Not only Donald, but even the Aickers were shocked by this turn of events. "Lauren, please stop!" Francesca pleaded, her face turning pale. If Lauren actually killed Donald, the situation would escalate beyond control. Lauren kept the gun pressed against Donald's sweating forehead, completely ignoring Francesca's plea. She growled, "You pig, I've been more than courteous with you. Just because you're the head of Jayrodale police department, you think you can get away with arresting my man without cause?" Lauren's eyes were fierce, and her chilling gaze made Donald tremble. However, a surge of anger quickly rose within him—after all, he was one of Jayrodale's top dogs and head of the police department. Donald said coldly, "Ms. Rhodes, if you've got the guts, shoot me right now. If I die in my office, not only Andrew but you and the entire Rhodes family will face severe consequences." Lauren smiled menacingly, "Oh? Do you really think I won't pull the trigger? I'll send you s
Dylan threatened, "You'd better release him, or hundreds of my South City boys might pay Mr. Warren's house a visit." Donald exploded with rage, "Mr. Garner, are you threatening me?" Dylan's face suddenly darkened, twisting with menace. He snarled, "That's exactly what I'm doing. What are you going to do about it? You fat pig, others might fear you, but I don't give a damn about your position." He added, "If anything happens to Mr. Lloyd, I'll take you down even if it costs me my life. Am I clear?" The ferocity in Dylan's voice made Donald's face pale as he struggled to maintain his composure. Donald could not wrap his head around it—who the hell was Andrew? Why were even the underground crime lords getting involved? Moreover, Dylan's stance seemed to show that he was ready to go to war over this. Donald said through gritted teeth, "Think carefully about what you're doing. Even if I release him now under pressure, what about later? Not everyone can get away with disresp
"Donald, tell me, am I your 'dead man walking'? Answer me!" Mark roared as he entered, his face livid with rage. Not only did Donald pale in fear, but Natasha, Dylan, Cedric, Francesca, and Lauren were all stunned silent. No one dared to speak, as accompanying Mark was Marvin. Although Marvin had always maintained a low profile in Jayrodale's elite circles, those in the know understood that this billionaire was a tough guy that no one dared to provoke. Not only did he control a massive financial empire that was Jayrodale's economic lifeline, but his background from Chetvine made him even more formidable. Donald's entire body trembled as he nearly burst into tears. "Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Yates, what brings you here? I'm the worthless one—just a blind, stupid piece of trash!" "What's wrong? Is your office now off-limits to me?" Mark's voice was cold. "If I hadn't come personally, were you planning to abuse your power and create an even bigger disaster?" The moment Mark learned a
Clutching his bloody hand, Donald nearly passed out from the pain. Even Dylan and Natasha were shocked by this display of brutality. While they had been willing to threaten Donald and risk their lives against him, they would never dare to actually harm him in his own precinct with armed officers outside. Yet Marvin, the billionaire, had just severed Donald's pinky right there, showing a level of power that far exceeded their underground influence. "Mr. Yates, where's Andrew?" Lauren asked urgently. Marvin smiled. "Go see him, Lauren. He's fine, and he'll be happier with you there." Lauren blushed slightly before heading off with Francesca and the Aickers to find Andrew. "Sir, how should we proceed?" Mark asked respectfully. Marvin snorted. "Jayrodale is your jurisdiction, and Donald is your man. Handle it as you see fit." Without another word, he left, not even bothering to show deference to the mayor. Mark's face twitched—this was exactly what he had feared. Witho
If Jayrodale's wealthiest man could destroy him so easily, Donald shuddered to think about the power level of someone who commanded that kind of authority. The sense of impending doom was overwhelming. Mark said coldly, "Your tears are useless now… It's too late. Tell me, what possessed you to arrest Mr. Lloyd in the first place?" Donald's face crumpled as he explained, "It was Aspen Stevens. She told me Mr. Lloyd committed fraud at the antique appraisal convention, causing her to lose tens of millions, so I—" Mark cut him off with a sneer. "So, you just blindly acted on this woman's word? You didn't follow proper procedure or gather evidence? You just took her baseless accusations at face value?" Donald shrank back, stammering, "I-I didn't think it through. Aspen's my old classmate, and I thought I'd do her a favor." Mark stated indifferently, "What else? You better tell me everything. Otherwise, I won't be able to protect you if Marvin comes back." Donald swallowed hard a
Donald forced a laugh, "Sir, I'm not as noble as you. You know what they say—the grass is always greener on the other side." Donald continued, "Aspen is a brilliant and beautiful woman from the Bridgefields' Stevens family. Wanting her is only natural. And…" When Donald hesitated, Mark pressed, "And what? Tell me everything so I can try to help you find a way out of this mess." Donald shifted uncomfortably before admitting, "And sleeping with someone like Aspen isn't just about the pleasure and the thrill of conquest. I was planning to secretly record it, so I could enjoy it again later. With that kind of video, I could even make her come back for more…" Mark took a deep breath, staring at Donald intently. "Donald, you should have been a porn director elsewhere instead of a chief commissioner in Jayrodale." Donald's eyes lit up excitedly, "Mr. Thatcher, so you're into that too! No wonder you asked so many detailed questions!" "Shut up!" Mark snapped, his face reddening. "Th
Donald nodded vigorously, "Yes, it was Aspen. If she hadn't slandered you, Mr. Lloyd, I would never have made that move." Andrew waved his hand dismissively. "Very well… I believe you know how to handle the situation moving forward." Donald's face turned sinister. "Rest assured, Mr. Lloyd. That bitch nearly got me killed. She won't get away with this." Andrew remarked with a knowing smile, "Yet I heard from Mr. Thatcher that you wanted to sleep with her," "That was just my hormones talking, Mr. Lloyd!" Donald quickly exclaimed. "I've come to my senses now—I just want to cut all ties with that woman and teach her a lesson." After Donald's submissive departure, Lauren smiled. "Dr. Lloyd, I'm relieved you're okay. I should head home while Fran and the others leave too." "Ms. Rhodes, is everything alright with the Rhodes family lately?" Andrew asked with surprise. "You seem unusually busy." Lauren avoided his gaze, smiling. "Just some minor matters. I'll come to see you once
"I've heard that since Natasha has been a widow for so long, she tends to pursue attractive young men," Francesca warned. Andrew chuckled. "Don't worry. She likes pretty boys, which I'm not." "Don't brush this off! I'm serious," Francesca insisted. "Natasha doesn't have the best reputation, and while I can't control your choices, I just don't want to see you get caught up with her." Andrew teased lightly, "With a friend like you looking out for me, how could I get caught up with anyone else?" Francesca's face reddened as she rushed out, reminding herself that Andrew was off-limits as her best friend's love interest. … Dylan and Natasha entered the VIP room shortly after. Andrew, sensing they had important matters to discuss, suggested they move to a more private location. About 20 minutes later, the three arrived at West End headquarters. The members greeted Andrew respectfully, especially Conan, who had previously dismissed him. "Mr. Lloyd, please feel free to visit us
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