Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

In the midst of an uncanny hush, the nurse, pale as a ghost with fear, snapped out of it first.

"How... how can you guys just hit someone? Dr. Charlton... he's one of Mr.

Ellington's people, you guys are in deep trouble now!"

She said to Andrew, her voice barely above a whisper.

Daniel, somehow finding a burst of energy, scrambled to his feet.

He shot Andrew a poisonous look and let out a furious roar before running off, hand clutched to his bleeding face, towards the hospital!

Chantelle rubbed her temples. "He's probably off to find his big shot backer. Mr. Lloyd, if this keeps up, we're only going to get in deeper."

Andrew replied calmly, "Then let's brace ourselves for an even wilder storm!"

Chantelle was speechless.

She had told him to take the win and get out of dodge, but he was actually gearing up for a bigger showdown!

Logan, never one to shy away from a fight, laughed in his face. "You've got guts— I'm impressed!"noveldrama

The crowd around them? They were all secretly buzzing with anticipation.

Could someone actually go toe-to-toe with Blumedale Hospital, a giant among giants?

Even though Andrew had some serious clout, with influence in both Blumedale and with the Keller family, that did not change the fact that Blumedale Hospital was like a nest of powerful players.

They barely had to wait before a group stormed out, fuming and marching with purpose. At the front was a short, chubby guy with hardly any hair left on top. They could tell from his stern face that he was someone in charge.

Daniel, his face still smeared with blood, was right on his heels, pointing at Andrew with a look of pure loathing. "Mr. Ellington, this guy's the one who stirred up trouble in our hospital And he's the one who got others to hit me!"

The nurse, her face ghostly white, shot Andrew a worried look. "Mr. Ellington 's here, and you're in deep trouble now!"

Andrew was the picture of cool, eyeing the nearly bald Norman Ellington without a ripple of concern.

Norman shot back a frosty look of his own.

"Sir, the hospital is a sanctuary for healing, not a playground for thugs! I'm one of the directors here, and I'm in charge of this front desk area!

"So, tell me, do you have any complaints, or is there some beef you have that made you attack our doctor?"

He was all bluster and authority like he was calling someone on the carpet.

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Andrew just smirked. "Impressive, Mr. Ellington. You've got quite the air about you! You set yourself and the hospital up on this moral high ground right off the bat. And you treat me like I'm some criminal under interrogation, as if I've been on a rampage in your hospital!"

Norman snapped, "Sir, mind your tone!

"You might not have gone on a killing spree, but you did assault someone, and that's serious! If the hospital decides to take this further, you're going to face the music legally!"

Andrew threw up his hands with an apologetic grin. "Sorry to let you down, but it looks like you're in for a disappointment, Mr. Ellington! First off, I'm not the guy who threw the punches, so chasing me for legal trouble is a dead end.

"Second, if you're wondering why your buddy here got decked, maybe you should ask him! Third, you're right about one thing: hospitals are supposed to save lives and offer comfort.

"However, Dr Charlton? He's not

doing his job. He's making it tough for regular folks to get care, not to mention his insults, threats, and scare tactics. And what's with the attitude? Who gave him the right to act like he's the king of the hill, treating patients like they're beneath him?"

Andrew's words picked up speed, his voice growing fiercer by the second, until it was ice cold!

Daniel was so spooked he shivered uncontrollably.

Norman's face turned stormy.

Great, he had hit a snag! He knew all about Daniel's antics, but he usually looked the other way.

Most patients were just average Joes who would not dare stir up trouble.

The high rollers? They had already slipped through the back door for VIP treatment.

Things had been smooth sailing until then.

However, Andrew had just thrown a wrench in the works.

Daniel, seething with rage, bellowed, "Alright, I'll own up to it—I was rude and snappy!"