โIโd rather hand it to you for free than let that scumbag Mosby get his hands on it!โ Ronan said firmly.
Andrew finally took the partial map and tucked it away carefully. He promised, โDonโt worry, Mr. Bates. Iโm just holding onto it for now. Even if this treasure is real and ever uncovered, it still belongs to you and Janice.โ
Ronan gave a weary smile. โThat treasure isnโt so easy to find. To be honest, Iโve spent years secretly investigating it myself. But I havenโt found much. This is only a piece of the map. In other words, weโd need to gather the rest of the fragments before we could even begin to figure out where the treasureโs actually hidden.โ
Andrew chuckled. โSo this was passed down through your family and dates back to the fall of the Crimson Dynasty, right? That means itโs been over a century. Finding the rest of the pieces seems like a lost cause.โ
Surprisingly, Ronan shook his head. โThatโs where youโre wrong, Mr. Lloyd. From what I know, this treasure is tied to five pieces in total. The one in our hands is just one of them, passed down through the Bates family. And as far as Iโm aware, two other families currently hold parts of the map as well.โ
Andrewโs interest sparked. โOh? Would you mind telling me which two families?โ
Ronan nodded. โOne of them is the Page family here in Blumedale. Just like the Bates family, they inherited theirs from their ancestors. So in a way, the Page family and the Bates family are both legacy guardians of this treasure. The other family originally came from Jayrodale, but theyโve since expanded their roots into Blumedale. Iโm talking about the Rhodes family of Jayrodale. Mr. Lloyd, I believe youโre familiar with them.โ
Wait, what?
That caught Andrew off guard. He had not expected that Laurenโs family would be tied to the treasure too. No wonder they clawed their way into Blumedale โ maybe they were hoping to track down the other pieces of the map and unlock the treasure.
If the Rhodes family actually found it, they would instantly rise to the level of the Five Apex families, if not higher. Clearly, both Jameson and Tiana were ambitious โ especially Tiana, who was cunning, unpredictable, and sharp enough to run circles around most men.
For all Andrew knew, Jameson was just a pawn she was maneuvering to chase after this legendary treasure. โMr. Bates, you and Janice should just focus on living peacefully,โ Andrew said.
With everything settled, he prepared to leave. โAs for Mosbyโฆ Iโll handle him. If he dares lay a hand on either of you, Iโll make him pay in blood.โ
Ronan looked deeply moved. โMr. Lloyd, I believe you with all my heart. But about those medicinal herbs that you asked forโฆ Iโm truly sorry. I wasnโt able to get them for you.โ
Andrew waved it off. โItโs fine. Theyโre not essential. Besides, didnโt you say Genesis Dispensary had some in stock? Iโll go pick them up myself later.โ
Ronan gave a bitter smile. He could not help but think Andrew was really bold to the bone. He had just turned Genesis Dispensary into an enemy, and now casually talked about walking in there to grab what he needed. Ronan could not tell if Mosby was too easy to mess with โ or if Andrew was just a wild tiger who took what he wanted, no questions asked.
Chapter 1223
When Andrew returned to The Sovereign Residences, he told Natasha to quietly assign a few people to keep Ronan and Janice under protection for a while. According to Ronan, Mosby was growing impatient and might make a move to snatch the map soon. So, Andrew was more than ready to teach that bastard a lesson he would not forget.
Meanwhile, over at Genesis Dispensaryโฆ
Mosby was shaking with rage. โIt was Andrew who trashed the place? That little bastard actually had the nerve to come after me?โ