๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Chapter 533
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The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 534
Stephen started to panic. What should he do now?Just when things could not get any worse, another major event rocked the city. The famous psychologist, Dr. Ganter Steel had decided to retire, stating that he would no longer treat patients and donate eighty percent of his assets to charity, helping the people in need in Hill City. The news quickly attracted public attention. Only then did the people know that Ganter had been in Hill City for a while, and his beloved mentee had become disabled. Now, he was announcing his retirement. โWhat did Dr. Steel and Austin experience in Hill City?โโIt must have something to do with Stephen!โโStephen is really something else, driving a legend like Dr. Steel into retirement.โEveryone speculated that Ganterโs retirement and Austinโs disability had something to do with Stephen. Reporters rushed to interview Ganter, starting with a very direct question. โDr. Steel, was your decision to retire and Austinโs disability related to Stephen?โ
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 535
Everyone thought it was one way to handle the issue. Simon continued, โAs for the deceasedโs families, Stephen has made the necessary arrangements. As long as their families speak up, the problem will be solved.โThe others nodded. โWe can do that. But with Stephenโs current situation, heโs no longer suited to stay at Hill City. The people of Hill City are utterly disappointed in him.โSimon sighed. โI know.โAnother cityโs economy had collapsed under Stephenโs leadership. He quickly contacted Stephen and told him the meetingโs outcome, finally warning him that he had to get rid of Charles. The man knew too much. โHe canโt be allowed to live. He must die.โ After hanging up, Simon thought of Ethan but soon shook his head. Ethan had managed to increase Riveriaโs GDP to 15 trillion in three years and was the Grand Marshalโs only mentee. It would not be wise to touch him. In fact, letting Ethan live for the moment might prove useful in the future. What Simon did not know was
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 536
Upon learning of Charlesโ death, Stephen felt a little upset, but at the same time, it was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Stephen returned to his room and began to pack his belongings. It was almost time to leave Hill City, and he felt an inexplicable sense of reluctance. Everything he had experienced in Hill City constantly flashed across his mind. The former mayor Julius, Nico, Tommy, Jeremyโฆ It all felt like it had all happened yesterday, but it was also like a distant memory. Although his time in Hill City had been relatively short, it felt like he had been there for years. At this moment, Nolan came. He was the happiest when he learned that Stephen was leaving. โDo you really have to leave?โ Nolan acted as if he was reluctant to part. Stephen nodded. โItโs the headquartersโ decision. I must leave. From now on, Hill City is in your hands.โ He looked at Nolan seriously. โYou must be careful. Hill City is not quite peaceful now, especially with the hidden
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 537
Stephen fell silent for a while. Was he not even as important as going out with friends in her eyes? He thought his marriage was a complete failure. The butler said, โIโll prepare some food.โStephen was indeed a little hungry. He did not have time to rest properly or eat recently, and now that he was home, he finally felt a bit of relief. โPack up the food and bring me two bottles of wine. I will eat out.โThe butler did not probe and quietly went to prepare. An hour later, Stephen held a thermal box and arrived at Drakthorn Ridge. He looked at the mansion before him, door wide open, and walked in after taking a deep breath. He saw Ethan sitting on the couch, reading a book as usual. The scene left Stephen momentarily dazed. As a rich young heir, what he hated the most was to sit still and read a book. That was pure torture. However, seeing Ethan being calmly immersed in his book, Stephen felt genuinely jealous. This kind of life was far better than the one he was living n
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 538
Stephen fell silent. โItโs fine if you donโt share your experience, but can you at least tell me whoโs dangerous in Breeze City?โHe had already assumed there would be problems in Breeze City. Ethan said calmly, โFinding the problem and solving it is your responsibility, not mine.โ After that, he put down his bowl. โIโm full. Enjoy yourself.โStephen looked down at his bowl. He had only taken a few bites, but he no longer felt hungry. โThis time, Rachel will be following me to Breeze City. She will be responsible for managing Breeze City as well. If anything happens to Breeze City, it will greatly impact her.โHe intentionally mentioned Rachel, hoping to sway Ethan. Even if Ethan did not want to help him, he would not want to see Rachel in trouble should he still care about her. Ethan said calmly, โLet alone greatly impacting her, I wouldnโt care even if she died in Breeze City.โStephen slightly frowned. โArenโt you being heartless?โโYou watched as Jeremy died in front of yo
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 539
Facing Rachelโs question, Stephen was suddenly at a loss for words. Was he truly at fault? He only felt that Rachel was being relentless and unreasonable. Stephen shrugged and strode toward his room, unwilling to bother with Rachel any further. When he walked past Rachel, her eyes instantly reddened, and tears almost fell as a wave of deep grievance surged within her. She just wanted a genuine apology. Was that so hard?If it were Ethan, he would have comforted her.Then, she thought of what Stephen just saidโEthan would not care even if she died in Breeze City. Did Ethan truly not care about her anymore?Rachel felt like the most miserable person in the world right now. The man she loved most did not care about her, her husband did not love her, and her father was in jail because of her husband. Why was her life so bitter?She returned to her room too, and the two only met again the next day. Even after a night, there was still tension between Stephen and Rachel. After havin
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 540
โHeโs not here alone this time. He brought a woman.โEdward knew she was Stephenโs wife and Georgeโs daughter, Rachel Lowe!โIโve never really dealt with Rachel before, and we donโt know what sheโs capable of yet. For now, keep a low profile and focus on gathering information.โEdward did not dare to act rashly because his impression of Rachel was still based on how she seemed to have a connection to Ethan. It would have been fine if it were false, but if she once had some kind of relationship with Ethan and she was harmed, what would happen if Ethan came down the mountain? They do not think there was anyone in Riveria who could withstand Ethanโs anger. โI understand.โ Tyler retreated. Edward watched as Tyler left, unable to conceal the excitement in his heart. Even his body trembled slightly. Before Ethan appeared, he could see the hope of having the entire Breeze City under his control. Perhaps within his lifetime, he could take over Breeze City and bring glory to the Spen
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 541
After instructing the maid, Rachel turned to look at Stephen. โDid you say something to me?โStephen took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Rachel was Georgeโs daughter. He could not hit her or yell at her! However, he was losing his patience. Even at a time like this, Rachel was more worried about how she would handle the food from Breeze City.He endured and asked again, โI asked, how are we going to solve the problems in Breeze City?โRachel looked at him. โCanโt you think of a solution yourself?โStephen gritted his teeth. โYouโre managing Breeze City with me now, so your suggestions or ideas are just as important.โโI donโt have any suggestions. Just handle it yourself,โ Rachel replied directly. โIf thatโs all, Iโm leaving.โShe turned to leave, muttering under her breath, โShould I also buy meat and vegetables from other provinces? What about the air quality in Breeze City?โStephen watched her leave. Then, he silently stood up, walked to his office, and closed t
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The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 920
After everything was settled, the people from HQ went to Ethan again. They apologized to him and begged for his forgiveness.โWeโve dealt with everyone involved in this matter. Are you satisfied with the outcome, Mr. Rivers?โWith that, they lowered their heads to the ground nervously. Their only hope now hinged on Ethanโs response.They did not dare to ask for much. All they hoped for was that Ethan would not leave the country.Ethan glanced at them calmly and said, โSend someone to help move my stuff down the mountain.โHearing that, everyone was first stunned, and then ecstatic.โOf course!โ they replied in unison.They understood what Ethan meant. He was staying! Although it was not his complete forgiveness, he was willing to give them another chance.They were all overjoyed. As long as Ethan did not leave, there was plenty of time to slowly make amends.They took out their phones and made arrangements to help Ethan move.After the call ended, they said, โWe respectfully
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 919
The day of Rachel and Georgeโs trial came.The livestream began at 10 a.m., and hundreds of thousands of viewers joined instantly.Rachel and George slowly walked into the courtroom in handcuffs.Bang! The judgeโs gavel fell, and the room went silent.It was not a lawsuit. It was a trial to expose the sins of Rachel and George.The judge read out their crimes one by one, until Rachel and Georgeโs faces paled to the point that they looked like corpses.The viewers in the livestream finally saw the full picture.โSo thatโs it! The Quinns and the Lowes conspired!โโThey deserve to die! How could they frame Ethan like that? Are they even human?โโThe death penalty! They deserve the death penalty!โThey were all furious.Many people had lost their families as a result of supporting Stephen and scolding Ethan. After watching the livestream, they realized just how deeply they had been wrong.They were accomplices to the Quinns and the Lowes' crimes in framing Ethan!Their current
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 918
They suppressed their disgust and returned home, only to see their parents and wivesโ panicked expressions.โWhat did you do out there?โโSo many people came today, asking for you by name.โHow were they supposed to answer those questions? They could not just say that they had insulted Ethan online.If they did, their parents would beat them to death before anyone else could.โItโs nothing,โ they replied stiffly. They had no choice but to hide the truth. After all, they could not say that they had insulted Ethan, or that they had lost their jobs.However, the next second, their parents received text messages. After their parents glanced at their phones, their expressions instantly changed.It was a message from the bank, stating that their child had been listed as a defaulter and urging them to repay the loan immediately.โWhat have you done?โ Their parentsโ voices trembled.Seeing that there was no way to hide it anymore, they had no choice but to confess the truth.They los
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 917
Seeing that message, they immediately felt as if their world had ended.Because they had insulted Ethan, they lost their jobs, were blacklisted, and could not find work again.โHow could this be?โNo one expected this outcome. They thought, โSo what if I insulted him? Are they going to punish me for it? Besides, so many people are insulting him. They canโt possibly punish every single person who did it. At most, Iโll post a public apology and promise that Iโll never do it again.โHowever, now they were all fired. Everyone who had insulted Ethan had been dismissed from their jobs.It seemed like there were several tens of thousands of people involved! It was hard to imagine just how many people had lost their jobs in real life.โWhy are they going this far? Arenโt they afraid of causing unrest?โOf course, HQ had considered that. However, they knew what was more serious.If Ethan went abroad and cooperated with foreign countries, the consequences would not be limited to a few pe
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 916
George thought that Rachel had already escaped abroad, so he was not afraid when he arrived.Now, when he saw Rachel there as well, he completely panicked.This was not what he had expected!โWhere else would she be?โ someone from HQ asked.George looked nervous and stammered, unable to say a word.With Rachel caught and him being brought here, it was clear that HQ already knew the truth. Coupled with his fear of Ethan and his helplessness in the face of reality, he no longer had the strength to make up any excuses.He had resigned himself to fate.โYou really have some nerve." The people from HQ sneered. โYou fooled us all completely.โโYouโve been hiding Ethanโs contributions all this time, havenโt you?โโYou two are nothing but disasters to this country! You deserve to die a thousand times over.โGeorge kept his head down while Rachel sobbed. โI was wrongfully accused!โโShut up! Are you still trying to fool us at a time like this? You were wrongfully accused? By who? Sim
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 915
They brought this on themselves, forcing themselves into a corner with no way out. โAh!โSimon could not take it anymore. He suddenly ran towards the window, trying to end his life. Fortunately, the officials quickly stopped him. โDonโt be reckless! Think about Stephen. Youโre all he has now!โThat sentence made Simon stop. Now, Stephen and Simon were each otherโs support and burden. Simon slumped on the ground weakly. Right now, they both wanted to die, but neither of them had the courage to follow through. All they could do was live on in pain. After a long silence, Simon said, โIโd like to file a report on someone.โTo obtain some kind of reward and survive a little longer, Simon decided to turn in George and Rachel. When the officials heard him, they were stunned. They did not expect Rachel to be involved in framing Ethan. โShit!โ Someone exclaimed. โI heard Rachel bought a flight ticket overseas. Could she have fled?โThe room was filled with dread. If Rachel ra
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 914
Seeing that Stephen was awake, the others rushed to get the doctor. The doctor was astonished as well. Stephenโs sudden awakening was nothing short of a miracle. However, after examining him, the doctorโs expression darkened. Stephen had regained consciousness, but the prognosis was far from hopeful.โHe canโt move,โ the doctor said. โAs of now, heโs paralyzed.โStephen could open his eyes, but the rest of his body was unresponsive. He could not move his limbs or his neck and mouth. The only part he could move freely was his eye. Even his breathing was dependent entirely on medical equipment. โHe might never be able to leave the bed again.โUpon hearing that, Stephen closed his eyes in despair, tears continuously rolling down his cheeks. He had fought so hard to wake up, only to realize he had missed his final chance to meet Snow and Lily. Worse yet, he also lost the ability to move. From now on, he would be confined to the bed and hooked up to machines just to stay alive.
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 913
His father died a miserable death, his son was in a coma, and the Quinn family was shattered, leaving only Simon behind to finally realize all his mistakes. However, it was too late. Harrison could not come back to life, the Quinn family could not be whole again, and Stephen could not recover. Simon would forever be haunted by pain, despair, and regret for the rest of his life. At that moment, in complete darkness, Stephen heard Simonโs voice. He was conscious but failed to open his eyes or speak; he could not move a muscle. He wanted so badly to sit up and tell Simon that it was not solely his fault. They were all wrong, and this was their retribution!Just then, two women walked into the ward. When the officials saw them, their eyes widened in shock. For a second, no one even breathed. They were Snow and Lily!The officials thought they were seeing ghosts. Those women were supposed to be dead. Why were they there? Snow and Lily noticed their shocked gazes and offered them
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 912
Due to Harrisonโs previous incident, the officials reacted quickly by sending Stephen straight to the hospital.After an emergency rescue, Stephenโs life was saved. However, he paid a heavy price. When the doctor walked out of the emergency room, the officials asked, โHow is he?โโThe situation isnโt looking good,โ the doctor said grimly. โHis body is in a bad state, and due to long-term emotional distress, he suffered a brain hemorrhage from the emotional shock.โHeโs still in a coma, and we canโt say for sure when heโll wake up again. It depends on his will to live.โThe officials drew a sharp breath. โDo you mean he might end up in a coma forever?โThe doctor nodded. No one saw coming that Stephen would fall into a coma, with little chance of ever waking up again. However, it also meant he did not have to die anymore. He would be alive but confined to a bed. Suddenly, they thought of Harrisonโs desperate pleas to Ethan back in his villa. โIโm willing to trade my life fo
