In the opulent Royal Eleanor Hotel, home to the most luxurious suite in Magrao City, the owner seemed indifferent to its high-end beauty."Why isn't my brother home yet?" Eleanor frowned, directing her query to her personal bodyguards."We actually don't know Sir Drake Chwes's schedule. I'm sorry," Ceasare, the bodyguard, politely responded."But he's not answering my messages either," Eleanor pouted, growing concerned as it was past dinner time."You don't have to worry about your brother, Miss Eleanor. Working in a higher position is not easy. He's probably just working overtime," Aunt Ling said, attempting to comfort Eleanor. However, Eleanor's expression twisted in irritation as she deliberately ignored her. She didn't even bother to look at Aunt Ling, who was standing right in front of her. Instead, she repeatedly refreshed her email on her phone, hoping for a report from Mr. Bigas.After finishing reading the report, she stood up. The vexation on her face turned into concern and
In the Royal Eleanor Hotel, Drake and Eleanor returned to their suite. They had a short dinner together before everyone went to their own rooms.Drake wanted to talk more with Eleanor, but he was kicked out of the room as Eleanor claimed she was tired.“So you’re saying that my sister was purposely ignoring and tormenting you as soon as I turned my back?” he asked after Aunt Ling provided her report.“Yes. I don't really understand why she’s doing this to me. She’s been really hard on me from the very beginning,” Aunt Ling groaned, feeling ashamed that she couldn't do her job well.“Eleanor is not the type to do that. Also, the two of you are supposed to get along together,” he said.“What do you mean?” Aunt Ling tilted her head.“It’s nothing. Just keep a close eye on her. Even during sleeping time, you should be the first one to know when she gets up.”“Okay, I will,” she said. “I’ll be…”“What?” Drake bluntly asked as he noticed her gaze at him, as if she were hesitantly wanting to
Drake and Lucille observed in silence as the figure approached the distressed man on the bridge. The dim streetlights cast eerie shadows, giving a surreal quality to the scene unfolding before them.As the figure drew closer, it became evident that it was a woman, her movements deliberate yet strangely graceful. There was an air of sinisterness about her, contrasting sharply with the despair radiating from the man on the brink of the bridge.“Why are we hiding?” Lucille asked.“That woman might have a system too,” Drake said, his eyes narrowing towards the woman’s movements. He watched as the woman talked to the man for a moment.“Wait! She—” Lucille exclaimed, but Drake pulled her and covered her mouth.“Quiet down. Just watch and see how she will summon the miniature temple,” he said.Beads of tears formed at the side of Lucille’s eyes as she gasped, watching the horrifying scene unfold. The man who was on the top of the bridge’s bracing jumped off it and hit the road instead of the
Inside the locked bathroom door, Lucille sat in the bathtub, trembling as she watched blood gushing from her wrist.“It hurts. It hurts. When will the miniature temple come?” she muttered anxiously, her eyes shifting towards the health potion she placed near the tub to aid her recovery later once she couldn't take the pain anymore.The confusion about her suspicion that Drake might have stolen her chance to summon the miniature temple lingered, intensifying the anxiety and physical pain.“Time's up!” she exclaimed, feeling foolish.“I was wrong; the miniature temple is not coming either!”She stretched her trembling hand to reach the health potion, but unexpectedly knocked it down instead.“Oh no! No! No!” she panicked.Lucille immediately got up to pick up the vial, but it was already broken, and its contents spilled all over the bathroom floor.“I've lost too much blood already!” she said, attempting to scoop as much potion as she could, but broken pieces of the glass vial pricked h
Moments before Lucille's doubt toward her lover could blossom further, she found him already awake, just as she suspected."Drake! Help! Help me!" she cried, unaware that Drake Chwe stood frozen before the locked bathroom door, his eyes fixed on the barrier separating him from Lucille's desperate pleas.Though Drake had awoken at her initial cry, something else distracted him, delaying his response to Lucille's distress."Drake!" she called again.Her muffled sobs and pleas tugged at his conscience, but an unexpected sensation diverted his attention. A peculiar tingling filled the air."How is this happening?" he mused.Before him, a miniature temple materialized, intricate details slowly unfolding with an ethereal glow.Drake furrowed his brow in confusion, uncertain about the sudden appearance."Why are you here?" he inquired, addressing the temple.The temple remained silent, its divine aura creating an otherworldly ambiance in his bedroom. Drake sighed, his gaze briefly leaving th
Lucille trembled as a flash of memories returned to her mind. The revelation struck her like a lightning bolt, and she couldn't believe that Drake, the person she trusted, had been deceiving her.The emotions that surged within her were a turbulent mix of shock, betrayal, and hurt.Unable to comprehend the reality of the situation, Lucille felt a cold chill run down her spine. She clutched her fading fourth finger, the sacrifice she had made to regain the stolen memories, and the weight of the truth settled heavily on her shoulders."No, this can't be true," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the confined space of the utility room. The image of Drake stealing her chance—the memory of their first encounter playing vividly in her mind—was like a dagger through her heart.“Drake will never..."She replayed the moment in her memory—the stolen ‘chance’, the hidden motives, and the coldness in Drake's actions.The person she thought she knew seemed like a stranger, and th
Fear and uncertainty gripped Lucille as she pondered Drake's message. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to reply, cautiously typing out her response.“I don't know how to check my reward. My system is still suspended,” she texted back, her fingers trembling slightly.The seconds felt like an eternity as she anxiously awaited Drake's reply. The notification chimed, signaling his response.“I’ll teach you how. Come back here to my office. We have a lot to talk about,” he messaged, leaving Lucille with a sinking feeling in her stomach.“What about Natasha Ling?” she asked.“She already left. Don't worry; she knows nothing about us.”“Okay.”She reluctantly made her way to Drake's office, her mind racing with thoughts of how to navigate the upcoming conversation.As she entered, she found Drake engrossed in a phone call, his back turned to her.She took a deep breath and waited.After finishing the call, Drake turned to her with his usual warm gaze.Lucille felt like choking as s
The next morning, Lucille didn't accompany Drake to work. She claimed she had something to do at the university, which Drake didn't think much about and simply allowed."I have to find out," she murmured to herself as she was escorted to the university by Drake's guard.An ominous thought gnawed at her—that the powers emanating from the miniature temple were not a blessing but a curse. With no real business at the university, she needed to be away from Drake to conduct her investigation."I don't want to unwittingly bargain with the devil instead of a deity," she thought, feeling the weight of her unease."Is something troubling you?" the driver inquired."No, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Lucille responded, her caution heightened, feeling as though every person under Drake's employ was an eye watching her."You seem quite anxious, biting your nails like that, madam," the driver observed, causing Lucille to glance at her ruined nails."I'm just concerned that I'm not of much help to Drak
Ten years had passed, yet the dream of earning a sextillion coins remained elusive. Time slipped away unnoticed as Drake immersed himself in the relentless pursuit of money to settle his debts. Only too late did he realize the true cost of his singular focus.Seated in his office, absorbed in his tasks, Drake was jolted from his concentration by the ringing of his phone. Glancing at the caller's ID, he recognized his sister Eleanor's number. With a resigned sigh, he answered the call."Hey, Ely," Drake greeted, attempting to sound nonchalant despite his apprehension."Drake, where are you?!" Eleanor's voice crackled with frustration and disappointment."I'm at the office, why?" Drake responded, his heart sinking as he anticipated the conversation that was about to unfold."Seriously? You forgot, didn't you?" Eleanor's incredulous tone pierced through the line.Drake's stomach churned with guilt. "Forgot what?"Eleanor let out an exasperated sigh. "My wedding, Drake! The one I've been
Drake was shocked to learn the truth, his jaws dropping even further when Lucille revealed that he needed to repay the tribute system twofold."Earning sextillion coins is impossible!" he exclaimed."You have to offer it back, or else you'll spend your life paying for it," Lucille replied grimly, exaggerating the explanation to divert Drake's attention away from herself."Damn it. Is this why I can't kill Zack? He cannot die until he pays his debt," Drake said frustratingly, but then he smiled viciously. "But does that mean I can keep him in prison to suffer?""He doesn't change. Good luck," Lucille muttered under her breath, slowly becoming accustomed to Drake's viciousness."What is it?" Drake asked."Nothing. I was just wondering why you came here," she bluntly asked, inwardly worried about the chance of Drake hurting her."What else? To pick you up?" Drake said, grabbing Lucille's hand and looking into her eyes with sincerity. "Lucille, please believe me, what Marianne said was al
Lucille Bmak seized the opportunity to escape when Drake and Rebecca were engrossed in their own conversation.Thinking it was her chance, she began to make her way out. However, unbeknownst to her, she was trapped in a labyrinth from which only Zack, Rebecca, and Drake could find their way out."What the hell is this place?" she muttered to herself as she continued downwards in an attempt to escape, but the path seemed endless."Aah!" she screamed as someone suddenly yanked her back."You're new here? There's nothing above your head yet," the female said, her tone cautious and discreet. “I got the ability to see other users status and progress. You're still fresh. Save yourself!”"What? I don't belong here. Do you know the exit?" Lucille asked, sensing no hostility from the girl."Go up instead of down," the girl replied honestly."Really? But why aren't you leaving?" Lucille inquired."I'm weak, but I can't die. You should be careful. Let go of the system as soon as possible while i
Lucille Bmak had prepared herself for this inevitable day.She knew all too well that her peaceful days would come to an end as long as Zack White and Drake Chwe existed.However, despite her thorough preparation, she couldn't shield her heart from the viciousness that Zack and Drake displayed towards her.The constant hostility from both men exhausted her heart and mind, leaving her unable to display any emotion upon seeing Drake, whose presence made her heart throb, or Zack, whose mere presence sent shivers down her spine."Damn you! Damn your luck!" Zack White growled in frustration, his anger palpable as he longed to inflict harm upon Lucille.He yelled and pounded on the barrier as if he desired nothing more than to tear Lucille apart, but what frustrated him even more was the nonchalant expression on Lucille's face."Do you think you'll escape me for imprisoning me for three years? I'll torture you every second of the day!" he threatened."So foolish," Lucille commented, further
Drake Chwe hurried to find Lucille. He strode past the long underground passage, paying little heed to the torture cell, laboratories, and whatever bizarre occurrences filled each room. As long as Lucille wasn't there, Drake's focus remained undeterred."Where the hell are you?" he muttered exasperatedly to himself, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he reached the final room at the end of the underground complex. Taking a deep breath, he swung open the door, only for his eyes to widen in shock at the sight of his lover bound by chains."Lucille!" he exclaimed, rushing forward to free her, but his efforts proved futile."Drake, long time no see," Lucille greeted casually, her gaze devoid of emotion as if she had just woken up from a nap."Hang on a little longer. I'll free you soon," he promised, frantically rummaging through his bag for any tool that might help, but none did the trick."Damn it!" he cursed in frustration, realizing he couldn't access his trusted system in a time of
Zack sported a victorious grin, his eyes locked onto Drake with the same intensity Drake once aimed at him from within the torture cell. His lips curled as he relished the sweet taste of turning the tables."It'll be better if we suffer together. You know, I didn't plan to torment you for just three years," Zack said, closing the distance between them. "Let's make it forever," he whispered, his voice dripping with menace.His grin widened as he observed Drake's expression darken. However, standing closer to Drake proved to be a mistake."Oh, damn it," Zack cursed, blood bubbling up as he collapsed to the ground."All talk, huh?" Drake snorted, a twisted smirk forming on his lips as he pressed his foot onto Zack's face. "Your only shot at survival was staying locked away. Why set yourself free?""What's happening?" Zack grunted in agony, attempting to extract the knife lodged in his side, but it remained stubbornly embedded in his flesh."Can't you recognize these?" Drake sneered, with
Thanks to Merlyn, Drake finally learned where Lucille had been taken. He instructed Merlyn to locate her using his device, unaware that she would succumb to a heart attack afterward, much like the way he deceived and threatened Natasha into her demise."Code blue! Code blue! Room 203!" a nurse frantically announced.Medical staff rushed to Merlyn Spenser's side, the monitor next to her bed blaring with the alarming sound of a code blue. Doctors and nurses swarmed into the room, their faces etched with urgency as they converged around Merlyn's bed. The room was filled with the sound of rapid footsteps and the clatter of medical equipment."Goodbye, Merlyn. Thank you for your help," Drake coldly muttered as he casually walked out of the ICU, a strange sense of satisfaction washing over him."Why Canman, though?" he wondered, glancing at the address Merlyn had provided. "This doesn't sound good."He immediately hopped into his car and drove to Canman, Zack White’s hometown. Arriving the
When faced with a choice between life and death, the decision might seem obvious to most. Yet, Lucille Bmak's response was anything but expected. Though she typically valued her own survival above all else, this time she made a different choice."F*ck you!" Lucille spat defiantly, refusing to entertain whatever offer Zack White had in store. Having fallen into Drake's traps before, she was adamant about not allowing herself to be ensnared by another chain, even if it meant facing death."This is the last time I'm asking you. Listen to me, or—" Zack seethed, tightening his grip around her neck."I don't care! Kill me!" Lucille exclaimed, though her body trembled with fear. Summoning a forced smile, she added, "You've repeated yourself three times now. You sound like the one who needs me.""Who needs who?" Zack White yelled, his fury palpable. Despite his rage, he found himself unable to carry out Lucille's demise.Rebecca, the veteran user of the system, who had once bestowed favors up
Inside Lucille's house, the dimly lit corridors exuded an eerie aura as Zack White prowled through them, his presence ominous and foreboding. His eyes gleamed with a dark resolve as he approached Lucille's study, his heart pulsing with venomous intent."Finally... the moment I've been waiting for," he whispered to himself. He tried to be as quiet as possible so that no one could detect him."I'll kill you once I'm done with my task," he murmured, his voice low and menacing. Despite the vigilant guards stationed at every corner of Lucille's house, Zack's movements remained undetected. He used a system device to camouflage himself through the guards.Peering into the study, he observed Lucille seated at her desk, completely absorbed in her work, unaware of his presence. Zack's lips curled into a sneer as he watched her, memories of past torment flooding his mind."You thought you could hide from me, Lucille. But I always find my prey," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "How dar