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Chapter 407
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The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 408
"Lord Rivers, sorry to bother you." The South Regent walked in with a smile, carrying the goods, then instructed the ladies around him, "Don't just stand there. Get to work!" Two ladies beelined toward the kitchen to start cooking, and the others approached Ethan, ready to massage his shoulders and thighs to help him relax. The South Regent sat on the couch across from Ethan and placed the two bottles of fine wine he had brought on the table. "You don't mind having dinner together, right?" he asked with a smile. Ethan said indifferently, "Will you leave if I say I mind?"The South Regent replied awkwardly, "Lord Rivers, you must be kidding." "Just speak what's on your mind." Ethan glanced at him, knowing he must be here for a reason. He would not have brought several women along if he merely wanted to share a meal together."Nothing gets past you, does it?" the South Regent said with a sigh. "There are indeed a few matters I'd like to discuss. "Since I've already establishe
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 409
The South Regent said with a smile, "Perfect timing. Lord Rivers, why don't you try these two lovely ladiesโ cooking? They're the best cooks we have." Ethan glanced at the two ladies. Although they were quite beautiful, he was unaffected. After tasting the dishes, he found that they tasted decent. "How is it?" the South Regent asked with anticipation. Ethan replied, "Their outfits and cooking skills have room for improvement, but it's not bad overall." The South Regent turned to the two and said, "Hurry up and thank Lord Rivers for his comments." "Thank you," said the two ladies at the same time. The South Regent was in a good mood, so he opened a bottle of wine. He poured Ethan a glass and then poured one for himself as well. Although his main goal was not achieved, it was still not considered a failure. Meanwhile, Stephen had returned to Hill City. He had had enough of enduring Rachel's coldness at home. Moreover, although they had been married for several days, she wou
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 410
Everyone quickly got up and left. Stephen started to feel hungry, having hardly eaten anything all day, and he had not had enough rest either. After making a call to request the profiles of the deputy mayor and mayor of other cities, he left to fill his stomach. By the time he was back at his place, the information was delivered. Stephen quickly read through the profiles, and after reviewing each one, he found that only Breeze City's deputy mayor, Nolan Spencer, was a suitable candidate. He had served as deputy mayor there for twenty years, and Breeze City boasted a GDP of three trillion!โHis management experience must be extensive. Hill City really needs someone with that kind of experience now.โHowever, Stephen did not immediately choose Nolan as the mayor. He still needed to assess the situation further. With only himself to rely on, he could not afford to make any more mistakes!Stephen instinctively took out his phone, wanting to call George to invite him to check out Breez
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 411
When Nolan learned he was being transferred to another city, his first thought was that it must be Ethanโs plan. After all, Ethan had left quite a psychological impact on him."That can't be right?" Nolan's brother, Tyler, frowned and said, "Ethan's been in prison without any news for a while now. Besides, Stephen Quinn is running Riveria now, not Ethan."Their father, Edward, furrowed his brow too. Though advanced in age, his mind was still sharp. Nolan had been deputy mayor for twenty years, but Edward had always been the strategist when problems arose."You don't understand," Edward said. "Just because he's disappeared doesn't mean he's dead. Perhaps Stephen Quinn's vulnerabilities and what happened in those other cities were all part of Ethan's plans."He knew about Ethan's arrest but could not tell if that was part of Ethan's plan or if the man had truly been captured.Edward's voice grew stern. "Don't forget what happened to your brother and his family."Tyler fell silent.
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 412
That was when Tyler understood why Ethan was so bold to come in alone."L-Let's stay civilized," Tyler quickly stuttered.Just then, Edward's stern voice came from nearby. "Apologize to the official immediately!"Ethan glanced sideways to see Edward walking out with his cane.Edward took the main seat and scrutinized Ethan closely. "You look unfamiliar. You're not from Breeze City, are you? May I know your name?""Ethan Rivers."Edward smiled. "Thatโs a good name, and you've accomplished so much at such a young ageโfar more than my three sons, at least."Ethan replied flatly, "If you want to flatter me, I can give you a pen and some paper. You can write it all down there."Edward felt humiliated. He had been trying to butter Ethan up to lower the latterโs guard, but it clearly was to no avail."What's your real purpose for coming here? To arrest us? Or something else?""Riveria needs both money and manpower right now," Ethan said.Edward narrowed his eyes. "So are you here f
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 413
Using the photos provided, the South Regent searched among the people they had rescued and found the two bodies among the pile of corpses."Seeing as theyโre only corpses, I'll give you a fifty percent discountโ50,000 dollars each."Edward and Tyler stared at the bodies, thunderstruck."You killed them!""I don't even know you people. Why would I kill them?" the South Regent said. "But I can find out how they died."With that, he started a video call to ask his men about how Maxโs wife and son had died."When we found the woman and child, they were already dead. A man was kneeling beside them with a gun, acting deranged. He kept trying to shoot himself, but the gun was empty."The South Regent showed Max's photo to his subordinate. "Was this the man?""Yes, that's him."After having the gun and bullets examined, it was confirmed that Max had killed his wife and son himself."That's impossible!" Edward and Tyler could hardly believe it."You think Iโm lying?" the South Regent
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 414
Edward felt dizzy. His whole body trembled as he explained Ethan's plan to the South Regent."First, he got Max to take his family out. Then, he had that organization trap everyone, intending to use them to eliminate Max. After that, he contacted you to eliminate the organization before coming to us, stalling us, and extracting the benefits."Edward had some theories as to how Ethan had lured Max's family out. Ethan had either convinced Max to bring them directly or deceived Max's wife into taking their child to search for him after he left. Either way, Max's family was part of Ethan's schemes from the very start.As a result of Ethanโs machinations, Max was forced to kill his wife and son to spare them from torture at the hands of his enemies. However, he ran out of bullets before he could turn the gun on himself. Just as he waited for his enemies to kill him, the South Regent's men had arrived!In the end, Max survived. He even watched as the others trapped with him, waiting for
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 415
Stephen's gaze was stern. "Why are you looking for him?"Nolan's question put Stephen on alert. Though he disliked Ethan, he had to admit Ethan was an excellent judge of character. If Ethan had previously targeted Nolan, something was probably wrong with Nolan, and he would need to reassess the man.Sensing Stephen's suspicion and worried that it might be related to Ethan, Nolan quickly spoke in Ethan's favor. "He helped me a lot in the past. I just wanted to thank him in person."Hearing that, Stephen relaxed."Thereโs no need to look for him," he said. "Ethan Rivers is corrupt and in prison now. He'll be in there for life."Nolan was stunned to hear Ethan was really in prison and locked up for life. Although he had heard such rumors before, hearing it directly from Stephen was a great shock."Is that really true? He didn't seem like someone who would be corrupt."Stephen glanced at him. "I have no reason to lie to you. Enough about that. I brought you here to be mayor to solve
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The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 829
Returning to his senses, Victor murmured, โBy now, the mental pressure on them should be enough. We can act tomorrow.โEarlier, the South Regent had contacted Simon and told him their plan to apply enough pressure on Simon and Stephen. That would force the father and son to seek George for help, and that was when Victor would swoop in and win George over. Now, the pressure had done its job. George had decided to betray the Quinns, but Simon still had no idea about it and was probably still relaxing, thinking the worst was over. Thus, tomorrow was the perfect timing to kickstart their plan! They were not even afraid of Simon coming up with a solution despite telling him their plan in advance. Ethan had seen through them. Seeking George was a dead end, running was a dead end, and even destroying Breeze City was a dead end. The next day, Daniel and Caleb were the first to call in the media to make a public statement. โHi, we are Daniel and Caleb. I trust you are all familiar with
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 828
At that moment, Ethanโs statement rendered everyone speechless. They were all shocked. With the plan, they would be killing two birds with one stone. George and the Quinns would be in a miserable situation while they would remain completely uninvolved. โPerfect! Itโs perfect!โ Even Victor could not help but marvel. โItโs so perfect that it fills me with despair. I couldnโt think of any way to solve this situation.โWithout George, Stephen would fail to answer all the questions about what happened in Riveria over the past few years. However, if they used George, he would betray the Quinns and sabotage them from within, making it impossible for Stephen to answer the questions correctly. It was a deadlock!The South Regent gulped. โIt is a ruthless plan. Theyโll have no way to get past this. Itโs a good thing I ran fast back then.โHe thought the plan was devised to drive Stephen to his death. Tyler, Nolan, Daniel, and Caleb all nodded blankly. At that moment, they understood h
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 827
He could not let that happen. George was extremely useful at that moment. If George really were to return to prison, Stephen would be in trouble. โNo.โ Liam shook his head and glanced at George. โYouโve proved yourself recently, so youโre free to move around for the next month.โGeorgeโs eyes widened in shock. Did such luck befall him? He had never heard of such a thing before, but he soon realized he did not get a month of freedom because he had proven himself. It was the man who called him yesterday proving himself! Even with Simonโs status and position, the man could only grant him a month of freedom, and now, Liam had come with orders to grant him another month again. It only meant one thingโthe man held as much status as the Quinns!If someone with as much status as the Quinns wanted to help him, he might have the chance to break free from the Quinns. At that thought, George could not contain his excitement. Simon, on the other hand, was still unaware of what had happene
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 826
George was stunned. He could not believe his ears. Freeing him from the Quinn familyโs control? Did he really want to leave the Quinn family? If it were two days ago, he would never have entertained the thought, but now, the situation had changed. He was sent to prison because of Stephen, yet Stephen could not even be bothered to pay him a visit as they entered a new year. When Stephen finally came to see him, it was because he needed Georgeโs help to solve his problems. Stephen showed no gratitude or respect whatsoever.As for Simon, that man once criticized Rachel right in front of him, showing no regard for him. Although he wanted to leverage the Quinn familyโs influence, helping them by framing Ethan and letting them gain total control of Riveria greatly benefited them. After all he had sacrificed, could he not get a shred of respect from Simon for his daughter? George took a deep breath and suppressed the temptation. โI donโt know who you are. How can I trust you?โHe genu
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 825
If he had not falsely accused Ethan, the Lowes would not be in its current state, and his daughter would not have to endure such lectures.George deeply regretted his actions. If he could turn back time and fix them, he would. Meanwhile, Stephen went upstairs to check on Rachel's room while she was washing up. After carefully checking and confirming that no man had been there, he sighed in relief. Although he did not love Rachel, she was still his rightful wife. He could not tolerate the idea that she did not care about him.A few minutes later, Rachel walked out."Come to the meeting," Simon said.He then explained the situation to George and Rachel.Rachel had never been interested in such matters and did not care much about it. Besides, she had no feelings for Stephen either, so she remained indifferent.On the other hand, George frowned. Sometimes, he admired and envied Stephen. Trouble always followed Stephen wherever he went, and each time, it was anything but simple.W
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 824
Stephen frowned. "What's going on?"Meanwhile, Rachel was woken up by the phone call. When she glanced at the screen and saw Stephen's name, she had no intention of answering. She simply put the phone on silent and pretended she had not seen it before going back to sleep.Only George and she had dinner together last night, and she was up late worrying about the future.In the airport, Simon asked, "What's wrong?"Confused, Stephen replied, "She didn't pick up. She's probably still asleep."Simon fell silent. He knew the problems between Stephen and Rachel could not be ignored. He rubbed his temples. He could not understand why relationship issues like that had to happen in the Quinn family, and they were happening to his son, the future head of the family!"Forget it," said Simon. "I'll have my assistant pick us up. We'll go straight to the prison.""Okay," Stephen replied.After landing, Simon and Stephen took a car to the prison and soon met George."What brings you here?"
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 823
Simon sat on his bed and racked his brain, desperately trying to think of a way to prepare for the questions the South Regent might ask. However, he could not think of anything!No matter how beautiful he had spun his lies, a lie was still a lie. It would never change the truth that he and Stephen had only been involved with Riveria less than a year.Stephen had been here the longest, but only for half a year. He knew nothing about Riveria's history, let alone the chaos of the past few years.Which forces and families were involved? What had they done? How did they disappear in the end?The only person Simon could think of right now was the South Regent. However, the South Regent had made it very clear that if they had to pay 100 million to every person Ethan had tormented, the Quinns would go bankrupt before they could pay up. That meant there were at least hundreds of them, and he had never seen or even heard of most of them.How was he supposed to defend against that? It was im
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 822
Simon frowned. He failed to understand why the South Regent would call him at a time like that. Could the man be calling to wish him a Happy New Year?He answered the call. "What?"The South Regent chuckled. "Simon, your trick of twisting facts and lies is quite impressive."Immediately, it all clicked. The South Regent must have seen how he resolved the issue at the gala and was so frustrated that he could not sleep. That was why he called so late at night."Yes," Simon said. "Can't find a way to counter me, huh? It's not just you. Even if Ethan himself came, he wouldn't be able to do anything."He was confident that his damage control strategy was top-tier. Even if Ethan personally stepped in, the latter would be powerless.No matter what they said, it could be dismissed as rumors. The narrative was in his hands. He could say whatever he wanted, and Ethan could do nothing but watch."Is that so?" The South Regent chuckled.Of all the things that Simon could have said, he said
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 821
Meanwhile, Rachel hired a chef to prepare a lavish dinner and delivered it to the prison.George felt a twinge of disappointment when he saw Rachel come alone. The last time he was taken out was to help Stephen, who had broken down, and the person who caused the breakdown was another woman.Although Rachel and Stephen were married, George always felt that she never truly had a place in Stephenโs heart, nor was she important to him. It made him worried about the future of the Lowe family.However, he held on to a sliver of hope and asked, "Is it just you?"Rachel said helplessly, "Stephen is busy. A lot of things are going on in Breeze City."George sighed.He knew there were issues in Breeze City, but they were not problems that could be solved overnight. One should rest when it was time to rest. It was New Year's, yet Stephen did not even spare the time to bring a meal to his father-in-law.At the end of the day, it was because George was not important to him. Maybe Stephen nev
