Edward—the company veteran, the CEO's right-hand man, the head of corporate security, and a board member—had just been knocked out cold with a single slap. The shocking display of power left everyone in the boardroom stunned and speechless. "Mr. Lloyd, you…" Marcus' scalp tingled as words failed him completely. Eunice stared in disbelief. She mumbled, "This is terrible. We finally had things under control, and now he's ruined everything. Mr. Lloyd, do you realize how serious it is to assault a board member and disrespect a company veteran?" Even Lauren had not expected Andrew to make such a bold move. Slapping Edward across the room was something she had not dared to consider, even when she was CEO with absolute authority at Rhodes Corporation. Michael jumped to his feet, his face dark with anger. "What the hell are you doing? How dare you assault our company veteran! Are you trying to land yourself in prison?" "Is there a problem with me slapping this old fool?" Andrew ask
Andrew walked back to Lauren's side and sat down with a casual smile. He said, "You're the CEO, it's your call. But please understand, I just joined the Rhodes Corporation today, so I got a bit carried away and gave Mr. Hills quite a shock!" Many people gritted their teeth in silence. Andrew's nonchalant attitude hardly seemed apologetic, and calling it "quite a shock" when Edward had to be rushed to the hospital was a massive understatement. Michael slammed his hand on the table. "Enough! Let's get down to business. Everyone, quiet!" Andrew and Lauren exchanged glances, their expressions innocent. Lauren was secretly delighted, as Andrew's performance deserved full marks. She could only imagine how furious Tiana must have been while watching all of this unfold through the surveillance cameras. "Do we have any updates on the Northern District case?" Michael turned to an executive. "Atlas may be dead, but we haven't recovered a single penny from our two investments in Northern
Michael cleared his throat before saying, "There's another important matter—the Weller Group has been making big moves lately." He added, "Harvey has somehow found the courage to aggressively expand into the pharmaceutical industry. Their first batch of products has already hit the market with excellent feedback." He paused before exploding in anger. "Meanwhile, our pharmaceutical department is full of deadweight! Rhodes Pharmaceuticals has decades of expertise and foundation. We've always dominated the Jayrodale market, but now Harvey, that incompetent fool, is stealing business from us. Can anyone explain this to me?" Marcus reluctantly spoke up. "Mr. Rhodes, I've been overseeing our pharmaceutical division, which is one of our flagship departments. Overall, our production volume and quality have remained solid, consistently outperforming the Weller Group. The only issue is their newly developed health supplement, which has been incredibly successful in the market. This single
Lauren smiled confidently. "Don't worry, I have Dr. Lloyd—he'll help me." Eunice immediately gave Andrew a skeptical look. She said sharply, "If you truly care about Ms. Rhodes' wellbeing, you shouldn't try to show off like this. How exactly do you plan to help her recover the 60 million?" Andrew replied with a smile, "Relax. While the Northern District no longer exists, I know some inside information about Atlas' downfall. Recovering the money shouldn't be too difficult." He knew that Dylan and Natasha had divided Northern District's assets and territory between them. He knew that getting the money back would be as simple as approaching these two powerhouses. Eunice scoffed. "You make it sound so easy. Mr. Giordano was one of Jayrodale's elite, so what gives a mere doctor like you the audacity to speak so boldly? I have just one request: you can risk your own neck if you want, but please don't drag Ms. Rhodes into it." Lauren frowned. "This must be the hundredth time today
Andrew and Lauren quickly drove toward Jayrodale's Northern District. Instead of taking his Mercedes G-Wagon, Andrew was driving Lauren's pink Maserati. It was a fantastic car, but he felt a bit self-conscious about the color. Along the way, businessmen on the street did double-takes when they saw a man driving the pink Maserati with the stunning Lauren in the passenger seat. Their envious and judgmental glares made Andrew certain he would be labeled as another trophy boyfriend. "Dr. Lloyd, why are you closing the windows?" Lauren asked, hiding her smile. "I'm trying to avoid any would-be heroes looking to start trouble," Andrew replied dryly. Lauren giggled. "I wouldn't mind witnessing something like that." "Ms. Rhodes, I really think my car would have been more suitable," Andrew suggested. "Your car is nice, but since this is a business trip, we should use a company car," Lauren explained. "That way, the company covers gas and depreciation. I couldn't let you help me an
"What you're saying isn't wrong, but you do know where Atlas is now, right?" Andrew asked with a knowing smile. Jake turned awkward as he fell silent. Andrew continued, "So stop trying to con people. Northern District is done for—it's yesterday's news. This abandoned building probably has a body count, and it's probably been carved up by the other two underground powers by now. Try to trick us into buying it, and you might be in serious trouble." Jake replied with an apologetic smile, "Sir, I didn't realize you were so well-informed about the situation—my mistake. Go ahead. Nobody wants this building anyway." Of course, Andrew was aware of the matter. After all, he had helped orchestrate Atlas's downfall. He gestured for Lauren to wait and asked Jake, "Since this building is now under West End and South City's control, are you working for them?" Jake shook his head. "No, I used to work for Northern District. I had nowhere to go after Mr. Giordano got taken out at his subu
Jake burst out laughing. "Another group looking for money? I've seen several people like you today. Go home and forget about the money—Mr. Giordano is dead, and the Northern District has been stripped clean. There's nothing left." Jake continued, "You've heard of Christina Stevens, the Ice Queen of Stevens Corporation, right? And another gorgeous woman named Aspen Stevens came by too. Do you know what happened? Aspen went ballistic, trashing the place and cursing Mr. Giordano, demanding her billion dollars back." He shook his head with a smirk. "Can you believe how crazy that woman was? That man is already dead—how's he supposed to pay her back? And cursing a dead man? Man, you should've seen her face—she looked like she was having a mental breakdown!" Andrew understood Aspen's reaction well. Anyone would lose their mind after losing a billion dollars to the Northern District. The loss would make anyone's heart bleed. Andrew replied with a knowing smile, "You're right about
"I'm here at Northern District's headquarters. One of your men is here, and I'm planning to get him promoted," Andrew spoke into the phone. "Of course, I'll be there in five minutes. Wait for me," Natasha replied urgently. As Andrew hung up, Jake shook his head. "Sir, this act isn't funny anymore. Don't tell me you actually have Madam Vostokoff's number?" "Of course I do," Andrew replied simply. "How else could I call her?" Jake did not bother responding and headed downstairs to hand out flyers, hoping to sell the abandoned building soon and get his promotion. He dismissed the supposed lunatic upstairs, remembering how he had only seen Natasha once since joining West End. Regular people never got close to someone of Natasha's status, let alone have her private number—unless this guy was her boy toy, he thought cynically. Minutes later, a convertible sports car screeched to a halt in front of the building. Jake, clutching a stack of flyers, stared in disbelief at the beauti
Nyla lifted her tear-streaked face, eyes full of sorrow. She choked out, "Andy… my dad… he's forcing me… He wants your formulas. He's making me steal them and bring them back to him." She broke down into sobs. "Andy, Dr. Aicker, you should fire me. I don't deserve to stay at Moonlit Apothecary anymore. I don't even have the face to show up here!" The words poured out of her as the tears fell. She had finally revealed everything because her trust in Andrew and Francesca was unconditional. Her loyalty to them ran deeper than blood, and when it came to Dominic, the man who was supposed to be her father, she felt nothing but heartbreak and betrayal. She had come to see that the man who once called her his daughter had turned into someone cold, greedy, and unrecognizable. He wanted her to betray Andrew—to steal from someone who had only ever been kind to her. Nyla realized she simply could not do it. She would rather tell the truth than live with that kind of guilt. Francesca
"But the Three Titans—Driscolls, Phelans, and the most elusive of them all, the Drache family—you'd better be careful around them, Mr. Lloyd," Phantom Eye said seriously. He added, "From what I've heard, those families each have someone far beyond the martial king level hidden in their ranks." Andrew remained unfazed. "If they don't mess with me, I won't mess with them. So what if they're above martial king? The world is vast—no one stays undefeated forever. There's always a higher peak beyond the last, and just because they're the Three Titans doesn't make them invincible." Phantom Eye nodded, still concerned. "Maybe so, but the Three Titans have always held the reins there. So, Mr. Lloyd, it never hurts to stay cautious when you're not on home turf." Andrew understood where Phantom Eye was coming from. Anyone who survived in Blumedale's ruthless martial world had to have a sharp eye and a wide view. Even a semi–martial king could build a reputation and live comfortably, but
A new day had begun. First thing in the morning, Andrew noticed several missed calls from Aspen. However, he did not respond to any of them. He already knew exactly why she was calling—she wanted to ask about the new 40 billion dollar transfer. However, Andrew did not feel the need to explain. As far as he was concerned, as long as Aspen managed the funds properly, that was enough. Francesca stepped out of the bathroom with flushed cheeks, looking irritated and disappointed. "Andrew, my period just started." Andrew chuckled. "It is what it is. Does your stomach hurt? Want me to give you the classic 'get some rest' line?" Francesca clenched her jaw. "Don't. Only emotionally clueless guys with zero tact say stuff like that." Andrew nodded seriously. "I agree. That's why I was going to make you a proper warm tea instead." Francesca waved it off. "No need. I may be on my period, but I'm not cramping or low on energy. Don't forget—I grew up in a traditional medicine family. My
Nyla could not believe how Dominic could say something so vile, so cruel, and actually mean it. Dominic let out a furious snort, his tone sharp as a blade. "Listen closely. The Goth family is currently on the verge of locking in a billion-dollar investment deal. Do you have any idea what that kind of money means? "It would launch our family into the elite overnight—we'd finally be one of the top powers in all of Jayrodale. For that kind of future, a small sacrifice like this is nothing. Nyla, you're not a child anymore. It's time you started contributing to this family." Camilla, her belly swollen from pregnancy, was practically trembling with excitement. "Wait—what did you just say? A billion-dollar investment? Oh my god, do you know how massive that is?" She turned to Nyla, her tone sharp and commanding. "Did you hear that? Dominic is doing this because he has no choice—it's all for the family. If you had even a sliver of conscience, you'd agree without hesitation. "So wha
Camilla could not help but sneer. "Dominic, I told you long ago that Nyla isn't loyal to our family. She's always been the type to side with outsiders. "You treat her well, and in the end, she'll never remember what you did for her. If you ask me, raising a stray dog would've been better than raising her." Dominic's voice turned cold. "You're right. I must've been blind to raise such a disgrace. If I'd known she'd turn out like this, I should've let her die with her mother!" The alcohol was clearly taking over. Dominic had downed a couple of drinks, and now his true colors were coming out. His face turned red, his eyes fierce, and a violent temper simmered just under the surface. Nyla was terrified. Before long, her vision blurred as tears welled up. She was used to Camilla being mean to her and trying to push her out of the family, but she never expected her own father to be so cruel. She never imagined Dominic to say something so venomous—something like wishing she had die
It was not that Nyla was some reckless flirt—far from it. She was just under unbearable pressure from her family, and Andrew's sudden appearance had felt like a lifeline. In her heart, she fantasized that if she could marry someone like Andrew, her life would finally feel complete. Nonetheless, it did not take long for reality to set in. Andrew was incredible—kind, brilliant, and respected—and she knew she was not in his league. Gorgeous and confident women like Lauren and Francesca were all vying for his attention, so someone like her did not stand a chance. That thought broke her heart a little, but at the same time, she felt strangely lucky. After all, even though Nyla did not have his love, Andrew and Francesca, not to mention Lauren, were all incredibly kind to her. Especially Andrew. As the head of Moonlit Apothecary, he cared for her and supported her like a mentor. At Moonlit Apothecary, she could already see a promising future ahead of her. "Dad, if there's somethin
Meanwhile, at the Goth family back in Jayrodale. Dominic had been restless since he returned from Quinton's roundtable event. He thought it was the perfect time for the Goth family to rise. If he could impress Quinton, billions of investments would come pouring into the family. With that kind of funding, the Goths could skyrocket and finally stand shoulder to shoulder with the Weller family, the Rhodes family, and other regional powerhouses. Eventually, Dominic could not wait any longer and eagerly waited for Nyla to get home from work. He greeted her with uncharacteristic warmth. "Nyla, come here, sweetheart. You're back a little early tonight, huh? It's been a while since we all sat down for dinner together. Tonight, I want to have a real heart-to-heart with you." Nyla gave him a suspicious look but walked over and sat down beside him. Normally, Dominic was completely consumed by family business. Even when he came home, he only spoke to Camilla and barely acknowledged Nyl
Tyler said plainly, "Seth? To be honest, I don't know you, and I definitely don't remember ever having a drink with you. So please, don't make up stories like that." He was still polite about it, but the message was loud and clear. Seth's face flushed with heat. Tyler had not yelled at him, but his tone made it obvious—he wanted Seth gone. He was not even acknowledged, let alone remembered, and the drink? A total lie. His attempt to show off had backfired hard, and the shame burned worse than any public embarrassment. Nonetheless, Seth did not have the guts to argue back. All he could do was step aside awkwardly, watching as Tyler turned his full attention to Aspen. Tyler said respectfully, "Ms. Stevens, your new company in Blumedale recently opened a corporate account with our bank, correct? A transaction just hit that account earlier today, and I felt this matter was serious enough that I needed to confirm it with you personally." Aspen frowned, thinking it over. The new
Aspen could not help but laugh to herself. Men in Blumedale really were something else—being a player here took skill, and this one clearly had it down to an art. Seth spouted romantic lines like a pro, sounding so sincere it was almost believable. Compared to him, Andrew might have been a brute with zero charm who only knew how to exploit her, draining every ounce of energy she had left. Nonetheless, at least Andrew was not fake—what you saw was what you got. Meanwhile, this charming heir from the Haywood family was starting to feel downright repulsive. "Mr. Haywood, I've told you more than once—there's no chance between us," Aspen said, her voice firm. "You should know I'm not even free right now. Honestly, my body doesn't even belong to me. While I appreciate your feelings, you're just wasting your time." She let out a sigh as if she was tired of repeating herself. Seth's face turned cold as he said with conviction, "Aspen, tell me—who's the bastard? The one controlling yo