Harvey's smile turned sinister. "So what if it's a threat? I'm Harvey Weller, heir to the Weller family and the most prominent of Jayrodale's elite four. If I weren't worried about Christie getting suspicious, I would have taken you down already." Andrew chuckled, unfazed. "You're awfully confident. Well then, why don't you go ahead and try?" Harvey narrowed his eyes, and he mocked, "What do you have that could possibly match me, Andrew? I know what you're after—it's Christina. While she's out of your league, I'll have her in my grasp any moment now. Then, I can have her any way I want, whenever I want." Andrew replied calmly. "Christina and I have nothing to do with each other anymore, and you don't need to flaunt your superiority. But let me warn you—don't push your luck. I'm not as patient as you think, and if you go too far, both you and the Weller family might regret it." With that, Andrew walked into the private dining room smiling, brushing past Harvey like he was nothi
Andrew stated calmly, "That's just how I am—I'm petty and like to sweat the small stuff. Is that a problem, Ms. Stevens?" "Fine, Mr. Lloyd, have it your way," Christina replied, swallowing her pride. "Leroy, give me the bottle. I'll pour Mr. Lloyd's wine." "Christie, who does he think he is?" Leroy protested. "Acting like some big-shot executive when he used to be your errand boy!" Christina felt hurt and shocked. This new Andrew was so aggressive and domineering, nothing like the person she used to know. He was acting more like some arrogant rich heir now. Nonetheless, business came first, so she poured his wine anyway. Leroy sneered. "Getting cocky just because you're riding on Mr. Yates's coattails. You'd be nothing without him." "Are you mocking me?" Andrew stared at him intently. Leroy froze, surprised by Andrew's directness. Irene and Christina were equally shocked and wondered what had gotten into Andrew. "Hell yeah, I'm mocking you, you gold digger!" Leroy shouted
Andrew simply smiled and continued eating his dinner, brushing them off. The chapter with Christina had long since closed, and their paths had diverged completely. As for the Stevens family and Harvey, Andrew no longer felt the need to be overly courteous or put on a show of politeness for them. From another perspective, his current standing did not allow him to maintain a low profile anymore. If Harvey played it smart and stayed in his lane, Andrew would not bother him. However, as he had mentioned before, if this self-proclaimed number-one heir of Jayrodale decided to cross him, he would not hesitate to take action. It would not matter if it were just Harvey or the entire Weller family with their prestigious status—he would crush them all. After all, even before coming to Jayrodale, Andrew had already dealt with his fair share of so-called elite families. Leroy said through gritted teeth, "Andrew, showing off in front of us is one thing, but do you really think your petty
Irene eagerly said, "Harvey, I get it now. You're planning to give Stevens Corporation a piece of this lucrative pie, right?" Harvey smiled. "Exactly, Mrs. Stevens, but I'm not talking about just a small slice—I'm offering Stevens Corporation a full third of the development rights. Once the paperwork comes through, Mrs. Stevens and Leroy, you could turn a few hundred thousand in investment into millions, maybe even tens of millions in profits." Irene and Leroy's eyes lit up with undisguised excitement at the prospect. "There is indeed a major development project in the works," Christina commented thoughtfully. "But there hasn't been any official documentation yet. How did you find out it's in the East Side?" Harvey flashed a confident smile. "Christie, this is the difference between old money and smaller businesses. Our family executives confirmed this directly with the state officials two weeks ago." Christina fell silent, contemplating the situation. She knew that when it
Christina hesitated, torn between the desire to make money and her business instincts that warned of potential risks. Unlike Irene and Leroy, who blindly invested without considering the risks, she knew better than to jump in without thinking. "If I were you, I wouldn't play the role of a gullible investor," Andrew interjected. "Andrew, do you know something?" Christina asked, surprised by his tone. Andrew frowned and said, "I already told you—the East Side isn't getting developed. You've been in business long enough to be wary of such promises, Christina. Since when does investing a few million guarantee returns in the hundreds of millions? It sounds too good to be true because it is." Christina's resolve began to waver at his words. "Stop fear-mongering, Andrew. This isn't your business," Irene snapped. Leroy added, "Christie, why are you even listening to him? Harvey wouldn't trick you." "Well, Christie, it seems you trust Andrew more than me," Harvey said with feigned
Harvey scoffed. "As if our prestigious family would need to borrow any money. The very idea is laughable." "Actually, Harvey, Nelson did mention you owed the bank money," Christina said. "I was planning to discuss that with you." "Christie, do you really think that's possible?" Harvey smiled. Irene jumped in and defended Harvey. "That idiot Nelson deserved to get fired for spreading such lies. My future son-in-law could easily pull out 150 million or even 1.5 billion if he wanted to." Harvey waved dismissively, exuding poise and confidence. "Mrs. Stevens, you must be joking. A few hundred million, or even billions—that's a big deal. But to owe just a few million? Please, I wouldn't even bother with something so small."Andrew stood up, clearly done with the conversation. Christina frowned and asked, "Andrew, are you leaving already?" He replied flatly, "If I stay any longer, I'm afraid my intelligence will take a hit." Christina's face darkened. "Fine, Mr. Lloyd. Don't l
Harvey felt better knowing Andrew was in bigger trouble than him. He smirked and muttered, "Tony's even more ruthless than Dylan. Andrew won't have a single bone left intact when Tony is done with him." Just outside the restaurant, three SUVs suddenly surrounded Andrew. He remained calm as he watched several men step out of the vehicles. "Remember me?" Juan sneered through his barely healed bruises. "Today will be your last." "Oh, I remember," Andrew replied with a smirk. "How could I forget? Last time, I beat you up so badly that you were almost unrecognizable." The memory of Andrew's slaps at the racetrack still haunted Juan. "You won't be laughing soon. Before we kill you, I'm going to make sure you know exactly how it feels to have your face destroyed." Standing nearby with a cold glare, Rocco chimed in, "Don't play any tricks. Cooperate, and I might make it quick. If not…" His voice trailed off menacingly, leaving no room for doubt. Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Let me g
Rocco muttered as he looked at the gun, "With this baby, everyone will bow down—no matter who they are." He failed to notice the icy calm in Andrew's gaze, utterly unfazed by the weapon. After Juan and his men took Andrew away, one of the South City gang members emerged trembling from his hiding spot. He quickly dialed his phone and reported, "Mr. Garner, we've got trouble—Mr. Rocco from East Side just took Lloyd" Dylan's voice shook with anger as he shouted, "W-What? You idiots! Weren't you supposed to watch Mr. Lloyd and report anything suspicious immediately?" The lackey stammered, "M-Mr. Garner, this wasn't our fault. The East Side crew came out of nowhere, and Rocco had a gun. Mr. Lloyd had no chance to fight back." "Those bastards brought weapons?" Dylan cursed. "That old fox Tony's playing for keeps." "What do we tell Mr. Yates if something happens to Mr. Lloyd?" the lackey asked anxiously. Dylan growled, "Don't panic! I'll report this to Mr. Yates immediately.
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