Stephen heard the whispered words and looked up curiously.At first glance, the woman looked familiar.He asked, “Who’s that?”Leo lowered his voice. “Penny Harper.”Stephen paused slightly at the name. He remembered Penny. She was the class vice president. Besides being pretty and kind, she also had a good figure and a gentle demeanor.Although she was not as stunning as Chloe, she had a lovely personality and was warm and gentle, so many people liked her. Some of them included boys from other classes and even other schools. However, during their three years of high school together, no one had ever heard of her dating anyone.Stephen was shocked. The Penny in front of him now had streaks of gray in her hair, some wrinkles on her face, and wore clothes that could not be described as plain. They were old and worn. She did not look like she was the same age as him at all.“How did she end up like this?”Leo sighed. “Right after she graduated from college, her parents pressured he
“Ethan Rivers, we’ve received a report accusing you of multiple crimes, including embezzlement and bribery. Please come with us.”At Villa 88, Grand Tomson in Riveria, two uniformed officers stood before Ethan, their eyes fixed coldly on him.“Do you have the wrong person?” Ethan frowned.He was the future son-in-law of the governor, currently managing the entire province on the governor’s behalf. Over the past three years, he had worked tirelessly to increase the GDP of Riveria by fivefold.Thanks to him, Riveria was transformed from a poor backwater into a developed province with a GDP of 15 trillion dollars!“There’s no mistake.” A cold voice suddenly sounded from the front.Ethan was stunned to see the speaker. It was a beautiful woman, who was the governor’s daughter and his fiancee, Rachel Lowe.Rachel approached slowly, her gaze indifferent as she looked at Ethan. “I was the one who made the report. They’re here to arrest you.”When he heard her and saw the look in her e
“Besides, the Quinns from the capital will have a marriage alliance with us. Once Stephen Quinn comes to Riveria, he’ll easily raise the GDP to 20 trillion within a year!”Rachel walked over to the table and continued with a smile, “The Lowes’ affairs are none of your concern. You should worry about yourself now.”She smiled faintly. “After all, you’ll be spending the rest of your life behind bars.”One of the officers then took out a pair of silver handcuffs.Ethan knew that the Lowes must have planned it thoroughly. There was no chance they would let him walk away today, but he did not plan on walking away anyway. He was feeling a bit tired, after all. Over the past three years, he had constantly worked to attract investors, protect the environment, and maintain the delicate balance with the various forces. Now, he finally had some time to rest.Ethan looked at them calmly and said, “I’ll walk out myself.”The two officers frowned and moved forward to handcuff him. However, w
Ethan did not bother looking at them again and pulled out his phone instead. “Whether you call him or not makes no difference to me, but… whether I’m the one who calls him or you would make a significant difference for you.”The two officers gasped in shock. Just the comment he made carried more weight than the chef chewing them out for three hours straight!Seeing that Ethan was about to dial the chief’s number, they shouted in unison, “We’ll call him right away!”They then turned and bolted to find the chief, not daring to waste any time.A minute later, the police chief, Liam Yates, came rushing over. He felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Ethan sitting in the lobby.“Why is he here? He’s usually holed up in that villa. The last time he went out, he went to Crestwood alone and came out unharmed a few hours later. The entire town saw him off! Since then, Crestwood has been quiet and engaging in legitimate business!”The people in Crestwood were notorious for being tough
Due to it being located at the border, the situation there was extremely unstable, and deaths on the mountain would go unnoticed.Liam could not help but ask, “Why are you going there?”Ethan glanced at him. “I don’t need to explain my actions to you. I’m only informing you because I’m currently under suspicion.”Liam gulped. “I’ll go with you! It’s too dangerous there. You need someone to protect you.”The two officers behind had long since lost their words. Seeing the chief treating Ethan like that, they also started to wonder if they should beg for forgiveness. However, Ethan ignored them and simply headed straight for the door.Liam sighed in relief as he watched Ethan leave. As his mind cleared, a thought immediately crossed his mind.“Who reported him? Who would dare to report him? It must be someone from the governor’s side!“Is the governor getting rid of him after securing his re-election? This is bad. Ethan doesn’t need Riveria, but Riveria can’t be without Ethan! It’l
“Ethan has no talent. Riveria’s success is all thanks to my father!”The manager was stunned. Ethan had no talent? Riveria’s success was all thanks to George? He thought he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.Everyone in Riveria knew that George had no concern for the province. It was all Ethan’s efforts. Without Ethan, Riveria would not be a province with a GDP of 15 trillion dollars. Instead, it would be a poverty-stricken place plagued by trouble!If not for the fact that Ethan was George’s future son-in-law, they would not have voted to re-elect George. Even the hotel, which was the largest in Riveria, was founded thanks to Ethan.The manager frowned and said, “That’s not right. We common folks know Ethan well. Ask anyone, and they’ll sing his praises!”George and Stephen’s expressions instantly darkened when they heard everyone would sing Ethan’s praises. That was not the news they wanted to hear, and they needed Ethan’s reputation to be thoroughly destroyed.“S
If Ethan was removed and the South Regent made a move again, would the cities at the borders survive?George and Stephen’s expressions were grim with anger when their plan was exposed.“Nonsense. Ethan is just an orphan with no skills. He even dropped out of high school. What contributions has he made?“On the other hand, Stephen is the son of the Quinns in the capital. Not only did he graduate from the top academy, but he also studied abroad for three years and gained exceptional skills. Ethan is nothing compared to Stephen!”Zane scoffed in disdain. “If he’s so amazing, the GDP of the capital should’ve long surpassed that of Riveria and become the top in the nation, right?”George was instantly silenced, and Stephen’s expression darkened further.“I only have one thing to say. Riveria when it’s managed by Ethan and when not are two completely different places. Ethan will have an easier life if he leaves Riveria, but without him, Riveria will crumble!”George slammed the table
As Liam took a closer look, he gasped in shock. The street was filled with cars, and beside each car stood two to three men in suits, standing tall!All of them were dressed in suits and ties, looking like they were there for a job interview. Liam and his men were so startled that their hands instinctively moved toward their guns.Just then… “Welcome, Lord Rivers!” They all spoke in unison, their voices booming in perfect harmony.Dumbfounded, Liam turned to look at Ethan with his men, wondering if those people were there to greet Ethan.Their eyes widened with disbelief, and they failed to wrap their head around the situation. Who exactly was Ethan to be able to summon so many people in that chaotic place?Ethan, however, merely glanced at them calmly. “The South Regent promised he wouldn’t cross the border. Is he going back on his word?”A young man in a red suit quickly stepped forward, dropping to his knee and lowering his head respectfully. “You’ve misunderstood, Lord Rive