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Chapter 435
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"I'm here at Northern District's headquarters. One of your men is here, and I'm planning to get him promoted," Andrew spoke into the phone. "Of course, I'll be there in five minutes. Wait for me," Natasha replied urgently. As Andrew hung up, Jake shook his head. "Sir, this act isn't funny anymore. Don't tell me you actually have Madam Vostokoff's number?" "Of course I do," Andrew replied simply. "How else could I call her?" Jake did not bother responding and headed downstairs to hand out flyers, hoping to sell the abandoned building soon and get his promotion. He dismissed the supposed lunatic upstairs, remembering how he had only seen Natasha once since joining West End. Regular people never got close to someone of Natasha's status, let alone have her private number—unless this guy was her boy toy, he thought cynically. Minutes later, a convertible sports car screeched to a halt in front of the building. Jake, clutching a stack of flyers, stared in disbelief at the beauti
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 437
Natasha chimed in and explained, "Dean Mayer was Atlas's senior apprentice from the same martial arts school and Northern District's second-in-command. He was known as 'Iron Palm'. However, his skills never matched Atlas', which is why Atlas always held the position of Northern District's leader." Andrew asked, "So you're saying most of Atlas' assets and personnel fell into Dean's hands?" Natasha shook her head. "In terms of manpower, Dean only took about seven elite fighters with him. However, he did make off with the majority of Northern District's wealth—Atlas' years of accumulated fortune." "Natasha, do you know where Dean is now?" Andrew frowned. "As my people previously informed Mr. Lloyd, some of Atlas' forces have regrouped," Natasha said gravely. "Dean is their leader, and they've aligned themselves with the Madblade Martial Academy." Andrew was shocked. "Madblade Martial Academy? You mean the place that calls itself Jayrodale's premier martial arts institution?"
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 438
Jake could not help but marvel at how a single conversation had completely changed his fate. His head was still spinning from the series of surprises. "Ms. Rhodes, should we head to Madblade Martial Academy now?" Andrew suggested. Lauren smirked playfully. "Dr. Lloyd, Natasha seemed quite different around you. Did something happen between you two?" Andrew shook his head. "She's West End's leader, a widow. What could possibly happen between us?" Lauren said suspiciously, "I don't believe you. The way she looked at you was exactly like a lonely woman gazing at her lover." Women's intuition was truly frightening. First Francesca, and now Lauren was just as perceptive. Andrew started the car and decided there was no point in hiding it. "Natasha wanted to be with me, but I turned her down because it didn't feel right." Instead of getting jealous or upset as Andrew expected, Lauren became excited. "Really? Natasha offered herself to you? That widow sure moves fast!" Andrew's
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 439
Inside Madblade Martial Academy, hundreds of students were practicing martial arts with loud shouts. They barely glanced at Lauren and Andrew's group before turning away, displaying obvious arrogance and dismissal. Lauren was unfazed by their attitude. She explained, "The students here are all from Jayrodale's wealthy families. Most of them are spoiled rich kids who couldn't succeed academically, so their families sent them here to learn martial arts. Over time, they've developed quite a superiority complex." Andrew did not mind. After all, it was natural for martial artists to have some attitude. Whether it was looking down on others or being arrogant, this kind of temperament came with this lifestyle. As long as they were not all talk and had no skill, he could tolerate their pride. A young man in casual clothes approached them with a smile, his pale complexion suggesting a life of extravagance. He was flanked by about four clearly skilled martial artists. As he passed the
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 440
Rodney's words made the skilled fighters behind him burst into raucous laughter. The students stopped their practice to stare at Lauren with strange expressions. "Rodney, I told you years ago that I wasn't interested in you," Lauren said calmly, showing no sign of anger. "Your persistent pursuit might be romantic to some, but even if you offered me the entire Madblade Martial Academy, I wouldn't give you a second glance." Rodney's face darkened immediately. He had tried to embarrass Lauren, but her sharp tongue had turned the tables on him instead. A hulking man beside Rodney sneered, "Ms. Rhodes, if you're going to reject Mr. Sanford, why are you even here?" "For our money," Lauren replied curtly. Dean scoffed. "Atlas owed Rhodes Corporation money, not me. If you want it, go ask him in hell." Lauren smirked. "Atlas may be dead, but not all Northern District's people are gone. I know you cleaned out Atlas's accounts. Dean, are you really going to pretend you don't owe us?"
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 441
Rodney's lips curled into a mocking smile. He sneered, "Mr. Keoghan, you've got quite the attitude, showing off in front of my Madblade Martial Academy. What do you think this is, some kindergarten playground?" Jerry, being a renowned senior grandmaster for many years, carried himself with natural authority. "Mr. Sanford, if it were your father, Vince Sanford, I would show him proper respect. But you're still too young and inexperienced, so I advise you not to make any foolish decisions." Jerry continued, "Just hand over Dean and let Ms. Rhodes deal with him. If you do that, we can put this whole incident behind us." Lauren gave a cold smile and turned to Andrew. "Don't worry, Dr. Lloyd. Jerry is one of the top fighters in the Rhodes family. If Rodney wants to play rough, we're more than happy to oblige!" Andrew's expression showed traces of doubt. Jerry's power as a senior grandmaster was indeed undeniable. Even if he had only recently reached that level, it was still enough t
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 442
Rodney declared, "If my side loses, then you'll get their 60 million, handed over without question. But if you lose, I don't want anything else except…" At this point, Rodney suddenly stopped, his eyes gleaming with lust as he licked his lips in an incredibly vulgar manner. Behind him, his martial arts students joined in with sleazy snickers. Lauren felt goosebumps all over her body. She asked with disgust, "What do you want?" Rodney smiled. "Don't worry, my request isn't too outrageous. I just want your stockings, Lauren. And specifically, the ones you're wearing right now—I want them while they're still warm!" Then, he burst into laughter. Lauren's face turned slightly pale, clearly suppressing both rage and humiliation. She controlled her emotions well, though, and turned to look at Jerry. "Don't worry, Miss. I can defeat these petty thugs with one hand tied behind my back," Jerry said coldly. Lauren turned to Andrew, blushing slightly. "Dr. Lloyd, my stockings are on
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 443
Andrew shook his head and warned, "Jerry, you're being too arrogant. "From what I can see, the head of Madblade Martial Academy doesn't even need to step in—that martial arts expert next to Rodney alone is enough to give you serious trouble." Jerry sneered. "What do you know about fighting levels? Do you think you can see something I can't? Young man, don't mistake ignorance for courage—it's truly foolish!" Ollie Keoghan, who had just been called up, mocked, "Andrew, why do you always have to run your mouth when you're around Ms. Rhodes? Jerry could probably take you down with just one finger." "Ollie is right—this guy's a nobody who talks too much," another guard chimed in. "Since we're having three matches, let's win the first two to secure victory. Then, we can let this punk go up for the last round and get beaten to a pulp by Madblade's fighters. Jerry's bodyguards all shot hostile looks at Andrew, joining in the criticism. Andrew just shook his head, noting how Jerry'
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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
