"What did you say?" Liza was shocked.Cathryn was also taken aback. She had no idea that Drake was taking Debra to a banquet.Debra was Marion's wife now. She didn't know what Drake was up to."This is outrageous. How could he do this?" Liza gritted her teeth. "Cathryn, did you see it? Debra is nothing but a seductress. She has Marion and still wants to seduce other men. I'm going to tell my dad and have him cancel my engagement to Drake."Cathryn was still processing the news when Liza stormed off, leaving her behind.Cathryn realized that if Liza told Bert, he would bring people to the banquet. In front of everyone, Drake wouldn't dare to kidnap Debra, and she would be saved."Liza, wait! You can't go." Cathryn rushed after her, but Liza was already speeding away in her sports car.Cathryn panted because of her heart problem, grabbing the nearest security guard. "Liza has learned about Mr. Lowe's attendance at the banquet with Debra and is going to tell her father. You need to
"How is that possible? This place is crawling with your people," Debra said, taking a couple of steps forward.She caught a glimpse of a black car about 100 meters away. It was Marion, and she felt reassured.According to the tradition, Drake put a masquerade mask on Debra and wore a half mask on his face.Debra braced herself as they entered the gala. She had been to one such event before, so she wasn't as shocked this time.Drake said, "Hold onto my arm tightly, or I can't guarantee your safety."His words put Debra on high alert.Inside the venue, everything seemed normal at first, but she noticed that all the guests were men. There were no women, and the men were eyeing her lustfully.This made her uncomfortable, and she tightened her grip on Drake's arm.Across town at the Eaton Mansion, Juan watched as Garland struggled to do a handstand against the wall. Garland's face was flushed red as he groaned, "Are we done yet?""Not yet.""How much longer?""Three more hours.
Melody had been staying with them for days, refusing to leave. She claimed to be looking for Juan, but her actions suggested otherwise. She was constantly cooking and making tea for Bert, reminiscing about old times.Anyone with eyes could see her true intentions.However, Bert was still devoted to his late wife and would never be swayed by Melody.Juan replied, "Focus on your studies. Don't ask unnecessary questions."Just then, Liza's screams echoed through the house. "Dad! I want to break off the engagement with Drake."Garland covered his ears. "Don't mind her. That's my sister. She's always been spoiled. Just avoid her."Juan paid no attention until Liza shouted, "Dad, you must help me teach Debra a lesson. Not satisfied with having Marion, she is now seducing Drake. This is outrageous."Juan's eyes narrowed at the mention of Debra.Garland muttered, "Debra..."The name rang a bell. It seemed to be the woman who bought his news agency in Seamar City.Juan stood up and wa
Liza was annoyed by Melody's intimate way of addressing her father. "What has it got to do with you?"Melody wanted to retort, but Bert interjected, "Alright, I'll take care of it.""I'm only thinking of what's best for Liza," Melody muttered. "To be honest, Juan gave up his company for Debra. I came all the way here to make sure she pays for what she's done. We've been friends for so many years, Bert, and this is your territory. You must help me."Liza frowned. It was true that she wanted to teach Debra a lesson, but she didn't want Melody to meddle.She clung to Bert's arm and said, "My dad will stand up for me. Just stay out of it."She insisted on going to the banquet right away and catching Debra red-handed.Bert indulged her and ordered Carter to prepare the car.Across town outside the Legacy Hotel, Marion stared at the entrance and frowned.Through his Bluetooth earpiece, a subordinate's voice came through. "Sir, they have signal interference equipment in the hotel, and
"Drake, slow down."Drake didn't respond but slowed his steps slightly.In the center of the second floor was a large platform, usually reserved for performances. Today, however, Drake had a three-seater sofa placed there."Sit," he said.Suspicion clouded Debra's expression. "You're not planning to pull some kind of prank on me, are you?"Drake smirked, "Your life's already in my hands. Why would I bother?"Debra took her seat, while Drake snapped his fingers, the sharp sound echoing in the room.She cocked her head, eyeing him warily. "What's this? A magic show?"Suddenly, all the lights went out. Marion slipped into the venue unnoticed, his presence as silent as a shadow.The crowd didn't panic. Instead, a strange, festive atmosphere settled over the place.Drake's voice came from somewhere behind Debra. "I once told you I'd show you a glimpse of the future. Tonight, consider it a preview of the Lowe Playground. Since we're partners now, I figured it's only fair to show yo
Just as Drake was about to shout One, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the banquet hall.Drake wrinkled his brow. Kale rushed up, exclaiming, "Boss, the Eatons are here.""What?" Drake was taken aback.Seeing people already entering the banquet hall, he quickly grabbed Debra and pushed her into Kale's arms. "Take her away.""Yes, boss." Kale dragged Debra toward a nearby corridor."My shoe!" Debra's shoe had accidentally fallen.Drake spotted it and kicked it under the sofa. But the people on the first floor couldn't escape in time.Bert entered with Liza, only to be greeted by a lurid scene.Liza, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, screamed and covered her eyes.Bert commanded angrily, "Clear the place!"Carter immediately went into action with the bodyguards.The guests present were all Drake's clients who never expected Bert to suddenly appear. Their enthusiasm vanished, and they hurriedly left, while the women arranged by Drake scattered in panic.Seeing th
"Miss Eaton, you are joking," Drake said. "Look around. She is not here."He leaned in slightly, his voice cool and deliberate. "If you don't believe me, feel free to search the place.""You must have hidden her somewhere," Liza snorted, turning to Bert. "Dad, you saw everything. This man here is unfaithful and despicable. I will never marry someone like him."Bert let out a measured breath, turning to Drake. "Liza is my dearest daughter. When I agreed to this marriage, it was because you seemed like a promising young man with sincerity. But now, it's clear that you're unfit to be her husband. Consider this engagement annulled."Drake tried to argue, "I...""There's no need to explain," Bert interrupted. "While this marriage won't proceed, business is another matter. To compensate for any loss of face this decision may bring to the Lowe family, I'll ensure our partnership remains intact."Drake's tense features relaxed into calmness. He had long grown weary of Liza's spoiled, ent
Debra's breath hitched in her throat.If Drake came in now, Frederic would be doomed.Outside, Kale said, "Boss, I have a room card. Why don't we just go in?"Drake ignored him and demanded again, "Debra, I'm being very polite right now. Don't make me break down the door."Debra glanced at Frederic, who already had his gun drawn. She quickly reached out and pressed down on his hand, shouting toward the door, "Just a moment."Drake picked up on the tremor in her voice. "What's going on? Is someone with you?"Debra's heart skipped a beat. "No, I'm taking a bath.""At such a point? You think I'm that gullible?" Drake scoffed, his patience wearing thin. "Hurry up, or I'm coming in.""Boss, don't waste time with her. She's been holed up in there for ages. Something's definitely up," Kale said, swiftly using the room card to open the door.The room was empty, but the bathroom door was tightly shut.Debra's panicked voice echoed from the bathroom. "Who let you in?"Drake frowned, a
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