Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Looking at Christina, who looked like she was about to lose her mind, Yara

sneered. "Did I say anything wrong? Christina, let me ask you—what makes you think you're even qualified to go against Andrew? His company is worth billions. If he really wanted to crush you, you'd be dead a hundred times over by now."

Christina shouted in fury, "Yara, whose side are you on? Are you with the Wrights, or are you with Andrew?"

Yara laughed coldly. "Does that even matter? I already know you're going to go running back to Quinton to tattle, but I couldn't care less. You're nothing but a curse in human form a scheming little parasite.

"Don't think I don't see what you're doing. You're trying to use our family-the Wrights to get back at Andrew. But too bad for you, while Quinton might be dumb enough to help you, I'm not. Because no matter how I look at you, you're just a manipulative bitch with an agenda."

Christina clutched her stinging face, too humiliated to speak, and climbed into the car. With one slam on the gas, she sped off. It was humiliation like she had never known before, and it made her feel like her nerves were splitting apart.

How did it come to this?

Yara was Quinton's sister, the one who was supposed to stand up for her. Yet, not only had she refused to help, she had slapped her across the face twice.

For the first time, Christina felt something close to total despair, mixed with helpless rage.

Was Andrew really untouchable?

Was there truly no one, and no situation, that could bring him down?

She hated him so much.

Back at the hotel, Christina did not say a word. Her face was so dark that it scared the staff.

Irene and Leroy were chatting casually about the upcoming holiday and where they should travel.

"Mom, I wanna go to Drubae! I wanna stay in one of those fancy hotels! And I wanna date a hot blonde bombshell!" Leroy giggled like an idiot.

Irene rolled her eyes. "Forget Drubae. I wanna go back to Jayrodale and play mahjong with my girlfriends! I'll show those ladies just how well I'm living in Blumedale! We're staying in five-star hotels, spending thousands a night! And my sweet daughter? She's dating the eldest son of the Wrights!"

She giggled and added, "I can already imagine those jealous, sour looks from your aunties and cousins. Oh, just thinking about it gives me life!"

Her goofy grin was not much better than Leroy's.

Christina could not take it anymore. All that shallow chatter hit her like a hammer.

"Having fun is all you two ever do! All you care about is luxury and pleasure while doing absolutely nothing useful! I'm warning you-if I go down, you both go down with me! You'll be left with nothing—you'll be begging on the streets!"

Her voice had turned sharp and shrill, practically vibrating with rage and bitterness.

Irene and Leroy fell completely silent.

After a long, awkward pause, Irene finally muttered, "Christie, what's gotten into you? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? If you think it's such a burden for Leroy and me to live off your money, just say it.

"I'll take your brother and head back to Jayrodale! Don't worry-we won't stick around Blumedale embarrassing you!"

As she spoke, she wiped her eyes dramatically and began to sob like she had been horribly wronged.

Leroy chimed in, annoyed. "Christie, look what you've done. You made Mom cry! You've made it in life, and we just benefit a little from it-so what? Do you really have to yell and curse at us for it?"

Christina, already in a foul mood, finally snapped-all her usual composure, all that cold and haughty pride-gone in a puff of smoke. What remained was a mind on the brink and a soul crushed under pressure she could no longer bear.

Irene spent every day flaunting Chritina's status, pushing her to suck up to this person or flatter that one-hell, she would probably sell her off to some rich old man if it meant getting ahead.

And Leroy? He was absolutely useless. She had pulled strings to get him a stable government job, but he called it boring and soul-sucking, saying it would dull his edge.

Then, she set him up in business-he tanked. Worse than a clueless freshman trying to pitch to sharks.

Over the years, she had handed him millions, and without fail, he blew every cent, leaving her to clean up the mountain of debt he racked up.

Now, Christina finally saw it—her world was full of leeches. Not a single normal, reliable person around her.

And the worst part? She'd been too blind, too stubborn to see it until now.

Meanwhile, look at Andrew. Aspen had become his most trusted right hand. Dylan and Natasha had even come to Blumedale as his personal protection squad.

Rumor had it that he was sworn brothers with the Kellers-the top of the Five Apex Families.

Her head throbbed like a siren as rage surged through her veins. The more she thought, the more her blood boiled.

Why?

Why was her world filled with trash, drama, and parasites?

Why did every person and situation around her only drain her?

And why did Andrew have everything?

Since she made it her mission to take him down, reclaim her pride, and crush him

beneath her heel, nothing had gone her way.

Not one single thing.

But what had she done wrong?

Where, exactly, was she any less than Andrew?

In a sudden dizzy spell, Christina lost her footing and collapsed with a scream.

Luckily, Leroy caught her just in time. "Christie! Christie, don't scare me like that! Are you sick?!"

Irene rushed over, wailing. "Christie! My sweet baby girl! What happened to you? With Mr. Wright backing you, who could possibly hurt you? Tell me! Was it that bastard Andrew? Did he push you this far? If it was i swear I'll go over there myself and tear him limb from limb!"

Her tone was so aggressive, it actually sounded like she meant it.

Christina clutched her forehead, the pain in her skull so sharp it felt like someone was stirring steel needles inside her brain.

It hurt like hell.

Her pride had always been sky-high, and her ego unshakable.

However, the blows had come too fast and hard, and she could not take it

anymore.

And on top of everything, the bickering from Irene and Leroy, their endless noise

and nonsense, made it all worse.

"Shut up. All of you just shut the hell up!"noveldrama

Her voice exploded into a full-blown scream, her face twisted with fury.

The outburst stunned Irene and Leroy into total silence.

Because never, not once in their lives, had they seen Christina like this.