It was not that Richard and the others were gullible or easy to fool. It was just that the offer Andrew had laid on the table was simply too tempting to resist. These two miracle supplements were not just on the radar of the Five Apex Families—even the Three Titans of the capital were probably drooling over them. Meanwhile, Andrew was not just a middleman—he was the one holding the cards. If his words did not stir the room, then nobody else's would even matter. "Mr. Golding Senior, transferring funds this early? Isn't that a little too soon?" Andrew said, looking hesitant. Richard waved it off with a generous tone. "What's the problem? Mr. Lloyd, don't worry. This 100 million isn't about the deal—it's simply my way of building friendships. Even if you end up not working with the Golding family, just consider this a goodwill gift between friends." As head of one of the Five Apex Families, Richard's words and actions naturally carried extra weight. Andrew gave a warm smile. "We
Andrew chuckled as he waved at the group. "Mr. Golding Senior, gentlemen—if you'll excuse me, I need to step away for a moment." Richard and the others chuckled and quickly gestured for him to go ahead, assuring him he did not need to be formal. However, the moment Andrew walked away, all their smiles vanished. "Now that kid's taken our money, he better move heaven and earth to get us those miracle pills. I don't care what it takes." "Exactly. Our money doesn't come easy. He better not get cocky." "Relax. From my perspective, Mr. Lloyd actually knows his stuff. Most people wouldn't have such detailed insight into those two pills." That last comment came from Richard himself. He looked calm and confident, completely in control. Since someone as influential as Richard was this certain, the other moguls finally smiled as well. Truth be told, none of them had been willing to hand Andrew money so casually at first. However, because Richard made the first move, they followed. A
"Mr. McCormick would like to see you both. Please come with me," the man said politely. Andrew's smile froze for a second, and he silently cursed, 'Damn it.' Aspen quickly covered her mouth, nearly bursting into laughter. This guy thought he could just pocket the cash and sneak out? Not a chance. Just when one wave had passed, another one hit. Derek himself had extended the invitation, and there was no way Andrew could slip away now. "Well then, if Mr. McCormick is asking, of course we'll go. Please, lead the way," Andrew said with a suave smile, his composure quickly returning. Aspen shot him a sideways glare, part irritated, part amused. She thought, 'Keep pretending, Mr. Calm-and-Collected.' … Inside a spacious and stately conference room, Derek sat at the head of the long table, observing everyone entering. Andrew and Aspen were the last to walk in. Once seated, Derek smiled and said, "There's nothing urgent. I just wanted to speak to you all briefly. The government
"Or are you suggesting I'm being disingenuous?" Derek added with a raised brow. Andrew quickly shook his head. "Not at all, Mr. McCormick. I admire your words and leadership. But as for a few others in the room… I can't say the same." Quinton immediately slammed the table and sneered. "Mr. Lloyd, you should take a look at who you're talking to. Do you even deserve to speak here? You say you don't respect us? You think we'd ever look at someone like you seriously?" Andrew remained unfazed. "Of course, I'm new to the capital. I know I'm not in your circle. But that doesn't stop me from seeing through the fake nobility and phony virtue some of you keep flaunting." Quinton's face turned red with rage. "You son of a—" Before he could finish, Derek calmly raised a hand. "Let him speak. I'm curious what this newcomer has to say." Andrew did not hold back. "Mr. McCormick, those projects you're offering—everyone in here wants them like they're starving. But instead of saying that, t
Aspen was absolutely stunned. All Andrew did was throw out a few bold, borderline-offensive remarks, and Derek rewarded him for it. She started to question whether she was dreaming. Since when did the world start handing out favors for calling people fake? Christina's face turned a shade darker as she exchanged a look with Quinton. He gritted his teeth and muttered, "Don't rush. Let's just wait and see. Mr. McCormick's decision isn't something we can challenge outright. Damn it… this kid really stumbled into the jackpot." Andrew straightened his suit jacket at the center of it all and stood up with a bright, unbothered grin. "Well then, thank you, Mr. McCormick, for the trust. In that case, Supreme Capital Group is honored to accept the offer!" He added, "Don't worry—we'll make sure the job gets done right." Before Derek could respond, one of the old family heads shot up from his seat, clearly displeased. "Mr. McCormick, with all due respect, I really don't understand why y
Aspen was over the moon, watching Andrew with genuine admiration. This guy really had not made a single wrong move—every step had been calculated and strategic—he totally hit the jackpot. Between Derek's full support and that massive project approval, this was worth way more than just a measly 50 million dollars. Aspen felt like he was finally starting to understand why this devil of a man always ended up on the winning side. Quinton's expression was hard to read, but suddenly, he raised his voice and said, "Mr. McCormick, we at the Wrights propose that this matter be voted on!" Derek frowned and said, "Quinton, are you questioning my decision?" Quinton's face was tense as he replied, "I wouldn't dare, sir. I just believe this project is far too important to settle without consensus. A show of hands will do—if more than half agree, then even if the project goes to Supreme Capital Group, we'll respect the outcome." Derek glanced around at the others and scoffed coldly. "So the
Quinton's face darkened, and it looked like he was ready to kill someone. He could not believe what was happening. Did Andrew come with some kind of main character plot armor? Even Richard, a heavyweight in the game, was leading the charge to back him—actually rallying support on his behalf. Moreover, no one was bringing up the fact that Elon literally ate crap because of him. Was the Golding family's public vendetta just meaningless now? Quinton could not wrap his head around it, not even a little—none of it made sense to him. Christina frowned and said, "Mr. Wright, what if there's another possibility? "What if Mr. Golding Senior and the others don't actually know that Andrew is the same guy from Jayrodale—the one who humiliated his son and triggered the Golding family's bounty in the first place?" Quinton's eyes burned with hatred as he hissed, "I already warned him, but Richard still didn't believe me. You saw it yourself. I honestly don't know what kind of spell Andr
Meanwhile, Quinton's face twisted in fury as he gritted his teeth, nearly shouting, "Mr. Golding Senior, you've completely lost your judgment! That guy from Supreme Capital Group? He is Andrew Lloyd from Jayrodale—the owner of Moonlit Apothecary. "Everything that happened to Elon in Jayrodale, and even the humiliation Winston suffered there—every last bit of it was thanks to that bastard! He's the exact same man your family's bounty was targeting. That's the guy!" Richard's eyes burned with rage as he roared, "Quinton, are you absolutely certain about what you're saying?" Quinton shouted right back, "Dead serious! Every damn word! If I'm lying, do whatever you want to me, Mr. Golding Senior—hell, if you want to kill me right now, I won't fight it!" Richard stumbled a step, barely staying on his feet as disbelief crashed over him. "So, that little punk was lying to me from the very start? He didn't just steal my money—he fooled my heart, tricked my trust?" Quinton let out a sh
Andrew shook his head slowly and said, "No, you're not like some middle-aged lunatic, and you're definitely not trash or a hooker. You look like a cute little bunny rabbit, just begging to be eaten up. You forced my hand, Aspen!" As soon as he finished speaking, Aspen's eyes widened in sudden panic, realizing what was about to happen. She struggled fiercely, desperate to escape Andrew's grasp. Her voice trembled with tears as she pleaded, "No, no, no! Andrew—Mr. Lloyd—I'm sorry, I admit it, I was wrong! I swear, I won't do it again, please don't do this—please, no!" Her frantic protests ended abruptly with a soft, electric whimper as Andrew silenced her, pressing his mouth firmly onto hers. What followed was a hungry, unstoppable kiss, intense and overwhelming. Aspen's clear eyes widened, her expression first filled with shame and anger, then disbelief, and finally melting into a dazed, dreamy blankness. Their rapid breathing mingled in the confined space of the Ferrari, th
Andrew let out a cold laugh as he stared at the trembling Aspen right in front of him. "What am I doing? What do you think I'm doing? When you were trying to suppress Christina and Davon earlier, you used my presence to scare them off. Don't tell me you forgot that?" Aspen flushed, both embarrassed and angry. "I didn't forget! But what I said—was any of it wrong?" Andrew snorted. "No, it wasn't wrong. But you did get one thing messed up: your grudge with Christina has nothing to do with me, so don't drag me into it just to make yourself look good. You used your own boss as a pawn. That takes some guts, Aspen." Aspen instantly felt a chill. She shrank back and begged, "I-I-I… I won't do it again, okay? Andrew, just let me down first. My butt's right up against the window, and if someone walks by and sees this, how the hell am I supposed to live that down?" The corner of Andrew's lips curved into a teasing grin. "Isn't that perfect? You're my little secretary. This? This is very
Someone joked loudly, "But we get it… I mean, with a secretary like that, why would you even look at anyone else?" The others burst into raucous laughter, not bothering to hide it even in front of Aspen's increasingly dark expression. "Exactly!" another chimed in. "Mr. Lloyd is living the dream. Damn, I look at my office girl and suddenly feel dead inside!" "Mr. Lloyd's not just talented—he's got the best of both worlds. That little secretary of his is a top-tier beauty!" A bespectacled executive chuckled crudely and added, "Mr. Lloyd, let me give you a piece of advice: when there's work, let the secretary handle it; when there's no work, handle the secretary! That line fits you perfectly!" The entire room erupted in laughter as Aspen's face flushed deep red, her cheeks burning. Furious, she shot Andrew a murderous glare, then stormed out of the room in her heels without a word. Andrew, looking utterly unbothered, leisurely followed behind. He even muttered to himself, "Han
"You two went from loving each other to trying to kill each other. Pretty entertaining," Andrew said with a glance at Aspen, smiling faintly. Aspen's face stayed cold. She snapped, "She deserved it, and besides, isn't everything that happened because of you?" Andrew replied calmly, "Had nothing to do with me. I never touched your Bridgefields' Stevens family." Aspen secretly gritted her teeth. Sure, he had not moved against the Stevens family directly. But her? She had been forced to sell herself into slavery, body and soul. Was that not tragic enough? Moreover, who knew when she might completely fall into his hands, devoured, with nothing left? Davon, wiping cold sweat from his forehead, squeezed out a smile. "Mr. Lloyd, Ms. Aspen, I've already taken care of that issue. Should we get down to proper business now?" Andrew nodded. "Okay, let's talk business." Immediately, the business partners who had been waiting nearby all jumped to their feet, smiling brightly and ea
"And since Mr. Lloyd needs a new target to let off some steam, maybe you should volunteer, Davon," Aspen said sweetly. The moment those words landed, Davon jumped up in pure panic, wailing, "Ms. Aspen, no, no, please! Don't say another word. I'll do exactly what you say—everything, exactly as you want!" After groveling, Davon's plump face darkened in shame. He spun around toward Christina, pointed straight at the door, and roared, "Christina, you worthless tramp, get out! Right now! You heard Ms. Aspen. Get the hell out of Phoenixdream Enterprises!" Christina's eyes widened. She could not believe that Davon was this spineless, that easy to terrify. She hissed, "Davon, you'd better think twice about what you're doing! If you throw me out, do you really think Mr. Wright will let you off afterward?" She barked a bitter laugh, furious to the core, and deep inside, her hatred for Aspen grew even sharper. Being thrown out in front of everyone, this humiliation would haunt her in Bl
Davon blinked in confusion and asked, "Ms. Aspen, who exactly are you calling bitch'?" Aspen smirked coldly and pointed straight at Christina. The latter's face darkened as she stood up stiffly. "Aspen, you're going too far!" Christina snapped. "If I had known Supreme Capital Group was the major client here, do you really think I'd have bothered showing up?" Her tone was sharp, but there was a flicker of unease in her eyes. Aspen remained utterly indifferent. "Since you don't care, then do us all a favor and leave. Christina, I told you once that I would make sure your entire family would struggle in Blumedale. And when I say something, I mean it." Christina's face turned from merely unpleasant to downright ugly. She turned sharply to Davon and demanded, "You're the one who invited us here. Now what's your decision?" It was a clever move, throwing the ball back into Davon's court. After all, they were on Phoenixdream Enterprises' turf—surely Aspen and Andrew could not compl
Aspen knew that Ronan charged a reasonable medical fee, and his medical skills were also quite good. Andrew started the car and sped off while answering casually, "I met Mr. Bates by chance. Showed him a few tricks, and he was so impressed by my skills that he practically worships me now. He even offered to introduce me to his granddaughter." Aspen let out a sharp laugh. "Just met by chance, and he's ready to hand over his granddaughter? Come on, if you're going to brag, at least make it believable!" Andrew just smiled, not bothering to argue with her. He and Ronan had bonded over their shared passion for medicine—it was nothing unusual. In truth, after witnessing Andrew's medical skills firsthand, Ronan nearly dropped to his knees, begging to become his disciple, though Andrew firmly refused. And yes, Ronan did have a granddaughter who was currently attending college. Ronan had hinted that if Andrew did not already have a girlfriend, he should consider his granddaughter.
After breakfast, Andrew, the ever-hands-off boss, got strong-armed by Aspen into actually going to work. Otherwise, Supreme Capital Group, a company sitting on billions in investments, would end up being nothing more than a shiny nameplate. Aspen's exact words were, "If you keep ignoring everything and leave me to worry about it alone, I'd rather go sell myself on the street than keep slaving away for you! At least if I'm selling, I'll make some money. Meanwhile, I'll probably die broke working for you—or just die!" Andrew winced when he heard that. Realizing that his little maid was seriously holding some grudges, he quickly agreed to tag along to the office. "Give me a minute. I'm gonna change," Aspen said before disappearing into her room. A few minutes later, she strutted out—black stockings, high heels, and a sleek blue business suit that shimmered slightly under the light. She was absolutely stunning, and even Andrew had to admit it. Aspen smirked inwardly. 'Yep, the
Whenever Andrew was alone with Tiana, he could not help but feel a little uneasy. Seeing that Tiana had nothing more to say, he quickly took the chance to excuse himself. However, Tiana hesitated. Then, she smiled slyly and asked, "Hold on, let me ask you—have you and Lauren… done it?" Andrew blinked, confused. "Done what?" Tiana rolled her eyes and snapped, "Don't play dumb, Andrew. You know exactly what I'm asking." Andrew finally caught on and answered honestly, "Lauren and I have done pretty much everything, but we haven't crossed the final line." Tiana nodded approvingly. "Good. You need to remember that you can't go that far until you're married. I made sure to tell her that too, and she understands." Andrew's face darkened a little. "Mrs. Rhodes, seriously? This isn't the Dark Ages anymore. We're in a real relationship, and sometimes things get a little… heated." Tiana shook her head firmly. "It's not about being old-fashioned. There are other reasons, but I can't