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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 19
Shawn looked at Andrew with a smirk. "What's the matter, Andrew? You sound like you have a problem with this." Irene mocked, "Of course he does. He can't stand that you're more capable than him. He's just jealous." Andrew shook his head, amazed at Shawn's shamelessness. He knew the truth—Marvin had personally called him for permission, and it was only after Andrew gave the green light that Stevens Corporation had a shot at the orphanage property. Shawn raised his glass, looking smug. "Andrew, you're being ridiculous. I'm graciously inviting you for a drink, and instead of being grateful, you're questioning me. Your attitude suggests you think you helped Christie, not me." Leroy scoffed, "Yeah, right! As if a wimp like him could pull that off. If he managed to do it, I'd eat my hat." Andrew turned to Christina, his tone serious. "A word of advice: you're surrounded by dishonest idiots with bad intentions. Be careful. I'd hate to see you run the Stevens Corporation into the gro
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 20
The crowd gasped in shock as they realized these thugs did not seem to care about the Fields family at all. Baldy snarled, "I hate showoffs like you the most. Let's see how tough you really are. Boys, teach him a lesson!" With that command, the gang approached Shawn, kicking and stomping him mercilessly. "Stop it, you bastards!" Shawn screamed, his bravado evaporating instantly. "I order you to stop right now, or I'll make you all disappear!" His threats quickly turned to pitiful pleas. "Please, stop! I'm begging you! You're going to kill me!" Shawn's face was a mess of bruises, his nose broken. The worst pain came from a vicious kick to his groin, leaving him wondering if he could ever father children. Christina stepped forward, her face ashen. "You thugs! What gives you the right to beat someone like this?" Just as she rushed to shield Shawn with her body, Baldy called for his men to stop. He sneered at Shawn's battered form. "Your pathetic Fields family is nothing b
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 21
Andrew was nowhere to be seen as Christina looked around. "Since you're not involved in this, get lost, you coward," Baldy snarled, kicking Shawn aside before turning his attention to Christina. "Ms. Stevens, Mr. Garner has his eye on that property. You're coming with us to sign it over." Shawn crawled away, groveling, "Thank you for your mercy. Thank you, Mr. Garner, for sparing me." Internally, he cursed his terrible luck. Jayrodale's four districts were each controlled by a ruthless crime lord. Dylan was the crime lord of the southern area, with hundreds of loyal thugs at his command. The Fields family was insignificant in comparison. "Shawn, they're taking Christie! Do something!" Irene pleaded desperately. Leroy joined in, begging, "Shawn, I know you can figure this out. You're the Fields family heir. Don't you have connections?" Shawn's face darkened as he replied, "I can't do anything. When Mr. Garner wants something, you'd better hand it over." Irene turned on hi
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 22
Right at the last second, a cold voice suddenly commanded, "Get away from her!" Baldy's hand had just begun to swing when a powerful force struck his back. Before he could even grunt, he was sent flying by a kick, landing motionless on the ground. Christina stared in disbelief at Andrew, who had suddenly appeared behind Baldy. Andrew's eyes were frighteningly cold, as if ready to kill. "W-Why did you come back?" Christina stammered, surprised. She had thought Andrew had left, disappointed that he seemed even more cowardly than Shawn. "Should I have let them take you and have their way with you?" Andrew snapped, giving the thoughtless woman a stern look. Christina froze, feeling Andrew was being too aggressive. "Andrew, I know I misunderstood you, but you're—" Before she could finish her sentence, Baldy roared, "Get him! Kill that bastard!" A dozen thugs in black clothes immediately surrounded Andrew, some even pulling out weapons. Shawn was secretly delighted and though
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 23
"Andrew, you need to run! Get out of Jayrodale, now!" Christina urged, her eyes filled with worry after carefully considering the situation. Andrew calmly replied, "I don't think that's necessary." Christina flew into a rage, shouting, "Don't you understand? You're in trouble! How can you say it's not necessary?" Andrew smirked. "So what? Do you think I've caused trouble for your family? That I'm giving you problems?" "Isn't that exactly what's happening?" The retort left Andrew speechless. Irene grabbed Christina's arm, pulling her away. "Christie, let's go. All this trouble is because of this jerk. It has nothing to do with us. Come on, let's leave." Leroy chimed in, "Christie, let's go. Harvey is coming back from overseas tomorrow, and he can help us handle this. Stevens Corporation won't be affected." Christina nodded quickly. "You're right. Harvey's coming back tomorrow. He'll sort this out. Everything will be fine." She turned to Andrew, her expression complica
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 24
That night, two events caused ripples in Jayrodale's high society circles. First, Dylan, the crime lord of South City, had stumbled for the first time since solidifying his power. Second, Harvey had returned from abroad, ready to take control of the Weller family. The Weller family was among the top three elite families in Jayrodale, far above second-tier families like the Fields. Harvey was even more renowned, once considered the leader of Jayrodale's Four Scions and the most prominent young heir in the city. The next morning, Lauren called Andrew. "Dr. Lloyd, I heard you ran into some trouble at the Jayrodale Grand Hotel yesterday. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask," she said, her voice filled with worry. Andrew replied, "Thanks for your concern, Ms. Rhodes, but it's not a big deal." Lauren laughed. "I should've known something like this wouldn't faze you, Dr. Lloyd. I was hoping I could help and have you owe me a favor." Andrew smiled. "I doubt a favor f
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 25
Andrew's straightforwardness made Francesca scoff. She mocked, "You didn't even bother to greet me first? You're so unsophisticated." Despite her annoyance, she slid an elegant box across the table to Andrew. He opened it, confirming the presence of a twisted root nestled on silk, then stood to leave. "Wait," Francesca called out. "You've got what you wanted. When are you going to treat me?" Andrew replied frankly, "Just set a time. But I should warn you about the treatment. I'll need to lift your dress." Francesca froze. "Lift my dress? What do you mean?" Andrew explained calmly, "Your condition isn't ordinary. It's more severe, which I'm sure you're aware of." Francesca's face flushed as she realized the implications, her gaze a mix of embarrassment and anger. Ignoring her reaction, Andrew continued, "To ensure a complete cure, I'll need to perform a minimally invasive procedure on the… affected area. Understand?" Francesca gritted her teeth. "That's hardly appropriat
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 26
"Enjoy yourselves tonight, everyone. Drinks are on me," Harvey announced with a charming smile. The crowd erupted in cheers and praise. After all, Oakridge Club was known for being one of the most expensive places in Jayrodale. Only someone like Harvey could boldly claim that the whole night's bill was on him. "Mr. Weller sure is generous!" "He's still the same Mr. Weller we know and love!" "Only the beautiful CEO of Stevens Corporation is worthy of our handsome and wealthy Mr. Weller!" Francesca watched in admiration as Harvey and Christina disappeared into the VIP room on the second floor. "Before he went abroad, Harvey was known as Jayrodale's most eligible bachelor. Now, he's returned even more refined and mature. The Weller family has a bright future, and Ms. Stevens is a lucky woman." Andrew sipped his drink and nodded. "This is a great wine." Francesca looked at him, confused. "At a time like this, you're still in the mood to enjoy your drink?" She found Andre
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 818
Tiana said coldly, "And these last two are from Rhodes Corporation. Aspen, do you have any idea how much damage you've caused? Because of you, Rhodes Pharmaceutical has taken hit after hit. We're barely hanging on! "Now get lost. Go back to Bridgefields, and don't ever set foot in Jayrodale again. Otherwise, if I'm ever in a bad mood, I'll make sure to slap you every time I see you!" Exuding pure dominance, Tiana let out a disdainful scoff before turning on her heel and walking away with her entourage. Aspen collapsed to the ground like a pile of broken rubble. Her whole body trembled as tears streamed down her face. The pain was unbearable—not just physically, but mentally. "W-why… why did it come to this?" she choked out. "Why, of all people, is it me? First, Andrew torments me, and now Tiana! Why?" She lay there, shoulders shaking violently as sobs racked her body. Tiana had completely destroyed her face, but that was not the worst part—the worst part was that her spirit w
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 817
Christina gritted her teeth, refusing to say a word. She hated the idea that anyone could think she was beneath Andrew. Deep down, there was a dark, bitter part of her that would never accept that he was doing better than her. After all, admitting it would mean that leaving him had been a monumental mistake—one of the dumbest decisions she had ever made. Christina was too proud to ever acknowledge that. Even if she said it out loud, she would never truly believe it in her heart. Tiana scoffed. "Forget it. I only said all that because I found you incredibly irritating. But I'm actually here for Aspen." As she spoke, her icy gaze shifted to Aspen. Aspen, already trembling, started shaking even harder. She stammered, "M-Mrs. Rhodes, what can I do for you?" Tiana took two slow steps forward, her smile sharp and merciless. "I never expected the Stevens family to produce someone like you, nor did I think Zephyr would raise such a thieving daughter!" Aspen swallowed her anger an
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 816
Christina said flatly, "Let's grab a bite first. We can deal with everything else after. Andrew is even taking the people I set my sights on now. Fine. If he wants to force my hand, then I have no choice but to go against him." Aspen hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Christie, have you considered that maybe Andrew really isn't on the same level as us anymore?" Failing time and time again, getting crushed by Andrew repeatedly—it had shattered Aspen's once-proud and confident heart. Whenever she faced him, she found herself losing the drive to compete. Instead, she just wanted to keep her distance. Aspen did not want to admit it, but deep down, she knew she was scared of him now. Christina's voice was icy. "No. I don't think he's that impressive. I'll admit, he's changed. He's become more powerful and holds much more influence now. But I'll never bow to him. I'll prove to him that if he can thrive, I can do even better." Aspen parted her lips, about to say something when
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 815
Jamie gasped and immediately shouted for his men to stop. He stepped forward, and what he saw made his scalp tingle—curled up inside the trunk was a man so battered and bloodied that his face was completely unrecognizable. The man was barely clinging to consciousness, struggling to breathe. Jamie asked, "Sir, who are you? And why are you in Mr. Lloyd's car?" He kept his weapon pointed at the man, his tone sharp. "Where's the wild boar? Mr. Lloyd said he brought one back—did you let it escape?" Michael was already half-dead, barely holding on to his sanity. During the ride, he had vomited every last drop of fluid in his stomach, nearly passing out from exhaustion. When the trunk finally opened, he had been ecstatic, thinking he was finally free. Yet, before he could even take a breath, he was met with a brutal, merciless beating—one so bad that he nearly pissed himself. His hatred for Andrew burned so deep it could have swallowed him whole. He clutched his head and let out
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 814
Lauren assured him, "Don't worry, I'll get it done!" Andrew turned to Shiloh and asked, "As for where you'll stay… I have no idea where to put you. How about I just buy you a place?" Shiloh immediately shook her head. "No way! City housing prices are insane. I checked online, and in Jayrodale, it's over 15 grand per square foot. I'm not buying!" Andrew laughed. "Relax, I'll pay for it. You can just live there for free!" Shiloh shook her head even harder. "That's even worse! I don't like owing people!" Andrew felt a headache coming on. "Didn't you just make 20 million? Use your own money to buy a place." Shiloh's eyes burned with outrage. "Absolutely not! I just earned a fortune, and the first thing you want me to do is dump it into real estate? Mr. Lloyd, you've got capitalism running through your veins. Evil, evil, big bad energy—do you get that?" Andrew just stared at her, speechless. He had no counter for that. Meanwhile, Lauren could not hold it in anymore. She doub
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 813
Shiloh nodded. "Fine, I'll give you some leeway. But I act based on my mood. If I'm in a bad mood, even you won't be spared." Andrew raised his hands in surrender and chuckled nervously, saying, "Whatever you say. So please, make sure to stay in a great mood!" Lauren was drowning in work, her stress levels through the roof. However, the moment she saw Andrew walk in, she immediately brightened up and was about to greet him with a kiss. Then, her gaze shifted, and she spotted Shiloh standing behind him. She asked, "Dr. Lloyd, is this the wellness guru, Ms. Shiloh Greene?" Lauren, all warmth and enthusiasm, stepped forward with a bright smile and extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Lauren Rhodes, Dr. Lloyd's girlfriend." Shiloh reached out and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Rhodes." Andrew noticed something odd—Shiloh did not seem nearly as distant with Lauren as she had with everyone else. That made him curious. "Shiloh, you seem to like Lauren, don't you?" Shiloh answe
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 812
The elevator bell rang, and the doors slid open. Andrew stepped out with Shiloh, walking toward Lauren's office under the employees' curious gazes and polite greetings. On the way, they ran into Tiana. She eyed Shiloh up and down, her gaze carrying a hint of doubt as she asked, "Mr. Lloyd, is this the Master Shiloh you went to recruit?" Andrew nodded. "That's right, this is Ms. Shiloh Greene." He secretly let out a breath of relief—he had almost called her Master again. The last thing he wanted was to end up like Michael, who got slapped across the face for it. Tiana, exuding her usual cold and commanding presence, stepped closer to Shiloh and said, "Take off your veil. Let me see what you look like. If you're going to represent Rhodes Corporation, you can't be someone who doesn't look the part." Shiloh met her gaze calmly and replied, "Wearing a veil won't stop me from endorsing your products." Tiana's brows furrowed, her voice taking on a sharper edge. "Even so, I'd st
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 811
They chatted idly on the way back. Before long, they arrived in downtown Jayrodale, and Andrew drove straight to the Rhodes Corporation building, pulling up in front. A security guard jogged over with a big smile. "Mr. Lloyd, you're back!" As Andrew and Shiloh stepped out of the car, he handed over the keys to the guard and said, "Park it for me." The company's security guards practically worshiped Andrew now. Their respect for him was just as strong compared to Tiana's. "Of course, Mr. Lloyd, don't worry! I'll take good care of your car!" Just then, a weak knocking sound came from the trunk, along with what sounded like muffled cursing. However, with the noise of traffic all around, it was hard to make out. The security guard frowned and asked, "Uh… Mr. Lloyd, I think something's moving in the trunk." Andrew waved it off. "We picked up a wild boar on the way back. The kind that roams the mountains—mean as hell." The security guard's eyes widened. "A wild boar? Oh man,
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 810
From the moment Shiloh first mentioned she was over 80, Andrew had suspected she suffered from a rare condition—one commonly known as the "ageless syndrome". As the name suggested, those affected by it never aged beyond a certain point. Looking at Shiloh, even with her veil on, Andrew could tell she had likely stopped aging in her early 20s—still in the prime of youth. To the outside world, ageless syndrome sounded like a blessing—eternal youth. Yet, in reality, for many who suffered from it, it was a nightmare. Some stopped growing as infants, toddlers, or even newborns, forever trapped in a child's body. On the other hand, Shiloh was one of the lucky few—she had at least matured into adulthood before her aging had frozen. Nonetheless, the ageless syndrome was not as wonderful as it seemed. Certain conditions—cold, extreme heat, or even specific lunar phases—could trigger unbearable pain, or worse, episodes of mental instability. In Shiloh's case, she was not just dealing wi
