Lauren hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Since you overheard it, I might as well tell you everything. Joe is the young master of Blumedale's Driscoll family. He's also the most outstanding talent among their generation." She explained, "The Rhodes family originated from Jayrodale but moved to Blumedale to expand. I've only met Joe twice, and after that, he declared he was in love with me and swore he would marry me no matter what. "This news spread quickly within Blumedale's social circles. Later, the Driscoll family formally came to the Rhodes family to propose marriage." Lauren's voice faltered slightly as her expression dimmed for a moment. "It was absurd to me, but my parents and the elders didn't object at all. They were overjoyed and accepted the proposal without hesitation." Andrew spoke softly, sensing her struggle. "So, you're caught in a tough spot, aren't you? On one side, there's me; on the other, there's your parents and your family. If you choose me, you'll
Natasha's mood finally improved after the compliment. She crossed her arms and smirked. "Of course! I never half-ass anything I do. That being said, I have no interest in running a pasta shop. "Unless, of course, the owner is a certain coward who likes to stare but doesn't have the guts to act. Then, I might consider retiring and settling down with him!" Andrew's face darkened. "And who exactly are you calling a coward?" "You!" Natasha shot back without hesitation, even puffing out her chest to taunt him. Andrew immediately raised a white flag. "Okay, fine. You're right about everything. Can we drop this and get to business now?" Natasha ground her teeth in frustration. "Andrew, don't forget—there's something you promised me, and I haven't forgotten!" Andrew feigned ignorance. "Oh? What promise? I don't remember agreeing to anything." Natasha leaned in close, almost biting his ear, her voice cold yet playful. "You promised to make me your woman. Don't even try to deny it
Andrew nodded thoughtfully and said, "It's not guaranteed that conflict will happen, but planning ahead is always smart. Here's what I propose—we allocate some operational funds from both West End and South City to procure a selection of rare medicinal herbs." Natasha raised a brow in surprise. "Medicinal herbs? What are you planning? Making more medicines?" Andrew chuckled and shook his head. "Not quite. I'm going to prepare a special solution to help warriors refine their bodies, strengthen their muscles, and boost their physical capabilities. This formula could significantly enhance the strength of your people in West End and South City." Natasha blinked in shock before her eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait a second! Are you talking about the kind of concoction that only elite families use to train their personal guards?" "Something like that," Andrew said calmly. "Except mine will be even more effective than what those upper-class families use." Natasha practically glowe
"Mr. Lloyd, I get that Natasha can warm your bed, but you can't just openly play favorites," Dylan complained, obviously dissatisfied. "West End's got it good, but don't you dare turn a blind eye to South City. We deserve our share too!" It was clear from Dylan's tone that he was here to shamelessly demand the same special formula for his crew. Natasha chuckled seductively and said, "Dylan, please, how can you even compare yourself to me? I'm always on call for my darling, ready to make sure he's satisfied in every way—so satisfied that he's too blissed out to get out of bed the next morning." She narrowed her eyes teasingly. "And you? You're just a roughneck who knows nothing but fighting. Can you offer what I can?" Dylan snorted. "True enough. That thing between your legs is famous for locking a man's soul right out of his body. I can't compete with that. But just because I can't doesn't mean South City doesn't have its own perks. If Mr. Lloyd needs, I can arrange premium '
With a single strike of his bare hand, Andrew shattered the marble table into pieces. Both underground leaders, Natasha and Dylan, froze as their eyes widened in shock. The thought of that level of force hitting a human body was terrifying—organs would be crushed on impact. Even Natasha, who was slightly stronger than Dylan, felt a nervous tension building in her chest. Andrew's display of power far surpassed her capabilities, and the fear coursing through her was palpable. Dylan, on the other hand, could barely maintain his composure. He knew that if Andrew truly wanted to discipline him, he would be shaking in his boots. "What's wrong with you two? Are you part monkey, needing to fight whenever you meet? Or maybe you're like dogs—biting each other just to feel better?" Andrew sneered coldly, his gaze sharp. Dylan remained silent, too scared to speak. Natasha, however, quickly adopted a submissive tone. "Darling, don't be mad. I know I was wrong." Andrew gave her a frosty l
Natasha's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she huffed, "You didn't have to yell at me or give me that terrifying look. Do you have any idea how scary you were just now?" Andrew sighed in defeat. "Alright, I was being scary. So tell me—what can I do to make it up to you?" "Just leave!" Natasha snapped. "If you need something, just give me orders, but I don't want to see you again." "Really?" Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Really!" Natasha replied icily. Andrew reached into his pocket and pulled out a fragrant pill. He casually placed it in his palm and smiled. "Well, since you don't want to see me anymore, I guess I'll just have to enjoy these little treasures by myself." Natasha's eyes sparkled with greed as she rushed forward in a flash, snatching the pill from his hand. "You don't know what to do with it? Easy—I'll take care of it for you! In fact, give me all of them!" Andrew smirked. "Didn't you just say you didn't want anything to do with me?" Natasha flushed slight
Just then, another message from Francesca came through. [Andrew, I want to sleep with you!] She was not being coy anymore—just cutting straight to the point. Andrew sighed and replied with two simple words, [Goodnight, Fran.] Yet, Francesca was not giving up so easily. [I can't sleep. Talk to me for a bit!] Andrew chose to ignore the message, knowing full well how dangerous late-night conversations with her could be. If he responded, there was a good chance she would show up at his place. And if that happened, he was not sure how much temptation he could resist. Just then, another message popped up. [Andrew, you jerk! What's with the silent treatment? Are you really gonna ditch me after getting what you wanted?] Francesca texted, clearly annoyed. Andrew groaned and typed back quickly. [Fran, it's not what you think!] [Oh, please,] she retorted. [I may have been a bit out of it that night, but my body doesn't lie. You took my virginity, Andrew! You stole my first time!]
After getting ready, Andrew headed to Rhodes Corporation. On the way, he tried calling Francesca, but the line was busy. He called a few more times with the same result and quickly realized she had probably blocked him out of spite. Knowing her temperament, Andrew figured she was just sulking and would get over it soon. He decided not to dwell on it any further. "Mr. Lloyd, I've been waiting here for you!" Marcus greeted Andrew with a wide smile the moment he arrived. Andrew smiled back. "Mr. Chapman, you seem to be in a great mood today. What's the good news?" Marcus chuckled knowingly. "Don't tell me you forgot! I mentioned yesterday that I wanted to take you out for some relaxation—a small thank-you for all the help you've given me." Andrew laughed. "Sounds good to me! Let's go. Let me just tell Lauren real quick." "No need," Marcus said with a wink. "I've already informed the vice CEO on your behalf." Andrew raised an eyebrow, surprised by Marcus' thoughtfulness. With
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