubt it even covers a fraction of what you spend in a day. I did you a favor by submitting the resignation letter."He paused and added, "Besides, you seemed pretty happy about it."She was indeed happy. Drake had just unintentionally given Ben a hint. Ben would be able to trace everything back to Drake. With the evidence and her testimony, they could easily pin Drake for illegal imprisonment.Drake always ignored laws and rules. Eventually, they would bring about his downfall.Debra stifled a smirk. Maybe she could even get from him some useful intel about the treasure or the car crashes that killed her parents and Marion's parents.After getting out of the car, Chace led them to a high-end hotel. Once Debra and Drake had each entered their rooms, he turned to the bodyguards and ordered, "Stay here and keep watch. Don't let anyone leave here.""Yes, sir!" the guards replied in unison.
Edgar's plan was all too obvious to Debra.He intended to use her as bait to lure Marion and Juan to Flesta, allowing him to stir up trouble in Seamar City.Unbeknownst to him, he had fallen into the trap she had carefully laid.Debra casually said, "You've been sticking close to Edgar. How come he sent you back?"She was aware of the truth but decided to play dumb. Chace fidgeted but soon composed himself.He replied, "Mr. Lowe is an important business partner, and I came back to oversee things.""Is that so?" Debra smirked. "Seems like Mr. Lowe's pretty special."Back when she had been filming the show on the island, she had learned about their arrangement.Over the past few months, Edgar had lost control of his many subsidiary companies, all thanks to her meddling. His position in the Odom family was in peril.Yet he hadn't yet realized how great the damage was. He was still bent on taking on the McKinney Group and Oscar. All the while, his company was teetering on the edge
In the hospital, a doctor examined Juan's wound. "Mr. Nichols, the injury isn't too serious, but you should avoid any strenuous activity. I recommend staying in for observation."Juan's mind was on something else. His phone buzzed, pulling his focus.He picked it up and saw an unread message, which had come in the night before.[Debra is being held by Drake in Flesta.]His face paled instantly. The post made by Debra had convinced him that she had been rescued by Marion, but it turned out she had been captured by Drake."Mr. Nichols, you can't move around yet," the doctor advised as Juan threw off the blanket and climbed out of bed, gritting his teeth against the pain.Out in the hallway, Joe rushed over to help him. "Sir, where are you going? Let me handle it.""Get a ticket to Flesta. Now," Juan said.Joe hesitated. "Sir, the company's in chaos. Mrs. Nichols Sr. has taken over your duty. You need to stay to manage things. You can't just leave.""Move." Juan shoved him aside.
Debra stared at the pendant.What had happened yesterday came flooding back.Kale was gone, and the fact hit her hard."It's my fault," she said in agony. "If he hadn't gone with me, he would have been alive.""Everyone makes their calls," Marion soothed her. "If there's blame, it's on the Illuminati. I was terrified, almost losing you.""I felt like you were nearby, so I wasn't afraid," she said, leaning into him. "They'll pay for hurting Drake and killing Kale. I'll make sure of it.""No matter what happens, we're in this together," he said.Exhaustion took over. She closed her eyes and drifted off.When she woke up, it was already noon the next day. Her injury kept her from moving much.Everyone gathered outside her bedroom. William came in to check on her."You're fine. Just change the dressings on time," he said, packing up his kit. "You guys can come in now."Debra adjusted her clothes and leaned against the headboard. "Sorry to trouble you.""We're in this together,"
William left quickly.Marion got up to lock the door and returned to the bedside.Sitting back into the chair, he switched on a dim lamp, making sure Debra would see him first thing if she woke up."Brother..." Debra mumbled.Marion leaned in. "I'm here."Her murmurs stopped, but her hands shot up, grasping at the air. "It's so dark. Save me."He grabbed her flailing hands right away. "Don't be scared. I'm right here."But she didn't calm down. She clutched his hand, her nails scratching at his skin. "Brother, save me," she murmured, feeling like she was trapped in a pitch-black hold.Cold seawater seemed to swallow her whole. The biting chill seeped into every crack of her body. The stench of the ocean made her gag.The water was up to her chin. She stood on tiptoes, desperate for a breath in that tiny space."Save me." Her eyes flew open.Familiar surroundings came into view. Her pupils darted until they landed on Marion. Her racing heart finally slowed."Marion?" Her v
Not long after, Marion came out with Debra.William nudged Erica and Randy. "Told you it would be soon.""How's she out here fresh after surgery?" Erica gawked.Debra was supposed to recover in the hospital, but seeing her unconscious form on the stretcher, Erica figured he had his reasons."Let's go back," Jordan chimed in. "The Potter Mansion's got a top-notch medical team. If we need gear, I'll grab it.""Yeah, hospitals suck anyway," Randy said. "Let's head back. It's freezing out here."They'd planned to grab food and head in, but Erica had made them wait so Marion could have more time with Debra. Now they were all sniffling."I'm... Achoo." William sneezed again, then bolted for the car. "I'm out of there. It's freaking cold."He had treated so many patients, but this was the first time he had fallen ill.Debra, still out cold, was loaded into the back. Marion stayed close, tending to her.By the time they reached the Potter Mansion, it was the middle of the night.Wil
William rubbed his eyes in disbelief.They had taken the emergency lane to the hospital, but Marion and the others arrived right behind their heels after going through a battle."We floored it. That's not the point," Erica replied.Marion and Jordan were already striding into the hospital.Randy grabbed Erica's arm. "Come on. Let's go.""Huh? William is still here." She was puzzled.Inside, the operating room's red light glowed.Marion arrived first. The hospital director greeted him, saying, "Mrs. Houston is in surgery now. Our top doctors have assessed her. The wound's been handled perfectly, and she is out of danger."Marion's face softened a bit. Erica heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God. She's fine now."They'd been terrified seeing Debra collapse in a pool of blood."You're wiped out. Why don't you rest a bit?" Erica said, turning to Marion."I'll wait here," he replied, his eyes glued to the red light.Until it turned green, he couldn't rest his mind at ease."Well
Michael raised an eyebrow. "My plan never included you. Does our master know you snuck here from Orkgate? And you've got the nerve to question me?"Lara glared at him, her body aching from the burns. Her face twisted with anger."Take Miss Sharp back for treatment. It will take two hours to get back, so she'll have to tough it out," Michael ordered, unfazed.Before leaving with his crew, he lamented sanctimoniously, "Such a shame, ruining a pretty face like that."Lara clenched her fists, incandescent with rage....In the ambulance, Debra coughed up another mouthful of blood. It splattered right onto William's white coat."Aw." William almost griped about the mess, holding back only at the sight of her bad condition.He had to save her, no matter what. It was a promise he'd made to Andrew.He didn't even want to think about what would happen to him if Debra didn't make it today."Maybe another shot of painkiller? We've gotta get that bullet out fast," a medic suggested."Yo
"Miss, the fire's cut off the road," a guard reported.Lara looked around, understanding that Marion had scoped their escape route, lured them with gunfire, and set the trap.The strategy was simple but effective. The terrifying part was that he had planned it in no time and carried it out efficiently."Miss, what now?" the guard asked anxiously, looking at the roaring flames.Instead of throwing in more fuel, Marion led his crew to an open spot near water, so they could douse the fire later.The dense trees left no way out.Lara gritted her teeth, grabbed a guy, and shoved him forward, using him as a shield against the fire."Dying for me should make you proud," she said, ignoring his thrashing.He burned, reeking of charred flesh. She covered her nose, broke through, and tossed him aside. The rest couldn't escape, awaiting death.Burns scarred her body, but she didn't stop, ignoring the pain and the screams from behind her.Following the plan, Jordan's team prepared to kill
It all happened in a flash. Randy couldn't even tell how the shooting started."What're you doing? Hide!" Erica yelled.He jolted, quickly ducking behind a tree.This was life or death. Bullets didn't care who they hit. Taking cover was important.He peeked out and saw Erica charging ahead. It reminded him of their childhood.She had been Caleb's favorite, but he had thought her skills were just girly fluff.Now? The gap was glaring. She was a beast, and he was a chicken.Up ahead, Lara couldn't gauge how many were coming.A guy ran up, reporting their hidden crew got wiped by Marion. Unsure of the enemy's numbers, they held back.Lara's eyes narrowed. She believed that Marion's desperation was driven by Debra's death."He's courting death," she sneered. "I thought he was smart. Turns out he's so dumb."Turning to the messenger, she ordered, "Tell Michael's people to close in. We're boxing them up and wiping them out.""Miss, we can't.""What?""Mr. Austin's crew pulled o
"What? No," Erica yelled. "If Debra knew..." "She'd back us," Jordan said, knowing what Debra wanted.She couldn't avenge Kale, but they could. They might not crush the Illuminati, but they'd make them bleed."Take your guys and come with me," Marion said."They've lost it," Randy muttered.Erica sighed, "I've been itching to teach those clowns a lesson too. Like sewer rats, they only know how to hide behind masks and cloaks.""Don't be impulsive" Randy warned."I'm going," she insisted, yanking out her gun. "Might as well go nuts. Like is too short."Randy tensed up. "You serious?""Stay back and watch Debra if you're scared," she said. "Don't drag me down."She charged into the trees. Randy stared, feeling like the weak link."Fine. I'll show you tough," he growled, turning to a guard. "Give me your gun.""Uh, Mr. Osborne, you sure?" The guard hesitated."What, you think I can't handle it?" Randy smacked the guard's head. "I was popping off shots before you were born."
Debra suddenly hacked hard, spitting blood.Erica and Randy lit up. Jordan heaved a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes."Medical kit!" Marion snapped out of it first.William hustled over, gaping at the scene."Debra, hang in there," Erica babbled, rattled."She can't talk yet," William said, rushing to stop her bleeding.Blood poured from her chest, soaking her."You're safe now," Marion soothed her."I'm okay," she rasped.The pendant given by Kale had caught the bullet and saved her life.Tears slid down her face. She'd sworn her friends wouldn't get hurt, but Kale was gone."Don't just stand there. Help me out," William urged. "She has got an hour at most if you don't move."The pendant had dulled the shot, but it was just a stone. Her chest still took a hit even though the wound wasn't deep.Erica snapped back, and Jordan signaled for a stretcher."I've got her," Marion said, lifting her onto it.The group watched with heavy hearts.As she was carried off, Mario