Andrew did not care about that. However, the fact that Brielle had once been such a fierce woman was something Andrew had not expected at all.Eric sneered again. "So what you're saying is, I'm just some accident you got from sleeping around with a random person for free? No wonder I've always felt like my entire life has been especially unlucky. Turns out you're the source of all my misfortune."Brielle's face was streaming with tears. "I know I've wronged you. But back then, I wasn't thinking about anything except revenge. I just wanted to make Julius and my mentor suffer. Later, that apprentice kept coming around to harass me, but I ignored him."She continued, "But gradually, I started to regret it… I never thought I'd actually do something like that. What scared me even more came later. Two months later, I found out I was pregnant, and my wedding with Julius was right around the corner."Andrew frowned. "Wait, that doesn't add up. If that's the case, you should've married Juli

Eric stubbornly said, "Andrew, I can listen to you on other things, but not this. This is the first time I'm meeting this woman. Never mind whether what she's saying is true or not, but even if it is true, so what? You heard it yourself. I'm just a product of her venting and taking revenge on someone else. "Put simply, I'm just an extra, pathetic little creature. Under those circumstances, there were thousands of possibilities that I could've died at any moment. I could've been killed by someone, or abandoned and left to die."He continued, "But what did she do? She handed over gold and silver treasures, just material things, and nothing else beyond that. You want me to acknowledge her? On what grounds? I have parents. My mom died young, and my dad is right here. So I'm not lacking parents, and I'm not going to waste my energy on some melodramatic mother-son reunion with her."Jerome said, "Eric, it's already a fact. You can't deny it. Madam Baxter's situation at the time was compl

The Reyes residence was quiet. In the small loft beside the garden, Valerie rested her chin on her hand as she stared blankly at the colorful flowers below. She wore a simple at-home outfit, and her eyes looked completely unfocused.Behind her, Elaine walked up with a worried look. She said gently, "Valerie, come inside and rest for a bit. You've been zoning out here for more than an hour."Valerie did not respond as she kept staring at the garden. The garden at the Reyes residence was not large, but it was filled with all kinds of rare, ornamental flowers that were carefully maintained.Elaine let out a helpless chuckle. "You shouldn't let Andrew mess you up like this, not to the point you can't eat or sleep. Valerie, this isn't who you are, and you didn't even like him at first. Everything started from a misunderstanding, and that night, you shouldn't have tried to take him out."She sighed again. "Honestly, seeing you like this, I'd rather you hate him than be this lost. This is

Finnegan let out a sharp laugh. "Whether he meant it or not, his actions already showed it. According to what you told me, he's already with Luna, and as for you, you walked away with nothing."He shook his head and said, "Valerie, you're too naive. Andrew wasn't worth it, and the feelings you think you have for him were nothing more than an illusion. Trust me, what you felt was temporary and fake. The two of you barely spent any real time together. Yet you've convinced yourself that you fell for him, and that was a mistake."Valerie shook her head and said, "Back in the Eastern Regions, when Alfredo was chasing us, things were so dangerous that he told us to run first. I saw him covered in blood, but he still looked at me and smiled so gently when he called my name."She added softly, "Dad, that was the first time he said my name like that. I couldn't forget it after that." Finnegan replied coldly, "I told you already, it was your imagination. If you want a man, I can find you an

Brielle said with heartfelt relief, "Jerome, I'm truly grateful for the way you raised him. And Andrew's charm is something ordinary people can't compete with. Whether he was dealing with me or with peers like Eric, he always handled everything flawlessly and won everyone over."Jerome completely agreed. "That's right. Andy's charisma is absolutely undeniable. He has the natural presence of a leader."Those words made the two chiefs of the Lloyd family beam with pride.The Lloyd family's Dragon Prince was, to some extent, the family's signature. Now that Andrew was already the internal pick to become the Lloyd royal family's successor and next patriarch, they naturally loved hearing others praise him.It was as if their faces shone along with him."Mr. Thornton, Madam Baxter, come join us for a drink," one of the chiefs said with a cheerful raise of his glass.Brielle and Jerome hurried to return the gesture.The atmosphere grew warmer and livelier. As time passed, Amari showe