Naturally, Andrew refused and said, "Mr. Bates, this treasure map has been tied to your family's legacy for generations. You can't just hand over something this important to me. I can't accept it."

However, Ronan shook his head. "Mr. Lloyd, don't think of this as something you're unworthy of or need to feel guilty about taking. This partial map—rather than calling it a gift, it's more like we're transferring a curse. Only by passing it on can we hope to survive."

Still, Andrew did not take it. Instead, he asked, "So someone's already after the map, aren't they?"

Ronan's eyes filled with seething hatred as he gritted his teeth. "You're right. And the one after this partial map isn't just anyone—it's Mosby himself. People thought he kept attacking Oak Apothecary because he wanted to take over my practice.

"But that was just smoke and mirrors to distract the other big families. Mosby's real goal has always been to get his hands on our family's treasure map."

Andrew's expression