"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
At that moment, the other big shots who had also handed over their money to Andrew finally realized just how deep they had been played. Their faces turned green with fury, and they exploded in rage. Someone shouted, "Kill him! Hunt him down across the entire city—chase him to his relative's house if you have to, but don't you dare let him get away! Arrogant, reckless, completely out of control… damn it, I'm going to burst a vein!" Another chimed in, "We've seen all kinds of deception in this business, but this? This is by far the most outrageous betrayal we've ever faced!" Quinton let out a cold laugh and walked away. He silently mocked them for being a bunch of idiots of idiots for only figuring it out now. After all, regret and rage were useless at this point. Christina looked completely stunned. "So you're saying Andrew even tricked Mr. Golding Senior? And those billionaires too?" Quinton sneered, "He didn't just take their money—he played with their emotions. Mr. Golding
"Seth, what the hell are you doing?!" Aspen had not expected the Haywoods to show up at their company, let alone that Seth would bring the family's private security team to block the entrance. Furious and stunned, she shouted, "Get your people out of here right now—we're done! From this moment on, there's nothing between us!" Seth let out a cold laugh. "Aspen, I gave you my heart, and this is how you repay me? Don't you see? Everything I've done, I did it for you. Just trust me—I'll save you from that devil and set you free!" Aspen's voice turned ice cold. "Seth, you've got this all wrong. Maybe I didn't exactly choose to become Andrew's slave… but I'm sorry, I don't need rescuing either." Seth's face twisted, and he ground his teeth as he snapped, "I saw it last time, Aspen. You've got some twisted feelings for Andrew, don't you? You act like you're trapped, but deep down, you like it, don't you?" Aspen's cheeks flared red—part rage, part something she could not quite name
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
Andrew finally paid a visit to the Rhodes family. "Andy, you're here! Come in, have a seat," Jameson greeted warmly, his tone unusually enthusiastic. The way he looked at Andrew was not just the admiration of a family elder—it was the hopeful gaze of someone eyeing a perfect son-in-law. Lauren giggled behind her hand. "Andrew, you've become quite the welcome guest around here. Everyone in the Rhodes family is thrilled you came." Andrew glanced around casually and noticed several of the Rhodes family's core members smiling and nodding in greeting. A few girls around Lauren's age were sneaking glances his way, their cheeks tinged pink. Cecelia, the youngest among them, blurted out, "Andrew, when are you marrying Lauren?" Andrew laughed and replied, "Anytime works for me." Cecelia clapped her hands excitedly. "Great! Let's do the wedding today and the honeymoon tonight!" Jameson's eyes widened. "Cece! Stop saying nonsense!" His youngest daughter was a wild one—always blu
Logan nodded and smiled. "Andrew's medical skills really are rare. Medicine is a deep and complex field, and among the younger generation in Blumedale, hardly anyone has any decent understanding of it. "Even top talents like Joe Driscoll or Luna Phelan from the three major families are focused on martial arts. When it comes to healing, there's nothing to talk about." George beamed. "What makes Andrew truly special is that he's not only exceptional in medicine, but his martial prowess is also extraordinary. Just the fact that he's survived the joint manhunt from two powerful families already tells me he's not to be underestimated." Logan frowned. "There's a rumor going around that Andrew survived only because someone powerful is secretly protecting him." George scoffed. "That's just idle gossip from nobodies parroting what they hear. If Andrew were weak, no amount of backing could keep him alive. Logan, remember this—life throws us many challenges, but there's one hurdle you mus
Elon's face turned red from the scolding, and he muttered bitterly, "I mean, I might not be great, but I'm still better than Andrew, right? Are you really saying that in your eyes, your own son is worth less than that guy?" Richard let out a cold snort. "You really care about comparing yourself to him? Fine then—do you want the truth or a lie?" Elon shrank back at his father's sarcastic smile and mumbled, "The lie… I guess." Richard scoffed, "Alright. If it's lies you want, then sure—you're way more promising than Andrew. That guy doesn't even deserve to be compared to you." Elon's face twitched. He wanted to laugh, but the words tasted bitter in his mouth. The lie was that he was better than Andrew. But the truth? The truth was that compared to Andrew, he was absolutely nothing. The more he thought about it, the more he realized—either way, he came up short. So what was the point in choosing? He silently cursed, 'Damn it!' Richard folded his hands behind his back, his
"He's my sworn brother, then standing up for him—no matter the cost—is only right," Logan said firmly. Elon's face instantly darkened, and deep inside, a gnawing jealousy bubbled up. Despite being the most low-key of the Five Apex Families' younger generation, Logan was arguably the most terrifying. He was about to take over the Keller family, a rising powerhouse. The Haywoods had Xavier—young, sharp, and fierce in combat. The Wrights had Quinton—manipulative, cunning, and notorious for his ruthlessness. But Elon? He was… just Elon. He was overweight, lacked presence, and had just been publicly humiliated when word spread that his wife had cheated on him. His reputation was already slipping, and now he had become the joke of Blumedale's elite circle. Still, no matter how pathetic things seemed, Elon believed he was far better than the man Andrew was. In his eyes, they were not even in the same league. So, it burned him even more to see Logan—someone he had always tried to i
"Logan, don't you know Andrew killed my younger brother?" Xavier shouted furiously. It was understandable for Luna to speak up. After all, the Phelans owed Andrew a small favor—but now even the Keller family was interfering. If this continued, Andrew would not just remain unharmed; he would likely rise to prominence in Blumedale. Andrew's rise would be a direct slap in the face to the Haywoods, humiliating them beyond redemption. Roy spoke grimly, "Logan, you're set to lead the Keller family. You should know better than to blur right and wrong. Andrew repeatedly humiliated the Haywoods and even murdered Seth. Do you expect us to swallow such a huge insult?" Logan replied calmly, "Mr. Haywood Senior, you know exactly why things turned out this way. I hate to say it, but Seth brought his death upon himself. Andrew may be impulsive, but he's done nothing wrong in my eyes." "I'll say this only once: if the Haywoods continue their vendetta against him, the Keller family won't stan
Xavier said, "Uncle Jude, you're in charge of internal discipline. My request is simple—either throw those losers out of the Haywoods and make them manage some backwater branch, or I'll kill them myself. And I doubt anyone in the family would object." Jude's eyelids twitched violently as he cursed the brats under his breath. Out loud, though, he nodded quickly and replied, "Don't worry, Xavier. I'll make sure they're kicked out of the family for good. They won't even get close to the front gate again." Xavier snorted and walked off, leaving Jude staring at his back, shaking his head. Jude muttered to himself, "Xavier… you really are the pride of the Haywoods. But you're spoiled by your status. With your father as the family head and all the elders favoring you, you've always kept the other branches under your heel. "That's understandable since you're the future heir and our strongest fighter among the younger generations. But the fact remains—you made a public promise and faile