That was one billion dors. There was no way Melody would let that kind of money fall into Hester''s hands.


    The Vargas family wasn''t even a big yer in the business world. If they had any value at all, it was only because they''d been lucky enough to cross paths with her.


    "Yes, Mrs. Nichols Sr.," Sophie responded.


    She sighed and called Debra, who was waiting in the hospital corridor for Juan''s surgery to finish.


    ""Madam, how is Mr. Nichols?"


    "The surgery isn''t over yet. Why?"


    "Well, the Vargas family came to cause trouble earlier, Sophie said, casting a nce at Melody, who was lounging on the couch nearby. "Mrs. Nichols Sr. wants him to call her once he wakes up." Debra spoke calmly. "Juan isn''t waking up today. If Mrs Nichols Sr.''s got a problem, she''ll have to solve it herself."


    "But the deadline..."


    "Sophie, whose name is on that contract?"


    "It''s Mrs. Nichols Sr.''s."


    "Since she signed it, she can pay for it herself, One billion dors is hardly anything, right? I''m sure it''s just a drop in the bucket for all the savings she''s stashed away over her lifetime." Debra''s voice wasced with sarcasm, and with that, she hung up.


    In her past life, when her family was copsing, she went to seek Juan''s help, but he refused to meet her. Desperate, she turned to the olddy, but by then, Melody had already taken a liking to Shelia, a woman she once despised,


    One billion dors would be enough to keep the Frazier family afloat. Melody, however, didn''t care about her five years of loyal service. Far from it, Melody kicked her out and gave that money to Shelia as a wedding gift.


    For Melody, one billion dors was nothing more than a token of goodwill, something she could afford to give away without a second thought.


    Joe didn''t dare make a sound. He''d never expected Debra could be so cold. Her look and tone resembled that of Juan.


    Sophie ryed Debra''s words to Melody, who lost her temper and knocked the teacup from the table.


    "She''s doing this on purpose. She lords it over me just because she''s got her ws in Juan. If I let her stay as the hostess of this house, she''ll end up walking all over me."N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Sophie stood by her side, not daring to utter a word.


    "It''s just one billion dors. Does she think I can''t afford it?"


    Melody stormed off toward her bedroom and pulled out arge leather suitcase from under her bed. The suitcase looked old, worn from years of use. Sophie''s eyes widened as she followed Melody inside. "Mrs. Nichols Sr., that''s your private stash."


    Melody didn''t even pause. She punched in the passcode and opened the suitcase. Inside, the case was filled with gold bars and bricks, neatly stacked and numbered.


    Old coins from decades past gleamed alongside them. Several jewelry boxesy at the bottom, each filled with intricately crafted gold nes and bracelets.


    Melody nced at the treasure with a satisfied smirk. The Vargas family has probably never even seen real wealth before."