Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 1322

Esther's gaze at Andrew had unknowingly turned cautious. Just as Zephyr had warned, Andrew was not just a small fish in a pond—he was a monster in the deep sea.

Zephyr's thoughts ran even deeper. He quickly ran the numbers in his mind, comparing Andrew's assets to those of the Bridgefields' Stevens family.

The Stevens, an established family in their own right, had a combined net worth of around 20 billion. Yet, when stacked against Andrew, it was barely a third.

Sighing, Zephyr raised his glass and offered a toast. "Mr. Lloyd, you're truly remarkable. Even without Aspen as a factor, I'd still have immense respect for you."

Andrew lifted his glass with a relaxed smile. "You're too kind, Mr. Stevens. I've said it before, I owe my success to your precious daughter."

After Zephyr's toast, the rest of the Stevens family quickly followed suit, standing one by one to raise their glasses. None dared be left out, each exchanging warm words and friendly banter with Andrew.

Meanwhile, Oscar, an outsider to this family gathering, sat alone at the edge of the table, his face darkening with each passing moment. He silently cursed, 'Damn it, this isn't how tonight is supposed to go. Andrew was supposed to be the one left humiliated and out of place!'

Yet now, the tables had turned. He, the so-called Hopkins heir, had become invisible—a ghost in a room where Andrew was the center of every conversation, constantly surrounded by clinking glasses and admiring smiles.

No one even bothered to glance his way, leaving Oscar to stare blankly into his glass. His mind drifted to a line from a Green Day song: "I walk a lonely road, the only one I have ever known…"

Of course, it was not that dramatic. Nonetheless, at that moment, he felt every bit like a forgotten figure in a crowded room, walking a lonely road that no one bothered to follow.

Forcing a strained smile, Oscar seized the moment and approached Aspen.

"Hey, Aspen, how about a drink? It's been ages since we last caught up. You've lost some weight since moving to Blumedale. It pains me to see you like this."