Tiana flinched, both shocked and furious, but she had no chance of dodging him.

Under Andrew's hand, she did not stand a chance. However, the loud smack that followed was not across her face—it landed squarely on a pressure point along her waist.

A wave of sharp pain shot through her body like a crashing tide. She gasped, "Ah… Andrew, you… stop, that hurts…"

A strange moan escaped her lips, echoing awkwardly in the quiet room.

Andrew muttered under his breath, cursing her madness. Without wasting time, he lifted her up and laid her down across the bed.

Tiana stared up at him in disbelief, her eyes wide—until he pulled out a slim, metallic object.

A gleaming golden acupuncture needle.

"Mrs. Rhodes, your speech is erratic, your energy's spiking. I'll give you a few needles to stabilize your condition," Andrew said calmly.

With that, he plunged the first needle into a targeted spot on her body. Tiana's breath hitched as her lips parted, and her reaction was a mix of pai