Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 1126

Chantelle was behind the wheel while Andrew rode along in the passenger seat as they headed out to treat Derek's old friend, George Keller.

The atmosphere inside the car was tense, with Chantelle's resting expression as frosty and detached as ever, her face practically carved from ice.

Andrew was not the kind of guy to throw warmth at a wall of cold, so he simply stayed quiet, staring out the window at the passing streets. After holding back for a while, Chantelle finally could not resist and let out a mocking laugh.

"Mr. Lloyd, what a clever move—create your own mess, then try to get Mr. McCormick to step in and clean it up for you. Don't you think you're playing with fire?"

Andrew smiled. "Playing with fire? Nah, I don't see it that way. At this point, I'm pretty much one of Mr. McCormick's trusted men. So if the little guy's getting targeted, doesn't it make perfect sense for the boss to step in and fix it?"

Chantelle was momentarily stunned before letting out a scoff. "Andrew, do you have any idea how many people in Blumedale line up just to get a minute of Mr. McCormick's time?

"It's a line long enough to stretch all the way to Jayrodale. And in that line, there are plenty who are smarter, more capable, and many times more respectable than you."

She paused, then turned slightly to glance at him with narrowed eyes before continuing. "The only reason Mr. McCormick picked you was because of his respect for Mr. Thatcher from Jayrodale. And let's be honest—you got lucky and caught a break.

"But luck only lasts so long. If you don't have the strength to back it up, you'll get tossed aside when things cool off. That's your fate."

Andrew shrugged. "I'm doing work for Mr. McCormick. So when I run into roadblocks, asking for help isn't exactly outrageous, is it? And besides, I'm not showing up empty-handed. I already agreed to treat his old friend—if that's not pulling my weight, I don't know what is."

Chantelle blinked, and then her smirk grew even more mocking. "You don't seriously believe Mr. McCormick expects you to actually heal Mr. Keller Senior, do you? He's just doing what's expected of him. His hands are tied.

"Every renowned doctor in Blumedale has already visited the Keller residence, and not a single one had any solutions. So what makes you think you're any different?"

Andrew smiled. "So what I'm hearing is—you don't think much of my medical skills, Ms. Garcia?"