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Chapter 539
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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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 542
Andrew snorted coldly. "I said I'd help you get justice, and I always keep my word." Turning to Tiana, Andrew continued, "The former director of the Pharmaceutical Division was Mr. Chapman. But Michael, using a fabricated excuse, removed Mr. Chapman from his position and replaced him with one of his cronies. "With tactics like that, it's no surprise that Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division ended up in such a mess. There's only one phrase for this: they deserved it." Michael's face contorted with rage. "Andrew, instead of thinking about how to help the company recover its losses, are you going to just stand here and make sarcastic remarks?" Andrew glanced at him dismissively. "Trash is trash. If you can't handle criticism after making a mistake, you might as well just end it all by smashing your head against the wall." Tiana smirked playfully. "You've said all that, so you're implying you want me to give the position of director of the Pharmaceutical Division back to
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 543
Andrew maintained his composure and said, "I wouldn't call it singing my own praises, but if there's merit, then rewards must follow. Troy's leak of the formula, and the Weller family's previous schemes against Rhodes Pharmaceutical—if I may say so, I contributed significantly to resolving those issues." Pausing briefly, Andrew dropped a bombshell, "I don't dare ask for much, but Madam, why not make me the CEO of Rhodes Corporation?" The moment those words left his mouth, it wasn't just Michael and his loyal supporters who were stunned—Lauren herself was left speechless. Andrew wanted to be the CEO of the corporation? Wasn't that an ambition far too bold? Michael's face twisted in fury. "Andrew, you really have no shame, do you? CEO of Rhodes Corporation? Why not go all the way and just rename the company to Lloyd Corporation while you're at it?" Andrew replied earnestly, "Mr. Rhodes, while that idea is brilliant, it doesn't align with ethical principles. So I'm afraid I must
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 544
"I'm an outsider, so it's fine if Mrs. Rhodes doesn't reward me, Ms. Rhodes hasn't even been promoted in the slightest. It seems the corruption within Rhodes Corporation is quite thorough," Andrew said. Tiana was truly enraged this time. "Andrew, watch your tongue! Do you even realize that not even Marvin, the man behind you, would dare speak to me like this?" Andrew replied indifferently, "If Mrs. Rhodes can do as she pleases, why can't others speak their minds? If you want to shut me up, then just go ahead and distribute the rewards fairly. Give Ms. Rhodes what she deserves without delay." Tiana, clearly exasperated, gritted her teeth. "Lauren is my biological daughter. What she's due, I'll never withhold from her. Fine. I'll satisfy your little scheme. Lauren will be the first priority candidate for the CEO position. Is that enough for you now?" Andrew smiled. "Mrs. Rhodes is fair and just, as expected from the matriarch of Rhodes Corporation. I'm impressed." Tiana snorted
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 545
Tiana let out a laugh, though it was a cold and disdainful one. "So stubborn, refusing to admit your weakness, hiding behind a facade of apparent strength. This is one of Marvin's old tricks, and you've learned it well." Andrew frowned. Tiana kept bringing up Marvin, and he couldn't figure out what her intent was. Her words implied she viewed Andrew as Marvin's pawn or lackey, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Andrew couldn't understand her logic. His relationship with Marvin was nothing like what she imagined. In fact, they were completely unrelated. With a flick of her sleeve, Tiana turned away and instructed, "The Pharmaceutical Division's issues—whoever can solve them will earn the CEO position." "Michael, Lauren, you're both outstanding members of the Rhodes family. Let's not dwell on the past. From now on, it'll be a fair competition between the two of you." Fair? What a joke! Andrew felt a chill in his heart and nearly exploded in anger. What was Tiana
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 546
"But now, you're my woman, Lauren, and I won't let you be treated unfairly like this," Andrew declared firmly. Lauren's eyes brimmed with tears, and she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry. "Dr. Lloyd, you're so kind." Without warning, she hugged Andrew tightly. Andrew felt increasingly uneasy. Was Tiana's presence truly such a significant threat to Lauren? He had never seen Lauren cry before. A discreet cough came from behind them. Lauren quickly let go of Andrew, wiped her tears in a hurry, and shot him a shy glare. Andrew turned around, completely unbothered, and smiled. "Oh, my apologies, Mr. Chapman. I didn't realize you were here." Marcus scratched his nose and chuckled awkwardly. "It's fine. I should be the one apologizing for interrupting Ms. Rhodes and Mr. Lloyd's moment." Andrew waved a hand. "No worries. I take it you're here to discuss the Pharmaceutical Division?" Marcus nodded solemnly. "Yes, Mr. Lloyd. I truly owe both you and Ms. Rhodes a debt of g
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 547
Lauren shook her head. "The development of formulas is incredibly costly and time-consuming. Just looking at the history of our Pharmaceutical Division at Rhodes Corporation, after decades of effort, we've only managed to develop a few formulas with good market reception. "Mr. Chapman, while your proposal is excellent, the manpower, resources, finances, and, most critically, the time needed to implement it are like insurmountable mountains." Marcus replied seriously, "Resources and finances won't be an issue. I've been managing the Pharmaceutical Division for years, so I'm confident in our foundation. We can reallocate tens of billions as an initial budget without any problems! "As for time, with the current market share of our thirty-plus products, the department can hold on for a while longer without being completely overtaken by the Weller family or other competitors. But manpower—that's the real challenge. Mr. Lloyd, Ms. Rhodes, I'm sorry, but that's where I'm stuck." Laure
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 812
The elevator bell rang, and the doors slid open. Andrew stepped out with Shiloh, walking toward Lauren's office under the employees' curious gazes and polite greetings. On the way, they ran into Tiana. She eyed Shiloh up and down, her gaze carrying a hint of doubt as she asked, "Mr. Lloyd, is this the Master Shiloh you went to recruit?" Andrew nodded. "That's right, this is Ms. Shiloh Greene." He secretly let out a breath of relief—he had almost called her Master again. The last thing he wanted was to end up like Michael, who got slapped across the face for it. Tiana, exuding her usual cold and commanding presence, stepped closer to Shiloh and said, "Take off your veil. Let me see what you look like. If you're going to represent Rhodes Corporation, you can't be someone who doesn't look the part." Shiloh met her gaze calmly and replied, "Wearing a veil won't stop me from endorsing your products." Tiana's brows furrowed, her voice taking on a sharper edge. "Even so, I'd st
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 811
They chatted idly on the way back. Before long, they arrived in downtown Jayrodale, and Andrew drove straight to the Rhodes Corporation building, pulling up in front. A security guard jogged over with a big smile. "Mr. Lloyd, you're back!" As Andrew and Shiloh stepped out of the car, he handed over the keys to the guard and said, "Park it for me." The company's security guards practically worshiped Andrew now. Their respect for him was just as strong compared to Tiana's. "Of course, Mr. Lloyd, don't worry! I'll take good care of your car!" Just then, a weak knocking sound came from the trunk, along with what sounded like muffled cursing. However, with the noise of traffic all around, it was hard to make out. The security guard frowned and asked, "Uh… Mr. Lloyd, I think something's moving in the trunk." Andrew waved it off. "We picked up a wild boar on the way back. The kind that roams the mountains—mean as hell." The security guard's eyes widened. "A wild boar? Oh man,
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 810
From the moment Shiloh first mentioned she was over 80, Andrew had suspected she suffered from a rare condition—one commonly known as the "ageless syndrome". As the name suggested, those affected by it never aged beyond a certain point. Looking at Shiloh, even with her veil on, Andrew could tell she had likely stopped aging in her early 20s—still in the prime of youth. To the outside world, ageless syndrome sounded like a blessing—eternal youth. Yet, in reality, for many who suffered from it, it was a nightmare. Some stopped growing as infants, toddlers, or even newborns, forever trapped in a child's body. On the other hand, Shiloh was one of the lucky few—she had at least matured into adulthood before her aging had frozen. Nonetheless, the ageless syndrome was not as wonderful as it seemed. Certain conditions—cold, extreme heat, or even specific lunar phases—could trigger unbearable pain, or worse, episodes of mental instability. In Shiloh's case, she was not just dealing wi
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 809
The two Wellers enforcers exchanged uncertain glances, hesitation flickering in their eyes. "Even if she isn't a full-fledged martial king, she's definitely close—an elite martial artist at an unfathomable level. But something about this doesn't add up. Why would someone that powerful be hiding away in a rundown monastery in the Southern Highlands? "Not to mention, she was practically living in poverty. Someone of her caliber could easily dominate all of Jayrodale, if not the entire southern martial world. She should be one of the top three powerhouses, at the very least." Harvey sucked in a sharp breath. The next second, his jealousy exploded. He yelled, "Are you telling me that a martial king-level master just fell into Andrew's lap for free? Absolutely not! I don't care if I have to throw everything the Wellers have into it—I need to bring Shiloh into our ranks!" One of the enforcers shook his head and sighed. "Mr. Weller, if you don't want to die young, you'd best drop t
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 808
Nonetheless, for the Wellers, their rise to power was the only thing that mattered. Harvey might have been a disgraceful excuse for a leader, but he was still the head of the family. One of the elder enforcers spoke in a cold voice. "Andrew, you know too much. That leaves us with no choice—we have to take you out." Andrew smirked. "Of course you do. That way, no one will ever know just how filthy the Wellers' secrets really are, right?" The two Wellers elders roared in unison, "Arrogant fool! Die!" Andrew casually lifted his foot and kicked Michael straight into them, sending him flying toward the two elders. One of the enforcers scoffed, effortlessly swinging a palm and smacking Michael aside like a ragdoll. His body went flying, landing in a heap—his fate unknown. Andrew's face turned cold. "Shiloh, get in the car. I'll handle the Wellers, and then we'll head back to Jayrodale." However, Shiloh stood her ground, completely unfazed. "No need for that. They came here to tak
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 807
Andrew led Shiloh toward the car, with Michael trailing behind. As they walked, Shiloh turned her head for one last look at the worn-down monastery. Her voice was soft as she mumbled, "Perhaps I won't be coming back here again." Andrew chuckled. "If you ever decide to return, I can have the entire place renovated for you. I'll get a team to rebuild it, plant some trees and flowers, and turn it into a beautiful retreat—maybe even a landmark in Jayrodale." Shiloh shook her head. "No need. I have no attachment to this place." Michael, unable to hold back his curiosity, blurted, "Mas—Uh… Shiloh, can you take off your veil?" He had almost called her "Master" again. That would have earned him another slap for sure. Shiloh remained indifferent. "No one is allowed to see my face. Especially men. If any man sees my real face, I'll kill him." Michael frowned. "Seriously? Just one look, and you'd kill someone? What are you, the queen of some ancient empire?" Shiloh cast him a col
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 806
Shiloh corrected him immediately. "Just call me Shiloh. I don't like being addressed in a way that makes me sound old. Also, while I once trained at Everglade Mountain, it was a temporary practice. "I never fully took vows—I'm merely a lay disciple, so you don't need to call me 'Master' or anything like that. And one more thing—I see myself as young. So don't call me by addresses that make me sound ancient. I won't remind you again!" Andrew chuckled and nodded. "Got it, Shiloh." He had never expected this woman to have quite a fiery temper. Then again, no woman liked being called old, so Andrew understood. Michael, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement. He could not believe it—Andrew had actually secured an endorsement from the most respected wellness expert in Jayrodale. For Rhodes Corporation's pharmaceutical division, this was nothing short of a miracle. Eager to please, he grinned and stepped forward. "Master Shiloh, this way, please!" Andrew si
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 805
Shiloh's bright eyes flickered with surprise. "You noticed? No wonder Cedric speaks so highly of you, Mr. Lloyd. Your insight is truly remarkable. You're right—I do have a condition. That's why, despite being over 80, I don't look my age." Andrew nodded but did not press further. That was her personal business, and prying any more would have been rude. Meanwhile, Aspen and Christina were fuming. Aspen stepped forward, blocking their path. "Master Shiloh, I just don't understand. Why would you choose to leave with Andrew over a mere 20 million?" Christina gritted her teeth. "Master Shiloh, we already told you—we're willing to offer you a better price. Why won't you accept our offer?" Shiloh's expression remained calm. "It's simple. Mr. Lloyd understands what I actually need, unlike you all, who keep making empty promises without any real grasp of my practice. But most importantly, Cedric told me that Mr. Lloyd is a remarkable physician. So I thought, perhaps he might be able t
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 804
Shiloh's voice remained calm as she said, "Neither the Wellers nor the Stevens have grasped what I truly practice. You are all too fixated on appearances." Christina could not help but interject, "Master Shiloh, even if you need money and believe that your teachings should be grounded in reality, then why not come to Stevens Corporation? We're willing to offer an even higher price." Aspen, growing anxious, quickly added, "Master Shiloh, you and I go way back! Just come to the Stevens instead. If it's money you want, Christie and I are willing to offer 50 million—no, 80 million!" However, Shiloh shook her head. "This isn't about money." Aspen and Christina instantly froze. They had refrained from mentioning money earlier, yet Shiloh had chosen to follow Andrew, who had offered payment. But now, when they were willing to pay even more, she suddenly claimed it was not about the money? Their minds felt like they were about to split apart. Why was a revered figure like Shiloh fa
