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Chapter 41
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 42
In the Rhodes Corporation conference room, Lauren called an emergency executive meeting. After all the executives had entered, Andrew locked the door, drawing immediate disapproval from those present. "Ms. Rhodes, what's the meaning of this?" "First, an unannounced emergency meeting, and now we're locked in? What are you planning?" "Hey, you! Unlock that door now, that's an order!" Andrew returned to Lauren's side, ignoring their protests. When one furious executive tried to speak up, a warning look from Michael silenced him immediately. At the head of the table, Lauren looked over the gathered executives, her tone cold and direct. She began, "I've called this meeting because of an urgent matter. Someone has been trying to poison me for some time, and I've just discovered who it is." The executives' faces changed dramatically with this revelation. "Who could stoop so low? Ms. Rhodes is our CEO—who would do something so despicable?" "Whoever it is should get on their
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 43
Andrew noticed Michael's obvious relief, and their eyes met silently across the room. Andrew flashed Michael with a knowing smile, while Michael's gaze was mocking. To him, even if Andrew had figured out some of his secrets, he was convinced Andrew did not know the identity of the actual poisoner. As long as that person remained unknown, Michael believed he was safe. Lauren might suspect him, but suspicion without evidence was meaningless. "I imagine everyone must be thirsty," Lauren suddenly announced. "There's water in front of each of you to quench your thirst." Michael frowned and said, "Lauren, catching the culprit is more important. Being thirsty isn't a priority right now." Paul chimed in, "Mr. Rhodes is right. Even if we die of thirst, we won't leave until we find the person who tried to harm you, Ms. Rhodes." Lauren smiled gracefully and declared, "I'll be honest with everyone—one of these glasses has been poisoned by me. Everyone must drink their water now. Tho
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 44
Paul's trembling hand reached for the glass but quickly withdrew as if burned by its touch. Andrew watched him with an intriguing smile, remembering how this same executive had loudly proclaimed his loyalty earlier. Yet, here he was, stalling and reluctant to take action. One of the executives urged, "Mr. Clarke, what are you waiting for? We all drank our glasses. You're the only one left." Another executive frowned and chimed in, "We're all fine, so why are you being such a coward? Just down it in one go. What's the worst that could happen?" Paul's trembling only intensified at these words. For such a big, tough-looking man, he looked like he was about to burst into tears. "Mr. Rhodes, it seems you haven't drunk yours either," Andrew suddenly remarked with a smile. Michael scoffed and said, "I'm the Vice CEO of Rhodes Corporation and a member of the Rhodes family. I shouldn't have to participate in these ridiculous games." "If you're too scared to drink, then you must be t
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 45
Michael's hatred for Andrew reached its peak, furious that this pretty boy had completely destroyed his carefully laid plans. Suddenly, there was a loud crash as Paul's glass shattered on the floor. Then, he fell to his knees, begging Lauren for mercy through desperate cries. "Ms. Rhodes, I'm sorry! Please give me another chance! I truly regret what I did!" The other executives were caught off guard, but their surprise quickly turned into anger. "You're the culprit?" "You traitor! We defended you, and this is how you repay our trust?" "You must have lost your mind to try poisoning Ms. Rhodes! Go to hell!" Paul continued kneeling on the floor, sobbing, "Ms. Rhodes, I didn't want to do it… Someone forced me!" The room fell silent again as Andrew asked, "Who forced you?" Paul glanced nervously at Michael, hesitating to speak while Michael's already dark expression turned even more sinister. "Tell me who forced you, and I'll protect you," Lauren commanded icily.
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 46
In the conference room, Lauren asked everyone else to leave, leaving only Andrew and Francesca behind. "Lauren, did you know from the start that Paul was the culprit?" Francesca asked eagerly as soon as the room emptied. Lauren rolled her eyes and said, "If I had known it was him, I would've just had him arrested instead of setting up these theatrics." Francesca exclaimed in surprise, "So you didn't know who it was? But you acted like you did!" Lauren smiled and explained, "I didn't know, which was why Dr. Lloyd suggested this trick to force their hand. All I had to do was claim one glass was poisoned, and Paul cracked under the pressure." Francesca stared at Andrew, shocked. "I didn't expect you to be so cunning!" She was impressed by his ability to devise such a trick, which left the culprit with no choice but to surrender. "Although we found out it was Paul, we still fell one step short," Andrew remarked. Lauren's beautiful face hardened as she agreed, "Indeed. Tha
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 47
Finally, Michael understood Andrew's two-part strategy—the trap and the pressure play. Poor Paul had cracked under pressure and confessed, which Michael could understand. After all, anyone would be terrified to drink potentially poisoned water, which was also why Michael refused to drink it. However, he had underestimated Andrew, as none of the water was poisoned, and Lauren did not know who the culprit was. They had simply played a trick to force Paul into confessing. Just as his anger had begun to subside, Michael's face turned ashen as he clenched his fists again. The humiliation was overwhelming. He could not believe a mere gold-digger had played him, a Rhodes family heir, like a fool. Michael pulled out his phone and made a call. "Bane, didn't you say your poison was incurable except by you? Some small-time doctor just cured Lauren—you better explain this!" A sinister voice replied, "How's this possible? Mr. Rhodes, you must be mistaken. In Jayrodale, not even Cedric coul
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 48
Irene beamed at Harvey with obvious approval and commented, "Harvey, please take the seat of honor. Tonight's family dinner is all about you." Harvey maintained perfect etiquette, treating every Stevens family member with utmost politeness and respect. His behavior had everyone glowing with pride, convinced they had found the perfect addition to their family. "Seeing Harvey so popular and capable must be hard for you to watch," Christina remarked, suddenly appearing beside Andrew. Andrew smiled and said, "Congratulations on finding such an exceptional match. You've always dreamed of marrying into high society, and now you've achieved it." Christina's expression grew complex as she sighed. "Andrew, I've always known you're not a bad person. I'm not saying this to rub in your face. I just want you to learn from Harvey's admirable qualities. Even if you can't match his success, you could at least live with dignity." Andrew chuckled. "Are you saying I'll never be as successful as
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 49
Indeed, Andrew's wine looked unimpressive in its unlabeled bottle, lacking the luxurious packaging that fine wines typically boasted. Naturally, no one could take such plain presentation seriously. Irene snapped, "Andrew, you're such a fool. We're already generous by letting you join us for dinner, but Dad's too distinguished to drink your cheap wine. Take that embarrassment away from our table!" Andrew remained composed, saying, "I'll say it again—this is an exceptional wine. I've brought it to Mr. Stevens Senior many times, and it's been beneficial for his health." Leroy clicked his tongue and mocked, "Exceptional wine? You're really full of it, Andrew. Harvey, you should show him what real premium wine looks like." Harvey smiled, speaking modestly. "It's fine. Mr. Stevens Senior seems to enjoy Andrew's wine." Irene chuckled. "Harvey, you're too humble. Some people don't even come close to your class." Another family member chimed in, "Harvey's wine is absolutely top-s
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1152
Natasha joked, "Aspen, of all times, you could've walked out, you just had to pick the moment I was getting cozy with my darling. You're not jealous, are you? Trying to ruin the mood on purpose?" Aspen let out a cold laugh. "Madam Vostokoff, you're overthinking it. If you two want to flirt or even start going at it right here, it has nothing to do with me. If you think I was interrupting, then I apologize. I'll leave right now so you two can carry on." Natasha chuckled. "Come on now, Snow Queen, we're all on the same side here. I was just teasing. Don't take it to heart." The icy look on Aspen's face finally faded a little. "I'm heading out. A small firm is requesting investment from Supreme Capital Group, so I'm going to check them out and see if they're worth our time." She threw that out to Andrew with zero warmth, then strutted off, her hips swaying confidently as she left Serenity Villa. Andrew immediately instructed Dylan's crew to follow and keep her safe. Natasha sc
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1151
Dylan and Natasha arrived in Blumedale the same night Andrew's orders were sent back to Jayrodale. They were accompanied by none other than the semi-martial king himself—Reuben. "Mr. Lloyd, that opportunity you mentioned… the one that could set me free—what is it exactly?" Reuben asked eagerly the moment he saw Andrew. Andrew waved his hand and said, "No rush. I haven't figured it out yet, but it won't be long." Reuben held back his excitement and simply nodded, saying nothing more. The more time he spent around Andrew, the more he realized just how unfathomable this man truly was. Back when he followed Elon to storm Jayrodale, he had been taught a brutal lesson. Now, there was not a shred of resentment left in him—only fear and awe. After all, a man who dared to kill a direct descendant of the Haywoods would have no problem ending him with a snap of his fingers. Reuben had only martial skills but no powerful family backing him—if Andrew ever wanted him dead, he would not la
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1150
For Quinton, it had never been just about sleeping with Christina. What excited him more was the thrill—the thrill of a top-tier predator closing in on an ice-cold beauty. To him, conquering a woman like Christina would stroke his ego and validate his inflated sense of self-worth. Unfortunately for him, Christina never felt even a flicker of attraction toward him. At best, they could be called business allies—or to put it bluntly, she only saw him as a temporary tool. Quinton wanted power, possession, dominance. Meanwhile, Christina only wanted leverage—specifically, to use him and his connections to push the Stevens Corporation into Blumedale. … Over at the Goldings family estate, word of the Haywoods' bounty hit hard. Both Richard and Elon were momentarily stunned when they heard. "This kid really doesn't know when to stop," Richard growled. "Now he's provoked the Haywoods and even left a body behind. He's practically asking for death! He's so arrogant that it's disgusti
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1149
The Haywoods' bounty order exploded across Blumedale like a thunderclap. Someone exclaimed, "Holy hell—two elite families teaming up to hunt down one man? Who the hell is this Andrew guy?" Another chimed in, "The Goldings offered 300 million, and now the Haywoods are throwing in half a billion. That's 800 million in total. I mean, damn—if I were an assassin, I'd be tempted!" "With both families issuing kill orders? No way Andrew makes it past today." … Elsewhere, Quinton wasted no time finding Christina and her family. "Christie," he said, barely hiding his glee, "things are about to get interesting. Andrew just caused a major disaster!" He looked positively thrilled at the news. Christina's tone remained cold. "I heard. I really don't know where he got the nerve to kill Seth. That's just ridiculous of him." Irene was playing with a new bracelet, her eyes gleaming as she casually said, "Who cares? Andrew's been arrogant long enough. Finally, someone's putting him in hi
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1148
Aspen said, "You're the one who killed Seth. The Haywoods are going to target you first—so you'd better leave now while you still can!" Andrew said nothing. Instead, he walked toward her slowly, one step at a time. Aspen frowned and instinctively took a step back. The space between them was too close for comfort, and it made her uneasy. However, Andrew did not stop—he kept moving in, ignoring her resistance entirely. Aspen soon found herself backed up against the wall. Her expression turned cold as she snapped, "What are you doing?" Andrew leaned in, towering over her. "Aspen, something's off with you." "What are you talking about?" "You are… worried about my safety, aren't you?" Aspen shoved him hard, her face flushing as she barked, "I wasn't joking just now! If you're not taking this seriously, then just forget I said anything!" Her heart was pounding. For a second, she thought Andrew was going to kiss her. If he had, she would have bitten his tongue off without hes
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1147
Andrew could not figure Aspen out, wondering what the hell was wrong with her now. He had just told her she could go, and she still looked upset. Andrew shook his head and stopped thinking about it. Instead, He pulled out his phone and made a call back to Jayrodale. "Gather your men and head to Blumedale immediately. And bring Reuben with you. Tell him—if he wants his freedom, I can offer him a way out." Reuben Davis was that semi–martial king Elon had once brought to Jayrodale. Under Andrew's control, the man had been training Dylan and Natasha in martial arts. Andrew did not know how the Haywoods would react to Seth's death, but he did not care. No matter what move they made, he would not back down. It was time to bring his core team into Blumedale. If these powerful families wanted to raise the stakes, he would play right along. Suddenly, his phone rang again. Andrew glanced at the caller ID and looked mildly surprised—it was Tiana. "Mrs. Rhodes, what can I do for you?"
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1146
Chantelle said with a smirk. "The moment he found out something happened to you, the look on his face could've scared someone to death." Aspen froze for a second, her heart thumping wildly as she glanced at Andrew walking just ahead. She could not help but wonder if Andrew actually cared whether she lived or died. Chantelle gave a half-smile, half-sigh. "Mr. Lloyd sure seems emotionally invested in you, Ms. Stevens. But, if you don't mind me overstepping—there's something off in your head." Aspen blinked. "Excuse me? Ms. Garcia, what do you mean by that?" Chantelle chuckled softly. "I majored in psychology, both undergrad and grad school. Even with just a little observation, I'd say you're showing classic signs of Stockholm syndrome." Aspen's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Chantelle studied her with a piercing gaze. "And I can tell you're an intelligent woman. You know you're getting deeper and deeper emotionally involved. But deep down… you don't actually want
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1145
"Y-You actually dared to kill someone?" Chantelle stormed up to Andrew, her chest heaving with rage as she shouted, "You do know that murder is a crime, right?" Andrew replied flatly, "Then go ahead and arrest me. But you saw it too—this dead mutt barged into my company with a gang of thugs and trashed the place. He kidnapped my secretary, tortured her, and tried to get away with it." Chantelle fumed. "You had every right to fight back, but you had no right to kill him, do you understand?" Andrew's voice sharpened with impatience. "Ms. Garcia, that's enough! So what if I killed him? The guy came stomping into my space, and I'm supposed to just roll over and play dead?" Chantelle let out a bitter laugh and hissed, "Andrew, Mr. McCormick favored you. You've got incredible medical skills, and in Blumedale, you were this close to making your mark. "You had a bright future ahead of you—respect, success, everything within reach. But why would you throw it all away like this? Don't y
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1144
Andrew hissed, "This third slap? No reason at all. I just don't like the look of your face and feel like beating you to death. And this fourth one's for your parents—since they clearly failed to raise you, I'll handle it for them." After the string of brutal slaps, Seth's head was spinning. His ears rang like sirens, and his vision started going black around the edges. "Andrew… I swear…" he gasped, his voice shaky. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you, you arrogant bastard!" However, just as he spat out his threat, a blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat—Andrew had suddenly snapped five of his fingers. "Keep going," Andrew said coldly, his voice like a death sentence. Seth's mouth bled as he glared up with bloodshot eyes. "You're dead. You're so fucking dead… "How dare you treat me like this? My family—everyone in the Haywoods—they'll never let this slide!" His scream pitched into hysteria as Andrew crushed the remaining five fingers on his other hand, rendering both of Se
