Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 2224

Natasha blushed as she replied shyly, "Maybe… we should skip that. I'd be too embarrassed to meet your father; I'm afraid he'd think I'm not good enough for you. Lauren and the others should meet him. I'll just watch from the sidelines when that happens."

Andrew smiled warmly. "Natasha, my dad isn't as old-fashioned as you think he is. Don't worry, once you meet him, you'll see for yourself. Those conventional prejudices about age differences and social status don't matter in our family. Nobody cares about that stuff."

Natasha hummed in acknowledgment. After a while, she whispered, "I keep feeling like someone's watching us on the street. But when I turn around to look, I can't spot anything unusual. It's so strange."

Andrew chuckled. "There's nothing strange about that. Your instincts are right. People are definitely watching us. Let me think… There should be members from the Shadowthorn Guild, whose boss is Atad Morrow, ranked 15th on the Titan List. He's just a cowardly scumbag, really.

"Then there are people from the famous martial arts family, the Hudson family. Holtrien has thousands of martial arts families, but only three and a half are truly formidable. The Hudson family is that half.

"Though they're nothing special, except for their ancestral patriarch, that 200-year-old freak who still refuses to die. Everyone else, I don't even consider worthy of my attention."

Natasha listened in confusion, not recognizing a single name he mentioned. She had not even heard of any of these organizations or people before. However, cold sweat began trickling down her back.

Andrew continued as if discussing the weather, recounting everything with casual familiarity.

"Of course, Chetvine's most notorious organization, Ironhold Division, definitely won't miss this party. You might not know Ironhold Division, but you should know the Special Ops. Think of Ironhold Division as the Special Ops's enhanced version, or rather, its psychotic version.

"When I was still serving with the organization in my younger, more reckless days, I killed one of Ironhold Division's Black Executors. For this offense, two of Ironhold Division's Wardens demanded that I destroy my own energy core as an apology.

Andrew shrugged as if discussing everyday matters.

After walking through long streets and turning countless corners, a grand estate appeared at the end of the road.

The Lloyd family compound had come into view.

Natasha did not need Andrew to explain anything. By just looking at the majestic gate and the classic architecture, she could sense that this place was truly extraordinary.