Shelia was gentle, understanding, and always considerate. Debra, on the other hand, had grown increasingly paranoid and suspicious, worn down by the emotional torment day after day.One evening, Debra made a full dinner, hoping for nothing more than to share a meal with him. When he saw the burn marks on her hands from cooking, a strange emotion stirred within him.That night, he ended up in bed with her. He was furious, not expecting her to drug him.The next morning, after he calmed down, he realized it wasn't Debra's doing.When he figured out Melody was behind it, he chose to stay quiet about it, burying the incident deep inside. But after that night, he grew even colder toward Debra. As someone who never knew how to express his emotions, he avoided her.Debra faced her darkest hours alone, and he saw the sadness in her eyes. Yet every time she saw him, she forced a smile and asked what he wanted for dinner, as if trying to keep things normal.That was when he realized, for
The Central Hospital was backed by the Nichols Group.To ensure the safety of Debra and their unborn child, Juan had made sure the hospital had top-tier medical equipment and plenty of blood reserves. There was no way things could suddenly go wrong.It was Shelia.Suddenly, Juan felt like a hand was dragging him out of his dream. He woke up in his hospital bed, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead."Sir, you should focus on your recovery. I've heard from my sources that Marion and Randy are heading to Flesta. Ms. Frazier will be fine," Joe said.The smell of disinfectant assailed Juan's nose, reminding him of Debra bleeding out on the operating table. He finally understood why Debra had been so resentful and terrified of him.He was the cause of everything that had happened in their past lives."Sir? Are you alright?" Joe asked with concern, seeing Juan's strange reaction.Just as he was about to call a doctor, Juan put on a puzzled expression. "Who is that?"Joe froze. "
'What is going on?'That was the last thought that flashed through Debra's mind before everything went dark.She didn't know if they were sent by Edgar or Drake."The guard will be back any minute. Should we just take care of her here?" Gavin suggested, making a slicing gesture across his neck."No. We gotta follow the rules. The client wants her to disappear without a trace. I say we throw her into the sea," Lennox responded, pulling out his phone.He snapped a quick picture of the unconscious Debra and sent it to Reece. "Alright, let's do it your way. Once the client confirms, we'll finish the job.""Take her away."Gavin opened a large suitcase they had brought with them, shoving Debra's limp body inside.As they wheeled the suitcase towards the elevator, both men seemed on edge. This was their first time handling a job like this, but the thought of the huge payout in the end kept them motivated.The elevator dinged. The bodyguard stepped out with the takeout, and when he
The streets of Flesta bustled with people as Debra slowly regained consciousness. She felt every bump as the vehicle sped along. The cold wind bit at her skin, making her shiver involuntarily.When the two men sprayed her with the sedative earlier, she'd instinctively held her breath. But she had still inhaled enough to knock her out for a while. Luckily, she wasn't fully under and could still think straight.The car rattled as it moved, and the sounds of traffic gradually faded, indicating they were driving away from the city center. Soon, Debra caught the faint scent of saltwater, blowing in through the cracks in the windows.Her heart raced as she wondered why they were taking her to the sea.She tried to loosen the ropes binding her hands, but her eyes were covered, leaving her clueless about her surroundings. She heard one of the men speak up."It's far enough. Should we stop here?""What a shame! She is pretty."The car came to an abrupt halt, and Debra forced herself to s
Gavin grunted in pain and stumbled back.Debra ripped off the tape from her mouth and tore away the blindfold. With all the strength she could muster, she screamed, "Help! Somebody, help me!""Shut up, bitch!" Lennox bellowed, charging at her.Debra had already managed to loosen the ropes tied around her ankles. Without hesitation, she kicked Lennox right in the groin, sending him howling in pain.Gavin rushed forward to grab her, but she swiftly knocked him down to the ground. It was clear neither of the men had expected Debra to know any self-defense.She silently rejoiced not slacking off during her training with Marion. If she had, she'd probably be dead by now."Help!" Debra shouted again, bolting toward the car.She jumped inside and slammed her foot on the gas, flooring it."She's running away," Gavin shouted.Lennox smacked him on the back of the head. "Stop shouting and give chase."But they couldn't catch up with the car. They panted, quickly giving up.Just then,
"Bastard!" Debra cursed.Drake, however, was unperturbed."Ms. Frazier, you're back."The bodyguard was even more shocked than Drake. Anyone else would have fled by now."Of course, I came back," Debra yelled. "Drake, you're insane. What did I do wrong that you asked your men to kill me?"She grabbed the gun holstered at his waist and snapped, "If you want me dead, shoot me in front of my face."She observed his expression, knowing it was not his order.When she escaped earlier, she debated running away. But she quickly realized how unrealistic that was.She wasn't familiar with Flesta, and Edgar's influence was far-reaching. They had all the means to find her.Plus, she didn't have any money on her. If she got caught while on the run, she would lose all of Drake's trust. Drake hated betrayal, and her fate wouldn't be much better than Peter's.It was better to return on her own terms, to earn his trust. But to justify her return after abandoning such a golden chance to escape
All the partners were ready to cut ties with the McKinney Group. Now, all Edgar needed was some cash for PR work. Once he brought down Oscar and smeared the reputation of the McKinney Group, it was game over for them.Chace, however, voiced his concern. "Sir, many of our projects are losing money. Are you sure it's wise to spend ten billion on PR against the McKinney Group? Isn't it a bit risky?""Risky? If we get all those partners on our side, we'll dominate the market. Ten billion? We'll earn that back in a few years. Do you think my business empire can't handle a little turbulence?" Edgar said dismissively.Chace remained silent, though worry clouded his face. He hadn't realized just how complicated the situation in Seamar City was until now.Projects were hemorrhaging money, and many partners had been poached by their competitors. Yet Edgar seemed unconcerned about the crumbling foundation beneath him.Ever since he received Debra's provocation, Edgar had been spiraling, obse
"Aren't you curious about how Kolton really died?"Debra's words stopped Chace in his tracks."What do you mean by that?""Everyone thinks he died of a heart attack, but the truth? Edgar killed him."Chace laughed, disbelief lacing his voice. "That's ridiculous. Why would he kill his father?""You refuse because you never had a father, so you regarded Kolton as your father. The truth is that Kolton wanted to find Oscar. Edgar saw that as a threat to his position and deliberately caused Kolton's death," Debra said.She was not making up things. It was something she picked up from a tabloid in her past life.Initially, due to the tragic love story between Edgar and Jade, Edgar's image as a deeply loving man gained significant popularity. However, some tabloids dug into his past and exposed the existence of Oscar. She had the chance to read that article, which was written very convincingly. It detailed how Edgar caused Kolton's death to secure his position, including testimonies
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
"What're you looking at?" Lara asked, stepping out and spotting Michael by the window."Debra says the stone Drake gave us is fake," he replied."What? No way." Drake shot up from his seat."Are you messing with us?" Lara's sharp gaze landed on him."No. Debra's talking nonsense," Drake insisted."We'll see," Michael said, unruffled.Debra was offering the stone on the condition of meeting with their leader. It fit her style."She thinks she can just waltz in and see our master?" Lara sneered."The stone's a big deal to him. I bet he'll agree," Michael replied, shutting his phone."Don't tell me you're sweet on Debra," she hissed. "You keep letting her off. Don't wanna kill her, huh?""Unlike you, I don't get off on killing," he countered. "If she's not in my way, why bother? You're out there slaughtering, just making enemies for the Illuminati. You're venting rather than serving.""You don't get it. I'm building fear for the Illuminati," she justified herself. "They need to
Oscar set down the receiver and threw his hands up. "I'm not resisting. Don't spook my staff," he said.Chace tried to step in, but Oscar's look stopped him.This incident was major. Almost half of Flesta's people had fallen victim.Everyone at the company, Chace included, got hauled in for questioning. As the head, Oscar was the main target.The line went dead, and Debra's heart sank."Those bastards," Randy cursed, "hitting us on both sides. No wonder the Illuminati has been quiet. They have been gunning for our partners.""They're smart," Debra said. "Can't take us head-on, so they go after our allies. They want everyone to see partnering with us as a dead end. If we let this slide, we're doomed eventually.""What should we do?" Erica stomped, fuming. "We just sit here and watch them pick off our friends one by one?""They're showing us what happens if we cross them. They want us to bow. The only way out is to flip the script and strike first.""Strike first? What does th
Seeing Debra's worried look, Marion said, "You should just focus on healing and leave the rest to us. We might not match the Illuminati, but they won't mess with us randomly here in Seamar City."The Four Great Families had ruled Seamar City for a century. Although the former heads had faded, the new generation was sharper and stronger. They could hold off the Illuminati's push.Debra's phone rang. It was Oscar calling."You free? I've got something to tell you," he said.Debra put it on the speaker. No one could guess the aim of his call.In Flesta, the Odom family's business was booming again. He should have been busy with work."What's up?" she asked."There's big trouble in Flesta," he replied. "We didn't want to bug you, but it's spiraling out of control. We're out of moves.""What happened?" She had a bad feeling.Oscar paused. "A new drug has popped up in Flesta. Tons of our staff got hooked, just like regular folks. The police are on it now. We checked our products and
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