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
Andrew's patience had run out as he spoke in a cold tone. "One last time—tell Natasha to come out and talk now." The tattooed giant mocked, "Or what? What can you do? Andrew, you might have some history with West End, but if you think that gives you the right to make demands, you're in the wrong place." As he moved to push Andrew away again, the other guards snickered. With Atlas' fall, Natasha had become Jayrodale's most powerful underground leader, and they could not believe this man's audacity in challenging West End. Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the air—the sound of a wrist being broken. The tattooed giant let out an agonizing scream. "My hand! You broke my hand! Get him! Attack!" The fifty-over guards stood shocked for a moment before charging forward with angry shouts. Andrew's face turned cold as his leg swept out. Screams filled the air as the first wave of guards went flying, their faces meeting Andrew's foot. The tattooed giant, his wrist still in Andrew
"At this point, West End can't even send out a proper representative," Andrew stated emotionlessly. "Since you're treating me like I don't exist, I'll kill you first, then have a chat with Natasha." "Mr. Lloyd, please don't go too far!" a voice suddenly thundered from behind. "Conan, done watching the show from your hiding spot?" Andrew smirked as he released his grip and kicked the tattooed giant toward Conan. Conan's face twitched. He knew the tattooed giant was one of Natasha's most fearless fighters, young and skilled in hand-to-hand combat, yet Andrew had broken him so effortlessly. "Please follow me, Mr. Lloyd. Madam Vostokoff will see you now," Conan said coldly. Andrew sneered. "Oh, now she's willing to meet after this show of force?" "Mr. Lloyd, West End has already absorbed Atlas's territory," Conan stated angrily. "If you were smart, you wouldn't have come here." "So, if I hadn't shown up, Natasha would just take everything herself?" Andrew's face remained expr
Lauren blinked her big, expressive eyes and asked in confusion, "Why?" Andrew spread his hands and said, "Because I don't think I even went all out." Lauren's expression froze instantly, thinking that Andrew was truly terrifying. Watching as the flirty Lauren quickly turned and fled, her graceful silhouette disappearing in the distance, Andrew felt completely misunderstood. However, he had only spoken the truth. Last night, he had actually held back with Francesca. If he had not, things would have taken a much wilder, more intense turn. … Today was the scheduled delivery day for Stephen's shipment. Andrew and Lauren personally went to oversee the product being sent out. Stephen wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned. "Mission accomplished, Mr. Lloyd. Please check if everything meets your expectations." Andrew clapped his hands and said, "No need. I already looked it over—good work, Mr. Brunner!" Stephen quickly laughed along. "As long as you're satisfied, Mr. L
Andrew packed up and drove to Rhodes Corporation. Right at the entrance, he ran into Marcus, who had just stepped out of his car. The moment Marcus saw Andrew, he gave him a once-over, grinning from ear to ear. He chirped, "Mr. Lloyd, you're looking great—full of energy and in high spirits!" Andrew raised a brow in surprise. "Mr. Chapman, how exactly can you tell I'm feeling good?" Marcus smirked knowingly. "Mr. Lloyd, let's not play dumb. We're both men. That kind of glow? It's obvious you had a very… satisfying night." Andrew was even more surprised. Could Marcus really tell something like that just by looking at him? Then, it clicked. This department head at Rhodes Corporation might appear serious on the surface, but he was a regular at certain high-end clubs. That explained a lot. Lowering his voice, Marcus chuckled. "Every time I spend the night at a club, I see plenty of like-minded gentlemen walking out in the morning with the exact same look as you. "It's the kin
Lauren's teasing voice came through the video call. "Fran, are you at Dr. Lloyd's place right now?" Francesca's cheeks instantly flushed red. She hesitated for a second before mumbling a quiet "Mm-hmm." Lauren gasped dramatically before covering her mouth with a giggle. "Oh, so that means… Fran, you got the full Dr. Lloyd treatment last night?" Francesca gritted her teeth. "Lauren, you better not laugh at me! Do you even know how close I was to being ruined last night? I can barely walk!" Lauren blinked, looking both impressed and mildly horrified. "Wait… you mean Dr. Lloyd is that intense?" Francesca huffed. "You'll find out soon enough. When it's your turn, let's see if you can handle it!" Lauren snickered. "Oh no, no, no—I hate pain. I'll let Dr. Lloyd go wild with you first, and then I'll swoop in once he's all tired out. That way, I can dodge the first wave of his attacks!" Francesca narrowed her eyes and smirked. "Nice try. Next time, you go first—I'll sit back and
Andrew paused for a moment, surprised that she was not ready—not because of hesitation, but because of the location. With a light chuckle, he gave Francesca's soft bottom a playful pat. "Don't move. We'll be home soon." He shifted gears, released the brakes, and stepped on the gas. The G-Wagon roared to life, speeding toward the Moonlit Sanctuary estate at the top of the hill. Francesca's lips curled into a satisfied yet bashful smile. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she leaned forward and bit Andrew's chest playfully. "You big pervert! You jerk!" However, deep down, she was already scheming. 'Lauren, you better not blame me for this. You're the one who told me to take good care of Andrew first. Hehe… once your little purity mark is out of the way, the two of us will make sure Andrew completely surrenders!' And so, that night, the master bedroom of Moonlit Sanctuary's hilltop estate was anything but quiet. Francesca, at first nervous, soon found herself completely imm
Francesca sat there, completely stunned. It felt like all the air had been sucked from her lungs. She thought, 'Did… did this guy just do what I think he did?' She had practically offered him her lips, yet he did not kiss her. All he did was unbuckle her damn seatbelt. Francesca silently cursed Andrew for being an idiot. The perfect moment was right there, and he ruined it. Her face burned with embarrassment as frustration bubbled up inside her. Then, she let out a huff, sulking like a child. Andrew raised a brow. "What's wrong, Fran? Are you feeling sick again?" Francesca let out a sharp laugh. "Nope. Don't worry about it!" Andrew smirked. "Say that again." "I said—don't worry about it! Don't. Worry. About. It. What are you gonna do about it, huh?" Her voice rose in irritation, her temper flaring as she glared at him. Without warning, Andrew's large hand pinched her soft, delicate cheek. He grinned and teased, "Say it one more time." Francesca's eyes widened in shock
With Francesca in the passenger seat, Andrew drove swiftly through the city. Before long, they arrived at Moonlit Sanctuary. Just as they reached the gated community, a loud rumble echoed across the sky, followed by heavy rain. The sudden downpour was intense, with flashes of lightning cutting through the darkness. Francesca hugged herself, her voice soft with unease. "Andrew, it's storming… I don't like being alone when there's thunder. Can you stay with me for a while?" Andrew pulled the car to a stop along a quiet street. Towering trees lined both sides, their silhouettes barely visible in the dim light, while the car's warm interior glowed softly. "Alright, I'll stay until the rain stops." Francesca's face lit up with joy. "Andrew, you know… ever since I was little, thunderstorms have always scared me. But right now, with you here, I don't feel afraid at all. Actually, I feel… safe." Andrew glanced out the window. Raindrops pounded against the glass, the steady drumming
Francesca had enough. She turned to Christina and snapped, "Christina, are you seriously going to stand there and let your mother humiliate herself like this?" Christina's face burned with shame. She was beyond embarrassed, but Andrew's attitude toward her was something she could not accept. So instead, she steeled her voice. "Andrew, there's no denying that my mother was hit. You probably don't want this to escalate, so here's the deal—come back with me to the Stevens mansion, and I won't pursue this any further." Andrew let out a short laugh. "Go ahead. Let her make a scene all she wants. In fact, I have a pretty good relationship with Donald over at Jayrodale's law enforcement division. I'm sure he'd love to look into a case where a crazy old woman is harassing my business." The second Andrew reached for his phone, Irene instantly panicked. She scrambled to her feet so fast it was almost comical—no trace of the poor, battered old lady was left. She shrieked, "Andrew, you b
Leroy sneered. "Andrew, you and Christie had a history. Back when you were struggling, she was the one who helped you! Now that you're successful, it's only right that you repay her. If you refuse, then you're just an ungrateful traitor—and trust me, if you don't cooperate, I'll make sure you're ruined!" Andrew's eyes turned ice-cold as he let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Christina helped me when I was at my lowest? Leroy, the Stevens family really has no shame, huh? When I was living under your roof, did I ever take a dime from you? Did I ever owe you anything? "If anything, it was you—and your greedy, money-grubbing mother—who kept taking from me, milking me for every cent you could get." Ignoring how Irene and Leroy's faces darkened, Andrew turned to Christina and scoffed. "And you, Christina—what is it? Now that I have everything, you think you can just swoop in and claim a piece of it?" Christina opened her mouth, struggling to explain. "I-I'm not the kind of person you th
Leroy said, "You just need to manage Stevens Corporation, make good money, hand over your G-Wagon to me, and introduce Natasha to me as my future wife. That's all!" Andrew burst out laughing—so hard his stomach hurt. He mocked, "Hah! The Stevens sure are straightforward with their demands. And wow, so polite about it too!" However, Irene did not seem to catch the sarcasm in his tone. She beamed. "Of course! Andrew, just come back and patch things up with Christie. You two were meant to be together! Don't worry, as your future mother-in-law, I'll treat you well from now on. Everything that happened in the past? Consider it forgotten!" Leroy stretched out his hand expectantly and smirked. "Andrew, give me the keys to the G-Wagon now. I'll take it for a spin at the club tonight—gotta impress the ladies! And about Natasha, no rush! Just talk to her and let her know that becoming my wife would be an honor. She should be grateful, honestly!" He was already lost in his own fantasy, gr