Liam was dumbfounded.Was that the answer?He did not expect it to be money.However, after thinking about it, the answer made a lot of sense. All those emotional matters had nothing to do with Ethan. After all, love would not fill the stomach. Liam also did not find the situation particularly touching. He only felt angry.Stephen killed Snow. He was simply reaping what he sowed!Only money had any value to Ethan.Ethan took out his phone and called Simon.The call instantly connected.Simon anxiously asked, “Where did you go? Why didn’t you pick up?”Stephen did not seem to hear. “Transfer 10 million dollars to Ethan.”“What?” Simon thought he had misheard.Transfer money to Ethan?And 10 million at that! That was not a paltry sum.Most importantly, why was it for Ethan? Stephen wanted nothing more than for Ethan to die. Why was he suddenly giving him money?“Why?”“Transfer him 10 million dollars now.” Stephen did not explain and hung up after saying those words.Simo
Stephen looked at the wilderness, lost in thought.He could not believe that this used to be a town!“Was Riveria that chaotic back then?”Looking at the abandoned houses, Stephen realized for the first time how chaotic Riveria had been before.“Yes, it was.” Liam continued, “Even the Grand Marshal couldn’t bring peace and went missing in the chaos.”“What?” Stephen was shocked. Even the Grand Marshal could not resolve the turmoil in Riveria? “How could that be?”Liam sighed. “It’s true. Back then, Riveria was plagued by both internal and external issues. It was dire.”Stephen asked, “Who ended the war?”Liam looked at him and slowly said two words, “Ethan Rivers.”Stephen instantly widened his eyes.It was him!The person he trapped in Drakthorn Ridge!He had accomplished even what the Grand Marshal could not!Could what those people said be true? Could Riveria really not survive without Ethan?That was impossible!Stephen quickly shook off those ridiculous thoughts.A
“What are you doing here? There’s a whole group of people guarding you at Drakthorn Ridge!”Ethan said calmly, “You’ve gone to Lytton and seen Crestwood. None of their people could stop me. Why do you think a few of your men could keep an eye on me?”Furthermore, he had once moved freely through the South Regent’s army.For a moment, Stephen was speechless. He recalled his experience entering Crestwood with a group of people, only to end up tossed into a pile of trash, humiliated.Ethan slowly walked over to the grassy patch and sat down next to Stephen.He asked, “Have you ever thought about this while lying here? Years ago, Snow was just a carefree girl. She used to lie here and watch the stars too.”Stephen fell silent.He turned his head slightly, and in a daze, he seemed to see Snow lying beside him, smiling gently at him.She said, “The stars are so beautiful.”Stephen reached out to touch her but stopped halfway through.He did not dare to. He was afraid that if he tou
Stephen’s voice trembled with fear. “No! I didn’t! I just…”“You just want to kill her again?”Stephen shouted, “No! Tell me where she is!”He was like a drowning man, desperately clinging to a lifeline. “I’ll give you another 10 million dollars. Please tell me where she is. She’s still alive, and I want to apologize to her in person. I won’t hurt her again.”Ethan smiled. “10 million isn’t enough.”“How much do you want?” Stephen urgently asked. “As long as I can afford it, I’ll give you whatever you want!”“50 million.”That figure hit Stephen like a ton of bricks. 50 million was not a small amount.However, he thought of Snow and immediately agreed. “I’ll give it to you now!”Once again, he gave Simon a call and told him to transfer the money to Ethan immediately.“50 million?” Simon was shocked. “Why are you giving him so much money out of the blue?”“Snow is still alive! Ethan saved her. Only he knows where she is now!” Stephen shouted.“What?”Simon was stunned.Sno
Stephen and Simon waited for another half minute, but Ethan did not continue.“That’s it?” Simon asked. “That’s all you’re going to say?”Ethan nodded. “Yep.”“That’s ridiculous!” Simon could not accept it. 50 million for just that? Although it did reveal where Snow was, the area was vast. How many villages were there in Draconia? There were too many to count, and wanting to find Snow would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. The worst part was, they could not even search for her publicly. Everyone believed Snow had committed suicide out of guilt. If they suddenly announced that she was alive—that everyone was tricked, what would people think?On top of that, all eyes were on Stephen now. How could he explain bringing a criminal back home?In other words, although Ethan revealed where Snow was, it was almost like he had not. The chances of finding her were slim. Even if they could find her, it would take decades. Stephen and Snow would both be old, and what would b
“No! Snow!” Stephen yelled to the sky and broke down again, tears streaming down his face.The first time he heard Snow was dead, he broke down, and when he could not find her grave, he lost it again. Then, the news that she was alive sparked hope in him, but now, he was hit with a devastating truth. He would never find her in his life. He could only live the rest of his life consumed by guilt and despair. How was he supposed to move on? How could anyone move on from something like that?His screams were heart-wrenching. Even Liam found it cruel. First, they gave him despair, then a glimmer of hope, only to tear it all away and leave him in a pit of hopelessness once again. However, Ethan did not stop there. They left him with enough hope to keep him hanging, forcing him to live in a constant state of torment—of guilt, pain, and hope. It was brutal torture!Now Liam was beginning to understand why Ethan could bring peace to Riveria. He was kind and forgiving to good people, bu
At that point, all Simon could do was silently cheer Stephen on.“You have to get through this. As long as you do, everything will get better.”Unbeknownst to Simon, Adam was about to blow up in frustration back in Aqua City. He had been calling Stephen but had not been able to get through. Ever since Stephen left, it had been radio silence. However, Aqua City could not afford to do without him right now.The sports game was starting tomorrow, and with the number of tourists climbing, the streets were getting hard to keep clean. The garbage thrown into the river had also gathered around the stadium, forming small hills. Now, people had to work around the clock to clean out the trash!Then, complaints about the farm stay and hotels flooded the city hall’s hotline. People complained about it being too expensive, the food being too terrible, and a single meal costing thousands, which was daylight robbery.Many tourists were furious, venting their frustration online and warning othe
The reply caught George off guard. Stephen did not care what happened to Aqua City? “Are you out of your mind? Do you know what that means?” George raised his voice. However, judging Stephen’s reaction, he realized it was not a joke. “This is bad.” George then shoved Stephen into the car and dialed Simon’s number while standing outside. “Something is wrong. Stephen, he’s not like himself. He’s lifeless, dispirited, like a…” He hesitated to say, like a corpse, but he could not bring himself to say it. Simon asked, “Put him on. I want to talk to him.” George put the phone next to Stephen’s ear. “Stephen, what are you doing? Aqua City needs you the most now. You can’t leave it!” Still, Stephen remained indifferent. “It’s just a woman! With your status and power, you can get whoever you want!” “I just want Snow,” Stephen said weakly. Simon was rendered speechless. George, standing nearby, tried to jump in. “There are a lot of women in this world, and you’re still