Aspen spoke with unwavering confidence, "You're practically family, Christie's brother and mother. It would be heartless of me to refuse your investment. Besides, the Northern District has been growing rapidly, maintaining steady control over the other two factions. At this rate, Atlas will dominate the underground scene in no time." She continued, "Your investment comes at the perfect moment—you'll be counting profits while sitting back and relaxing!" Leroy expressed his gratitude with excitement. "Thanks, Aspen! Finally, someone's helping me level up in this game!" Irene said hopefully, "At last, my retirement is secured! The last time I trusted that bastard Harvey, he nearly cost me my life savings." Aspen replied contemptuously, "Christie told me all about Harvey's scheme. That manipulative fraud only gained your trust to scam you. Rest assured, the Weller family will pay for every penny they took!" Andrew couldn't stand it anymore and stood up. "Fran, let's go." Before
Christina let out a cold laugh and countered, "Warning me? Since when did you become so caring? Or is this just another attempt to get my attention? Can you honestly deny that?" Andrew's expression grew distant. "I only have one reason for doing this. It's out of respect for Mr. Stevens Senior, and because it would be a shame to see the Stevens Corporation fall apart in your hands." Christina responded with a mocking smile, her silence speaking volumes of her contempt. Leroy sneered. "Andrew, you might be riding high in your G-Wagon and dating rich women now, but do you have any idea who you're dealing with?" Andrew scoffed. "I couldn't care less about your background. All I know is that you're just another sore loser—a wannabe who can dish it out but can't take it." Leroy snapped. "Watch your attitude, Andrew. Let me tell you something—Aspen is from our main Stevens family branch. Do you know how powerful they are? Anyone from our family could make you bow down in an instan
Aspen's tone over the phone was aggressive and accusatory. Meanwhile, Donald sat in his office, still writing his disciplinary report, filled with frustration. Mark had given strict orders that Donald's report needed to show deep reflection and sincere remorse for his actions against Andrew. Hence, when Aspen's call came in, Donald found the perfect outlet for his pent-up anger. Taking a deep breath, Donald unleashed a thunderous roar into the phone, "Aspen, you absolute nightmare!" Aspen winced at the sudden outburst, and she scolded, "Donald, are you insane? Why are you screaming? What did you just say? I couldn't hear you over all that yelling." Donald gritted his teeth and snarled, "I said you're a nightmare! Did you hear me clearly this time?" Aspen frowned, suspecting Donald was insulting her, but she was not quite sure. "Can't you speak properly? I don't understand what you're trying to say!" Donald spat out, "Aspen, you bitch! You've got some nerve calling me. I'm t
Aspen reasoned that if Andrew truly had the power to make Donald submit, he would not be living off rich women. She had witnessed it herself at the appraisal convention—Andrew did not even dare resist when Donald took him away. "Aspen, what's wrong?" Christina asked, noticing her troubled expression. Aspen sneered. "Don't worry, Christie, it's nothing. Andrew just got lucky again—the Jayrodale Police Department decided to let him off the hook." Christina said mockingly, "Try not to let it bother you, Aspen. It's probably Francesca, Lauren, or even Marvin pulling strings for him again. He keeps relying on others to clean up his messes while sinking lower. I'm done caring about him." Aspen gritted her teeth. "I couldn't care less about Andrew. He's just a nobody who got lucky because heaven took pity on him. What really stings is all the money I wasted on those high-grade pieces at the appraisal convention." What she did not mention was how Andrew had humiliated her at the conv
The next morning, Andrew woke up in his luxurious bed at the Moonlit Sanctuary and noticed several missed calls on his phone. When he called back, Dylan's voice came through, weak but filled with excitement. "Mr. Lloyd, we succeeded!" Dylan exclaimed. Andrew remained surprisingly calm and replied with a smile, "Well then, congratulations, Dylan." "No, Mr. Lloyd, you deserve the most credit," Dylan said. "These results are all thanks to you." Andrew responded, "It still depended on your team's performance. The Blood Surge Pill has quite an intense aftereffect. Rest up and recover well. When you're back on your feet, South City will be ready for its rise." "Understood, Mr. Lloyd!" Dylan laughed respectfully before hanging up. After some thought, Andrew tried calling Natasha, but her phone was turned off. He tried another number with the same result. "Interesting," Andrew smiled casually as he set his phone aside and went to freshen up. While it was normal for a crime lor
After her confession, Francesca's face turned bright red as she huffed and walked into the hospital ahead of Andrew. "Fran, are you saying you have someone special?" Andrew asked as he caught up with her. Francesca replied seriously, "Dr. Lloyd, we're at work now. Please refrain from asking personal questions in the hospital." "As you wish, Dr. Aicker," Andrew smiled with a playful bow. The morning passed quickly as Andrew saw a few scheduled patients. During a lull, Bernard, who had been absent for a while, approached him with a fake smile. "Dr. Lloyd, I hear you're doing quite well lately. Congratulations!" "It's nothing special—just slightly better than your situation," Andrew replied with a smirk. Bernard's face darkened instantly. "Andrew, pride comes before a fall. You're so young to be promoted to deputy chief—I worry you'll lose control, and everything will come crashing down." "No need for your concern, Dr. Hackett," Andrew said with a slight smile. "By the way
Leroy's soup dripped onto the table as he anxiously asked, "Aspen, now that Atlas is dead, what about our money?" "Shut up!" Christina kicked him under the table. "How can you think about money at a time like this?" With a grave expression, Christina turned to Aspen. "We need to act fast. Contact someone in the Northern District and get your investment back immediately." Aspen snapped out of her daze and quickly dialed Atlas' office number. A raspy voice answered, "Who are you looking for?" "This is Aspen from the Bridgefields' Stevens family. I need to speak with Mr. Atlas Giordano," she said urgently. "Are you stupid? Mr. Giordano is as dead as he can be. If you want to find him, try looking in hell," the voice sneered. Aspen snapped, "Watch your tone! Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?" "I'll speak however I want, lady. Like I said, Mr. Giordano's dead, and he's finished," the voice replied coldly. Aspen gritted her teeth. "Atlas may be dead, but the
Aspen had invested ten million dollars in Atlas's operation, and if it were all gone, there would be serious consequences. They immediately got into the car with Irene and Leroy, heading toward Jayrodale's Northern District. … Meanwhile, Andrew's G-Wagon drifted to a smooth stop in front of the West End headquarters. Unlike usual, the building was surrounded by guards in black suits, dark ties, and sunglasses, creating an intimidating atmosphere. One of Natasha's top enforcers blocked Andrew's path. "Sorry, Mr. Lloyd, but you can't enter right now!" "I'm here to see Madam Vostokoff. Is there a problem?" Andrew asked with a smile as he sized up the man. The enforcer was a muscular giant with a crew cut and tattoos covering his neck, chest, and arms. His bulging muscles and fists the size of melons marked him as someone not to be messed with. "Mr. Lloyd, please understand that Madam Vostokoff isn't available right now," the man chuckled, pushing Andrew back. "You're an honore
Dean had hoped for a quiet life after joining Madblade Martial Academy. Instead, Andrew had shown up, stomped all over their pride, and forced them to pay back every cent without daring to make a sound. Dean had long resolved to follow three golden rules when it came to Andrew: not to provoke him, not to act recklessly, and not to resist. Yet, fate was cruel. Not only had he crossed paths with Andrew again, but Hugh had also managed to offend him and even expected Dean to clean up the mess. Dean's patience snapped, and for a brief moment, he genuinely considered killing Hugh to put an end to this nightmare. Hugh lay on the floor, beaten to a bloody pulp and sobbing uncontrollably, his face a mixture of tears and snot. "Mr. Mayer, I called you here to help me deal with them, not to beat me up! Why are you hitting me? Get rid of those two scumbags already!" Dean exploded. "Shut your damn mouth, you idiot!" He punctuated his fury with a vicious kick to Hugh's stomach, making
Dean strode into the restaurant, his expression dark and menacing. The moment Hugh saw him, his confidence soared. He scrambled up from the floor and glared at Andrew with a venomous sneer. "You think you're tough? Go ahead, slap me again, you punk! Let me teach you something—out here, it's all about power and connections!" Andrew raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure you want me to slap you again?" Hugh smacked his swollen face and jeered. "Do it! I dare you! You won't. You're probably so scared right now you're about to wet your pants!" With Madblade Martial Academy's martial artists here, Hugh was convinced Andrew would not dare make another move. In his mind, he was already imagining the scene of Andrew groveling at his feet, sobbing and begging for forgiveness. Yet, before Hugh could enjoy his fantasy, Andrew's hand whipped across his face again with twice the force. Hugh flew backward, crashing straight into Dean and his men as they entered the restaurant. Dean's
Hugh hung up the phone and sneered at Andrew. "Your time is up. Rodney's already sent people over. If I don't break both your legs and ruin your woman, I'll change my name from Nasty Hugh to Loser Hugh." Feeling smug, he pulled out a chair, lit a cigarette with a dramatic snap, and took a long drag as if savoring his supposed victory. Fiona, now stripped of all her artificial enhancements, ran over to him, sobbing hysterically. "Hugh, you've got to stand up for me! That woman ruined everything I spent thousands on! I don't care what you do—just kill her for me!" Hugh was still fuming and trying to calm his nerves when he glanced at Fiona, only to recoil in horror. "What the hell are you?!" he shouted, flinging his cigarette to the floor. Smacking her across the face, he barked, "Are you human or some kind of ghost? Get away from me, you hideous thing! How can someone this disgusting even exist?!" Fiona clutched her swelling cheek, crying out in disbelief. "Hugh, it's me! I'm
The other customers and even the restaurant owner stood frozen in place, staring at Andrew and Lauren in shock. Everyone looked stunned. It was as if they were watching something out of an action movie. "Mommy, those two are amazing!" a little boy exclaimed. "Man, that guy knocked Nasty Hugh to the ground with just one slap!" a diner murmured in disbelief. "I thought he was just some skinny dude, but he's clearly hiding some serious strength!" Lauren walked up to Fiona, placing the heel of her stiletto on the woman's face while looking down at her with a cold smile. "A minute ago, you were throwing around insults like it was your hobby. So go on, say something else now." Fiona shrieked as Lauren's heel pressed harder, distorting her nose and mouth. Tears streaming, she cried, "Hugh, help me! Somebody help! She's going to kill me!" Lauren grabbed a fistful of Fiona's hair and sneered, "Your eyelids, nose, lips are fake, and even your chest is fake. Wow, you're a walking pat
Andrew looked at Hugh with a cold smirk and said, "I'll give you a choice. Slap yourself ten times, admit you're a loser, and promise never to show your face in front of me again." He added, "Do that, and I might consider letting you walk out of here." Hugh froze for a moment. However, he soon burst into loud laughter. "Are you out of your damn mind? Fiona, did you hear this moron?!" He howled, "This idiot actually thinks he can give me a choice. What a joke! He's just begging to die." Fiona sneered at Andrew with disdain. "You're gonna regret this. In a minute, Hugh's gonna have you crying for mercy on your knees, begging him to stop!" She scoffed. "And your tramp of a girlfriend? Hugh's gonna deal with her too. Next time, learn to steer clear when you meet a big shot like Hugh." Hugh's face darkened as he pointed at Andrew. "Get on your knees right now. I'm giving you three seconds to decide. If you don't, I'll smash your head open!" The other diners shook their heads
The restaurant owner hurriedly retreated into the kitchen, too scared to intervene further. Meanwhile, the other diners cast sympathetic glances at Andrew, their hushed murmurs echoing their shared sentiment of pity. One diner whispered, "Just finish your meal quickly, and let's get out of here. Hugh always throws his weight around because of his ties to the Madblade Martial Academy." "The poor guy over there is doomed—looks like he's too soft to handle a thug like Hugh." Another diner chimed in, "The guy's unlucky, but did you see his girlfriend? She's stunning, like a goddess. Hugh's got a reputation for being a sleaze. He'll definitely try to mess with her." "That handsome guy was too rushed. When he met a mad dog like Hugh, he should've held back for a while, and the situation would've passed. Although our society is a society ruled by law, power is still absolute—we're no one to fight against that." All the diners pitied Andrew, thinking he was unlucky. However, a few a
Unable to take it anymore, Andrew tapped Hugh's shoulder and said politely, "Hey man, could you move your chair a bit? It's really tight back here." Hugh turned around and snapped, "Move your own damn self if you're uncomfortable, you idiot!" As he cursed, he deliberately showed off the tiger tattoo on his chest. This trick usually let him swagger around Jayrodale unchallenged, since most people were easily intimidated by such displays. Fiona Smith leaned forward aggressively and asked, "Hugh, what's wrong? Is this loser bothering you?" Hugh sneered. "Just eat your food, he's nobody. This moron actually asked me to move my chair. Who does he think he is, the king of Jayrodale's underground? He's got a death wish!" Andrew frowned and replied, "Watch your mouth. If you keep spewing trash, I might just help you find out what it actually tastes like." Hugh rolled up his sleeves and pointed at Andrew's face, bellowing, "Do you have any idea who I am? Listen here, you piece of c
"Mr. Warren, as far as I know, what Harvey and Serena did falls under moral issues. Using legal means won't do you any good," Andrew said. Then, he asked, "So, did Brad give you anything useful during the interrogation?" Donald scoffed. "Taking his stepmother to bed and doing something that shameless? Sure, it's a moral issue, but don't you think it's something that deserves divine punishment?" Andrew chuckled. "Mr. Warren, it seems like you're itching to do something to express your outrage, aren't you?" Donald smirked. "Of course! While I was interrogating Brad, there happened to be a few intern reporters present." He continued, "So, my apologies, but tomorrow, Jayrodale's front page will have the Weller family's scandal plastered all over it in the biggest headline. Make sure to subscribe and enjoy it, Mr. Lloyd." Andrew laughed and cursed in jest, "Enjoy it, my ass. I have no interest in this kind of trashy gossip." Donald chuckled mischievously. "Oh, come on, Mr. Llo
Lauren giggled. "You're such a stereotypical guy, Dr. Lloyd." Shopping with a beautiful woman was always exhausting, and it proved no different for Andrew. Lauren's shopping spree quickly loaded Andrew's arms with bags until he could barely carry them all. "I think that's enough. I can barely hold any more," Andrew said, overwhelmed. Lauren tilted her head thoughtfully before saying with disappointment, "Fine… I wanted to look at suits and belts for you too, but I guess that'll have to wait for next time!" Andrew brightened up and asked hopefully, "Can we head back now?" Waggling her delicate fingers, the young heiress laughed playfully. "No way! Shopping is exhausting, and I haven't eaten yet. Come on, this restaurant is amazing. It's my treat!" Andrew could only smile wryly as he followed her into the restaurant laden with shopping bags. Just as they sat down, Donald called him. Andrew found it strange to get a call from Donald at this hour. He answered irritably, "Mr.