Chapter 573

“Holy! It’s a whole platter of solid gold bars. Madblade Martial Academy sure knows how to make a statement!”

“Seriously, how much would all that gold be worth? Must be at least a few million dollars.”

“Are they really trying to cozy up to Moonlit Apothecary that hard?”

The extravagant gift had everyone buzzing. Even Francesca and Lauren were momentarily stunned.

“Mr. Sanford, this is way too much. You’re just here for a meal. There’s no need for such a grand gesture. Please, take it back,” Francesca said, extending the tray toward Rochey.

While she was pleased with Andrew receiving gifts, this level of generosity was overwhelming. Her kind-hearted nature made her feel awkward accepting so much gold.

Rodney waved it off with a smile. “Ms. Aicker, please, just accept it for Dr. Lloyd’s sake. It’s really not that much.”

There was no way Rodney intended to take back the gift. However, his grand gesture was not just about generosity—it had a deeper motive.

Though Madblade Martial Academy had a reputation for arrogance in Jayrodale, that had changed after Andrew’s legendary visit when he single-handedly wrecked their reputation.

Curious and humbled by the encounter, Rodney discreetly investigated Andrew’s background and was stunned by what he found.

Both Harvey and Michael—powerful figures in Jayrodale—had been defeated by Andrew. Not only that, but Andrew now seemed to have full control of the city’s underworld, with Dylan and Natasha, two feared crime lords, under his command. Rodney knew then that Madblade Martial Academy could not afford to antagonize Andrew anymore.

His grudge over the earlier incident faded in the face of cold, hard reality. Though Rodney was brash by nature, he was not a fool. He even informed his father, Vince, the academy’s founder, who was in deep seclusion.

Vince’s only advice was simple—it was better for them to submit than to be destroyed. With that reassurance, Rodney wasted no time in bringing a lavish gift to Moonlit Apothecary’s opening ceremony, hoping to mend ties with Andrew.

Francesca, still unsure, looked to Andrew for guidance. “I don’t know what to do. You’re the owner of Moonlit Apothecary. Should we accept it or not?”

Andrew spoke decisively. “Of course we’re accepting it! This much gold is no joke.”

Francesca raised a brow, amused. “That’s funny—you didn’t seem so eager to accept it before.”

Lauren chimed in, her curiosity piqued. “Yeah, Dr. Lloyd, you changed your mind pretty fast.”

Andrew, unfazed, replied smoothly, “Earlier, I didn’t want to take it because I didn’t want to owe Mr. Sanford any favors. But now that I’ve seen how tempting this mountain of gold looks, well… I can’t just let it go.”

He smirked and added, “As they say, turning down money is a fool’s game. Right, Mr. Sanford?”

Rodney’s face twitched as he forced out a strained response, “R–right. Exactly!”

What a shameless guy! Rodney thought bitterly. He could’ve just said he wanted the gold outright instead of pretending to be all noble.

Francesca burst into laughter, covering her mouth as she shook her head at Andrew. She should have known he was a gold-digger.

Lauren also giggled at how Andrew had his greedy moment and was not always the perfect gentleman. It was clear to both women now—when it came to profits, Andrew did not hesitate to claim his share.