Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) - Chapter 1844

Andrew picked up the conversation with a cold tone. “So what you’re saying is, you resorted to underhanded tactics by capturing Zachary to blackmail me, right?”

Jerome looked stunned, then his expression immediately turned apologetic.

Just as he was about to speak, the beautiful young man who had been sitting silently finally opened his mouth. His voice was soft and melodious, sounding exactly like a woman’s.

“Dad had no choice in this matter. Besides, he didn’t know about this plan beforehand. I came up with it entirely on my own.”

He lifted his head with a pitiful expression, like a heartbroken maiden gazing sorrowfully at Andrew. “If you want to blame someone, then blame me!”

Andrew’s mind went blank for a split second before returning to normal as he replied calmly, “I wouldn’t say I blame you. I just don’t like being manipulated. By the way, I haven’t gotten your name yet. Who might you be?”

The feminine young man smiled, revealing perfectly aligned and crystal-white teeth that could rival those of Lauren or Aspen. “I’m Eric Humphrey, Mr. Thornton’s adopted son and also his top disciple!”

Andrew turned his head away, refusing to look at his face. Inwardly, he was deeply alarmed because Eric possessed some seriously twisted martial arts.

If Andrew was not mistaken, this person had mastered some form of high-level charm technique. Simply put, charm techniques were specifically designed to bewitch people’s minds, and usually, just making eye contact was enough to trap someone without them realizing it.

Andrew cursed silently, wondering what kind of grown man would practice such methods.

Eric was definitely a strange one!

Meanwhile, seeing Andrew act completely unaffected and deliberately avoid his gaze, Eric could not help but be surprised.

He thought, ‘So this guy has some skill after all! He wasn’t falling for my charm.’

Still, Eric had not even used his full ability yet. If he activated the technique completely, he was confident he could have Andrew under his control in seconds.

Zachary chuckled awkwardly. “Dr. Lloyd, come on, please take a look at Mr. Thornton’s condition. Help him out.”

Andrew turned and looked at him. Zachary was speaking to him, but his sout was clearly gone, eyes locked entirely on Eric. His mouth was even hanging open, and drool was about to drip from the corner.

Andrew cursed silently. ‘Damn it!’

Even Zachary, a big, burly guy with chest hair, had fallen under the spell.

Eric was seriously dangerous.

What confused Andrew more was why someone like Jerome, a man with such power and influence, would allow Eric to cultivate such dark techniques.

As if sensing Andrew’s thoughts, Jerome finally spoke with a weary tone. “Dr. Noyd, please don’t judge too harshly. Eric’s technique is indeed unusual, but he’s never

1.n

it to harm anyone. I raise

myself.

him

“I found him when he was just a child. He’d suffered terrible trauma at a young age, to the point he developed a deep resistance to being a man. And so, well… he turned out like this.”

By the end of his explanation, even Jerome sounded embarrassed.

Eric was considered Jerome’s successor and praised as the prodigy of Goldridge. Yet his personality was as delicate as a woman’s, and his martial arts followed a similarly feminine path.

People who did not know him often cursed him behind his back when they first met.

In truth, Jerome was very fond of this adopted son and treated Eric like his own flesh and blood.

The reason was simple: Eric was genuinely worth it. Despite being under 30, he was already at the top tier of martial kings.

Eric bowed gracefully, his voice melodious as he said, “Please, Dr. Lloyd. Help Dad recover. I’m willing to offer anything in return.”

If Andrew had not been looking at his feminine face, he would have sworn the voice belonged to some delicate beauty.