Chapter 7

Given his expression, Juan knew this plot of land would fetch a hefty sum. Yet, he chose to let Stephen have it as a favor. That was just Juan’s style.

“I was just paying a compliment. You’re reading too much into it,” Debra replied.

Juan furrowed his brow, assessing the sincerity of Debra’s words. It made sense. Given Debra’s intelligence, how could she foresee the future value of that land? Juan realized he was overthinking it.

“Hope so.”

Juan turned away, leading Shelia to meet other people. Shelia glanced at Debra, and Debra managed to capture the hint of triumph in Shelia’s eyes. She downed a glass of champagne. In the eyes of others, she was just a failed woman abandoned by her husband. He had left her and taken another woman to meet business partners. Could anything be more of a joke than this?

Debra felt disheartened. She had planned to mingle with the business elite, but with Juan gone, it became difficult. How could she approach those entrepreneurs without seeming intentional?

Debra scanned the surroundings and spotted a piano not far away. A smile played on Debra’s lips as she got an idea. With graceful steps, she approached the piano and exchanged brief greetings with the pianist before sitting down. As the heiress to the Frazier family, she had learned many things, though she never thought she’d use them. But now they had come in handy.

It had been a while since Debra played the piano, so she was a bit rusty. But soon enough, the piano keys followed her fingers, producing a melodious tune that perfectly matched the party’s atmosphere. The guests were captivated by the unexpected piano music. Many turned to look in her direction, and after she finished playing, applause filled the room.

Seeing Juan and the businessmen stop their conversation, Shelia kept her eyes on Debra and said, “Debra is amazing. She can play the piano.”

“She is a pro,” Juan remarked casually.

Among these people, many could play the piano, and passing relevant exams was quite common. The fact that Debra received so much applause showcased her musical talent. It was then that Shelia realized the gap between her and Debra. She used to think Debra was just lucky and pretty, but utterly useless. Now she was proven wrong. Dead wrong.

After Debra finished playing, many wealthy ladies approached her for conversation. While she couldn’t directly approach those business magnates, getting close to their wives made it easier to reach them.

“I didn’t expect Mrs. Nichols to be so talented at the piano,” Randy remarked from a corner.

“Not bad,” Marion agreed.

“You don’t know music, do you?” Randy teased.

“I don’t, but I like it,” Marion replied. He didn’t understand music, but because it was Debra playing, it felt different.

When she went to the restroom, Debra was pulled into a secluded corner. She tried to cry out, but the man behind her covered her mouth.

“Don’t make a sound,” the man whispered.

Feeling the warmth of his chest, Debra adjusted her breathing and bit down on the man’s hand.

“Ouch!” he grunted in pain.

“You bit me?” The man released her. Debra quickly put some distance between them and was surprised when she saw his face. “Marion?”

“Who else did you think it would be?”

“Why the cloak and dagger?”

“I sneaked in. Don’t want to be seen.”

“What kind of joke is this? Caleb is your…”

Before Debra could finish her sentence, she immediately shut her mouth. Marion raised an eyebrow. “Hm? What were you going to say?”

Debra averted her gaze. In her last life, Caleb left all his assets to Marion. It was only afterward that she found out the truth. But so far, no one knew Marion was Caleb’s grandson.

“I mean, Caleb is kind-hearted, and you’re a dominant owner of overseas enterprises. Even if you snuck in, no one would dare say anything.”

“Maybe, but I prefer to play it safe,” Marion said.

“Don’t tell me you snuck in here just to say these things to me.” She didn’t think Marlon would be so boring.

“This is for you.” Marion handed Debra a contract. Debra looked down and saw the contract for her borrowing.

“Just for this?” she asked.

Marion nodded.

“Boring!” Debra signed the contract and threw it back to Marion. It was crazy that he found her to sign the contract at the ladies’ room door.

“As your creditor, can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why spend ten billion dollars on that land?” Marion’s voice was low, tempting her to answer his question.

“I can’t tell you now,” Debra said.

“What if I insist?” Marion could tell Debra had other plans. But he couldn’t figure out what could be worth ten billion dollars there. It was a loss-making deal, but Debra’s actions made him believe the land would be worth far more than ten billion dollars.

“If I told you this land would be worth a lot in six months, would you believe me?” Debra asked.

“No.” Marion couldn’t see any signs of it yet.

“What if I said high-end properties around that wasteland are about to go on sale?” Debra asked.

“What high-end properties?” Marion frowned. He had never heard of that.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Debra smiled, walking past Marion into the restroom.

Frowning, Marion walked to the lobby, where Randy asked, “Done signing?”

“Yeah,” Marion said.

“Why the long face?” Randy asked.

“Is there any high-end property near the wasteland Debra bought?”

“There aren’t any.”

“Check who owns the land around that wasteland.”

“That wasteland is in the sewage area. There’s nothing to check. Forget high-end properties. No one would even build a basketball court there,” Randy said.

“Sewage area?” Marion was surprised.