"Debra!" Drake growled. "I came to track down the guy who set me up. Give me back the key.""Oh, come on. Are you seriously trying to tell me that someone managed to smuggle out thousands of machines under your nose and set you up? No kidding. You're the CEO of Lowe Group, infamous for your ruthless control. Who'd dare cross you?"Drake huffed, "Ruthless control? Where'd you get that idea? Sure, the reputation precedes me, but that doesn't mean no one dares pull tricks under my nose."Debra dug at her ear, unbothered by his outburst. "You mean, this whole thing has nothing to do with you? Alright, I believe you, and so does Marion. But how are you going to convince others? After all, you were caught at the docks for transporting over 100 machines. Only Kale and you were found at the scene. How could anyone not suspect you?""I told you. It was a setup.""And who was it?""I had the guy in control, but as soon as the police showed up, he escaped."His explanation sounded weak, ev
Debra and Pedro waited outside the police station.Debra had her arms crossed, not happy that Drake asked everyone else to get out.She believed the two men were hiding something from her.A moment later, Marion came out, followed by Drake.Drake shook the cuffs. "Take them off."Marion turned to Pedro. "Uncuff him.""But the key is..." Pedro glanced at Drake."Oh, the key is with me," Debra said, handing it to Pedro.Once he was uncuffed, Drake simply walked away.Debra pointed at him. "He's just leaving like that?""Let him go," Marion said, leading her into the car.Debra couldn't help but ask, "What did you two talk about?""Some stuff between men," Marion said, making a shushing gesture."Are you just hiding it from me?" Debra pouted.Marion chuckled, "Drake isn't the mastermind behind all this. I knew that already. He's not smart enough to pull off something this big. He just told me some secrets about the Lowe Group.""What secrets?" Debra's curiosity was piqued.
"Please, don't get me into this," Randy pleaded."I don't want to die," Erica echoed. "I'm still young."Debra peeked out. "Excuse me, is K that terrifying?"Randy and Erica nodded vigorously. When they realized plugging their ears wasn't helping, they finally put their hands down.Erica said, "Listen. Whatever this is about, let them handle it. As for K's identity, we have no idea.""And we're not curious about it," Randy echoed.Debra studied their expressions. "But you look curious."Marion chimed in, "We don't know K's identity, but Drake has been secretly working for K's organization all along. We couldn't find anything because they've been hiding their tracks."Randy frowned. "Hiding? How? Every listed company needs a business license and detailed records. All their information should be online."Debra explained, "When Marion mentioned hiding, he meant their identity was concealed. The company wouldn't be called 'K Group' out in the open. It's probably a conglomerate tha
Garland and Liza were brought to the Potter Mansion. They were both bewildered as they were pushed down onto the sofa.Randy and Erica leaned in, eyeing them with a mix of caution and suspicion."Why are you looking at me like that?" Liza huffed.Garland fidgeted. "Is something wrong?""Suspicious, very suspicious," Randy muttered, stroking his chin. "The son and daughter of the Eaton family are both here. Are you planning something big in Seamar City?"Erica chimed in, "I've heard Fermin Eaton is a big shot overseas. He's top-notch in every way and has a reputation for being decisive. How could someone like that wear cartoon pajamas?"Garland was wearing SpongeBob pajamas. He retorted, "I was sleeping when you brought me here. What's wrong with my clothes? These are limited editions. You can't even buy them."He stopped mid-sentence, sensing everyone's gaze on him.Randy asked, "We're curious. You and your sister didn't come to Seamar City just for sightseeing, right?"Before
Garland and Liza were dragged to the guest rooms on the third floor."Give me a minute. Your rooms will be ready soon," Erica said cheerfully, rushing to arrange things.Liza, dressed in her pajamas, glanced at Garland. "Are they holding us hostage here?""I'm not sure," Garland replied, glancing at Erica and Randy, who were enthusiastically directing the maids to clean up the rooms. "Probably not. They seem pretty friendly."Downstairs, Debra asked Marion, "Do you think the Eaton family is connected to K?""I'm not sure about the Eaton family," he replied, handing her a peeled orange slice. "But Garland and Liza? Definitely not."Debra took the orange and popped it into her mouth. "I don't know. It just feels strange that they came to Seamar City at a time like this. Garland, in particular, is acting like a different person from before.""Don't worry too much," Marion reassured her. "Now that they're here, Randy and Erica will keep tabs on them. Their every move will be under o
Joe never thought Juan would be so heartless.When they found Shelia's body, they figured out the details. Shelia was killed by a bullet rather than fire.It didn't take a genius to figure out that Juan was behind it.Even so, Shelia was still Juan's wife before she died. If her funeral wasn't properly arranged, it would raise suspicions and wouldn't be good for the Nichols family or Juan."Joe, should we listen to Mr. Nichols?" asked one of the guards.Joe thought for a moment. "Let's go back and consult Mrs. Nichols Sr."At the old house of the Nichols family, Melody listened to Joe's report and frowned. "Juan is being foolish. So are you? No matter what, Shelia was his wife. Even if they divorced after her death, the funeral must be grand. Make the arrangements.""Yes, Mrs. Nichols Sr."After Joe left, Melody asked Sophie to bring her a mirror. She looked at her aged, weary reflection and felt a bit down.She was no longer young and beautiful. That explained Bert's disinter
At the Potter Mansion, Debra watched the news coverage of Shelia's funeral on the TV.She glanced at Andrew and said, "Come on. Is this really necessary?"The volume was so loud it seemed like he had cranked it up just for her. She didn't know before that Andrew was so into gossip."Sorry, I just turned it on randomly," Andrew replied, deliberately turning the volume further up.The corner of Debra's lips twitched. "Is there something you want to say?""Strangely, Juan is not at the funeral," he replied, rewinding the footage a few times.Melody and others were present, but Juan was nowhere to be seen.Andrew added, "His wife's dead, and he doesn't even show up. Could the rumors be true? Did he kill her?""What are you talking about?" Debra was puzzled.Andrew turned to her and said, "You haven't heard? Maybe I shouldn't say more."Debra didn't buy his act. "Didn't you say that just for me to hear? Why don't you go ahead and tell me what is going on?"Andrew leaned back and
"Thank you for your kind offer, but I don't think it's necessary," Debra sighed, setting her glass down. "Honestly, whether the Nichols family stays intact or not doesn't matter much to me."She got up and headed toward the door.Andrew called after her, "I thought you weren't interested in the funeral.""I'll just take a look." Debra grabbed a mask and slipped it on.The funeral for Shelia was grand, and she could blend into the crowd easily.Andrew turned to Barton. "Give her my invitation.""Yes, sir." Barton pulled the funeral invitation from his pocket and handed it to Debra.She glanced at it and raised an eyebrow. "Now you can't deny you've planned this."Clearly, Andrew had been waiting for this moment.Without another word, Debra turned and left the house.Barton spoke. "Sir, it seems Mrs. Houston doesn't want to spread the rumors.""We'll help her," Andrew said.He had anticipated Debra's disinterest in such things. She wasn't the type to harm others. She always 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