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Chapter 1
Chapter 1
"I'm sorry, Andrew, but I can't marry you!" Christina Stevens declared coldly in the CEO's office of Stevens Corporation. She sat behind her desk, looking elegant in a black lace dress, her demeanor icy and aloof.Across from her sat a handsome man in modest attire. Andrew Lloyd could not believe what he was hearing and asked, "Christie, what do you mean? What happened to the promise between us?"They had agreed to tie the knot on the day Stevens Corporation went public, marking the end of their three-year courtship."Since we've been dating each other, I'll be frank," Christina replied, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her stunning features exuded grace and beauty with every movement."Andrew, don't you think the gap between us has grown too wide? It's like we're from different worlds now. Forcing this relationship won't do you any good. For me, it would be… a burden."A burden?Andrew was stunned, never expecting Christina to say such a thing. If it had not been for his help, the Stevens family would have gone bankrupt long ago, let alone gone public. In fact, he had shaped Christina's success with his own hands."I know this decision is hard for you to accept. How about this? Consider it a debt I owe you. After we cancel the wedding, I'll give you a settlement—cash, a villa, and a luxury car. That should be enough for you to live comfortably."Christina pulled out a pen and checkbook from her designer purse as she spoke.Andrew watched in silence as she wrote down the figure: 1.2 million. He felt as if he was looking at a stranger."Is this all our years together are worth to you? Just a string of numbers?" Andrew asked.Christina's perfect features flickered with complexity for a moment before settling back into indifference. "If you think it's not enough, I can add more. Name your price."Andrew stared at her, pain evident in his eyes at how Christina had mistaken his question for thinking it was not enough."So, you're dead set on backing out of this marriage?"Christina pressed her lips together and turned to look out the window. "If that's how you want to see it, I have nothing more to say," she replied.She was a female CEO with a net worth of over 150 million dollars, with countless admirers in Jayrodale. Andrew, from any angle, did not fit into her world anymore. Not even on an intellectual level.This marriage was not what Christina wanted—it was too ordinary for her tastes."I never thought years of love, countless nights together, and all those breakfasts and dinners I made would ultimately lose to the fear of being ordinary. It's no surprise—you're now the CEO of Stevens Corporation, Jayrodale's golden girl, with countless admirers. And me? I'm just a nobody, clearly not worthy of the outstanding Ms. Stevens."Andrew chuckled bitterly, feeling utterly disheartened.Christina's brow furrowed as she glanced at him. "Andrew, I admit you've done a lot for me, but this… it's not what I want. Forget it. I know you won't understand, no matter how much I explain. Take the money. Consider it compensation for your efforts over the years," Christina said as she pushed the check toward him.Andrew did not even look at the check. "A 1.2 million dollars breakup fee? How generous of you, Ms. Stevens. But I don't need it."He stood up and walked toward the door.Seeing Andrew about to leave, Christina's frown deepened. "Andrew, I strongly advise you to take this money. Don't be a fool for the sake of pride. A small-time doctor like you could never earn this much in a lifetime."Andrew ignored her words. In truth, 1.2 million dollars was not a sum he particularly needed."Hold it right there," a voice called out. A woman dripping in jewelry and wearing flashy makeup strode into the room.Andrew immediately recognized her. "Aunt Irene!"It was Christina's mother, Irene Cowell—who would have been Andrew's mother-in-law."Hmph, drop the 'Aunt Irene', we're not that close! If you're leaving, take your things with you. Our mansion has no room for your junk," Irene barked.She pulled a small box and a credit card from her purse and tossed them at Andrew. The warmth that had briefly appeared on his face was instantly replaced by a cold expression.It was the engagement ring he had carefully chosen for Christina, along with the money he had saved for their wedding. Even if the marriage was broken off, there was no need to hurt his feelings."Aunt Irene, you wanted this too? I thought I've always treated you with respect."Irene let out a harsh laugh, her voice grating. "What's the matter, Andrew? Did I hit a nerve?""Mom, watch your mouth!" Christina snapped, her brow furrowing.However, Irene was on a roll. "Why should I? He's nothing but a dreamer chasing the impossible. Does he think he can marry into our family? Not a chance!""Oh, Andrew, there's one more thing you should know. Christina will soon be engaged to Harvey Weller once he returns from abroad. You're not in the same league as Harvey, got it?" Irene's face was full of mockery as she said those.Andrew looked at Christina icily. He was shocked at her audacity to find someone new before she even ended things with him.Christina avoided Andrew's cold gaze, but her words were firm. "The Weller family is a powerhouse in Jayrodale, with influence across military, political, and business sectors. They've worked for generations to become one of the city's unshakeable pillars. Harvey will inherit it all one day. An alliance between our families is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For me, it's a chance to transform my life."At those words, Andrew finally let go. He smiled and replied, "Is that so? Well then, allow this poor nobody to wish you and the Stevens family all the best in your social climbing endeavors."With that, he walked out without another glance, showing no trace of attachment.As she watched Andrew's retreating figure, Christina felt a whirlwind of emotions. She had expected him to explode with anger or beg her to reconsider when he heard about Harvey. Yet, throughout it all, Andrew had remained unnervingly calm, even indifferent at the end."Mom, do you think I went too far?"Irene scoffed. "Too far? That good-for-nothing thinking he could marry you—now that's going too far!" She chuckled with a gleam in her eye. "Just wait until Harvey gets back, sweetie. Once you two are engaged, the Stevens family will skyrocket to the top tier of Jayrodale society. As for Andrew, he's nothing. Thankfully, he knows better than to mess with me and is cooperative. Otherwise, I would've taught him a lesson he'd never forget!"Christina remained silent, feeling an inexplicable emptiness in her chest. It was as if something irreplaceable had suddenly vanished from her life.
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Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1518
Tora was truly tough, enduring the excruciating pain as he pulled his shirt back to cover the wound. In the crowd, Magnus suddenly shrieked in a high-pitched voice, "You're done for, absolutely finished. Once you're injured by a Blood Ghoul, there's only one way out—death." He added, "No, it's not just as simple as dying. Your body will rot by necrotic venom, and you'll eventually suffer a fate worse than death until you become a mindless walking corpse that only knows bloodthirst and killing…" As he spoke, he backed away, his eyes bulging with terror as he put distance between himself and Tora. Ralph called out, "Mr. Veyne, are you serious?" Magnus cursed, "Of course, I'm serious! It's 100% real! Have you forgotten what my profession is? I'm a geomancy specialist. Dragon-seeking, gold-parting, tomb-tracking, crypt-delving—omens, astronomy, terrain—there's nothing I don't know." He continued, "Blood Ghouls are rare, sure. But they're real. They've been born out of ancien
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1517
"Mr. Wright Senior, what happened?" Logan rushed forward to steady Kevin and asked urgently, "Where's the rest of your security team? Why are there only a few of you left?" Kevin was still clutching a pistol, completely out of ammo. Blood covered his face, arms, and chest. No one could tell whether it was his or someone else's. "Logan? Andrew? It's you…" Kevin exhaled heavily, his voice shaky. "We need to go now. Get the hell away from this cursed place." He wiped the blood from his face, visibly rattled. "Leave now. I'm serious. Without heavy firepower, this place is a goddamn nightmare." Andrew frowned. "What exactly did you run into?" Kevin's mouth was dry as he swallowed hard. His voice trembled. "We don't even know what the hell they were. They were insanely fast and extremely bloodthirsty, and they seemed to be able to smell the living. "Most importantly, they weren't afraid of death. Regular pistols can't kill them unless you get a headshot." Kevin was a martial ki
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1516
Mohave glanced at Andrew, looking apologetic. Andrew chuckled. "It's alright, Mohave. If you're not allowed to talk about it, don't worry about it." After that, silence fell over the group as they continued their trek. A string of torches and flashlights flickered through the dense forest. Andrew glanced back and saw that the lights from Gallow's End heritage hamlet below had dwindled to just two or three tiny specks—probably the last streetlamps still glowing in the village. They were deep in the wilderness now, far removed from any trace of civilization. They passed through a rugged canyon between two massive peaks, and over three hours later, Andrew finally spotted something up ahead. Beneath the starlit sky, nestled between towering cliffs, was a hidden mountain valley. It was not large, maybe the size of a small village, but its sudden appearance in this remote terrain took everyone's breath away. "Who could have imagined there'd be a place like this in these endle
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1515
At that moment, Andrew casually reminded them, "Buzz and his men's torches are almost out of our sight. If we're going into the mountains, we need to leave right now. Following them gives us backup. If you're all scared, then let's head back home." Chantelle quickly made up her mind and said, "I think we can't turn back now. Kevin and Rafael are already ahead of us. Right now, they've probably already entered the forbidden area. If we go back home, then when we try again tomorrow, everything might be over." Tiana gritted her teeth. "Andy, you lead the way. Let's hurry and catch up. Anyone who wants to go home can do as they please, but I'm not going back." Logan said, "Andy, let's go. We came all this way, so we might as well see what's there." Andrew nodded. "Alright, since none of you object, we'll keep moving forward." After taking two steps, he suddenly turned back and looked at Ralph with a mocking smile. "Mr. Sutton, you're supposed to be the most impressive survival
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1514
Magnus shook his head. "Young man, ignorance can cost you your life. You're putting too much faith in modern weapons and treating a tiger spirit like an ordinary tiger. In the end, all you'll get is having your bones sucked dry and being devoured alive in agony!" Ralph sneered. "Is that so? Well, I'm looking forward to that beast coming back to try me again." Logan suddenly shouted, "There's something in those bushes over there." Andrew quickly walked over and pushed the brush aside to look. Immediately, a corpse with its face gnawed beyond recognition appeared before everyone. Besides the face, this body's chest and abdomen had been completely hollowed out, all the organs eaten clean. Magnus turned deathly pale as he exclaimed, "Tiger spirit! That beast from earlier wasn't an ordinary tiger at all! It was a man-eating tiger spirit, I'm sure of it…" He mumbled, "It's over, Ralph, you're really done for now! Once it's marked you, if you keep staying here, you'll definitely d
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1513
Andrew did not move. Instead, he turned to Chantelle and warned her coldly, "Same goes for you. This can't happen again." Chantelle hesitated, guilt flickering across her face. "It was my guy who screwed up, Mr. Lloyd. Please don't be angry." Andrew was furious. "Isn't the idiot you hired supposed to be some survival expert? Did you see how pathetic and cowardly he was just now? And he had the nerve to provoke Buzz and the Patoajo people. "Ms. Garcia, you're with the government, and you should know damn well how fierce and proud these mountain tribes can be. If he really pisses them off, not only will this moron of a survival expert be finished, but we might all end up eating bullets too." Chantelle sighed and changed the subject. "Alright, Mr. Lloyd, I know he screwed up, but now's not the time to start pointing fingers. What the hell was that thing that attacked us?" Andrew said coldly, "A rare black tiger—in remote areas, they're also called mountain tigers. This type of
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Nhlanhla Motsamai
The way this book is so super cool, I think you should make a movie series about these book, imagine all this action being put into casting or acting wow......️...
Nishanth PS
Great Book
Sam Sam
please upload more chapters it's annoying to be reading only 6 chapters per day
Logumgum Primary
very interesting. congratulations
Benjamin Asiedu
the book is really interesting and I'm really enjoying reading it
Sam Sam
Please stop with this 6 chapters and try increase it up to 10 to 20 chapters per day. We are also paying to read so please consider that too!
Kiran C
This book had started out well then it got so boring , I can’t imagine in this day and age two close friends from childhood will sleep with the same man, it’s impossible I hate where this is going
Derrick Page
andrew is a great OP character!! great build-up throughout the story can't wait to see what happens next.
Mervin Kito
I like it but it's killing when you're reading only 2 chapters per day
Onuja Abdulazeez
This is not making sense at all. just because you have a story line that people are interested on does not give you right to people this way. 6 chapters every day is a stingy and selfish way to treat your audience that uses their data to read your story.
Atul Kumar Singh
making money out of AI generated books
Wisdom Kartey
It's like the author doesn't value its readers..6 chapters per day isn't good at all. We will surely stop reading.
Sindiso Moyo
Guys am in chapter 44 how do i unlock others
Mirza Baig
please author upload more then 6 please its annoying noww please its our request or i have to leave it in middle coz its very annoying
Abel Renagi
Wtf is this shit getting 6 chapters a day like piss off use fking parasites ............give us more so we can the book ffs