Victor glanced at the news online and had someone gather information on which celebrity was receiving the most criticism and why.Soon, he received news that a wealthy man had nearly bought up all the reserve grain and sold them, causing public outrage.Victor immediately approached the man for a partnership. He issued the man a small fine to release some of the public’s dissatisfaction while also cooperating with other cities to obtain a large amount of cheap grain to calm the public’s anger. Then, he also gave the rich man some benefits.That way, the rich man reaped benefits, Victor gained recognition, and the public would be fooled into thinking that the rich man had been punished and that they would soon get healthy, safe food. They would become grateful to Victor.After negotiations, the rich man agreed to Victor’s suggestions.The grain from other cities was also about to arrive. Stephen had fought for a large portion of it, while the rest was prepared in advance by the Hug
Stephen could not swallow his anger. Being criticized in the past was one thing, but he had truly worked hard to help this time. How could they still scold him?He decided to find Victor and ask him to clarify the truth that Stephen had indeed procured grain from other cities.Victor was staying just next door, so Stephen quickly found him and stated his request, hoping that Victor would speak up for him.Victor narrowed his eyes. “Speak up for you? You didn’t do anything. Why should I help you?”Stephen was stunned and widened his eyes. “I did! I brought in grain from other cities.”“Is that so?” Victor chuckled. “When? I didn’t see anything or get any paperwork.”Stephen was instantly speechless. He wanted to explain but did not know where to begin.Victor continued, “You don’t show initiative, but you have your life figured out for you. Despite having the ability to do good, you’d rather not do anything at all. When you see others accomplish something, you shamelessly try to
Although Victor knew the truth, he had no qualms about distorting it. He painted Stephen as an idle and useless person who tried to claim credit for others’ hard work.Naturally, Victor did not say that he leaked the information. He said that a janitor overheard the news when she was cleaning and even recorded the conversation.When Stephen came to confront him, he would simply fire the janitor.As soon as the news was released, with the help of the netizens, it immediately attracted the attention of many people on the internet.“Is Stephen a dog? How could he try to steal credit?”“I can’t believe it. He really is useless. He’s been doing nothing all this time, but now that Victor is helping, he’s trying to claim credit.”“I want to beat him up. How could the Grand Marshal’s mentee be someone like him?”“Stephen isn’t that different from that trash, Ethan. With people like them around, it’s no wonder Riveria fell.”“Victor, please save Riveria. You’re our final hope!”Stephen
“Victor just arrived, but he already came up with solutions.”“There’s no comparison at all. They’re both young masters from Metropolis. How could they be so different? Was Stephen only focused on the pleasures of life?”“Stephen is a disgrace to all the young masters in Metropolis. Fortunately, Victor came and turned things around.”Stephen also saw Victor’s announcement. After reading it, he looked at the other news online, then silently returned to his room and closed the door. He did not come out for a long time.Stephen fell into self-doubt. He never thought of these solutions. The issues that were incredibly tricky to him were resolved so easily by Victor as if it were just a daily occurrence.People had always called him a giant among men, and fortune tellers said that he would achieve great things, but when he thought about everything he was going through now, he felt like all of that was just flattery.At that moment, Edward and Tyler also saw the news and frowned.“He’
Many investors were tricked without even realizing it.Throughout the process, as the managers of the company, the Spencers did not receive a single dime.Edward and Tyler knew that Victor was no longer even pretending. He was openly signaling that they were just pawns he could discard at any time. They felt deeply resentful.The Spencers had experienced countless setbacks over the years, especially three years ago with Marcus’s death and the decline of the family. However, they managed to get through it.Now, Victor was forcing them into a desperate situation. Once Victor abandoned the Spencers, it would be completely over for them.“We can’t let that happen,” Edward muttered.Tyler asked, “What can we do?”They could not think of any solutions.“If only Marcus were still alive...” Tyler could only think of Marcus. Marcus was the genius of the Spencers. His talent and skill far surpassed even Edward. However, Marcus had already died as part of Ethan’s plan.“Alas.” Edward sig
Edward and Tyler could not help but feel envious. While they were standing outside under the sun, Ethan was inside, napping comfortably. The difference was immense.The two looked at the jug and the cups on the table but did not dare to drink. They had once challenged Ethan, but now, they did not even dare to breathe loudly in front of him. Even if their throats were burning from thirst, they did not dare to pour themselves water without Ethan’s permission.“Get yourself some water if you’re thirsty,” Ethan said calmly.Only then did Tyler pour a glass of water. He first pushed it in front of Ethan, then gave the second cup to his father and the third for himself.After drinking the cool mountain spring water, they both felt rejuvenated. They both drank three cups each before finally feeling completely revived.“From how you look, I already know why you’re here.” Ethan’s voice made Edward and Tyler freeze in their tracks. They nervously looked at Ethan.“What is your answer, Mr.
Edward and Tyler sized up the South Regent. The Spencers and the South Regent had always been enemies. They even fought with each other at Hill City. Why was the South Regent inviting them to dinner so enthusiastically now?Edward asked with a serious face, “Are you here just to mock us?”The South Regent laughed. “Of course not.” Although part of the reason he approached them was indeed to mock them, he also had other motives.“I know the predicament you’re in now. I came to you because I want to work with you,” the South Regent said. “I plan to get involved in Breeze City.”Edward instantly understood. The South Regent wanted to take advantage of the chaos to enter Breeze City, set roots there, and continuously extract benefits from it.It was just like what he had done in Hill City and Celestial City!If the South Regent succeeded, his power would grow even stronger, and a large amount of Riveria’s money would flow out of the borders. This was not good news for anyone living i
Edward and Tyler looked at the South Regent with wide eyes. They believed that he was telling the truth. Cooperating with them to get benefits was just an afterthought. His real goal was to confront the Hughes family.Edward frowned and asked, “Are you confident?”The Hughes family was formidable. Although they could not compare to the Quinns, they were still a prestigious family from Metropolis. Ordinary families in smaller cities and the backward foreign forces could not match up to them.The South Regent smiled. “How will I know if I don’t try?” He looked at the two again. “Well? Should we work together? This might be a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove ourselves.”They knew very well that they were no match for Ethan, but if they could defeat Victor, it would prove that they were not that incompetent. It was just that Ethan was too powerful.“Okay.” Edward thought about it carefully and agreed to work together.“Good.” The South Regent raised his glass. “I look forward
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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