That night, two events caused ripples in Jayrodale's high society circles. First, Dylan, the crime lord of South City, had stumbled for the first time since solidifying his power. Second, Harvey had returned from abroad, ready to take control of the Weller family. The Weller family was among the top three elite families in Jayrodale, far above second-tier families like the Fields. Harvey was even more renowned, once considered the leader of Jayrodale's Four Scions and the most prominent young heir in the city. The next morning, Lauren called Andrew. "Dr. Lloyd, I heard you ran into some trouble at the Jayrodale Grand Hotel yesterday. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask," she said, her voice filled with worry. Andrew replied, "Thanks for your concern, Ms. Rhodes, but it's not a big deal." Lauren laughed. "I should've known something like this wouldn't faze you, Dr. Lloyd. I was hoping I could help and have you owe me a favor." Andrew smiled. "I doubt a favor f
Andrew's straightforwardness made Francesca scoff. She mocked, "You didn't even bother to greet me first? You're so unsophisticated." Despite her annoyance, she slid an elegant box across the table to Andrew. He opened it, confirming the presence of a twisted root nestled on silk, then stood to leave. "Wait," Francesca called out. "You've got what you wanted. When are you going to treat me?" Andrew replied frankly, "Just set a time. But I should warn you about the treatment. I'll need to lift your dress." Francesca froze. "Lift my dress? What do you mean?" Andrew explained calmly, "Your condition isn't ordinary. It's more severe, which I'm sure you're aware of." Francesca's face flushed as she realized the implications, her gaze a mix of embarrassment and anger. Ignoring her reaction, Andrew continued, "To ensure a complete cure, I'll need to perform a minimally invasive procedure on the… affected area. Understand?" Francesca gritted her teeth. "That's hardly appropriat
"Enjoy yourselves tonight, everyone. Drinks are on me," Harvey announced with a charming smile. The crowd erupted in cheers and praise. After all, Oakridge Club was known for being one of the most expensive places in Jayrodale. Only someone like Harvey could boldly claim that the whole night's bill was on him. "Mr. Weller sure is generous!" "He's still the same Mr. Weller we know and love!" "Only the beautiful CEO of Stevens Corporation is worthy of our handsome and wealthy Mr. Weller!" Francesca watched in admiration as Harvey and Christina disappeared into the VIP room on the second floor. "Before he went abroad, Harvey was known as Jayrodale's most eligible bachelor. Now, he's returned even more refined and mature. The Weller family has a bright future, and Ms. Stevens is a lucky woman." Andrew sipped his drink and nodded. "This is a great wine." Francesca looked at him, confused. "At a time like this, you're still in the mood to enjoy your drink?" She found Andre
Andrew spoke casually, "I'm not in a great mood today, so I'd advise you not to push your luck." Bobby's eyes gleamed dangerously. "What did you just say? Repeat that." Andrew chuckled. "I said, get lost. I'm not in the mood, and I'd hate to hurt you if things get out of hand." Francesca thought Andrew had lost his mind. "Andrew, shut up! Don't you know Bobby is Mr. Garner's best fighter from South City? I can't protect you if you keep running your mouth." She turned to Bobby, her voice tense. "Bobby, this guy's a friend of mine and Lauren's. Can we talk this out later? Maybe you could let him off the hook today?" Bobby laughed. "I'm afraid that's not possible. This punk messed with Mr. Garner's business yesterday. The boss wants him taken care of personally." He continued, "Ms. Aicker, please tell Ms. Rhodes it's nothing personal. This guy not only screwed up Mr. Garner's plans, but he’s also acting all high and mighty even with my knife on the table. That's disrespecting
"Bobby, put the knife down please, for my sake," a calm voice interrupted just as Bobby was about to strike. Bobby turned with a cold smirk, ready to dismiss whoever dared interfere. However, his demeanor instantly changed when he saw the elegant Harvey approaching. "Mr. Weller, what brings you here?" Bobby asked with a forced smile. Harvey, with Christina by his side, walked over gracefully. They looked like a prince and princess, drawing everyone's attention. "Dylan and I are great friends. I'm vouching for this man today, and I'll talk to Dylan personally later," Harvey stated with a smile as if it were a trivial matter. He glanced at Andrew, his eyes flashing mysteriously. Bobby hesitated. "But Mr. Weller, this guy hurt over a dozen of Mr. Garner's men yesterday. He really disrespected the boss…" Harvey calmly replied, "I said I'd handle it. Don't worry about Dylan; I'll explain everything to him. Besides, I heard your men tried to harm my fiancée yesterday. I haven't
"Mr. Weller just saved your life. Don't you think you owe him a thank you?" "I bet he's just jealous of Mr. Weller's status and influence!" The crowd's attitude toward Andrew turned even more disdainful. Some even considered teaching Andrew a lesson to impress Harvey. Christina frowned. "Andrew, Harvey's intervention calmed things down with Mr. Garner. Is it so hard to show gratitude for helping us both?" Before Andrew could respond, Harvey waved his hand dismissively. "Christie, there's no need to force him. You know I don't do favors expecting anything in return." He turned to Andrew with a smile. "Andrew, right? Christie has told me about you. I should thank you for looking after her these past three years." The crowd was impressed by Harvey's graciousness, further highlighting the contrast with Andrew. "Mr. Weller's is such a classy man. That loser can't match him!" "Ms. Stevens made the right choice dumping this petty jerk." "This loser must be feeling pretty use
Harvey glanced at Andrew, shaking his head with a smile. "I apologize if my words offended you, Andrew. I simply meant that a lady from a prestigious family like Fran should be accompanied by a gentleman befitting her status." Though not overtly insulting, Harvey's words dripped with upper-class superiority and dismissiveness toward Andrew. Andrew grinned. "I'm impressed. Also, didn't you say earlier that you'd cover all expenses at Oakridge Club today?" Harvey nodded, surprised by the question. "That's right. Whatever you want to drink or do, it's on me." "Well, since you offered, I'd be rude to refuse," Andrew replied, his smile widening. Harvey chuckled and walked away with Christina, not bothering to respond further. He had hoped to have some fun with this nobody, but Andrew did not even pique his interest. Christina was already eager to leave. Her disappointment in Andrew had turned to disgust. It seemed he knew he could not compete with Harvey and was shamelessly tryi
Andrew grabbed and lifted Bobby with one swift motion, then taunted, "I said I'd beat the shit out of you, but you wouldn't believe it!" Bobby let out a fierce roar and drove his knee toward Andrew's chest. The impact made a dull thud, but Andrew did not budge, even flashing a confident smile. Bobby was stunned—that kick would have shattered an ordinary person's ribs. Yet, this guy was still grinning. Suddenly, Andrew wrapped an arm around Bobby's head and slammed it across the nearby tables like a rag doll. Plates shattered, glasses broke, and bottles smashed everywhere. With blood streaming down his face, Bobby shouted, "I'll kill you and your whole family!" Then, he quickly pulled out a knife and stabbed at Andrew's waist. "Not bad, Bobby. You've got some skills!" Andrew praised mockingly. After that, he moved at an unbelievable speed and snatched the knife away. With a swift motion, the blade pierced Bobby's palm and drove deep into the table. Immediately after, a
Yet, of all the fearless, reckless men they had encountered, neither Aspen nor Chantelle had ever seen anyone as stubbornly arrogant as Andrew. Both women were completely stunned, wondering where he even got the guts to say things like that. In this world, commoners fear officials—but officials? They fear the men with guns—the military. However, here was Andrew, treating a colonel like Xavier as if he were worthless weeds. It was utter madness—like a sparrow challenging an eagle, a lamb taunting a wolf. It was sheer recklessness bordering on suicide. With a thunderous swoosh, Xavier's massive broadsword came crashing down with enough force to split boulders and level trees. Just the murderous pressure from that swing made Chantelle's face go pale. She was starting to doubt if she could even stand up to Xavier herself. After all, Andrew looked like he was about to be torn in half by that blade. What infuriated her even more was that, at the height of danger, Andrew just st
"Colonel Haywood, you know full well that with your rank and position, you can't just go around killing people on a whim," Chantelle warned coldly. She added, "Besides, your friend Andarov used banned weaponry on Holtrien soil, which is a serious offense. You can be sure Mr. McCormick won't just let that slide." Left with no other option, Chantelle had to drop Derek's name to try to rein Xavier in. However, Xavier was not intimidated at all. His voice dripped with venom as he said, "Ms. Garcia, I respect Mr. McCormick—he governs this province, and I'll give him that. But do you think the Haywoods' name should be trampled like dirt? Especially by some no-name punk who doesn't know his place? "I'll chop him into pieces, and if I have to, I'll apologize to Mr. McCormick myself. But with the military accolades I've earned, the Haywood family's backing, and my deep ties in the defense department, killing this bug wouldn't even cause a blip on the radar." Chantelle's stomach twiste
Chantelle sneered, "All in all, you're just an ordinary man, a slave to your desires with a pathetically mediocre mind." She had finally caught an opening to hit Andrew where it hurt, and she was not about to waste it. Andrew chuckled. "Ms. Garcia, you really do live up to your title as a master of psychology. You got most of it right. But you still missed one tiny detail—like the fact that, right now, I've got a very clear image of your naked body in my mind." The bluntness of that line stunned Chantelle, and her expression twisted in outrage. She snapped, "Andrew! That was in the past—how dare you bring it up like it's nothing? Aren't you worried I'll kill you?" The usually cold woman was genuinely furious now. Andrew shrugged lazily. "I'm sitting right here, wounded and unarmed. Go ahead, kill me. But even if you did, you still wouldn't erase the fact that you once stripped bare in front of me." Chantelle raised her hand in fury but forced herself to lower it again with
Andrew was sitting on the lawn outside Serenity Villa, watching the crew from The Sovereign Residences repair his home. After the attack last night, it was a miracle the place was still standing—if the villa had not been built to the highest security standards, it would have been reduced to nothing but ash and rubble by the Srovika Federation mercenaries. Felix Daughtry, the security captain from The Sovereign Residences, a semi-martial king-level fighter, walked over with a grim expression and reported, "Mr. Lloyd, Serenity Villa took quite a hit. Full restoration might be difficult." Andrew glanced at him and said coldly, "I want it restored exactly as it was, and not just that—The Sovereign Residences will need to compensate me for all damages, including emotional distress. If that's too much, then I don't want the house anymore. I'll go to the press and let the world know just how useless your brand really is." Felix's face darkened, turning almost pitch black with anger. H
Since the night before, Xavier had been fully suited in military attire, standing vigilant and sleepless. He gripped a massive broadsword, and when the butler spoke, his voice was ice-cold. "Don't worry. Andarov won't fail me. That bastard Andrew is as good as dead." Though those were his words, doubt lingered in Xavier's mind. After all, Andarov never took this long to finish a kill. Nonetheless, the sun was rising—he should be back any minute now. Andarov, commander of the Blood Wolf Mercenaries, was ruthless and battle-hardened. Xavier met him while stationed overseas, and after several missions together, they became close allies. "With the entire Blood Wolf squad under him, it doesn't matter if Andrew has bodyguards. He won't last five minutes," Xavier sneered, confident. He was already planning the next steps—hold Seth's memorial as soon as Andarov returned, then introduce him to Luna to score even more clout. Having a famous international mercenary as a personal friend? E
At the Golding family estate, Elon exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you just say? Black Wolf is dead?" The butler, face tight with unease, replied, "Yes, sir. Early this morning, his body was found dumped in the sewer. The cause of death matched the last group of assassins perfectly. There's no doubt that it was Andrew who killed him." Elon's expression darkened instantly. "Even Black Wolf failed and ended up dead? Andrew... you've clearly been hiding more strength than we thought." The butler nodded gravely. "Sir, that man is definitely not some pawn on the board. Not only is Black Wolf gone, but the Srovika Federation mercenary commander the Haywoods brought in also died at Serenity Villa." Elon gasped. "Even Xavier's overseas hitman got wiped out? Are you absolutely sure?" The old butler's brow twitched. "Completely sure. This morning, both bodies—Black Wolf and the mercenary captain—were found side by side in the sewer on Blumedale's main street." Elon clenched his ja
On the ground, Black Wolf writhed in pain, howling in disbelief. He finally understood why that last squad of heavily armed mercenaries had vanished without a trace after storming Serenity Villa. This place was not just a house—it was a damn death trap. "Who sent you to kill me?" Andrew asked calmly as he twirled the dagger Black Wolf had dropped. Pinned down by Natasha and Dylan, Black Wolf was drenched in sweat, his shattered legs leaving him gasping in agony. He growled, "Why the hell should I tell you? You should know exactly who you've pissed off. Even if I'm in your hands, kid, if you lay a finger on me, the consequences—" Andrew did not let him finish. Instead, he drove the blade straight into Black Wolf's chest. Whatever threat Black Wolf was about to spit out died on his tongue. His eyes bulged in shock before his head slumped to the side—dead. "If you didn't have the sense to act like a prisoner, then I did you a favor and sent you straight to hell. Next time, try
Aspen could not help leaning closer to see what Andrew was doing. To her surprise, his breathing was steady—he was already asleep. She stared at him, both amused and annoyed as she thought, 'I'm lying right next to him, and he still manages to fall asleep? Am I not attractive enough? Or does this guy just not find me worth the effort?' That split second of realization triggered an unexpected wave of disappointment and frustration in her. … Meanwhile, outside Serenity Villa, a black figure moved silently across the ruined outer wall, climbing with inhuman ease. It was Black Wolf—Elon's secret weapon, a top-tier assassin with a reputation to match. A matte-finished blade dangled from his lips as he surveyed the building, swiftly memorizing the layout of the damaged villa. He was not alone. At least a dozen other men hid in the dark, surrounding the perimeter and lying in wait. Nonetheless, they were not predators, at least not to him. He scoffed, thinking, 'They're the bait,
Through the second half of the night, Serenity Villa remained eerily quiet. Chantelle stepped out from her lookout post and announced, "Looks like no one else is coming tonight. Everyone should get some rest." Andrew stopped her. "Hold up. You all stay on watch—I'll go rest." Chantelle narrowed her eyes. "Are you giving me orders like I'm your subordinate?" Andrew responded calmly, "Not at all. I just want to isolate myself and draw the next assassin in alone." Chantelle frowned. "So, you're planning to be alone in a room and give the assassin a shot at you? You're using yourself as bait?" Andrew replied, "Exactly. One mercenary commander from the Srovika Federation is dead, but with the Haywoods and Goldings both after my head, there's no way they'd just send one decent hitter and be done." Chantelle nodded. "That… makes sense. But you're injured. What happens if something unexpected comes up? Can you really handle it?" Before Andrew could answer, Aspen blurted, "It's