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Rising from the Ashes 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
Rising from the Ashes 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
Rising from the Ashes 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
Rising from the Ashes 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
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1153
It turned out, Andrew's caution was more than justified. That very night, three separate groups of infiltrators attempted to breach The Sovereign Residences. Two of those groups were quickly detected and driven out by the estate's elite security team. However, the last group was on a whole different level—professionals who bypassed surveillance and snuck past the guards, heading straight into Serenity Villa. What they did not expect, though, was that Andrew had already set a trap and was waiting for them to take the bait. With Natasha leading her squad and Reuben providing the knockout blow, it did not take much effort before the entire crew of a dozen-plus assassins was taken down. Fighting for his freedom, Reuben had zero mercy—he snapped a few necks with his bare hands. In the end, only three assassins survived, trembling in fear, eyes wide with horror. "Mr. Lloyd, please! Don't kill us!" the leader begged, a senior grandmaster drenched in cold sweat as he knelt on the floo
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1154
Reuben shook his head, deciding it was best not to let his thoughts wander. He had once considered making a run for it after returning to Blumedale, hoping he might find an opening. But now, it was clear that the smart move was to follow the rules, behave, and wait for Andrew to willingly set him free. Natasha asked, "Darling, what about the other eight mercenaries? None of them are from Holtrien. If we kill them outright, could that stir up trouble with foreign powers?" Andrew replied flatly, "Wipe them out. I don't care where they came from—if they dared to step into Holtrien with a blade pointed at me, then I'll be the one cleaning them up." With that, Reuben and Natasha struck again, ignoring the furious roars of the remaining mercs. Just like before, the bodies were dumped into Blumedale's foul drainage canals, unceremoniously discarded. Soon after, the head of security for The Sovereign Residences—a fellow semi-martial king—rushed to Serenity Villa with his team in tow
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1155
News of the bodies floating in Blumedale's reeking drainage canal reached both the Goldings and the Haywoods within hours. "The first few were just appetizers. If they die, so be it—cannon fodder at best," Elon said coldly. "Andrew, you might have some skills, but you haven't seen my real trump card yet." Elon's pudgy face darkened with a sinister grin. He had not expected those initial mercs to succeed anyway—they were nothing but disposable thugs, and their deaths did not faze him one bit. Standing at the edge of the Goldings' main hall, he clapped his hands slowly. A thin, shadowy figure emerged, walking in with a dry, grating laugh. "Mr. Golding, I knew you'd eventually call me in," the man rasped. Elon spoke evenly. "300 million dollars from the Goldings, plus another 100 million from Dr. Lake. That's 400 million in total, Mr. Black Wolf. Same deal as always—the second Andrew's head hits the floor, the money hits your account." The shadowed figure stood in the backlig
Rising from the Ashes Chapter 1156
Richard had always tried to be considerate about his son's humiliating past. Still, every now and then, he could not help but accidentally bring it up. After all, eating literal crap was not something easily forgotten. … Meanwhile, over at the Haywoods. Roy set down his teacup and asked, "Xavier, what's the latest on eliminating that bastard?" Xavier's sharp-jawed face was full of murderous intent. "The killers we sent were either stopped outside The Sovereign Residences or killed inside, their bodies dumped in the sewage canals." Roy scowled. "500 million was too tempting. Every lowlife out there thought they could take advantage of the Haywoods. Seth's body is still lying in the ice casket, waiting for a proper burial. You need to speed this up." Xavier's tone turned ice cold as he nodded. "Don't worry, Father. The moment Andrew laid a finger on our family, his death was sealed. Those who've died so far were just trash. "This time, I've prepared something special for And
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Chapter 1164
As evening fell, Aspen and Dylan returned to Serenity Villa. The front gate stood wide open, and Andrew sat squarely in a chair in the middle of the first-floor lobby. Aspen frowned as she stepped inside. "Why are you sitting here?" Andrew replied, "Waiting for guests." "Who?" "Assassins from the Haywoods and the Goldings." Her face darkened when she heard his words. She could not help but think Andrew had lost his damn mind for leaving the front door wide open for killers. He glanced at her and asked, "Weren't you meeting a client? How'd it go?" Aspen's voice turned icy. "Turns out, Christina was the one looking for investors." Andrew raised a brow. "So? You turned her down?" She sneered as she said, "More than that. I made sure all three of them left humiliated. That old hag Irene even got a slap from me." Andrew simply shrugged. Aspen had never been the merciful type, and none of this surprised him. He simply ordered, "Go make something to eat. I'm hungry." Asp
Chapter 1163
Dylan explained, "But you're a proud woman. You never used to bow to anyone, especially not to Mr. Lloyd. Now, you're just clinging to that same pride and defiance. "But the truth is, that pride of yours? It's already been worn down by Mr. Lloyd, completely. As for what's left… well, you know it better than anyone. You just don't want to admit it."Aspen grew frustrated. "I don't need you psychoanalyzing me. I just need someone to tell me—what do I have to do to break out of this mess? This constant confusion and misery?"Dylan shrugged. "Isn't it obvious? You're just as stunning as Ms. Aicker or Ms. Rhodes. Those two didn't mind letting Mr. Lloyd take what he wanted. So, why not follow their lead? Let's be real, Aspen—you've already fallen for Mr. Lloyd, and there's no shame in that. "Mr. Lloyd has that effect on women. I've been around him long enough to stop being surprised. You, Natasha, Francesca, Lauren… even that girl Nyla Goth from the Moonlit Apothecary in Jayrodale—if Mr
Chapter 1162
After leaving the cafe, Aspen stepped into the restroom. She splashed a few handfuls of icy water on her face, trying to calm the storm inside her. She said, "Mr. Garner, could you do me a favor and not tell Andrew about what just happened?" Dylan leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and chuckled. "Ms. Aspen, you really gave her a piece of your mind. If it felt good, why not let Mr. Lloyd know?" Aspen's expression darkened with self-mockery. "Because I didn't stand up for myself—I used Andrew's name to intimidate her. Christina was right about one thing—I am pathetic. "Andrew nearly destroyed my family, and yet here I am, throwing his name around like it means something. Even worse, I shamelessly implied I'd offer myself to him!" Dylan smirked. "So you're ashamed of yourself? You think less of yourself now?" Aspen stared at her reflection. Her face was as cold as ever, but her eyes no longer held their usual arrogance. Instead, they were clouded with something unrea
Chapter 1161
Aspen said, "As long as I have the power, I'll do everything I can to block Stevens Corporation from expanding in Blumedale. Andrew may have spared the Stevens family, but I'm not Andrew—I'm Aspen Stevens. "And you, Christina, are nothing but a vicious, two-faced bitch. I'd rather be a straight-up villainess than show you an ounce of mercy." With those cold parting words, Aspen turned and walked away. Dylan followed behind her, casting a mocking glance at the Stevens family trio. He thought they really were pitiful. With Aspen backed by Andrew and holding massive influence, the amount of resources and wealth she could mobilize was practically limitless. Crushing a small-time family like the Stevens? That was nothing to her, and she could do that with a flick of her finger. Christina snapped, "Mr. Garner, how does someone like you end up as Aspen's bodyguard? Doesn't that feel beneath you?" Dylan shrugged. "What's there to feel beneath about it? Ms. Aspen is with Mr. Lloyd
Chapter 1160
Christina opened her mouth but felt utterly drained. "Go beg him? Please… even if I swallowed my pride and got down on my knees, I doubt he'd show me the slightest bit of mercy." She forced a bitter smile, full of self-mockery. Aspen looked even more pleased, unable to hide the glee in her eyes. "My dear Christie, watching you regret everything like this… God, it's so satisfying! And honestly? I owe you some thanks. If you hadn't tripped me up so badly in front of Andrew, I wouldn't be where I am today, turning my humiliation into opportunity." Christina snapped, her composure unraveling. "Have you rubbed it in enough? Feeling powerful enough? Do you really think that someone like you—a servant—can hold any real place in Andrew's life? "You think you're on the same level as Francesca or Lauren? Let me tell you—Andrew never saw you as one of his own!" Aspen scoffed. "Of course not. I was his servant. Why would he? But here's what you don't get about that man, Christie. Back wh
Chapter 1159
"I'm here to meet with Supreme Capital Group, not you," Christina said sharply. "You declaring anything—don't you think that's completely pointless?" Aspen gave a sly smile. "Then you're the one who's confused. You might not have heard, but Supreme Capital Group is a new company founded by Andrew and me right here in Blumedale. "You tried borrowing money from your old rival? Christie, looks like you're not doing so well in this city after all." Christina's face flushed bright red with embarrassment. "What did you just say? Supreme Capital Group was founded by you and Andrew? "That's impossible. The company's registered capital is 50 billion! You and Andrew could afford that? Do you even hear how ridiculous that sounds?" Her composed expression crumbled, replaced by panic and disbelief. Aspen felt incredibly satisfied seeing the humiliation on Christina's face. Without saying another word, she pulled out her phone and showed her the company's registration license. Christi
Chapter 1158
"But luckily," Derek continued, "I did find out that his name was Reginald Lloyd." Chantelle sneered. "Reginald Lloyd… Andrew Lloyd—what a coincidence. They're both Lloyds. Too bad one of them earned your admiration as a once-in-a-generation strategist…" "And the other?" She gave a dry chuckle. "Let's just say… he doesn't quite measure up." Derek smiled. "Elle, seems like you've got a bit of a grudge against our Mr. Lloyd. Care to share why?" Chantelle hesitated, visibly grinding her teeth. She obviously could not tell Derek that Andrew had already seen every inch of her thanks to an earlier incident. Instead, she cleared her throat. "Mr. McCormick, stop pulling my legs. We're public servants, and since Mr. Lloyd is working with you, I have no right to dislike him." She deflected smoothly with a rehearsed tone. Derek nodded. "It's obvious Andrew has potential. The old money clans have been monopolizing power and locking up economic control for far too long. Seeing someone
Chapter 1157
Chantelle let out a cold laugh. "That's right. That's exactly what he did. Mr. McCormick, don't you think the man's out of his mind?" Derek narrowed his eyes but stayed silent. After a long pause, he finally exhaled and said, "No. On the contrary, I think you're completely wrong about him. I don't see Andrew as a lunatic—I think he's playing a long, dangerous game." Chantelle had not expected Derek to say something like that, and her expression turned tense. "Mr. McCormick, without the protection of The Sovereign Residences, do you even realize what kind of storm that madman has invited upon himself? "Two of the most powerful families in Holtrien have issued bounty kill orders at the same time. The combined reward is nearly a billion—enough to send every killer and martial artist across Gabo Creek Province, maybe even the entire country, into a blood-fueled frenzy!" Derek gave a faint sneer, his tone laced with disdain. "It's true—money can make even the dead dance. The old sayi
Chapter 1156
Richard had always tried to be considerate about his son's humiliating past. Still, every now and then, he could not help but accidentally bring it up. After all, eating literal crap was not something easily forgotten. … Meanwhile, over at the Haywoods. Roy set down his teacup and asked, "Xavier, what's the latest on eliminating that bastard?" Xavier's sharp-jawed face was full of murderous intent. "The killers we sent were either stopped outside The Sovereign Residences or killed inside, their bodies dumped in the sewage canals." Roy scowled. "500 million was too tempting. Every lowlife out there thought they could take advantage of the Haywoods. Seth's body is still lying in the ice casket, waiting for a proper burial. You need to speed this up." Xavier's tone turned ice cold as he nodded. "Don't worry, Father. The moment Andrew laid a finger on our family, his death was sealed. Those who've died so far were just trash. "This time, I've prepared something special for And
