Francesca let out a startled yelp, nearly swerving the car straight into the manmade lake. "Okay, okay! I'll head home tonight—I won't go to your place! Seriously, though… Mrs. Rhodes takes control freak to a whole new level." In the end, the two went their separate ways. After dropping Andrew off, Francesca drove back to her own place. The person trailing them immediately called Tiana to report, "Ma'am, they both went home separately. Nothing suspicious happened." Tiana scoffed and waved them off. "Hah! And here I thought he was some player. That brat probably wouldn't even have the guts, even if Francesca threw herself at him. Men… A bunch of damn cowards." … Meanwhile, Jameson was already sprawled on the bed, lazily reaching out to pull Tiana into his arms. "Tiana, my love, the night is young, and we have important business to take care of!" Tiana yanked herself free with a sharp snort. "Get lost. I'm not sleeping with you tonight. At dinner, what did you call me again
Elon returned to the Golding family estate in Blumedale, far ahead of Michael and Kenny. He had taken a helicopter directly, desperate to save his own life. As soon as he burst through the door, he shouted frantically, "Golden juice! Get me the golden juice, now!" His wife, Sherilyn, looked at him in confusion. She asked, "Honey, why are you back so early? Where are Dad and Michael?" Elon snapped at her, his tone sharp and impatient. "Are you deaf? I told you to get me the golden juice! Your dad and that cursed brother of yours, Michael, didn't come back with me!" His face was dark with anger and fear. Sherilyn was clearly puzzled. "What's golden juice? I don't even know what that is. How am I supposed to get it for you?" Elon's expression turned even darker. He threatened, "If you don't know what it is, you can just ask the doctor! I'm telling you, I was forced to take a Bone-Rotting Elixir because of Michael. If something happens to me, your whole family is going to pa
Sherilyn's lips trembled as she spoke. "If even you were forced to take a poison pill, then what about my dad and Michael? Are they in worse shape?" Elon smirked, almost enjoying her distress. "Your dad's fine. He just got slapped around a bit. But Michael? Oh, he's in bad shape. Rumor has it he lost his manhood and was beaten half to death." Sherilyn exploded in anger. "I don't care what it takes, Elon. You have to make things right for my dad and Michael. I want that Andrew bastard to come to Blumedale and kneel before the Rhodes family as a slave! I want him skinned alive!" Elon snorted, unimpressed. "I'll deal with that punk, but not right now." Just as Kaden walked in, holding a bowl of steaming liquid, his face covered with a mask. Then, he announced, "Mr. Golding, the golden juice is ready!" Almost immediately, both Elon and Sherilyn gagged, their faces twisting in disgust. Elon covered his nose, shouting, "Get that away from me! What the hell is that? It smells like c
"Ugh, Elon! It was bad enough that you ate it yourself, but you dragged me into this too? Are you out of your mind?" Sherilyn's screech echoed through the entire Golding family estate, sharp enough to make ears ring. Kaden was not far behind in reaction, though he fared slightly better—mostly because he had kept his face covered. Elon clutched his stomach with a dead look in his eyes like his soul was halfway out of his body. He had never eaten feces before, and now that he had, it was worse than anything he could have imagined. Before drinking it, he tried to comfort himself with all kinds of thoughts and rationalizations. He remembered hearing a so-called expert once claim that while feces smelled awful, it did not actually taste that bad. In fact, the guy claimed it had a surprisingly unique flavor. That ridiculous idea was the only thing that gave Elon the courage to gulp down the golden broth in one go. Yet, the miserable truth hit hard—feces did not just smell horrible, i
"If I didn't eat it, the Bone-Rotting Elixir in my system would've killed me the moment it kicked in!" Elon looked absolutely miserable as he tried to explain himself in front of Richard. However, Richard was beyond furious—he stormed forward, ready to slap Elon across the face. The moment he got close, though, a wave of stench hit him like a brick wall, and he nearly passed out on the spot. "What kind of crap did you eat? Why does it smell this god-awful?" Richard was genuinely shocked. He jumped back immediately, and whatever urge he had to discipline his son evaporated. Now, all he wanted was to stay as far away as possible. He had smelled poop before—he was no stranger to it. Yet, whatever was coming off Elon's mouth and body was enough to knock someone out cold. He wondered if this was some sort of premium-grade crap. Mosby calmly said, "Human waste is already one of the filthiest substances out there, and when it's boiled down into golden juice, it only gets worse." E
Meanwhile, in Jayrodale. Andrew had no idea that Elon had actually gone and seriously drank the golden juice. Bone-Rotting Elixir was a deadly poison, sure—but Andrew did not carry that kind of thing around. At the time, he had just bluffed and slipped Elon a random pill to scare him. What he did not expect was that Elon would really eat crap. Early that morning, his phone buzzed with a call from Aspen, who rang in from Blumedale with a voice full of shock. "Andrew, you're unbelievable! Did you seriously kill Michael?" Andrew calmly munched on his breakfast and replied, "You already know the answer to that. So what's the point of asking me?" Aspen paused for a beat, then snapped, "Do you realize Kenny and the entire Golding family are absolutely losing it right now? Kenny's in the middle of Michael's funeral, and he swore you'll crawl to Michael's grave and kneel until your knees bleed!" Andrew let out a cold laugh. "Well, that wish is probably gonna stay a wish. Because i
"We'll tag-team you and drain you dry!" Francesca teased with a smirk. Andrew waved her off, signaling it was time to get serious. "Lauren and her parents headed back to Blumedale, right?" Francesca nodded. "Yeah, they left early this morning to attend Michael's funeral." She hesitated before asking, "Andrew, was Michael's death really your doing?" Andrew could read her like a book. She was softening, clearly having second thoughts. However, Andrew was not the type to show mercy—not to someone like Michael, who had practically written his own death sentence. "If I said it wasn't me, would you believe me?" he replied calmly, deflecting the question. Francesca smiled faintly. "It doesn't matter. Whatever you say, I'll believe it. You say the word, and I'll follow it." Andrew chuckled. "That's my girl. Then tonight, wash up and be ready for me on time." Francesca had not expected the conversation to take that sharp of a turn and blushed furiously. "Pervert! No way!" Af
Andrew said, "But you'd better drop that thought… because the consequences will be brutal." Reuben froze for a second—then burst into loud, mocking laughter. "You've got some nerve, kid! Really putting on a show, huh? You clearly didn't hear Phantom Eye the first time. I'm a guest elder of the Golding family in Blumedale, a semi-martial king! And you're threatening me?" To Reuben, Andrew was just some punk—someone he could crush with one hand if he wanted. He did not take him seriously in the slightest. Phantom Eye chimed in from the side, "Reuben, if this kid's acting this cocky, it probably means that crazy woman is still nearby. You might wanna hold off, or this could get ugly fast." Reuben snorted. "Even if she is, I'm not scared of her. As long as I grab this kid, I don't believe she'd dare make a move." The words had barely left his mouth before he lunged forward, charging straight at Andrew. A wicked grin spread across his face. "You walked right into this. Don't bla
"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
Tiana had already been urging Andrew to make a trip to the Rhodes residence. With his current matters finally settled, Andrew made his way there. … Meanwhile, back at the Haywood residence, the funeral was underway. The place was shrouded in white—the last rites for Seth. It should have been a major event, but the atmosphere among the Haywoods was lifeless. No one looked remotely interested, and many of the younger members were outright slacking off, hiding in corners, smoking, drinking, and chatting. Someone whispered, "Xavier's the eldest son of the Haywoods and a damn colonel in the military, yet he couldn't even bring back Andrew's head? What a letdown." Another chimed in, "No kidding. Seth got taken out like that, which is a direct slap to the Haywoods' face." "Honestly, I've never seen our family this humiliated. Xavier even said he'd kill Andrew within three days or take his own life. Big talk for someone who came back empty-handed…" After just a few gulps of alco
Aspen and Chantelle both gasped in disbelief. They could not believe that Andrew had just toyed with Luna like she was some puppy. He offered her a treat, dangled it right in front of her face, and then yanked it back when she reached for it. Anyone with an ounce of pride would have snapped—and Luna Phelan was not just anyone. "Playing games on a razor's edge… Andrew, I'll be watching," Luna said coldly. "I'll watch how you destroy yourself." Her expression turned colder than it had been even when confronting Xavier.With one sharp step, she kicked up a gust of wind and vanished into the air. It was a clear sign that she was not just leaving, she was unleashing her fury. "That footwork was terrifying," Chantelle muttered. Even Aspen looked shaken. "Keep acting like this, Andrew, and someone's gonna hack you into pieces one day!" Chantelle snapped. After one last angry glare, she stormed off too. Aspen did not have quite the same fire in her. This demon of a man was hear
Luna turned around, clearly reluctant to even look at Andrew, and said flatly, "I can save you once, maybe even twice—but not a third time. To be precise, the only reason I stepped in at all was because you've done favors for the Phelans… and for Marvin. "But next time? Your life or death will have nothing to do with me. So, here's my advice—tone it down. This is Blumedale, not Jayrodale. You could show off back there, and no one cared, but here? Power and politics clash every second. Dying young might be the only fate you're headed for." Andrew frowned. "Luna, are you sick or something? Did I ask you to save me?" That one line did not just offend Luna—it also lit a fire in Chantelle. "Andrew, what the hell is wrong with you? General Phelan just saved your damn life. You didn't even say thank you, and now you're blaming her? Are you even a man?" She was speechless, thinking the guy was seriously unbelievable. Andrew shot her a cold glare. "Shut your mouth. No one asked for
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