Chapter 60

Andrew was surprised. "You know me?" he asked.

The thug gulped anxiously. "Yes, of course! Mr. Lloyd, I'm so sorry! This is all a misunderstanding!" He yanked off his mask, revealing a scarred face.

Andrew thought for a moment. "Weren't you with Bobby that day at the Oakridge Club?"

"Yes, sir! When you beat Bobby half to death, I—I wet myself!" The man was terrified, realizing Michael had unwittingly sent them after someone so formidable.

Andrew smiled. "So, you're here for revenge?"

The man shook his head frantically. "No, no, absolutely not! If we had known it was you, Mr. Lloyd, we wouldn't have dared to come near you!"

The other thugs, catching on, scrambled to apologize. "This is a huge misunderstanding!" one exclaimed. Another offered, "Please, have a smoke, Mr. Lloyd. We were blind not to recognize you!" A third added, "Mr. Lloyd, if you ever have time, come visit us in South City sometime. Mr. Garner would love to host you!"

The thugs cursed their luck. As underlings, they would never forget Dylan's defeat after encountering Marvin that night. Even Jayrodale's wealthiest man feared Andrew; minor figures like them were insignificant.

Francesca watched in astonishment as Dylan's notorious thugs trembled before Andrew. She couldn't comprehend their terror.

Andrew suspected Marvin's intervention played a role, but he didn't care. He waved them away dismissively, somewhat disappointed he wouldn't get to release some tension. The scar-faced man bowed repeatedly before hurrying back to the van with his crew. They sped away so quickly they nearly crashed into the nearby lake.

"Andrew, why did Dylan's men suddenly become so respectful?" Francesca asked suspiciously.

Andrew shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe Mr. Garner took pity on me."

Francesca scoffed, clearly unconvinced. Watching Andrew walk away, she frowned, wondering if there was more to him than met the eye.

Chapter 60 (continued)

The sight of Dylan's men trembling in fear lingered with her. They had acted as if they'd encountered their worst nightmare. After pondering it, Francesca concluded Lauren must have been manipulating events behind the scenes, even appeasing Dylan to protect her boyfriend.

Later that night, Michael was drifting off to sleep after a wild night with a foreign escort at the Oakridge Club. His phone rang. Annoyed, he answered when he saw it was Dylan. "Mr. Garner, how did it go?"

"Not well," Dylan replied, his voice cold.

A chill ran down Michael's spine, jolting him awake. "Not well? Your men couldn't handle that nobody? Fine! Give me my money back—I'll find someone else!"

Chapter 61