Michael's hatred for Andrew reached its peak, furious that this pretty boy had completely destroyed his carefully laid plans. Suddenly, there was a loud crash as Paul's glass shattered on the floor. Then, he fell to his knees, begging Lauren for mercy through desperate cries. "Ms. Rhodes, I'm sorry! Please give me another chance! I truly regret what I did!" The other executives were caught off guard, but their surprise quickly turned into anger. "You're the culprit?" "You traitor! We defended you, and this is how you repay our trust?" "You must have lost your mind to try poisoning Ms. Rhodes! Go to hell!" Paul continued kneeling on the floor, sobbing, "Ms. Rhodes, I didn't want to do it… Someone forced me!" The room fell silent again as Andrew asked, "Who forced you?" Paul glanced nervously at Michael, hesitating to speak while Michael's already dark expression turned even more sinister. "Tell me who forced you, and I'll protect you," Lauren commanded icily.
In the conference room, Lauren asked everyone else to leave, leaving only Andrew and Francesca behind. "Lauren, did you know from the start that Paul was the culprit?" Francesca asked eagerly as soon as the room emptied. Lauren rolled her eyes and said, "If I had known it was him, I would've just had him arrested instead of setting up these theatrics." Francesca exclaimed in surprise, "So you didn't know who it was? But you acted like you did!" Lauren smiled and explained, "I didn't know, which was why Dr. Lloyd suggested this trick to force their hand. All I had to do was claim one glass was poisoned, and Paul cracked under the pressure." Francesca stared at Andrew, shocked. "I didn't expect you to be so cunning!" She was impressed by his ability to devise such a trick, which left the culprit with no choice but to surrender. "Although we found out it was Paul, we still fell one step short," Andrew remarked. Lauren's beautiful face hardened as she agreed, "Indeed. Tha
Finally, Michael understood Andrew's two-part strategy—the trap and the pressure play. Poor Paul had cracked under pressure and confessed, which Michael could understand. After all, anyone would be terrified to drink potentially poisoned water, which was also why Michael refused to drink it. However, he had underestimated Andrew, as none of the water was poisoned, and Lauren did not know who the culprit was. They had simply played a trick to force Paul into confessing. Just as his anger had begun to subside, Michael's face turned ashen as he clenched his fists again. The humiliation was overwhelming. He could not believe a mere gold-digger had played him, a Rhodes family heir, like a fool. Michael pulled out his phone and made a call. "Bane, didn't you say your poison was incurable except by you? Some small-time doctor just cured Lauren—you better explain this!" A sinister voice replied, "How's this possible? Mr. Rhodes, you must be mistaken. In Jayrodale, not even Cedric coul
Irene beamed at Harvey with obvious approval and commented, "Harvey, please take the seat of honor. Tonight's family dinner is all about you." Harvey maintained perfect etiquette, treating every Stevens family member with utmost politeness and respect. His behavior had everyone glowing with pride, convinced they had found the perfect addition to their family. "Seeing Harvey so popular and capable must be hard for you to watch," Christina remarked, suddenly appearing beside Andrew. Andrew smiled and said, "Congratulations on finding such an exceptional match. You've always dreamed of marrying into high society, and now you've achieved it." Christina's expression grew complex as she sighed. "Andrew, I've always known you're not a bad person. I'm not saying this to rub in your face. I just want you to learn from Harvey's admirable qualities. Even if you can't match his success, you could at least live with dignity." Andrew chuckled. "Are you saying I'll never be as successful as
Indeed, Andrew's wine looked unimpressive in its unlabeled bottle, lacking the luxurious packaging that fine wines typically boasted. Naturally, no one could take such plain presentation seriously. Irene snapped, "Andrew, you're such a fool. We're already generous by letting you join us for dinner, but Dad's too distinguished to drink your cheap wine. Take that embarrassment away from our table!" Andrew remained composed, saying, "I'll say it again—this is an exceptional wine. I've brought it to Mr. Stevens Senior many times, and it's been beneficial for his health." Leroy clicked his tongue and mocked, "Exceptional wine? You're really full of it, Andrew. Harvey, you should show him what real premium wine looks like." Harvey smiled, speaking modestly. "It's fine. Mr. Stevens Senior seems to enjoy Andrew's wine." Irene chuckled. "Harvey, you're too humble. Some people don't even come close to your class." Another family member chimed in, "Harvey's wine is absolutely top-s
Andrew calmly stated, "This isn't just some local wine, nor something any winery could produce." His statement only angered Irene, and she barked, "Andrew, would it kill you to stop bragging? If it's not local wine, what is it—some mythical elixir?" "Actually, yes, that's exactly what it is," Andrew replied, causing the entire Stevens family to freeze before erupting in laughter. They thought he was making a complete fool of himself with such an outrageous claim. Even Harvey could not help but smirk, feeling insulted that such a nobody would dare compare himself to someone of his status. Douglas gently patted Andrew on the shoulder and tried to comfort him. "Andy, even if our wine isn't the best, there's no need to compete. Remember: if you're truly exceptional, others will naturally recognize it." Andrew nodded. "Wise words, Mr. Stevens Senior. I'll keep them in mind." Christina shook her head, thinking how pathetic it was that Andrew could not even understand her grandfat
Andrew calmly brought out the remaining Divine Elixir, and Gerald's breathing quickened with excitement. He fought the urge to snatch the bottle from Andrew, exclaiming, "Oh my, there's still at least 250ml here! This would fetch nearly a million dollars on the market. You're quite generous!" "Uncle Gerald, is this cheap wine really as amazing as you're claiming?" Leroy asked skeptically. Gerald glared at him and scolded, "Foolish boy, don't speak about things you don't understand! The Divine Elixir is made from hundreds of rare medicinal herbs, fermented for seven days and nights in a private distillery. That's just the first step. It then needs to age in a cellar for at least 30 years before it can be opened. This particular bottle appears to be aged 80 years, so calling it liquid gold is an understatement!" Douglas laughed heartily and said, "I knew Andy wouldn't bring me anything but the best!" The Stevens family members stared greedily at Andrew's wine. "What an inc
Christina said, "Harvey, this medicinal pill is too precious—you should keep it." Harvey smiled warmly and replied, "Christie, my love for you is worth far more than this pill. I'd give you ten if needed. Besides, this is just a token of respect for Mr. Stevens Senior. His health has always been fragile, and this will help restore his vitality." The Stevens family beamed with approval at his words as Irene asked, "Dad, isn't your future grandson-in-law just perfect?" Leroy chimed in, "Only someone like Harvey is worthy of being Christie's husband." Suddenly, a calm voice cut through the praise and laughter. "This isn't a genuine medicinal pill, and Mr. Stevens Senior shouldn't take it." After a moment of stunned silence, Irene roared angrily, "Andrew, what nonsense are you spouting? If it's not a medicinal pill, then what is it?" "Andrew, you're just jealous because Harvey brought something so incredible," Leroy mocked. Even the experienced Gerald looked at Andrew and dec