Marion stubbed out his cigarette.He had promised Debra he would quit smoking, but today, he relapsed.He had also promised her that he would stay away from the underworld, but just moments ago, he realized that laying down his weapons gave others the chance to put a knife to his throat."Do it," Marion said calmly.His men swiftly moved in, apprehending all the security guards in the courtyard.Inside the house, Kale rushed into Drake's bedroom, his face etched with urgency. "Boss, Marion is here."Drake tensed up, not expecting Marion to have the guts to show up again.Footsteps echoed through the house, followed by the shattering of glass and ceramics."Smash everything," Marion commanded, his voice hellish.Drake narrowed his eyes, about to get up, when a bullet whizzed past his ear, drawing blood."Boss!" Kale exclaimed, but Drake raised a hand to stop him.Kale stood protectively in front of Drake as Marion appeared at the doorway, holding a silenced pistol that was st
Kale stood aside, warily eyeing Marion."If you're here to take revenge for Debra, go ahead," Drake said, sitting down on a nearby sofa, ignoring the pain in his leg.People like them were used to violence and all kinds of injuries. He didn't believe Marion would kill him over a woman.As Marion stepped forward, Kale moved to block him. But a cold look from Marion paralyzed him.Marion turned to look at Drake and said, "Do you know why I'm not killing you?"Without missing a beat, he pulled out a syringe from his pocket and inserted the needle into Drake's arm."Boss!" Kale snapped out of his trance, but it was too late.Marion had already injected the content into Drake's vein. He tried to stand and attack Marion, but his injured leg gave way, and Marion grabbed him by the collar."If it weren't for our past, I would have killed you already.""Should I thank you for injecting me with this drug?"He didn't believe Marion cared about their past. He knew Marion was doing this b
Drake collapsed onto the sofa, convulsing. It felt like he was floating on clouds, the near-suffocating pleasure overwhelming him.Kale called out, "Boss, hold on."But Drake was completely oblivious to the outside world, lost in a dream-like state.Outside the house, Marion's face remained cold.His guard asked, "Sir, are we just going to let this go?""Burn this place down," Marion ordered."But..." the guard hesitated.Marion shot him a cold glance, and he quickly complied, setting the plan in motion.Within moments, the newly built mansion was doused in gasoline.Marion lit a cigarette and tossed the burning end into the courtyard. A fire broke out in an instant."What if Drake dies in the fire? Sir, he knows the truth about the car accident.""Don't underestimate him. He won't die, but he'll suffer."Marion watched the towering flames, regretting not killing Drake back then, which had allowed Drake to target Debra and work against him.At dawn, Debra finally woke up.
Marion set down the test tube and removed his protective gear."You know I didn't mean it that way," he said.Debra understood that Marion wasn't avoiding her out of disinterest but out of guilt for not protecting her better."I heard you burned down Drake's house.""Andrew told you?""It doesn't matter who told me. Did you do it?""Yes, I did. In fact, I wanted to kill him.""Then why didn't you?""Because I don't want you to be with a man who has blood on his hands."He had promised her to turn over a new leaf, but he wouldn't allow anyone to threaten Debra's safety. That was his bottom line.Seeing the guilt in his eyes, Debra hugged him tightly. "Who says you have blood on your hands? My dear, you're the purest man I've ever seen."She had been terrified that he would kill Drake. That would have undone all their efforts and burdened him with guilt.If they wanted to uncover the truth about the car accident that killed Marion's parents and the secrets hidden within Seama
Kale was annoyed by Liza's arrogance, but Drake remained unfazed."Kale, show your respect to Miss Eaton.""Did you hear that? I am your boss's savior and his fiancée. If you look at me like that again, I'll gouge out your eyes."With her threat hanging in the air, she headed back to her suite.Drake snorted, "Lucky for her. If she had come any earlier, I would have let the fire consume her.""But we can't mess with her family," Kale said with a frown."I know. That's why I didn't kill her when she talked like that.""What do we do now?""Find a place for me to stay.""I've already arranged it.""It should be near Debra's apartment.""But that woman is trouble."They had both thought Debra had only risen to prominence through her connections with Juan and later with Marion.But now, they realized she had the backing of the Mathis family, the Osborne family, and the Potter family. She was also the owner of the McKinney Group.Given how fiercely Marion protected her, Kale d
Shelia had been tied to the bed for two days. During this time, Juan hadn't regularly brought her food or water.Her mouth was still taped shut, and she had no choice but to relieve herself on the bed. The room reeked, and she was on the brink of going insane.Just then, she heard footsteps outside the room. Sophie tried to open the door but couldn't.Shelia struggled, trying desperately to make a sound to alert whoever outside, but her hopes were quickly dashed by a cold voice."Sophie."Sophie jumped, startled. "Sir, you weren't here last night. I thought I'd come in and clean up the room.""From now on, no one but me is allowed in this room," Juan said sternly."What about cleaning?" Sophie asked."I'll take care of it myself," Juan replied.Sophie nodded despite her puzzlement. Remembering something, she added, "By the way, Miss Miles hasn't been around for a few days. Should we send someone to look for her?""No need. I've already chased her away. Don't bring her up agai
Juan turned, leaving Shelia alone inside the room. The door was locked, sealing her fate.Downstairs, Sophie was in the storage room, looking at a strange silver mask and an unremarkable black suit. She didn't think these belonged to Juan.As Juan descended the stairs, he saw Sophie about to discard the items. He strode over to pick up the items."Sir, I found them in the storeroom and thought they were no longer needed. I was about to dispose of them.""These are mine. Don't touch anything in the storage room without permission.""Understood.""Also, this house no longer needs a maid. Go and take care of my grandmother. She's getting old and should enjoy her retirement. Don't let her go out without my permission.""But who will take care of the house if I leave?""I'll handle it myself. Just do as I say.""Yes, sir."Sophie gathered her belongings and left the house.Juan looked down at the silver mask. Then he placed it and the suit back in the storage room.He muttered t
Andrew said, "In the past, maybe not, but now it's hard to say."Erica furrowed her brow. "Is it because of Juan?"Juan's previous actions at the party suggested that he had allied himself with Drake.Randy grumbled, "Juan is a huge problem. Can't we take him down together?""It's not that simple," Andrew replied. "The Nichols family has been thriving since Juan took over. Even our ancestors had to avoid their sharp edge, and Juan's abilities are better than his predecessors."Erica frowned. "But why would he ally with Drake? Everyone knows about Drake's shady business, while the Nichols family's businesses are all legitimate. Is Juan trying to ruin his family?"Andrew explained, "Well, legitimacy might be the key here. Juan needs Drake's help with his gray business. He can't rely on Marion for that."He glanced at Debra and continued, "Moreover, Juan has his reasons for doing this. The alliance between the McKinney Group and the five families has threatened Juan's position as t
"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