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Chapter 339
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 340
Elsie chuckled and said, "It's not as exaggerated as it sounds, Ms. Aicker. True experts at stone gambling know how to play smart—they're looking for a jackpot. All it takes is uncovering one rare gemstone worth millions, and they're set for life. Why wouldn't they take the risk?" She leaned in slightly, adding, "The most famous case in modern history is the 'King of Emerald' discovery from an overseas quarry. That guy, as if blessed by luck itself, unearthed a gemstone worth over a billion dollars from an unassuming stone. The news caused a worldwide sensation, even catching the attention of royalty from across the world." Francesca's eyes sparkled with excitement, completely captivated by the story. "A billion-dollar gemstone? That's incredible! Andrew, we should definitely try our luck with a few stones later, don't you think?" Andrew smirked and teased, "Didn't you just say that the risks were too high, and we shouldn't play?" Blushing, Francesca laughed awkwardly. "Well, w
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 341
The cutter straightened his posture and nodded firmly. "Miss, don't worry. With over a decade of experience in stone cutting, I'll make sure not to damage your stone." Aspen smiled confidently. "Good. Then follow my instructions and make the cut." The man carefully brought the blade down, following Aspen's precise directions without a single deviation. As the outer layers were stripped away, the crowd collectively gasped as the interior was revealed. "It's a high-quality translucent emerald! Aspen's got an incredible eye for this." "That piece alone is worth far more than 200 thousand dollars. She's definitely made a great call on this one." "Man, what a sharp woman. Her skill at stone gambling isn't something ordinary people can match." The crowd was awestruck, their admiration for Aspen growing. However, she remained unimpressed. In her mind, this was only a warm-up. "Cut this one next," Aspen instructed, pointing to another stone. "And those three over there—open them
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 342
"Wow, Aspen truly lives up to her name as Bridgefields' Stevens family's golden girl. She's got more guts and precision than most men out here!" "She's in a league of her own—no one in Jayrodale could match her confidence and skill in this game." Aspen's boldness and undeniable charm captured everyone's attention. Some men could not help but look at her longingly, practically ready to bow down at her feet. She scanned the area with a sharp gaze but did not see Andrew anywhere. She smirked and mumbled, "Looks like someone finally realized they're out of their depth. He must've decided to hide rather than embarrass himself in front of me." The master gem cutter began working on the third gemstone. With years of experience behind him, he carefully shaved away the outer layers without making any bold cuts. Two-thirds of the stone was removed, yet nothing remarkable was revealed. A tense silence fell over the crowd. Could Aspen actually fail this time? Even so, her calm and c
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 343
"It's a shame there's no real competition," Aspen said lazily, stifling a yawn. "Let's open two more stones for fun, and then we'll head out." She lifted a finger, casually signaling the gem cutter to begin again. Her every movement captivated the crowd, who watched eagerly, anticipating another jaw-dropping display of her talent. Before the cutter could start, a calm but distinct voice cut through the chatter. "Excuse me, could you help me cut this stone?" Though the voice was not particularly loud, it seemed to pierce through the noise, drawing everyone's attention. Instantly, the crowd erupted in irritation. "Who's this clown? Can't they see Ms. Stevens is about to make her move?" "Ms. Stevens is playing at the highest level—why waste time with someone else cutting a stone that's probably worthless?" "Whoever it is, they need to leave. Today's show belongs to Ms. Stevens, and no one else should get in the way." The disgruntled murmurs turned into curious stares as
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 344
Aspen smirked and said, "Ms. Santana, you sure are devoted to Mr. Lloyd. From the beginning, you've been protecting this so-called expert at every turn. Aren't you worried that the rest of us collectors might feel a little neglected?" Elsie responded calmly, "I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Ms. Stevens. Mr. Lloyd is a distinguished guest of Radiant Group, and it's my job to assist him. Is there an issue with that?" Aspen let out a disdainful laugh. "For someone to earn such exceptional treatment from you, Ms. Santana, they must be quite the expert. So, Mr. Lloyd, how about it? Are you brave enough to take me on? Don't chicken out now after all your earlier bravado." All eyes turned to Andrew, their curiosity piqued. His earlier confrontation with Orion had been impressive, earning him widespread admiration, but gemstone cutting was an entirely different challenge. Someone encouraged, "Mr. Lloyd, your expertise in antiques is remarkable. Surely you can hold your own in
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 345
Andrew spoke calmly, his tone steady but cutting. "Aspen, there's nothing wrong with a woman being proud and confident. As long as she has the right to be proud, that's fine. But if a woman is arrogant and foolish on top of it, she's bound to learn some painful lessons." Aspen sneered, glancing sideways at Christina. "Christie, did you hear what this man just said? He claims he's going to teach me a painful lesson. Honestly, with an ex like that, I can't blame you for kicking him to the curb. If you hadn't, I would've stepped in to help straighten him out myself." Christina's face darkened as she cast a worried glance at Andrew. Why was he so bold? It seemed that he did not understand that going up against Aspen in a gamble like this was reckless. "Everyone, quiet down! The gemstone challenge between Mr. Lloyd and Ms. Stevens is about to begin," Elsie announced, her voice rising above the crowd. She turned to Andrew and Aspen, adding, "Do either of you have any additional term
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 346
Andrew did not waste any time. He pointed at a medium-sized stone and said, "Could you cut this one for me, please?" Aspen scoffed and said, "Andrew, you should really take a closer look. Jumping in without thinking might just make you a laughingstock." Ignoring her, Andrew turned to Francesca with a smile. "Get ready to celebrate." Francesca froze for a moment before catching on. "Wait… are you seriously this confident?" Andrew chuckled and replied, "We'll know soon enough, won't we?" Aspen gritted her teeth. This man had an unbearable arrogance that made her want to wipe the smirk off his face. The crowd stayed silent, not daring to say a word. With stakes this high, nobody wanted to risk disrupting the players' focus and becoming the target of blame. Aspen's stone was cut first. A gasp echoed from one of the experienced gem traders in the crowd. "Wow! It's a massive green tourmaline with impressive quality. It's just shy of the imperial grade." Christina let out a
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 347
Aspen felt a sharp, burning pain on her face. Christina was stunned too, unable to believe the sudden turn of events. Aspen had opened such a good gem, so how could she still lose? "Fine, I'll admit defeat for the first round," Aspen said, her voice cold as she could not bear the eyes of the crowd anymore. "Andrew, do you dare to go for another round?" Andrew waved her off. "There's no need to hurry. I'll deal with things first." Right in front of Aspen and everyone else, Andrew casually gathered Aspen's green tourmaline and his own rare red spinel and handed them to Francesca. Francesca blushed. "Andrew, I can't carry these." "It's fine. They're ours anyway. Just keep an eye on them. Don't let anyone steal them." Francesca beamed, nearly bursting with excitement. These were two high-quality gems—though she was not an expert, she knew they were worth a fortune. Nonetheless, it was not about the money. What mattered was that Aspen, that nasty woman, had lost to Andrew—sh
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1194
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1193
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1192
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."
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1191
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1190
"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.
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1189
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1188
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1187
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1186
"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
