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Chapter 533
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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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 536
Troy, who had been on the verge of losing consciousness, seemed to regain his spirit upon hearing Andrew's words. Trembling all over, he looked up with tears of gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Lloyd! I can't thank you enough!" Michael's face darkened, and he shot Andrew a questioning glare. "What's going on with Troy? And what's with the prescription you gave him?" Andrew smirked. "Oh, you didn't know? Mr. MacAfee here caught himself a pretty nasty case of an STD—so bad his nether regions have started to rot. He came groveling to me, begging for treatment." Michael's face went pale. "What? That idiot actually managed to catch… that?" As someone who was no stranger to questionable flings himself, Michael suddenly felt an uncomfortable chill. This news hit a little too close to home. Lauren sneered. "He got what he deserved. Messing around with Ruby landed him in this mess. And when it got too bad, he had no choice but to beg Mr. Lloyd for help. "Under Mr. Lloyd's pressure, he c
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 537
Andrew's calm yet defiant words caused an uproar among the gathered crowd. Michael, seething with anger, was on the verge of losing his temper. Meanwhile, the senior members of Rhodes Corporation exchanged sneering glances. "Andrew, you're just a lowly board member, yet you dare act all high and mighty in front of Mrs. Rhodes? You must have a death wish!" "Exactly. Forget being the fifth board member—do you remember when the third board member, who also chaired the Jayrodale Chamber of Commerce, dared to cross Mrs. Rhodes? He was nearly beaten senseless and left crawling out of here like a worm!" "In the Rhodes family's company, you bow, or you break. And Mrs. Rhodes isn't just the matriarch—her status is leagues above what you could ever understand." Tiana's frosty gaze locked onto Andrew, her presence radiating silent authority. Lauren's face tensed, and she quickly stepped in front of Andrew. "Mom, Mr. Lloyd just recently joined the company. He's not yet familiar with al
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 538
Tiana scanned the room, her icy gaze sweeping over the high-ranking executives, and not one of them dared to meet her eyes. "One final matter—effective immediately, I'll take over the position of CEO at Rhodes Corporation," she announced, her tone devoid of emotion. "And if there are any more incompetents like Troy causing chaos, I won't just send them to prison. I'll make sure they're permanently dealt with." Her cold words sent shivers through the room, leaving the executives visibly uneasy. The ones who had aligned themselves with Michael looked particularly pale, their faces betraying their mounting anxiety. Tiana stepping in as CEO spelled doom for Michael, and if he lost power, they knew they would suffer alongside him. Michael's expression darkened as he forced himself to speak. "Aunt Tiana, if you're taking over as CEO… then what happens to me?" Tiana waved dismissively. "You'll return to your previous role as vice CEO and continue overseeing the departments you've b
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 539
Lauren tugged lightly on Andrew's sleeve, her voice low and cautious. "Dr. Lloyd, let it go. She despises anyone questioning her decisions." Michael let out a mocking laugh, his tone dripping with disdain. "Andrew, you've got some nerve! Aunt Tiana isn't just the Rhodes family's matriarch; she now holds absolute authority over this corporation. And you think you can strut in here, questioning her with your puny board member title like it's some golden ticket?" The other executives quickly joined in, eager to pile on. "Mr. Lloyd, it was one thing for you to act high and mighty before, but you're out of line speaking this way to Mrs. Rhodes." "Clearly, Mr. Lloyd doesn't grasp Mrs. Rhodes' power. Let me enlighten you—one word from her, and your precious board position is history." "Mrs. Rhodes shouldn't waste her time on this clown. If not for Ms. Rhodes shielding him, who knows how much trouble he'd have caused by now?" Tiana remained calm, her icy demeanor unshaken as her sh
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 540
Michael warned through gritted teeth, "Andrew, Aunt Tiana is gracious enough to let this slide, but you'd better watch your mouth. The first time might be luck, but the second time? Even if she spares you, I certainly won't." Andrew glanced at him with a faint smirk and said, "Michael, you're no longer the CEO, so stop pretending to be someone important in front of me. Let's face it, you're just a washed-up vice CEO now, only capable of managing a few departments. As a board member, I answer to the company, not you." Michael's face turned crimson with anger, but he could not find a rebuttal. Stripped of his CEO title, he no longer had the authority to give Andrew orders. Ignoring Michael's silent fury, Andrew turned his attention to Tiana and said firmly, "Troy made mistakes and deserves to be held accountable. But throwing him into prison at the drop of a hat makes the Rhodes family seem cold and ruthless. After years of loyalty, handling him this way feels unnecessarily harsh a
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 541
Andrew smiled faintly and said, "Mrs. Rhodes, your wisdom is admirable. Allow me to elaborate further on what it truly means to uphold fairness and justice with clear rewards and punishments." "First," Andrew continued, "the punishment for Michael is far too lenient. Given the gravity of his mistake, there's no need for further deliberation—he should be immediately reassigned to a lower department. Making him a department manager or supervisor would suffice. Letting him keep a supervisory role is already plenty generous." Michael's anger flared, barely restrained. He felt as though Andrew was stabbing him in the heart. A department manager or supervisor? That was a massive demotion, pushing him miles away from ever reaching the CEO position. The audacity of Andrew to suggest such a punishment felt like a public flogging. Tiana, with a cold sneer, interjected, "You've spoken about punishments. Now, isn't it time to talk about the rewards you think are warranted?" Andrew, unfazed
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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
