Declan and Sheila made a hasty exit from the Nichols residence. Juan descended from the second floor, his eyes scanning the room. Joe approached him and reported, “Sir, I didn’t see Mr. Tracy here.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed Juan’s eyes. He had hoped to finally unmask Tracy, but Tracy hadn’t even shown up.
“Though Tracy didn’t show,” Joe continued, “Michael did.”
As if on cue, Michael sauntered over. “Mr. Nichols, a pleasure to meet you.”
“Me too. Why didn’t Mr. McKinney come to the event?”
Michael chuckled, a sound like velvet. “Mr. McKinney couldn’t make it, but I’m here. It’s all the same, really.”
Juan raised an eyebrow, catching the undercurrent in Michael’s words. In the past, Michael had been nothing more than the McKinney Group’s top actor, not a power player. But now, he was implying something more.
“Mr. Austin, could you enlighten me?”
Michael’s smile deepened, his eyes glinting with a mysterious light. Tracy, the supposed power behind the McKinney Group, had been conspicuously absent for some time, appearing only briefly at a masquerade and vanishing just as quickly.
Michael stated confidently, “Mr. Nichols, you wanted to see the real force behind the McKinney Group. Well, here I am, not as an actor.”
Joe grasped the implication and gasped. If Michael was the mastermind behind the McKinney Group, Tracy’s prolonged absence could be explained.
Just then, a horde of reporters burst into the room, their cameras flashing like a barrage of lightning. Across the room, Debra swirled her wine glass, watching the spectacle with keen interest. She had tipped off the reporters, setting the stage for Michael’s grand reveal.
By tomorrow, the world would believe that Michael was the true power behind the McKinney Group, and Tracy would be relegated to the status of a mere myth.
Standing beside her, Oscar asked, “Is Michael really the president of the McKinney Group?” He had no idea that Tracy and Debra were the same person.
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know.” His intuition told him someone wise was in charge of the McKinney Group, but now everyone thought Michael was the real power.
Debra patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about things you can’t control. Whether Michael is in charge or not, you’re an artist with the Wickery Group now. That’s what matters.”
Oscar nodded. Just then, Debra’s phone buzzed. She stepped outside to take the call. “Erica, what’s up?”
Erica’s voice was tinged with annoyance. “Why didn’t you tell me about your reconciliation with Juan? It’s all over the news!”
It seemed the media had rushed to break the news, and now the headlines were all about the Nichols couple getting back together.
Debra sighed. “I’ll explain when I get back. It’s too chaotic here to talk.”
“Alright. Randy and I are coming to pick you up.”
“Okay.”