Quinton's aggressive and domineering voice thundered through the air—he was practically roaring. However, the very next second, he awkwardly realized that Harvey had already stopped bullying the Stevens family before he got there. Now, Harvey was standing off to the side, looking sheepish and awkward. Irene and Leroy were in bad shape—one had passed out cold, and the other was bawling their eyes out. Only Christina was still standing. She looked up at Quinton but did not say a word. Still, the cold indifference and mockery in her eyes were impossible to miss. Quinton's heart sank. Did Christina see through him? Could she tell this was all just an act? He refused to believe it, knowing he had to do something fast to fix this. Thankfully, he was quick on his feet. He kept his face cold and serious, stormed over to Harvey, and slapped him hard across the face. Harvey was stunned, then instantly furious. They agreed this whole thing was just for show, but now Quinton had the n
Quinton did not stop after slapping Harvey. Still filled with aggression, he turned around and violently beat down the Weller family thug who had attacked the Stevens earlier. He did not let up until Christina finally shouted, "Quinton, our family appreciates what you have done. But right now, Leroy needs to get to the hospital!" Only then did Quinton stop, turning to Harvey with a fierce warning, "Remember, there better not be a next time. If there is, I promise your entire Weller family will pay!" Harvey was beyond furious. He had shown up today in good faith, just trying to help Quinton stage his little performance. He willingly played along just to make Quinton look good, but he never imagined he would end up being the victim himself. This whole act was turning into nothing but a massive loss for him. Andrew clapped sarcastically again, grinning as he said, "Bravo, Quinton, bravo! You did not hesitate to throw Harvey under the bus to look cool! "Other guys show off by
With both palms slamming forward, Andrew unleashed a terrifying force, blasting straight at Ian and Ted like a crashing tidal wave. Blood splattered, and screams pierced the air. One of the elders, who had actually reached peak grandmaster level, was sent flying with blood gushing from his mouth—completely overwhelmed. In just one move, Andrew had struck both of them down effortlessly. Harvey's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He could hardly believe it—those two elders were the backbone of the Weller family, and they were taken down just like that. With just one strike, both were defeated. The rest of the Weller family, who had started charging forward, immediately froze. Fear took hold, and they backed away in panic, too afraid to even try another step. Even Quinton narrowed his eyes, frowning as he glanced at Andrew. He wondered if Andrew had already surpassed the grandmaster level. If so, did that mean he had reached the level of a semi-martial king? No. Tha
Tears of humiliation welled up in Shawn's eyes as he clenched his teeth and muttered, "Got it!" Andrew slapped him again, harder this time. "I didn't ask if you got it. I asked if it's okay." The weight of shame nearly crushed Shawn from the inside out. Nonetheless, he did not dare resist. He did not even flinch as he squeezed out, "Okay!" No one missed how low he had sunk. Even Quinton, the proud heir of Blumedale, had lost all his swagger, and now Shawn had no one to count on. He was completely on his own. Andrew looked down at him and said coldly, "You can fuck off now." Shawn acted like he had just been pardoned from death row. He scrambled to his feet and bolted straight back to the Fields family. From that day on, he swore he would check the stars before leaving his house, and he would make damn sure Andrew was not in the same zip code. If their paths might cross, he would rather stay home or take a two-hour detour. "Alright, Fran, let's go," Andrew said, brushing o
In Blumedale, Michael's funeral, arranged by Kenny, had already ended, yet Andrew never showed up. Kenny and Sherilyn grew furious, and Sherilyn, backed by the Goldings, boldly offered 300 million dollars to launch a vendetta against Andrew. The entire Blumedale power structure buzzed with rumors and speculation, wondering what kind of man from Jayrodale had incited the wrath of the Rhodes family elder and the Goldings. The so-called family vendetta was a killing order issued by the top-tier families, a deadly move targeting an enemy's life. Once activated, anyone allied with those families could hunt down the fugitive for the 300 million dollar reward, and if successful, the money would be theirs. With the combined might of these influential families and their alliances, the order was terrifying, as being targeted meant being hunted by a dozen or more powerful houses, a true death sentence. Tiana personally called Andrew to warn him that he either had to hide out in Jayrodale
Andrew replied calmly, "Plan on coming? Oh, no… I'm already on my way." Tiana inhaled sharply, completely stunned. Gritting her teeth, she repeated the same word three times, each one colder than the last. "Fine. Fine. Fine… You really are the kind of fool who won't turn back until he slams into a brick wall, who won't give up until he drowns! "You have no idea what kind of death trap Blumedale is! This is the heart of Gabo Creek—the political and economic center of the region, Holtrien's southern metropolis! "You coming here is like a small fish diving into the open ocean… or a lamb wandering into a den of lions! What awaits you is a shredded body and a death so brutal, no one will even recognize your corpse!" Andrew's gaze sharpened as he replied coolly, "Is that so? Because in my eyes, Gabo Creek's Blumedale is nothing more than a slightly bigger jungle. And an elite hunter doesn't just take down rats and stray dogs… they can gut tigers and rip open lions too." With that,
Jameson nodded, looking quite pleased with himself. "Now, Joe—he's definitely an exceptional young man. I'm satisfied with him, no doubt. But being satisfied doesn't mean he's to my taste! "Andrew, on the other hand, first of all—he's handsome, just like I was back in my prime. Second, he's got charm. Talking with him is actually fun, and that's rare these days." "But most importantly…" Jameson leaned in like he was about to share a state secret. Tiana scowled. "Let me guess—because he lacks ambition and has no shame?" Jameson grinned shamelessly. "Wrong! That kid gave me a pill that… let's just say it brought my manhood back to life! And the best part? Not only did I benefit, but you did too! "So if we're being honest here, we both ought to be thanking him—and treating him right!" Tiana's face flushed bright red. In the blink of an eye, she stormed over and smacked Jameson across the face. She shouted, "Disgusting! Filthy pig! I have no idea what I was thinking when I agr
Andrew said to the lady, "And don't go looking for a nice, honest man. What did an honest man ever do to deserve you?" As the Rolls-Royce drove off, the woman on the plaza stomped her foot in frustration. "Hmph! Acting all high and mighty. You rich guys walk around in suits like you're so proper, but once the clothes come off, you're worse than animals! "And what's wrong with liking an honest guy, huh? Plenty of them love women like me!" Muttering to herself, she swayed her hips and went off to reel in her next customer. … Inside the Rolls-Royce, the driver was an elderly man dressed simply—plain shirt, cloth shoes, nothing flashy. However, he was impeccably neat and carried an unmistakable air of dignity. This type of low-key appearance was common among the long-established elite. It looked humble, but in reality, it spoke volumes. "You must be Andrew Lloyd, the one from Jayrodale, right?" he asked without turning his head. Andrew nodded. "Yeah, that's me." The old m
Justin instantly sensed something was about to spiral. He rushed forward and tried to defuse the tension. "Mr. Hopkins, please calm down. We're all just here to have a nice dinner—no need for this." Archie clutched his swollen cheek, his face twisted with rage. "Calm down? Get out of my face! If you say another word, I'll end you too!" Justin flinched and quickly backed off, no longer daring to speak. However, as he glanced toward the Rhodes family, his eyes burned with resentment. He cursed them for being foolish. Despite knowing they could not go up against the Hopkins, they still had to throw punches. He could not help but think they were just asking for it. Lauren's voice rang out cold and firm. "Mr. Hopkins, what are you trying to do? Start a war?" Archie bellowed with laughter. "Big mouth on you, you little bitch! With your trashy Rhodes family, you're not even qualified to go to war with the Hopkins!" He sneered, eyes gleaming. "But don't worry—I'm not just gonna tak
Justin's face twisted in discomfort, but before he could say anything, a loud voice boomed across the entrance. "Mr. McGrath, you can step back! If Mrs. Rhodes wants to dine in our Celestial Suite, then she's more than welcome!" As the voice faded, a burly man with a thick beard strode over. The giant crystal ring on his hand and the heavy gold chain across his chest made it clear—this man was rich, but absolutely tasteless. Jameson snorted coldly. "The Hopkins family sure has some nerve, snatching up someone else's reservation like it's nothing." Archie Hopkins cracked a wide grin, revealing a mouth full of blackened teeth, and laughed without a care. "Mr. Rhodes, you sound way too naive!" Archie shrugged and said, "In this world, it's all about money and muscle. The Hopkins family's got both. So stealing a little dining room from the Rhodes family? It's nothing." Tiana's voice turned icy. "Since you're admitting it's theft, then do us a favor and get the hell out." Arch
The place Jameson picked for dinner was one of the most well-known upscale restaurants in Blumedale—The Palace. "Andy, you might not know this, but around here, this spot is top-tier," Jameson said as he adjusted his tailored suit and smiled. He added, "It's not like I'm trying to flaunt my wealth or anything. But sometimes, even if you don't care for appearances, you've still got to show up with style!" Andrew chuckled and replied, "Mr. Rhodes, I get what you're saying." Tiana spoke up coolly, "Jameson, no need to put on this kind of show in front of Andrew. Otherwise, you'll just end up looking ridiculous. This guy probably poops in places you haven't even dreamed of stepping into." Jameson froze for a second, clearly shocked. "Well now, Tiana, you're really singing Andy's praises today. Could it be… the classic case of a mother-in-law who's starting to really like her son-in-law?" Tiana gave a snort. "This has nothing to do with liking him. I'm just telling the truth."
Lauren said, "Funny thing, Andrew—you probably don't know this, but my mom's been all about dressing up lately. For the longest time, I only ever saw her in simple outfits. She never really cared about appearances. "But now, she's all glammed up and polished! If you didn't know better, you'd think she was dating someone!" Andrew did not know how to respond, so he stayed quiet. He had a pretty good idea why Tiana suddenly started caring about her looks. It was probably because his presence reminded her of her first love—his father. Even though he was not the man himself, they were still father and son. Much like Aspen, Tiana clearly had something not quite right going on in her head. Only someone like her could project her feelings for a man onto his son. Nonetheless, no matter how he looked at it, Andrew just could not shake the weirdness of it all. After all, this woman was supposed to be his future mother-in-law, and yet, she was just a little off. Not that Tiana acted c
"Andrew, my mom didn't give you a hard time, did she?" Lauren asked as they stepped into the Rhodes residence's front parlor. She had noticed right away that Andrew did not look so great. "It's fine. Your mother was… gracious enough," Andrew said with a small smile. There was no need to bring up Tiana's moment of madness—it was better buried. Jameson chuckled. "Andy, sorry to trouble you again! But today wasn't just about getting your help with her condition." Lauren beamed. "That's right, Andrew. Now that you're part of the family, you're not an outsider anymore. So, Dad planned a little family dinner. We thought we'd introduce you to some people too, help you make some connections around Blumedale." Jameson added, "Exactly! And I heard from Lauren that you've been looking for some rare medicinal herbs. Well, turns out, I know some folks who might be holding on to a few." Andrew nodded thoughtfully. "I am looking for rare herbs, that's true. But as for opening doors, Mr.
Truthfully, Tiana was by far the most challenging woman Andrew had ever dealt with. He could not hit her or offend her. To make things worse, she was Lauren's mother and Jameson's wife. No matter what insanity she pulled, Andrew could not actually do anything to her. Seeing Andrew so obviously trapped, Tiana felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. She chuckled smugly. "Andrew, you're the Dragon Prince of the Lloyds. There's no way I could ever win against you—not in a million years. "But you lost the moment you started dating my daughter. I'm your mother-in-law. That means I can mess with you, tease you, and you won't be able to lift a finger." Andrew replied evenly, "You're right—I can't fight you. But if I can't win, I can still walk away." Tiana waved her hand. "Alright, alright. Let's stop arguing. Just promise me one thing—what happened here today stays between us. Lauren can never find out." Andrew let out a dry laugh. "You're only worried about Lauren? What ab
It felt to Tiana like she had fallen into a vast, unfamiliar net—one she had never experienced before. She was sinking, drifting, wanting to break free. Yet, she was addicted to the thrill of it all. All these conflicting emotions passed through her in the blink of an eye, though they were layered and complex. Meanwhile, Andrew was completely unaware of the chaotic thoughts swirling inside her. To him, this was just another straightforward medical procedure. He was careful and respectful. He only touched what he had to, avoiding sensitive areas entirely. As a doctor, Andrew had no sense of guilt about what he was doing. Illness knew no gender; treatment was treatment. That was how he saw it. Whether others saw it the same way was not his concern. He calmly explained, "Stimulating your pressure points with needles and smoothing the meridians with massage helped your condition today. "But in the end, to restore proper balance, you'll still need a medicinal remedy to regulate
Tiana flinched, both shocked and furious, but she had no chance of dodging him. Under Andrew's hand, she did not stand a chance. However, the loud smack that followed was not across her face—it landed squarely on a pressure point along her waist. A wave of sharp pain shot through her body like a crashing tide. She gasped, "Ah… Andrew, you… stop, that hurts…" A strange moan escaped her lips, echoing awkwardly in the quiet room. Andrew muttered under his breath, cursing her madness. Without wasting time, he lifted her up and laid her down across the bed. Tiana stared up at him in disbelief, her eyes wide—until he pulled out a slim, metallic object. A gleaming golden acupuncture needle. "Mrs. Rhodes, your speech is erratic, your energy's spiking. I'll give you a few needles to stabilize your condition," Andrew said calmly. With that, he plunged the first needle into a targeted spot on her body. Tiana's breath hitched as her lips parted, and her reaction was a mix of pai
"If you called me here just to ask something this ridiculous, Mrs. Rhodes, then I'll be going now," Andrew said flatly as he turned toward the door. He did not dare stay a second longer, worried Tiana might start acting crazy like she did last time. If things spiraled out of control and someone like Jameson walked in on them, not even a hundred confessions could clear his name. "Stop right there!" Tiana snapped, her brows raised in defiance. "What's the matter? Are you that scared of being alone with me?" Andrew paused and looked back, his brows still tightly furrowed. "Mrs. Rhodes, you and I both know this isn't appropriate." Tiana stepped forward with a graceful sway, a trace of perfume trailing in her wake as she stopped right beside him. Her lips curled in a playful smile. "What's not appropriate? Can't a mother-in-law spend a little one-on-one time with her future son-in-law?" Andrew fell silent, exasperated. "You said you weren't feeling well. If you need help, I'll tak