Chapter 208  +25 BONUS  Christina turned to Harvey with a cold smile. “Didn’t you just say Finley would kill Andrew? Things turned out quite differently from what you predicted!”  Harvey opened his mouth but could not find the words to explain. He, too, was shocked by Silas‘ respect for Andrew.  “That pretty boy must be riding on Mr. Yates‘ connections to get such treatment from Mr. Vaughn,” Michael mocked dismissively.  Harvey quickly seized the opportunity. “That’s right! Mr. Vaughn and Mr. Yates are close friends. Andrew is just hiding behind Mr. Yates‘ influence to save his skin.”  Finley growled, “Marvin may be Jayrodale’s richest man and quite the figure. But if I want to deal with Andrew, he won’t dare interfere. This isn’t over!”  Michael and Harvey exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with malice and cold calculation. With the brute Finley joining their side, they felt confident Andrew would eventually fall.  The underground auction hall at Radiant Group was not particularly large, but its decor was nothing short of extravagant. The Vault was the most prestigious suite there, usually reserved for family patriarchs and Jayrodale’s wealthiest elite.  Under hundreds of envious stares, Andrew and his companions walked in leisurely. “The view of the auction from here is amazing!” Francesca exclaimed with genuine excitement.  Lauren glanced around with her discerning eye, finally nodding in approval. “Not bad. Truly worthy of its reputation.”  However, Andrew was not interested in the surroundings. He simply sat down on the plush couch and waited for the Celestial Nymphaea to appear.  Lauren turned to him with a curious smile. “Dr. Lloyd, are you and Mr. Vaughn close?”  “Not particularly,” Andrew replied, shaking his head. “I just bought a jewel from him once.” “You mean that 7.5–million–dollar King of Diamonds?” Francesca asked in surprise, to which Andrew simply nodded.  Francesca was amazed. “The price tag aside, most people couldn’t even buy it from Mr. Vaughn if they wanted to–it was practically priceless. How did you convince him to sell it to you?”  זיי  “I gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse,” Andrew said casually.  Both women were intrigued. “What kind of offer?”  With an indifferent tone, Andrew replied, “The leader of the Onyx Serpents is Silas‘ boss. I  Chapter 200  once treated the Onyx Serpents‘ heir, and he owed me a favor for that, I brought it up, and he made one phone call to Silas. Let’s just say Silas got an earful and handed me the King of Diamonds without hesitation.”  The two women nodded in understanding, knowing Andrew’s unfathomable medical skills. Even someone as powerful as the Onyx Serpents‘ leader might need his help.  Nonetheless, they did not know that Andrew’s connection with the Onyx Serpents ran much deeper. That so–called heir did not just visit Andrew for medical advice–he practically groveled in Andrew’s presence, addressing him with endless deference like a devoted lackey. As Jayrodale’s elite arrived for the auction, a stunning woman in an elegant dress took the stage as auctioneer and announced the start. The first few items were unremarkable–just antiques, ornaments, and artwork that did not interest Andrew much.  Lauren and Francesca were there mainly for social networking. They bid on items they liked but mostly sat beside Andrew, watching the proceedings.  “Dr. Lloyd,” Lauren asked, “didn’t you have something specific you wanted to bid on today?”