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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1023
"Starting trouble at Aroma Exchange? Do you have a death wish?" A sharp, commanding voice sliced through the room. Striding in at the center of a group of men in fitted black suits was a tall woman in a crimson designer dress, a lit cigarette delicately balanced between her fingers. Her wavy hair and cold expression made her presence impossible to ignore. Behind her, the men stood like trained operatives—buzz cuts, sharp eyes, and temple veins slightly bulging—the kind of guys you just knew were professionals. Seth pointed at Andrew and barked, "Ms. Sinclair, I know the restaurant's rules! But I'm not the one who started anything—it was him, this crazy bastard! Just look at me! He beat me like an animal!" Ruth Sinclair's gaze darkened as she turned toward Andrew. "So you're the one who smashed Mr. Haywood's head open?" Before Andrew could respond, Aspen stepped in. "Ms. Sinclair, we were just having dinner when Seth barged into our private room and disrupted everything. As pe
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1024
Ruth turned her head slightly, voice sharp and cool. "Mr. Haywood, is it true—what Ms. Aspen said? Did you barge in and stir things up first?" Seth growled, "I only said a few words. I never crossed the line! But that lunatic just snapped and attacked me out of nowhere! Ms. Sinclair, the Haywoods and your establishment have always had a good relationship. You have to stand up for me!" Aspen quickly countered, "Ms. Sinclair, that's not how it happened at all! He came into our private suite without permission and kept throwing insults at Andrew, calling him names over and over again. If you don't believe me, check the surveillance footage!" Seth sneered coldly. "Aspen, everything I did—I did for you. I was trying to save you from this nightmare, and this is how you repay me?" Aspen scoffed. "Mr. Haywood, are you really going to pretend your intentions were noble? Let's be honest—you had your own motives. I've told you before, I'm not one of those starry-eyed girls who fall for a
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1025
"Let's go! What the hell are you doing? Move!" Aspen was so pale she looked like she might pass out, and she shoved Andrew hard—twice. She could not understand why he was being so reckless. Why could he not lower his ego and let this slide? After all, this was not Jayrodale. This was the capital, a place crawling with power players and hidden sharks. Even Seth had the sense to shut up, and back down in front of Ruth, yet Andrew was still out here picking a fight. Was he trying to get them killed? Andrew suddenly pulled her into his arms, his gaze sharp and cold. He said flatly, "Don't worry. I've got you tonight. If anything happens to you, I'll make sure this trash excuse of a restaurant gets wiped off the map." Aspen's mind went completely blank, and her body went numb. They were in trouble—deep, terrifying trouble. Ruth let out a slow, furious laugh and snapped, "You've got a sharp mouth for someone so young! Do you really think you're untouchable? One word from me, an
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1026
Some guests watched on with smug amusement. Ruth bit down her rage and gave a chilling command to the man at her side. "Wait until they finish their meal and leave the restaurant. I want that punk's tongue." With that, she turned and walked away, the contempt on her face thick enough to cut through glass. What a joke—he actually thought he could touch her? Ruth was beautiful, yes, but she was also powerful. In a place like this, people did not just treat her with courtesy—they treated her with reverence. No one had ever dared to say something so disrespectful to her, and the reason was simple. Behind her stood a monster of a man, a silent force that kept Aroma Exchange untouchable. He was the one who made this restaurant sacred ground. … Back in the private suite, the food was served again, freshly plated. A new bottle of Celestial Reserve had also been opened. Andrew ate happily, completely unbothered. Meanwhile, Aspen sat stiff as a board, her face pale and tense, an
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1027
Ruth was breathless, her chest rising and falling rapidly from the long-haired man's teasing touch. Still, she looked thrilled. After punching his chest a few times in mock protest, she giggled and purred, "You're the one who made the restaurant rules, remember? No violence on the premises. If we go after that punk now, aren't we just ruining our own reputation?" The long-haired man scoffed. "Those rules were made for others to follow, not me." Ruth laughed seductively, pressing her chest against him with a flirtatious smirk as they linked arms and headed downstairs. The moment they appeared, every guest in the restaurant stood up, rushing to greet them respectfully. The long-haired man returned each nod with a warm smile, walking with effortless dominance, radiating presence. Ruth, however, wore a wicked smile. Now that her man was involved, that little punk Andrew? He was dead meat. Someone exclaimed, "Look, look! Mr. Fischer's heading toward the private room! That kid's
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1028
"Zac! Do it! What are you waiting for?!" Ruth shrieked, stamping her heel in a fury. Without a word, Zachary raised his hand and slapped her across the face hard. The force sent Ruth flying, blood trickling from the corner of her lips. Stunned, she clutched her cheek and stared at him in disbelief like she had just seen a ghost. "Why… Why the hell did you hit me?" she stammered. Around them, everyone froze in place. They all could not believe what had just happened, and they could not help but wonder if it was a mistake. After all, they all thought Andrew was the one who should have been hit. Andrew stared at Zachary, shocked. Then, he let out a low, amused laugh. He certainly had not expected to see a familiar face, of all things. Meanwhile, Zachary shuddered. From the moment Andrew had stepped into the light, he had been frozen, like some spell had locked his limbs in place. His legs were shaking as he stammered, "C-Captain, is it really you?" Andrew's lips curled int
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1029
"Ms. Stevens, please have a seat," Zachary said warmly. Aspen was caught off guard but quickly sat beside Andrew, feeling like she had entered a surreal dream. Never in her life had she imagined someone like Zachary Fischer—a living legend in the southern martial arts world—would personally invite her to sit. "Ruth, go grab the two vintage bottles I've been saving," Zachary added, turning to her with a tone that left no room for negotiation. "Tonight, I'm going all out for Mr. Lloyd." Ruth's face tightened with resentment. Why was her man, always so powerful and untouchable, suddenly acting like a bootlicker? However, when Zachary's icy gaze locked onto her, she shuddered and hurried off to obey without another word. Andrew chuckled, clearly amused. "Zac, you're living large these days. And your woman? Man, she carries herself like she the damn queen." Zachary forced a bitter smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Lloyd. Ruth's gotten spoiled by me. I'll discipline her better going forward
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1030
Zachary let out a cold snort. "You better make sure there isn't a next time. Everyone seated here has earned their place—except you. You're just a cheap nobody who doesn't belong at this table." He added, "Get on your knees and pour drinks for Mr. Lloyd and Ms. Stevens." Ruth stared at him in disbelief. Was he seriously asking her to kneel now, all for Andrew? Was he really worth this level of humiliation? Ultimately, she gritted her teeth and dropped to her knees like a servant—silently pouring drinks as ordered. Aspen watched, wanting to say something but stopped herself. She could not help but shoot Andrew a look, annoyed he had not said a word to stop it. Letting someone kneel like that was seriously inhumane. However, Andrew just sipped his drink quietly, as if he had not seen anything. He had no intention of stepping in—not after how Ruth had acted earlier. If anything, this was just karma being served cold. Zachary downed half his glass and looked across the table
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Chapter 1152
Natasha joked, "Aspen, of all times, you could've walked out, you just had to pick the moment I was getting cozy with my darling. You're not jealous, are you? Trying to ruin the mood on purpose?" Aspen let out a cold laugh. "Madam Vostokoff, you're overthinking it. If you two want to flirt or even start going at it right here, it has nothing to do with me. If you think I was interrupting, then I apologize. I'll leave right now so you two can carry on." Natasha chuckled. "Come on now, Snow Queen, we're all on the same side here. I was just teasing. Don't take it to heart." The icy look on Aspen's face finally faded a little. "I'm heading out. A small firm is requesting investment from Supreme Capital Group, so I'm going to check them out and see if they're worth our time." She threw that out to Andrew with zero warmth, then strutted off, her hips swaying confidently as she left Serenity Villa. Andrew immediately instructed Dylan's crew to follow and keep her safe. Natasha sc
Chapter 1151
Dylan and Natasha arrived in Blumedale the same night Andrew's orders were sent back to Jayrodale. They were accompanied by none other than the semi-martial king himself—Reuben. "Mr. Lloyd, that opportunity you mentioned… the one that could set me free—what is it exactly?" Reuben asked eagerly the moment he saw Andrew. Andrew waved his hand and said, "No rush. I haven't figured it out yet, but it won't be long." Reuben held back his excitement and simply nodded, saying nothing more. The more time he spent around Andrew, the more he realized just how unfathomable this man truly was. Back when he followed Elon to storm Jayrodale, he had been taught a brutal lesson. Now, there was not a shred of resentment left in him—only fear and awe. After all, a man who dared to kill a direct descendant of the Haywoods would have no problem ending him with a snap of his fingers. Reuben had only martial skills but no powerful family backing him—if Andrew ever wanted him dead, he would not la
Chapter 1150
For Quinton, it had never been just about sleeping with Christina. What excited him more was the thrill—the thrill of a top-tier predator closing in on an ice-cold beauty. To him, conquering a woman like Christina would stroke his ego and validate his inflated sense of self-worth. Unfortunately for him, Christina never felt even a flicker of attraction toward him. At best, they could be called business allies—or to put it bluntly, she only saw him as a temporary tool. Quinton wanted power, possession, dominance. Meanwhile, Christina only wanted leverage—specifically, to use him and his connections to push the Stevens Corporation into Blumedale. … Over at the Goldings family estate, word of the Haywoods' bounty hit hard. Both Richard and Elon were momentarily stunned when they heard. "This kid really doesn't know when to stop," Richard growled. "Now he's provoked the Haywoods and even left a body behind. He's practically asking for death! He's so arrogant that it's disgusti
Chapter 1149
The Haywoods' bounty order exploded across Blumedale like a thunderclap. Someone exclaimed, "Holy hell—two elite families teaming up to hunt down one man? Who the hell is this Andrew guy?" Another chimed in, "The Goldings offered 300 million, and now the Haywoods are throwing in half a billion. That's 800 million in total. I mean, damn—if I were an assassin, I'd be tempted!" "With both families issuing kill orders? No way Andrew makes it past today." … Elsewhere, Quinton wasted no time finding Christina and her family. "Christie," he said, barely hiding his glee, "things are about to get interesting. Andrew just caused a major disaster!" He looked positively thrilled at the news. Christina's tone remained cold. "I heard. I really don't know where he got the nerve to kill Seth. That's just ridiculous of him." Irene was playing with a new bracelet, her eyes gleaming as she casually said, "Who cares? Andrew's been arrogant long enough. Finally, someone's putting him in hi
Chapter 1148
Aspen said, "You're the one who killed Seth. The Haywoods are going to target you first—so you'd better leave now while you still can!" Andrew said nothing. Instead, he walked toward her slowly, one step at a time. Aspen frowned and instinctively took a step back. The space between them was too close for comfort, and it made her uneasy. However, Andrew did not stop—he kept moving in, ignoring her resistance entirely. Aspen soon found herself backed up against the wall. Her expression turned cold as she snapped, "What are you doing?" Andrew leaned in, towering over her. "Aspen, something's off with you." "What are you talking about?" "You are… worried about my safety, aren't you?" Aspen shoved him hard, her face flushing as she barked, "I wasn't joking just now! If you're not taking this seriously, then just forget I said anything!" Her heart was pounding. For a second, she thought Andrew was going to kiss her. If he had, she would have bitten his tongue off without hes
Chapter 1147
Andrew could not figure Aspen out, wondering what the hell was wrong with her now. He had just told her she could go, and she still looked upset. Andrew shook his head and stopped thinking about it. Instead, He pulled out his phone and made a call back to Jayrodale. "Gather your men and head to Blumedale immediately. And bring Reuben with you. Tell him—if he wants his freedom, I can offer him a way out." Reuben Davis was that semi–martial king Elon had once brought to Jayrodale. Under Andrew's control, the man had been training Dylan and Natasha in martial arts. Andrew did not know how the Haywoods would react to Seth's death, but he did not care. No matter what move they made, he would not back down. It was time to bring his core team into Blumedale. If these powerful families wanted to raise the stakes, he would play right along. Suddenly, his phone rang again. Andrew glanced at the caller ID and looked mildly surprised—it was Tiana. "Mrs. Rhodes, what can I do for you?"
Chapter 1146
Chantelle said with a smirk. "The moment he found out something happened to you, the look on his face could've scared someone to death." Aspen froze for a second, her heart thumping wildly as she glanced at Andrew walking just ahead. She could not help but wonder if Andrew actually cared whether she lived or died. Chantelle gave a half-smile, half-sigh. "Mr. Lloyd sure seems emotionally invested in you, Ms. Stevens. But, if you don't mind me overstepping—there's something off in your head." Aspen blinked. "Excuse me? Ms. Garcia, what do you mean by that?" Chantelle chuckled softly. "I majored in psychology, both undergrad and grad school. Even with just a little observation, I'd say you're showing classic signs of Stockholm syndrome." Aspen's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Chantelle studied her with a piercing gaze. "And I can tell you're an intelligent woman. You know you're getting deeper and deeper emotionally involved. But deep down… you don't actually want
Chapter 1145
"Y-You actually dared to kill someone?" Chantelle stormed up to Andrew, her chest heaving with rage as she shouted, "You do know that murder is a crime, right?" Andrew replied flatly, "Then go ahead and arrest me. But you saw it too—this dead mutt barged into my company with a gang of thugs and trashed the place. He kidnapped my secretary, tortured her, and tried to get away with it." Chantelle fumed. "You had every right to fight back, but you had no right to kill him, do you understand?" Andrew's voice sharpened with impatience. "Ms. Garcia, that's enough! So what if I killed him? The guy came stomping into my space, and I'm supposed to just roll over and play dead?" Chantelle let out a bitter laugh and hissed, "Andrew, Mr. McCormick favored you. You've got incredible medical skills, and in Blumedale, you were this close to making your mark. "You had a bright future ahead of you—respect, success, everything within reach. But why would you throw it all away like this? Don't y
Chapter 1144
Andrew hissed, "This third slap? No reason at all. I just don't like the look of your face and feel like beating you to death. And this fourth one's for your parents—since they clearly failed to raise you, I'll handle it for them." After the string of brutal slaps, Seth's head was spinning. His ears rang like sirens, and his vision started going black around the edges. "Andrew… I swear…" he gasped, his voice shaky. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you, you arrogant bastard!" However, just as he spat out his threat, a blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat—Andrew had suddenly snapped five of his fingers. "Keep going," Andrew said coldly, his voice like a death sentence. Seth's mouth bled as he glared up with bloodshot eyes. "You're dead. You're so fucking dead… "How dare you treat me like this? My family—everyone in the Haywoods—they'll never let this slide!" His scream pitched into hysteria as Andrew crushed the remaining five fingers on his other hand, rendering both of Se
