Just as the subordinate finished reporting, he added anxiously, "Mr. MacAfee is saying that as long as Andrew is willing to save him, he's ready to do anything—even be Andrew's lapdog!" Michael's face turned crimson with rage, and he roared, "What did you just say? This useless idiot! I'm his boss, and I'm the one he should be loyal to—not that Andrew!" Seething, Michael barked, "Let's go. I want to see what kind of madness this fool is up to!" With a stormy expression, Michael marched toward Lauren's office, flanked by his entourage. Troy was supposed to be his trusted subordinate, the handpicked Pharmaceutical Division head, to replace Marcus. Yet, here he was, groveling at Andrew's feet like some sniveling dog. The humiliation was unbearable—this betrayal felt like a slap across Michael's face. He could not believe Troy was disrespecting him this way. As Michael hurried to Lauren's office, his mind raced, trying to figure out what could have driven Troy to such an extr
Troy roared, "Andrew, are you really going to watch me suffer and do nothing?!" Despite prostrating himself repeatedly, Andrew remained indifferent, showing no intention of helping. Troy felt utterly humiliated, thinking this was beyond cruel—it was ruthless! Andrew leaned back with a cold smile. "And what if I am? Who said I'm obligated to save you? You're in this mess because of your own choices. Don't blame anyone but yourself." Troy wailed, "Mr. Lloyd, just tell me! What will it take for you to treat me? I'll do whatever you want—anything!" Normally, Troy was not the type to bow his head, but this was different. His very manhood—and his reputation—were on the line. The mere thought of people discovering his condition, that he was suffering from an incurable disease with a rotting situation, was unbearable. Troy could already imagine the disdainful looks and whispers behind his back. If he did not fix this, his career in the business world would be over. He would be force
Troy immediately turned to Lauren, his face full of desperation. "Ms. Rhodes, please, I've worked tirelessly for you in the past. I'm begging you—just this once, grant me mercy!" Lauren crossed her arms, giving him a cold glance. "I can consider it, but there's one last question you need to answer. What exactly have you done with Ruby besides sleeping with her? Any other shady dealings I should know about?" Troy hesitated, his face paling. After a moment, he clenched his teeth and confessed, "I… I showed her three of the Pharmaceutical Division's formulas. But please, Ms. Rhodes, understand—I only showed her. She didn't copy them, so it shouldn't be a big problem… right?" Before Lauren could respond, an enraged voice boomed from the doorway. "Troy, you're asking for death!" The furious shout echoed through the office, followed by the sharp, rapid clack of dress shoes on the tile. Moments later, Michael stormed in with several high-ranking executives, his face twisted with fury.
Lauren crossed her arms, smirking. "Michael, didn't I warn you about Ruby? I told you she couldn't be trusted, but no—you insisted I was just jealous of that bitch. "Now look at what's happened. If those formulas fall into the hands of other pharmaceutical companies, the Pharmaceutical Division won't just take a hit—it'll collapse entirely. You might as well prepare to announce its closure." Michael's face darkened further, his rage building like storm waves, each one crashing harder than the last. He felt trapped. Troy was his man, and the deal with Ruby was his decision. Now, with such a colossal mistake, he could already imagine the backlash from the Rhodes family's upper ranks. The humiliation would shatter any dreams he had of becoming the family head. Worse, he would be remembered as the one who brought disgrace and ruin to the company. Seething with anger, Michael's eyes fell on Troy, who was still sprawled on the floor. With a growl, he lunged at him, unleashing a bruta
Troy, who had been on the verge of losing consciousness, seemed to regain his spirit upon hearing Andrew's words. Trembling all over, he looked up with tears of gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Lloyd! I can't thank you enough!" Michael's face darkened, and he shot Andrew a questioning glare. "What's going on with Troy? And what's with the prescription you gave him?" Andrew smirked. "Oh, you didn't know? Mr. MacAfee here caught himself a pretty nasty case of an STD—so bad his nether regions have started to rot. He came groveling to me, begging for treatment." Michael's face went pale. "What? That idiot actually managed to catch… that?" As someone who was no stranger to questionable flings himself, Michael suddenly felt an uncomfortable chill. This news hit a little too close to home. Lauren sneered. "He got what he deserved. Messing around with Ruby landed him in this mess. And when it got too bad, he had no choice but to beg Mr. Lloyd for help. "Under Mr. Lloyd's pressure, he c
Andrew's calm yet defiant words caused an uproar among the gathered crowd. Michael, seething with anger, was on the verge of losing his temper. Meanwhile, the senior members of Rhodes Corporation exchanged sneering glances. "Andrew, you're just a lowly board member, yet you dare act all high and mighty in front of Mrs. Rhodes? You must have a death wish!" "Exactly. Forget being the fifth board member—do you remember when the third board member, who also chaired the Jayrodale Chamber of Commerce, dared to cross Mrs. Rhodes? He was nearly beaten senseless and left crawling out of here like a worm!" "In the Rhodes family's company, you bow, or you break. And Mrs. Rhodes isn't just the matriarch—her status is leagues above what you could ever understand." Tiana's frosty gaze locked onto Andrew, her presence radiating silent authority. Lauren's face tensed, and she quickly stepped in front of Andrew. "Mom, Mr. Lloyd just recently joined the company. He's not yet familiar with al
Tiana scanned the room, her icy gaze sweeping over the high-ranking executives, and not one of them dared to meet her eyes. "One final matter—effective immediately, I'll take over the position of CEO at Rhodes Corporation," she announced, her tone devoid of emotion. "And if there are any more incompetents like Troy causing chaos, I won't just send them to prison. I'll make sure they're permanently dealt with." Her cold words sent shivers through the room, leaving the executives visibly uneasy. The ones who had aligned themselves with Michael looked particularly pale, their faces betraying their mounting anxiety. Tiana stepping in as CEO spelled doom for Michael, and if he lost power, they knew they would suffer alongside him. Michael's expression darkened as he forced himself to speak. "Aunt Tiana, if you're taking over as CEO… then what happens to me?" Tiana waved dismissively. "You'll return to your previous role as vice CEO and continue overseeing the departments you've b
Lauren tugged lightly on Andrew's sleeve, her voice low and cautious. "Dr. Lloyd, let it go. She despises anyone questioning her decisions." Michael let out a mocking laugh, his tone dripping with disdain. "Andrew, you've got some nerve! Aunt Tiana isn't just the Rhodes family's matriarch; she now holds absolute authority over this corporation. And you think you can strut in here, questioning her with your puny board member title like it's some golden ticket?" The other executives quickly joined in, eager to pile on. "Mr. Lloyd, it was one thing for you to act high and mighty before, but you're out of line speaking this way to Mrs. Rhodes." "Clearly, Mr. Lloyd doesn't grasp Mrs. Rhodes' power. Let me enlighten you—one word from her, and your precious board position is history." "Mrs. Rhodes shouldn't waste her time on this clown. If not for Ms. Rhodes shielding him, who knows how much trouble he'd have caused by now?" Tiana remained calm, her icy demeanor unshaken as her sh
"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