Nolan waved his hand, and the bodyguards moved forward, taking photos of everyone present.
"What are you doing?"
"This is a violation of our portrait rights!"
The fans, led by An Ruoxi, started shouting.
The bodyguards, expressionless, ignored them entirely. To avoid any misunderstandings, Grayson addressed the media and onlookers, "This is to record everyone's information, so we don't miss anyone when sending out the legal notices."
The crowd of onlookers, hearing this, was visibly surprised.
"They're really going to sue them."
"They went too far. Even as fans, they can't behave like this. Coming to the school and premeditating an attack, it's already crossed the line into disorderly conduct and incitement."
"They deserve to be taught a lesson."
"Exactly. They don't deserve any sympathy."
Faced with the misunderstanding and harsh words from those around them, many fans felt ashamed and lowered their heads. Some even stepped forward to apologize to Owen and Zuri.
"We're sorry. We were wrong."
Once one person took the lead, others followed suit, offering their apologies as well.
The group of ringleaders, including An Ruoxi, began to waver, unsure whether they should apologize.
An Ruoxi, however, couldn't swallow her pride. This was her alma mater, a place she'd be living for the next two years.
"Let's go," An Ruoxi said to her hesitant friends.
"But we..." One of them began, but An Ruoxi cut her off.
"Apologize? They won't let us off even if we do. Why should we apologize? Do you want to humiliate yourself?" An Ruoxi snapped.
In the end, she led the other four away.
The rest of the fans followed suit and left.
With Nolan's arrival, the drama finally came to an end.
Nolan looked at Zuri. "Let's go."
Zuri nodded.
Surrounded by bodyguards, Zuri followed Nolan as they left.
"Wait for me," Owen quickly caught up with them.
Grayson stayed behind to handle the aftermath, his smiling gaze sweeping over the gathered reporters. The journalists, seeing his smile, couldn't help but shiver.
In the Rolls-Royce, the atmosphere was tense. Nolan turned to his unreliable younger brother, his voice stern. "We don't care if you fool around, but don't drag Zuri into it or hurt her."
Owen hung his head, not daring to make a sound. He knew he was in the wrong.
Zuri glanced at the guilty-looking Owen. "Actually, it's not entirely his fault. Things happened too quickly; none of us expected this."
Hearing his sister defend him, Owen was deeply touched, his eyes welling up with tears as he looked at her like a large, pitiful sheepdog.
"You've played around enough these past few years. It's time to come back," Nolan's voice was steady but brooked no argument.
Owen nodded, "Okay."
Having dealt with his foolish brother, Nolan turned to Zuri. "If anything happens at the academy, don't hesitate to tell me immediately. After this incident, if you feel uncomfortable staying at school, you can move out. I have a vacant apartment nearby that would be perfect for you to stay in temporarily."
As he spoke, Zuri felt a sense of déjà vu, as though she had heard these words somewhere before.
She glanced at Owen, who immediately chimed in, "I also have a vacant apartment."
"Heh," Nolan let out a cold laugh, and Owen fell silent.
At that moment, Adam called.
Zuri answered, hearing Adam's calm yet concerned voice on the other end, "Zuri, where are you right now?"
"I'm with..." Zuri began, but when she reached the names "Nolan" and "Owen," her voice caught in her throat.
Adam, sensing her hesitation, spoke in a gentle but anxious tone, "Is it inconvenient for you to say? That's fine. I just wanted to make sure you're safe. Try to avoid spending too much time with Owen in the future."
He stopped short of calling Owen a foolish troublemaker.
"If you ever find yourself in trouble and can't reach me, you can call my assistant, or, if necessary, ask our eldest brother for help. Remember, no matter what happens, we've got your back. Whatever comes up, we'll handle it for you, okay?"
Faced with Adam's sincere concern, Zuri couldn't help but feel touched.
In her past life, she had longed for familial love.
Now, looking at the brothers by her side and the one on the phone, she felt a warm current flowing through her heart. The cold, impenetrable walls around her heart seemed to crack just a little, letting in a hint of warmth.
"I understand, Second Brother," Zuri replied softly.
Hearing her call him "Second Brother," Adam was momentarily stunned. When he realized it wasn't his imagination, a smile spread across his face.
Pushing up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, Adam's eyes sparkled with joy.
"When I'm done with this project, I'll come to the capital to keep you company," he promised.
"Okay."
After Zuri hung up, she noticed the intense gazes from the people beside her. Turning her head, she met two pairs of eager eyes.
Owen made no effort to hide his jealousy.
How unfair! Zuri had never even called him "Third Brother!"
Why did Adam, who rarely showed up, get to be called "Second Brother" first?
He couldn't deny it; he was jealous.
Although Nolan's expression remained calm and composed, Zuri sensed that something was slightly off with him as well.
Zuri wasn't foolish. She turned to both of them and said, "Thank you, Big Brother, Third Brother, for today."
In an instant, Owen was appeased.
Nolan maintained his usual expression, but the slight lift of his brow hinted at his good mood.
That evening, Owen posted a bombshell announcement, sending shockwaves through the entire entertainment industry.
**OwenV:** *"Thanks to all my fans for their support. Today, I'm announcing that I will be retiring from the entertainment industry."*
As soon as this news broke, social media platforms crashed.
Countless fans—music lovers, moviegoers, those who admired his looks, and drama fans—were all in disbelief, unable to accept the sudden announcement.
The news was too abrupt, too shocking for them to process.
Fans flooded his social media with comments, begging him to reconsider.
*"Oppa, if it's because of your girlfriend, I can accept that. Please don't abandon us. I don't want you to leave the industry."*
*"You can have a girlfriend! I don't mind, and I'll never oppose it. You can date a new one every month if you want. I don't care. Just don't leave us."*
*"I must be dreaming. Why would I dream of something so terrifying?"*
*"It's all your fault, girlfriend fans. You're the ones who kept yelling that he couldn't date anyone, and now you've driven him out of the industry. Are you happy now? You don't deserve to be his fans."*
Owen's retirement brought mixed reactions. While some celebrated, particularly his rivals, others were devastated—especially those who relied on Owen's fame for their livelihood and An Ruoxi and her group of fans.
The five girls, led by An Ruoxi, were left in shock after reading Owen's announcement, unable to recover for a long time.