Chapter 603
At Moonlit Apothecary, the members of Madblade Martial Academy bid farewell shortly after the Stevens family left.
Rodney let out a long sigh of relief. He hadn’t expected Andrew to order Natasha to give Aspen a beating. Seeing her get put in her place was incredibly satisfying.
Aspen was no longer someone Rodney could handle. With Gordon around, Rodney knew he wasn’t completely out of danger yet. Watching Andrew deal with Aspen was cathartic, but if it had been him, he wouldn’t have dared. The fear Gordon instilled in him was too great.
For now, he would stay away from Aspen, though the grudge he held burned deeply.
After the last guest left, Andrew, Lauren, and Francesca turned and stepped into the apothecary.
Francesca began showing Andrew around the various functional areas of the medical center.
Originally owned by the Weller family, the building had been one of the largest upscale clubs in Jayrodale. It was vast and luxurious. After its transformation into a medical center, it retained its grandeur while also becoming practical for its new purpose.
Lauren and Francesca had been thoughtful in their design, even including a private office and a rest area for Andrew. They also added a dedicated alchemy room and a leisure room filled with entertainment equipment.
Andrew looked around, clearly impressed and satisfied. However, he realized he wouldn’t use many of the areas, especially the leisure room.
Entertainment didn’t appeal to him much. The high–end gym equipment might see occasional use, but as a martial artist, he didn’t need it.
If he wanted to push his body to its limits, he could simply head to an underground arena. And if he desired a perfectly sculpted physique, he could achieve that with ease. As a master of medicine, Andrew could stimulate specific acupuncture points, combine them with tailored treatments, and achieve any desired physical transformation–whether it was a bodybuilder’s muscles on a figure like a fitness model.
“Lauren, Fran, you’ve really put a lot of thought into this,” Andrew said after the tour, as the three of them sat in the front hall.
Lauren smiled softly, her tone tender. “As long as you like it, I’m happy to do anything for you.”
Francesca blushed slightly, turning her head to feign indifference. “The designs, colors, and layouts were all Lauren’s ideas. If anything, you should thank her properly."
Andrew chuckled. “No, I should thank both of you.”
Only then did a subtle smile touch Francesca’s lips, though she quickly masked her joy. “I just want you to like it, same as Lauren.”
Lauren studied Andrew for a moment and asked gently, “D Lloyd, is something bothering you?”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”
Lauren’s voice was calm and soothing. “You and Christina have always been entangled–unfinished business between you. But today, your attitude changed so drastically. You told her to leave, and I imagine it must have been a difficult decision for you.”
Francesca added, “Andrew, Christina isn’t inherently a bad person. She’s just struggling with jealousy and resentment after seeing you doing so well while she feels left behind. But after what you said today, I think any lingering connection between you two is likely severed. That must’ve been hard for you.”
Andrew paused briefly before breaking into a smile. “No, you’re both wrong.”
Lauren blinked, surprised. “Wrong? Then how do you feel, Dr. Lloyd?”
Francesca also looked at him curiously.
Andrew laughed softly. “To be honest, I feel nothing at all–no sadness, no regret. My heart is calm, completely at peace. I let go of Christina a long time ago. Through everything that’s happened recently, I’ve come to see her clearly. She’s not the person for me, and that’s okay.”