Simon let out a sharp cry, tumbling across the ground as blood spurted from his mouth. His entire body trembled in fear, his mind on the verge of collapse. He could not believe how vast the difference in strength between him and Andrew actually was. The dark arts he had been so proud of, along with his ambush using deadly poison powder, had not even made a dent. On the contrary, if Cedric had not spoken up on his behalf out of their old ties, Simon was sure he would already be dead by now. As luck would have it, a cab happened to drive by. Simon threw the door open, jumped inside, and barked, "Drive!" The driver stared at him in shock. "Dude, are you practicing for Halloween? Why are you covered in blood?" Simon's face contorted with pain, and he roared, "Are you going or not? One more word and I'll take you out with one strike!" Terrified, the driver slammed on the gas and sped off. … Meanwhile, back at the Aicker residence, chaos erupted. Cedric's apprentices had been r

Simon frowned in confusion. "Mr. Eslinger, I've never understood why you're so determined to control the Aickers. I mean, with your abilities, you could easily build your own powerful legacy." Bane snorted coldly. "What do you know about my ambitions? Cedric and I were once fellow apprentices under the same mentor, Mr. Gregory Sivan. From the start, Cedric was inferior to me in every way—whether in medicine, combat, or earning Mr. Sivan's favor. The man wasn't even in my league." Simon looked skeptical. "If that's true, then why are you here all alone? Meanwhile, Mr. Aicker has established a family empire that's thriving in Jayrodale." Bane's expression darkened, his face twisting into a grimace. "Funny you should ask. My story isn't too different from yours." He paced slowly as he continued. "Cedric was a nobody at the Advanced Medical Institute, a clown obsessed with weird herbs and remedies. I was respected, one of the Institute's top figures, while he was ignored by everyon

"Mr. Eslinger, help me! I feel like I'm burning from the inside out like a hot iron is scorching me!" Simon writhed on the floor, all curled up as he screamed in agony. Bane's face turned serious as he crouched down beside him. "Spread your legs and stop moving. I need to take a proper look." When Bane examined the area, his expression darkened further. Simon's groin had turned completely black, a clear sign of severe poisoning. However, what baffled Bane was the swelling—Simon's manhood was inflating unnaturally, almost as if it were about to burst. "Mr. Eslinger, how bad is it? You've got to help me! I feel like I'm going to explode!" Simon gasped for air, drenched in sweat, as he groaned in pain. Bane's brow furrowed in confusion. "What the hell happened to you? How did this even get poisoned?" Simon howled in frustration. "It's that bastard Andrew! He stuck a silver needle down there! I thought it wasn't a big deal, but now it's killing me. You have to save me!" Bane qu

Meanwhile, Andrew neither knew nor cared whether Simon was alive or dead. He was too preoccupied with Francesca, who had completely lost her mind. "Let go of me! Please, I need you! I'm going to die if you don't help me—please!" Francesca cried out. Her flushed, naked body squirmed helplessly as Andrew had her bound and placed inside a large tub of ice water to reduce the intense heat radiating from within. The icy water helped cool her down temporarily, but it was only a surface-level solution. The powerful drug, Enthralling Essence, was still wreaking havoc on her organs, tearing through her from the inside. If she did not find relief soon, she might not survive the night. "Fran, calm down," Andrew said firmly, gripping her shoulders to keep her from thrashing. "I'm working on it. I promise I'll save you!" His mind raced as he searched for a way to neutralize the effects of the drug. Simon had gone too far. Enthralling Essence was not a substance anyone used lightly—it was

Michael shook his head in pity. "Man, Simon really got the short end of the stick. Losing his pride and manhood and even wasting his last moment on a pig. That's beyond tragic. I can't even wrap my head around it." Bane remained calm, his tone indifferent. "At least he's alive. That's all that matters." He narrowed his eyes and added thoughtfully, "I didn't expect Andrew to pull off a move like that. I need to meet him sooner or later to figure out his techniques. Even I couldn't fully understand what he did." Michael smirked. "Don't worry, Mr. Eslinger. Your plan for Rhodes Corporation is almost finished. Once Lauren falls, Andrew will be out of the picture there. After that, dealing with him will be a piece of cake." Bane hummed softly, his expression darkening. "Dealing with him isn't what intrigues me. I want to know where he learned his medical skills and how deep his expertise runs." … Meanwhile, at the Aicker residence. Andrew exited Francesca's room, wiping the swea