Chapter 9

As he drove, he was rattled to see the suited men lining the road.

Firstly, he was terrified by the sheer number of men because their presence indicated that the South Regent’s power was far greater than he had imagined. However, what really shocked him was how deferential they all were to Ethan. Even someone as powerful as the South Regent treated Ethan with such respect!

He could not help but think, ‘I wonder if the lieutenant governor has spoken to the governor. If the governor is still bent on locking Ethan up, Riveria will be in ruins.’

In the evening, Liam took Ethan back to the station. His subordinates approached, looking at him, confused.

“Chief, where should we put him?”

They glanced at Ethan as they spoke. They could not possibly put someone like him in a regular cell, could they?

Liam was also at a loss. The station was not equipped for long-term accommodations, let alone anything with a comfortable bed.

Ethan, who had overheard their conversation, said calmly, “Just put me in any cell.”

“Um…” Liam quickly walked over and asked, “Are you sure, Mr. Rivers? The cell isn’t a pleasant place to stay.”

It was no exaggeration to say that people cried behind bars. Cells were crammed, with several people having to sleep on hard, wooden beds and sharing only one toilet. Not only was the stench unbearable but there was also the constant risk of being bullied by other inmates.

Even the best cell was just a barred room with a bed and toilet, offering no privacy or dignity.

Ethan’s lips twitched. “I don’t want to repeat myself. I’m tired.”

Liam hesitated to speak, but in the end, he sighed.

“Please, come with me.”

Meanwhile, George, Rachel, and Stephen had returned home. Although they were displeased by the lieutenant governor’s visit, they were still in high spirits.

Stephen’s appointment as the new head of Riveria was now official, and nobody could change that. Having finally established a connection with an influential family in the capital, the Lowes seemed to have a bright future.

George could barely contain his laughter. Now, climbing the political ladder would be easy, and he might soon be called to work in the capital himself.

“Get a good night’s rest. You’ll start your official duties tomorrow.” George patted Stephen’s shoulder and said, “Get the GDP of Riveria up to 20 trillion as soon as possible, and we’ll be remembered in history.”

A confident smile spread across Stephen’s handsome face.

“Don’t worry, Dad. With me around, we’ll get it done in no time.”

George laughed heartily. “Haha! That’s the spirit!”

Rachel blushed. “I haven’t even agreed to anything yet, and you’re calling him Dad already?”

Stephen moved closer and wrapped an arm around her waist with a wicked smile. “I want both Riveria and you. You can’t escape.”

“Ahem.” George cleared his throat and said, “I’ve had too much to drink tonight, so I’m going to bed now.”

With that, he left the room, giving the two some privacy. Stephen took full advantage of the situation and scooped Rachel up, carrying her into the bedroom.

“Your ex never touched you before, right?”

“Of course not. He wouldn’t dare.”

“Good. Speaking of which, he must be in his cell now, crying his eyes out for injustice. Hahaha!”

“Oh, you’re so mean, but I like it.”

Meanwhile, in prison…

“Remove the lock!”

Liam pointed to a cell and shouted, “Hurry up and remove it. Also, clean this place up immediately. I want it so spotless that you can eat off the floor!”

His subordinates scrambled to work, breaking the lock, mopping the floor, scrubbing the walls, and even dismantling the iron bed and reassembling a new one.

“What a hard bed. Isn’t there a softer one?”

The subordinate lowered his head nervously. “No…”

Liam winced and then said, “Give me a moment. I’ll go home and get my own mattress. No! I’ll buy a new one right now!”

Ethan could not bear to watch anymore, so he commented, “As long as I can sleep on it, it’s good enough.”

Liam looked at the rock-hard bed and muttered reluctantly, “I’m just worried you won’t get a good night’s sleep on it.”

Ethan chuckled. “I’ve had worse nights.”

When Riveria had just started to develop, there were all sorts of problems that plagued his sleep. With everything running smoothly now, there was no reason for him not to have a good night’s sleep.

Liam felt a pang of sympathy for the man and let out a long sigh. “Alas.”

He felt that after all Ethan had done for Riveria, to end up like that was just not right.