Chapter 823

Andrew’s smile was cold and menacing. “Mrs. Rhodes has given me full authority, so you’d all better do exactly as I say, or would one of you rather take Michael’s place and wear the lingerie yourselves?”

The lackeys turned pale, their lips trembling in fear. Andrew was currently in charge of all operations at Rhodes Corporation, and even Tiana had to tread carefully around him. If they defied him, they would not just be out of a job—they would be as good as blacklisted.

Under Andrew’s increasingly icy stare, the men exchanged looks, their gazes filled with silent agreement. It was every man for himself.

Gritting their teeth, they reluctantly began stripping Michael down. They removed his jacket, his shirt, then his shoes and socks. Soon, he was left in nothing but a pair of bright red boxers.

Andrew raised an eyebrow and turned to Lauren. “Does he always have a peculiar taste in underwear?”

Lauren wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Andrew looked back at the lackeys. “Keep going. Take the boxers off too.”

They swallowed hard, their faces twitching. “Mr. Lloyd, do we really have to go that far?”

Instead of answering, he just looked at them.

The stare was enough. Suppressing their horror, they silently removed Michael’s last piece of dignity. Then, moving as fast as possible, they dressed him in the lace lingerie he had brought for Shiloh.

Lauren and Shiloh had already left the studio by then. Neither of them wanted to witness something that horrifying.

Andrew, on the other hand, looked on with satisfaction.

Michael, sprawled out on the floor, was now wearing the delicate, revealing lingerie—his hairy legs and chest in full display, making him look downright grotesque. After a moment of thought, Andrew pulled out a small red pill and shoved it into Michael’s mouth.

Then, he called over the photographer. “I want a full photoshoot, and a short video too. Make sure it’s ultra-high definition. Capture every single one of his most… expressive moments.”

The photographer glanced at the unconscious Michael before quickly averting his gaze. “Lord have mercy…”

Andrew frowned. “What? Are you supposed to be so holy that you’ve never seen such a scene?”

The photographer, a bearded man with long, greasy hair tied back in a ponytail, had the aura of an eccentric artist. Hearing Andrew’s question, he shook his head. “No, but I’m pretty religious.”

He added, “This scene is way too disturbing. I don’t think I can bring myself to do it. Just looking at him like that makes me want to throw up.”

Andrew crossed his arms. “That doesn’t add up. Aren’t artists and photographers who love this kind of weird, shocking stuff? As far as I know, the more bizarre and twisted something is, the more your kind loves capturing it.”

The photographer sighed. “You’re not wrong. But I have principles. I’m not one of those deranged ‘anything-for-art’ types who throw away their morals.”

Andrew smirked. “Alright, then tell me—what’s it gonna take to get you to shoot this?”

The photographer held out his hand. “Pay me extra.”

Andrew burst into laughter. A problem that could be solved with money was not a problem at all.

Once he stepped out of the studio, Andrew was in a great mood as he waited for the photographer’s finished work.

Lauren, however, eyed him suspiciously. “Dr. Lloyd, why are you making Michael wear lingerie for a photoshoot? Are you sure you don’t have some kind of weird fetish?”

Andrew’s face darkened. “Of course not. My taste is perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

Lauren was still confused. “So this is just about humiliating him? You better be careful. Michael might not be able to retaliate against you right now, but that photographer might end up suffering for it later.”

Andrew waved off her concern. “Relax, I’ve got it all covered. The photographer asked for extra cash, so I gave him ten grand. Once he’s done shooting Michael’s drag queen portfolio, he’s skipping town to chase his dream abroad.”

He continued, “Michael won’t even have anyone to take his anger out on. Besides, Rhodes Corporation is in the middle of a PR crisis right now, right? We talked about this before—we need a bigger scandal to overshadow the bad press.”

Andrew trailed off, his smirk widening. He did not need to explain further, especially since a smart woman like Lauren would get it immediately.

And she did. Her eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. “Damn, I’m so dumb! Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”