Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Henry, Grace, Edwin, and Scarlett surrounded Jerome and Andrew completely.

Henry laughed loudly. "Mr. Thornton, even with all your incredible power, you won't be leaving alive today!"

As he laughed louder, his arrogance filled the air like thunder.

Scarlett clenched her fists, her voice trembling with emotion. "So, our last resort came in handy! We've finally taken down Jerome and toppled him! From now on, this Southern Martial Union won't be under his rule any longer!"

Jerome pushed away Andrew's supporting arm, his body trembling and blood dripping as he forced himself to stand. He said firmly, "Dr. Lloyd, don't worry about me. If this is how my fate ends, then so be it."

Andrew's eyes darkened with emotion. "Sir, you..."

Jerome raised a hand and cut him off. "Dr. Lloyd, you've already done more than enough. You stood by me in the worst moments and risked your life to help me. This is my burden to bear. I can't let you suffer any further because of me."

Scarlett sneered. "Neither of you is walking away from this alive!"

Jerome's gaze turned sharp as steel. "Yes, I've fallen from the top today. But Dr. Lloyd has nothing to do with this. He stepped in out of justice, nothing more. And even now, when I'm half-dead, if you think you can touch him, go ahead. I dare you."

Scarlett's face twitched, and the dark mole near her lip trembled visibly. Though she wanted nothing more than to skin Andrew alive, she did not dare move.

Edwin spoke coldly. "Mr. Thornton, we joined forces for our own reasons. Even if we weren't on the same side, I respected you as a leader."noveldrama

Grace nodded beside him. "That's right. No one denied your strength and reputation, but your path was never our path. So today, Mr. Thornton, you'll have to die."

Jerome let out a bitter laugh, his body swaying like a candle in the wind. "From the moment I took over the Union 20 years ago, I knew this position came with disaster, fa more than glory or power. And now, that day has finally arrived just never imagined the one to deal the killing blow would be my own child."

He turned his eyes toward Eric, filled with sorrow.

Eric wiped the blood from his mouth. His face had gone ghostly pale. "Dag... I've failed you. All these years, you poured everything into raising me: your time, your heart, everything. But my spirit died a long time ago."

He took a slow step forward, voice hollow and bleak. However, his tone was brimming with deep resentment.

Jerome's smile grew even more bitter. "You still haven't let go of Hunter's death, have you?"

Eric suddenly shouted, "No! I never

could! Back then, when Hunter was

trapped on the brink of death, you didn't care! You gave up your position and ran north to Ch

all for some ridiculous friendship! And Hunter ended up dying horribly in Basoria, with no one to save him!

"We were helpless, the two of us. I watched as the men from the Assassin's Guild turned him into a pincushion with arrows! At that very moment, I swore on my life that you would pay for it!"

Eric's soft features twisted violently, his expression contorting into something monstrous and rabid.

No one dared interrupt the final confrontation between father and son.

Jerome tilted his head back and closed his eyes in silence. After a long pause, he opened them again, this time with a soft, broken smile.

"Yes... Hunter's death was my fault. I take full responsibility. But Eric, for all these years... my heart has been in more pain than you can imagine."