Chapter 731
Andrew and Lauren wasted no time. After handling everything at Glorious Pharmaceuticals, they rushed back to Rhodes Corporation.
On the drive back, Lauren could not hold back her curiosity. She asked hesitantly, “Dr. Lloyd, I know I shouldn’t pry, but I still want to ask… Was it Mr. Yates who helped with the machine?”
Andrew nodded. “You could say that. I already realized that Stephen’s factory, even though it’s the best in Jayrodale, isn’t all that impressive. To put it bluntly, they couldn’t even get a single advanced piece of equipment. So, I gave Marvin a heads-up in advance and had him figure something out.”
Lauren fell silent for a moment before whispering, “If Mr. Yates helped you like this, there must be a price, right? For example, maybe he wants to use you to take control of Glorious Pharmaceuticals. And from there, he could monopolize Jayrodale’s entire pharmaceutical industry. It’s not impossible.”
Andrew glanced at her, surprised. “Lauren, how did you come up with that? Marvin has no interest in pharmaceuticals—actually, he’s not even interested in making money anymore.
“Becoming Jayrodale’s wealthiest man is already exhausting him. He keeps trying to trick me into taking over, saying he’s done with it and wants to dump everything on me.
“But I’m not stupid. There’s no way I’d fall for that. Wealthroller Investments might not be a huge company, but there are still a lot of people depending on him. If he walked away, he’d be letting them down.”
Lauren mumbled, “Oh,” and said nothing more.
Still, she could not stop thinking about what Tiana had warned her about… that Andrew was nothing more than a deadly chess piece groomed by Marvin.
Through Andrew, Marvin would eventually take down all the major families and corporate giants of Jayrodale. Right now, it looked like Stephen—once the leading figure in the pharmaceutical industry—had already become Andrew’s loyal supporter.
Moreover, Andrew had also gained control over the terrifying underground forces led by Dylan and Natasha.
Lauren believed in Andrew with all her heart. However, she could not help but wonder if all of this was just an illusion and if everything would really play out the way Tiana predicted—that Andrew was just a pawn meant to lure her into the game.
Would all her hopes and dreams eventually shatter?
“Lauren, what are you thinking about?”
Andrew’s voice pulled her back. She had been staring out the window, lost in thought.
Lauren smiled and shook her head. “Nothing much. I was just thinking… Dr. Lloyd, you’ve grown so much and become so much stronger. When I first met you at Jayrodale General Hospital, you were just this quiet figure in a white coat, standing apart from the crowd, like you didn’t belong.
“But now, everything has changed. I’m no longer the CEO of Rhodes Corporation, and next to you, I feel like I don’t quite measure up anymore.”
Andrew pulled the car to a stop and turned to look at her. His expression was serious. “I haven’t changed, not really. You just haven’t fully gotten to know me yet. But one thing will never change—whether you’re the CEO of the Rhodes Group, a rich heiress, or just yourself, I’ll always like you.”
Lauren took a deep breath and smiled. “We’re here. Let’s go up. And… thank you for helping me, Dr. Lloyd.”
At that moment, she made up her mind. Even if Andrew really was just Marvin’s carefully placed chess piece, it did not matter anymore.
Even if she was falling straight into a trap, she was willing to do so. She could not control herself—she had already fallen too deep for this man.
Andrew did not notice her change in mood. The two of them took the elevator up to the executive office floor. As soon as they stepped inside, they saw Marcus had already arrived with his people.
However, at that moment, Marcus’ face was dark with anger. Next to him, Lauren’s assistant, Eunice, had a bright red handprint across her cheek as she sniffled quietly, trying to hold back her tears.