Bernard felt a chill running down his spine when he saw Andrew appear, as he realized that this man might actually be capable of curing Mark's condition. Andrew completely ignored the ongoing debate outside and proceeded to take out his silver needles, working swiftly to target several major pressure points around Mark's body. Cedric watched intently from the side, hoping to learn something from Andrew's technique. 'Such masterful needlework! He instantly identified Mr. Thatcher's condition and acted without hesitation. This young man truly has the skills of a legendary healer,' he thought to himself, his desire to become Andrew's apprentice growing stronger with each passing moment. After a few minutes of Andrew's treatment, Mark regained consciousness. "There are two conflicting energies remaining in Mr. Thatcher's body," Andrew explained while continuing the treatment. "If I'm not mistaken, this was caused by an attack from a martial arts master, and based on how deepl
Andrew chuckled. "This is nothing to me!" Then, he pressed his palm against Mark's main pressure points while his right hand swiftly inserted three silver needles with a skillful flick. Instantly, two distinct energies surged from Mark's body. He winced in pain but soon let out a deep breath, feeling an incredible lightness. "Is it over already?" Mark asked Andrew in disbelief. "Yes, it's done," Andrew replied with a smile. Mark stared at Andrew intently and stated, "What remained in my body was energy left by a grandmaster. An ordinary person would be completely destroyed just by touching it, yet you handled it without breaking a sweat. If I'm not mistaken, you must be a martial arts master yourself?" Instead of answering directly, Andrew simply smiled and said, "Mr. Thatcher, you should rest now. I'll write two prescriptions, and with two months of recovery, you'll be completely healed." After leaving the prescriptions, Andrew walked out of the room. Immediately, Laure
The invited guests would undoubtedly receive Mark's favor and shower of gratitude. Even after all his scheming, Harvey had absolutely nothing to show for it, which left him seething with frustration. What angered him most was Andrew, that loser, somehow managed to steal his spotlight. He was supposed to be Jayrodale's golden boy, the rising star of the younger generation destined for greatness. Harvey growled through gritted teeth, "Andrew, you've stolen my thunder one too many times. Just wait—I'll find a way to take you down!" Burning with anger and resentment, he stormed out of the Thatcher residence. Just then, Christina called and asked, "Harvey, how's Mr. Thatcher doing?" Harvey forced a laugh, trying to keep his voice steady as he replied, "Everything's fine now. He's cured." Christina exclaimed in surprise, "That's wonderful news! But who managed to heal him? Was it Dr. Aicker, the one you invited?" "Of course," Harvey lied smoothly, not showing an ounce of sh
Mark was a man of his word and immediately ordered someone to fetch the Seventh-Heaven Quince for Andrew. Puzzled, Cedric could not help but ask, "Dr. Lloyd, Seventh-Heaven Quince is known to be highly toxic. What do you plan to do with it?" Andrew replied casually, "Alchemy." Cedric's eyes widened in shock. "Dr. Lloyd, you practice alchemy?" Andrew smiled modestly. "I know a thing or two." "What's so special about this alchemy you're discussing?" Mark asked, his curiosity piqued. Cedric explained with reverence, "Mr. Thatcher, alchemy is an ancient sacred art passed down through generations of master healers. In certain traditions, it's known as the art of creating elixirs. By combining various rare ingredients and following secret formulas, one can create miraculous medicine. Take the medicinal pills from Mistveil Peak, for instance. They're legendary throughout Etharia for their powerful effects and are worth a fortune!" Mark stared at Andrew in amazement. "Mr. Lloyd,
After leaving the mayor's mansion, Cedric rushed home with obvious excitement. Lauren turned to Andrew with a knowing smile and explained, "The Aicker family's business isn't huge, and their reputation mainly comes from Mr. Aicker's medical expertise." "It seems Mr. Aicker is ready to make his big move and capitalize on this opportunity," she added thoughtfully. Andrew nodded in understanding. "It's definitely a golden opportunity." Mark had essentially handed both the Rhodes and Aicker families a silver platter of opportunities, and even a fool could see what a precious chance this was. Lauren gazed at Andrew intently. "Dr. Lloyd, Mr. Aicker and I both benefited because of you. While Mr. Thatcher has good relationships with our families, he wouldn't normally hand out opportunities like this so freely. I really need to thank you properly." Andrew recognized that Mark had shared this privileged information solely out of respect for him. Nonetheless, he simply smiled and sai
Lauren pouted as she glared at Andrew and whispered shyly, "Dr. Lloyd, we haven't even established a relationship yet, so touching is definitely… inappropriate," She thought momentarily and added, "However, if you really want to, we could… maybe share a kiss?" It was Andrew's turn to be flustered. He never expected Lauren to say something so bold, especially with that soft, bashful expression. Andrew had always regarded Lauren as a confident and outspoken woman. Hence, her delicate demeanor and shy, alluring gaze completely stunned him. She looked like a gentle, elegant beauty straight out of a painting. For a moment, Andrew felt his heart skip a beat. Just as the atmosphere grew thick with tension, Andrew's phone rang, abruptly breaking the moment. Lauren covered her mouth, giggling softly. "Go ahead and take your call, Dr. Lloyd. I'm in no hurry!" When Andrew answered, Christina's cold voice came through. "Mr. Lloyd, do you remember what we discussed before? Please com
Nelson's eyes gleamed with lust as he pointed to the chair beneath him. "You don't need Stevens Corporation to shoulder anything. Just spread those beautiful legs and take a seat right here, Ms. Stevens. How about it?" Christina's face darkened immediately. "Mr. O'Connor, what exactly do you mean by this?" "Isn't it obvious? You want the loan, and I want to sleep with you in return," Nelson stated bluntly, dropping all pretense of professionalism. "You're shameless!" Christina growled in anger. Nelson sneered and leaned back, patting his thighs as he mocked her. "Let's not kid ourselves, Christina. You're the one coming to me for help, not the other way around. I've wanted to see what Jayrodale's 'Ice Queen' is really like for years now." His tone turned cruder as he continued, "Let me have my fun tonight, and I'll approve the funds. You'll walk out of here with everything you came for." "You disgusting pig!" Christina cursed at him and turned to leave. How
Blood dripped from the corner of Christina's mouth, and panic gripped her heart. She was alone in Nelson's office, and no one could hear her cries for help. Tears streamed down her face as fear overwhelmed her. In that critical moment, she did not think of her fiance, Harvey. Surprisingly, it was Andrew instead. Suddenly, the office door crashed open with a thunderous bang. Both Christina and Nelson turned in shock as Andrew strode in with a cold expression. Without hesitation, Andrew delivered a powerful kick to Nelson's chest, sending his heavy frame flying backward into his desk with a loud thud. Christina stood frozen, her eyes wide as she stared at Andrew's swift and powerful move. "W-What are you doing here?" she stammered, the red mark on her face still stinging. Andrew's eyes were ice-cold. "Ms. Stevens, did you forget? You called me over." "No, I mean... h-how did you get past security?" she stuttered. "That's not important right now," Andrew snapped. "What we
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."
Lauren said, "Funny thing, Andrew—you probably don't know this, but my mom's been all about dressing up lately. For the longest time, I only ever saw her in simple outfits. She never really cared about appearances. "But now, she's all glammed up and polished! If you didn't know better, you'd think she was dating someone!" Andrew did not know how to respond, so he stayed quiet. He had a pretty good idea why Tiana suddenly started caring about her looks. It was probably because his presence reminded her of her first love—his father. Even though he was not the man himself, they were still father and son. Much like Aspen, Tiana clearly had something not quite right going on in her head. Only someone like her could project her feelings for a man onto his son. Nonetheless, no matter how he looked at it, Andrew just could not shake the weirdness of it all. After all, this woman was supposed to be his future mother-in-law, and yet, she was just a little off. Not that Tiana acted c
"Andrew, my mom didn't give you a hard time, did she?" Lauren asked as they stepped into the Rhodes residence's front parlor. She had noticed right away that Andrew did not look so great. "It's fine. Your mother was… gracious enough," Andrew said with a small smile. There was no need to bring up Tiana's moment of madness—it was better buried. Jameson chuckled. "Andy, sorry to trouble you again! But today wasn't just about getting your help with her condition." Lauren beamed. "That's right, Andrew. Now that you're part of the family, you're not an outsider anymore. So, Dad planned a little family dinner. We thought we'd introduce you to some people too, help you make some connections around Blumedale." Jameson added, "Exactly! And I heard from Lauren that you've been looking for some rare medicinal herbs. Well, turns out, I know some folks who might be holding on to a few." Andrew nodded thoughtfully. "I am looking for rare herbs, that's true. But as for opening doors, Mr.
Truthfully, Tiana was by far the most challenging woman Andrew had ever dealt with. He could not hit her or offend her. To make things worse, she was Lauren's mother and Jameson's wife. No matter what insanity she pulled, Andrew could not actually do anything to her. Seeing Andrew so obviously trapped, Tiana felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. She chuckled smugly. "Andrew, you're the Dragon Prince of the Lloyds. There's no way I could ever win against you—not in a million years. "But you lost the moment you started dating my daughter. I'm your mother-in-law. That means I can mess with you, tease you, and you won't be able to lift a finger." Andrew replied evenly, "You're right—I can't fight you. But if I can't win, I can still walk away." Tiana waved her hand. "Alright, alright. Let's stop arguing. Just promise me one thing—what happened here today stays between us. Lauren can never find out." Andrew let out a dry laugh. "You're only worried about Lauren? What ab
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