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
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
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
"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
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
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
"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
Andrew spoke casually, "I'm not in a great mood today, so I'd advise you not to push your luck." Bobby's eyes gleamed dangerously. "What did you just say? Repeat that." Andrew chuckled. "I said, get lost. I'm not in the mood, and I'd hate to hurt you if things get out of hand." Francesca thought Andrew had lost his mind. "Andrew, shut up! Don't you know Bobby is Mr. Garner's best fighter from South City? I can't protect you if you keep running your mouth." She turned to Bobby, her voice tense. "Bobby, this guy's a friend of mine and Lauren's. Can we talk this out later? Maybe you could let him off the hook today?" Bobby laughed. "I'm afraid that's not possible. This punk messed with Mr. Garner's business yesterday. The boss wants him taken care of personally." He continued, "Ms. Aicker, please tell Ms. Rhodes it's nothing personal. This guy not only screwed up Mr. Garner's plans, but he’s also acting all high and mighty even with my knife on the table. That's disrespecting
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
Aspen was over the moon, watching Andrew with genuine admiration. This guy really had not made a single wrong move—every step had been calculated and strategic—he totally hit the jackpot. Between Derek's full support and that massive project approval, this was worth way more than just a measly 50 million dollars. Aspen felt like he was finally starting to understand why this devil of a man always ended up on the winning side. Quinton's expression was hard to read, but suddenly, he raised his voice and said, "Mr. McCormick, we at the Wrights propose that this matter be voted on!" Derek frowned and said, "Quinton, are you questioning my decision?" Quinton's face was tense as he replied, "I wouldn't dare, sir. I just believe this project is far too important to settle without consensus. A show of hands will do—if more than half agree, then even if the project goes to Supreme Capital Group, we'll respect the outcome." Derek glanced around at the others and scoffed coldly. "So the
Aspen was absolutely stunned. All Andrew did was throw out a few bold, borderline-offensive remarks, and Derek rewarded him for it. She started to question whether she was dreaming. Since when did the world start handing out favors for calling people fake? Christina's face turned a shade darker as she exchanged a look with Quinton. He gritted his teeth and muttered, "Don't rush. Let's just wait and see. Mr. McCormick's decision isn't something we can challenge outright. Damn it… this kid really stumbled into the jackpot." Andrew straightened his suit jacket at the center of it all and stood up with a bright, unbothered grin. "Well then, thank you, Mr. McCormick, for the trust. In that case, Supreme Capital Group is honored to accept the offer!" He added, "Don't worry—we'll make sure the job gets done right." Before Derek could respond, one of the old family heads shot up from his seat, clearly displeased. "Mr. McCormick, with all due respect, I really don't understand why y
"Or are you suggesting I'm being disingenuous?" Derek added with a raised brow. Andrew quickly shook his head. "Not at all, Mr. McCormick. I admire your words and leadership. But as for a few others in the room… I can't say the same." Quinton immediately slammed the table and sneered. "Mr. Lloyd, you should take a look at who you're talking to. Do you even deserve to speak here? You say you don't respect us? You think we'd ever look at someone like you seriously?" Andrew remained unfazed. "Of course, I'm new to the capital. I know I'm not in your circle. But that doesn't stop me from seeing through the fake nobility and phony virtue some of you keep flaunting." Quinton's face turned red with rage. "You son of a—" Before he could finish, Derek calmly raised a hand. "Let him speak. I'm curious what this newcomer has to say." Andrew did not hold back. "Mr. McCormick, those projects you're offering—everyone in here wants them like they're starving. But instead of saying that, t
"Mr. McCormick would like to see you both. Please come with me," the man said politely. Andrew's smile froze for a second, and he silently cursed, 'Damn it.' Aspen quickly covered her mouth, nearly bursting into laughter. This guy thought he could just pocket the cash and sneak out? Not a chance. Just when one wave had passed, another one hit. Derek himself had extended the invitation, and there was no way Andrew could slip away now. "Well then, if Mr. McCormick is asking, of course we'll go. Please, lead the way," Andrew said with a suave smile, his composure quickly returning. Aspen shot him a sideways glare, part irritated, part amused. She thought, 'Keep pretending, Mr. Calm-and-Collected.' … Inside a spacious and stately conference room, Derek sat at the head of the long table, observing everyone entering. Andrew and Aspen were the last to walk in. Once seated, Derek smiled and said, "There's nothing urgent. I just wanted to speak to you all briefly. The government
Andrew chuckled as he waved at the group. "Mr. Golding Senior, gentlemen—if you'll excuse me, I need to step away for a moment." Richard and the others chuckled and quickly gestured for him to go ahead, assuring him he did not need to be formal. However, the moment Andrew walked away, all their smiles vanished. "Now that kid's taken our money, he better move heaven and earth to get us those miracle pills. I don't care what it takes." "Exactly. Our money doesn't come easy. He better not get cocky." "Relax. From my perspective, Mr. Lloyd actually knows his stuff. Most people wouldn't have such detailed insight into those two pills." That last comment came from Richard himself. He looked calm and confident, completely in control. Since someone as influential as Richard was this certain, the other moguls finally smiled as well. Truth be told, none of them had been willing to hand Andrew money so casually at first. However, because Richard made the first move, they followed. A
It was not that Richard and the others were gullible or easy to fool. It was just that the offer Andrew had laid on the table was simply too tempting to resist. These two miracle supplements were not just on the radar of the Five Apex Families—even the Three Titans of the capital were probably drooling over them. Meanwhile, Andrew was not just a middleman—he was the one holding the cards. If his words did not stir the room, then nobody else's would even matter. "Mr. Golding Senior, transferring funds this early? Isn't that a little too soon?" Andrew said, looking hesitant. Richard waved it off with a generous tone. "What's the problem? Mr. Lloyd, don't worry. This 100 million isn't about the deal—it's simply my way of building friendships. Even if you end up not working with the Golding family, just consider this a goodwill gift between friends." As head of one of the Five Apex Families, Richard's words and actions naturally carried extra weight. Andrew gave a warm smile. "We