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Chapter 527
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 528
Though the time was short, Troy had managed to satisfy Ruby to some extent. Those brief bursts of intense effort had at least brought her a flicker of enjoyment. However, just as they were reaching the peak of the moment, Troy's phone rang loudly. Neither of them paid attention at first—they were too caught up to care. The phone refused to stop. It kept ringing persistently, over and over again, as if determined not to give up until someone answered. Troy let out a sudden yelp of frustration, his face contorting with both anger and despair. Ruby, startled, asked, "What's wrong?" Troy's expression was a mix of fury and helplessness as he gestured downward. "See for yourself!" Ruby glanced down and immediately froze, disbelief spreading across her face. Troy had completely deflated—his once enthusiastic presence reduced to a soft, limp failure. The repeated phone calls had dealt a devastating blow, killing the mood entirely. Grabbing his phone with a vengeance, Troy answered,
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 529
Ruby's gaze lingered on Troy with a mix of pity and ridicule. She said, "Mr. MacAfee, some things can't be forced. A man's body doesn't lie. Once age catches up with you—and especially if you've overindulged in wine and women—it's no use pretending. When it stops working, it stops working." Troy roared in frustration. "No! My heart still burns with passion! I'm still ready for battle!" Ruby let out a light laugh. "Ah, but your weapon is rusted and brittle. It's no longer fit for combat. Tell me, how can a knight without a proper sword hope to ride onto the battlefield?" Troy slumped on the bed, looking like the life had been drained out of him. He could not stand it—he was sitting in front of a feast, yet his body refused to let him enjoy it. No matter how much his pride resisted, his body's limits were absolute. Pulling his clothes on hastily, Troy muttered, "Baby, give me a few days to recover, and we'll go again. I promise—I'll make you beg for mercy next time." Ruby, exha
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 530
As Troy hurried away, his thoughts churned in turmoil. He told himself that Ruby was no ordinary woman—she was the representative of Amberpeak Corporation—a business elite, not some streetwalker or barfly. That image of Ruby, so perfect in every way—her explosive figure, sharp intellect, and prestigious position—was precisely what had captivated him. Sleeping with someone like her made him feel like he was on top of the world, better than even Michael. Lauren watched Troy retreat and then turned to Andrew, her expression playful yet curious. "Dr. Lloyd, if someone does catch something from sleeping around, what kinds of diseases are we talking about? Are they as terrifying as people say?" Andrew's tone turned serious, his face grim. "Terrifying? Absolutely. These diseases can ruin lives. Common ones include gonorrhea, syphilis, and other infections that cause ulcers or discharge. "But the deadliest, of course, is HIV/AIDS. In its early stages, the symptoms are often subtle—th
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 531
Lauren let out a giggle. "Dr. Lloyd, you practically scared Troy half to death." Andrew shook his head. "I wasn't just trying to scare him. There's genuinely a faint odor of decay on him. It's not as strong as Ruby's, but it's there, which means he's already infected with something." Lauren looked stunned. "You think that horny fool might actually have HIV?" Andrew chuckled lightly. "HIV is terrifying, but its spread is relatively well-controlled these days. As for Troy, we'll need a hospital checkup to confirm. Whether it's HIV or something else, his situation doesn't look good." With that, the two did not linger and returned to Rhodes Corporation. Over at the Pharmaceutical Division, preparations for the Amberpeak Corporation collaboration were in full swing. Michael was beaming with energy, treating the project as his crowning achievement since becoming CEO. In his mind, the successful conclusion of this deal would solidify his position in the family, earning him applause
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 532
Just as the subordinate finished reporting, he added anxiously, "Mr. MacAfee is saying that as long as Andrew is willing to save him, he's ready to do anything—even be Andrew's lapdog!" Michael's face turned crimson with rage, and he roared, "What did you just say? This useless idiot! I'm his boss, and I'm the one he should be loyal to—not that Andrew!" Seething, Michael barked, "Let's go. I want to see what kind of madness this fool is up to!" With a stormy expression, Michael marched toward Lauren's office, flanked by his entourage. Troy was supposed to be his trusted subordinate, the handpicked Pharmaceutical Division head, to replace Marcus. Yet, here he was, groveling at Andrew's feet like some sniveling dog. The humiliation was unbearable—this betrayal felt like a slap across Michael's face. He could not believe Troy was disrespecting him this way. As Michael hurried to Lauren's office, his mind raced, trying to figure out what could have driven Troy to such an extr
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 533
Troy roared, "Andrew, are you really going to watch me suffer and do nothing?!" Despite prostrating himself repeatedly, Andrew remained indifferent, showing no intention of helping. Troy felt utterly humiliated, thinking this was beyond cruel—it was ruthless! Andrew leaned back with a cold smile. "And what if I am? Who said I'm obligated to save you? You're in this mess because of your own choices. Don't blame anyone but yourself." Troy wailed, "Mr. Lloyd, just tell me! What will it take for you to treat me? I'll do whatever you want—anything!" Normally, Troy was not the type to bow his head, but this was different. His very manhood—and his reputation—were on the line. The mere thought of people discovering his condition, that he was suffering from an incurable disease with a rotting situation, was unbearable. Troy could already imagine the disdainful looks and whispers behind his back. If he did not fix this, his career in the business world would be over. He would be force
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 534
Troy immediately turned to Lauren, his face full of desperation. "Ms. Rhodes, please, I've worked tirelessly for you in the past. I'm begging you—just this once, grant me mercy!" Lauren crossed her arms, giving him a cold glance. "I can consider it, but there's one last question you need to answer. What exactly have you done with Ruby besides sleeping with her? Any other shady dealings I should know about?" Troy hesitated, his face paling. After a moment, he clenched his teeth and confessed, "I… I showed her three of the Pharmaceutical Division's formulas. But please, Ms. Rhodes, understand—I only showed her. She didn't copy them, so it shouldn't be a big problem… right?" Before Lauren could respond, an enraged voice boomed from the doorway. "Troy, you're asking for death!" The furious shout echoed through the office, followed by the sharp, rapid clack of dress shoes on the tile. Moments later, Michael stormed in with several high-ranking executives, his face twisted with fury.
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 535
Lauren crossed her arms, smirking. "Michael, didn't I warn you about Ruby? I told you she couldn't be trusted, but no—you insisted I was just jealous of that bitch. "Now look at what's happened. If those formulas fall into the hands of other pharmaceutical companies, the Pharmaceutical Division won't just take a hit—it'll collapse entirely. You might as well prepare to announce its closure." Michael's face darkened further, his rage building like storm waves, each one crashing harder than the last. He felt trapped. Troy was his man, and the deal with Ruby was his decision. Now, with such a colossal mistake, he could already imagine the backlash from the Rhodes family's upper ranks. The humiliation would shatter any dreams he had of becoming the family head. Worse, he would be remembered as the one who brought disgrace and ruin to the company. Seething with anger, Michael's eyes fell on Troy, who was still sprawled on the floor. With a growl, he lunged at him, unleashing a bruta
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 824
"Michael caused this whole mess, so it's only fair that he makes up for it. Consider it balancing out his sins," Lauren said with a laugh. She added, "Hell, once his horrifyingly ridiculous drag performance hits the internet, it's going to break the internet! People will be so busy gawking at his lingerie fiasco that they'll completely forget about the Wellers warehouse fire. Dr. Lloyd, you're an absolute genius!" Andrew also felt pretty satisfied with his own creativity. However, the usually quiet Shiloh suddenly glanced at him and said, "Mr. Lloyd, it seems to me that you're just as wicked as he is." Andrew's mouth twitched. "Shiloh, I'm literally punishing evil. How does that make me the bad guy?" Shiloh looked at him seriously. "There are many ways to punish someone, but coming up with something this twisted? That's rare. So, I have my doubts about whether you're really a good person." Andrew just chuckled. "Maybe I'm not a good person, but I'm definitely not a bad one
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 823
Andrew's smile was cold and menacing. "Mrs. Rhodes has given me full authority, so you'd all better do exactly as I say, or would one of you rather take Michael's place and wear the lingerie yourselves?" The lackeys turned pale, their lips trembling in fear. Andrew was currently in charge of all operations at Rhodes Corporation, and even Tiana had to tread carefully around him. If they defied him, they would not just be out of a job—they would be as good as blacklisted. Under Andrew's increasingly icy stare, the men exchanged looks, their gazes filled with silent agreement. It was every man for himself. Gritting their teeth, they reluctantly began stripping Michael down. They removed his jacket, his shirt, then his shoes and socks. Soon, he was left in nothing but a pair of bright red boxers. Andrew raised an eyebrow and turned to Lauren. "Does he always have a peculiar taste in underwear?" Lauren wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I wouldn't be surprised." Andrew looked back a
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 822
Lauren was furious. "I'd like to see who dares!" At that moment, Andrew walked in, his tone calm. "It's fine, Lauren. If he wants to force Shiloh, let him try." Lauren gritted her teeth. "But Dr. Lloyd, look at that disgusting lingerie in his hand! He actually wants to force a woman who's taken vows to wear that—tell me that's not perverted!" Andrew's gaze landed on Michael, his smirk ice-cold. "Didn't you get enough of a beating yesterday? I'd advise you not to push your luck." Michael let out a sinister laugh. "Speaking of yesterday, Andrew, I haven't even settled the score with you yet. Don't get too comfortable—I promise, your days of swaggering around won't last long!" Andrew's expression remained relaxed. "Great. Let's see which one of us goes down first." Michael's face darkened. Instead of ordering his assistants to act, he grabbed the lingerie himself and strode right up to Shiloh. "Here. Put this on and come out so I can get a good look." His Adam's apple bobbed
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 821
Andrew had no idea that the Stevens family from Bridgefields had already arrived in Jayrodale, looking for trouble. At the moment, he was at a commercial shooting studio. Lauren was there with Shiloh, discussing some final details with the photographer. When Eunice spotted Andrew approaching, she called out, "Mr. Lloyd, over here!" She wore a bright smile, and any previous complaints she had about Andrew were long gone. Now, all she felt was admiration. After all, Andrew had stood up for Lauren without hesitation, even going against Tiana. That kind of loyalty deeply moved a girl like Eunice. Andrew walked over with a grin and said, "Ms. Brooks, thank you for your hard work!." Eunice quickly waved her hands. "It's nothing! You're the one working hard, Mr. Lloyd!" Andrew glanced toward the photography set and asked, "Are Lauren and Shiloh almost done?" Eunice's expression darkened as she scoffed. "They were about to wrap up, but Mr. Rhodes barged in with his team and deman
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 820
"Be good. I'll make us breakfast—get dressed and come eat." Andrew's voice was warm as he pointed to his cheek, waiting expectantly. Francesca's round face was still flushed pink. Seeing his playful gesture, she let out an exasperated huff, pursing her lips as if she were reluctant. Even so, she leaned in and pressed a light kiss against his skin. Andrew grinned. "That's more like it." Francesca shot him an annoyed glare, but he only chuckled before leaving the bedroom. When he first moved into the secluded hilltop villa of Moonlit Sanctuary, he had found the place too big, too empty. However, with Francesca occasionally staying over, the once-lonely space felt pretty good. Actually, scratch that—it felt pretty damn amazing. A house without a woman was not much of a home, after all. A proper balance between men and women made life way more enjoyable. Andrew had never considered himself the kind of man who got carried away with romance, but Francesca and Lauren were not jus
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 819
The following day, the morning light streamed through the windows as Andrew woke up feeling completely refreshed. Beside him, a delicate figure lay curled up beneath the sheets, her porcelain skin bearing faint traces of last night's intensity. A soft murmur broke the silence as Francesca stirred awake. She turned her head, meeting Andrew's amused gaze, and immediately pouted in frustration. She grumbled, "You're unbelievable. You kept me up all night again! Look at me—bruises everywhere! Ugh, Andrew, can't you be a little gentler?" Andrew feigned innocence. "Hey, don't blame me! I was being gentle. But you were the one insisting halfway through that I go harder. And honestly, with how easily you bruise, I was holding back." Francesca's face turned beet red as she clenched the sheets. "Y-You're lying! I never said that! You're an absolute jerk!" Andrew casually got dressed and got out of bed, saying nonchalantly, "You were the one asking me to go harder last night, you know t
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 818
Tiana said coldly, "And these last two are from Rhodes Corporation. Aspen, do you have any idea how much damage you've caused? Because of you, Rhodes Pharmaceutical has taken hit after hit. We're barely hanging on! "Now get lost. Go back to Bridgefields, and don't ever set foot in Jayrodale again. Otherwise, if I'm ever in a bad mood, I'll make sure to slap you every time I see you!" Exuding pure dominance, Tiana let out a disdainful scoff before turning on her heel and walking away with her entourage. Aspen collapsed to the ground like a pile of broken rubble. Her whole body trembled as tears streamed down her face. The pain was unbearable—not just physically, but mentally. "W-why… why did it come to this?" she choked out. "Why, of all people, is it me? First, Andrew torments me, and now Tiana! Why?" She lay there, shoulders shaking violently as sobs racked her body. Tiana had completely destroyed her face, but that was not the worst part—the worst part was that her spirit w
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 817
Christina gritted her teeth, refusing to say a word. She hated the idea that anyone could think she was beneath Andrew. Deep down, there was a dark, bitter part of her that would never accept that he was doing better than her. After all, admitting it would mean that leaving him had been a monumental mistake—one of the dumbest decisions she had ever made. Christina was too proud to ever acknowledge that. Even if she said it out loud, she would never truly believe it in her heart. Tiana scoffed. "Forget it. I only said all that because I found you incredibly irritating. But I'm actually here for Aspen." As she spoke, her icy gaze shifted to Aspen. Aspen, already trembling, started shaking even harder. She stammered, "M-Mrs. Rhodes, what can I do for you?" Tiana took two slow steps forward, her smile sharp and merciless. "I never expected the Stevens family to produce someone like you, nor did I think Zephyr would raise such a thieving daughter!" Aspen swallowed her anger an
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 816
Christina said flatly, "Let's grab a bite first. We can deal with everything else after. Andrew is even taking the people I set my sights on now. Fine. If he wants to force my hand, then I have no choice but to go against him." Aspen hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Christie, have you considered that maybe Andrew really isn't on the same level as us anymore?" Failing time and time again, getting crushed by Andrew repeatedly—it had shattered Aspen's once-proud and confident heart. Whenever she faced him, she found herself losing the drive to compete. Instead, she just wanted to keep her distance. Aspen did not want to admit it, but deep down, she knew she was scared of him now. Christina's voice was icy. "No. I don't think he's that impressive. I'll admit, he's changed. He's become more powerful and holds much more influence now. But I'll never bow to him. I'll prove to him that if he can thrive, I can do even better." Aspen parted her lips, about to say something when
