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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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 548
Lauren couldn't help but think back to when she first met Andrew. Back then, he was nothing more than a man everyone dismissed—a so-called freeloader, introduced as Christina's live-in boyfriend. Had Andrew grown this much in such a short time, or had he been hiding his true abilities all along? Andrew smiled and said, "Don't worry. Think of it as my dowry for you. And besides, what's yours is mine—it's all the same." Marcus was at a loss for words. Using pharmaceutical formulas as a dowry? If Mr. Lloyd presented this kind of gift to marry a princess from one of Vestra's lesser-known royal families, it would be more than enough! At fifty billion per formula in today's market, even the seemingly untouchable royal families with their noble bloodlines would line up for such a proposal. Not only could he marry a princess, but he could even pick and choose from the most beautiful among them. Fifty billion! That was an astronomical figure! Some of Vestra's sma
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 549
Michael said, "This person doesn't have the best reputation. He's a disgraced disciple of Advanced Medical Institute. But as for his medical skills, they are absolutely top-notch—even Dr. Aicker doesn't measure up in his eyes." Tiana looked surprised. "You're not talking about the Master of Poisons, Bane Eslinger, who defected from Advanced Medical Institute years ago, are you?" Michael's face lit up. "Exactly, Aunt Tiana. You know of the Master of Poisons? Yes, it's him." Tiana's eyes narrowed as she spoke slowly. "Bane is said to be erratic and eccentric, completely unlike ordinary people. Years ago, he used live subjects for experiments, causing countless deaths, which led to his expulsion and punishment by the Advanced Medical Institute. "But his medical skills are indeed as legendary as his reputation suggests, even surpassing Cedric. Fine, let's see what you can do. If you can bring the Master of Poisons into our fold, I'll count that as a great achievement for you." Mi
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 550
Jerry shook his head. "Based on the leads provided by Mr. Rhodes, we conducted surprise inspections of all the hotels, but we didn't find her." "I've already reported the situation to Mr. Warren at the Jayrodale Police Department. If even he can't find her, then it'll be a real problem." Michael frowned, visibly unsettled. "That's strange. Troy was just captured—there's no way Ruby could've sensed it and escaped so quickly." Tiana snapped, "Shut up. Do you think everyone's as incompetent as you? Keep searching for that wretch! After the loss she's caused the Rhodes family, I won't rest until she's torn to pieces!" … Meanwhile, Lauren lingered at the Moonlit Sanctuary until late at night before reluctantly returning home. The moment she stepped inside and turned on the lights, Tiana was already there, like a ghost waiting in the darkness. Lauren wasn't surprised. She said calmly, "Please leave. I need to rest." Without a word, Tiana strode forward, pulled up Lauren's sle
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 551
Ruby bit her lip, struggling to speak. "The truth is… I have some health issues. After I… was with Troy, he got tested and found out he caught a disease. He freaked out and turned on me completely, calling me to scream and curse, saying I was a disgusting tramp who had been with too many men. "In the end, Troy went to Andrew and begged him for treatment. Under Andrew's manipulative demands, Troy confessed everything to him." Aspen's face darkened with rage. "Andrew again? Why is it that every single one of my failures has his shadow looming over it? And you, you're just as useless! I spent so much effort and money getting you out of prison, not so you could mess everything up!" Ruby held back her anger and muttered, "I didn't want things to turn out like this. It's all because of Andrew—he's the real culprit." Aspen cut her off impatiently. "Enough! Let me ask you, this disease… is it from reckless behavior?" Ruby blushed deeply and, with great reluctance, admitted, "Yes, it'
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 552
Aspen sneered. "I knew it. Playing around with frogs wouldn't cause an illness. Turns out you wretches went back to men in the end." Ruby ignored the scorn in her words and replied, "I've always wanted to live well. Even in prison, I liked to feel superior to others. "So, I got involved with several male guards. They would do anything for me—buying me anything I wanted from the outside: fancy bags, pretty clothes—everything except my freedom—all with just a crook of my finger. But I didn't expect to end up catching a disease, and it spiraled out of control." Aspen snapped, "Enough! I've heard more than enough of your filthy, disgusting past. Now, hand over the formulas from Rhodes Pharmaceutical, and we'll call it even." Ruby smirked coldly. "Ms. Stevens, don't you think it's shameless to burn the bridge after you've crossed it? If you want the formulas, fine. But first, you'll need to arrange for me to get out of Jayrodale." Aspen scoffed. "Do you think I'm as cheap and sham
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 553
The fact that Gordon Woods, a martial arts master from Bridgefields, had secretly infiltrated Jayrodale went unnoticed by Andrew. Even if Andrew had known, he likely wouldn't have cared. Over the years, Andrew had collected nearly 30 rare medicinal herbs, all of which he had refined into a single golden pill, glimmering like a piece of yellow crystal. The Five Convergence Pill! In the martial arts world, it also went by more illustrious names such as the Ascension Pill or Immortal Pill. As the name suggests, consuming it was said to grant one immortality. Of course, this was merely a romanticized and exaggerated notion within martial circles. While the Ascension Pill was extraordinary, it wasn't a magical elixir that could defy death or wrest control of life from the heavens. If it truly granted immortality, the world would have been overrun with immortals by now. In truth, the pill's effects, while not literally divine, were indeed transformative, cap
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1152
Natasha joked, "Aspen, of all times, you could've walked out, you just had to pick the moment I was getting cozy with my darling. You're not jealous, are you? Trying to ruin the mood on purpose?" Aspen let out a cold laugh. "Madam Vostokoff, you're overthinking it. If you two want to flirt or even start going at it right here, it has nothing to do with me. If you think I was interrupting, then I apologize. I'll leave right now so you two can carry on." Natasha chuckled. "Come on now, Snow Queen, we're all on the same side here. I was just teasing. Don't take it to heart." The icy look on Aspen's face finally faded a little. "I'm heading out. A small firm is requesting investment from Supreme Capital Group, so I'm going to check them out and see if they're worth our time." She threw that out to Andrew with zero warmth, then strutted off, her hips swaying confidently as she left Serenity Villa. Andrew immediately instructed Dylan's crew to follow and keep her safe. Natasha sc
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1151
Dylan and Natasha arrived in Blumedale the same night Andrew's orders were sent back to Jayrodale. They were accompanied by none other than the semi-martial king himself—Reuben. "Mr. Lloyd, that opportunity you mentioned… the one that could set me free—what is it exactly?" Reuben asked eagerly the moment he saw Andrew. Andrew waved his hand and said, "No rush. I haven't figured it out yet, but it won't be long." Reuben held back his excitement and simply nodded, saying nothing more. The more time he spent around Andrew, the more he realized just how unfathomable this man truly was. Back when he followed Elon to storm Jayrodale, he had been taught a brutal lesson. Now, there was not a shred of resentment left in him—only fear and awe. After all, a man who dared to kill a direct descendant of the Haywoods would have no problem ending him with a snap of his fingers. Reuben had only martial skills but no powerful family backing him—if Andrew ever wanted him dead, he would not la
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1150
For Quinton, it had never been just about sleeping with Christina. What excited him more was the thrill—the thrill of a top-tier predator closing in on an ice-cold beauty. To him, conquering a woman like Christina would stroke his ego and validate his inflated sense of self-worth. Unfortunately for him, Christina never felt even a flicker of attraction toward him. At best, they could be called business allies—or to put it bluntly, she only saw him as a temporary tool. Quinton wanted power, possession, dominance. Meanwhile, Christina only wanted leverage—specifically, to use him and his connections to push the Stevens Corporation into Blumedale. … Over at the Goldings family estate, word of the Haywoods' bounty hit hard. Both Richard and Elon were momentarily stunned when they heard. "This kid really doesn't know when to stop," Richard growled. "Now he's provoked the Haywoods and even left a body behind. He's practically asking for death! He's so arrogant that it's disgusti
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1149
The Haywoods' bounty order exploded across Blumedale like a thunderclap. Someone exclaimed, "Holy hell—two elite families teaming up to hunt down one man? Who the hell is this Andrew guy?" Another chimed in, "The Goldings offered 300 million, and now the Haywoods are throwing in half a billion. That's 800 million in total. I mean, damn—if I were an assassin, I'd be tempted!" "With both families issuing kill orders? No way Andrew makes it past today." … Elsewhere, Quinton wasted no time finding Christina and her family. "Christie," he said, barely hiding his glee, "things are about to get interesting. Andrew just caused a major disaster!" He looked positively thrilled at the news. Christina's tone remained cold. "I heard. I really don't know where he got the nerve to kill Seth. That's just ridiculous of him." Irene was playing with a new bracelet, her eyes gleaming as she casually said, "Who cares? Andrew's been arrogant long enough. Finally, someone's putting him in hi
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1148
Aspen said, "You're the one who killed Seth. The Haywoods are going to target you first—so you'd better leave now while you still can!" Andrew said nothing. Instead, he walked toward her slowly, one step at a time. Aspen frowned and instinctively took a step back. The space between them was too close for comfort, and it made her uneasy. However, Andrew did not stop—he kept moving in, ignoring her resistance entirely. Aspen soon found herself backed up against the wall. Her expression turned cold as she snapped, "What are you doing?" Andrew leaned in, towering over her. "Aspen, something's off with you." "What are you talking about?" "You are… worried about my safety, aren't you?" Aspen shoved him hard, her face flushing as she barked, "I wasn't joking just now! If you're not taking this seriously, then just forget I said anything!" Her heart was pounding. For a second, she thought Andrew was going to kiss her. If he had, she would have bitten his tongue off without hes
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1147
Andrew could not figure Aspen out, wondering what the hell was wrong with her now. He had just told her she could go, and she still looked upset. Andrew shook his head and stopped thinking about it. Instead, He pulled out his phone and made a call back to Jayrodale. "Gather your men and head to Blumedale immediately. And bring Reuben with you. Tell him—if he wants his freedom, I can offer him a way out." Reuben Davis was that semi–martial king Elon had once brought to Jayrodale. Under Andrew's control, the man had been training Dylan and Natasha in martial arts. Andrew did not know how the Haywoods would react to Seth's death, but he did not care. No matter what move they made, he would not back down. It was time to bring his core team into Blumedale. If these powerful families wanted to raise the stakes, he would play right along. Suddenly, his phone rang again. Andrew glanced at the caller ID and looked mildly surprised—it was Tiana. "Mrs. Rhodes, what can I do for you?"
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1146
Chantelle said with a smirk. "The moment he found out something happened to you, the look on his face could've scared someone to death." Aspen froze for a second, her heart thumping wildly as she glanced at Andrew walking just ahead. She could not help but wonder if Andrew actually cared whether she lived or died. Chantelle gave a half-smile, half-sigh. "Mr. Lloyd sure seems emotionally invested in you, Ms. Stevens. But, if you don't mind me overstepping—there's something off in your head." Aspen blinked. "Excuse me? Ms. Garcia, what do you mean by that?" Chantelle chuckled softly. "I majored in psychology, both undergrad and grad school. Even with just a little observation, I'd say you're showing classic signs of Stockholm syndrome." Aspen's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Chantelle studied her with a piercing gaze. "And I can tell you're an intelligent woman. You know you're getting deeper and deeper emotionally involved. But deep down… you don't actually want
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1145
"Y-You actually dared to kill someone?" Chantelle stormed up to Andrew, her chest heaving with rage as she shouted, "You do know that murder is a crime, right?" Andrew replied flatly, "Then go ahead and arrest me. But you saw it too—this dead mutt barged into my company with a gang of thugs and trashed the place. He kidnapped my secretary, tortured her, and tried to get away with it." Chantelle fumed. "You had every right to fight back, but you had no right to kill him, do you understand?" Andrew's voice sharpened with impatience. "Ms. Garcia, that's enough! So what if I killed him? The guy came stomping into my space, and I'm supposed to just roll over and play dead?" Chantelle let out a bitter laugh and hissed, "Andrew, Mr. McCormick favored you. You've got incredible medical skills, and in Blumedale, you were this close to making your mark. "You had a bright future ahead of you—respect, success, everything within reach. But why would you throw it all away like this? Don't y
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1144
Andrew hissed, "This third slap? No reason at all. I just don't like the look of your face and feel like beating you to death. And this fourth one's for your parents—since they clearly failed to raise you, I'll handle it for them." After the string of brutal slaps, Seth's head was spinning. His ears rang like sirens, and his vision started going black around the edges. "Andrew… I swear…" he gasped, his voice shaky. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you, you arrogant bastard!" However, just as he spat out his threat, a blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat—Andrew had suddenly snapped five of his fingers. "Keep going," Andrew said coldly, his voice like a death sentence. Seth's mouth bled as he glared up with bloodshot eyes. "You're dead. You're so fucking dead… "How dare you treat me like this? My family—everyone in the Haywoods—they'll never let this slide!" His scream pitched into hysteria as Andrew crushed the remaining five fingers on his other hand, rendering both of Se
