Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 1019

Luna's chest rose and fell with anger, her gaze cold as ice. "The nerve… No one's ever dared speak to me like that, especially not some backwater hick. You're the first."

Nonetheless, he did not plan to take Andrew to heart. He was just a small-time nobody—at most, a temporary annoyance. Now that he had left the Phelan estate, she figured it was better this way. Out of sight, out of mind.

…

Back at the mansion, Luna found Montgomery resting in his room.

"Grandpa, earlier… when you said Andrew looked familiar, what exactly did you mean? Who does he remind you of?"

Montgomery's eyes grew distant as he murmured, "He really did look familiar. Back when I was in Chetvine, I caught a glimpse of a young man like him once—dashing, bold, and absolutely unmatched in presence."

Luna was caught off guard and grew even more curious. "Grandpa, who exactly are you talking about? You always say I'm the only one worthy of praise—now you're giving that to a stranger? I don't like that!"

Only in front of Montgomery did Luna ever drop her guard and act like a playful granddaughter.

Montgomery chuckled. "Oh Luna, don't shake me around like that—these old bones can't take it. The one I'm thinking of… Well, you've heard his story before—the prodigious heir of the Lloyds, from the royal family of Chetvine."

Luna froze, her whole body stiffening as disbelief washed over her. "The prodigious heir of the Lloyds? But didn't the rumors say… he's already dead? Grandpa, you don't seriously think Andrew is him, right? We can't just say things like that—someone from the Lloyds could catch wind of it!"

Montgomery smiled gently. "That's why I said he only resembles him. Honestly, it was just a fleeting impression… probably nothing more than an illusion. But he's a good young man. Marvin brought him here, and I still trust Marvin's judgment."

Luna blushed slightly and nodded. "If you're willing to tell it, of course, I want to hear it. I've had everything handed to me in life—it's like the universe favors me. But I still want to know… just how freakishly talented was that heir?"

Montgomery beamed with excitement, clearly eager to tell the tale. "Luna, you're brilliant—near perfect, really. But the Lloyds' prodigy? He was flawless. The one and only in my lifetime."

As the grandfather and granddaughter dove into their conversation, somewhere across the city, Andrew suddenly sneezed.

"Must be Lauren… or maybe Fran thinking about me again," he muttered.

In their culture, it was said that when you sneezed out of nowhere, someone was talking about you behind your back. At that moment, Andrew's thoughts drifted to Lauren and Francesca.