Chapter 225 + 25 BONUS

As Hester retreated from the room, Juan turned to Debra, his voice low. “Aren’t you angry at all?”

Debra shrugged. “Why would I be angry? I’m not blind, Juan. I saw her spill that tea on purpose. It’s not your fault.” She had entered the room just in time to see Juan resisting Hester’s advances.

“I’ve drawn hot water. Go take a bath.”

“Alright.”

As she headed upstairs, she breathed a sigh of relief that he didn’t follow her. Pulling out her phone, she found a message from Erica.

Erica: [You haven’t been back for two days.] Debra: [Juan’s grandmother moved in. I can’t leave for a while.] Erica: [I’m so bored!] Debra: [Go find Randy.] Erica: [Randy’s accompanying Marion abroad on business. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be this bored.]

Debra paused, surprised by the news. She hesitated before opening her chat with Marion. He wasn’t one for chatting apps, and his messages were always brief. She scrolled through their chat history, noting that he’d never mentioned any business trips. He would simply disappear, only to reappear days later.

“He said he liked me and wanted to pursue me,” Debra muttered under her breath. She must have been crazy to believe his words.

Shaking her head, she submerged her face in the washbasin, letting the cool water calm her thoughts. Right now, her priority should be securing the Frazier family’s interests and divorcing Juan. Marion’s intentions could wait.

The next morning, explosive news hit the headlines. The titles screamed, “Popular Artist Michael Spotted with Mystery Woman,” and “Mystery Woman Revealed: Michael’s Boss…” The comment sections were ablaze with speculation and criticism. Some comments included:

“[I wondered how Michael, a clueless artist, managed to get so many resources. Turns out he’s sucking up to a wealthy woman.] Oh my, isn’t Debra married? The entertainment circle is a mess.”

“[Betrayed by her husband, she is feeling lonely. Leave Michael alone!]”

Debra massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. Despite their precautions, the paparazzi had caught them.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Hester stood on the other side, saying, “Madam, Mrs. Nichols Sr. wants to see you downstairs.”

“Okay.”

She followed Hester downstairs to find Melody sitting at the table, a tabloid magazine open in front of her. Debra frowned, glancing at Hester. Melody never bothered with entertainment news, let alone read such tabloids. It was clear that Hester had placed it there deliberately. Her scheme was crude.

“Debra, explain this,” Melody demanded, her voice stern as she pointed at the magazine.

Debra calmly descended the stairs, her gaze flicking over the magazine before meeting Melody’s eyes. “I was just having dinner with one of my employees, and this is nothing but a publicity stunt.”

Melody frowned. “What do you mean?”

Debra offered her a reassuring smile. “Michael has been filming nonstop since his debut, rarely involved in scandals. This was just a minor strategy by the company to boost his exposure and generate buzz for his new drama. We’ll clarify it later. It’s not a big deal.”