Before Elsie could even finish her sentence, someone spoke from The Vault. "3.75 million and one dollar. My apologies—I was dozing off and forgot to bid. Thank you for your patience!" The statement left all guests momentarily stunned before the room erupted in unprecedented laughter and chaos. "Adding just one dollar? This gentleman is definitely settling an old score!" someone shouted through their laughter. "And who said he wouldn't dare challenge the Weller family? Karma might be late, but it never fails to show up. Harvey's really getting a taste of his own medicine now!" another guest called out. "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! The Weller family throws their weight around, Kane comes to show off, and Harvey deliberately drove up prices before—now they're getting exactly what they deserve," someone else chimed in. Andrew's unexpected bid shocked not only the spectators but also Michael, Bane, and Finley. "This guy really isn't afraid of death, is he? Even with Kane
Harvey was overwhelmed with rage, feeling like he was about to lose his mind. He did not expect Andrew to get on his nerves this much. "Andrew, if you've got the guts, let's settle this outside!" Harvey shouted, pointing at The Vault. He thought Andrew was going too far. While everyone else showed respect to the Weller family, the latter deliberately interfered and treated them like nothing. "What about the diamond crown? Or are you admitting defeat like a coward?" Andrew sneered, unmoved by the threat. Harvey's face contorted with fury, and roared, "15 million! I'll destroy you tonight!" He was trapped and had to see the bidding through to the end. Moreover, this crown was meant for his proposal, and backing down would destroy both the Weller family's reputation and any chance with Christina. "15 million and one dollar," Andrew replied coldly. "As I said, I'll add a dollar to whatever you bid." He was never one to let grudges slide, and he intended to make Harvey experi
The auction continued late into the night, with many guests still buzzing with excitement. The attendees could not stop discussing the two spectacular bidding wars that had taken place earlier. Without exception, all the drama centered around someone named Andrew. Michael turned to Harvey with a consoling tone, saying, "Harvey, cheer up. After all, the crown still ended up in your hands." He added, "Sure, Andrew may be insufferable, but in the end, he backed down and didn't dare compete with you." Harvey's forced smile looked more painful than genuine. He did not think Andrew backed down. Instead, that bastard had pushed him to the absolute limit with his underhanded tactics. Of course, Harvey did not say his thoughts aloud. Despite the burning rage in his heart, he maintained a gracious facade as he accepted Michael's attempts at consolation. Finley let out a cold snort. He spat, "This guy's got some nerve. Not only did he offend me, but he also showed complete disrespect to
Andrew remained unaware of the conversation between Silas and Elsie. Even if he had known, he probably would not have cared. "Back so soon, Dr. Lloyd? Don't tell me Ms. Santana didn't ask you out?" Lauren teased, batting her eyelashes at Andrew. "I don't have time for that," Andrew replied with a weary sigh. Lauren pouted. "So she did make a move on you! Hmph! She's got some nerve trying to compete with me for a man—she's way out of her league." "Andrew, Elsie is the belle of the Radiant Group," Francesca chimed in. "She's the most sought-after woman in Jayrodale's elite society, with several prominent family heads vying for her hand in marriage. Why did you turn her down?" Andrew shrugged casually. "I'm not interested, and we barely know each other. Simple as that." Francesca laughed. "Well, that's quite straightforward of you. But if word gets out, playboys like Finley and Michael will say you're unappreciative!" "Harvey's probably itching to propose to Christina with t
"Harvey, I really can't marry you," Christina stated firmly. The color drained from Harvey's face as his hand holding the crown began to shake uncontrollably. Even Irene and Leroy panicked at her response. "Christie, what nonsense are you talking about? That crown is worth 18 million dollars! Do you think proposals like this grow on trees? Just accept it first!" Irene exclaimed frantically. "Yeah, Christie," Leroy chimed in. "At least say yes and get the crown. If you really can't stand him later, you can always change your mind!" Christina ignored her family's shameless greed. She looked at Harvey with unwavering seriousness and said, "Harvey, I don't think we're ready for marriage right now. I'm sorry, but I really can't accept this crown." The reality of rejection finally hit Harvey. "Christina, I'll give you one more chance. Choose your next words very carefully," he growled, his voice a mixture of humiliation, rage, and hysteria. The Weller family had stretched the
"Nobody's going anywhere, or I'll kill you myself," Harvey snarled menacingly. As the Stevens family tried to leave, Harvey snapped his fingers, and over 20 of the Weller family's bodyguards rushed in, surrounding the three of them. Irene nearly lost her balance from fear, trembling as she spoke, "Harvey, what are you doing? You're going to make Christie hate you forever!" Leroy puffed up his chest and asked, "Are you sure? You may be powerful, but you can't force someone to marry you!" Harvey's eyes blazed with fury as he strode forward and struck Leroy repeatedly across the face. When Leroy tried to fight back, one of the bodyguards knocked him down with a brutal kick, leaving him writhing in pain. Neither Irene nor Christina had expected the Weller family to resort to violence. Irene rushed at Harvey, screaming, "You monster! I'll tear you apart!" Harvey's face twisted into an ugly sneer as he struck Irene, sending her spinning to the ground. She screamed hysterically,
Christina thought of Andrew, but she hesitated as she reached for her phone. Asking Andrew for help now would be like admitting she was wrong—completely, devastatingly wrong. Worse, it would mean humiliating herself in front of him, shattering her pride and leaving her dignity in tatters. All the harsh words she had thrown at him before would come back like daggers, cutting her deeply and leaving her scarred. Harvey noticed her hesitation and sneered. "I know what you're thinking—you're hoping that loser Andrew will save you, right?" He leaned closer, his tone dripping with mockery. "Christina, you really want to play the saint and the sinner at the same time, huh?" He added, "You're the one who chased Andrew away and handed me the chance to step in. And now, you're thinking of begging him? Don't you have any shame? Can you really bring yourself to grovel like that?" Harvey's cruel words struck a nerve, and Christina's face turned ashen. He laughed darkly, his grin wide wi
Serena sneered. "Ms. Stevens, what an impressive display. It's one thing to reject the future head of the Weller family to his face, but now you're even ignoring Mr. Weller Senior's orders?" She continued, "Do you really think the Stevens family is strong enough to challenge the Weller family?" Christina's face darkened, but before she could respond, Kane slapped the seductive woman beside him across the face. "Silence! Family affairs are not for a woman like you to interfere with. Get out of here!" After dismissing his wife, Kane turned back to Christina with a warm smile. "Christie, you and Harvey have been seeing each other for some time now. It's normal for young people to have disagreements, but it hasn't reached the point where you two should end things. Why don't you go home and rest for now? I'll have Harvey come by later to offer a proper apology." Christina shook her head, her disgust for Harvey reaching its peak. "I'm sorry, Mr. Weller Senior, but I can't do that.
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