"How did you know?" one of the men exclaimed, reaching for the stun baton in his pocket.Debra casually touched the crest on their chests. "The logo is wrong. Be more careful with your forgeries."She turned around and raised her voice. "I'm already here, Mr. Odom. Why don't you come out with Miss Eaton? We'll have a little chat."Soon, a figure emerged from the abandoned factory. In just half a month, Edgar had become extremely haggard. His face was covered in stubble. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt was dirty.Debra clicked her tongue. "Mr. Odom, you don't look so good. Is the allowance from the McKinney Group not enough for you?"Edgar was infuriated. If it weren't for her schemes, he wouldn't be in this state.Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How did you know it was me?""Liza, a spoiled and arrogant girl, would never apologize to me. I had people track your moves, but you got away. So, I guessed you'd come here. You need money, don't you?"Now that everything was expo
Edgar sneered, "All three of you are in my grasp. Marion, the Eaton family, and Drake are at my mercy."Debra glanced at the stun baton in her hand, her voice calm but biting. "What makes you think that way?"She began walking toward Edgar, her every step steady and deliberate.Edgar used to be the head of the Odom family. His fighting skills were not bad.But Debra's confident demeanor made him hesitate and wonder if she could really take him on.Liza struggled, managing to bring her stiletto heel down hard on Edgar's foot. He grunted in pain and loosened his grip on her.She bolted, but Edgar quickly recovered, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her back.Debra coldly stared at him. "Let me guess. You used Cathryn to lure Liza here and then used Liza to trick me, didn't you?"Edgar snorted, "So what?"Debra laughed mockingly, "Edgar, you used to be the most powerful man in Booton, and now you've stooped to kidnapping women to survive? No dignity left?""Dignity?" Edgar sn
"Not your concern," Edgar spat, pressing the gun barrel against Liza's forehead. "Call Marion and tell him to prepare the ransom. Otherwise, I'll kill her.""Go ahead," Debra said indifferently. "Cathryn and I are rivals, and I've never gotten along with Liza. Killing either of them won't affect me."Liza was pissed off. From the look on her face, Debra knew she was cursing her.Debra added, "Save your energy. Using their lives to threaten me won't work. You'd be better off making them call their families. Maybe Drake cares enough about his fiancée to pay up. As for Mr. Eaton Sr., he's old and ruthless. I'd suggest contacting her brother instead. Maybe then, you'll have a chance to walk away with the money."Liza listened with growing irritation. Undoubtedly, Debra was the devil's advocate."You make a good point," Edgar admitted, ripping the duct tape off Liza's mouth.She immediately shouted at Debra, "You shameless viper! You...""Shut up!" Edgar pressed the gun harder agains
The line went through, but the one answering the call was Kale.He warned, "Miss Bernard, I believe Mr. Lowe made himself clear. If you insist on bothering him, he'll show you no mercy."Cathryn hadn't expected this number to belong to Kale. It turned out Drake hadn't given her his number at all.But with Edgar staring at her from the side, she had to bite the bullet and try again. "Can you please let Drake take the call? I have something very important to tell him.""Mr. Lowe isn't interested," Kale refused flatly, ready to hang up.Cathryn cried out, "I've been kidnapped by Edgar. He'll kill me if I can't come up with a ransom of 20 billion dollars."But Kale was unimpressed. "Well, you're no longer engaged to Mr. Lowe. Whether it's 20 billion or 20 dollars, it has nothing to do with us."Cathryn's last hope was dashed. Edgar heard it and said, "So, you're useless now.""No. Don't kill me," Cathryn pleaded.Edgar snorted, "The Eaton family would pay 40 billion for Miss Eaton
Kale hesitated.Drake furrowed his brow. "What is it?"Kale sighed, "Miss Bernard was kidnapped by Edgar.""Oh, and what does that have to do with me? Edgar needs money, right? He wants a ransom?""Yes.""Well, he should be asking Marion for money. Marion was the one who promised to take care of Cathryn."Drake brushed it off and loosened his tie. "Go pack your things. We don't need to get involved in Cathryn's affairs. Someone else will take care of it.""But...""What is it now?""Debra has also been kidnapped.""By Edgar? Ha!""I heard it over the phone. Besides Debra, Liza has also been taken. It sounds like Edgar is demanding a ransom of one trillion dollars.""One trillion? Has he lost his mind?""Desperate people do desperate things."Inside the abandoned factory, Debra leaned against the van and took out her phone."Are you sure you don't want me to call Marion? Both of them have already made calls. What's holding you back?" she said."Shut up!" Edgar snapped.
"Me?" Debra muttered.Edgar held no personal grudge against Liza. The only person he hated there was Debra.She was the only reason for his downfall."Yes, you," Edgar replied. "You're full of tricks, and I don't trust you. If you don't take her place, I won't let her go."Debra laughed, "Then don't let her go. The Eatons are not after me anyway. And a little heads-up. If I get a scratch, Marion will make you pay a heavy price."Before Edgar could respond, she continued, "Well, I can go over and take her place."Edgar's eyes narrowed, and she added, "Relax! I might be able to fend off a couple of amateurs, but against you? I wouldn't stand a chance."Edgar scoffed, "At least you're self-aware."Only then did he cut Liza loose. The marks on her skin were deep. For someone who had lived a life of luxury and privilege, the humiliation was unbearable.She glared at Edgar, eager to slap him, but the cold steel of his gun kept her rooted in place.Meanwhile, Marion sped down the de
"True." Drake stood up. "Get the car ready. We're going.""Yes, boss." Kale shook his head.Drake never cared about his reputation. He just needed an excuse to go.Once in the car, Kale started the engine and asked, "Boss, where are we headed?""How would I know? Didn't Cathryn tell you where she was?""No, she didn't."Silence settled in the car.Inside the abandoned factory, Edgar glanced at Liza. "Fermin hasn't shown up yet. Looks like he doesn't care about you that much."Liza retorted, "No way. He loves me the most. He'll come to save me.""Seems like we can't rely on you. I should contact Marion instead." Edgar pulled out his phone, planning to instruct Marion to leave the money in a safe spot.Suddenly, a pair of headlights penetrated the darkness, shining directly at him."See? I told you my brother would come to rescue me." Liza pointed at the black car in the distance.Quickly, a figure emerged from the car. It was Frederic, who was dressed in a sharp suit that bo
Frederic caught Liza, who was paralyzed with fear, and pushed her toward the car.Meanwhile, Debra kicked Edgar in the chest and pinned him under her heel. "Tell me, what's in Seamar City?"She had gone to great lengths to corner Edgar, intending to have Randy keep an eye on him in Seamar City until she could return to confront him.But Edgar had fled overseas, taking Liza and Cathryn hostage in his desperation.With his thigh pierced, Edgar could barely fight back. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he spat, "What's in Seamar City? Are you seriously pretending you don't know? It's wealth beyond imagination. The kind of fortune every merchant dreams of.""What treasure?" Debra leaned in, her expression intense. "Be specific."Edgar's hand suddenly darted to his waist. In a flash, he drew a concealed dagger and slashed toward her. In reflex, Debra caught it.Frederic immediately raised his gun, only to find it hard to aim at Edgar. He was trying to use Debra as a shield."Help
"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