After a long silence, Rodney finally growled through gritted teeth, "Just forget about it. Don't bother with him anymore. Let Andrew deal with him however he wants—might as well let him kill that troublemaking idiot! That cursed fool brings nothing but disaster! Of all the people he could provoke, why did he have to mess with Andrew?" Dean said, "I didn't intervene, but Mr. Lloyd ordered him to eat the kitchen slop." Rodney quickly responded, "Good, good, that's perfect! Make sure he eats until Andrew is satisfied. Do you hear me? If there isn't enough trash, get people to buy more from other places—I'll cover the costs!" Dean chuckled. "Don't worry, Mr. Sanford. I'll make sure he's well-fed." … "Dr. Lloyd, do you think Hugh can actually swallow that kitchen slop?" Lauren asked playfully. Her eyes glimmered with amusement, as their shopping trip had turned out to be more entertaining than expected. Andrew placed their shopping bags in the back of his G-Wagon and said with
Andrew exclaimed in surprise, "Lauren, I didn't realize you had that in you!" Lauren smiled sweetly. "Of course! I'm not just a pretty face. Remember, I was the one who chased Michael around with a knife, threatening his manhood!" Andrew could imagine Michael's miserable situation back when Lauren was at the height of her influence at Rhodes Corporation. That man was probably living in constant fear of losing everything at any moment. "I hadn't expected Ruby to be out of prison already. Someone must have pulled some strings," Lauren said thoughtfully. "It seems Ruby might be targeting Rhodes Corporation again," Andrew replied. Lauren smirked. "Let's head home. No matter how well she plans, it won't work. I just hope Troy doesn't do anything stupid." After dropping Lauren off, Andrew drove straight to his villa at the top of Moonlit Sanctuary. He had spent two days establishing himself at Rhodes Corporation, and it was time to focus on his own priorities. In the privacy of
"If I wasn't here, were you planning to spend your nights out with Andrew instead of coming home?" Tiana's voice grew sharper with every word, each sentence harsher than the last. Lauren looked at her calmly and asked, "What are you trying to say?" "I want you to show some restraint," Tiana snapped. "Remember, you're the heiress of Rhodes Corporation, not some wild party girl with no self-respect." Lauren let out a cold laugh and said dismissively, "Everything I do appears wrong in your eyes. You even want to control who I date, but what I can't tolerate is—what makes you think being with Andrew means I have no self-respect?" Tiana sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you think I'm blind? You're out there shopping, holding hands, whispering sweet nothings to each other in public—I know about your every move." Lauren's voice dropped, laced with accusation. "So, you let me go out, but then you spy on me?" "I'm not spying—I'm preventing you from doing something you'll
Faced with Tiana's fierce demeanor, Lauren responded in disbelief, "Are you really going to deny everything Andrew has done? How can you be so self-deceptive and blind?" Tiana's tone calmed, but her disdain was evident. "I'm not denying it. I'm just looking at the bigger picture from a wiser perspective. This boy is all show and no substance—everything he's shown you is borrowed from Marvin's influence and power." She continued, "His money comes from Marvin, his influence stems from being tied to Jayrodale's wealthiest man, and even his life has been protected by Marvin. Otherwise, with the enemies he's made, he wouldn't have survived this long." Tiana's relentless questioning completely dismissed all of Andrew's contributions to Rhodes Corporation. Lauren, enraged, responded, "You can criticize me all you want, but what Andrew has done for me and the company are undeniable facts. I absolutely won't let you insult him or someone who's devoted himself to helping me." Lauren, w
"Marvin and Andrew are probably father and son," Lauren said hesitantly. Tiana scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "You're overthinking it. When Marvin escaped from Chetvine, no one even knew the scale of the forces he had crossed. But one thing's certain—he was already in his 50s and gravely injured. Do you really think a man in that condition could father a child?" She continued, "And Andrew is 26, isn't he? There's no way he's Marvin's son. He's just a smoke screen—a decoy Marvin set up to confuse his enemies, or worse, a pawn to execute Marvin's schemes." Tiana paused, her gaze growing colder and more penetrating. "Now, do you finally understand the lengths I've gone to for your sake? I'm not just doing this for you—I'm doing it for the entire Rhodes family. Marvin's criminal past will catch up with him sooner or later." She added, "The forces he angered are unimaginably powerful, far beyond anything you or I can comprehend, and certainly beyond what the Rhodes family
The Rhodes residence was massive. After leaving Lauren's bedroom, Tiana made her way through various corridors to another wing of the mansion. "Mrs. Rhodes!" Jerry greeted respectfully in the dimly lit hallway. Tiana's expression was indifferent as she asked, "Jerry, is there something you need?" Jerry hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Mrs. Rhodes, there's something I want to say, but I'm not sure if I should." Tiana raised a brow and stated coldly, "If you're here to tell me to stop meddling in Lauren's matters, then save your breath." Jerry carefully chose his words, lowering his voice. "Mrs. Rhodes, I wouldn't dare interfere in Ms. Rhodes' affairs, especially since this involves the family's leadership decisions and Mr. Rhodes' intentions. I wanted to discuss something else—about Andrew." "Oh? What about that boy?" Tiana asked, slightly surprised. "Mrs. Rhodes, he's no ordinary person," Jerry said gravely. "In my opinion, Mr. Rhodes' relationship with him might
Before Harvey could even use his family's influence to suppress the negative online news, he had become Jayrodale's hottest headline. Social media erupted with comments. [What an absolute animal! How could such scum become the head of the Weller family? It's ridiculous!] [Is this a moral failure or a loss of humanity? How could he sleep with his stepmother? Isn't he afraid his father will crawl out of the grave to haunt him?] [Man, the scandals in their circles are wild! Honestly, I'd pay 50 bucks to see a video of Harvey and his stepmother hooking up. Anybody got one? DM me!] [I've seen Serena before, and she's definitely still got it—curvy, voluptuous, and oozing mature charm. When she wears those body-hugging dresses, she could drive any man crazy!] [Honestly, this isn't even surprising. A playboy like Harvey would sleep with anything that moves!] "This is a PR nightmare for the Weller family, though. Let this be a lesson for all of us: keep your pants zipped and you
When the call connected, a voice answered, "Who is this?" "Are you kidding me? You don't know who I am?" Harvey exploded. "Kill Marcus's daughter and dump her body at Rhodes Corporation! I want Marcus, Andrew, and Lauren to learn their lesson!" "Sorry, but the Jayrodale Police Department only catches criminals—we don't do murder for hire," the voice replied coldly. "This is Donald, the police commissioner, and I'm ordering you to identify yourself and your location immediately, then turn yourself in." Harvey froze, his heart nearly stopped as the blood drained from his face. It felt like his entire body turned to ice. What the hell just happened? He had clearly dialed the number of those hired thugs, but how on earth did Donald answer the call instead? Donald barked through the phone, "I'll repeat myself: state your identity and address, then surrender at the station. If we have to catch you ourselves, you'll face serious jail time!" Harvey threw his phone down as if it had
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
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
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."
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
"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.
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
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
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
"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