"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,
"Pardon me, I just never thought I'd see the day when the illustrious Mr. Lowe would be dripping wet like a drowned rat.""You're not much better," Drake retorted nonchalantly. "Besides, this isn't my first rodeo. I won't crumble just because you're having a laugh at my expense."Debra raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Judging by your tone, it seems your brake line has been tampered with more times than you've changed your socks."Drake shrugged. "Well, I'm the head of the Lowe family. In Orkgate, there's a cutthroat around every corner waiting to see me six feet under and steal my throne.""Fair point." Debra nodded.Orkgate was a hotbed of chaos, teeming with schemers who'd stop at nothing to eliminate Drake. The severed brake line was just another page in their playbook.Back at the Lowe Mansion, Debra hurriedly showered and stepped out of the bathroom. Lara entered her room, carrying an assortment of clothes.While toweling her hair dry, Debra inquired, "Where's Drake?""Mr.
"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
"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,"