No one in this crowd recognized her as Juan's ex-wife, but that was to be expected.Orkgate and Seamar City were worlds apart, and the currency here was twice as valuable. It was reasonable that no one there had heard of Debra, especially since her family had gone bankrupt."As Debra scanned the bustling venue, Drake suddenly halted, extending his arm in front of her. She frowned at the gesture."What are you doing?""As my companion, shouldn't you behave like one?""So?"As she played coy, Drake withdrew his arm and snorted, "Whatever."With that, he turned on his heel, striding toward the hotel entrance. Debra hurried to catch up, taking his arm with a sweet smile. "I was just joking. As your companion, I'll stay by your side every step of the way."Drake was unimpressed. "I don't like jokes. If you do it again, I'll leave you here. The night here is cold. With your toughness, I believe you can hold up for several hours."Debra forced a stiff smile. She wouldn't admit that s
"Shaken? Marion is such a weak man. Can his grandfather lock him up if he really wants to save me? He is just pathetic. Don't worry. I won't change my mind. In this world, no one is reliable but yourself," Debra said."Well said," Drake replied, a hint of approval in his voice. He smiled, adding, "Once we bring Marion down, I'll hand him over to you. You can do whatever you want with him—whips, canes, anything you like. I guarantee we'll make him beg for his life."His words shook Debra's nerves, but she kept her calm facade intact. "Alright, I imagine that day won't be far off."As they stepped into the banquet hall, all eyes turned to them, glasses raised in greeting."Mr. Lowe doesn't usually attend events like this. What brings him here tonight?""Didn't you notice his companion? I've got the scoop that Miss Sharp has fallen from grace. This lady is his new favorite. Mr. Lowe brought her here to flaunt."Gasps of surprise rippled through the crowd. Everyone had been convinced
As the banquet proceeded, Debra moved beside Drake, listening to his introduction of the top businessmen in Orkgate. The Lowe family's influence stretched far and wide, and every businessman in the room sought to maintain his favor. Even though the Sharp family was hosting the event, it was clear who truly commanded respect.Debra leaned in and whispered, "You command such respect here, don't you?"Drake smirked, "Your ex-husband holds his own, too."Debra followed his gaze and spotted Juan across the room, effortlessly mingling with a cluster of prominent businessmen. His calm demeanor, perfectly measured smile, and poised stance reflected the kind of power that didn't need to shout to be recognized.Raised in the Nichols family, he had learned how to navigate power dynamics as if born to it.As Debra studied Juan from afar, Kale approached Drake with urgency."Miss Sharp is upstairs.""Make sure she doesn't cause any trouble.""Yes, boss."But before he could go into actio
Without warning, Yvonne raised her glass and threw its contents directly at Debra's face."Yvonne! What the hell are you doing?" Drake snapped, pulling Debra behind him. "Go upstairs. Now!"But Yvonne stood her ground, her gaze fixed on Debra with burning contempt. "I hear you're from Seamar City, Debra. Your family's gone bankrupt, haven't they? Quite a fall from grace."The crowd watched in stunned silence, curious about Debra's past.Drake's expression darkened further. He shot a warning glance at Conrad, whose hands were now clenched in desperation. Now he regretted acknowledging Yvonne as a legitimate daughter. She was expected to bring glory to the family, but what they received was only shame.He had planned to keep Yvonne locked in a hotel and eventually find a reason to cut ties with her. But now, things had spiraled out of control.In a final attempt to salvage the situation, he hurried forward and grabbed Yvonne's arm. "Your wounds aren't healed yet. Don't cause a scen
"Ms. Frazier, please follow me," Kale said.Debra followed behind him, but her attention remained riveted on Juan and Yvonne.The two laughed and chatted, their fingers dancing over the piano keys. They seemed to be lost in their own world.The crowd around them was entranced by the duet.Debra didn't get it. Juan was already engaged to Shelia. Yet there he was, flirting with Yvonne."These are the clothes Mr. Lowe requested for you," Kale said as they entered the presidential suite on the second floor of the hotel.Debra glanced at the gown in her hands, and a wave of realization washed over her. Yvonne had splashed water on her so that she couldn't keep Drake company for the night.Showering, doing makeup, styling hair, and changing outfits would take at least two hours. By then, the banquet would be nearly over.Yvonne was trying to sabotage her chances of becoming acquainted with the entrepreneurs from Orkgate and the key partners of the Lowe Group.Determined not to be ou
"I did promise you, but you defied me," Drake said."What now? Debra is upstairs and won't be coming down anytime soon. Drake, I should be the one by your side. Without me, how will you handle those men's desires?" Yvonne reasoned.Her words swayed Drake.Through her intimate liaisons, she had secured valuable connections for the Lowe family over the years. He couldn't rely on Debra to navigate those treacherous waters."Give me another chance, please. I promise I'll do better," Yvonne pleaded, clutching his arm.Suddenly, the soft notes of the piano filled the hall, drawing the crowd's attention. They turned toward the source, where a figure draped in elegance sat at the piano.Drake followed the sound, spotting someone with a hat that obscured half her face. The lively melody infused the banquet with renewed energy. Juan stood still, momentarily lost in thought as he absorbed the scene.As the piece reached its crescendo, the audience erupted into applause. Debra rose from the
Debra eyed Drake's hand wrapped around her waist, her brow furrowing. Every instinct screamed at her to pull away, but she held back."Are you dancing or juggling?""Cut the crap. Your turn to lead.""With pleasure," Debra replied, taking the reins and steering them into a clumsy waltz.As they finished, the room exploded in applause. In the corner, Yvonne seethed, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.Debra extricated herself from Drake's grasp. He excused himself and headed to the bathroom.While no one was paying attention, Juan swooped in with a smirk. "Well, well, well, it didn't take you long to find a new lap to sit on. Marion must be kicking himself for tangling with my family over you."Debra rolled her eyes. "Spare me the drama, Juan. What do you want?"She spotted Kale watching them from across the room, his gaze fixed and intense. She tried to shoo Juan away, but he stuck to her like a bad smell."Tomorrow, 8 PM. I'll wait for you at the cas
"I think so," Debra replied casually. "Next time, just give me a list. I'll memorize it.""You'll have it tonight, and you'd better know it by tomorrow," Drake said."For real?""Why would I lie to you?""And the video I asked for?""Not happening.""Come on, Drake. I need it for protection. You saw what happened tonight. Yvonne threw champagne in my face. Next time, it could be acid.""She won't get another chance.""What do you mean..."Before Debra could press further, Kale interrupted, "Boss! Something's wrong with the car."Drake tensed, grabbing Debra's arm. She tried to pull away, but he commanded, "Hold onto the handle."Debra felt the car speeding up unnaturally, and a sinking feeling hit her. Something seemed to be wrong with the brake lines.But Kale seemed to handle the situation with ease. The car was heading straight for the riverbank, and at this speed, they'd plunge into the water in no time.Drake rolled down the window by her side. "On the count of three,
"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