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
Andrew calmly stated, "This isn't just some local wine, nor something any winery could produce." His statement only angered Irene, and she barked, "Andrew, would it kill you to stop bragging? If it's not local wine, what is it—some mythical elixir?" "Actually, yes, that's exactly what it is," Andrew replied, causing the entire Stevens family to freeze before erupting in laughter. They thought he was making a complete fool of himself with such an outrageous claim. Even Harvey could not help but smirk, feeling insulted that such a nobody would dare compare himself to someone of his status. Douglas gently patted Andrew on the shoulder and tried to comfort him. "Andy, even if our wine isn't the best, there's no need to compete. Remember: if you're truly exceptional, others will naturally recognize it." Andrew nodded. "Wise words, Mr. Stevens Senior. I'll keep them in mind." Christina shook her head, thinking how pathetic it was that Andrew could not even understand her grandfat
Andrew calmly brought out the remaining Divine Elixir, and Gerald's breathing quickened with excitement. He fought the urge to snatch the bottle from Andrew, exclaiming, "Oh my, there's still at least 250ml here! This would fetch nearly a million dollars on the market. You're quite generous!" "Uncle Gerald, is this cheap wine really as amazing as you're claiming?" Leroy asked skeptically. Gerald glared at him and scolded, "Foolish boy, don't speak about things you don't understand! The Divine Elixir is made from hundreds of rare medicinal herbs, fermented for seven days and nights in a private distillery. That's just the first step. It then needs to age in a cellar for at least 30 years before it can be opened. This particular bottle appears to be aged 80 years, so calling it liquid gold is an understatement!" Douglas laughed heartily and said, "I knew Andy wouldn't bring me anything but the best!" The Stevens family members stared greedily at Andrew's wine. "What an inc
Christina said, "Harvey, this medicinal pill is too precious—you should keep it." Harvey smiled warmly and replied, "Christie, my love for you is worth far more than this pill. I'd give you ten if needed. Besides, this is just a token of respect for Mr. Stevens Senior. His health has always been fragile, and this will help restore his vitality." The Stevens family beamed with approval at his words as Irene asked, "Dad, isn't your future grandson-in-law just perfect?" Leroy chimed in, "Only someone like Harvey is worthy of being Christie's husband." Suddenly, a calm voice cut through the praise and laughter. "This isn't a genuine medicinal pill, and Mr. Stevens Senior shouldn't take it." After a moment of stunned silence, Irene roared angrily, "Andrew, what nonsense are you spouting? If it's not a medicinal pill, then what is it?" "Andrew, you're just jealous because Harvey brought something so incredible," Leroy mocked. Even the experienced Gerald looked at Andrew and dec
Harvey was secretly overjoyed, mocking Andrew's pathetic attempt to compete with him. He graciously stated, "Christie, Andrew's limited experience makes it understandable that he can't tell genuine from fake. But his intentions were good—he was trying to look out for Mr. Stevens Senior, so let's not be too hard on him." The family admired Harvey's response, praising his gentlemanly behavior. Irene smiled and said, "Dad, the Grandmaster said this pill must be taken quickly once opened, or it will lose its potency." Douglas's interest was piqued, unable to deny the allure of such a rare item. "Mr. Stevens Senior, please don't take this supplement. With your condition, it will only harm you!" Andrew warned seriously. While the others were ignorant and could not see the danger, Andrew could tell from a glance that this so-called medicinal pill would only harm Douglas once taken. "Enough, Andrew!" Christina slammed the table in anger. "If you're so petty that you can't stand
Harvey shifted uncomfortably, his expression darkening. If Douglas died from his gift, he would be directly responsible. He had not even gotten his hands on Christina yet, and here he was, possibly killing her grandfather. Quickly pulling out his phone, Harvey made a call. "Dr. Aicker, this is Harvey Weller. We have an emergency. Please come immediately!" Christina turned desperately to Andrew and pleaded, "Andrew, you're a doctor. Please help Grandpa! He was fine just a moment ago!" "I warned everyone that the pill was fake and dangerous," Andrew replied coldly. "The entire Stevens family, including you, accused me of being petty. Now that there's trouble, you conveniently remember that I'm a doctor?" Christina's face flushed with shame, but her pride would not let her admit her mistake. "We can discuss that later! Please just help Grandpa first!" Andrew stepped forward, quickly pressing several pressure points to stop the bleeding. With some therapeutic massage, Douglas's b
Just then, an elderly man in a long robe, with a prominent nose and a long face, stepped into the Stevens family home. He barked impatiently, "Don't waste my time! Where's the patient? I have other matters to attend to!" Irene rushed to greet him with a fawning smile, saying, "You must be the renowned Dr. Cedric Aicker from Jayrodale! Please, Dr. Aicker, have a seat and enjoy some tea before we begin!" She intended to flatter him, but Cedric merely shot her dismissively as if looking at a complete fool. "Are you dumb? This is a matter of life and death. Instead of rushing to save someone, you're offering tea? Do you want the patient to die?" Irene's face flushed red with embarrassment as she shrank back meekly. Christina and the others quickly led Cedric to examine Douglas. After examining the patient from his seat by the bed, Cedric's brows furrowed in concentration. "Strange, very strange indeed…" he muttered to himself. "Dr. Aicker, what's strange?" Harvey asked. "Is
Irene thought Cedric might have some insight and eagerly asked, "Dr. Aicker, you can tell that the pill Dad took was a genuine medicinal pill, right?" She continued, "I knew it couldn't be fake since Harvey got them directly from Mistveil Peak. It's perfectly normal for Dad to faint. His body was just too weak for such powerful medicine!" Irene's analysis was met with a cold laugh from Cedric. He mocked, "You foolish woman, your ignorance knows no bounds. What he had was nothing more than a common supplement pill, yet you dare call it a medicinal pill? You're all too ignorant—I won't even waste my energy explaining!" Irene trembled from the repeated humiliation. If there had been a hole in the ground, she would have gladly crawled into it. Leroy stammered, "H-Harvey, looks like you were scammed. Even Dr. Aicker says the pill was fake!" Harvey silently cursed Irene for bringing this up. Even so, he maintained a composed front and said, "Well, Leroy's right. It seems someone wa
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
Aspen silently swore that she was going to escape his clutches one day. The instructor, Lily Williams, replied calmly, "Yoga is a practice that helps you relax. It's about becoming one with nature and your own body and mind. What it values is harmony between humanity and nature—letting things flow naturally. "Ms. Stevens, your mind is clearly unsettled today. I think it's best we end your session here." Aspen thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Ms. Williams. I'll come back tomorrow." Lily smiled, then suddenly pointed outside the studio and said, "That gentleman is waiting for you again with flowers, Ms. Stevens. It's pretty obvious—he really likes you." Aspen turned her gaze toward the glass doors at the front of the studio. There stood Seth, holding a bouquet, dressed sharply and polished like a spoiled, wealthy heir straight out of a TV drama. His eyes glowed as he looked at her. His expression was calm and elegant, with a refined sort of charm. If sh
Andrew chuckled mockingly. "Looks like Harvey and the rest have finally learned their lesson." After hanging up the phone, Andrew did not spare another thought for Quinton. Right now, in Jayrodale, it did not matter whether it was Quinton or even his father—the head of one of the Five Apex Families—if Andrew did not feel like showing respect, he would not even blink. Meanwhile, Francesca was in the shower, her curvy silhouette faintly visible behind the frosted glass. Andrew saw it every day, so he was completely unfazed by now. Before the busty little troublemaker came out and started clinging to him again, Andrew made another call—this time to Aspen. "What do you want?" Aspen snapped the moment she picked up. "Calling at this hour—don't you think that's incredibly rude?" Andrew smirked. "It's barely past eight—how is that rude? Or wait… are you with some pretty boy over in Blumedale right now? You two in the middle of something?" Aspen was furious and shouted, "You're dis
Quinton muttered, "Christina's a tough one. She's still on guard and clearly doesn't trust me fully yet. So before I can truly get her under my thumb, I need to hit her with something big—something she won't see coming." Harvey chuckled coldly. "Fine, Quinton. I'll play along. I've been itching to make a move on the Stevens family anyway." Quinton nodded. "Good. Then wait for my signal, and act when the moment's right." … Meanwhile, over at Moonlit Apothecary, closing time had arrived. "Dr. Aicker, Dr. Lloyd, I'm heading home for the night!" Nyla said cheerfully. It was as if Camilla stealing her paycheck had never happened. Andrew smiled warmly. "Alright, Nyla. Get home safe." Nyla gave him a bright smile and walked out with her bag swinging gently by her side. Francesca watched her go and scoffed. "I can't believe how naive that girl is. She's being walked all over and doesn't even make a sound. Honestly, I don't get her." Andrew spoke softly, "Nyla's a kind girl. S
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
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
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