Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Andrew stepped into the upscale private dining room, placed his order, and waited for the food to arrive. He had been running around all day, and the Phelan family had not even offered him a sip of water.

By the time he sat down, he was starving. So, he could not care less about his image and dug right in.

Aspen hesitated, then said shyly, "Hey, do you want to have a drink? You know, to celebrate?"

Andrew looked up at her. "Drinks? What are we celebrating?"

"Celebrating our company's launch," Aspen said with a slight nod.

Andrew chuckled. "Sure, let's open a bottle then. But I gotta say, you've changed since moving to Blumedale. Never thought you'd be into these fancy little celebrations."

Aspen blushed, which was rare for her. "I just feel like... you're this big-time CEO managing billions in assets. It'd be a shame not to mark the occasion."

So, they ordered a bottle of wine. Or at least tried to an '82 vintage wine, to be specific. However, those legendary vintages had gone extinct ages ago. Besides, Andrew had never really been into fancy imported wines anyway.

So, they had the server bring over a bottle of local brew instead—a strong Celestial Reserve liquor, the kind that hit like a truck.

Aspen frowned slightly. "That stuff is super strong. I probably can't keep up with you."

Andrew waved her off. "No worries. I can drink alone."

Aspen's eye twitched, thinking that he was hopeless.

"You're not really here for the company, are you?" Aspen said, her voice a little complicated. "It's Lauren. She's the reason you took the risk and came to Blumedale, right?"

Andrew laughed. "Come on, that's a bit harsh. Sure, Lauren's part of why I had to come... but I came to see the company and you, too. I'm not totally heartless."

Aspen sneered. "Sounds great and all, but I don't buy a single word of it." Andrew just smiled. "Then don't."

Right then, the private room door opened. The Celestial Reserve had arrived, but the person delivering it was not a server-it was Seth.

His hair was slicked back, his suit crisp and spotless. He said with a charming smile,

"Aspen, I hope you don't mind that I brought the bottle myself. Consider it on me. And since I haven't eaten yet, I thought I'd join you both."

His tone was polite, but his eyes kept darting toward Andrew, cold and calculating.

Aspen looked uncomfortable. "Mr. Haywood, I'm actually here with my superior. It's a business dinner, so it's not really the best time. How about this: I'll treat you to dinner another day. Just us."

She did not believe for a second that Seth had shown up by coincidence. Nonetheless, it did not matter-she just wanted to get rid of him quickly before things blew up. After all, she knew firsthand how ruthless Andrew could be if he lost his temper, regardless of who the other person was.

However, Sean was shameless. He simply smiled and sat down without waiting for permission. He said, "Since I'm already here, I might as well join you. Besides, Aspen, I've always been curious about your superior."

Then, he turned toward Andrew, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Seth Haywood, from the Haywoods-one of the founding families in the capital."

Andrew did not shake his hand. He just looked over at Aspen and asked, "Is he your boyfriend?"

Aspen's heart skipped. She shook her head quickly and denied it, "No! We barely know each other-"

Seth interrupted with a grin. "Aspen's just shy. Let me clear it up-I'm courting her, and I plan to marry her into the Haywoods."

He said it with the arrogance of someone who thought his last name was worth more than gold, and his eyes never left Andrew's, practically screaming challenge. "Interesting," Andrew said with a half-smile. He did not say anything more.

Aspen saw that smile and immediately panicked. She turned to Seth and snapped, "Seth, are you out of your mind? I told you I'd take you out another day. What the hell are you doing here stirring up trouble? Get out. Now!"

Seth let out a dark laugh. "Leave? No way. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. Aspen, don't worry. Tonight, I'm gonna free you from this devil once and for all."

He slammed the bottle of Celestial Reserve down on the table and pointed straight at Andrew, his face completely cold.

He declared, "I won't waste time

talking. I'm just here to warn you: From this moment on, Aspen is her own person. She doesn't answer to you anymore. If you ever try to threaten, manipulate, or control her again...

"Well, sorry, but I, Seth Haywood, will make sure you end up as a corpse in the capital."noveldrama

His tone was loud, dramatic, and over-the-top-like he thought he was the lead in some soap opera, swooping in to rescue the helpless heroine.