Just as Liza finished speaking, a loud noise shattered the tension in the room.


    The door burst open, and in stormed a dozen bodyguards, each one d in uniforms bearing the unmistakable insignia of the Houston family.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Liza, who had never encountered anything like this before, felt her knees weaken. "Who are you people? What do you want?"


    Cathryn, however, wasn''t as rattled. Her expression darkened when she recognized the crest, her mind immediately racing to one conclusion. "It''s Marion. He is here," she muttered, intending to rush out.


    But before she could take a step, another person entered. It was not Marion, but Erica.


    Cathryn froze mid-step, her eyes wide with shock.


    Erica sneered, "Miss Bernard, were you expecting someone else? Marion, perhaps?"


    Cathryn scanned the crowd for any sign of him, but he was not there. "Where is Marion? Why didn''t hee?"


    Erica''s sneer deepened. "Marion doesn''t want to see you. He sent you a message: His promise to your dad is no longer void. You''re not allowed to pester him anymore, or we''ll show you no mercy." Cathryn shook her head in disbelief. "No. Marion wouldn''t do this to me. He promised..."


    "Enough!" Erica''s voice cracked like a


    whip. "You''ve overstayed your wee in Seamar City, ying the tragic heroine and pretending to be Marion''s true love. You used the Houston family''s name to grab opportunities in the entertainment world, even going so far as to hurt


    Debra. Do you think Master


    doesn''t


    know what you''ve done? He will never love you. Caleb won''t, and neither will I. No one wants you."


    Liza stepped in, snorting, "Who do you think you are? You''re not even a Houston. You''re just some rtive, and you dare talk shit here."


    Erica shot back. "I may be a Mathis by birth, but even my family is beyond your reach."


    As if on cue, her bodyguards moved swiftly, overpowering and tying up the Eaton family''s security team. They were tossed to the ground at Liza''s feet.


    Liza, who had been treated like a princess her entire life, had never been so humiliated. Her voice cracked with fury. "Erica! You''ve gone too far. Do you know who you''re dealing with?" Erica smirked dismissively. "I''ve never had an easy enemy, and you won''t be the first. Here, your family means nothing. Even your father would show me respect."


    Liza stomped her foot in outrage.


    Erica pulled two ne tickets from her coat and threw them in their faces. "Both of you, leave my city. If I find you here tomorrow, don''t me me for what happens next."


    She turned and walked out, leaving Cathryn crumpling weakly to the floor. Liza, still fuming, spat, "Who does she think she is? If we were overseas, she wouldn''t be fit to


    shine my shoes."


    Cathryn fell into despair, biting her lip. "Marion wouldn''t even see me."


    She had thought, with Debra out of the picture, Marion might finally turn to her. But to her surprise, Debra hade back alive.


    Liza tried to soothe her. "Let''s just go


    back. With your status, you could have any man you want. And when my family sets up its new branch here in Seamar City, I''ll make sure my brother teaches Erica a lesson she won''t forget."