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Chapter 383
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 384
Escorted by the team, Andy returned to Riveria that very night. Stephen and Marcus personally came to welcome him. When they saw him covered in mud, looking worse off than a homeless man, their heart ached.They could not imagine what Andy had experienced out there. “It’s good you’re back.” The weight finally lifted from Stephen’s chest. He was worried Andy’s life might be in danger out there. Just recently, the South Regent had given him a bullet as a wedding gift. If anything had happened to Andy outside the borders, he would be blamed. Marcus stepped forward and comforted Andy, “You’re back now. It’s safe here. You don’t need to worry.”Andy looked at them, and the first words he said was, “I want to meet Ethan.”Marcus and Stephen were taken aback. They exchanged glances, failing to understand why Andy suddenly wanted to meet Ethan. Could it be that Ethan was involved in his capture?“Whatever it is, let’s leave it to tomorrow.” Stephen said, “It’s too late now, and you
The Guardian's Return Chapter 385
After Andy fell asleep, Marcus asked the doctor, “What happened?”The doctor’s expression was solemn. “He might’ve experienced something traumatic, but don’t worry. He should recover over time with rest.”Marcus felt slightly relieved and then video-called the White family to explain the situation. Concerned, the family instructed him to bring Andy back to the capital as soon as possible. Marcus agreed and said they would leave first thing in the morning. Not long after he ended the call, Stephen called. “How’s Andy now?”Marcus sighed. “I have no idea what he experienced outside. He seems very much affected. He suddenly broke down crying when he was eating just now.”“It’s that bad?” Stephen gasped. Marcus added, “The doctor said it’s something he’ll have to rest and work through gradually.”Stephen nodded. “I’ve assigned more men to keep an eye on Ethan. If anything did happen to Andy, he wouldn’t be able to escape. When Andy wakes up tomorrow, we’ll know what Ethan did.”W
The Guardian's Return Chapter 386
Marcus rushed over and asked in confusion. “Why did you hang up? They were really worried about you.”Andy said, “I have something more important to do.”Marcus frowned. “What is it?”“I want to see Ethan.”He wanted to apologize and convey the words of those who helped him escape. They sacrificed their lives for him, so he owed it to them to pass on their message to Ethan.Marcus said, “You’re injured. Wouldn’t it be better to go to the hospital first?”“I want to see Ethan!” Andy ordered.He could not rest until he met Ethan. Hence, Marcus had no choice but to drive Andy up the mountain.It did not take long before they arrived at Ethan’s mansion, where Stephen was already present. He had brought reporters with him too.“Ethan, Andy is back. He says it was you who helped people outside the border capture him.”The cameras were already rolling, and viewers began to join the livestream.“I just joined. What is this shocking news?”“Ethan helped the foreigners kidnap Andy? H
The Guardian's Return Chapter 387
He understood what Ethan meant. No matter what he accused Ethan of and how well he planned it out, they were not real. If Brandon, Shawn, or the South Regent revealed the truth, his false accusations would be instantly revealed. When it came to that, Ethan would be fine, and Stephen would face the backlash instead.Stephen’s body trembled, and his expression turned sour. He did not expect his carefully crafted scheme to frame Ethan would be so easily unraveled by the latter. However, the viewers in the livestream did not understand what Ethan meant.Ethan asked calmly, “Now, you answer me. Who sent people to capture Andy? And who caused Julius’ death?”Stephen lowered his head.“Andy’s capture is still under investigation, so we don’t know the details yet. Julius’ death also has nothing to do with Ethan, and Ethan has no connection to the South Regent.”He looked at the camera and clarified that nothing had to do with Ethan.The viewers were stunned. Stephen had just been accus
The Guardian's Return Chapter 388
Andy shook off Stephen’s hand. “Because I was wrong.”Stephen took a few steps back, unable to believe that Andy was willingly kneeling to Ethan and refusing to be helped up. His mind buzzed in confusion. He could not understand what was happening. He thought Andy wanted to see Ethan to expose him and take revenge, but it was actually to apologize. All his efforts in calling the reporters for a live broadcast were in vain.Ethan looked at Andy. “It seems you’ve been through a lot.”“Yes.” Andy lowered his head. “In the past, I thought my fists and physical prowess were real strength.”When he was outside the borders, he had been beaten down time and time again. What he had once considered impressive skills turned out to be nothing more than a joke in the eyes of others.“I insulted you and even wanted to get back at you. Please forgive me. I realized how wrong I was.”Stephen stepped forward, unable to believe what he was hearing. “Why are you apologizing to him? Wasn’t it he w
The Guardian's Return Chapter 389
“Exactly!”How much danger had Andy faced because of that reward? How many people had lost their lives? If he had not claimed to know Ethan, he would not even have survived.Andy glared at Stephen. “Did you know? There was a family that saved me when I was on the brink of starvation, but I didn’t even get a chance to thank them. Because of your reward, someone came to their home with a gun and shot the man of the house. They even tried to kill his wife and daughter!“Later, I was hunted by countless people. All of them were after the reward you posted. Do you know how many people died along the way just to protect me? I wouldn’t have made it out alive if not for Ethan.”Andy stormed forward and grabbed Stephen’s collar. Stephen’s eyes widened, his face turning pale, and Andy punched Stephen again, knocking him back several steps.Stephen was hit a second time, but there was no trace of anger on his face this time. In fact, he had no reason to be angry.He had never anticipated th
The Guardian's Return Chapter 390
“If Ethan really did save Andy, did we curse him too soon?”As soon as that comment was posted, everyone fell silent.Every word they said earlier echoed in their ears, each one filthy and cruel, like sharp knives stabbing into their hearts, leaving them bleeding. Their cheeks burned with shame, and they wished they could disappear into the ground.Those who left nasty comments hurriedly deleted them, and the ones who posted long passages condemning Ethan also erased them. As they read over their posts one last time, it felt as if those words were not condemning Ethan—they were condemning themselves.They all closed their eyes and pressed ‘confirm delete’ with shaking hands.In the living room, Andy broke down in sobs, and Stephen cried with his head down. The livestream viewers averted their eyes, unable to face what they had just seen. Guilt and regret weighed heavy on their hearts.The reporters, cameramen, and Marcus were unsure of what to do. Only Ethan looked on calmly.He
The Guardian's Return Chapter 391
Andy understood how much those people longed for Ethan’s arrival. However, it suddenly struck him that Ethan was locked up on Drakthorn Ridge, which meant they would never see him.Andy said powerlessly, “I’m sorry.”He felt that he was too weak. The apology was not only directed at Ethan but also at himself and all the people who had sacrificed themselves for him.Ethan said, “You can go now.”Andy looked at Ethan and finally said, “Thank you.”Then, he turned around and slowly walked away.Marcus also lowered his head in respect. “Thank you.”While he hurried after Andy, Stephen stood frozen, staring at Ethan without saying a word. He had come today to take down Ethan but the whole plan had backfired, leaving him furious. He gritted his teeth in frustration. If he had known, he would not have hosted a livestream. Now, everyone knew that he had put Andy in danger, and worst of all, Ethan’s reputation improved!Without wasting any time, he fled. He had to smooth things over b
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 690
Before Stephen’s death, he could never truly leave Riveria. Under his management, countless problems had arisen in Riveria—one of the biggest being that they still had not figured out it was the Hugheses working against them behind the scenes.Simon was new to Riveria, and no doubt, he was going to get played hard, but Stephen now knew Riveria relatively well. When Simon hit failure after failure, it would only be a matter of time before Stephen was called back to fix the mess. “You caused this chaos in Riveria. Before peace has returned to Riveria, you won’t truly be able to leave it behind.”Stephen fell silent. He had also thought about that before. Since he caused the start of everything, he should be the one to end it. However, it was too hard!Not only did he have to watch out for others framing him, but he also had to deal with poor advice from his own people, and after something went wrong, he had to take the fall himself. “I’ve realized my mistakes.” Stephen hung his he
The Guardian's Return Chapter 689
However, at that point, there was nothing Stephen could do, even though he was the heir of the Quinn family. He had to return to the Metropolis to lay low. “Get ready. You’ll leave tomorrow.” Simon wanted to send him away as soon as possible not because he was truly concerned about Stephen, but because Stephen had just taken the blame for him. With Stephen under attack from various parties and having to face punishment from the federal government, Simon worried that he might crack under pressure and reveal the truth. That was why he wanted to send Stephen home immediately and have him under strict supervision to prevent him from speaking out. “I know.”The moment Stephen stood up, a phrase randomly flashed through his mind. ‘All is predestined; man has no control.’No matter his status or wealth, he was still powerless against some things. Due to that, the greater the fall, the harder it was for him to accept it.Quietly, Stephen returned to his room to pack up. Meanwhile,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 688
His laughter was filled with helplessness and despair. He sounded like he was on the brink of an emotional breakdown. He had been trying so hard to make up for the mistakes of his past, doing his best to improve everyone’s lives, but now, it was all ruined because of Simon's stubbornness. Yet, Simon wanted him to shoulder the blame. “You should understand that there’s nothing you can do. You can’t change your fate, nor the fate of others around you. You thought you had everything, that you were invincible, but in fact, you have nothing, and you’re powerless to do anything.”Stephen heard a familiar voice. He looked behind Simon and saw Ethan sitting on a nearby sofa, drinking tea. “What’s wrong?” Simon frowned. Stephen’s laughter made him feel a little uneasy. Hearing Simon’s voice, Stephen snapped back to reality and looked at the sofa again, but there was no one. Ethan, and his voice, had been a hallucination. Stephen slightly lowered his head and clenched his fists tigh
The Guardian's Return Chapter 687
Most people were just happy to get a bit of compensation, grateful even, but while Stephen was living a life beyond their dreams, he still had the nerve to take their money. After taking it, he had the audacity to insist it was not theft, claiming the money was his.He never considered that he was the one who ruined everyone’s lives and that he owed them the money. When the outrage became overwhelming, he came up with a new excuse, which was even more absurd than the last. This time, he claimed it was all a setup, that someone was framing him. Many people were so mad that they laughed instead. How could anyone say something like that with a straight face?It was so obvious he was lying, with no remorse or sincerity. He did not even bother finding a scapegoat to take the blame.Outside, the crowd was in an uproar. The security guards were all tackled to the ground, and even the cars were flipped over. The people smashed the doors crazily, and some had run off to break the windows
The Guardian's Return Chapter 686
Even at that point, Stephen refused to take responsibility for his actions. Instead, he tried to shift the blame to others, yet he could not even name a scapegoat. It was pathetic. The people’s anger had reached the boiling point. “Does he take us all for fools?”“No wonder he has the guts to take our money. We’re nothing to him!”“How does someone like him worthy of managing Riveria?”“Stephen, go to hell! Bring back the previous leader of Riveria!”Everyone crowded at the door was cursing angrily, and even the security could not hold them back. The online backlash against Stephen was also growing more vicious by the minute. Seeing the crowd’s reaction left Simon and Stephen confused, especially Stephen. He thought he had told the truth, so why was everyone still so furious? Was he brushing them off? No, he did not. He had told them everything he knew, but why did no one believe him? Looking at the people outside, angry and about to break in, Stephen felt a little lost a
The Guardian's Return Chapter 685
Stephen glanced at the crowd outside, feeling nervous. He could sense their hostility. If he could not provide a satisfactory explanation, he would have to watch his back whenever he was in public."Do you have any solutions?" Simon asked.Stephen thought for a moment. "At this point, we can only tell the truth. This has nothing to do with me. Let's say someone else did this to frame us."Simon considered it. Although that was not what he initially wanted, the situation was urgent. They had no choice but to go with Stephen's plan.He nodded. "Do it your way."Stephen breathed a sigh of relief.During the earlier broadcast, he felt uneasy, knowing things would go wrong. At least now he had control of the situation.Besides, it was not too late. If he explained everything honestly to the public, they would surely understand. They might even find out who tried to frame him!Stephen immediately called the reporters for a second apology.Soon, the livestream began. The number of au
The Guardian's Return Chapter 684
Simon thought the issue would blow over quickly after the explanation.However, after the broadcast, the viewers’ anger grew. People from other cities who did not know much about Stephen's actions were now outraged too. What kind of explanation was that?"What do you mean it's not considered stealing because it was your money? Why did the people need to be compensated in the first place? Wasn't it because of you?""Let me ask you this. You caused everyone such huge losses, so isn't compensation the bare minimum? What right do you have to take it back?""I’ve never seen someone so shameless. It’s unbelievable."“He’s lost all sense!"If people from other cities were outraged, the locals of Breeze City were even more so.No one could believe that was Stephen's entire broadcast. Nothing they wanted to hear was included. There was no return of compensation, and the apology was not sincere.It was not a real apology; it was just going through the motions. His tone was beyond dismissi
The Guardian's Return Chapter 683
As a result of the interloper’s actions, people were now blaming him for stealing the money!Stephen took a deep breath. "I understand. Let me get ready."He had just woken up and had no idea what was happening, but based on past experience and the fact that the federal government was involved, he could tell the severity of the situation.Stephen checked his phone and saw the whole internet cursing him, with some people even taking their own lives. Seeing the suicide reports, his expression turned grim. Although he had known from the start that taking back the compensation money was wrong, the situation was even worse than he had imagined.Immediately, Stephen prepared an apology and called the reporters in for a live broadcast.After so many failures, he knew better. He knew some decisions were wrong, like the current situation with the compensation money. However, the order had come from Simon—his father, and Stephen could not oppose him.Now that things had gone wrong, he had
The Guardian's Return Chapter 682
"I’m aware of it, but using the word 'steal' is a bit extreme, isn’t it?" Simon said. After all, it was their money, to begin with. All they were doing was taking it back. How was that considered stealing?"What?" The government staff was shocked. "Extreme? This situation is way more serious than you think! People are constantly reporting Stephen. Some even suspect he's a foreign agent deliberately causing destruction. Get to the bottom of this immediately!"The call ended abruptly, leaving Simon wide-eyed."Is the situation that serious? Are they really questioning whether Stephen is on our side?"Simon immediately opened up the browser on his phone. Before he could even do a search, the numerous ads that appeared gave him his answer."Absolutely inhumane! Stephen Quinn steals the people's money!""Stephen Quinn has committed murder! So far, three families have committed suicide from the stress, and nine people are in critical condition!""No crime goes unpunished! Stephen Qu
