Chapter 737

Tiana’s voice boomed with authority. “Howard, do you admit to what Mr. Lloyd just said? Did you speak to him disrespectfully?”

Howard’s eyes darted around as he scrambled for a lie. However, before he could speak, Andrew let out a cold chuckle. “I’d think twice before digging your own grave. Everything you said and did–there are surveillance cameras all over the Pharmaceutical Division.”

Howard’s face turned pale, and he immediately swallowed his words. He quickly changed his tone. “I–I did say some things I shouldn’t have, but I-”

Before he could finish, Tiana slapped him across the face hard. The impact was so fierce that Howard saw stars, nearly blacking out.

Michael stood there, dumbfounded. He could not believe that Tiana was hitting her own family.

Even Lauren and Marcus were caught off guard. After all, Tiana had come in looking ready to tear into Andrew, but now she was disciplining her own nephew instead.

With blood trickling from his lips, Howard whimpered, “Aunt Tiana, why did you hit me? What did I do wrong?”

Tiana grabbed him by the collar, her tone icy. “If you ever pull something like this again, I’ll send you straight back to the Lambert family. I brought you here to gain experience, to learn, and to make a name for yourself–not to get tangled up in pointless feuds. Do you even know your own weight? Some fights are way out of your league. If it weren’t for the fact that your father is my brother, I would’ve beaten you half to death already.”

Howard did not dare say another word. He simply stood there, silently wiping away his tears.

Tiana’s gaze swept across the room. “What are you all standing around for? Do none of you have jobs? Get back to work–now!”

The employees who had been watching quickly scattered, scurrying back to their desks with pale faces.

At Rhodes Corporation, employees feared Tiana more than they feared the so-called “gentle and refined” head of the family himself.

“Howard, come with me,” she ordered before turning to leave. She had no intention of pursuing the matter further.

Michael clenched his jaw, his fists trembling. He silently cursed, “Damn it! Andrew got away with it again!”

Andrew turned toward Marcus, Lauren, and Eunice and said casually, “Let’s head back.”

As they walked out, he called out to one of the supervisors he had slapped earlier. “Once you’ve finished cleaning up, send me the approval documents for the Pharmaceutical Division’s product launch. Got it?”

The supervisor, still nursing his swollen face, nodded frantically. “Got it! Absolutely! Mr. Lloyd. I’ll have them delivered right away!”

Andrew smirked, thinking, “Looks like a well-placed slap really is the best way to deal with spineless cowards.”

Back in Lauren’s office, Marcus shook his head in disbelief. “I still can’t believe it. Mrs. Rhodes actually let you off the hook.”

Andrew leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. “She didn’t ‘let me off‘—she knew she was in the wrong.”

“In the wrong?” Lauren looked at him in surprise. She had known her mother her whole life, and not once had she ever seen Tiana admit she was wrong.

Andrew’s expression turned thoughtful. “Take a guess–who do you think put Howard up to this?”

Marcus furrowed his brows. “Well, he’s been working under Michael, so it must’ve been him. But if we’re talking about manipulation, Howard isn’t stupid. He wouldn’t just let Michael use him so easily.”

Andrew shook his head. “On the contrary–he was used. That’s exactly why he acted out today.”

Lauren frowned. “Howard is just a sales manager. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have the guts to be this bold.”

Andrew let out a low scoff. “That’s exactly the issue. He’s just a manager, yet he threw himself into this mess without hesitation. And why? Because he wasn’t just acting as a manager–he was acting as a Lambert.”

He continued, “With the Lambert family name backing him up, Michael saw an opportunity. He used Howard as a pawn, hoping it would cause real trouble for us. But what Michael didn’t count on was that I don’t give a damn about the Lambert family. He thought I’d hesitate, but I confronted them outright instead.”