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Chapter 97
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 98
Now that Howard was here, Stephen could not contain his excitement. He immediately handed Howard back the company and underground forces that had once belonged to him.Stephen continued, “If you start working for me, I can clear your name from these charges.”For Stephen, clearing Howard’s name was not a difficult task. Plus, Howard was wrongfully accused from the start. He was never guilty of murder, a fact even the mayor of Crestwood, Dennis, had personally admitted. If even the enemy acknowledged it, how could it be false?Howard nodded slightly, a small smile forming at the corner of his mouth, though Stephen did not notice.When Ethan told him to leave Riveria, he had thought of a plan. If he left with nothing but the clothes on his back, he would surely be miserable in the future.He had to reclaim everything he once owned and more!“Thank you, sir.” Howard said, “I’ll go to Seaside City now and assess the situation.”Although Stephen had returned his company and forces,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 99
“It’s settled, then!”Everyone unanimously approved of Simon’s plan. While the plan could not solve all the problems, it could resolve most of them, and that was enough.Half a day later, news that Howard had always been protecting Seaside City spread.“Howard was arrested and charged with various crimes, but it was all part of a plan to lure out the lurking threat in Seaside City. In fact, he’s always been defending Seaside City’s peace.”The moment the news broke, the internet exploded! No one had expected that to be the truth. Not only was Howard not a criminal, but he had been protecting Seaside City. In fact, he was willing to lure out the evil forces in the city to secure its peace even at the cost of his own reputation.“I didn’t expect the plan to be like that. Howard is truly incredible. I’m going to cry.”“I owe Howard an apology!”“He put himself on the line and defied all odds. Howard’s sacrifice is immense. I’m literally in tears.”“I feel so ashamed thinking bac
The Guardian's Return Chapter 100
He did not even bother when it came to forces like Crestwood. As long as he took down a few small gangs, he could proceed with the next part of his plan.Although Stephen had given him some guns, ammunition, and a decent amount of money, it was not enough. He needed to swindle even more weapons and money from Stephen. Once he had everything he needed, he would take all the money and weapons, flee Riveria, and head overseas! After that, he would not have to worry about Seaside City again and could live a peaceful life abroad for the rest of his days.The next day, thanks to Howard, things were indeed starting to settle down in Seaside City.Stephen saw that and nodded in satisfaction.“Howard is doing a good job. It seems it wasn’t Ethan who brought peace to Seaside City, but rather him relying on Howard to maintain it. The real capable one is Howard. If we can hold out for another day, the main reinforcements will arrive tomorrow, and everything will be resolved.”Stephen finall
The Guardian's Return Chapter 101
Without Dennis and Howard keeping things in check, Seaside City had become even more chaotic, with all the entities and organizations in Seaside City leaderless. At the same time, Stephen was enjoying a gourmet meal in his office. He had been under a lot of stress lately and felt like it had been a while since he had something nice to eat. Now that Howard, his trusted right-hand man was handling most of the difficult matters, he finally had the time to relax and indulge himself. Anything stressful or complicated he just handed it off to Howard. “Boom!”Suddenly, a loud explosion went off, and the entire building trembled for a moment. Stephen’s tea and fruits fell off the table, making a mess on the floor. The piercing sound of the alarm then filled the air, followed by several security guards rushing into the office and dragging Stephen to the corner of the room. “What’s going on?” Stephen asked, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. “Someone just attacked t
The Guardian's Return Chapter 102
Stephen had cleared Howard of his crimes and given him countless benefits. Was that how Howard repaid him? Even Dennis, who once tossed him into the trash, did not end up in his custody either. Meanwhile, Seaside City was still in chaos, and the GDP was plummeting by the second. Just as Stephen was still trying to figure out what to do next, a voice interrupted his thoughts.“Sir, this is bad! Howard Green sold the company to a foreign country! We just lost our biggest company! Every business is leaving, and the city’s GDP has plummeted to 1.3 trillion!” Stephen stood there, stunned, trying to process the fact that the businesses were gone and the city’s GDP had fallen to 1.3 trillion.Despite the mess Seaside City was in, Stephen still held hope for it for two main reasons. One was because Howard was still with him, and he could control the city from the shadows. Another was that Howard’s business was still around, so even if the city’s economy and market plummeted, it could r
The Guardian's Return Chapter 103
“Impossible!” Simon shouted immediately. “So what if we wrongfully accused him, slapped him with a bunch of charges, and threw him in prison? It’s nothing serious, he’s not dead. Why would he hate us on that? “Is that such a big deal?” he continued. “He’s not dead. How could he possibly hold a grudge over something like that?“Besides, we cleared his name and made him a hero. He should be thanking us, shouldn’t he?” Simon said. Then, he turned to Stephen and asked, “I thought you said you had him under control, that he couldn’t escape your grasp?” Stephen stammered nervously, “I don’t know. Why would he abandon Ethan and run?” All along, he had believed he truly had control over Howard, but it was clear he had been played. From the start, Howard had tricked him without him even noticing. Simon cursed in frustration, “I never thought Howard Green would turn out to be such an ungrateful man! No, calling him 'ungrateful' doesn’t even begin to describe it. He’s a traitor, a back
The Guardian's Return Chapter 104
How would they face the public now? If news got out, they would become the biggest laughing stock online. Everyone hoped for it to be false news because it should never have happened in the first place.Simon sighed and said, “It’s real.” “Slam!”Someone slammed the table and bellowed, “Damn it! Howard Green, that fucking bastard! He lied to us all!” Everyone else was silenced by the news. Howard was ruthless, and it somehow left them at a loss of action. Simon spoke up, “That’s enough. We need to start thinking of a solution first. We cannot drag this out. We have to explain this to the public as soon as possible. If they found out about the problem themselves, things would only get worse.” Everyone wore a bitter look on their faces. Simon had asked for a solution, but none of them had any. In order to solve the problem, the fastest and easiest way would be to arrest Howard and execute him. However, the man had left the country with money, firearms, and manpower. It wo
The Guardian's Return Chapter 105
“In that case, it’s decided.” The next day, Simon gave Stephen a call. “Stephen, visit Ethan. We have to speak to him directly.” The people who had proposed seeking Ethan’s help during yesterday’s meeting gathered once more, waiting for a chance to speak with him. Stephen quickly drove to Drakthorn Ridge Mansion. As soon as he got out of the car, the doors were opened, and he strode inside to see Ethan reading a book on the couch. He frowned. Ethan looked extremely calm, as if he had been anticipating Stephen’s arrival. “Ethan Rivers!” Stephen strode over, saying, “The federal government demands a meeting with him!” Ethan put down his book while Stephen set up the video call. Several men appeared on the screen, all of them looking intimidating and stern. No ordinary man could look them in the eyes without flinching, yet Ethan looked at all of them, unfazed. He asked, “What is this about?” It was the first time the men in the meeting room had seen Ethan in person. Th
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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
