MasukShare
Chapter 533
Bab terkait
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 534
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.
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 535
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 536
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 537
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 538
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 539
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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 540
Michael warned through gritted teeth, "Andrew, Aunt Tiana is gracious enough to let this slide, but you'd better watch your mouth. The first time might be luck, but the second time? Even if she spares you, I certainly won't." Andrew glanced at him with a faint smirk and said, "Michael, you're no longer the CEO, so stop pretending to be someone important in front of me. Let's face it, you're just a washed-up vice CEO now, only capable of managing a few departments. As a board member, I answer to the company, not you." Michael's face turned crimson with anger, but he could not find a rebuttal. Stripped of his CEO title, he no longer had the authority to give Andrew orders. Ignoring Michael's silent fury, Andrew turned his attention to Tiana and said firmly, "Troy made mistakes and deserves to be held accountable. But throwing him into prison at the drop of a hat makes the Rhodes family seem cold and ruthless. After years of loyalty, handling him this way feels unnecessarily harsh a
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 541
Andrew smiled faintly and said, "Mrs. Rhodes, your wisdom is admirable. Allow me to elaborate further on what it truly means to uphold fairness and justice with clear rewards and punishments." "First," Andrew continued, "the punishment for Michael is far too lenient. Given the gravity of his mistake, there's no need for further deliberation—he should be immediately reassigned to a lower department. Making him a department manager or supervisor would suffice. Letting him keep a supervisory role is already plenty generous." Michael's anger flared, barely restrained. He felt as though Andrew was stabbing him in the heart. A department manager or supervisor? That was a massive demotion, pushing him miles away from ever reaching the CEO position. The audacity of Andrew to suggest such a punishment felt like a public flogging. Tiana, with a cold sneer, interjected, "You've spoken about punishments. Now, isn't it time to talk about the rewards you think are warranted?" Andrew, unfazed
Bab terbaru
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
