Lauren giggled and said, "Dr. Lloyd, you silly man, you can't even figure out something as obvious as a girl's feelings. I'm not explaining it to you—see you at the medical center later." With that, she hung up. Andrew thought for a moment. Why was Francesca upset? Could it have something to do with Simon? But that didn't seem right. Francesca had mentioned before that Simon had come to terms with her decision and had even offered his blessings. After mulling it over, Andrew decided to call Francesca. "Fran, I'd like to thank you and Lauren for taking care of everything for the medical center. After the opening ceremony, let me treat you to dinner." Francesca's tone was lackluster, almost lethargic. "There's no need, Andrew. I helped you willingly. You don't have to take me out." Andrew chuckled. "Fran, you don't sound well. Are you feeling sick?" Francesca responded softly, her voice subdued. "Yes, I'm sick—very sick." Andrew frowned. "You're a doct
From Natasha's tone, it seemed like she was even more excited about the medical center's opening than Andrew himself. Andrew chuckled. "It's just a small medical center, nothing as grand as you're imagining. Don't forget to bring your people from West End. Think of it as giving everyone a day off!" Natasha laughed, covering her mouth. "Are you sure you want all of them there? That's several hundred, close to a thousand people. Do you even have space for everyone?" Andrew grinned. "I'm your boss, after all. If I can't even arrange seats for my people, what kind of leader would I be?" Natasha teased, "No way, my darling isn't that incompetent. Alright, I'll let Dylan know, pick out a fitting opening gift for you, and then bring everyone over." Andrew quickly interjected. "No gifts, really. Don't make it too formal. Just come by and join the fun." Natasha huffed. "That won't do. You're our boss, and proper respect must be shown. I'm not just picking any gift—I'm go
Meanwhile, at Rhodes Corporation. Lauren checked the time. There were still two hours until the grand opening of the medical center. "I'll head to the Pharmaceutical Division first and hand over the two formulas Dr. Lloyd gave me to Mr. Chapman. Then I'll head to the medical center," she muttered to herself. With her plan set, Lauren made her way to the Pharmaceutical Division. Marcus greeted her with a smile. "Ms. Rhodes, what brings you here personally?" Lauren replied, "Let's talk in your office." Marcus immediately realized this must be important and promptly invited her in. Lauren wasted no time, pulling out two sheets of paper and handing them to Marcus with great care. "Mr. Chapman, these are from Dr. Lloyd. The value of these two formulas far exceeds the three we previously lost. In fact, you could say that all the research and development achieved by Rhodes Pharmaceutical over the past decades doesn't even compare to just one of these formulas."
Michael grinned smugly. "Of course! In front of Mr. Eslinger, even the renowned Dr. Aicker must step aside. Whether it's medical skill or the art of poison, Mr. Eslinger is unparalleled!" Bane ignored Marcus entirely, addressing Tiana instead. "Mrs. Rhodes, you know the price of engaging my services isn't small." Tiana smiled graciously. "Mr. Eslinger, as a highly regarded disciple of the Advanced Medical Institute and a true master of medicine, any price is well worth it." Bane laughed heartily, clearly pleased with her flattery. With an air of arrogance, he said, "Since you've spoken so kindly, consider it done. "Give me at most a month—or as little as ten days—and I will deliver two top-tier formulas to Rhodes Pharmaceutical. They'll restore your department's reputation and bring in immense profits!" Marcus was stunned. "Ten days to develop formulas? That seems impossible!" Bane cast him a disdainful glance and sneered. "The mysteries and prowess of someone lik
Lauren felt indignant and wanted to say more, but Tiana's cold voice cut her off. "Enough. Mr. Eslinger is a specially appointed consultant for the Pharmaceutical Division. He is the foundation of Rhodes Corporation's efforts to regain a foothold in the medical market and strengthen our competitiveness. "From today onward, Marcus, all resources of the Pharmaceutical Division are to be fully allocated to Mr. Eslinger!" Marcus glanced at Lauren and said gravely, "But Mrs. Rhodes, Ms. Rhodes also needs the Pharmaceutical Division's resources. Dr. Lloyd is fully supporting her and will be developing new formulas. If all resources are given to Mr. Eslinger, it could impact this competition." Although Andrew had already provided formulas, Marcus wasn't foolish. He knew it was wiser to keep things understated for now. The formulas Andrew had given were too valuable—rare ancient formulas, nearly unheard of. Making them public prematurely could lead to serious consequences. Tiana
Christina glanced at Aspen and asked, "Are you heading out for something important, Aspen?" Aspen smirked coldly. "Haven't you noticed the commotion in Jayrodale today, Christina?" Christina frowned. "Are you referring to the opening ceremony of Andrew's medical center?" Aspen's tone turned icy. "Exactly. Since early this morning, people have been hyping it up, making a big scene in the streets, as if they're desperate for attention. He's celebrating his grand opening, right? Well, I'm in a good mood—I'll head over and turn it into a grand closing!" Christina shook her head with a hint of disdain. "Aspen, it's just some low-level marketing. Why even bother paying attention to it? Andrew has the backing of Lauren, Francesca, and, apparently, even Marvin now. So yes, his career is starting to gain traction, and he finally managed to open a medical center of his own. "But at the end of the day, it's just a small medical center—a place for treating patients and making s
The name of Andrew's new medical center was "Moonlit Apothecary". The moment Andrew saw the sign, he could not help but chuckle and ask Francesca, "Fran, how did you and Lauren come up with such a name?" Francesca replied as if it were obvious, "Because it's fitting and perfect!" Andrew sighed and shook his head. "Fitting? Don't you think this name is a little too pretentious, like it's asking for trouble?" Though Andrew was not a low-key person by any means, even he found the name a bit too showy for a medical center. Francesca laughed, unfazed. "It's fine, Andrew. Everyone knows how exceptional your skills are," she said confidently. Cedric, standing nearby, chimed in with a grin. "Dr. Lloyd, you absolutely deserve a name like this. You're a miracle doctor, after all!" Before Andrew could respond, a cold chuckle interrupted the moment. Simon, Cedric's senior disciple, spoke up with a hint of sarcasm. He said, "That's right, Dr. Lloyd. A name like this is tailor-made f
In Simon's eyes, Andrew was nothing more than someone trying to show off beyond his means. The presence of Natasha and Dylan at the grand opening of "Moonlit Apothecary" surely came at a hefty price. To him, it was clear—Andrew had spent a fortune just to get these big shots to show up and boost his event. Without the money, Simon believed they would not even glance in Andrew's direction. Feeling like he had figured everything out, Simon grew more dismissive, even letting out a cold laugh. However, his smirk faded when he saw the Rhodes family delegation arrive, led by Tiana herself, a woman with a legendary reputation. If that was not shocking enough, Simon's jaw dropped further as Jayrodale's mayor, Mark, stepped out of his car with his secretary, grinning warmly, he walked over to congratulate Andrew. "Unbelievable," Simon muttered to himself, his jealousy and frustration rising. "Have these big shots really stooped so low to show up here for Andrew? Don't they care about
"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