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 recover quickly.
Despite Howard’s escape, he thought that with the business still around, the city could be saved. However, he just heard that the company had just been sold. He had lost everything, including his trump cards–one had fled and the other was sold off.
Unfortunately, 1.3 trillion in GDP was not the final number. As businesses moved out of the city and people lost their jobs, the tragedy of North Hill City would happen again in Seaside City, and that was not even the worst part.
Before the reinforcements could arrive, things would escalate. Until then, the GDP might drop to 1 trillion. For the GDP to fall from the original 1.8 trillion to 1 trillion, Seaside City was doomed!
“Smack!”
He slapped himself in the face, hoping that it was just a nightmare, but the burning sensation on his cheek told him that it was reality.
“Sir, please calm down!” His men tried to stop him from doing anything foolish.
Then, Stephen thought of something Dennis said to him earlier.
“It’s because you’re not Ethan. You’re the cause of destruction here in Seaside City!”
Every word echoed in his mind, cutting straight to his heart. He could almost feel himself bleeding inside, and each drop of blood was filled with regret.
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Chapter 102
+25 BONUS
He regretted not investigating Howard more thoroughly and having the man arrested. Had he brought more men to Crestwood back then..
Alas, what happened, happened, and there was no changing it. Stephen had destroyed Seaside City, and he would never be able to undo it.
With trembling hands, Stephen picked up his phone and dialed his father’s number. The call got through quickly.
“Dad…” Stephen’s voice shook, and he felt like he was moments away from shattering into pieces.
Simon frowned when he heard the unusual tone.
“What happened?” Simon asked, urgency creeping into his voice.
“Seaside City is done for.”
Simon’s heart skipped a beat when he heard his son. “What happened? Is it because of the chaos? I thought you sent Howard to deal with it.”
At the mention of Howard, Stephen felt embarrassed and guilty.
“Howard… He ran,” Stephen confessed. “He took the money and weapons I gave him and fled to the border with his men; Dennis ran too.
“Howard even sold the biggest company in the city, the one that kept the city afloat, to a foreign company before he left.”
Simon was speechless. He had seen his fair share of crises, but that… that was beyond anything he had imagined.
“Howard ran? How could he?”
They had done everything to clear Howard’s name and set him up for a bright future. All Howard had to do was stay loyal to Stephen, and success was guaranteed, so why would he run away in the most unexpected way?
“I don’t know,” Stephen said with a bitter look. “Is it because we arrested him back then and he still holds a grudge for that?”
