Stephen said, "But Mr. Lloyd, you should know that pharmaceutical-grade precision equipment costs a fortune. Most of it is imported, and a single machine alone could easily cost over 100 million!" Andrew nodded. "The equipment has already been taken care of. Once Ms. Rhodes and I leave, you need to head straight to the factory and inspect it." Stephen blinked in disbelief, thinking he must have misheard. "Mr. Lloyd, what did you just say? The equipment is already handled?" Andrew responded calmly, "Yes. It's done. You'll be dealing with a vice CEO from Wealthroller Investments—a major investor in the pharmaceutical industry. He'll be there to assist you and ensure everything runs smoothly." Stephen froze in shock. "Mr. Lloyd, you actually got someone from Mr. Yates' company involved?" Andrew remained indifferent. "No, I didn't ask for help. I gave an order." Stephen's heart skipped a beat. He was smart enough to stop questioning, but internally, his mind was racing. He wond
Andrew and Lauren wasted no time. After handling everything at Glorious Pharmaceuticals, they rushed back to Rhodes Corporation. On the drive back, Lauren could not hold back her curiosity. She asked hesitantly, "Dr. Lloyd, I know I shouldn't pry, but I still want to ask… Was it Mr. Yates who helped with the machine?" Andrew nodded. "You could say that. I already realized that Stephen's factory, even though it's the best in Jayrodale, isn't all that impressive. To put it bluntly, they couldn't even get a single advanced piece of equipment. So, I gave Marvin a heads-up in advance and had him figure something out." Lauren fell silent for a moment before whispering, "If Mr. Yates helped you like this, there must be a price, right? For example, maybe he wants to use you to take control of Glorious Pharmaceuticals. And from there, he could monopolize Jayrodale's entire pharmaceutical industry. It's not impossible." Andrew glanced at her, surprised. "Lauren, how did you come up with
Lauren's voice was sharp with anger. "Who hit you? Eunice, tell me—who did this to you?" Tears welled up in Eunice's eyes as she shook her head. "Miss, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." Lauren's fury only grew. "I'm asking you—who did this? Tell me, and I promise I'll make sure they pay for it!" Eunice sobbed. "Miss, please don't ask anymore. I don't want to cause you trouble." Just as Lauren was about to explode, Andrew gently pulled her back and reassured her. "Don't get upset. Trust me—I'll make sure Ms. Brooks gets justice." Then, he turned to Marcus. "Mr. Chapman, explain—what happened here?" Marcus let out a sigh before responding. "Ms. Brooks went to the Pharmaceutical Division to get the approval documents, just as you instructed. Michael's lackeys not only refused to process it, but they also ran their mouths and insulted you, Mr. Lloyd. Ms. Brooks couldn't stand it and argued back, but in the end…" Andrew's expression darkened into a cold smirk. "So,
The man in suspenders lifted his chin arrogantly. "Yeah, I hit her. What are you gonna do about it, Mr. Lloyd?" Andrew's expression remained calm. "Why did you hit her?" The man scoffed. "The Pharmaceutical Division belongs to Mr. Rhodes. Some lowly secretary waltzing in here demanding approval documents? Please. Who does she think she is?" Andrew's eyes narrowed. "Since when did the Pharmaceutical Division become Michael's territory? As far as I know, the director here is still Mr. Chapman, isn't it?" The man let out a mocking laugh. "Does it even matter? Mr. Rhodes is about to become the company's CEO. Once that happens, the entire corporation will be his. "And me? I'm the head of sales for the entire Pharmaceutical Division. Just so you know, that two-million-dollar performance boost? That was all my doing! "So, Mr. Lloyd, my advice? Stop wasting your time. Just step aside and quit dreaming about competing with Mr. Rhodes, or you'll end up with nothing but a mess to cle
Michael's lackeys stood there, completely stunned. Then, their shock turned into fury. One shouted, "Andrew, you son of a—" Andrew threw another slap, knocking one of them out cold on the spot. "A low-level manager talking back to his superiors—who gave you the courage to bark like a dog?" Without missing a beat, Andrew turned and slapped another man so hard that a tooth flew out. "You think just because I've been quiet, I'm easy to push around? Let me remind you—I'm a board member, not some sickly kitten. If you cross the line, I will make you regret it." Two more slaps rang out, sending the last two executives flying. "A bunch of nobodies daring to insult a department head, a vice CEO, and a board member. I'll let you off this time, but if any of you try this again, I'll make sure you know exactly what it feels like to be paralyzed from the waist down." Andrew moved fast—too fast. In a matter of seconds, Howard and his four high-ranking colleagues were sprawled across th
Howard was completely terrified, looking at Andrew as if he were some kind of demon. His voice trembled as he stammered, "No… I'm not that impressive. Mr. Lloyd, I was wrong—please, I beg you, let me go!" Tears and snot ran down his face, making him look utterly pathetic. Andrew's tone was ice-cold as he spat, "If begging for mercy worked, then what if I just kill you right now and beg Mrs. Rhodes for forgiveness afterward? Would that make it okay?" Howard's entire body shuddered, and he immediately burst into loud sobs. "No, no, no—Mr. Lloyd, I swear, I was wrong! Please don't kill me; I don't want to die!" The feeling of suffocation just moments ago had taught him a brutal lesson—Andrew was not bluffing. He was the kind of man who would actually do it. Howard had always felt untouchable because of his connection to Tiana. That name alone gave him the confidence to be arrogant, to throw his weight around even as a lowly sales manager. However, none of that mattered when f
Andrew let out a dry chuckle. "Forgiveness? Mrs. Rhodes, I think you're mistaken. I didn't do anything wrong, so why would I need your forgiveness?" Tiana's eyes burned with fury as she pointed at Howard's battered face. "You didn't do anything wrong? Look at him! Do you see what you did? Andrew, don't think that just because Marvin backs you, you can run wild on Rhodes Corporation's turf!" Andrew frowned. "So what you're saying, Mrs. Rhodes, is that I wasn't allowed to hit Howard? Why? Because he's your nephew? Because the Lambert family is untouchable?" Lauren felt a pang of anxiety—Andrew was being far too aggressive with Tiana. Howard was not just another employee; he was part of the Lambert family. At a time like this, it would be better to give Tiana some leeway to de-escalate things. She whispered, "Dr. Lloyd, that's enough." Andrew simply scoffed and glanced at the other lackeys he had beaten down. His voice was laced with disdain. "Listen up—all of you. If you screw
Tiana's voice boomed with authority. "Howard, do you admit to what Mr. Lloyd just said? Did you speak to him disrespectfully?" Howard's eyes darted around as he scrambled for a lie. However, before he could speak, Andrew let out a cold chuckle. "I'd think twice before digging your own grave. Everything you said and did—there are surveillance cameras all over the Pharmaceutical Division." Howard's face turned pale, and he immediately swallowed his words. He quickly changed his tone. "I-I did say some things I shouldn't have, but I—" Before he could finish, Tiana slapped him across the face hard. The impact was so fierce that Howard saw stars, nearly blacking out. Michael stood there, dumbfounded. He could not believe that Tiana was hitting her own family. Even Lauren and Marcus were caught off guard. After all, Tiana had come in looking ready to tear into Andrew, but now she was disciplining her own nephew instead. With blood trickling from his lips, Howard whimpered, "Aunt
With a sickening snap, several bones shattered under Logan's brutal kick, and Archie let out a bloodcurdling scream that made everyone's scalp tingle. "Mr. Keller, please, stop! I'm begging you! I was wrong! I was talking shit! I apologize—I apologize!" Archie flailed on the ground like a dying animal, completely stripped of his earlier arrogance. His body trembled violently, his face twisted in agony, but he did not dare show the slightest bit of temper as he groveled before Logan, crying and pleading. Logan casually strolled over and slapped him twice more across the face, with ruthless, bone-jarring force. Archie's head snapped to the side so hard it almost seemed like his neck would break, and his screams grew even more pitiful. Yet, not a single Hopkins fighter moved to help him. All of them stood frozen, faces pale with fear, too terrified to even breathe loudly. Logan's voice was calm but icy. "Tonight, if Andrew doesn't accept your apology, not a single one of you
"Andy, I'm here!" In the midst of the tense, frozen atmosphere, only Logan and Andrew seemed relaxed, chatting like old friends without a care in the world. Andrew chuckled. "Logan, you're acting way too friendly!" For once, Logan's face flushed slightly red with embarrassment. Truth be told, he and Andrew were not actually that close. However, orders were orders—George had made it clear that they had to secure Andrew's favor no matter what it took. If Andrew did not show much enthusiasm toward the Keller family, then Logan had no choice but to make up for it by being overly enthusiastic himself. "If you don't like it, how about you be the older brother and I'll be the younger one?" Logan's attitude was ridiculously accommodating as if he had no pride left to defend. No matter how awkward it felt, Andrew was someone the Keller family absolutely had to win over. Watching all this unfold, Tiana, Jameson, and the Hopkins crowd were even more stunned. It almost seemed like Loga
By some twisted stroke of luck, Archie's manhood—though bruised and swollen—had not been completely destroyed. While he silently thanked the heavens, his hatred for Tiana grew even deeper. That seductive married woman? He was determined to have her tonight, no matter what it took. Just then, Jerry and a dozen of the Rhodes family's top fighters finally arrived on the scene. Jameson, seeing that his people were in place, narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Mr. Hopkins, you really want to keep pushing this?" Archie let out a twisted laugh. "Mr. Rhodes, your wife hit me. That punk by your side hit me too! Do you really think someone like me, who cares this much about his reputation, is just going to let that go?" Tiana scoffed. "So what if we don't let it go? Mr. Hopkins, you're nothing more than a disgusting maggot. What are you going to do about it?" Archie screamed, his face flushed with rage. "Tiana, you filthy bitch! Do you think you're better than me? Tonight, I'll make
"This way, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Rhodes, Mrs. Rhodes, and Ms. Rhodes—please!" Justin had completely changed his attitude, now grinning with over-the-top enthusiasm. He was practically bowing, a world apart from the snobby arrogance he had shown earlier. Tiana smiled faintly and said, "We'll be dining in the Celestial Suite now. That won't be a problem, right?" The manager nodded so fast it looked painful. "No problem at all, Mrs. Rhodes. Please, right this way!" Jameson patted Andrew's shoulder reassuringly and whispered, "Andy, don't worry. I already called our people. Jerry and the others are on their way." Andrew chuckled lightly. "Mr. Rhodes, there's no need to mobilize the whole family.The Hopkins? I can handle them myself." Jameson shook his head, thinking Andrew was just putting on a brave face. He believed Andrew, being new to Blumedale, could not possibly fend off the Hopkins on his own. Meanwhile, Andrew casually excused himself during dinner to make a quick call to
Everyone could tell Andrew was no ordinary martial artist. After all, he had taken down the Hopkins men like it was nothing. Nonetheless, the fact that he kept going and even dared to lay hands on Archie was pure suicide. "That little bastard is dead meat! Archie's gonna skin him alive!" someone hissed. "Yeah! It's one thing to slap us around, but hitting Mr. Hopkins? Does he think he's untouchable?" "Just wait. This fool's been used like a pawn by Mrs. Rhodes. Once the real Hopkins heavy hitters show up, he's gonna get slaughtered right here at The Palace!" Meanwhile, Archie caught another few brutal slaps from Andrew. Chunks of his thick beard went flying through the air. Archie howled, "You little punk! You've pushed it too far! If I don't kill you tonight, I'll change my damn last name to yours!" Grimacing with rage, Archie pulled out his phone and snarled into it. "I just got attacked at The Palace. Bring the whole crew over—now! "Yeah, you heard me. Tonight, I'm w
The others around them sneered and snickered. "Kid, you're all skin and bones. Do yourself a favor and get lost." Another chimed in, "Mr. Hopkins doesn't even take the entire Rhodes family seriously. What makes you think you stand a chance, you low-level nobody?" "Heh, did you all hear it earlier? Tiana said they are his in-laws. Damn, this kid hit the jackpot. Tiana and her daughter? Both absolute knockouts." One remarked, "No kidding. That lucky punk, I envy him like hell. If it were me, I'd be laughing in my sleep. Bagging a mother-daughter pair? That's the dream, man… pure heaven." A few filthy-mouthed degenerates let loose with their vulgar fantasies, and the air instantly grew more volatile. The tension between both sides was now on the brink of exploding. Tiana let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Looks like Mr. Hopkins isn't the only one talking shit tonight. Some of you have even more sewage coming out of your mouths." She turned to Andrew, her smile sharp as ice. "Come
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
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
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."