The Return Of the Invincible Heiress
Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Chapter 51

While Dark Matter was creating the virus, Ryan was on the phone with Arthur.

"I saw you on the livestream. Are you in trouble? If you need help, just let me know. Don’t try too hard to handle it alone," Ryan said.

Arthur was both surprised and relieved to hear Ryan’s voice—the lawyer who had once saved him. "My family is facing some trouble right now, but I don’t want to trouble you—"

Ryan interrupted impatiently, "Do you need my help? Yes or no?"

Arthur hesitated for a moment and replied truthfully, "I do need help. If you’re willing to assist, we’ll definitely pay you..."

"Forget about the money. I’m on my way now." Ryan hung up and stepped on the accelerator.

The streets were no longer congested at this hour. Ryan arrived at the food court shortly, parking his car by the roadside. He then blended into the crowd surrounding the Carter family’s restaurant, discreetly recording the most animated reporters and influencers with his phone. Meanwhile, his men, who had arrived ahead of him, were already gathering evidence.

The Carter family was still arguing with the reporters and influencers, displaying their ingredients one by one and showing everyone how fresh and clean they were. The reporters and influencers, however, tried every possible way to find faults, even bringing in a few diners to recount their unpleasant experiences of getting sick after dining at Local Fried Chicken.

Ryan observed for a few minutes, ensuring his team had completed their tasks before pushing through the crowd and presenting his lawyer’s credentials.

"I’m Mr. Carter’s lawyer. I’ve already requested the surveillance footage, and we’ll definitely find out how the bugs got into the food. I’ve also contacted some regular patrons of Local Fried Chicken. They’ve assured me that the ingredients and grilling skills of the restaurant are excellent, with no past quality issues." He cast a sharp glance at the reporters and influencers, saying firmly, "Here’s your choice—either you publicly apologize to Local Fried Chicken on social media platforms, or we meet in court."

Unimpressed by Ryan’s scruffy appearance, the influencers scoffed. One of them said dismissively, "Who do you think you are? Don’t try to scare us. We’re only reporting the situation of the restaurant as it is. We’re not distorting any facts here. Being a lawyer doesn’t give you a free pass to slander us."

"Everyone saw the bugs, and the diners reported the quality issues. It’s got nothing to do with us," said another influencer, rolling her eyes.

At that moment, a reporter suddenly exclaimed, "Ryan Marshall! The top lawyer of Rosemont City?"

"I see you recognize me. That’s good," Ryan said coldly. He pointed to a large tree beside him. "See that? There’s a camera installed on that tree, and it can clearly capture the restaurant. If anyone planted bugs, it will be caught on tape."

"I’ve recorded your appearances and taken note of the platforms you’re on. I can verify your identity and take you to court. You’re not getting away with this," Ryan warned, his tone unyielding.

The faces of the two female influencers turned ashen. If it was discovered that they had secretly placed bugs in the restaurant, their careers would be over. The best course of action was to escape. They shifted their phones, pretending to film others, and quietly slipped away from the crowd.

Ryan noticed their actions and suspected they were likely the culprits but kept silent. He waited until the two women disappeared before looking at the remaining crowd with a menacing glare.

"So, the person who placed the bugs won’t come forward to apologize? Fine. I’ll play the surveillance footage now to see who’s responsible. I’ll file a lawsuit first thing tomorrow," he announced in a harsh tone. He pretended to pull up a video for public viewing.

At that moment, a masked man stepped out of the crowd, stammering. "I—I took money from someone to put bugs in the restaurant." He turned to Wesley and Arthur, apologizing. "I’m sorry, I was wrong. I’ll make amends. Please forgive me."

Ryan approached the masked man and demanded, "Who paid you to frame Local Fried Chicken?"

"I... I don’t know," the masked man replied frantically, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "In the evening... I was taking a stroll..."

Wesley approached Ryan and said gratefully, "Mr. Marshall, I can’t thank you enough. Please, let me know how much you charge—"

Ryan waved his hand dismissively. "No need. We agreed it was just a favor. I’m leaving now." Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving no room for discussion.

Arthur watched his departing figure with admiration, wondering, How could there be such a great person in this world? If Arthur were a beautiful young woman, he might have thought Ryan had a secret crush on him.

"Arthur, we owe Mr. Marshall a huge debt. We should prepare a gift and visit him to express our gratitude," Wesley said.

Arthur nodded. "Of course."

Ryan hadn’t gone far when he received a phone call. After a brief conversation, he keenly assessed his surroundings and sent a message to Arthur:

[Given everything that’s happened tonight, you’d better pack up and head home early.]

Rufus’s men had noticed suspicious individuals in the vicinity, possibly targeting the Carter family. It wasn’t safe for them to stay there.

Arthur, fully trusting Ryan, responded immediately: [Alright. We’ll head back now.]

He then showed Wesley the message. Wesley pondered for a moment and said, "These ingredients won’t be fresh by tomorrow. Let’s give them to the neighboring restaurants."

After the commotion, they were in no mood to cook for others. Distributing the ingredients to other restaurants, however, earned them some goodwill. Little did they know that this would be their last time here.

Claire held Josie in the backseat while Wesley drove the car, and Arthur followed behind on his motorbike.

Unbeknownst to them, someone had been trailing them discreetly. It wasn’t until they entered their apartment building and the lights in their unit came on that the follower left.

They were unaware that someone in a car had been driving closely behind them, grinding their teeth in fury and contemplating ramming their car. However, with other vehicles on the road, the pursuer was forced to abandon the idea.