In the evening, Erica's new real estate project was launched at the Emerald Hotel with a banquet. Erica, partly a member of the Houston family, attracted a lot of attention with this launch. Debra received an invitation and arrived in a striking aqua-blue dress, instantly becoming the center of attention."Debra!"Erica rushed over in her high heels and gave Debra a warm hug. Randy, who was holding the dress for Erica, quickly kept up."Slow down! You're still wearing heels!"Ignoring him, Erica exclaimed, "This launch is going to make me billions. Can't I celebrate?""Do as you please," Randy said, daring not to go against Erica.Debra looked around, but Marion was nowhere to be seen.Perhaps he had given up after receiving that message. That worked out just fine.Debra caught sight of a familiar figure outside the door. It was Shelia in a white dress, followed by Martin Parker, GM of the Nichols Group. He said ingratiatingly, "Mr. Nichols couldn't make it today. Let me show y
Shelia acted like a victim, tearfully accusing Debra.At school, her tears might have elicited sympathy, but here, everyone was seasoned.Her tricks were futile, and they only saw her as a clown.Only Shelia believed they'd believe her story."You're shameless!" Erica sneered.It was her first encounter with such audacity.Shelia shed tears, sobbing, "Miss Mathis, I know you dislike me, but I'm not like what you think. I made a mistake and offended you that day. I'm truly sorry. Please forgive me."Her tone was humble.Martin, the lackey, stepped forward and chimed in, "That's right. Miss Miles is highly favored by Mr. Nichols, impeccable in character. You can't believe hearsay. For Mr. Nichols's sake, please forgive Miss Miles."He glanced pointedly at Debra, unaware of her identity."Who are you? And who is Mr. Nichols to me? Why should I care about him?" Erica glared at Martin, who paled instantly. "I don't give a damn about Mr. Nichols or anyone else. I just want this wom
"I can represent Juan, and the others are not needed." Debra finally broke her silence. "If anything happens after Miss Mathis drives her away, I will take full responsibility. You don't have to worry about it, Mr. Parker."Martin snorted, "Who are you to represent Mr. Nichols?"Debra raised an eyebrow, and Erica laughed out loud. "Who is she? That's a stupid question. Are you really working at the Nichols Group? Don't you know Mrs. Nichols?"Martin was dumbfounded, unable to utter a word."Didn't Miss Miles tell you about it? Erica continued sarcastically. "This is Mrs. Nichols, and she's also the daughter of the Frazier family. By doing this, are you trying to offend her for Shelia's sake?"Erica was as straightforward as ever.Martin's expression changed several times.Debra added, "I rarely attend events with Juan, so it's understandable that you don't know me. But I do remember you, and what happened today is memorable."She stressed her tone when saying the last few words
That had to be the funniest joke Randy had heard all year.Late at night, the doors to the banquet hall burst open, despite the security guards' efforts. Several black-clad bodyguards stormed in, led by Juan in a sharp suit. His penetrating gaze made everyone hold their breath. They hadn't expected him to cause a scene there.Juan scanned the room, finally fixing his gaze on Debra and Erica."Clear the room!" he commanded, narrowing his eyes.The guests quickly left the hall."What do you think you're doing?" Erica tried to intervene, but Randy held her back.It had become the men's battleground.Randy stepped forward and questioned, "Juan, this event is held by the Mathis family. Don't you know the rules?"Ignoring him, Juan stared at Erica. "Did you kick Shelia out?""Yes, it was me. What? Seeking revenge for your lover?" Erica scoffed.Juan's anger flared. "Shelia had a car accident. She's in the hospital!"Erica froze at his words, and Randy furrowed his brow."If anyth
As the two were in a standoff, Joe rushed in from outside and urgently whispered something to Juan.Juan's expression changed. He said, "Let's go.""Yes, sir." Joe followed behind him, casting a glance at Debra with a mix of helplessness and concern.Debra frowned. "Marion, don't get involved in this."She knew something must have happened to Shelia. Otherwise, Juan wouldn't be rushing off like this.If Shelia died, Juan would really turn against her.She didn't want to drag Marion into this mess.Marion had nothing to do with it.Marion reassured her, "He wouldn't dare do anything to you.""That's right. Who does he think he is? Making such a scene here over a mistress. Does he think he can dominate Seamar City?" Erica said indignantly.Debra lamented, "We had a good launch today, and now it's ruined. I'm sorry about this.""It's not your fault. It's all because of Juan," Erica said. "I think you should just divorce him. You don't need such a man."Debra shook her head.T
"We?" Juan chuckled mockingly. "Do you mean Marion and you?"Debra frowned.Juan approached her, his steps carrying an oppressive aura. "Last time at the hotel, were you with Marion and Randy? Was Erica just covering for you? What exactly is your relationship with Marion? How far has it progressed?"He seized her wrist, his eyes boring into her. Debra instinctively shook his hand off. "Enough! I have no idea what you're talking about!"Juan looked at his hand that had been shaken off, saying, "Pray that Shelia's face can be restored.Otherwise, don't blame me for taking action against them."A scream suddenly erupted from inside Shelia's ward.Almost instinctively, Juan pushed the door open and saw Shelia smashing a glass. By the time Debra entered, Shelia had already grabbed Juan's arm, leaning into his embrace. "Am I disfigured? My face is ruined.""Alright, calm down. The doctor said you need to stabilize your emotions, or the freshly stitched wounds might reopen," Juan gentl
Juan felt a burning anger inside. "If she wants to leave, then let her go!"Shelia stopped sobbing and looked up pitifully at him. "Can I really stay at your house to recuperate?"Juan rubbed her head and replied, "I'll have Joe get your things from your dormitory. It's inconvenient to stay at school while recovering. Just stay at my house."Shelia sniffled and leaned against Juan's chest, softly saying, "Thank you, Mr. Nichols."Joe frowned, observing the scene with concern.As a bystander, Joe could see through Shelia's pretense, but Juan seemed oblivious.Debra arranged for a moving company to remove her belongings from the Nichols family's house.In the evening, Juan brought Shelia home to noticeably sparse furnishings and a somewhat desolate atmosphere.He felt a pang of discomfort.Shelia asked, "Mr. Nichols, where will I be staying?""We have guest rooms upstairs."Shelia nodded and then hesitated. "My leg hurts. I can't go up myself.""I'll help you," Juan said gent
Erica clapped, praising Debra's strategy. "That's brilliant!"A faint smile played on Debra's lips.She didn't intend to target Shelia specifically, but Shelia's scheme prompted her to take action.At noon, Shelia slowly descended from the second floor, struggling a bit due to her injured leg. But upon seeing Sophie working in the living room, she couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority."Sophie, I'm hungry. Prepare lunch," Shelia said, her tone lacking any politeness.It was a far cry from her softness in Juan's arms last night.Sophie didn't welcome Shelia there, but since Shelia was brought back by Juan, she had to hold back her annoyance. "Lunch is served at twelve o'clock, as per Mrs. Nichols's rules."The mention of Debra struck a nerve."I said, I'm hungry. Didn't you hear it? Is this how you do your job?" Shelia sulked, her temper frayed due to the pain and frustration from her injured face.Sophie, choking back her fury, reluctantly complied.After all, Shelia
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