"I believe Melody yed her part," Debra said evenly, "but without your tacit approval, how could she have harmed udia so precisely? How could she have imprisoned udia so effortlessly?"
She met Jeffrey''s gaze unflinchingly. "You know the truth better than anyone. You were the head of the Nichols family. If you wanted, you could have easily saved her."
Jeffrey lost control and pped her. Blood trickled from the corner of her lips, but her stare never wavered. udia used to look at him in the same way.
"Lies." Jeffrey staggered back, his voice fraying. "You know nothing."
"Don''t I?" Debra dabbed her mouth. "Search online, and you''ll see. Everyone in Seamar City knows about your story. udia gave up her career for marriage. What kind of life did she live? There was no makeup and no dancing, just a hollow shell ying housewife."
She smirked and continued, "Will you me Melody for that too? A man who lets his mother brutalize his wife isn''t a man at all. Face the music. You killed her. Even in another life, she''d regret choosing you."
Jeffrey''s arm jerked up again, but the door swung open.
Juan rushed over and seized Jeffrey''s wrist in mid-air. "Her injuries haven''t healed."
The defiance in Juan''s stance, so like his own youthful protectiveness of udia, doused Jeffrey''s rage. Memories surfaced. No matter what he had done to make it up, udia had refused to smile at him again.
His hand felt limply to his side, and he said, "She has one day to think about it. Persuade her to reveal the treasure''s location. Do that, and she walks free."
Once Jeffrey left, Juan reached toward Debra''s bruised cheek.
flinched away, leaving his
hand
suspended in empty air. Conto
"Save your effort," she said tly. "I won''t tell you anything."
bet
"I know." His voice dropped to a whisper.
Debra didn''t know the treasure''s whereabouts. This was all Andrew''s design, with Fermin as an unwitting pawn.
Juan told her, "Keep pretending you do and make them believe you''re still useful."