Juan, noticing Melody''s distress, quickly stepped forward to support her. "Grandma, what''s wrong?" he asked, his voiceced with worry.


    Melody shook her head. "It''s nothing."


    Juan turned to Debra and demanded, "What did you do to my grandma?"


    "Nothing. Didn''t you see it?" Debra said, retreating to Marion''s side.


    Turning back to Melody, she asked, "Why did you act like you''d seen a ghost?"


    Melody averted her gaze and stammered, "I saw the news and thought..."


    Debra said smoothly, "That was all fake. Didn''t I rify everything already? Look, I''m standing right here, alive and well."


    Hearing her usual tone, Melody began to calm down. Since Debra was alive, Melody realized that she had been duped by Violet.


    The thought of her losing 30 million dors made her heart ache. That money hade from selling off a portion of her jewelry collection.


    Melody''s expression further convinced Debra that she was behind the kidnapping.


    Shelia stepped forward and hooked her arm around Melody''s. "Ms. Frazier is very much alive. In fact, she''s engaged to Mr. Houston. Their wedding is set for the same day as Juan and mine." She was implying that Debra was fickle, having been engaged to another man not long after the divorce.


    Melody was shocked. Her gaze flicked over Marion, and it dawned on her that he was the same man captured in the picture with Debra.


    She just hadn''t expected Debra to find another wealthy family totch onto.


    Melody had long heard of the Houston family''s prestige, but she refused to adopt a humbler attitude.


    Far from it, she unted her seniority. "Marion, right? I met the elders of your family when I was younger. I''m in the same generation as your grandfather."Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Debra couldn''t help but snicker. Melody''s expression soured. "What''s so funny?"


    "Oh, nothing. It''s just that what you said struck me as amusing, so I couldn''t help butugh." Debra


    paused, turning to Marion. "If met


    memory serves me right, your family was the most powerful in Seamar City several decades ago."


    Marion nodded proudly. "That''s right."


    Debra continued, "I remember my grandparents mentioning it often. Back then, only the truly influential could attend the Houston family''s banquets. Even my family had to wait in line. Melody''s quick rise in power is truly envious."


    Those olddies couldn''t hold back their giggles, though they quickly stifled them, realizing it was not the right moment tough.


    Melody''s expression turned stormy.


    Everyone knew the Nichols family had only risen to prominence in recent years. Decades ago, they were nowhere near the Four Great Families. In contrast, the Houston family remained influential even now.


    Melody was not worthy yet to being mentioned in the same breath as Caleb.


    "Are you mocking Melody?" Shelia interrupted.