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Chapter 98
Last Updated:
2024-09-18 15:25:15Related chapters
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
Last Updated : 2024-09-18The 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
Last Updated : 2024-09-18The 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
Last Updated : 2024-09-30The 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
Last Updated : 2024-09-30The 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
Last Updated : 2024-09-30The 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
Last Updated : 2024-10-01The 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
Last Updated : 2024-10-02The Guardian's Return Chapter 106
Everyone in the meeting room fell silent. It was Stephen who released Howard and provided the man with money and firearms, and the folks in the meeting room supported his decision. Hence, technically, Stephen was the culprit, and they were his accomplices. Stephen’s face burned with embarrassment. He had not said a word, but every word he heard was like a knife to his heart. “Ethan, I know you’re unhappy, but this concerns the city. You can’t just make a decision because you’re upset. You will regret this,” he said with clenched teeth. Ethan almost burst out laughing.He said, “Because of your decision, Shawn Hill, Eric Morningstar, Brandon North, and Danny Brooks ruined North Hill City. Because of your decision, again, Seaside City is facing a crisis. And now you want to teach me how to make the right decision?” Then, he looked straight into Stephen’s eyes as he continued, “You destroyed the economy of North Hill City and caused the mess in Seaside City. Are you really tell
Last Updated : 2024-10-03
Latest chapter
The Guardian's Return Chapter 652
Meanwhile…Rachel had pulled Stephen into their room.Unable to find any trace of Lily at the foot of the mountain, Jason felt that something was amiss. After asking around, he learned that no one was seen driving down. At this point, alarm bells started ringing in his head.He quickly led his men up to the summit where he found Lily."Lily!" Seeing her standing at the cliff's edge, his heart lurched, and he cried out, "Calm down! Get away from there!"Lily turned to look at him, her face already streaked with tears. She had wanted to see Stephen one last time but was unable to. Instead, it was Jason, her brother who wanted to drag her back, who found her."We can talk about the marriage. Just come here first.” Jason inched forward carefully. "Come to me. I'll make things right."Lily shook her head, knowing these were just lies to trick her. Once they got her back to the Fords, these words would mean nothing."Brother, don't lie to me," she responded. "I know that you’re only
The Guardian's Return Chapter 651
Jason could not understand the conversation between Lily and Ethan, but he had not forgotten why he came here. He said to Lily, "Come back with me right now. Everyone's been looking for you since you ran away. Go home and apologize to Mom and Dad, and don't run off like this again. You're getting married in just over a month. Stay home and learn how to be a proper wife."Hearing this, Lily's heart grew heavier. She became more convinced that her gut feeling was correct."I'm not going," Lily said."Stop being ridiculous!" Jason grabbed her arm. "You're coming back with us right now. If the Katz family finds out you're running around like this, it won't be good for any of us. The Fords raised you for all these years. It's time for you to repay them."Lily's last hope died. She finally understood why the Fords were forcing her to marry into the Katz family—they had never seen her as a person. Just like in Cora and Scott's story, both she and Cora were merely bargaining chips for thei
The Guardian's Return Chapter 650
Jason’s eyes widened. “Who wiped them out?”“Ethan Rivers! This name keeps coming up.”Jason froze, taken aback. The bodyguards around him and Lily also looked terrified because the man named Ethan Rivers was right before their eyes! Just moments ago, Jason had arrogantly demanded that Ethan apologize to them.The bodyguards could not help but stumble backward.Jason’s mind raced. Those powerful forces were not much weaker than his family, yet Ethan had wiped them all out.What did that mean? It meant it would be no problem for Ethan to wipe out the entire Ford family!“You should understand now,” said Ethan, “that in my eyes, your family and all other families have no dignity or honor to speak of.”Jason turned paled, and his body trembled uncontrollably. “Who exactly are you?”He never knew that such a terrifying figure existed in Riveria.Suddenly, he understood why Stephen had changed so drastically after coming to Riveria. The place was far more terrifying than the powe
The Guardian's Return Chapter 649
"You're alone with him in his house. Just the two of you, a man and a woman. Aren't you worried about what people will say? And don't forget your place—you’re still the Katzes’ future daughter-in-law!"Lily lowered her head in despair. Only Ethan remained seated, his expression calm as he looked at Jason.“I can assure you that I don’t find Lily attractive. I can also assure you that the Katzes would not dare to say anything even if they found out she spent the night here. Also, a family that sells off their own daughter has no dignity to speak of.”Jason frowned. “Is that your justification? Do you think you can avoid apologizing with that and simply brush the matter aside?”“No,” said Ethan. “I have just one answer. Your family has a vast intelligence network and access to the largest database. Find out who caused the chaos in Riveria three years ago.”Jason did not understand what Ethan was up to. However, he was curious, especially since Stephen had encountered a series of set
The Guardian's Return Chapter 648
“Mr. Rivers.” Lily lowered her head.Ethan looked at her calmly.“I was reckless and irrational yesterday. Please forgive me, Mr. Rivers.”Then, she bowed toward him.In the span of a day, she had experienced Stephen leaving her and her own family locking her up, demanding that she cut ties with Stephen. She had thought things through and came to a realization that the only person in the world who could help her now was the person in front of her—Ethan Rivers. She also understood that she could not walk away unscathed.Her visit today had two purposes. The first was to apologize to Ethan sincerely and earn Ethan’s forgiveness. As for the second...Lily raised her head and looked at Ethan. “I have an unreasonable request. I can’t let him go. Please help me move on from him, Mr. Rivers.”She knew she had to marry Sebastian, so she wanted to move on from Stephen. That way, it would be better for both her and Stephen.Ethan said calmly, “You should go to a psychologist or neurolo
The Guardian's Return Chapter 647
Everyone was surprised. In the past, Stephen would always find excuses to avoid responsibility, but now, he was openly admitting to his mistakes.“He’s actually facing all the issues head-on.”“This doesn’t seem like Stephen’s usual style. Is this a PR tactic?”“Who cares what it is? Just criticize him as usual. None of the previous problems have been solved yet.”“That’s true. He still deserves to be criticized!”“A rotten apple will always be rotten. No matter how nice his words sound tonight, he’ll go back to his old tricks tomorrow.”The public was only slightly surprised at his behavior, but they had no doubt as to what he would do in the future—he would continue to destroy the city’s peace.Stephen was prepared for that reaction.“I’ve made too many mistakes in the past. It’s impossible for everyone to believe in me immediately. However, as long as I keep working hard, they’ll slowly change their opinions of me.”After getting everything off his chest, he felt lighter, l
The Guardian's Return Chapter 646
“You sure like joking around, Dad,” Rachel responded, trying not to show how much she actually cared about the situation.Then, she added, “It’ll happen naturally.”Simon did not expose her either and simply said, “Do as you please.”He stood and left. He still had a lot to handle, such as the companies leaving in droves and the problems with the development zone.After he was gone, Rachel immediately stood up and went upstairs to look for Stephen. She wanted to take action immediately.When she walked into the room, she saw Stephen sitting at his desk, reading through some documents.“Stop reading that.” Rachel stepped forward and tried to drag him to bed.However, Stephen was not in the mood. His mind was a chaotic mess, consumed by the proposals in front of him and the haunting image of Lily breaking into tears when he left her.“Don’t bother me.” Stephen pushed Rachel away.Rachel was stunned. Stephen had always cared deeply for her. Since their marriage, she had not even
The Guardian's Return Chapter 645
At the foot of the mountain, Lily and Stephen, sitting in their car, had no idea that the family of three they had just encountered was Scott and Cora from the story.They had no idea that Ethan saved both Scott and Cara and even led them to live a blissful life together. However, watching the happy family caused Lily and Stephen to feel even more upset.They were from prestigious, powerful families, with more money than they could ever spend and the kind of influence most people could only dream of. Yet, in their marriages, they were not even as happy as random strangers on the street. Not only had they missed out on love, but there was not even a moment of fleeting passion between them.Lily wept quietly, but Stephen had no idea how to comfort her. He merely sat beside her, his head bowed.Just then, his phone rang. He did not want to answer it, but the caller was persistent. Stephen took out his phone, and when he saw that it was Simon, he reluctantly picked up.“Have you wrapp
The Guardian's Return Chapter 644
Lily shook her head. She knew what the result was just by looking at Stephen’s expression. She smiled wryly. “You’ve done enough. I’m very happy about all you’ve done for me. Let’s head down the mountain.”Stephen was barely keeping it together, so Lily drove them down. She seemed fine on the surface, but once they reached the foot of the mountain, she could not hold back anymore. She stopped the car and burst into tears.Stephen listened to her sobs but was powerless. He knew why Lily was crying, but he could not comfort her.Just then, someone knocked on the car window. Lily held back her cries and rolled down the window.A couple carrying a child stood outside, and the man asked in concern, “Is something wrong? Do you need help?”Lily looked at the happy family in front of her and felt worse.“I’m fine. Please leave.”Then, she rolled the window back up.The couple exchanged a look before leaving helplessly.Inside the car, Lily choked out, “Steph, I don’t want to leave y
