"Out of respect for me," Silas said calmly, "how about we let this one go?" Finley scoffed, resting his sword over his shoulder with an arrogant smirk. "Let this one go? Sorry, Mr. Vaughn, even if you're personally here to plead, this little punk will bleed out on the spot tonight." The onlookers tensed, shocked that Finley would not even show respect to the auction host. Then again, the Hidden Dragons' reputation was formidable enough to back Finley's audacity. Most spectators silently fretted. If even Silas could not control Finley, Andrew might be in grave danger. However, Silas looked at Finley as if he were an idiot. He barked, "You fool, when I said to let this slide, did you think I was begging you?" The crowd was stunned by Silas' words. Finley froze and darkly replied, "Silas, I don't owe you any respect just because you're Radiant Group's CEO. You'd better back off." Silas raised a finger, nearly poking Finley in the face. "You little brat, you're nothing more t
Christina turned to Harvey with a cold smile. "Didn't you just say Finley would kill Andrew? Things turned out quite differently from what you predicted!" Harvey opened his mouth but could not find the words to explain. He, too, was shocked by Silas' respect for Andrew. "That pretty boy must be riding on Mr. Yates' connections to get such treatment from Mr. Vaughn," Michael mocked dismissively. Harvey quickly seized the opportunity. "That's right! Mr. Vaughn and Mr. Yates are close friends. Andrew is just hiding behind Mr. Yates' influence to save his skin." Finley growled, "Marvin may be Jayrodale's richest man and quite the figure. But if I want to deal with Andrew, he won't dare interfere. This isn't over!" Michael and Harvey exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with malice and cold calculation. With the brute Finley joining their side, they felt confident Andrew would eventually fall. … The underground auction hall at Radiant Group was not particularly large, but i
As Lauren turned to look at Andrew, she quickly caught the eye of several onlookers. "Yes, there's a small item I'm interested in," Andrew replied with a smile. "Is it a medicinal herb, Andrew?" Francesca asked, and Andrew nodded. "Yes, a Celestial Nymphaea." Francesca thoughtfully explained, "The Celestial Nymphaea is a premium medicinal herb, highly valued by medical experts and serious collectors. Though in Jayrodale, unlike metropolises like Chetvine, there probably won't be many interested bidders—you should get it easily." Just as she finished speaking, the host, Elsie Santana, pulled back a red cloth downstairs, revealing a perfectly preserved Celestial Nymphaea. She announced, "Distinguished guests, tonight's item is quite special. It's not a priceless jewel or a master's artwork, but rather a professionally authenticated medicinal herb that's at least 500 years old—truly a rare find that interested parties shouldn't miss." Despite Elsie's enthusiastic presentation
"Since our distinguished guests don't seem too interested in this Celestial Nymphaea, let's start the bidding at 750 thousand dollars," Elsie announced with feigned disappointment. Her alluring glance across the VIP suites stirred even the initially uninterested buyers into participating. "780 thousand dollars—consider it a favor for you, Ms. Santana!" someone called out. "825 thousand dollars—we must support Ms. Santana, after all!" … The bidding quickly heated up, reaching 900 thousand dollars. Lauren frowned. "Ms. Santana may have fooled these hormone-driven idiots, but these rising prices aren't doing Dr. Lloyd any favors…" Then, she announced loudly, "1.05 million—let me cool things down a bit." Elsie's eyes lit up. "Ms. Rhodes bids 1.05 million! Any other offers? If not, this premium medicinal herb goes to Ms. Rhodes." The sudden jump in price silenced many bidders. It was not that they could not match Lauren's bid, but rather that they were not interested enou
As the auction host, Elsie was fully aware that the Celestial Nymphaea could not possibly fetch such a high price. Even so, she still asked symbolically, "12 million dollars! Are there any other bids? If not, the Celestial Nymphaea will go to Mr. Lloyd!" Elsie could barely contain her excitement, knowing well the astronomical figure was unbeatable. Just then, a mocking voice cut through the air, ruining the moment. "I bid 12.3 million!" A wave of gasps and murmurs swept through the crowd. Everyone realized someone deliberately tried to stir up trouble for those in The Vault. In Michael's private suite, Bane let out a sinister laugh. "Serves them right. If I can't have this precious item, that boy won't get it either." Michael sneered. "I figured Finley wouldn't stay quiet for long. With him stirring up trouble, Andrew will have to bleed money if he wants to win this." The curtain to Finley's box was dramatically pulled aside as he revealed himself, challenging Andrew arrog
Finley laughed out loud. "Mr. Weller, I love how you bid! When it comes to being shameless, you're truly in a league of your own!" Michael chimed in with a booming laugh. "Harvey, you really know your way around an auction. I'm impressed!" In his private box, Harvey's face twisted into a malicious grin as he listened to Finley and Michael's words. His sole purpose was to destroy Andrew, and he did not care if it meant temporarily aligning with Finley. Christina cast a cold glance his way. "Do you really find this amusing?" "Why wouldn't I?" Harvey spat venomously. "After all the times Andrew has messed with me, don't I deserve to make him suffer a little?" Christina shook her head disapprovingly. "I'm not talking about you bidding—it's an auction, after all, and everyone has the right to compete fairly. I'm talking about that pathetic hundred-dollar increase. Isn't that beneath the Weller family's pride?" Harvey shrugged. "I couldn't care less about the Celestial Nymphaea.
With a 30-million-dollar sale, the auction house's commission alone would be in the millions. It was definitely a windfall. Lauren and Francesca stared at Andrew, clearly struggling to comprehend the astronomical number, and their hearts ached. Lauren muttered, "Dr. Lloyd, 30 million dollars… I think we might've gotten carried away." "I just didn't feel like playing games with these idiots," Andrew said casually. "Better to crush them with one bid and be done with it." His casual tone made Lauren and Francesca grit their teeth in frustration. After all, 30 million dollars was not just a small sum. It was a monumental deal. Anyone else would have spent hours debating about that kind of money, let alone tossing it out so casually. "Spending 30 million on a single item?" Finley laughed mockingly. "Andrew, I can't tell if you're actually stupid or just pretending to be. I was going to keep playing, but after seeing that move, I'll let you enjoy your foolish victory." No one j
Finley let out a cold snort, dissatisfied with Harvey's show of arrogance that had stolen his thunder. Just as he was about to argue, a commanding voice, though accompanied by a cough, resonated through the room. "As the elder, I'm here to support my son Harvey. I trust everyone will show proper respect." The auction house erupted in commotion, as no one had expected the head of the Weller family, one of Jayrodale's most influential figures, to make a personal appearance. "That decrepit old man Kane actually showed up, huh," Finley muttered under his breath in his private booth, choosing to hold his tongue. While he could provoke Harvey, it was a different story with Kane. After all, as the head of an established family, Kane held the same status as the leader of the Hidden Dragons. Finley knew all too well that Kane, despite his current frail appearance, had been a force to be reckoned with in his younger days. As a junior grandmaster in martial arts, Kane could end him with
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