Rising from the Ashes BY Only For You

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Andrew firmly declined, "Thank you for your kind offer, Mrs. Peck, but |

find your proposal absolutely ridiculous!"

He could already see the smadness in Victoria that Tiana had shown before. No doubt, her outrageous

request stemmed from two things.

First, like Tiana, if not worse, Victoria was the kind of woman who wielded power without caring about norms or

taboos. Keeping a man like a pet was something she did without a second thought.

Second, she clearly saw Andrew as a replacement for his father.

And that was both understandable and utterly twisted.

"So you're saying no to me?" Victoria asked coldly, her smile vanishing.

Andrew's tone remained steady. "Yes, I'm saying no. Mrs. Peck, I'm not the kind of man who does things casually.

What you proposed wasn't just inappropriate, but it crossed a line."

He added, "You're a senior. I'm the younger one here. We're generations apart, and we have no emotional

connection whatsoever. So with all due respect, | found your suggestion ridiculous."

Victoria scoffed. "Ridiculous? Are you saying I'm too old for you, or is it my looks you find lacking? Or maybe you

don't think my power or position is enough to tempt you? You do realize this is the modern world, right?

Traditional gender roles don't mean anything anymore."

He added, "Those pretty boys you see on the streets driving luxury cars, wearing designer suits... Well, half of

them are being kept by ssugar mommy. Most of the time, they're dating women who are old enough to

celebrate their 60th birthdays. You're not that naive... are you?"

Andrew was speechless. He had not expected her to be so persuasive. Her logic, as wild as it sounded, was

disturbingly sound.

He finally sighed. "Mrs. Peck, maybe everything you said is true. Men with power keep mistresses. Women with

power keep male companions, boy toys, or whatever. But I'm not that kind of man. | don't enjoy being 'kept'; |

prefer to conquer."

He continued, "Besides, you're already a mother of two. Miles is someone | actually consider a friend. The last

thing | want is for him to confrontone day and say, 'l thought you were my friend, and you tried to sleep with

my mom?""

Victoria froze. Then, for the first time, color rushed to her face. "You little punk! You wish! You think being my

male companion means sleeping with me? Please. I've had two kids already. You think that's even possible?"

Andrew blinked. "Then why askto be your male companion in the first place?"

Victoria let out a laugh, both furious and amused. "Why? To kill tand build influence. | think all men are

disgusting, you included. If it weren't for sspecial reasons, do you really think I'd be here, talking to you so

nicely?"

Her tone suddenly shifted, sharp and cold again. "Fine, you don't want to be my companion? Then marry Liliana

and becmy son-in-law. Work underand helpexpand the Peck family empire. If you do that, I'll let

everything go."

Andrew's voice turned icy. "Mrs. Peck, this is coercion! You're basically putting a knife to my back."

Victoria smirked confidently. "If

that's how you see it, | won't argue. The bottom line is: you don't have a e

choice. Tiana believes in your

potential, and so do I. Andrew, you'll be mine-one way or another."

Andrew rubbed his temples, visibly irritated. "Look, | don't mean to offend, but I'll say this from the heart. Mrs.

Peck, you're just as overbearing and annoying as Tiana!"

Victoria was startled. Then, she burst out laughing. "I didn't expect you to be so bold! You dare to

offend both Tiana and me! Now net

finally understand why she likes you so much! Your personality really resembles someone we both knew. Both

Tiana and | liked him very much."

Andrew sighed, "Was that person Reginald Lloyd?"

Victoria's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in them, "You know about

this? Did Tiana tell you? Or did you find out from somewhere else?"

Seeing her nervous yet excited expression, Andrew felt increasingly helpless! Mrs. Peck, you don't need to be so

paranoid! | know this told me,

person not because Tians

nor because | heard about him elsewhere. It's because Reginald is my father!"

The words dropped like a bomb.

Victoria froze, and her face twisted in disbelief. "What did you just say? Reginald

is your father? You're part of the Chetvine Lloyd royal bloodline? That's impossible!"

Andrew took a single step back just

as Victoria erupted. A terrifying wave

of i byrstdrdnilel body as she

IJhded oward him, her fingers curled

into claws. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

I" | : 1

You bastard! If you're lying to me, I'll

tear you to pieces right here and.

" q q 8

now!" With a ripping e6ondrher hand

1afefight tough his shirt, shredding

: : [1

it to ribbons. "What the hell are you

q " q

doing?" Andrew snapped, furious.

What was it with these crazy women and their obsession with tearing clothes? Now, his bare chest was exposed,

and so was the Blood-Eyed Black Dragon tattoo.

Victoria froze mid-motion, completely

n

stunned. "The smark... You

really are of thedlpyd Gldodtine. And

1

nbt sth you're the Dragon

Prince, the prodigious heir of the

I" :

Lloyds..." The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

She gasped aloud, and her voice cracked.

Andrew looked down at her with a cold expression. "So? Still wantto be your male companion now?"