Shiloh nodded. "Fine, I'll give you some leeway. But I act based on my mood. If I'm in a bad mood, even you won't be spared." Andrew raised his hands in surrender and chuckled nervously, saying, "Whatever you say. So please, make sure to stay in a great mood!" Lauren was drowning in work, her stress levels through the roof. However, the moment she saw Andrew walk in, she immediately brightened up and was about to greet him with a kiss. Then, her gaze shifted, and she spotted Shiloh standing behind him. She asked, "Dr. Lloyd, is this the wellness guru, Ms. Shiloh Greene?" Lauren, all warmth and enthusiasm, stepped forward with a bright smile and extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Lauren Rhodes, Dr. Lloyd's girlfriend." Shiloh reached out and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Rhodes." Andrew noticed something odd—Shiloh did not seem nearly as distant with Lauren as she had with everyone else. That made him curious. "Shiloh, you seem to like Lauren, don't you?" Shiloh answe
Lauren assured him, "Don't worry, I'll get it done!" Andrew turned to Shiloh and asked, "As for where you'll stay… I have no idea where to put you. How about I just buy you a place?" Shiloh immediately shook her head. "No way! City housing prices are insane. I checked online, and in Jayrodale, it's over 15 grand per square foot. I'm not buying!" Andrew laughed. "Relax, I'll pay for it. You can just live there for free!" Shiloh shook her head even harder. "That's even worse! I don't like owing people!" Andrew felt a headache coming on. "Didn't you just make 20 million? Use your own money to buy a place." Shiloh's eyes burned with outrage. "Absolutely not! I just earned a fortune, and the first thing you want me to do is dump it into real estate? Mr. Lloyd, you've got capitalism running through your veins. Evil, evil, big bad energy—do you get that?" Andrew just stared at her, speechless. He had no counter for that. Meanwhile, Lauren could not hold it in anymore. She doub
Jamie gasped and immediately shouted for his men to stop. He stepped forward, and what he saw made his scalp tingle—curled up inside the trunk was a man so battered and bloodied that his face was completely unrecognizable. The man was barely clinging to consciousness, struggling to breathe. Jamie asked, "Sir, who are you? And why are you in Mr. Lloyd's car?" He kept his weapon pointed at the man, his tone sharp. "Where's the wild boar? Mr. Lloyd said he brought one back—did you let it escape?" Michael was already half-dead, barely holding on to his sanity. During the ride, he had vomited every last drop of fluid in his stomach, nearly passing out from exhaustion. When the trunk finally opened, he had been ecstatic, thinking he was finally free. Yet, before he could even take a breath, he was met with a brutal, merciless beating—one so bad that he nearly pissed himself. His hatred for Andrew burned so deep it could have swallowed him whole. He clutched his head and let out
Christina said flatly, "Let's grab a bite first. We can deal with everything else after. Andrew is even taking the people I set my sights on now. Fine. If he wants to force my hand, then I have no choice but to go against him." Aspen hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Christie, have you considered that maybe Andrew really isn't on the same level as us anymore?" Failing time and time again, getting crushed by Andrew repeatedly—it had shattered Aspen's once-proud and confident heart. Whenever she faced him, she found herself losing the drive to compete. Instead, she just wanted to keep her distance. Aspen did not want to admit it, but deep down, she knew she was scared of him now. Christina's voice was icy. "No. I don't think he's that impressive. I'll admit, he's changed. He's become more powerful and holds much more influence now. But I'll never bow to him. I'll prove to him that if he can thrive, I can do even better." Aspen parted her lips, about to say something when
Christina gritted her teeth, refusing to say a word. She hated the idea that anyone could think she was beneath Andrew. Deep down, there was a dark, bitter part of her that would never accept that he was doing better than her. After all, admitting it would mean that leaving him had been a monumental mistake—one of the dumbest decisions she had ever made. Christina was too proud to ever acknowledge that. Even if she said it out loud, she would never truly believe it in her heart. Tiana scoffed. "Forget it. I only said all that because I found you incredibly irritating. But I'm actually here for Aspen." As she spoke, her icy gaze shifted to Aspen. Aspen, already trembling, started shaking even harder. She stammered, "M-Mrs. Rhodes, what can I do for you?" Tiana took two slow steps forward, her smile sharp and merciless. "I never expected the Stevens family to produce someone like you, nor did I think Zephyr would raise such a thieving daughter!" Aspen swallowed her anger an
Tiana said coldly, "And these last two are from Rhodes Corporation. Aspen, do you have any idea how much damage you've caused? Because of you, Rhodes Pharmaceutical has taken hit after hit. We're barely hanging on! "Now get lost. Go back to Bridgefields, and don't ever set foot in Jayrodale again. Otherwise, if I'm ever in a bad mood, I'll make sure to slap you every time I see you!" Exuding pure dominance, Tiana let out a disdainful scoff before turning on her heel and walking away with her entourage. Aspen collapsed to the ground like a pile of broken rubble. Her whole body trembled as tears streamed down her face. The pain was unbearable—not just physically, but mentally. "W-why… why did it come to this?" she choked out. "Why, of all people, is it me? First, Andrew torments me, and now Tiana! Why?" She lay there, shoulders shaking violently as sobs racked her body. Tiana had completely destroyed her face, but that was not the worst part—the worst part was that her spirit w
The following day, the morning light streamed through the windows as Andrew woke up feeling completely refreshed. Beside him, a delicate figure lay curled up beneath the sheets, her porcelain skin bearing faint traces of last night's intensity. A soft murmur broke the silence as Francesca stirred awake. She turned her head, meeting Andrew's amused gaze, and immediately pouted in frustration. She grumbled, "You're unbelievable. You kept me up all night again! Look at me—bruises everywhere! Ugh, Andrew, can't you be a little gentler?" Andrew feigned innocence. "Hey, don't blame me! I was being gentle. But you were the one insisting halfway through that I go harder. And honestly, with how easily you bruise, I was holding back." Francesca's face turned beet red as she clenched the sheets. "Y-You're lying! I never said that! You're an absolute jerk!" Andrew casually got dressed and got out of bed, saying nonchalantly, "You were the one asking me to go harder last night, you know t
"Be good. I'll make us breakfast—get dressed and come eat." Andrew's voice was warm as he pointed to his cheek, waiting expectantly. Francesca's round face was still flushed pink. Seeing his playful gesture, she let out an exasperated huff, pursing her lips as if she were reluctant. Even so, she leaned in and pressed a light kiss against his skin. Andrew grinned. "That's more like it." Francesca shot him an annoyed glare, but he only chuckled before leaving the bedroom. When he first moved into the secluded hilltop villa of Moonlit Sanctuary, he had found the place too big, too empty. However, with Francesca occasionally staying over, the once-lonely space felt pretty good. Actually, scratch that—it felt pretty damn amazing. A house without a woman was not much of a home, after all. A proper balance between men and women made life way more enjoyable. Andrew had never considered himself the kind of man who got carried away with romance, but Francesca and Lauren were not jus
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