Ignoring Aspen's murderous glare, Andrew snorted coldly. "As for you saying that I stood by while you were humiliated at Madblade Martial Academy and didn't come to your aid… Do you even hear yourself? How ridiculous can you be? "Am I your guardian in any way? You get bullied, and I'm supposed to jump in to save you? Sure, fine. Just kneel down right now, acknowledge me as your father, and from today onward, in all of Jayrodale, I, Andrew Lloyd, will have your back!" With a mocking laugh, Andrew stared at Aspen, waiting for her to kneel. It suddenly hit him just how much of a radical feminist she was, expecting him to rescue her when she was in trouble. And if he didn't, she held grudges and sought revenge. Women like Aspen, spoiled beyond belief and incapable of understanding basic decency, were a product of unchecked indulgence. If she didn't deserve a lesson, who did? Aspen's face turned crimson with anger, her teeth clenched. "Fine, Andrew, you're right about
"Get out!"Andrew's cold command cut through the air like a sharp blade, slicing deeply into Christina's heart. The Andrew she once knew had been a gentleman—graceful, mild-mannered, and never raised his voice at her, let alone spoke with such harshness. At that time, she had seen his gentleness as weakness—a lack of masculinity—and had looked down on him because of it. But now, this cold, ruthless Andrew terrified her. For the first time, she realized just how much she missed the softer version of him. "This is outrageous! That little brat actually dared to order those thugs under Dylan to surround us. This insult—our family must settle this score!" On the ride back, Irene fumed, her voice shrill with anger. Leroy's expression was equally dark. "Andrew's gotten too full of himself. He doesn't even respect our family anymore. Christie, you heard him, didn't you? He had the audacity to command you to leave!" Leroy spat, his tone seething with rage. "Does he thin
At Moonlit Apothecary, the members of Madblade Martial Academy bid farewell shortly after the Stevens family left. Rodney let out a long sigh of relief. He hadn't expected Andrew to order Natasha to give Aspen a beating. Seeing her get put in her place was incredibly satisfying.Aspen was no longer someone Rodney could handle. With Gordon around, Rodney knew he wasn't completely out of danger yet. Watching Andrew deal with Aspen was cathartic, but if it had been him, he wouldn't have dared. The fear Gordon instilled in him was too great. For now, he would stay away from Aspen, though the grudge he held burned deeply. After the last guest left, Andrew, Lauren, and Francesca turned and stepped into the apothecary. Francesca began showing Andrew around the various functional areas of the medical center. Originally owned by the Weller family, the building had been one of the largest upscale clubs in Jayrodale. It was vast and luxurious. After its transformation into a med
Andrew held Lauren's delicate hand tightly and said with conviction, "Now, I've found someone I truly care about. Everything in the past is behind me—it's gone for good." Lauren's cheeks flushed red in an instant. With Francesca still present, she felt shy and tried to pull her hand away. But Andrew tightened his grip and gave a gentle tug, pulling Lauren toward him. "Ah!" Lauren exclaimed softly, falling into Andrew's arms. Before she could react, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist, holding her close. A shiver ran through Lauren's body like an electric current, leaving her feeling weak and her ears burning red. She stammered softly, "Dr. Lloyd, y-you… don't do this. Fran is still here. Let go!" Andrew chuckled. "No, I don't want to." Francesca, sitting nearby, felt a pang of discomfort as she watched the two of them so intimately close. Her heart felt hollow and uneasy. Yet at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a wave of embarrassment. She no
Andrew unexpectedly felt a wet sensation on his hand. For a brief moment, a wave of desire threatened to consume him, but just as quickly, his unwavering self-discipline took over, and he stopped himself. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Andrew asked softly, withdrawing his hand and planting a gentle kiss on Lauren's forehead. "You're so annoying!" Lauren pouted, playfully hitting Andrew's chest with her delicate fist. Her legs still felt weak, and a strange sensation lingered in the center of her being—a feeling she'd never experienced before. It was unfamiliar but irresistibly enticing. Andrew chuckled apologetically. "Maybe it's because I finally let go of some old emotional baggage. I couldn't help myself. If you weren't ready, I wouldn't have done anything to push you." Lauren's heart swelled with joy. Andrew's desire for her, his willingness to claim her entirely, meant that she was now the only woman in his heart. The shadow of the past—her rival, Christ
If anyone doubted the possibility of someone having such a great talent for flipping skirts and tugging stockings, there was only one answer: Andrew Lloyd, the Dragon Prince of the Lloyd family, could do anything! The Moonlit Apothecary had finally quieted down. Andrew glanced at the sky, deciding against reopening for the day. Shutting the grand doors, he prepared to head back to the Moonlit Sanctuary. "Dr. Lloyd! Thank goodness you're still here. I wouldn't have known where to find you otherwise!" A young boy, out of breath, rushed up to the doors of the medical center. Spotting Andrew, his face lit up with relief. Andrew studied the boy and asked, "Who are you? Do you need something?" The boy, no older than thirteen or fourteen, looked sharp and clever. He quickly responded, "Dr. Lloyd, sir, I'm from the Aicker family. I'm Dr. Aicker's youngest apprentice, and Francesca is my senior." Andrew nodded in realization, smiling. "Ah, so you're Fran's junior. What's
Simon's expression turned dark. "Do you think I wanted this? If I didn't trick you into drinking this Enthralling Essence, would you ever willingly give yourself to me?" Before Francesca could respond, Simon's face twisted with rage as he shouted, "No! Your heart is full of that Andrew Lloyd, that useless pretty boy!" "I just don't get it," he continued, his voice filled with frustration. "Compared to me, your childhood companion, what is Andrew anyway? He's nothing but a pathetic excuse for a man!" Francesca swallowed hard, her throat burning as if flames were licking up from within her. She was wearing a cropped white T-shirt and tight jeans, but under the effects of the Enthralling Essence, she felt an uncontrollable urge to remove her clothes. Yet, in the last moments of clarity, her rational mind forced her to stop. "Andrew would never stoop to your level, doing something so vile and disgusting to his own junior! And now that you've hurt my grandfather, Simon, I swear I'll
Simon retorted with disdain, "What right do I have? It's because I, Simon Gaal, managed to get rid of this useless trash all by myself! "He's nothing but a sweet-talker and pretty face who won over the hearts of young women like Fran and Lauren. Even a hundred Andrews wouldn't be a match for a real man like me!" Simon scoffed and laughed aloud. "As for the so-called skills in medicine that you and Fran claim he has, it's all because of your personal bias toward him that you're willing to make those unbelievable claims! How can a youngster like Andrew achieve anything at his age? Even if he started studying medicine from the moment he was conceived in his mother's womb, it's still far from enough. "Meanwhile, I grew up in a conducive environment since I was a kid and learned in various medical fields. Furthermore, I have learned from the forbidden techniques in your secret chamber. Before me, Andrew is nothing but a bug. He should thank his lucky stars he's not here right now. If
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
Andrew was sitting on the lawn outside Serenity Villa, watching the crew from The Sovereign Residences repair his home. After the attack last night, it was a miracle the place was still standing—if the villa had not been built to the highest security standards, it would have been reduced to nothing but ash and rubble by the Srovika Federation mercenaries. Felix Daughtry, the security captain from The Sovereign Residences, a semi-martial king-level fighter, walked over with a grim expression and reported, "Mr. Lloyd, Serenity Villa took quite a hit. Full restoration might be difficult." Andrew glanced at him and said coldly, "I want it restored exactly as it was, and not just that—The Sovereign Residences will need to compensate me for all damages, including emotional distress. If that's too much, then I don't want the house anymore. I'll go to the press and let the world know just how useless your brand really is." Felix's face darkened, turning almost pitch black with anger. H
Since the night before, Xavier had been fully suited in military attire, standing vigilant and sleepless. He gripped a massive broadsword, and when the butler spoke, his voice was ice-cold. "Don't worry. Andarov won't fail me. That bastard Andrew is as good as dead." Though those were his words, doubt lingered in Xavier's mind. After all, Andarov never took this long to finish a kill. Nonetheless, the sun was rising—he should be back any minute now. Andarov, commander of the Blood Wolf Mercenaries, was ruthless and battle-hardened. Xavier met him while stationed overseas, and after several missions together, they became close allies. "With the entire Blood Wolf squad under him, it doesn't matter if Andrew has bodyguards. He won't last five minutes," Xavier sneered, confident. He was already planning the next steps—hold Seth's memorial as soon as Andarov returned, then introduce him to Luna to score even more clout. Having a famous international mercenary as a personal friend? E
At the Golding family estate, Elon exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you just say? Black Wolf is dead?" The butler, face tight with unease, replied, "Yes, sir. Early this morning, his body was found dumped in the sewer. The cause of death matched the last group of assassins perfectly. There's no doubt that it was Andrew who killed him." Elon's expression darkened instantly. "Even Black Wolf failed and ended up dead? Andrew... you've clearly been hiding more strength than we thought." The butler nodded gravely. "Sir, that man is definitely not some pawn on the board. Not only is Black Wolf gone, but the Srovika Federation mercenary commander the Haywoods brought in also died at Serenity Villa." Elon gasped. "Even Xavier's overseas hitman got wiped out? Are you absolutely sure?" The old butler's brow twitched. "Completely sure. This morning, both bodies—Black Wolf and the mercenary captain—were found side by side in the sewer on Blumedale's main street." Elon clenched his ja
On the ground, Black Wolf writhed in pain, howling in disbelief. He finally understood why that last squad of heavily armed mercenaries had vanished without a trace after storming Serenity Villa. This place was not just a house—it was a damn death trap. "Who sent you to kill me?" Andrew asked calmly as he twirled the dagger Black Wolf had dropped. Pinned down by Natasha and Dylan, Black Wolf was drenched in sweat, his shattered legs leaving him gasping in agony. He growled, "Why the hell should I tell you? You should know exactly who you've pissed off. Even if I'm in your hands, kid, if you lay a finger on me, the consequences—" Andrew did not let him finish. Instead, he drove the blade straight into Black Wolf's chest. Whatever threat Black Wolf was about to spit out died on his tongue. His eyes bulged in shock before his head slumped to the side—dead. "If you didn't have the sense to act like a prisoner, then I did you a favor and sent you straight to hell. Next time, try
Aspen could not help leaning closer to see what Andrew was doing. To her surprise, his breathing was steady—he was already asleep. She stared at him, both amused and annoyed as she thought, 'I'm lying right next to him, and he still manages to fall asleep? Am I not attractive enough? Or does this guy just not find me worth the effort?' That split second of realization triggered an unexpected wave of disappointment and frustration in her. … Meanwhile, outside Serenity Villa, a black figure moved silently across the ruined outer wall, climbing with inhuman ease. It was Black Wolf—Elon's secret weapon, a top-tier assassin with a reputation to match. A matte-finished blade dangled from his lips as he surveyed the building, swiftly memorizing the layout of the damaged villa. He was not alone. At least a dozen other men hid in the dark, surrounding the perimeter and lying in wait. Nonetheless, they were not predators, at least not to him. He scoffed, thinking, 'They're the bait,
Through the second half of the night, Serenity Villa remained eerily quiet. Chantelle stepped out from her lookout post and announced, "Looks like no one else is coming tonight. Everyone should get some rest." Andrew stopped her. "Hold up. You all stay on watch—I'll go rest." Chantelle narrowed her eyes. "Are you giving me orders like I'm your subordinate?" Andrew responded calmly, "Not at all. I just want to isolate myself and draw the next assassin in alone." Chantelle frowned. "So, you're planning to be alone in a room and give the assassin a shot at you? You're using yourself as bait?" Andrew replied, "Exactly. One mercenary commander from the Srovika Federation is dead, but with the Haywoods and Goldings both after my head, there's no way they'd just send one decent hitter and be done." Chantelle nodded. "That… makes sense. But you're injured. What happens if something unexpected comes up? Can you really handle it?" Before Andrew could answer, Aspen blurted, "It's