The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1688

Wynter was ready to leave, but trouble always seemed to follow, particularly from those who refused to acknowledge the harm they'd caused by taking resources that rightfully belonged to others.

A commotion had already started outside. "Who's the person in charge here? Who gave you the authority to arrest people? Let me go! I said, let me go!"

Before getting on her motorcycle, Wynter swept a glance at the scene.

Among the protestors was Estelle, who exuded an air of entitlement. "I'm not going in. I'll say it one last time—you have no right to detain me! Do you know who I am?"

Wynter's long legs casually supported her sleek black motorcycle. She glanced at Estelle, tucking away her phone before ordering her subordinates, "Record her words. Ask her husband who she thinks she is."

As Wynter's words traveled to Estelle's ears, she sized her up. "I don't know who you are, young lady, nor do I care how you're handling this case. But I'll tell you one thing—do not offend those you cannot afford to provoke."

Estelle didn't think someone with a motorcycle could have any real power.

Wynter slipped her helmet on with one hand. Without wasting a single word more on Estelle, she simply instructed, "Document every word she has said. Submit everything to the higher-ups."

"Understood."

Estelle wasn't fazed in the slightest. After all, she hadn't broken any laws. She also believed that if Dominic found out about what happened today, none of the people here would escape unscathed.

If they wanted to interrogate her, so be it. She was curious to see how they would dare to accuse her.

What she didn't expect, however, was that there wouldn't be an interrogation at all. Instead, they took her directly to see Dominic. She wasn't foolish—one look at Dominic's state, and she instantly understood what had happened.

Her face turned pale as disbelief washed over her. She was in shock that Dominic had actually fallen from grace when he was already so close to retirement. Worse still, the reason they'd brought her here was that they had substantial evidence in hand.

The position she'd been awarded as a professor was a result of Dominic's abuse of power. Right before her were documents outlining his confessed crimes, complete with his signature.

"How could this be? Impossible!" Estelle exclaimed in shock.

In an instant, the once-high-and-mighty government official's wife plummeted from her lofty perch to rock bottom. Thinking back on the things she'd said earlier, her expression was filled with shame and regret.

Initially, they'd only intended for her and Dominic to relinquish positions and privileges they never deserved. If she hadn't behaved so arrogantly earlier, perhaps the matter could have been resolved differently.

The submission of the video left those advocating for a cautious approach, not wanting Lucas to conduct a full-scale investigation, with no excuses to object anymore.

The implicated officials' family members—those who had bypassed processes to enter departments, secured positions through undue influence, or obtained unearned honors—all came under scrutiny.

Some of the scholarship committee's missing members were rescued. Others remained unaccounted for, and tragically, some were confirmed to have lost their lives.

It was only after seeing this scene that the unborn souls let go of their resentments. Once the results were made public, the honors and positions were restored to their rightful owners.

Estelle's position as a professor, which had originally belonged to another teacher, was one of the many examples. That teacher, resigned to their fate for years, trembled with emotion upon receiving the notification.

Those who wielded their power for personal gain likely never considered the gravity of their actions. To them, taking someone else's spot was inconsequential.

But the truth was undeniable—they had stolen others' fortune. Some people's academic achievements had been falsified. Others had their honors or futures ripped away from them. Today, all those stolen fortunes were restored.

It sounded simple when summarized, but in practice, achieving such an outcome had been fraught with obstacles at every turn.

Some of the lingering unborn souls behind Wynter exchanged glances. Before departing to the afterlife, they wove threads of merit from their spiritual essence as a gift to her.

Wynter could see the injustice they endured, even if others couldn't understand why she pursued the investigation so relentlessly.

"Why dig all this up again after so many years?" people questioned. "It wasn't even them who were corrupt—it was their fathers."

But what people seemed to forget was that these individuals were also beneficiaries of their fathers' misdeeds. They not only enjoyed the ill-gotten gains from that power but also trampled on the ordinary citizens' most basic rights—their human rights.

Public resentment was the most pressing grievance to address. The common people's desires were straightforward—they wanted food to eat and clothes to wear. If they were not provoked, they would not have been the first to strike.

Yet, why did these individuals feel entitled to trample on others just because of their positions?

Wynter didn't believe in sweeping injustices under the rug for the sake of maintaining a false peace or because it had happened long ago. She didn't think that anyone had the right to declare that these past transgressions should go unpunished on the victims' behalf.

Lucas shared her convictions. He no longer hesitated over whether his actions would upset the balance or inadvertently cause more waves.

The case's every detail was made public. Even the long-standing, unspoken rule that one's children would be placed in another's department, and vice versa, was now exposed for all to see.

Lucas was bold and courageous, breaking away from the usual system of concealment that many within the bureaucracy adhered to.

Wynter looked at the merit descending upon her. While she didn't reject it, she didn't take it all. She absorbed a portion of the spiritual essence into her Soul Commanding Badge but left most of the merit untouched.

She lifted her gaze. "Can I give the rest to Lucas?"

The girls exchanged a glance and nodded firmly in agreement.

"He will face a calamity in the future. With the merit you've given him, it should be enough to dissolve the calamity." Wynter chuckled lightly before continuing, "Without him, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly. He's a good leader."

The girls' eyes brightened.

With a flick of Wynter's right wrist, the dark clouds parted. A beam of light shone down from above, unerringly landing on Lucas' figure.

Lucas, however, didn't notice it. His thoughts were still occupied with anger toward those who abused their power to oppress the people.

Beside him, Juan looked on in disbelief, wiping his glasses. "Am I imagining things, or do I see a golden light surrounding you, Mr. Keller?"

Lucas paused. He did indeed feel a sudden sense of lightness in his body. He had been sick before coming to Hawford and was coughing intermittently. But now he felt better than ever, as if a weight had lifted off his shoulders.

He wasn't sure if he had heard right, but it almost seemed like someone was whispering their thanks in his ear.

In the world of politics, if one possessed merit as protection, it shielded them from evil spirits, and could even turn a great calamity into a boon. It was a powerful blessing for those in positions of authority.

The crow could see the scene unfold clearly. He flapped his wings a few times, his voice low and cautious.

"Wynter actually passed on something as valuable as merits. She really hasn't changed much from before. I thought that people would be different after reincarnation."

Of course, Dalton heard this remark. He lifted his eyelids slightly, his expression neutral. "Tell Whitley to follow her closely during this period."

"I believe Wynter wouldn't just stand by and watch it collapse, so we should do this for her. It will at least show that we are not useless uncles."

Tayor's eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered for a moment. "You're right. This was founded by the former Mr. Quinnell Senior, and now Wyner is working so hard to steer the Chamber of Commerce in a better direction. Let's do it, then. I'll go meet them downstairs."

Noah knew that if the Southern Cascadia Chamber of Commerce couldn't unite and stand together, it would quickly collapse or fall into the hands of someone with ill intentions.

Although there were other Chambers of Commerce in cities like Colifernia and Halsbury, they were no longer under their control. Most of the decision-making power had shifted overseas.

When Gordon was alive, the overseas Cascadians had still been connected to the homeland, but the current generation of overseas Cascadians were not the same. Hence, while the Chamber of Commerce appeared to be controlled by Cascadians, the real power behind it was unclear.

…

Meanwhile, Cleo was leisurely rocking in his chair, enjoying the sun's warmth. With his eyes closed, he appeared completely relaxed.

Before long, Alaric walked over from inside the house. "Mr. Sinclair, we've just received news. Ms. Quinnell has eradicated all the parasites within the Southern Cascadia Chamber of Commerce.

"Additionally, several high-ranking provincial officials have been arrested, and now the entire Department of Education has mobilized to reboot the atmosphere within schools."

Cleo slowly opened his eyes. "Ms. Quinnell is quite impressive. She has achieved notable results since arriving in Hawford. Perhaps it's time to put aside my prejudices and meet her."

Since Gordon's passing, Cleo had placed his hopes on Shane. However, he turned out to be a fool who relied too much on his connections.

Shane's actions caused Cleo to lose all faith in the Quinnell family's descendants. He no longer believed that anyone from the Quinnell family could carry on Gordon's legacy.

Alaric knew the true source of Cleo's prejudice—it wasn't toward Wynter herself, but rather his disappointment in Shane.

He spoke carefully, "Mr. Sinclair, I believe the time has come. Ms. Quinnell is nearly matching the former Mr. Quinnell Senior's power and influence. But she is still young, and I fear her achievements may lead to arrogance. It seems it's time for someone like you to step in and offer guidance."

Cleo was quietly considering this. He didn't voice his thoughts aloud but closed his eyes again. However, an idea had already formed in his mind—he would definitely offer Wynter his full support if she actually found the item left behind and hidden by Gordon.

…

In the Whitman family's meeting room, Noah and Taylor sat at the head of the table, while the other members of the Chamber of Commerce filled the seats.

Noah spoke first, his voice firm. "The Whitman family will lead everyone out of the current predicament, but I must make one thing clear—this is not the time to indulge in extravagant lifestyles with people like Kenton and Edison.

"What this Chamber of Commerce needs is businesses that focus on real work, and we must stick to supporting our domestic brands."

He took a sip of water before continuing, "When the former Mr. Quinnell Senior was still around, the businesses in Colifernia and Halsbury also established chambers, intending to develop together.

"However, those people are no longer in charge, and the situation has changed. I'm sure you all understand without me explaining much.

"What we need now is unity. We must make the Southern Cascadia Chamber of Commerce in Hawford the best, and also expel the hidden forces controlling Colifernia."

The other members exchanged looks, and one of them spoke up. "Mr. Whitman, it's good that you guys have returned. After all, the Whitman family's stock price has soared, and we'll surely benefit from that. But... I fear that the Chamber of Commerce in Colifernia won't even take us seriously."

Noah had considered this as well. However, before he could reply, a familiar calm and measured voice echoed across the room. "You don't need to worry about that. I'll go to Colifernia myself."