Before Andrew could answer, Irene exploded, "Andrew, would it kill you not to brag? Harvey's obviously the one helping behind the scenes. Have you no shame?" Andrew smirked. "If he's helping, where is he? Or is he suddenly too humble to take credit for his good deeds?" Irene was at a loss for words, her face darkening. Christina also found it strange that Harvey had not shown up even though everything was over, wondering if he had not received her messages or if there was another reason. Just then, a sports car came speeding up, and Harvey rushed out. "Christie, I'm so sorry I'm late. Something came up," he apologized immediately, looking troubled. Irene's face lit up. "See? I knew Harvey was helping us behind the scenes. Why else would Mr. Thatcher take our side?" "Earlier, Nelson, the bank manager, refused the loan and got handsy with me, but it's all sorted now," Christina explained. Harvey's face darkened with rage. "That pervert dared to touch you? Don't worry, Christi
"I just don't want someone to be twisting the truth and taking credit for another person's hard work," Andrew said calmly. Harvey shook his head with a wry smile. "Andrew, your bias against me keeps growing, and I don't even know what I did to offend you." He pulled out his phone and showed Christina, Irene, and the others his call history. "Look, I called Mr. Thatcher an hour ago. Here's the proof." "Now, what do you have to say for yourself?" Irene shouted at Andrew. Leroy smirked. "Mr. Thatcher obviously came to help us an hour ago because of Harvey's call. Andrew, stop trying to compete with Harvey—he's out of your league." Harvey sighed dramatically and said, "Actually, I didn't just call Mr. Thatcher. I also had our family's connections ready to step in, along with several other powerful allies. I could have had people here in minutes if Christie needed them." "Harvey, you're absolutely incredible!" Leroy exclaimed, giving him a thumbs up. Andrew shook his head, ama
Harvey's smile turned sinister. "So what if it's a threat? I'm Harvey Weller, heir to the Weller family and the most prominent of Jayrodale's elite four. If I weren't worried about Christie getting suspicious, I would have taken you down already." Andrew chuckled, unfazed. "You're awfully confident. Well then, why don't you go ahead and try?" Harvey narrowed his eyes, and he mocked, "What do you have that could possibly match me, Andrew? I know what you're after—it's Christina. While she's out of your league, I'll have her in my grasp any moment now. Then, I can have her any way I want, whenever I want." Andrew replied calmly. "Christina and I have nothing to do with each other anymore, and you don't need to flaunt your superiority. But let me warn you—don't push your luck. I'm not as patient as you think, and if you go too far, both you and the Weller family might regret it." With that, Andrew walked into the private dining room smiling, brushing past Harvey like he was nothi
Andrew stated calmly, "That's just how I am—I'm petty and like to sweat the small stuff. Is that a problem, Ms. Stevens?" "Fine, Mr. Lloyd, have it your way," Christina replied, swallowing her pride. "Leroy, give me the bottle. I'll pour Mr. Lloyd's wine." "Christie, who does he think he is?" Leroy protested. "Acting like some big-shot executive when he used to be your errand boy!" Christina felt hurt and shocked. This new Andrew was so aggressive and domineering, nothing like the person she used to know. He was acting more like some arrogant rich heir now. Nonetheless, business came first, so she poured his wine anyway. Leroy sneered. "Getting cocky just because you're riding on Mr. Yates's coattails. You'd be nothing without him." "Are you mocking me?" Andrew stared at him intently. Leroy froze, surprised by Andrew's directness. Irene and Christina were equally shocked and wondered what had gotten into Andrew. "Hell yeah, I'm mocking you, you gold digger!" Leroy shouted
Andrew simply smiled and continued eating his dinner, brushing them off. The chapter with Christina had long since closed, and their paths had diverged completely. As for the Stevens family and Harvey, Andrew no longer felt the need to be overly courteous or put on a show of politeness for them. From another perspective, his current standing did not allow him to maintain a low profile anymore. If Harvey played it smart and stayed in his lane, Andrew would not bother him. However, as he had mentioned before, if this self-proclaimed number-one heir of Jayrodale decided to cross him, he would not hesitate to take action. It would not matter if it were just Harvey or the entire Weller family with their prestigious status—he would crush them all. After all, even before coming to Jayrodale, Andrew had already dealt with his fair share of so-called elite families. Leroy said through gritted teeth, "Andrew, showing off in front of us is one thing, but do you really think your petty
Irene eagerly said, "Harvey, I get it now. You're planning to give Stevens Corporation a piece of this lucrative pie, right?" Harvey smiled. "Exactly, Mrs. Stevens, but I'm not talking about just a small slice—I'm offering Stevens Corporation a full third of the development rights. Once the paperwork comes through, Mrs. Stevens and Leroy, you could turn a few hundred thousand in investment into millions, maybe even tens of millions in profits." Irene and Leroy's eyes lit up with undisguised excitement at the prospect. "There is indeed a major development project in the works," Christina commented thoughtfully. "But there hasn't been any official documentation yet. How did you find out it's in the East Side?" Harvey flashed a confident smile. "Christie, this is the difference between old money and smaller businesses. Our family executives confirmed this directly with the state officials two weeks ago." Christina fell silent, contemplating the situation. She knew that when it
Christina hesitated, torn between the desire to make money and her business instincts that warned of potential risks. Unlike Irene and Leroy, who blindly invested without considering the risks, she knew better than to jump in without thinking. "If I were you, I wouldn't play the role of a gullible investor," Andrew interjected. "Andrew, do you know something?" Christina asked, surprised by his tone. Andrew frowned and said, "I already told you—the East Side isn't getting developed. You've been in business long enough to be wary of such promises, Christina. Since when does investing a few million guarantee returns in the hundreds of millions? It sounds too good to be true because it is." Christina's resolve began to waver at his words. "Stop fear-mongering, Andrew. This isn't your business," Irene snapped. Leroy added, "Christie, why are you even listening to him? Harvey wouldn't trick you." "Well, Christie, it seems you trust Andrew more than me," Harvey said with feigned
Harvey scoffed. "As if our prestigious family would need to borrow any money. The very idea is laughable." "Actually, Harvey, Nelson did mention you owed the bank money," Christina said. "I was planning to discuss that with you." "Christie, do you really think that's possible?" Harvey smiled. Irene jumped in and defended Harvey. "That idiot Nelson deserved to get fired for spreading such lies. My future son-in-law could easily pull out 150 million or even 1.5 billion if he wanted to." Harvey waved dismissively, exuding poise and confidence. "Mrs. Stevens, you must be joking. A few hundred million, or even billions—that's a big deal. But to owe just a few million? Please, I wouldn't even bother with something so small."Andrew stood up, clearly done with the conversation. Christina frowned and asked, "Andrew, are you leaving already?" He replied flatly, "If I stay any longer, I'm afraid my intelligence will take a hit." Christina's face darkened. "Fine, Mr. Lloyd. Don't l
Even Tiana was surprised by herself. She never expected that her view of Andrew had changed so drastically. She hated to admit it, but she had misjudged him—her perspective had been too narrow. Andrew was not just some reckless upstart. He was exceptional. Andrew remained calm. "Mrs. Rhodes, I appreciate your compliments but don't need them. What I do need is an explanation. Otherwise, know that I wasn't joking earlier." Tiana scoffed, her expression darkening. She looked at him coldly and said, "Just because I appreciate you doesn't mean I approve of you. You spoke out of turn earlier, disrespecting me. You even had the audacity to threaten Rhodes Corporation itself." She asked, "Do you have any idea how close I was to putting you in your place right then and there?" Andrew smirked. "Well, Mrs. Rhodes, I'd say you were very lucky you didn't. Because if you had, you wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation with me." Tiana narrowed her eyes. "What are you trying to
Before long, Andrew arrived outside Tiana's office. Jerry and his men stood at the door, guarding the entrance. The moment they saw Andrew approaching, they tensed up. "Mr. Lloyd, why are you back?" Andrew's voice remained calm. "Move aside. I need to speak with Mrs. Rhodes." Jerry frowned and took a step forward to block the door. Andrew barely spared him a glance—just one look. Yet, in that instant, Jerry felt like he had been struck by lightning. A wave of cold terror washed over him as if he had just been locked in the sights of a predator. His entire body froze, and he mumbled, "M-Mr.Lloyd…" Jerry pointed at Andrew, his heart pounding violently. He had only experienced this feeling once before. It had come from a grandmaster, a legendary figure in the southern martial arts world. That man's strength had already surpassed the senior grandmaster level ten years ago, and his name alone commanded fear across all of Holtrien. Could it be that Andrew had reached that sam
Andrew said coldly, "If this ever happens again, then you and the Rhodes family will be done!" Tiana's rage was palpable, but she was not the only one stunned. Everyone around them stared at Andrew in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. They could not believe that Andrew had just openly threatened Tiana. Moreover, it was not just her, but all of the Rhodes family. He did not even try to hide it—this was a blatant, unfiltered warning. The sheer audacity of it was beyond anything anyone had ever seen. Even Donald felt a shiver crawl down his spine. This was a war between giants, and in a battle like this, bystanders could be crushed just by standing too close. If Tiana truly decided to attack Andrew, what side could he even take? Not that it mattered—no matter which side he chose, he was powerless here. Tiana was from the Lamberts, a name that carried immense weight in Gabo Creek. Additionally, she was also backed by the Rhodes family. With both powerhouses supporting he
Michael threw his head back and let out a cruel, triumphant laugh. He taunted, "Lauren, I told you—you could never beat me! Whether it's Aunt Tiana or the entire Rhodes Corporation board, they're all on my side. "They favor me because they know I am the future of this company. So what if you and Andrew keep defeating me over and over? At the end of the day, you will always be beneath me!" A sharp gurgle sounded, and Lauren suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. The pain in her heart was unbearable—it felt like someone had carved a hole straight through her soul. She looked at Tiana and let out a hollow, bitter laugh, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She whispered, "I see now… you never loved me. You're still the same person—always saying it's for my own good, always pretending to care, but it's all a lie." Marcus and the others clenched their fists, their eyes burning with fury as they glared at Tiana. What she had just done to Lauren—her own daughter—was beyond
Lauren cared about Tiana, but no matter how much she did, her mother still insisted on forcing her into marriage with the Driscoll family. There was no crueler irony in a mother-daughter relationship than this. The moment Tiana appeared, Michael's eyes lit up with hope. He shouted desperately, "Aunt Tiana, I'm innocent! You have to save me!" His plea, however, only drew mocking laughter from the crowd. At this point, it was clear—Michael had set fire to the Wellers' warehouse. This was a major felony, and no matter how powerful Tiana was, even she could not cover for him now. Hence, begging for help was useless. Andrew thought Tiana likely was about to abandon Michael, her puppet, for good. Yet, what happened next shocked everyone. Tiana turned to Donald and said coldly, "Mr. Warren, Michael is part of the Rhodes family. If you want to take him, you'd better show me absolute, undeniable proof!" Donald frowned. "Mrs. Rhodes, don't make this difficult for me." Tiana's voice
Michael's face was swollen from the blows, but he still snarled, "Donald, just you wait! Mrs. Rhodes is still in the building—once she steps in, let's see who the hell dares to touch me!" Andrew strolled over, chuckling. "Michael, it's only been half a day, and you've already switched careers?" Michael gritted his teeth the moment he saw Andrew. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you mocking me?" Andrew shook his head. "Mock you? No way—I admire you! Not everyone can go from being Rhodes Corporation's vice CEO to a convicted felon in less than 24 hours. That takes real talent!" Michael's expression twisted in fury. "Andrew, don't get cocky! With my influence and connections, even if I get locked up, I won't stay in there for long!" Andrew smirked. "Wow, listen to yourself—so impressive! So what, that means you can commit arson and still walk free? The law doesn't apply to you?" Michael sneered. "You're damn right it doesn't. That's what power is—that's what a fami
Marcus kept trying to explain himself, but it was useless. One of the officers snapped the cuffs onto his wrists and said, "Mr. Chapman, as the head of Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division, you're under investigation. The authorities are taking this case very seriously—everyone from Rhodes Pharmaceutical is being detained for questioning, so I hope you understand." Marcus sighed in frustration. He knew there was no way he could talk his way out of this. Michael had caused an absolute disaster, and everyone at Rhodes Pharmaceutical was being treated like high-risk suspects. A few of Michael's close associates, used to being arrogant, started cursing and resisting the officers. That did not last long—each of them took a hard baton strike to the stomach, doubling over in pain before getting cuffed and thrown to the floor. At that moment, Andrew stepped forward. "Officers, Mr. Chapman is one of my people. Can you let him go?" The officers looked up and immediately stra
Andrew let out a cold scoff and lashed out with a series of rapid kicks. Several of the men who had been hurling accusations at Rhodes Corporation cried out in pain as they collapsed to the ground, clutching their injuries. At the building's entrance, the police officers stationed to control the scene noticed the commotion and were about to step in. However, the moment they saw Andrew, their expressions shifted, and they quickly put on polite smiles. "Mr. Lloyd, you're here!" Andrew nodded. "That's right. Would you mind letting us through?" The officers immediately stepped aside, more than happy to comply. Andrew grinned. "I'll treat Mr. Warren and you guys to drinks sometime." The officers beamed, clearly honored, and began thanking him profusely. In Jayrodale, Andrew had become a legend—someone with influence in both high society and the underground. These officers worked under Donald and knew exactly how formidable Andrew was. Across the street from Rhodes Corporation,
Lauren looked at Andrew and spoke quickly, "I won't be staying at Moonlit Apothecary for now. I'll need you and Mr. Aicker to discuss the endorsements for the two miracle drugs!" Andrew replied, "If you're heading back, there's no way I'm letting you go alone. Come on, I'll go with you and check things out." Lauren hesitated. "But Dr. Lloyd… you know how my mother and Michael feel about you. You really don't have to care about what happens to Rhodes Corporation!" Andrew sighed. "I don't care about Rhodes Corporation's fate, but I do care about yours—how could I not?" Lauren's eyes welled up with tears, and she nearly broke down. Andrew's voice softened. "Come on. No matter what happens, I'll face it with you." Francesca immediately chimed in, "Lauren, Andrew, I'm coming with you!" Cedric nodded and said, "Dr. Lloyd, you three go ahead and handle things at Rhodes Corporation. As for those two miracle drugs—you mentioned needing endorsers, right? I happen to have the perfec