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Chapter 346
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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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 348
The cutter was beginning to regret his earlier actions because Andrew had proven to be far more formidable than expected, even outshining Aspen. If only he had not been so absolute in his statements before. "What are you waiting for? Don't you trust me?" Aspen snapped when she noticed her cutter's hesitation. The cutter flinched and quickly replied, "I'll cut open Ms. Stevens' stone right away. This time, Miss, you'll definitely win." Andrew chuckled. "Aspen, your judgment is clouded. The Stevens family of Bridgefields isn't exactly rolling in money. Being this wasteful isn't doing you any favors." He gestured toward the largest raw stone in the center. Aspen responded with a cold laugh. "Andrew, don't you understand that a raw stone's size has nothing to do with what's inside? You can't seriously think that just because this stone is huge, it must contain something valuable?" Several gambling experts nodded in agreement with Aspen's statement. The central stone, with its ha
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 349
"Stupid woman, I just asked you to wait, not admitting defeat," Andrew said with a smirk. "Why are you already counting your money? Running low on funds?" Aspen's face turned red with anger. "Fine, let's see what trick you're trying to pull here," she spat, knowing she was running out of money. Even if she won, claiming Andrew's worthless stone would be like taking home garbage. "Mr. Lloyd, what else would you like me to do?" the cutter asked. The crowd watched curiously, wondering what Andrew could possibly do at this point. "This stone can be cut further, don't you think?" Andrew smiled, pointing at the multicolored piece. The cutter was taken aback and replied, "Mr. Lloyd, we've already reached the core layer. Further cutting would be pointless." Elsie and the others frowned deeply at Andrew's suggestion. The massive stone had already yielded worthless material and cutting it further would only destroy its integrity and decrease its value even more. "Mr. Lloyd, in
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 350
At this point, there was nothing else Elsie could do. The situation seemed hopeless for Andrew. "What a shame for Mr. Lloyd this round," someone remarked, while others chimed in, "Why choose such an obviously worthless large stone when there were so many better options?" The antique experts shook their heads in disappointment, having hoped to see Andrew triumph over the Bridgefields heiress. Yet, Andrew did not even glance at Aspen's Royal Violet Crystal. Instead, he carefully guided the craftsman's cutting, and as the waste material fell away, a mysterious red glow began to emerge. The craftsman's heart skipped a beat—such a lustrous glow should not appear in worthless material. Elsie noticed something unusual too, and quickly moved to Andrew's side, crouching down for a closer look. The red glow intensified, revealing a transparent red gem standing out prominently among the debris. For a moment, even the experienced Elsie was left speechless. "Well, what do we have here?
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 351
The Blood Phoenix Miracle once stunned the entire antiquities and gemstone world. Discovered in the northern desert of Etharia, it earned its name from its brilliant colors and a tiny red fossil inside. This made it the most prestigious of Etharia's four legendary stones before a mysterious billionaire acquired it. Andrew's Blood Phoenix Agate, with its perfectly preserved cicada inside, was essentially another Blood Phoenix Miracle manifesting itself into the world. Though more precisely, this one would be known as the Blood Phoenix Cicada. The chaos at the stone gambling venue was quickly contained when Silas, the CEO of Radiant Group, made a personal appearance. The panel of experts and the bigwigs from the Jayrodale Antiquities Association could not contain their excitement as they rushed to authenticate Andrew's extraordinary find. "There's no doubt that this is a divine treasure just like the Blood Phoenix Miracle," one expert declared. Others chimed in, "The cicad
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 352
"Mr. Lloyd has shown us what true stone gambling mastery means by turning something seemingly worthless into something miraculous," Elsie concluded. The crowd erupted into an unstoppable frenzy, repeatedly chanting, "Mr. Lloyd!" His reputation as a master was cemented in thousands of minds. Countless eyes gazed at him with intense admiration, though many found it hard to comprehend that Andrew was still just a young man. They wondered how someone so young could build such an impressive reputation in antiquities and stone gambling, making them question if some people were truly born under lucky stars. "I lost… I lost again," Aspen laughed bitterly, her face deathly pale. The higher her confidence had soared before, the more crushing her defeat felt now. Typically, as the proud heiress of Bridgefields' Stevens family, Aspen would never admit defeat. However, Andrew's final move with the Blood Phoenix Cicada completely shattered her pride and confidence. She no longer doubted w
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 353
"Thank you, then," Aspen said with a smile as she hung up the phone. "Like I said, life isn't just about stone gambling and these trivial antiquities. Power and connections are my ultimate weapons to crush you, Andrew!" Christina asked hesitantly, "Aspen, who did you call for help? From what we saw during the stone gambling, Ms. Santana and Andrew weren't cheating or manipulating anything." Aspen waved her off. "Stay out of this, Christie. That Andrew must have set me up. Why else would I lose so badly? Remember how he insisted on raising the stakes before we even started? That should have been my first red flag, but I foolishly missed it." Christina nodded uncertainly, not wanting to interfere further. Though Aspen treated her like a close friend, there was still a social gap between them since Aspen came from the main branch of the Bridgefields' Stevens family. "Aspen, Elsie works for Silas Vaughn at Radiant Group, and Andrew now knows many Jayrodale socialites," Christina re
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 354
"Little do they know that mediocrity is common in this world. Do they really think everyone can become a natural genius like Dr. Lloyd?" Cedric remarked. "Grandpa, stop acting high and mighty," Francesca retorted. "If it weren't for Andrew, you wouldn't have gotten such great benefits from this auction either." Cedric immediately brightened up with a smile. "Well, Dr. Lloyd certainly helped this old man catch a lucky break today." While everyone else was excited, Andrew remained remarkably calm. "Let's tally up all the gains and have Ms. Santana process them," Andrew said casually. Elsie perked up with surprise, "Mr. Lloyd, you're not taking everything you won today?" "I'll take the Blood Phoenix Cicada and the Royal Violet Crystal," Andrew replied. "For the rest, I'll trouble you to convert them to cash." Though slightly disappointed, Elsie quickly became energized again. While Andrew took the two best pieces, the remaining items were still valuable and would bring sig
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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
