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Chapter 1036
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1037
In truth, Christina was jealous and furious. Andrew had accepted Aspen, yet refused to give her a second chance. Was Aspen really better than her? That could not be right. In looks, status, and ability, she was never inferior to Aspen. She believed there could only be one explanation—Andrew still had feelings for her, but was using Aspen to replace her. The moment that thought clicked, Christina suddenly felt clear-headed. Otherwise, why would Andrew treat Aspen so well now? The two had once been bitter enemies. Moreover, Aspen's family had even provoked him, and they had nearly gone to war. "Obsessed with Stevens family women? Please, Christina, you're hilarious," Andrew said with an amused smile. "But you did get one thing right—I am willing to treat Aspen well. Because, whether you like it or not, she's mine now." Christina's jaw clenched. "I reached out to you, and you turned me away. But Aspen? You welcomed her with open arms. Can I ask why?" Andrew answered without
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1038
Christina had not expected the two of them to be that close already. "Andrew, you're going to regret what you've done!" she snapped coldly before looping her arm around Quinton's and striking a deliberately intimate pose. Quinton smirked. He knew Christina was using him, but he did not care. For someone like him, the thrill was in the chase. When the thrill was gone, he would have no problem tossing her aside or forcing things if it amused him. Quinton said with a smile, "Ms. Aspen, Christie's mentioned you before. But sticking with Andrew will only bring you down. Why not join me? Serve under the Wrights, and I promise you a spot among the capital's elite socialites." It was a tempting offer, made with a wolfish grin. If he could really win Aspen over, having both Stevens beauties serve him would be a fantasy come true. Especially since Aspen had a figure that made him burn with desire. Hell, she was playing housemaid for Andrew—that was practically a crime in Quinton's boo
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1039
Aspen's ears and neck turned bright red as she glared at him. She snapped, "I-I'll never sleep with you, Andrew! You can make me do anything else, but not that. My body is off-limits!" She blurted, nearly shouting, "I'm still a virgin! I made a vow years ago—I'll only give myself to my future husband!" Andrew stared at her like she had just grown wings. After all, she had to be in her late 20s. With how long she had been in the game, always networking, always flirting with powerful men—he never would have guessed. But now? Turned out this wildcat had never been touched. It was like walking into a chicken coop and finding a hidden phoenix—ridiculous, but rare as hell. Aspen noticed the way he was looking at her and instantly blew up. "The hell's that look for? I'm telling the truth, you bastard!" Aspen snapped, misreading his stunned silence. Andrew leaned in and whispered by her ear, voice full of mischief. "All the better. Every man wants to be the first, you know that, ri
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1040
Not long after Andrew and Aspen arrived, a middle-aged man in a formal robe stepped onto the stage and addressed the room. "Thank you all for coming to the capital's official charity event. As always, I'm Derek McCormick. No long speeches—everyone, just show your sincerity. I hope we can all give something back and help those struggling in the poorer regions of Gabo Creek Province." He did not say much—just brief sentences—before setting down the mic and stepping off. And yet, no one had a single complaint. On the contrary, the room erupted into applause, with waves of praise echoing throughout the hall. The reason was simple: the man was Derek McCormick, Governor of Gabo Creek—one of the highest-ranking officials in the province. He was a true regional powerhouse. Andrew nodded with interest. "You can tell. The guy actually seems like a good leader." Aspen rolled her eyes with a half-laugh. "Can you not act like that? Mr. McCormick is way above your league, and you talk like
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1041
Aspen said, "But you're the CEO. So, what do you think? Should we just make a casual gesture and write a check for a million? Or should we step it up a notch, maybe throw in roughly eight million to try and make a name for our company?" Andrew shook his head and said, "Eight million? That's not enough. It lacks impact." Aspen was stunned. "That's still not enough? Come on, this is just a regular charity event. Even those filthy rich legacy families only drop five million tops, just to show some goodwill. And you think even eight million isn't enough? "If we go too high, we'll end up at the top of the donor list and stand out way too much. That kind of attention might actually backfire." She clearly disagreed with Andrew's idea. However, Andrew waved it off. "Don't overthink it. Just spend the money. I'll deal with the consequences. Screw it, let's just go with 50 million." Aspen froze, completely in disbelief. "50 million? Are you out of your mind? If we go that high, ther
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1042
After all the moguls, elites, and legacy families finished flexing their generosity at the charity event, the venue transitioned into a lavish buffet-style dinner. With her stunning looks and classy aura, Aspen turned heads everywhere she went. She held a glass of red wine and chatted gracefully with several older men, most balding and sporting sizable beer bellies. Meanwhile, Andrew looked utterly bored. He had filled a plate with food and was sitting alone, eating away like he had not had a proper meal in days. Aspen caught a glimpse of him across the room and nearly lost it. She was working her tail off trying to network and promote Supreme Capital Group, while this so-called CEO was sitting on the sidelines, stuffing his face and acting like none of it mattered. She could not help but wonder what he was even thinking. Ignoring Andrew's protests, she marched over, grabbed his arm, and dragged him across the room to introduce him to a balding man named Harry Dunham. "Mr. Du
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1043
Nowadays, among the wealthy and the ultra-rich, there were barely any whose fortune came from a spotless, clean slate. Aspen stood frozen, utterly shocked. The same legacy heads and well-known moguls she had always looked up to were now casually spitting out crude, foul-mouthed complaints like street punks. Their behavior was downright disappointing—definitely not what she had imagined of the elite. Just then, Andrew cleared his throat with a light cough. The powerful men instantly went quiet and turned toward him, their faces filled with annoyance. "Sorry, this is a private circle. We don't welcome outsiders," one stern-looking middle-aged man said coldly. Andrew smiled and replied, "My apologies for interrupting. I'm Andrew Lloyd from Supreme Capital Group. It's my first time bringing business to the capital, and I was hoping to have a chat with you gentlemen." The group immediately burst out laughing. "Supreme Capital Group? What kind of backwater scam company is that? N
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1044
Aspen's legs had already gone numb, and she could not even find the strength to move. She thought Andrew was too bold, too outrageous. Talking to those powerhouses in that tone was practically asking to get smacked down. However, the very next second, her ears caught something completely unexpected—eager voices calling out to stop him. "Hey, young man, hold on! We may have been a bit rude just now!" A man said, "Supreme Capital Group, was it? No hard feelings, alright? The name's impressive—I'll have my secretary reach out first thing tomorrow." "Mr. Lloyd, since you're already here, come chat with us. You mentioned partnering up to make money, right? That's exactly the kind of thing we love to hear!" Another chimed in, "You actually secured Jayrodale's Vitality Pill and the legendary Titan Essence Pill? Mr. Lloyd, clearly you're full of surprises. We're impressed!" Two of the bigwigs even rushed forward and grabbed Andrew's arm, afraid he might slip away. Aspen stood the
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1170
On the ground, Black Wolf writhed in pain, howling in disbelief. He finally understood why that last squad of heavily armed mercenaries had vanished without a trace after storming Serenity Villa. This place was not just a house—it was a damn death trap. "Who sent you to kill me?" Andrew asked calmly as he twirled the dagger Black Wolf had dropped. Pinned down by Natasha and Dylan, Black Wolf was drenched in sweat, his shattered legs leaving him gasping in agony. He growled, "Why the hell should I tell you? You should know exactly who you've pissed off. Even if I'm in your hands, kid, if you lay a finger on me, the consequences—" Andrew did not let him finish. Instead, he drove the blade straight into Black Wolf's chest. Whatever threat Black Wolf was about to spit out died on his tongue. His eyes bulged in shock before his head slumped to the side—dead. "If you didn't have the sense to act like a prisoner, then I did you a favor and sent you straight to hell. Next time, try
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1169
Aspen could not help leaning closer to see what Andrew was doing. To her surprise, his breathing was steady—he was already asleep. She stared at him, both amused and annoyed as she thought, 'I'm lying right next to him, and he still manages to fall asleep? Am I not attractive enough? Or does this guy just not find me worth the effort?' That split second of realization triggered an unexpected wave of disappointment and frustration in her. … Meanwhile, outside Serenity Villa, a black figure moved silently across the ruined outer wall, climbing with inhuman ease. It was Black Wolf—Elon's secret weapon, a top-tier assassin with a reputation to match. A matte-finished blade dangled from his lips as he surveyed the building, swiftly memorizing the layout of the damaged villa. He was not alone. At least a dozen other men hid in the dark, surrounding the perimeter and lying in wait. Nonetheless, they were not predators, at least not to him. He scoffed, thinking, 'They're the bait,
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1168
Through the second half of the night, Serenity Villa remained eerily quiet. Chantelle stepped out from her lookout post and announced, "Looks like no one else is coming tonight. Everyone should get some rest." Andrew stopped her. "Hold up. You all stay on watch—I'll go rest." Chantelle narrowed her eyes. "Are you giving me orders like I'm your subordinate?" Andrew responded calmly, "Not at all. I just want to isolate myself and draw the next assassin in alone." Chantelle frowned. "So, you're planning to be alone in a room and give the assassin a shot at you? You're using yourself as bait?" Andrew replied, "Exactly. One mercenary commander from the Srovika Federation is dead, but with the Haywoods and Goldings both after my head, there's no way they'd just send one decent hitter and be done." Chantelle nodded. "That… makes sense. But you're injured. What happens if something unexpected comes up? Can you really handle it?" Before Andrew could answer, Aspen blurted, "It's
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1167
Andarov could not care less about anything else and turned to flee, trying to blast through the villa wall and make his escape. However, Andrew's attacks were relentless, like crashing waves, giving him no chance to run. With perfect aim, Andrew struck the center of Andarov's back with a palm strike that exploded like a thunderclap. Bones shattered with a sickening crunch, and nearly two-thirds of Andarov's skeleton was crushed in an instant. Then, blood gushed out from his mouth as he collapsed, his massive eight-foot frame crashing to the floor. Raising his trembling, blood-soaked hand, he pointed at Andrew, gasping, "You're not… not just some ordinary man. You're from… Holtrien's Chetvine… You're part of the royal fa—" He never got to finish the sentence. Before the final word left his lips, Andarov exhaled his last breath and died on the spot. A single drop of blood fell from Andrew's waist, and part of his shirt had already soaked through with red. Natasha rushed over
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1166
Aspen's scream pierced the night. For a moment, she was certain bullets would tear through her. However, Andrew's arms locked around her, shielding her completely as he kicked the shredded sofa aside. Then, a gold needle flashed from Andrew's fingers. The burly and tall Andarov Markovic snarled as his right wrist erupted in pain, and his Desert Eagle clattered to the floor. Shocked and angry, Andarov quickly raised his other gun, ready to continue firing. Just then, Andrew blurred across the room and crushed an uppercut into his jaw. "You're alive! Good. I'll peel your spine out myself and avenge my subordinates!" Andarov yelled. He dumped his remaining gun, elbows smashing Andrew's strikes. Just like that, the two started fighting in the lobby on the first floor. Srovikan fighters were already brutes, but Andarov was a wrecking ball. Every collision splintered walls, and every missed punch cratered the floor. Before long, the villa, already in ruins, was destroyed further.
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1165
Aspen's face burned crimson as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. Damn it—her habit of going braless after showers had become second nature, and Andrew had seen her in this state. Humiliated, she spat, "Fine! Since my kindness is wasted on you, I'm going to bed!" She turned to stomp upstairs in a huff. However, Andrew suddenly sprang from his chair and tackled her to the ground. His arm locked around her slender waist as they rolled across the floor. Aspen's shock quickly turned to fury, wondering what the hell this bastard was doing. Was he actually trying to take advantage of her in the dark? She silently cursed herself for being dumb and wandered around practically naked in front of this pervert. She was basically giving him a chance to pounce at her. Just as she began struggling in earnest, Andrew's growl cut through the night. "Stop moving unless you want to die!" The next moment, a hail of gunfire erupted, muzzle flashes lighting up the darkness as b
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1164
As evening fell, Aspen and Dylan returned to Serenity Villa. The front gate stood wide open, and Andrew sat squarely in a chair in the middle of the first-floor lobby. Aspen frowned as she stepped inside. "Why are you sitting here?" Andrew replied, "Waiting for guests." "Who?" "Assassins from the Haywoods and the Goldings." Her face darkened when she heard his words. She could not help but think Andrew had lost his damn mind for leaving the front door wide open for killers. He glanced at her and asked, "Weren't you meeting a client? How'd it go?" Aspen's voice turned icy. "Turns out, Christina was the one looking for investors." Andrew raised a brow. "So? You turned her down?" She sneered as she said, "More than that. I made sure all three of them left humiliated. That old hag Irene even got a slap from me." Andrew simply shrugged. Aspen had never been the merciful type, and none of this surprised him. He simply ordered, "Go make something to eat. I'm hungry." Asp
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1163
Dylan explained, "But you're a proud woman. You never used to bow to anyone, especially not to Mr. Lloyd. Now, you're just clinging to that same pride and defiance. "But the truth is, that pride of yours? It's already been worn down by Mr. Lloyd, completely. As for what's left… well, you know it better than anyone. You just don't want to admit it."Aspen grew frustrated. "I don't need you psychoanalyzing me. I just need someone to tell me—what do I have to do to break out of this mess? This constant confusion and misery?"Dylan shrugged. "Isn't it obvious? You're just as stunning as Ms. Aicker or Ms. Rhodes. Those two didn't mind letting Mr. Lloyd take what he wanted. So, why not follow their lead? Let's be real, Aspen—you've already fallen for Mr. Lloyd, and there's no shame in that. "Mr. Lloyd has that effect on women. I've been around him long enough to stop being surprised. You, Natasha, Francesca, Lauren… even that girl Nyla Goth from the Moonlit Apothecary in Jayrodale—if Mr
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1162
After leaving the cafe, Aspen stepped into the restroom. She splashed a few handfuls of icy water on her face, trying to calm the storm inside her. She said, "Mr. Garner, could you do me a favor and not tell Andrew about what just happened?" Dylan leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and chuckled. "Ms. Aspen, you really gave her a piece of your mind. If it felt good, why not let Mr. Lloyd know?" Aspen's expression darkened with self-mockery. "Because I didn't stand up for myself—I used Andrew's name to intimidate her. Christina was right about one thing—I am pathetic. "Andrew nearly destroyed my family, and yet here I am, throwing his name around like it means something. Even worse, I shamelessly implied I'd offer myself to him!" Dylan smirked. "So you're ashamed of yourself? You think less of yourself now?" Aspen stared at her reflection. Her face was as cold as ever, but her eyes no longer held their usual arrogance. Instead, they were clouded with something unrea
