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Chapter 273
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Inside the SUV, Dylan personally drove Andrew toward West End. "Dylan, this isn't the way to South City, is it?" Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow. Dylan explained with a wry smile, "Mr. Lloyd, we're heading to West End. Tonight is a crucial three-way meeting between us South City, Northern District's Atlas, and the last major underground power in Jayrodale—West End's Natasha Vostokoff. "I wouldn't have dared ask for your company if it wasn't important." Andrew analyzed and commented, "So the conflict between South City and Northern District has reached a critical point. That's why West End couldn't stay neutral anymore and had to step in for negotiations, right?" "You've hit the nail on the head, Mr. Lloyd," Dylan said admiringly. "Last time, you helped us take down Griffin, giving South City a chance to counter-attack. "Now, neither Norther District nor South City can gain the upper hand. With Madam Vostokoff getting involved, I'm worried about potential tricks, which is
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 275
Dylan forced an awkward laugh and ducked his head sheepishly. "I was just kidding, Mr. Lloyd. Please don't be angry." He had no doubt about Andrew's influence. With one word, this man could actually have him performing stand-up comedy for the rest of his life. … The SUV pulled up in front of a towering building in Jayrodale's West End district. "Mr. Lloyd, this is Madam Vostokoff's headquarters—the main base of West End's underground operations," Dylan explained while opening the door for Andrew. "Impressive…" Andrew nodded after taking in the sight. At that moment, an alluring woman wearing a veil and dark smoky eye makeup approached them, surrounded by several imposing bodyguards. "Mr. Garner, you've finally arrived. Please come in. Mr. Giordano and Mr. Moore are getting impatient," she said with a smile, her eyes deliberately lingering on Andrew. "Mr. Lloyd, this is Natasha Vostokoff, the leader of Jayrodale's West End," Dylan introduced. Before he could introduce
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 276
Atlas and Finley were already seated in the massive conference room. When Natasha entered with her signature sultry walk, Finley's eyes lit up with desire, but Atlas quickly shot him a warning glance. Atlas was well aware of Natasha's reputation in Jayrodale's underground circles, and he worried Finley's wandering eye might compromise their position. "Thank you for your patience, Mr. Giordano and Mr. Moore," Natasha said with a smile. "Mr. Garner and South City's representative have arrived, so we can begin." "What capable fighter could South City possibly have besides Dylan?" Finley scoffed. "They're all trash in my eyes." "Pretty big talk from you, Mr. Moore. Better be careful not to bite your tongue," Dylan's voice sounded from the doorway as he and Andrew entered the room. Initially, both Finley and Atlas wore looks of contempt, feeling confident in their position against Dylan. However, when they saw Andrew beside him, their expressions quickly changed. "So this is who
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"Finley and Atlas can't be trusted," Dylan warned. "If you believe their lies, once they destroy South City, West End won't be spared either." "Oh? What makes you say that?" Natasha asked with a smile. "Are you suggesting Northern District plans to take over West End as well?" Before Dylan could respond, Atlas cut in, "Dylan's just a brute—don't take his words seriously. Northern District and West End have always maintained peaceful relations, and even if we wanted your territory, we wouldn't have the strength after dealing with South City. That would be suicide!" "Mr. Giordano is right," Finley added smoothly. "In fact, West End stands to gain the most from this. The only reason we're pursuing this vendetta against South City is because Dylan treacherously killed Mr. Giordano's lieutenant. Such a betrayal demands justice." Their coordinated pitch seemed to sway Natasha, while her lieutenants behind her nodded approvingly. "Madam, we should stay neutral and let them fight it
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 278
"How dare you insult Madam Vostokoff! Are you asking for death?" West End's enforcers erupted in anger. "In all these years, no one has ever dared to disrespect our leader on our turf!" Over the years, many have experienced Natasha's ruthless cunning firsthand. For this young upstart to openly mock her intelligence right to her face—he must have been tired of living. Atlas and Finley could barely contain their joy at this turn of events. "Dylan, is this your way of making South City perish faster?" Finley taunted, fanning himself with a smirk. He added, "Andrew, I know you're trying to get Madam Vostokoff's attention, but this thorny rose is far beyond your reach. Now, you'll probably leave here in pieces!" "Mr. Garner, he's your man," Natasha snapped. "For old times' sake, I'll give you one chance to explain what he means. Otherwise, none of you will leave West End's headquarters alive." "Madam Vostokoff, Mr. Lloyd can be quite direct, but let me explain—" Dylan began
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 279
He leaned forward, his voice biting as he said, "Answer me this: Atlas promised you a 50-50 split of the territory once he takes down South City. Did you seriously believe that just because he said it?" Natasha's glare intensified, but before she could respond, Andrew continued. "Second, Jayrodale has three major underground organizations, with Atlas and Northern District being the strongest. Surely, you know this much. And now, with Finley and the Hidden Dragons backing him, Atlas is more powerful than ever. After he crushes South City, do you really think he won't turn around and wipe out West End next?" Natasha scoffed, though there was hesitation in her voice. "Do you seriously think I don't understand the dynamics of Jayrodale better than you? After taking South City, Atlas will be weakened. How could he possibly come after me?" Andrew shook his head, smirking. "Calling you stupid is honestly being too kind. As I said, Atlas has the Hidden Dragons and the ambitious Finley by
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 280
Natasha's expression darkened as a chill ran down her spine. Though Andrew's words were harsh, they struck with undeniable truth—she had almost fallen into Atlas and Finley's trap. "I understand why you were so eager to fall for their scheme," Andrew continued calmly. "You wanted South City eliminated so you could grab a piece of the pie. Your ambition isn't small, Madam Vostokoff—West End wants to dominate too." "Unfortunately, greed often exposes one's weaknesses," Andrew added with mock concern. "As a woman in this business, you should be more careful playing games with cunning men like Atlas." His patronizing tone made Natasha grind her teeth. While it was her first time being lectured by such a young man, she could not deny the truth in his words. She did have ambitions and had been swayed by Atlas's promises. "Mr. Giordano, Mr. Moore, please leave. You're no longer welcome in West End," Natasha ordered through clenched teeth. "Madam Vostokoff, you can't actually belie
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In the West End district, Andrew and Dylan received a grand welcome from Natasha. "Mr. Lloyd, I never expected you to make such bold moves. You even managed to shock someone like me," Dylan admitted, still in awe of Andrew's earlier actions and words. Dylan could not shake off the memory of how Andrew had brazenly called Natasha an airhead and lectured her to read more books as if she were just one of his men. He found it incredible that Andrew dared to act this way on someone else's turf, surrounded by their elite fighters. What bewildered Dylan even more was that Natasha did not get angry after being scolded. Instead, she switched sides, driving Atlas and Finley away while graciously hosting him and Andrew. As one of Jayrodale's crime lords, Dylan had never felt this triumphant. "I'm not as remarkable as you suggest," Andrew said calmly. "She simply came to her senses and realized she couldn't let Northern District become too powerful, and once I pointed that out, Atlas and
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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,
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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
