Harvey felt better knowing Andrew was in bigger trouble than him. He smirked and muttered, "Tony's even more ruthless than Dylan. Andrew won't have a single bone left intact when Tony is done with him." Just outside the restaurant, three SUVs suddenly surrounded Andrew. He remained calm as he watched several men step out of the vehicles. "Remember me?" Juan sneered through his barely healed bruises. "Today will be your last." "Oh, I remember," Andrew replied with a smirk. "How could I forget? Last time, I beat you up so badly that you were almost unrecognizable." The memory of Andrew's slaps at the racetrack still haunted Juan. "You won't be laughing soon. Before we kill you, I'm going to make sure you know exactly how it feels to have your face destroyed." Standing nearby with a cold glare, Rocco chimed in, "Don't play any tricks. Cooperate, and I might make it quick. If not…" His voice trailed off menacingly, leaving no room for doubt. Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Let me g
Rocco muttered as he looked at the gun, "With this baby, everyone will bow down—no matter who they are." He failed to notice the icy calm in Andrew's gaze, utterly unfazed by the weapon. After Juan and his men took Andrew away, one of the South City gang members emerged trembling from his hiding spot. He quickly dialed his phone and reported, "Mr. Garner, we've got trouble—Mr. Rocco from East Side just took Lloyd" Dylan's voice shook with anger as he shouted, "W-What? You idiots! Weren't you supposed to watch Mr. Lloyd and report anything suspicious immediately?" The lackey stammered, "M-Mr. Garner, this wasn't our fault. The East Side crew came out of nowhere, and Rocco had a gun. Mr. Lloyd had no chance to fight back." "Those bastards brought weapons?" Dylan cursed. "That old fox Tony's playing for keeps." "What do we tell Mr. Yates if something happens to Mr. Lloyd?" the lackey asked anxiously. Dylan growled, "Don't panic! I'll report this to Mr. Yates immediately.
"Tony, you're dead if you touch Mr. Lloyd," Cedric growled as he slammed his fist on the table at the Aicker residence, rising to his feet with a terrifying expression. "Grandpa, what's wrong? Why are you so angry?" Francesca asked in surprise. "I just got the news that the East Side gang just kidnapped Mr. Lloyd," Cedric said, gritting his teeth. Francesca instantly panicked. "How could this happen? Grandpa, we need to go save him!" Cedric glanced at her and waved his hand dismissively. "You stay home and rest. Let me handle this." Francesca insisted, "No, I need to see for myself that he's okay." Cedric conceded. "Fine. Simon, Fran and I are heading to the East Side. Watch the house." Simon, Cedric's senior apprentice, grumbled, "Mr. Aicker, why should we care if Andrew lives or dies? Tony's not someone we should mess with! He runs the East Side underground. We shouldn't make an enemy of him." "You fool!" Cedric snapped. "Lauren and Dylan are already charging into th
Rocco laughed along, convinced Andrew had lost his mind. "Everyone who falls into East Side's hands ends up scared witless. It's understandable!" The lackeys guarding the warehouse entrance relaxed, exchanging amused looks. They began calling out suggestions for torture, each more horrific than the last. "Mr. Madden, how do you want to handle him? Chop off a few fingers first, or maybe castrate him right away?" "Look at his flawless skin. Maybe we could sell him to a… certain kind of club," another thug suggested with a twisted grin. "Remember how many times he slapped you back at the track? I think you should return the favor, Mr. Madden—then work him over until he begs for death." Juan gloated. "Did you hear that? You're in for a world of pain. You sure you don't want to beg for mercy now?" Andrew replied impatiently, "I came here to teach Tony a lesson, not to watch a bunch of clowns put on a show. If you don't make your move soon, I'll make mine." Juan roared with lau
Rocco trembled as cold sweat ran down his body, realizing they had severely underestimated their opponent. The other East Side thugs stood frozen, afraid that any sudden move might make Andrew hurt Juan. "Let Mr. Madden go, and I'll put down my gun. Deal?" Rocco slowly lowered his weapon, though a murderous glint flickered in his eyes. Andrew smiled. "That's better." However, he quickly delivered another slap to Juan's face. "Didn't he want me to try hitting him? Well, how about one, two, three…" He asked mockingly, "How was that? Satisfied now?" The pain was unbearable, and Juan sobbed, "Yes, yes! Please stop! No more! I'll die if you don't stop!" "What more do you want?" Rocco shouted. "I've surrendered. But if anything happens to Mr. Madden, you're dead!" Andrew released Juan with a warning. "Get lost, but remember our deal—you leave me alone after this." As Juan stumbled toward him, Rocco rolled forward and snatched up his gun. "Let you go? After what you did to Mr.
Juan's heart pounded as he swallowed hard. There was nothing funny about this situation at all. Unfortunately, Tony had already hung up, pleased with himself. "Please don't kill me! I'll do anything. Just let me live!" Juan begged on his knees as Andrew approached with an increasingly cold smile. … Meanwhile, at East Side, Tony sat relaxed in his leather armchair with a casual smile. He declared. "I'm not releasing him. The kid beat up Juan, my only son. Anyone who touches him is basically spitting in my face, and that means death." Lauren, Cedric, and Dylan sat across from him, their faces grim. "Mr. Madden Senior, this whole mess started because Juan provoked Andrew first," Lauren argued angrily. "Isn't it excessive to kill someone just because of that? You can't just abuse your position as East Side's crime lord to take lives as you please." "Ms. Rhodes, I don't appreciate that tone," Tony drawled, sipping his tea. "Even if Juan started it, so what? That kid is just a n
Lauren, Cedric, and Dylan watched in shock as a figure walked calmly into the room. The man ignored the tension in the air and strode straight toward Tony. "You must be Tony Madden, the so-called king of East Side," Andrew said, his voice steady. "I beat up Juan and killed your man. Well, I'm here. What are you going to do about it?" Lauren, Cedric, and Dylan were stunned by the sheer audacity of those words. He single-handedly stormed East Side, killed one of Tony's top men, and beat Juan to a pulp. Not only that, but he was even challenging Tony himself. Even Dylan, a man who had seen his fair share of violence and chaos, felt a cold sweat forming as he watched Andrew's unshaken figure. He always knew Andrew was formidable, but this was a whole other level of audacity. Tony's face turned red with rage, veins bulging in his forehead as he growled, "I'm going to kill you!" Over a hundred East Side members flooded the room, their faces twisted with menace. Several of them gave
Tony let out a sinister laugh. "What's the matter? Getting scared now? Weren't you acting tough just a minute ago?" Andrew smiled. "I'm not scared. I'm just suggesting we could resolve this peacefully. What do you think?" Tony laughed, his tone mocking. "Resolve this peacefully? This isn't over until you're in pieces! Get on your knees, cripple yourself, and beg for Juan's forgiveness. Maybe then we'll talk." Tony relaxed back in his chair, lit a cigar, and began blowing smoke rings. Lauren frowned. "Mr. Madden Senior, you're being unreasonable. We can treat Juan's injuries and discuss this like civilized people." "Tony, it's better to end feuds than escalate them," Dylan added gravely. "The three of us are willing to make amends. Isn't that enough?" Tony scoffed. "This loser dared to come to my territory and challenge me. Do you think I'll let him walk out of the East Side alive? That's ridiculous." Andrew chimed in, "I agree. I gave you a chance for peace, but you're t
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