Dylan, Natasha, Silas, and even Cedric watched Andrew with strange expressions. They were all waiting to see if he would take up on Aspen's offer. Rodney looked downright disappointed. He thought it was a shame. After all, Aspen might be nothing but trouble, but there was nothing to complain about her beauty. Especially those long, toned legs—he had lost count of how many times he had fantasized about wrapping them around himself. Nonetheless, it was clear that this prime piece of meat was no longer on the menu for him. Seeing that Andrew still had not responded, Aspen thought that maybe he was not satisfied. She quickly wiped her tears, smoothed out her clothes, and forced a sweet smile. "If you think there are too many people here watching, and it makes things inconvenient, I can… I can go to a hotel with you right now." As long as Andrew was willing to spare the Bridgefields Stevens family, she did not care about anything else. If she had to become his personal plaything,
Since resistance was futile, there was no choice but to submit. Zephyr said, "Aspen, I swear I'll find a way to get you out of this hellhole!" Leaving behind that one sentence, he led the Bridgefields Stevens family out of Jayrodale in a state of utter defeat. Aspen watched their retreating figures, silent tears slipping down her face. As long as her sacrifice could ensure her family's survival, then it was worth it. Andrew glanced around. "That's enough. Let's head back." Without another word, he stepped out of the Stevens mansion doors. Christina clenched her teeth. "Andrew, what exactly do you plan to do with Aspen?" Andrew did not even turn his head. "I haven't decided yet, but it depends on how she behaves. If she's useless, I'll sell her off abroad and let fate decide the rest." Aspen, trailing behind him, turned even paler. Right now, she was nothing more than Andrew's property. If he decided to ship her off, she would have no choice but to accept it. As they lef
From behind, Irene shouted angrily, "Aspen, what the hell do you mean by that? What do you mean by 'silent cruelty'? Compared to you—selling yourself to Andrew like a cheap whore—Christie is a thousand times more dignified than you!" Aspen paused, turned around, and smiled as if she had not even heard Irene's insults. She replied, "I'm starting to see why Andrew despises Christie, why he won't accept her anymore. It's because she's really… nothing special." She continued, "You don't deserve Andrew, Christina. You're not even close to Lauren and Francesca." Shaking her head slightly, Aspen turned away and walked off without looking back. Christina's once-composed expression darkened instantly. She had tried to use the Bridgefields Stevens family to crush Andrew and destroy him completely. Yet, in the end, she was the one who lost—completely and utterly. Moreover, Aspen had seen right through her. Irene fumed, practically shaking with rage. "That little bitch! How dare she bl
In the end, Christina grew frustrated and snapped, "Mom, stop talking. I already have a headache, and all this talk isn't going to change anything!" Irene pouted. "I'm just worried! Now that the main family won't back us anymore, and that little bitch Aspen has completely cut ties with us! The Stevens family has no one left to rely on! If that bastard Harvey comes back to torment us, what should we do then?" Leroy thought for a moment, then suddenly brightened. "Christie! Isn't Finley, the Moore family heir, still in contact with you? Back when Aspen was around, we had an alliance with him, didn't we?" He asked, "Why don't we reach out to him now? With his ties to Hidden Dragons, he could be the perfect shield for our family!" Irene's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's right—there's still Finley! The leader of Hidden Dragons is his granduncle. Also, he fancies you, right? Christie, think about it—if you can win over Finley, the Stevens family will officially have Hidden Dragons as our b
Christina said calmly, "I would never sell my body in exchange for wealth and status. But you and Mom aren't wrong—Finley is someone I can take advantage of. Aspen is useless now, so I'll be the one to take over this alliance with Finley." Irene beamed with excitement. "Then what are we waiting for? Christie, call him right now and invite him over for dinner. I'll cook a feast myself—we have to treat him well!" Christina hesitated. "Inviting him to the house might not be the best idea. I think it'd be better to meet at a restaurant instead." Irene quickly objected, "A restaurant? That won't show enough sincerity! Think about it, Christie. If we invite Finley to our home, it sends a message that we value him. Once he's in a good mood, he'll be much easier to manipulate!" Leroy chimed in, "Exactly, Christie! Have him come over—I can drink with him too. As long as we keep him happy, you won't even have to sacrifice yourself. We can just use Finley's influence as our family's safet
Aspen had no say in how Andrew would treat her or what he planned to do with her. She could not run, nor did she dare harbor even the slightest thought of rebellion against him. As long as the Stevens family in Bridgefields still existed, she had no choice but to bow her head. Otherwise, any reckless move on her part could spark Andrew's wrath, and with just one command, her entire family would be wiped out. Not long after, Natasha returned. She noticed Aspen standing there, her face flushed with frustration, and asked in surprise, "Aspen, why are you just standing there? Sit down and rest for a bit." She added, "Like it or not, you're kinda one of us now. Even though I have to keep an eye on you so you don't steal my man, I can't help but feel a little bad for you." Aspen clenched her jaw and stiffly replied, "No need!" She would have loved to sit down, but a certain petty bastard clearly did not see her as human. Natasha glanced at Aspen, noting the barely contained anger
After being violated by Rodney, Aspen developed a deep-seated hatred for men. It had worsened over time, turning into something almost pathological. She could not stand being near any man, let alone strip in front of hundreds of West End's men to serve them. Andrew looked at her, his expression cold and indifferent. "Take it off. Or, I'll personally take you to see how the Stevens family in Bridgefields is wiped out. You know better than anyone that erasing your family would be effortless for me." Aspen let out a bitter laugh. "Andrew, you're ruthless. Fine, I'll do it." Due to her recklessness, the Stevens family had nearly faced complete destruction. Now that they had barely escaped the jaws of death, she would never let them fall into ruin again. With trembling fingers, she unbuttoned her blouse and slowly slipped it off, revealing her smooth skin. Natasha watched with amusement. "I have to admit, her body and skin are flawless. Darling, are you sure you don't want to ta
Andrew leaped onto the center of the ring and motioned to two burly men wielding long blades. "Attack me with everything you've got. If either of you so much as grazes the hem of my shirt, you win. I'll personally reward you with a pill that guarantees you entry into the senior grandmaster level." The two men's eyes lit up with excitement, and they turned to Natasha, awaiting her command. Natasha frowned slightly and looked at Andrew. "Darling, are you sure you want to fight two at once? They're armed, and the blades are razor-sharp—one misstep, and you'll be bleeding. You're unarmed. This is dangerous." Andrew stood motionless, his gaze fixed ahead. "It's fine. Let's go." Without hesitation, Natasha gave the order. "Do as Mr. Lloyd says!" Still, she kept a close watch, ready to call off the fight at any moment. Aspen secretly hoped that one wrong move would lead to these two swordsmen cutting Andrew down. That would be true justice. With two loud shouts, the men charged, s
It felt to Tiana like she had fallen into a vast, unfamiliar net—one she had never experienced before. She was sinking, drifting, wanting to break free. Yet, she was addicted to the thrill of it all. All these conflicting emotions passed through her in the blink of an eye, though they were layered and complex. Meanwhile, Andrew was completely unaware of the chaotic thoughts swirling inside her. To him, this was just another straightforward medical procedure. He was careful and respectful. He only touched what he had to, avoiding sensitive areas entirely. As a doctor, Andrew had no sense of guilt about what he was doing. Illness knew no gender; treatment was treatment. That was how he saw it. Whether others saw it the same way was not his concern. He calmly explained, "Stimulating your pressure points with needles and smoothing the meridians with massage helped your condition today. "But in the end, to restore proper balance, you'll still need a medicinal remedy to regulate
Tiana flinched, both shocked and furious, but she had no chance of dodging him. Under Andrew's hand, she did not stand a chance. However, the loud smack that followed was not across her face—it landed squarely on a pressure point along her waist. A wave of sharp pain shot through her body like a crashing tide. She gasped, "Ah… Andrew, you… stop, that hurts…" A strange moan escaped her lips, echoing awkwardly in the quiet room. Andrew muttered under his breath, cursing her madness. Without wasting time, he lifted her up and laid her down across the bed. Tiana stared up at him in disbelief, her eyes wide—until he pulled out a slim, metallic object. A gleaming golden acupuncture needle. "Mrs. Rhodes, your speech is erratic, your energy's spiking. I'll give you a few needles to stabilize your condition," Andrew said calmly. With that, he plunged the first needle into a targeted spot on her body. Tiana's breath hitched as her lips parted, and her reaction was a mix of pai
"If you called me here just to ask something this ridiculous, Mrs. Rhodes, then I'll be going now," Andrew said flatly as he turned toward the door. He did not dare stay a second longer, worried Tiana might start acting crazy like she did last time. If things spiraled out of control and someone like Jameson walked in on them, not even a hundred confessions could clear his name. "Stop right there!" Tiana snapped, her brows raised in defiance. "What's the matter? Are you that scared of being alone with me?" Andrew paused and looked back, his brows still tightly furrowed. "Mrs. Rhodes, you and I both know this isn't appropriate." Tiana stepped forward with a graceful sway, a trace of perfume trailing in her wake as she stopped right beside him. Her lips curled in a playful smile. "What's not appropriate? Can't a mother-in-law spend a little one-on-one time with her future son-in-law?" Andrew fell silent, exasperated. "You said you weren't feeling well. If you need help, I'll tak
Andrew finally paid a visit to the Rhodes family. "Andy, you're here! Come in, have a seat," Jameson greeted warmly, his tone unusually enthusiastic. The way he looked at Andrew was not just the admiration of a family elder—it was the hopeful gaze of someone eyeing a perfect son-in-law. Lauren giggled behind her hand. "Andrew, you've become quite the welcome guest around here. Everyone in the Rhodes family is thrilled you came." Andrew glanced around casually and noticed several of the Rhodes family's core members smiling and nodding in greeting. A few girls around Lauren's age were sneaking glances his way, their cheeks tinged pink. Cecelia, the youngest among them, blurted out, "Andrew, when are you marrying Lauren?" Andrew laughed and replied, "Anytime works for me." Cecelia clapped her hands excitedly. "Great! Let's do the wedding today and the honeymoon tonight!" Jameson's eyes widened. "Cece! Stop saying nonsense!" His youngest daughter was a wild one—always blu
Logan nodded and smiled. "Andrew's medical skills really are rare. Medicine is a deep and complex field, and among the younger generation in Blumedale, hardly anyone has any decent understanding of it. "Even top talents like Joe Driscoll or Luna Phelan from the three major families are focused on martial arts. When it comes to healing, there's nothing to talk about." George beamed. "What makes Andrew truly special is that he's not only exceptional in medicine, but his martial prowess is also extraordinary. Just the fact that he's survived the joint manhunt from two powerful families already tells me he's not to be underestimated." Logan frowned. "There's a rumor going around that Andrew survived only because someone powerful is secretly protecting him." George scoffed. "That's just idle gossip from nobodies parroting what they hear. If Andrew were weak, no amount of backing could keep him alive. Logan, remember this—life throws us many challenges, but there's one hurdle you mus
Elon's face turned red from the scolding, and he muttered bitterly, "I mean, I might not be great, but I'm still better than Andrew, right? Are you really saying that in your eyes, your own son is worth less than that guy?" Richard let out a cold snort. "You really care about comparing yourself to him? Fine then—do you want the truth or a lie?" Elon shrank back at his father's sarcastic smile and mumbled, "The lie… I guess." Richard scoffed, "Alright. If it's lies you want, then sure—you're way more promising than Andrew. That guy doesn't even deserve to be compared to you." Elon's face twitched. He wanted to laugh, but the words tasted bitter in his mouth. The lie was that he was better than Andrew. But the truth? The truth was that compared to Andrew, he was absolutely nothing. The more he thought about it, the more he realized—either way, he came up short. So what was the point in choosing? He silently cursed, 'Damn it!' Richard folded his hands behind his back, his
"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