Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Tiana's sudden move left everyone stunned. Even Andrew's brows furrowed tightly as disbelief flickered across his face.

Jameson shot to his feet, his voice shaking. "Tiana, you-"

Tears streamed down Tiana's face as she shouted, "Don't even try, Jameson. You're nothing but a coward-weak and useless. What? You want to know why I did this? Fine, I'll tell you—I don't want to die! I'm not letting you drag me down, and I won't let Lauren die alongside you!"

From the crowd, one of the Rhodes family elders, Bruno Rhodes, roared with fury. "Shameless! Tiana, as the lady of the Rhodes family, how could you throw away all dignity like this? Stand up right now! I said, get up!"

He shouted, "Kneeling to a violent brute like that? You've disgraced our family!"

With rage boiling over, Bruno stormed toward her and reached out to yank her to her feet.

Aidan's expression darkened as he growled, "How dare you? Calling me a brute— what, you think I'm beneath you? Well, let me send you off, free of charge!"

With a single swing of his arm, Aidan unleashed a palm strike so powerful, it ripped through the air with a deafening snap. It landed squarely on Bruno's chest -no mercy, no hesitation.

A spray of blood, thick with shattered organs, burst from Bruno's mouth as his body flew back like a ragdoll. He slammed to the ground in a crumpled heap—

lifeless, silent, gone.

"Bruno!"

"Bruno-No! You animals! You kill him like it's nothing? I'm going to fight you with everything I have!"

...

In an instant, chaos erupted. The remaining members of the Rhodes family lost it. Eyes bloodshot, fists clenched, they charged forward.

Aidan grinned like a madman. "Butch. Spike. Kill every last one of these stubborn ants."

The man and woman behind him-his apprentices-stepped forward without a word, bloodlust flashing in their eyes.

Kenny quickly rushed in to beg, "Mr. Haywood Senior, please! You only need to kill Jameson and Tiana. The others-please, spare them!"noveldrama

Yet, Aidan's voice was pure ice. "They're just a pack of mangy dogs. You think I'll let them live after they insulted me?"

Right then, Jameson's voice boomed across the hall. "Stand down!"

He shoved the other family members back and stepped to the front, locking eyes with Tiana. Their gazes clashed mid-air-love, betrayal, heartbreak, and fury all tangled together.

"Tiana," Jameson said, his voice heavy, "I always knew someone might betray me. But I never thought the one to do it... would be you."

He laughed, but it was a bitter, hollow sound. Tears crept into his eyes without him realizing it.

He added, "I know you've hated me for what happened with Lauren, for everything I failed to do. And now, you hate me even more because I can't protect you, and I've put your life in danger.

"I remember you didn't want to

marry me in the first place. All these years of frustration may have led you to this moment, where you. chose to betray me and our

But hear me now-today, I, Jameson Rhodes, will be the first to die for our family. And I swear to the heavens, I will not hate you for it-not even a little."

Tiana's body trembled violently as his words pierced through her. She burst into tears, no longer held back.

Her voice came out hoarse and

broken. "Whether you hate me or not doesn't matter anymore. This is the outcome of your choices, Jameson. You planted the seeds, and now all reap the sorrow. I'm sorryol just can't die with you. For Lauren and the Lamberts, I have to stay alive."

With that, she remained on her knees and crawled a few steps closer until she reached Aidan's feet. Her voice softened into a plea. "Sir, please spare me. I'll serve you however you wish. And the Lambert family, my family... They'll pledge their loyalty to you as well."

Aidan's rugged face lit up with clear interest.