Andrew said to the lady, "And don't go looking for a nice, honest man. What did an honest man ever do to deserve you?" As the Rolls-Royce drove off, the woman on the plaza stomped her foot in frustration. "Hmph! Acting all high and mighty. You rich guys walk around in suits like you're so proper, but once the clothes come off, you're worse than animals! "And what's wrong with liking an honest guy, huh? Plenty of them love women like me!" Muttering to herself, she swayed her hips and went off to reel in her next customer. … Inside the Rolls-Royce, the driver was an elderly man dressed simply—plain shirt, cloth shoes, nothing flashy. However, he was impeccably neat and carried an unmistakable air of dignity. This type of low-key appearance was common among the long-established elite. It looked humble, but in reality, it spoke volumes. "You must be Andrew Lloyd, the one from Jayrodale, right?" he asked without turning his head. Andrew nodded. "Yeah, that's me." The old m
"A bit of character?" Francis paused, clearly displeased, and his tone quickly turned sharp. "Listen—if you don't understand something, don't go throwing opinions around. "The Phelans are the pinnacle of prestige in Gabo Creek. And this estate you're looking at? Do you have any idea how far back it goes? During The Solarian Period, it was the residence of a high-ranking statesman!" His words dripped with pride as though he was speaking of sacred history. Andrew replied casually, "The renovation and design definitely have that classic charm. But the layout feels a bit unbalanced, geomancy-wise. And the gardens? A little too flashy, too much Valemonian style. It's missing that Holtrien grace—that quiet, dignified simplicity. It just doesn't flow." Francis' face darkened. He had not expected Andrew to double down—much less critique his work directly. The idea of a kid from Jayrodale thinking he knew anything about geomancy or landscape design was laughable. Francis snapped, "
Luna said, "He's a guest Marvin personally recommended to the family—we can't treat him with disrespect. Francis grumbled as he lowered his hand. He clenched his jaw and said, "You're lucky Miss is composed and gracious. Otherwise, with that arrogant mouth of yours, you'd be in serious trouble by now." Andrew curled his lip. "Save the lecture. Just take me to see Mr. Phelan Senior. I've got more important things to do afterward." Luna's voice came quietly, cool as deep water. "Not so fast. You said my garden lacks elegance and composure. I'm curious—were you just trying to get attention, or do you actually know what you're talking about?" Andrew replied without hesitation. "I was totally bluffing. Don't know a thing, really. So let's not waste time. Take me to Mr. Phelan Senior already." Francis scoffed. "Miss, there's no point arguing with someone so half-baked. Just report back to Mr. Phelan Senior, then toss him out of the estate." Luna narrowed her eyes and said calmly,
Back when Montgomery was in Chetvine, he ran into trouble. In the end, it was Marvin who stepped in to help, and that was how the bond between their families began. Walking ahead, Luna asked, "How is Marvin doing these days?" Andrew replied, "Perfectly fine. He still puts away full plates at every meal. What worries me is his refusal to find a wife and settle down." Luna frowned. "You're his junior, and your flippant attitude displeases me. Moreover, an elder's affairs are none for you to casually judge." Andrew said flatly, "I'm speaking within reason. No issue here." Luna stopped walking and turned, her face icy. "Marvin once saved my grandfather's life. That's why I respect him. But you? All you've done is cause trouble and pick up bad habits. "Out of respect for Marvin, the Phelan family is willing to give you a place in the capital. But if you keep this lazy, hopeless attitude, we don't take in trash." Luna was never one to argue. After all, no one around her was wo
Someone joked, "Let's clear the room. With Dr. Lake here, the rest of us are just background decor." "Once Mr. Phelan Senior takes Dr. Lake's medicine, he'll recover in no time!" The chorus of flattery made Mosby smile. He tried to maintain his dignified image, but the praise still went to his head. He said, "You're all too kind. I just had a few extra years of study. Medicine is a vast field, and I'm sure you'll all reach greatness someday." His humble reply earned another round of admiration. Luna stepped forward, and she was actually smiling for once. "Dr. Lake, thank you for tending to my grandfather." Mosby flushed with pride. "Ms. Luna, it's my honor. Keeping Mr. Phelan Senior healthy is my privilege." The others quickly bowed to Luna as well. After all, she was the Phelan family's prodigy, the capital's undisputed genius—her military rank of major-general at such a young age rivaled even Chetvine's elite. Her status made her the capital's brightest star, outshining
"Apologize?" Andrew sneered, scanning the room of so-called capital experts. "I wasn't wrong, so why should I apologize?" His words ignited the assembled professors and specialists who had been currying favor with the Phelan family. One shouted, "How dare you question Dr. Lake's diagnosis!" Another snapped, "Young man, don't think your superficial knowledge qualifies you to challenge us. Our combined medical expertise would take you lifetimes to learn!" "Young upstarts like you always lack patience," a third added with condescension. "Come back after ten years of serious study if you want to be taken seriously!" The group erupted in mocking laughter, as if debating Andrew was beneath them. Francis growled, "Ms. Luna, let me throw this trash out. He's completely unworthy to examine the Mr. Phelan Senior." Luna barely glanced at Andrew. To her, such mediocrity was not worth her attention. She decided to simply explain to Marvin later how hopeless his recommendation had been.
Francis spoke in a panic. "Ms. Luna, Mr. Phelan Senior isn't some average Joe—how could you let a complete nobody treat him out of nowhere?"Luna did not respond. Instead, her eyes stayed locked on Andrew's hands as he worked the needles. Every single needle landed with incredible precision, striking the right acupoints even through Montgomery's clothes. What really shocked her was how fast Andrew moved. Not only was he fast, but every needle hit exactly where it should. Luna did not know much about medicine, but her martial arts skills were exceptional, and she knew the human body like the back of her hand. To be able to locate such precise pressure points through clothing and do acupuncture quickly took some real skill. 'Maybe this guy actually knows a thing or two about medicine,' she thought to herself. Mosby and the others did not interrupt anymore. Instead, they all stared at Andrew's every move. "Dr. Lake, that acupuncture technique looks familiar, doesn't it?" asked
Mosby and the others looked at each other, clearly baffled. "What a load of hocus pocus," someone muttered. "Mr. Phelan Senior has always been healthy as a horse, and now this guy's saying he's got lithiasis? He's clearly trying to stir up trouble." Another chimed in, "Ninefold Needles may look fancy, but in reality, there are very few situations where it's useful. And now this kid's using it to treat lithiasis? Honestly, it just looks like a performance piece to me!" As the group murmured in growing suspicion, Francis turned to Luna with doubt in his eyes. He asked, "Ms. Luna, you're not actually buying into this guy's nonsense, are you? "Dr. Lake's explanation made perfect sense—Mr. Phelan Senior's just got a mild cold and some digestive buildup. Some medicine to clear it out would've done the trick. There was no need for acupuncture or that ridiculous Ghostroot soup. Andrew's clearly just trying to show off and claim credit!" Francis looked visibly annoyed, his expressio
Just as Chantelle started her car and was about to hit the gas, she suddenly stalled. She did not even get the car moving before she killed the engine—so pissed off by Andrew's parting shot that she nearly choked on her own fury. Andrew chuckled. "Ms. Garcia, looks like your driving test didn't go so well, huh? If you've got time, I can teach you how to balance the clutch and hit the gas properly for a clean start." Chantelle fired up the engine again, and the car shot off like a rocket. Through the rush of wind came her flat, icy voice. "Get lost!" Aspen could only shake her head with a helpless sigh. She said, "I really don't know why you keep provoking that woman. Ms. Garcia is known to be fierce in the capital—Mr. McCormick's personal chief secretary, personal bodyguard, and official enforcer." She added, "She's also a beast in martial arts. Some say she's on par with Luna from the Phelan family." Andrew scoffed. "And? Does that mean I should bow down to her? I don't ca
Andrew's eyes turned icy as a cruel grin curled at the corner of his lips. "Ms. Garcia, you saw it yourself. It was the Haywoods who started this mess. When I kill every last one of them, I expect you to testify to Mr. McCormick that I acted in self-defense, and I'm completely innocent." Chantelle's face darkened. "Hold it. No one moves a muscle. Mr. Lloyd, what the hell are you talking about? Why would I testify for you when you're clearly the one provoking this fight?" Andrew snorted. "Provoking? How am I the one looking for trouble? You saw it too. That Haywood moron brought an armed squad to corner me—he started all this." Chantelle clenched her jaw. "Yeah, I know they came here first. But they didn't touch you—you hit him first. How does that make sense?" Andrew flashed a mocking smile and replied calmly, "Sure, I struck first. But I acted out of instinct. To put it bluntly, their presence posed a serious threat, and I couldn't control my response. I reacted on impulse, fo
Seth glared at Andrew, his face twisted with hatred. He growled, "This isn't over, Andrew. I swear, one day, you'll be the one crawling at my feet!" He had stormed in like a king, ready to crush his enemy, only to leave humiliated and powerless. The sting of defeat burned deep in his chest. Chantelle glanced at Andrew and said coldly, "Mr. Lloyd, favors from Mr. McCormick aren't something you can just use at will. Let me give you a piece of advice: a man needs to be strong on his own. "If you keep hiding behind connections, always clinging to others to survive, this little streak of good fortune you're enjoying will run out fast. Mr. McCormick is upright and fair. He takes care of his people. "But if you turn out to be a spineless liability, someone who can't stand on his own… he'll lose patience with you sooner or later." Aspen's expression shifted. She thought, 'What was that supposed to mean? Was Ms. Garcia calling Supreme Capital Group a burden?' Andrew, however, smiled
At the last second, a government-issued sedan screeched to a halt beside them. "Stop right there!" A woman in a perfectly tailored business suit stepped out, her presence immediately commanding attention. Though her clothing was modest and loose-fitting, there was no hiding her striking figure—an impossibly full chest and legs that seemed to go on forever. Still, what stunned people most was not her body, but her face—icy cold, flawlessly beautiful, and chilling to the core. She had the kind of beauty that made jaws drop at first glance, but the longer you looked, the colder your spine felt. It was a strange contradiction—stunning and unapproachable—but on her, it somehow blended perfectly. The moment she appeared, Seth's expression shifted. He stepped forward immediately, respectful and even a little nervous. "Ms. Garcia…" Yet, Chantelle Garcia did not even look at him. She walked straight toward Andrew, her face emotionless as she said, "You must be Mr. Andrew Lloyd from
Aspen was speechless. Andrew had shamelessly milked Derek for all he was worth, then turned around and declared himself the man's loyal sidekick like it was nothing. She honestly had to admit—even she could not compete with that level of shamelessness. "Even if you did call Mr. McCormick for backup," she said uncertainly, "do you really think someone that high up would bother helping us?" Andrew stayed calm. "If he does, great. That saves me the trouble of handling this myself. If he doesn't, then it's no big deal. I'll just kill every single one of these Haywood thugs myself." Aspen opened her mouth, but no words came out. This was the Andrew she knew—the devil himself. Ruthless, cold, and always ready to shed blood. Nonetheless, these were not just any thugs. This was the elite private force of the Haywoods, one of the Five Apex Families. Could Andrew really take them on alone? Just then, Seth sneered and stepped forward. "Andrew, last time you smashed a bottle over m
"Seth, what the hell are you doing?!" Aspen had not expected the Haywoods to show up at their company, let alone that Seth would bring the family's private security team to block the entrance. Furious and stunned, she shouted, "Get your people out of here right now—we're done! From this moment on, there's nothing between us!" Seth let out a cold laugh. "Aspen, I gave you my heart, and this is how you repay me? Don't you see? Everything I've done, I did it for you. Just trust me—I'll save you from that devil and set you free!" Aspen's voice turned ice cold. "Seth, you've got this all wrong. Maybe I didn't exactly choose to become Andrew's slave… but I'm sorry, I don't need rescuing either." Seth's face twisted, and he ground his teeth as he snapped, "I saw it last time, Aspen. You've got some twisted feelings for Andrew, don't you? You act like you're trapped, but deep down, you like it, don't you?" Aspen's cheeks flared red—part rage, part something she could not quite name
At that moment, the other big shots who had also handed over their money to Andrew finally realized just how deep they had been played. Their faces turned green with fury, and they exploded in rage. Someone shouted, "Kill him! Hunt him down across the entire city—chase him to his relative's house if you have to, but don't you dare let him get away! Arrogant, reckless, completely out of control… damn it, I'm going to burst a vein!" Another chimed in, "We've seen all kinds of deception in this business, but this? This is by far the most outrageous betrayal we've ever faced!" Quinton let out a cold laugh and walked away. He silently mocked them for being a bunch of idiots of idiots for only figuring it out now. After all, regret and rage were useless at this point. Christina looked completely stunned. "So you're saying Andrew even tricked Mr. Golding Senior? And those billionaires too?" Quinton sneered, "He didn't just take their money—he played with their emotions. Mr. Golding
Meanwhile, Quinton's face twisted in fury as he gritted his teeth, nearly shouting, "Mr. Golding Senior, you've completely lost your judgment! That guy from Supreme Capital Group? He is Andrew Lloyd from Jayrodale—the owner of Moonlit Apothecary. "Everything that happened to Elon in Jayrodale, and even the humiliation Winston suffered there—every last bit of it was thanks to that bastard! He's the exact same man your family's bounty was targeting. That's the guy!" Richard's eyes burned with rage as he roared, "Quinton, are you absolutely certain about what you're saying?" Quinton shouted right back, "Dead serious! Every damn word! If I'm lying, do whatever you want to me, Mr. Golding Senior—hell, if you want to kill me right now, I won't fight it!" Richard stumbled a step, barely staying on his feet as disbelief crashed over him. "So, that little punk was lying to me from the very start? He didn't just steal my money—he fooled my heart, tricked my trust?" Quinton let out a sh
Quinton's face darkened, and it looked like he was ready to kill someone. He could not believe what was happening. Did Andrew come with some kind of main character plot armor? Even Richard, a heavyweight in the game, was leading the charge to back him—actually rallying support on his behalf. Moreover, no one was bringing up the fact that Elon literally ate crap because of him. Was the Golding family's public vendetta just meaningless now? Quinton could not wrap his head around it, not even a little—none of it made sense to him. Christina frowned and said, "Mr. Wright, what if there's another possibility? "What if Mr. Golding Senior and the others don't actually know that Andrew is the same guy from Jayrodale—the one who humiliated his son and triggered the Golding family's bounty in the first place?" Quinton's eyes burned with hatred as he hissed, "I already warned him, but Richard still didn't believe me. You saw it yourself. I honestly don't know what kind of spell Andr