As they entered the treatment room, they found a young girl suffering from persistent high fever and intermittent chills. Bernard was treating her with several nurses, but his frustrated expression suggested he was struggling with the case. "Dr. Aicker, what's the meaning of this?" Bernard asked unhappily when he saw Andrew. "This patient is under my care." "When it comes to saving lives, it doesn't matter who's in charge—what matters is helping the patients," Francesca replied coolly. "Dr. Aicker, are you saying I'm incompetent because I haven't cured this child yet?" Bernard snapped angrily. Before the situation could escalate further, a well-dressed man with graying hair—the girl's father—interrupted anxiously. "Dr. Aicker, can you treat Lucy or not? If not, I'll transfer her immediately. We can't waste any more time." Before Francesca could respond, Bernard quickly put on a pleasant smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Chapman. Lucy likely has a viral infection. I'll identify the vir
Andrew said, "Mr. Chapman, please wait outside. This is a treatment room, and it's best not to have non-medical personnel present." He added confidently, "As for Lucy, give me half an hour, and she'll be perfectly fine." Marcus was stunned by the young doctor's composure and confidence. After all, Bernard had been frantically trying to help his beloved daughter without success, yet Andrew claimed he only needed 30 minutes. Seeing his hesitation, Francesca smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Chapman. You're an executive at the Rhodes family corporation and one of Lauren's people. Lucy will receive the best care possible in our facility." Marcus nodded and said, "Alright, I'll wait outside for Dr. Lloyd's good news. However, let me be clear—Lucy's well-being is non-negotiable." Bernard's face darkened considerably as he asked, "Dr. Lloyd, are you stealing my patient?" He had hoped to establish a connection with Marcus, but those plans seemed to be falling apart, which deeply
Recently, Lauren seemed to be facing some difficulties but had not confided in Andrew. Even Francesca was not fully aware of the situation, which made Andrew concerned enough to inquire with Marcus about it. Marcus looked surprised and asked, "So the rumors about you and Ms. Rhodes are true, Dr. Lloyd?" "What rumors?" Andrew asked, caught off guard. Marcus smiled with a knowing look and said, "There's talk that the Rhodes family heiress, the CEO of Rhodes Corporation, is involved with a young doctor. None of us employees believed it, until now, when you asked about her situation. I guess the rumors weren't unfounded after all!" Andrew chuckled wryly, understanding why such rumors existed. Lauren had never hidden her attraction to him, regardless of time or place, so it was not surprising that Jayrodale's high society had caught wind of it. "Ms. Rhodes and I are… indeed very close friends," Andrew replied awkwardly. "That's why I'm asking if she's facing any difficulties latel
Andrew was taken aback and said, "I have no intention of interfering with the Rhodes family's marriage arrangements. I just think it's unfair to force her into something she doesn't want." Marcus smiled knowingly. "No need to explain so quickly. I understand your feelings—you want to be the hero who saves the damsel, right? But think about it: even though you're accomplished and young as the deputy chief of Jayrodale General Hospital, the Rhodes family is in a completely different league." Marcus continued earnestly, "Your concern for Ms. Rhodes isn't wrong, but you need to recognize the vast gap between your worlds. Lauren is like a rare diamond, and having had her attention should be enough for a lifetime. If you push your luck, you might end up getting seriously hurt." Andrew could only smile wryly at Marcus's well-meaning advice. Clearly, Marcus saw him as someone trying to climb the social ladder. While the Rhodes family had expanded to Blumedale and their prestige grew da
"My old flame?" Andrew asked, puzzled. Francesca scoffed, "Yes, the perfect CEO Christina and her family, along with that annoying Aspen." Andrew walked to the hospital lobby with curiosity, where he found Irene lying on a gurney being wheeled to admission, wailing dramatically about her losses. "My money! All my life savings! My retirement fund—it's all gone! God, why must you give me the hardest battle?" Her desperate cries drew sympathetic looks from passersby. Andrew could not help but smile, realizing that Irene had been hospitalized due to the shock of losing her investment. This money-obsessed woman was truly having the worst luck. Christina and Aspen stood nearby, their faces dark with embarrassment. When Aspen spotted Andrew, she immediately stormed over to him with a rigid expression. "Andrew, let me ask you something," Aspen demanded. "You said the Northern District would fall soon and that my investment would be like jumping into a fire pit, right?" Andrew sm
"No matter how many failures I face, Andrew, I'll never stoop to being a gold digger like you," Aspen said venomously. She continued, "Natasha and Dylan might be fooled by you now, but tell them this—I won't let Atlas's death go unpunished. If they don't return my billion dollars, they'll face the same fate as the Northern District!"Andrew replied calmly, "Let me warn you one last time, Aspen. This is Jayrodale, not Bridgefields, and certainly not your Stevens family territory. You should learn to be more modest away from home. Not everyone will coddle you like your parents. If you try to cause trouble for Dylan and Natasha, you'll only be destroying yourself." Christina laughed coldly and said, "Andrew, you're acting like you represent these two underground leaders. Why put on such an act?" "You're actually right," Andrew smiled. "I do represent them. In fact, I now control Jayrodale's underground world." Aspen scoffed, "Come on, Christie. Let's go. It's a waste of time t
Lauren's good mood instantly vanished as her face darkened. She snapped, "Why don't you just have me killed then?" "What did you say?" Tiana raged. Lauren took a deep breath and confronted her mother, who had always been extremely strict with her. "Since you want to control my thoughts and freedom, why not just have someone kill me? Then, you won't have to look at me anymore!" Tiana raised her hand to slap Lauren but stopped herself at the last moment. "Lauren, I may not be able to control you, but remember this—you're a Rhodes heiress, not some common street girl." She added icily, "If you continue this entanglement with Andrew, you won't just destroy yourself, you'll end up destroying him too!" Lauren's heart skipped a beat as she laughed coldly. "Mom, I've said this before—you can take away my CEO position and keep me under house arrest, but the one thing you can't touch is the only person I care about and love. If anything happens to Andrew, you won't see me in a wedding
Lauren cried hard, but her resolve remained unshaken. She declared firmly, "No. If I choose to comply now, that's when I'll truly regret it. I've told the family countless times—Andrew isn't ordinary. He's a hidden gem, and he deserves not just me, but any exceptional woman!" The momentary softness in Tiana's eyes vanished instantly. "So you're still blindly obsessed with him?" she asked coldly. Lauren trembled as she felt the invisible barrier between mother and daughter, which had briefly narrowed, suddenly grew wider than ever. She slowly wiped away her tears and said expressionlessly, "Call it a blind obsession or say I'm degrading myself—either way, it has to be Andrew." Tiana sneered. "Fine. You've always made this boy sound extraordinary. Let's see how exceptional he really is. Do you think he's better than Joe?" Lauren scoffed. "Joe has his family's backing, of course, people look up to him. But when it comes to true excellence, he doesn't even deserve to be compared
"He's my sworn brother, then standing up for him—no matter the cost—is only right," Logan said firmly. Elon's face instantly darkened, and deep inside, a gnawing jealousy bubbled up. Despite being the most low-key of the Five Apex Families' younger generation, Logan was arguably the most terrifying. He was about to take over the Keller family, a rising powerhouse. The Haywoods had Xavier—young, sharp, and fierce in combat. The Wrights had Quinton—manipulative, cunning, and notorious for his ruthlessness. But Elon? He was… just Elon. He was overweight, lacked presence, and had just been publicly humiliated when word spread that his wife had cheated on him. His reputation was already slipping, and now he had become the joke of Blumedale's elite circle. Still, no matter how pathetic things seemed, Elon believed he was far better than the man Andrew was. In his eyes, they were not even in the same league. So, it burned him even more to see Logan—someone he had always tried to i
"Logan, don't you know Andrew killed my younger brother?" Xavier shouted furiously. It was understandable for Luna to speak up. After all, the Phelans owed Andrew a small favor—but now even the Keller family was interfering. If this continued, Andrew would not just remain unharmed; he would likely rise to prominence in Blumedale. Andrew's rise would be a direct slap in the face to the Haywoods, humiliating them beyond redemption. Roy spoke grimly, "Logan, you're set to lead the Keller family. You should know better than to blur right and wrong. Andrew repeatedly humiliated the Haywoods and even murdered Seth. Do you expect us to swallow such a huge insult?" Logan replied calmly, "Mr. Haywood Senior, you know exactly why things turned out this way. I hate to say it, but Seth brought his death upon himself. Andrew may be impulsive, but he's done nothing wrong in my eyes." "I'll say this only once: if the Haywoods continue their vendetta against him, the Keller family won't stan
Xavier said, "Uncle Jude, you're in charge of internal discipline. My request is simple—either throw those losers out of the Haywoods and make them manage some backwater branch, or I'll kill them myself. And I doubt anyone in the family would object." Jude's eyelids twitched violently as he cursed the brats under his breath. Out loud, though, he nodded quickly and replied, "Don't worry, Xavier. I'll make sure they're kicked out of the family for good. They won't even get close to the front gate again." Xavier snorted and walked off, leaving Jude staring at his back, shaking his head. Jude muttered to himself, "Xavier… you really are the pride of the Haywoods. But you're spoiled by your status. With your father as the family head and all the elders favoring you, you've always kept the other branches under your heel. "That's understandable since you're the future heir and our strongest fighter among the younger generations. But the fact remains—you made a public promise and faile
Tiana had already been urging Andrew to make a trip to the Rhodes residence. With his current matters finally settled, Andrew made his way there. … Meanwhile, back at the Haywood residence, the funeral was underway. The place was shrouded in white—the last rites for Seth. It should have been a major event, but the atmosphere among the Haywoods was lifeless. No one looked remotely interested, and many of the younger members were outright slacking off, hiding in corners, smoking, drinking, and chatting. Someone whispered, "Xavier's the eldest son of the Haywoods and a damn colonel in the military, yet he couldn't even bring back Andrew's head? What a letdown." Another chimed in, "No kidding. Seth got taken out like that, which is a direct slap to the Haywoods' face." "Honestly, I've never seen our family this humiliated. Xavier even said he'd kill Andrew within three days or take his own life. Big talk for someone who came back empty-handed…" After just a few gulps of alco
Aspen and Chantelle both gasped in disbelief. They could not believe that Andrew had just toyed with Luna like she was some puppy. He offered her a treat, dangled it right in front of her face, and then yanked it back when she reached for it. Anyone with an ounce of pride would have snapped—and Luna Phelan was not just anyone. "Playing games on a razor's edge… Andrew, I'll be watching," Luna said coldly. "I'll watch how you destroy yourself." Her expression turned colder than it had been even when confronting Xavier.With one sharp step, she kicked up a gust of wind and vanished into the air. It was a clear sign that she was not just leaving, she was unleashing her fury. "That footwork was terrifying," Chantelle muttered. Even Aspen looked shaken. "Keep acting like this, Andrew, and someone's gonna hack you into pieces one day!" Chantelle snapped. After one last angry glare, she stormed off too. Aspen did not have quite the same fire in her. This demon of a man was hear
Luna turned around, clearly reluctant to even look at Andrew, and said flatly, "I can save you once, maybe even twice—but not a third time. To be precise, the only reason I stepped in at all was because you've done favors for the Phelans… and for Marvin. "But next time? Your life or death will have nothing to do with me. So, here's my advice—tone it down. This is Blumedale, not Jayrodale. You could show off back there, and no one cared, but here? Power and politics clash every second. Dying young might be the only fate you're headed for." Andrew frowned. "Luna, are you sick or something? Did I ask you to save me?" That one line did not just offend Luna—it also lit a fire in Chantelle. "Andrew, what the hell is wrong with you? General Phelan just saved your damn life. You didn't even say thank you, and now you're blaming her? Are you even a man?" She was speechless, thinking the guy was seriously unbelievable. Andrew shot her a cold glare. "Shut your mouth. No one asked for
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