MasukShare
Chapter 28
Bab terkait
The Guardian's Return Chapter 29
"Hello?” George was in quite a good mood. The situation had caught the federal government's attention, and there was talk about an investigation. If the situation proved true, not only would Ethan face punishment, but they would also be rewarded.That was perfect. Not only would it boost his presence in the federal government, potentially paving the way for a future cabinet position, but he could also gain nationwide recognition. It was a win-win situation with no downsides!"George, we have a problem!" Stephen was frantic. "A big problem!"The smile vanished from George's face. "What problem?" He was puzzled. Stephen was supposed to be opening the suitcases to check Ethan's embezzled funds, so why was there suddenly bad news?"Did Ethan have an accomplice who burned all the money? Or did someone help Ethan escape?"Stephen said, "It’s neither of those."George breathed a sigh of relief. "Then why panic? As long as we have Ethan, there's nothing to worry about.""There's no
The Guardian's Return Chapter 30
The reporter picked up the letter, initially puzzled about why he was being asked to read it. How could a single letter answer anything? However, as he read the contents, he felt a shock run through his body, and his eyes widened in surprise. "A thank-you letter? And it's addressed to Ethan Rivers?"His gaze shifted to the suitcases and he quickly crouched down to search through them. To his astonishment, he found that every single letter was a thank-you note from someone."No need to keep looking," said a bank employee standing nearby. "There are eighty-seven suitcases here, and each one is filled to the brim with thank-you letters."The reporter froze as realization dawned on him. Ethan Rivers was not a corrupt official! On the contrary, he was a great man who had helped countless people, so much so that thank-you letters filled an entire villa."Ethan owns over a dozen properties in this neighborhood, all filled with suitcases containing these letters."The reporter gulped,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 31
"What do you mean impossible? They've sent over the evidence. Now everyone knows what your son did wrong," the voice on the phone said mockingly.Then, with a click, the call ended abruptly.Simon stood there frozen, unable to process what he just heard. After a while, he hurriedly investigated the matter. When he learned the truth, he nearly fainted from sheer rage.The person his son had arrested was not corrupt. Worse still, the dozen or so properties were all bought with Ethan's own money, and the suitcases piled inside were not filled with anything valuable.Those heartfelt, touching thank-you letters moved many leaders in the federal government."How could someone like this be corrupt?”"Simon, what's going on here?"Faced with those questions, Simon was now panicking. His earlier pride had betrayed him, and he felt miserable. In such a short time, his son's major achievement had turned on its head and was now a major blunder instead.Thinking about how he had been braggi
The Guardian's Return Chapter 32
“Right now, everyone's focused on whether Ethan is corrupt or not. We definitely can't let this discussion continue. We need to divert everyone's attention," George said. "In that case… His reputation!”A spark of inspiration came to George as he figured out a way to turn Ethan’s move to his own benefit.“I got it! We should be targeting his reputation instead!” With that thought, George finally came up with a plan.“It's no longer about whether Ethan is corrupt or not. We need to tarnish Ethan's reputation first. We can say he's got dirty hands, using his local influence to suppress the regional officials.“We'll also say he has connections at the border, earning him large amounts of ill-gotten gains.”Simon considered it for a moment and found the plan feasible. After all, Ethan had been working there for so long. Surely some people disliked him.They could contact those officials and find a few towns that had issues with Ethan to testify. That could serve as proof that Ethan w
The Guardian's Return Chapter 33
Just one suitcase from Ethan had scared Stephen so badly that he was drenched in cold sweat, his shirt soaked through at the back.“But he should be suffering in prison now,” Stephen murmured. “He must be quite miserable at the moment.”Thinking about Ethan's current situation made him feel a little better.Meanwhile, in prison…“Move slower. That mattress is very valuable. Don't let anything happen to it. If Mr. Rivers doesn't sleep comfortably tonight, none of you will sleep!” Liam was directing others as they set up Ethan's “cell.”“Also, install a doorbell by the entrance so Mr. Rivers can call us easily.“Make sure the floor tiles are spotless.”Ethan, standing nearby, was left speechless. He had repeatedly informed Liam that such setups were unnecessary, but Liam insisted on improving his living conditions.Had Ethan not stopped him, Liam would have torn down the cell walls and combined several of them into one large room for him.Ethan said, "I'm now just a prisoner."
The Guardian's Return Chapter 34
The mass resignations further angered George and Stephen, who were already in a foul mood."Why am I dealing with this?" Stephen wondered, confused. He had just taken over, and a bunch of people quitting now was very detrimental to the region's stability.George, angry, felt like flipping the dinner table. He had absolutely no appetite. He could not believe those people had the nerve to use their resignations to pressure him into releasing Ethan. Did they think he could be so easily intimidated?"Good riddance," George said through gritted teeth, his tone icy. "With them gone, we can bring in our own people. Riveria will function just fine without them!" He already had plans to use that opportunity to groom his people, which would help him maintain control and manage Riveria in the future.The next day, news of the mass resignations had spread.In Lytton, a town in North Hill City, Brandon was attending the weekly town council meeting at Lytton's community center. Though not
The Guardian's Return Chapter 35
Brandon carefully orchestrated his plan. He specifically chose a few people to cross the border without much cargo, then deliberately leaked information about illegal border crossings.After setting everything up, Brandon called all the Lytton residents back."The trap has been set. Let's see how they handle it," he said with a smirk.News of the border crossings spread quickly. Due to the mass resignations leaving a shortage of officials, the information quickly reached Stephen and George.Both men’s expressions were grim."More illegal immigrants?"That might not have been a big deal elsewhere, but to them, it was a serious problem. During the three years that Ethan was in charge, there had not been a single case of illegal immigration!"Could they have been right?" Stephen could not accept it. Was Riveria changing with Ethan gone? Was Ethan truly indispensable? How else could people dare to cross the border illegally as soon as Ethan was out of the picture?"Don't overthin
The Guardian's Return Chapter 36
"I'll do an excellent job!" Eric declared, thumping his chest. "Rest assured, Governor Lowe. If I can't solve this case in three days, I'll offer you my head!"After the call ended, George was in a good mood. Individuals so committed were rare. It was all Ethan's fault for being short-sighted and suppressing such talent. What kind of trash were the previous commander and deputy commander for resigning when North Hill City needed them most?"But it's good they left. If they had stayed, they would only have made North Hill City worse," George thought out loud. Meanwhile, Eric hung up the phone and prepared to take action. He already had some suspicions about who would have brought people in illegally.From his previous experiences working with the commander and deputy commander, he was familiar with the various forces in North Hill City."It's highly likely that Lytton was involved in bringing these people in. If I investigate Lytton, I can wrap up this case in less than half a d
Bab terbaru
The Guardian's Return Chapter 890
Simon asked weakly, “Is there really no chance?”Ethan replied calmly, “Figure it out yourselves. This has nothing to do with me.”With those words, Simon’s last hope was completely shattered. His body swayed. He wanted to say many things, but in the end, he could not utter a single word and stood up in a daze.“Sorry for disturbing you.”With that, he turned and slowly left. At that moment, he felt like he aged a lot. Regret filled his heart. If he had known, he would never have provoked Ethan in the first place. He was the one who cut off every retreat and every path to survival.He had doomed himself!As soon as he left the villa, his phone rang. It was a call from his father, Harrison.“Something's happened!” Harrison said anxiously. “Stephen just announced that he’s going to reveal the truth that he deceived everyone! What’s he trying to do? He’s not really going to expose the truth, right?”Simon was silent. He did not expect Stephen to act so quickly. Stephen had just ca
The Guardian's Return Chapter 889
Stephen continued, “I’ve already made up my mind. I just called you to tell you about this. This is my decision. No matter what happens next, don’t try to help me.”Simon was moved. Stephen was telling them to watch as he walked to his death. Simon could not bear it, but the problem was too significant. Refusing would make no difference.In the end, he took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “I understand.”Stephen forced a smile. “Thanks.”The call ended.Simon stood still, holding his phone, lost in thought. In that final moment, Stephen did not seem like a young man, but an elder.“He really has... surpassed me.”Stephen finally had the strength to take over the Quinn family and lead it to glory, but he was going to die. Simon looked up at the sky and could not help but remember the word that Stephen said.“Fate.”What if he took Stephen’s place in death? Could that save him?However, after thinking about it, it was impossible. This whole incident involved Ethan. Ethan
The Guardian's Return Chapter 888
“What?” Simon was shocked.Reveal the truth? How could they do that?Coveting Ethan’s achievements, they wanted to take Riveria from him and claim his victories as their own. They worked with the Lowe family to frame Ethan, erased all his contributions, and painted him as a corrupt official who embezzled money to support his mistresses.Even now, many people still believed them and cursed Ethan online every day.If the truth were exposed, the Quinns would be finished. No one in the Quinns and the Lowes would be able to escape.“Have you gone mad?”Stephen shook his head. “I’m thinking straight. I’ve never been more rational than I am right now. I’ll reveal the truth, but I won’t implicate the Quinns.”He said slowly, “I’ll take all the blame upon myself. The only one who dies will be me.”Simon paled. “No!”Sacrificing Stephen to save the Quinns—he could not accept that!Stephen was the only heir of the Quinn family, and he represented the family’s image. If the public found
The Guardian's Return Chapter 887
A few minutes later, Stephen finally accepted reality and slowly walked out of the washroom.Still feeling lightheaded, he searched through the medicine cabinet, swallowed some fever medicine, and sat on the couch.“I don’t have much time left.”Stephen began executing his final plan. He would take the blame for everything and reveal the truth. Once he did that, Ethan’s name would be cleared, and he would reclaim everything that was rightfully his. The Quinns would also have a chance to survive.The only person who would die was himself.Stephen was afraid of death in the past, but it was different now. He had lost everything. His heart was shattered beyond repair. His heart completely died the moment Snow and Lily walked away from him.Rhys’s experience gave him the courage to face death. They had gone through similar experiences and shared the same fate of death, but Rhys had chosen to meet it head-on.Stephen took out his phone and started drafting his statement. He had to ex
The Guardian's Return Chapter 886
George rushed out upon hearing Rachel’s scream.“There’s a stranger in the house! He’s in the bathroom now!”George grabbed a broom and walked forward nervously. Who would dare to break into the Lowes' house? However, when he saw Stephen’s current appearance, he froze.George was in his fifties and had greying hair and wrinkles while Stephen was only in his twenties. However, Stephen looked even older than him.George rubbed his eyes, thinking they were playing tricks on him. When he opened them again, Stephen still had a head full of white hair.“That’s Stephen?”Behind him, Rachel covered her mouth in shock.The first time she saw Stephen, she had been attracted by his looks. Although he was not as handsome as Ethan, his status as an heir, along with his background and aura, added to his charm.However, that once-dashing Stephen had turned into an old man with white hair and wrinkles. His powerful aura as the heir of the Quinns was completely gone. Now, he no longer looked li
The Guardian's Return Chapter 885
Stephen’s mind went blank. Pleading Ethan to return did not work. He had missed his final opportunity. Ethan no longer cared about Riveria anymore. He was doomed, and so was Riveria. “Enough,” Ethan said. “You can leave. This should be the last time we meet.”After that, Ethan turned around and walked back into the villa. “No!”Stephen scrambled over to Ethan on his hands and knees, trying to grab hold of his thigh. Thud! Ethan’s strength surpassed that of a military expert. Before Stephen could reach him, Ethan kicked him to the ground. Stephen rolled on the floor disgracefully and was covered with dust when he stopped, looking like a beggar on the side of the road. “Please. Give me and Riveria a chance. I’ll tell everyone the truth!”Bang. Only the sound of the door closing slowly responded to him. Stephen crawled up and slumped on the ground. He failed to get Ethan to step in. Even his life was not worth anything now. All of the karma had come to him.Stephen’s b
The Guardian's Return Chapter 884
After waking up from his dream, he must face the fact that they had already left. “I’m fine,” Stephen said weakly. “Please discharge me.”He knew he was not physically sick, but it was his mind that was troubled. Staying in the hospital further was useless. He knew he had more important things to do and that staying would only waste his time.The nurse frowned. “I’ll let them know.”Discharging Stephen from the hospital was not a decision the nurse could make on her own. The doctor arrived and gave Stephen a full-body examination.“You’re in a bad state. We recommend you stay in the hospital and have some rest.”Stephen shook his head. “No.”“But…”“No buts!” Stephen raised his voice, “I don’t have much time left!”After joining the Rhys Festival, learning about Rhys, and hearing that Snow and Lily chose to leave him, he had a dream. In his dream, Rhys said that he had a way to solve the problem and asked him to follow him.Although he could not follow Rhys, Stephen knew tha
The Guardian's Return Chapter 883
Stephen slumped to the ground, the strength drained from his body. Even his consciousness was fading away. Due to a misunderstanding, he lost Snow. For temporary happiness, he had missed Lily. He had been living in pain and regret, always fantasizing about the day he would find the two women, apologize to them properly, and provide them with a happy life. But now, just when he had finally caught a glimpse of them, they slipped away from his fingers. And before he even managed to find them, he was informed of the news that they did not love him anymore. These revelations felt like a thousand knives stabbing directly into Stephen’s heart, so agonizing that he could hardly breathe. It was even worse than death. “How did it end up like this?” Tears streamed down his face as he muttered, “I haven’t found them. I still owe them an apology. Why…” He had lost Snow and Lily forever. They were alive and well, but they no longer had anything to do with him. From now on, they would b
The Guardian's Return Chapter 882
Stephen spun around anxiously, glancing and trying to find the figure of the two women in the crowd. The South Regent and Victor could not help but laugh at the side. “Stop teasing him,” Victor said. Stephen looked at them. “What do you mean?”The South Regent tried to hold back his laughter. “I tricked you. You didn’t run in the wrong direction. We took the boat here.”Stephen glanced at the river and, true enough, saw a small boat. He was in such a rush that he did not notice it. “Where are they?” Stephen could no longer care whether he was tricked. Right now, nothing was more important than finding Snow and Lily. “They left. Duh.” The South Regent said, “The festival is almost over, so they left. Although you didn’t run the wrong way, you were too late.”Stephen yelled, “Impossible!”“It’s true. They left,” Victor added. “Nonsense!” Stephen stood on his tiptoes and scanned his surroundings. “Snow! Lily! Where are you?”Victor shook his head. “Did you really think
