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
The tourists and athletes were outraged by the prices. It was not just that everything was expensive, but the service was unacceptable and the food was terrible too.Due to water pollution, the fish farmed locally lacked the freshness they once had. The taste had long since deteriorated, but the prices kept going up. A plate of fishcakes was selling for 200 dollars. Even when consumers reported the restaurant to the authorities, no one really cared. The whole system was rigged, with everyone in on it together. Given the current situation, with an influx of tourists, shutting down hotels, restaurants, or agritourism farms would leave many stranded. It would also hurt the local economy. Therefore, even if a fine was issued, they were nothing much. The local authorities would usually just mediate with the complainants by having the restaurant refund a small portion of their money. Even so, the restaurants and tourist spots were earning big bucks, which fueled their arrogance. “If
Simon asked, “Why is the water black?” Adam answered shakily, “The factories are releasing pollutants into the water, and people are throwing rubbish into the river. “The location of the stadium is also problematic. It obstructs the lower stream, causing pollutants and trash to accumulate.” The factories, owned by Oliver and the others, produced steel, concrete, and paper—industries notorious for their environmental impact, and the pollutants they discharged were foul-smelling and filthy. The nearby residents had lodged many complaints, but due to the status of Oliver and his leverage over Stephen, no one could stop them. Until now, Stephen still had to provide Oliver and the others compensation fees. Simon was baffled when he heard the explanation. The magnitude of the problems was too overwhelming for him to comprehend at once. “And Stephen just has to drop the ball at this moment! Damn it!” Why did Stephen have to leave now, right when the sports game was happening and
Ethan looked at George and Rachel calmly, saying, “Sure, but I have three conditions.” George was delighted that Ethan had finally agreed to help. It seemed like bringing Rachel along was the right choice! He must still have feelings for Rachel! With the Lowes’ and the Quinns’ status, they could easily fulfill his three conditions. George flashed a confident smile. “Go ahead. Tell me what you need.” Ethan said with a smile, “First, give me a reason why I have to help. Second, if it’s related to the Quinns, I’m not helping. Third, anything related to Riveria is off the table.” The smile on George’s face froze. The three conditions were basically another way for Ethan to say he was not going to help. George had come all this way to get Snow’s location so that Stephen could get himself together to take care of the mess in Aqua City. In other words, Ethan had to help the Quinns and Riveria. He frowned and said, “Are you joking?” Ethan shot back, “I don’t need to. Honestly