CHAPTER 404: CHAPTER 404: RIDING THE WAVE OF POPULARITY

Ethan Hawthorne originally thought that getting rid of Riley Osborne, who was clinging to him, would solve his current troubles.

Who knew Scrapper would be so unreliable? Not only did he fail to take the trouble away for Ethan, he ended up getting himself caught up in it.

When Ethan saw the news about Scrapper being killed, he knew that things had gone terribly wrong.

Riley, that little wench, had incredible luck. Not only did she manage to escape from Scrapper, but she also got his men to stand up and accuse him.

Previously, Riley sued Ethan Hawthorne for drugging her, but she lost due to lack of evidence.

But this time, she accused Ethan of murder, and had solid evidence to back it. Ethan never imagined that the scoundrel Scrapper would actually record his call instructing him to go after Riley.

Due to the involvement of the gang and the fermentation of those drug videos, Ethan was truly screwed this time.

And even more miserably than Mason Hawthorne!

Within the Hawthorne Family, he was just an overlooked subordinate, who had finally climbed up the ranks, but not for long and his position was unstable.

This time when trouble came, the Hawthorne Family almost couldn’t wait to throw Ethan out to take the hit, eager to quickly wash their hands of him as crime after crime was pinned on him.

You couldn’t blame them for being heartless; after all, the current situation of the Hawthorne Family was already precarious, and couldn’t afford another wave of blows.

Both heirs, Mason Hawthorne and Ethan Hawthorne, had gotten entangled in highly scandalous events one after the other. The public was now angry, and having exhausted the corporate prestige, the masses initiated boycotts against all businesses under the Hawthorne Group.

It’s said that the real estate offices under the Hawthorne Group in various places were smashed terribly and couldn’t operate normally. During this period, the Hawthorne family’s members had become public pariahs, barely daring to step out.

Even in these circumstances, Ethan Hawthorne still placed his hopes on Conrad Sterling.

"How’s it going? Have you managed to contact President Sterling for me?"

When Ethan saw his former secretary in the detention center, the first thing he asked for wasn’t a lawyer, but to contact Conrad Sterling.

However, the other party disappointedly shook his head, "There’s no way to get in touch with President Sterling, I can’t even reach President Sterling’s assistant."

Who was Conrad Sterling?

A line of people wanting to partner with the Sterling Group could stretch from Aethelgard to France every day.

It was only because Conrad Sterling had elevated Ethan that he had the chance to meet him in the first place.

But now that favor was gone, and Ethan, as a likely-to-be-jailed murder suspect, could only be thrown into the Pacific Ocean.

Ethan didn’t suspect anything, and even in his anxiety in prison, he could only curse that little wench Riley for ruining things for him.

If he hadn’t accidentally provoked that little wench in the first place, causing her to cling on like a vengeful spirit, Ethan thought with President Sterling as his backing, how could he not flourish?

Now Ethan only blamed himself for moving too hastily, leaving behind evidence, and letting President Sterling down.

However, he never anticipated that the dream leading him to sit in the heir seat of the Hawthorne Family was just bait to lure him into this trap.

And he could never imagine what sort of desperate days awaited him in prison, where life would be unbearable and death unattainable.

It was all orchestrated by Conrad Sterling!

Why did Ethan have such bad luck to move against Riley, only to accidentally involve Anna Thornton?

...

"Ms. Osborne, how confident are you in this case accusing Ethan Hawthorne of murder?"

"Ms. Osborne, this is not your first confrontation with Ethan Hawthorne. How much struggle and anger must a young university student like you have gone through to stand so bravely against the darkness?"

"Ms. Osborne, many netizens have been cheering for you recently, and everyone is concerned about your injuries. Do you have anything to say to those supporting you?"

Riley Osborne, surrounded by a cluster of reporters, walked out of the courtroom.

The first trial of Ethan Hawthorne had just concluded, where she appeared as the plaintiff, and her face wounds had not fully healed.

Riley intentionally faced the media cameras with no makeup: "First, I’d like to say thank you to my friends and fans who support me. I’m able to bravely stand here because I believe that justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent. I’m just an ordinary female university student, I’m not fearless of darkness, but my heart yearns for the light!"

Riley spoke little during the interview, her words plain and simple, yet striking deeply into people’s hearts.

Soon it spurred another wave of discussions online, as well as a wave of denunciations against Ethan Hawthorne.

Although the first trial hadn’t yet convicted Ethan, the evidence piled up, leaving even his fans with little room to argue.

They didn’t dare argue either; now led by Riley, all the female stars who had worked with Ethan stepped forward to accuse him of harassment.

This even became a trend!

The dynamics in the entertainment circle are always like this; when the wall falls, everyone pushes, with some even worried that they’ve come forward too late or that their revelations weren’t strong enough to catch this current wave.

Ethan Hawthorne’s fans were also forced to realize, through blow after blow, that their idol was not worth their admiration, that the person they wholeheartedly supported acted in such repulsive ways in private.

Of course, some insisted on not unfollowing, refusing to admit Ethan was guilty.

Some even fought back stubbornly, thinking it was someone in the shadows defaming their idol.

The stories told by the stars coming forward were a mix of truth and embellishment, many just trying to ride the wave.

Among those who collaborated with Ethan, only Anna Thornton remained silent.

She didn’t actively get involved, yet stories about her still circulated.

No one knows who leaked it, but it was said that while shooting a variety show together with Ethan Hawthorne, he also asked Anna to visit his dressing room. However, Anna didn’t yield under pressure, which is why Ethan later deliberately targeted her on the show...

This revelation was true, bearing no negative impact on Anna Thornton, and instead reinforced her public image.

Many people suddenly understood why the interaction between the two guests seemed off during the show—it turned out it was due to the refusal of unwritten rules before the cameras rolled...

Anna Thornton is considered top-tier among domestic stars. Upon hearing that their idol had been wronged before she became famous, how could her fans tolerate it?

Of course, they couldn’t, so they overwhelmingly joined the ranks of condemning Ethan Hawthorne and boycotting the Hawthorne Group.

Anna Thornton also read some of the news online.

After reading it, she expressed nothing.

But Mary couldn’t help but remark, "Anna, this girl Riley Osborne is really something!"

How to put it? She seems delicate, but is actually very clever!

Not only clever, but she also has ambition!

She knows how to use this opportunity to pave her own way!