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Chapter 401
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 402
Recently, Lauren seemed to be facing some difficulties but had not confided in Andrew. Even Francesca was not fully aware of the situation, which made Andrew concerned enough to inquire with Marcus about it. Marcus looked surprised and asked, "So the rumors about you and Ms. Rhodes are true, Dr. Lloyd?" "What rumors?" Andrew asked, caught off guard. Marcus smiled with a knowing look and said, "There's talk that the Rhodes family heiress, the CEO of Rhodes Corporation, is involved with a young doctor. None of us employees believed it, until now, when you asked about her situation. I guess the rumors weren't unfounded after all!" Andrew chuckled wryly, understanding why such rumors existed. Lauren had never hidden her attraction to him, regardless of time or place, so it was not surprising that Jayrodale's high society had caught wind of it. "Ms. Rhodes and I are… indeed very close friends," Andrew replied awkwardly. "That's why I'm asking if she's facing any difficulties latel
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 403
Andrew was taken aback and said, "I have no intention of interfering with the Rhodes family's marriage arrangements. I just think it's unfair to force her into something she doesn't want." Marcus smiled knowingly. "No need to explain so quickly. I understand your feelings—you want to be the hero who saves the damsel, right? But think about it: even though you're accomplished and young as the deputy chief of Jayrodale General Hospital, the Rhodes family is in a completely different league." Marcus continued earnestly, "Your concern for Ms. Rhodes isn't wrong, but you need to recognize the vast gap between your worlds. Lauren is like a rare diamond, and having had her attention should be enough for a lifetime. If you push your luck, you might end up getting seriously hurt." Andrew could only smile wryly at Marcus's well-meaning advice. Clearly, Marcus saw him as someone trying to climb the social ladder. While the Rhodes family had expanded to Blumedale and their prestige grew da
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 404
"My old flame?" Andrew asked, puzzled. Francesca scoffed, "Yes, the perfect CEO Christina and her family, along with that annoying Aspen." Andrew walked to the hospital lobby with curiosity, where he found Irene lying on a gurney being wheeled to admission, wailing dramatically about her losses. "My money! All my life savings! My retirement fund—it's all gone! God, why must you give me the hardest battle?" Her desperate cries drew sympathetic looks from passersby. Andrew could not help but smile, realizing that Irene had been hospitalized due to the shock of losing her investment. This money-obsessed woman was truly having the worst luck. Christina and Aspen stood nearby, their faces dark with embarrassment. When Aspen spotted Andrew, she immediately stormed over to him with a rigid expression. "Andrew, let me ask you something," Aspen demanded. "You said the Northern District would fall soon and that my investment would be like jumping into a fire pit, right?" Andrew sm
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 405
"No matter how many failures I face, Andrew, I'll never stoop to being a gold digger like you," Aspen said venomously. She continued, "Natasha and Dylan might be fooled by you now, but tell them this—I won't let Atlas's death go unpunished. If they don't return my billion dollars, they'll face the same fate as the Northern District!"Andrew replied calmly, "Let me warn you one last time, Aspen. This is Jayrodale, not Bridgefields, and certainly not your Stevens family territory. You should learn to be more modest away from home. Not everyone will coddle you like your parents. If you try to cause trouble for Dylan and Natasha, you'll only be destroying yourself." Christina laughed coldly and said, "Andrew, you're acting like you represent these two underground leaders. Why put on such an act?" "You're actually right," Andrew smiled. "I do represent them. In fact, I now control Jayrodale's underground world." Aspen scoffed, "Come on, Christie. Let's go. It's a waste of time t
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 406
Lauren's good mood instantly vanished as her face darkened. She snapped, "Why don't you just have me killed then?" "What did you say?" Tiana raged. Lauren took a deep breath and confronted her mother, who had always been extremely strict with her. "Since you want to control my thoughts and freedom, why not just have someone kill me? Then, you won't have to look at me anymore!" Tiana raised her hand to slap Lauren but stopped herself at the last moment. "Lauren, I may not be able to control you, but remember this—you're a Rhodes heiress, not some common street girl." She added icily, "If you continue this entanglement with Andrew, you won't just destroy yourself, you'll end up destroying him too!" Lauren's heart skipped a beat as she laughed coldly. "Mom, I've said this before—you can take away my CEO position and keep me under house arrest, but the one thing you can't touch is the only person I care about and love. If anything happens to Andrew, you won't see me in a wedding
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 407
Lauren cried hard, but her resolve remained unshaken. She declared firmly, "No. If I choose to comply now, that's when I'll truly regret it. I've told the family countless times—Andrew isn't ordinary. He's a hidden gem, and he deserves not just me, but any exceptional woman!" The momentary softness in Tiana's eyes vanished instantly. "So you're still blindly obsessed with him?" she asked coldly. Lauren trembled as she felt the invisible barrier between mother and daughter, which had briefly narrowed, suddenly grew wider than ever. She slowly wiped away her tears and said expressionlessly, "Call it a blind obsession or say I'm degrading myself—either way, it has to be Andrew." Tiana sneered. "Fine. You've always made this boy sound extraordinary. Let's see how exceptional he really is. Do you think he's better than Joe?" Lauren scoffed. "Joe has his family's backing, of course, people look up to him. But when it comes to true excellence, he doesn't even deserve to be compared
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 408
Though Tiana claimed she wanted to see if Andrew was as exceptional as Lauren described, she inwardly dismissed the possibility. In her mind, Jayrodale was just a backwater pond full of small fish—no hidden talent could emerge from such a place. … Meanwhile, today was Andrew's appointment with Ernest. He had to get his hands on the Aurora Lotus, and since Ernest had been unreasonable and thrown his weight around, Andrew decided he would not be polite either. Andrew, the prince of the Lloyd dynasty who survived until today, was never a pushover. Sometimes, it took a villain to deal with another villain. Driving his G-Wagon to Natasha's place in West End, Andrew was surprised to find Ernest already there. He had brought two bodyguards—a man, and a woman. "Hey kid, didn't you say I'd be fatally ill and dying today?" Ernest taunted with disdain, puffing on his cigar with his feet propped up on the table in a show of dominance. "But look at me now—aren't I alive and kicking?" Er
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 409
Ernest exhaled a cloud of smoke and laughed heartily. "Kid, you're still young. There are things in life you just can't appreciate yet." He leaned back, smirking. "I'm feeling generous today, so I'll share a little wisdom with you—listen up. Women are best when fresh and youthful but being too young isn't ideal either. Aside from being fresh, there's another factor—experience. A widow like Natasha? She's got both. Her skin is smoother than an 18-year-old's, and let's not even start on the experience she brings. Trust me, a widow like her is a rare gem, an absolute treasure!" His shameless speech was so over the top that even Natasha, seasoned as she was, felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Andrew could not help but marvel at Ernest's brazenness. For someone so openly lecherous, his argument almost made sense. Andrew's gaze involuntarily flicked toward Natasha, studying her with curiosity. Noticing this, Natasha's eyes narrowed in annoyance. She wanted to punch him but set
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 968
Harvey stood up and said, "Mr. Wright, since the Weller family can't be of help, we'll be taking our leave." However, Quinton raised his hand. "Hold on. I've got something to discuss with you, Mr. Weller. Shawn, Christina—go on ahead. I just need a private word with Mr. Weller." Christina did not think twice and left right away. However, Shawn frowned. He wondered why Quinton was pulling Harvey aside instead of discussing it with him, his most trusted man. He felt slighted, but he did not dare show it. With a tight expression, he quietly walked out. Once everyone else had gone, only Harvey and a few of the Weller family's elders remained with Quinton. Harvey crossed his arms. "Alright, Quinton. Now that it's just us, what is it you need? If you're still trying to drag the Weller family into a fight with Andrew, then forget it. That's not happening." He locked eyes with Quinton, clearly on guard. Quinton shook his head, his face cold and composed. "Relax, Harvey. I don't
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 967
Quinton glanced over, not thinking much of Dominic since the latter was just another small-time family head. He replied flatly, "Speak, Mr. Goth. If you really have a way to get me what I want, then I'll make you a promise right here. The Goth family will become the number one family in Jayrodale, and I'll personally make it happen." Dominic lit up with excitement. "Mr. Wright, you might not know this, but my daughter is currently working at Moonlit Apothecary. If you want the formulas for those two miracle pills, I just might be able to get them—through her." Quinton's eyes widened, and a look of shock turned into overwhelming joy. "What did you say? Your daughter works at Moonlit Apothecary?" "What's her name? How much does Andrew trust her? Is she part of the inner circle or just another employee?" He fired off questions without pausing, his mind spinning. It would not be useful if she was just a background worker or someone sweeping floors. He needed someone Andrew actual
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 966
Harvey shook his head and said, "Sorry, Mr. Wright, I appreciate the offer, but the Weller family truly can't help you. I can only express my regrets." Quinton clenched his jaw and snapped, "So you're admitting you're just as spineless as the others? No different from that bunch of cowards who just walked out?" Harvey's face darkened—he had not expected Quinton to speak so bluntly and with such blatant disrespect. Harvey said coldly, "Heh, coward or not, call me whatever you want. But the Weller family is staying out of this. Because I have no interest in throwing myself into a pit I can't climb out of." It was a direct declaration, and Harvey clearly was not holding back anymore. He had already learned his lesson the hard way from crossing Andrew—he had paid for it, suffered for it, and was not about to make the same mistake again. Unless he had the power and a surefire win, Harvey was not going to make a single move. Quinton turned to glance at Christina, but she looked a
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 965
Quinton was in disbelief, and his face twisted with rage, veins bulging at his temples as if they were about to burst. The humiliation, the burning fury, and the sheer frustration had his whole body trembling. He had just been insulted—him, the heir of the Wrights, who came to Jayrodale bringing both power and wealth, and now a bunch of low-level underground thugs had just cursed him in front of everyone. Christina's expression was conflicted as she said calmly, "Mr. Wright, please calm down. I think you need to understand the current situation in Jayrodale." Quinton snapped, "What damn situation? If it weren't for my self-control, those cowards—those worthless losers—would've all been dead where they sat!" His face had darkened so much that it looked like a thunderstorm was about to roll in. Everyone he had summoned had either abandoned him or turned on him. The grand effect he envisioned—rallying everyone to crush Andrew—was unraveling fast. Christina spoke firmly, "Mr. Wri
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 964
Quinton exploded, slamming the table. "Is this the best the Weller family can do?" He sneered, "Mr. Weller, you're supposed to be young and capable, right? You landed the head position at such a young age, and this is all the guts you've got?" What angered Quinton the most was Harvey's next response. Harvey just nodded and admitted bluntly, "You're right, Mr. Wright. I really do lack guts and boldness." Now Quinton was seething with rage. He shouted, "I invited you all here out of goodwill, giving you the chance to get rich, and this is how you repay me?" His gaze swept across the room, his expression turning sharp and threatening. These guys were supposed to be the top dogs of Jayrodale. With this many major figures in the room, how was it possible that not even one of them had the spine to act? In Quinton's mind, Andrew was just the owner of a local apothecary. All it would take was a united public statement, and Moonlit Apothecary would be done for in Jayrodale. Then,
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 963
Quinton had painted himself as the poor victim, skillfully drawing out sympathy from the room. He had gone all in, dangling a massive investment as bait. He was convinced the power players of Jayrodale would be fired up, rally to his side, and join forces to crush Andrew completely. The more he thought about it, the more impressed he was with himself. After all, using others to do the dirty work and riding the wave of influence was downright masterful. Andrew thought he was untouchable, clinging to those two miracle medicines like a dragon hoarding treasure. However, once Quinton boxed him into a corner, left him begging for air, and drained every last drop of business out of him, he would see Andrew on his knees, pleading for mercy from the Wrights, just for a sip of water. The fantasy alone made Quinton grin smugly. He half-expected applause at that moment, maybe some shouting, some outrage, someone grabbing their team and storming off to Moonlit Apothecary to cause trouble.
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 962
The moment Quinton said that, several people in the room erupted in outrage. Dominic, the head of the Goth family, slammed his hand on the table and declared, "Mr. Wright, you're an honored guest from Blumedale, bringing billions to help revitalize Jayrodale! "We're beyond grateful you'd even consider investing here, and yet someone actually had the nerve to offend you? Mr. Wright, if you just say the word, the Goth family will be the first to deal with whoever that bastard is!" Harvey was not about to fall behind and quickly chimed in, "Mr. Wright, you're our meal ticket—our livelihood depends on you. Who the hell was blind enough to cross you? The Weller family would walk through fire for you, no hesitation!" Everyone else immediately jumped in, each one eager to win Quinton's favor. "Mr. Wright, just tell us—who was it? Which family or which group pissed you off? Whoever it was, we'll drag them out and make them get on their knees in front of you and beg for forgiveness!"
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 961
Rodney let out a cold snort and said nothing more. Plenty of people around could not help but be shocked—Quinton was really something else. After all, Rodney was usually wild and arrogant, never caring about anyone, but Quinton shut him right down with just a few words. Now, that was what you called true dominance. Christina leaned toward Quinton and whispered gratefully, "Thank you, Mr. Wright, for stepping in." Quinton flashed a charming smile and replied, "It's nothing. Since you've already decided to join me for the development project in Blumedale, you'll be under my care from now on. Naturally, I have to keep you well protected." His words were laced with an obvious flirtation, like a possessive man doting on his favorite girl. Christina did not say anything, but Quinton was secretly feeling very pleased with himself. He believed a true master never showed all his cards and had no doubt he would win Christina over eventually. There was no rush—when the time came,
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 960
The massive conference room was buzzing with activity. Quinton sat back with one leg crossed over the other, his polished branded loafers casually propped up on the large round table. He looked completely at ease, though it was clear he was putting on a show. People continued arriving for his so-called roundtable meeting, including some of the most influential figures in Jayrodale. Among them were Natasha, Dylan, and Harvey—the head of the Weller family—as well as representatives from Madblade Martial Academy and the Goth family. Shawn, ever the suckup, leaned forward with a flattering grin. "Mr. Wright, your influence is truly unmatched. Look around—everyone who holds real power in Jayrodale, from the high society elites to the underground forces, has shown up just for you!" Quinton did not respond, but the smirk on his lips grew even more noticeable. Sitting beside him, apart from Shawn, was another notable figure—Christina. She had not spoken a word, but internally, she wa
