Upon hearing that, Esther quickly asked, "Can you help me investigate this matter?""Of course I can," Jasper replied.After pondering for a moment, Jasper continued. "Initially, Mr. Anstey wanted to sue Liliane to reclaim the dowry she received. But now that he's deceased, the lawsuit has come to a halt, and Liliane has gained full control of his wealth.""I'm still legally the Ansteys' adoptive daughter. Do you think I can take over his lawsuit?"Esther took a deep breath. In truth, she had no interest in the Ansteys' wealth. However, she couldn't bear to see Liliane easily obtain all that money."I believe so, but we should consult a lawyer to be sure," Jasper said.Speaking in a serious tone, Jasper added, "I will call you back once I have heard from the lawyer. Meanwhile, Esther, you must be cautious. Don't easily trust others. If anyone claims you should return to the country using my name, don't believe them.""What's going on?" Esther asked.She sensed Jasper's anxiety
"What are you going to do now?" Anna asked, her face filled with concern."How about changing your appearance? I have plenty of clothes here that could drastically alter your looks. If those bounty hunters can't recognize you, you'll be safe as long as they can't find you," Anna suggested, giving Esther a bit more self-confidence."Do you have any other clothes?" Esther inquired.Anna snapped her fingers and replied crisply, "I'm a fashion designer, Esther. Of course, I have a vast collection of clothes."She then led Esther to the basement using an elevator. The entrance was password-protected."Take a look at my entire collection," Anna said as she switched on the lights. The previously pitch-black basement was now illuminated with bright white lights.Esther saw a wide variety of clothes hanging, ranging from luxurious dresses to more casual options."My collection is well-maintained and stored at a controlled temperature. Feel free to find something you like," Anna encourage
Esther crouched down in front of Felix, extending her hand toward him and softly saying, "Felix, it's really me. I'm Mommy."Felix reached out and hugged Esther tightly, nuzzling her neck like a little puppy."You're Mommy!"Anna asked in surprise, "How did you recognize her as your mother?""Mommy may have changed her clothes and hair, but her scent can never change," Felix replied.Felix's words brought a tear to Esther's eye. She held Felix's hand and looked at him with concern. "Felix, Mommy had to change her appearance because of the circumstances. Do you like it?"Felix asked cutely, "Do you like how you look, Mommy?""I do. I like it very much."Felix said firmly, "Then I like it too!""I love you so much, Felix."Esther couldn't help but hold Felix in her arms.Felix replied adorably, "I love you too, Mommy!"Esther's transformation was so striking that even the castle's service staff couldn't recognize her! The current issue was that most people in the castle wer
"Beautiful girl.""Beautiful aunt."Felix and Sunshine, who were biological siblings, immediately started teasing each other despite meeting for the first time.Anna and Esther watched the children bicker without intervening, allowing them to express themselves freely.Fortunately, Felix displayed his gentlemanly demeanor in the end and helplessly said, "Fine, let's go with beautiful girl. After all, my mommy is beautiful!"'Ah... What a dilemma.'Mommy is so young and beautiful that even little girls like her.'Esther couldn't help but laugh upon hearing Felix's words. She reached out and gently patted Felix's shoulder, speaking in a warm voice. "Sunshine, can you take my son out to play for a while, please?""Sure!" Sunshine extended her hand to Felix and softly said, "Come on, let's play together, handsome."When Felix heard Sunshine call him "handsome", his face immediately turned red."O-Okay!"Felix's adorable stuttering made Esther and Anna smile as they sat on a benc
That was the first time Felix had shown such an expression, and Esther tenderly hugged him while softly comforting him, saying, "It's okay, Felix. The spider was fake."Despite this, Felix continued to tremble with fear.Anna, holding Sunshine's hand, approached Felix and Esther apologetically. "Sunshine has always liked various animals and plants, but they're all fake."Noticing Felix's fear, Esther suggested, "Why don't we head home first, Anna?""Okay."Normally, Felix would be excited, looking out the window on the way to the church school. However, he sat quietly in his booster seat without making a fuss or crying on the journey back.Sunshine sat in her booster seat, supporting her chin and observing Felix curiously.She had only played a small prank on Felix and had no idea he would be so easily scared."Hey, I'm sorry!" Sunshine apologized to Felix, feeling embarrassed.Felix coldly snorted, turned his head, and looked out the window at the scenery.Sunshine took out
"Mommy, will that bad man who kidnapped us try and hurt us?" Felix was extremely nervous.Esther smiled, trying to reassure him. "No, he won't.""Really?" Felix remained uneasy.Esther nodded. "Really."She wasn't sure if the person would recognize Felix and herself.'If they recognize us, will it put us in danger? Should we leave to keep Anna and the others safe from this mess?'"Do we have to leave now, Mommy?" Felix asked.Even though Esther was anxious, she didn't show it. She had to be a mother who could make her son feel safe."If we want to leave, we'll have to wait until tomorrow, or Sunshine will still think you're scared."Esther playfully flicked Felix's nose.Felix pouted and protested, "I'm not scared. I'm super brave!""Yes, you are, Felix. You're the bravest little boy!" Esther affectionately bumped heads with Felix and said softly, "Shall we go and play with Sunshine and Anna?""Sure!"Felix and Esther made their way downstairs to the living room.Sunshine
As Anna spoke, her gaze fell upon Sunshine, who was in the distance."I don't know if you understand how I felt, Esther. It's like falling in love with them the moment you meet, for no reason at all."Esther allowed Anna to speak without interruption as Anna recounted her past experiences."I really like Sunshine and Twinkle. I often visited the church school because I later found out that Sunshine had a congenital heart condition. Fortunately, they found a suitable heart for her not long ago. Otherwise... Sunshine wouldn't be able to live and play as she does now.""I understand." Esther looked at Felix happily playing with Sunshine in the distance and smiled. "Felix also had health issues before. It wasn't until he had a bone marrow transplant that he could live and play like a normal child."Anna and Esther sat on a bench in the orchard. Anna looked at the two innocent and adorable children and whispered, "At this moment, I don't have any expectations for them. All I want is fo
Esther chuckled and replied, "Anna, he's already put a hefty bounty on my head. How much longer do you think I can stay hidden? You know how many of our kinds are scattered across the world, right? Can you imagine how many people would risk their lives for that kind of money?""Esther, I appreciate your concern, but I can't let you be in danger."After careful consideration, Anna declined Esther's proposal. She looked at Esther, who had changed her appearance, and gently said, "We haven't confirmed yet if there's a real problem with the church school. Give me some time to investigate the adopted children there.""For safety reasons, I think you should formally request for Sunshine to stay here in the castle for now," Esther suggested."Okay."As the sky darkened, the lights in the orchard were softly illuminated. Sunshine, the playful girl, had become acquainted with Felix, the slightly more composed boy, while they picked fruits together.Through their conversations, the two chi
Bradley's brazen words made Gabriel raise an eyebrow, and his scrutinizing gaze on Bradley intensified.Unfazed by Gabriel, Bradley calmly stated, "Mr. Sinclair, when I visited Shane recently, he handed me some video footage. It showed Esther being assaulted and abused in prison, with the perpetrators claiming it was my order. I've always dared to own up to my actions. What I've done, I won't shirk from. What I haven't done, I won't admit."Gabriel had seen the videos online. Even though Bradley had obscured the protagonist's face in the footage, he knew it was Esther. He had believed entrusting Esther to Thomas would ensure her safety, only to discover how fate twisted things."Bradley, I'll assume your words are true," Gabriel began. "Then tell me, if those people who assaulted Esther in prison weren't influenced by someone else, who put her in prison? Have you forgotten how you, in your irrational madness, expected a woman carrying your children to pay the price? Or do you believ
When Bradley brought up his grandfather again, he felt utterly unfilial as a grandson."Your grandfather's greatest wish before he passed was for you and Esther to live peacefully and happily. Sadly, all he witnessed was discord and enmity between you as a couple."Gabriel understood better than anyone that Bradley, in his youthful arrogance, felt that everything and everyone should conform to his desires. When Thomas compelled Bradley to marry Esther, almost like an arranged marriage, his rebellious nature surfaced."I've failed my grandfather's hopes," Bradley admitted with a bitter taste in his mouth.During quiet, solitary nights, he revisited memories of the past repeatedly.He hadn't desired that marriage back then. However, since he had promised his grandfather to marry Esther, he should have genuinely treated her as a wife.Despite the subsequent events not aligning with his wishes, he was painfully aware that if he hadn't been arrogant and unwilling to listen to Esther's
Esther wasn't pleasant toward Bradley. If she had evidence, she would gladly send him to prison to experience the joy of life behind bars.Bradley gazed blankly at Esther's stunning face, a hint of indescribable sorrow in his eyes. Those deep eyes resembled a chilly cold spring."Not only do you want to chop off my hand, but you also want my life, right?"Esther gestured a slice across her neck at Bradley with her hand, then turned away to tell Logan, "Let's go. Don't waste time on this.""Okay."With languid steps, Esther walked into the elevator. Once they were inside, the elevator doors shut.Outside the elevator, Bradley watched Esther and Logan like they were two puzzle pieces that matched perfectly. Instantly, he felt an unbearable heartache, as if his heart was being torn apart.He instinctively reached out to steady himself against the wall, observing the numbers on the elevator panel decrease until it stopped at the ground floor.It took a while before Bradley recovere
Throughout the entire night, neither Esther nor Logan had shut their eyes.Feeling their eyes strain, they applied eye drops. It wasn't until Esther noticed someone who shouldn't have been there on the surveillance footage."Logan, take a look at this."Perplexed, Logan asked, "What's going on?""Do you think this person looks like Shirley?"Esther was particularly sharp in discerning a woman's physique. She could immediately tell that the woman being supported by a man due to her intoxication bore a striking resemblance to Shirley."Let me see."Logan zoomed in on the surveillance footage, carefully comparing it with the footage containing Shirley. Physically, the two women indeed looked very similar.There was just one question... How would they confirm if she was Shirley?"Esther, stay here and keep watching the surveillance. I'll retrieve other surveillance footage.""Okay."Logan and Esther divided their tasks. Suspecting that the intoxicated woman might be Shirley, Est
Logan and Esther exchanged a glance. They fixed their intense gazes on Jason's face, unable to discern if he was smirking or provoking them."Mr. Taft, the evidence you seek will come."Jason scoffed. He seemed to transform into a different person as he put his glasses back on."Even if Shirley deceived me, I never wished harm upon her, let alone her death."I can consider your suspicions toward me as part of the investigation, but I hope that once everything is revealed, you can restore my innocence."I've said my piece. As long as Shirley hasn't divorced me, she remains my wife. I am obliged to cooperate in the investigation, and I hope you find her soon."Logan and Esther sensed something amiss with the first confrontation. They didn't say anything untoward until they exited the elevator and looked up at Jason's balcony outside.Jason stood on the balcony, looking at Logan and Esther and waving toward them.Logan and Esther looked at Jason before they turned and got into the
"She blocked me on all forms of contact at that time. I even tried contacting her through my colleagues' phones but found out she had blocked them, too. I thought she might be angry, so we should both calm down."Logan didn't speak and just listened quietly as Jason recounted the events of the case."I was angry that she blocked me. At my age, what's wrong with wanting a child? My parents were pushing for it, and I wondered if this marriage was what I wanted."Shirley is very beautiful. My friends and classmates say I'm lucky to have married her, but they don't know that beauty comes at a price."While my colleagues were buying properties, my wife kept changing bags. Her clothes, skincare products, shoes—everything was designer. To support her lifestyle, I work diligently, even taking extra freelance jobs to afford it."I thought I was a good husband and just wanted a child. What did I do wrong? If she had said that she didn't want a child after marriage in the first place, it wou
Gabriel took a long look at Esther, realizing more than anyone that Esther seemed to be heading toward a different extreme now. He wasn't certain if this shift in Esther's demeanor was good or bad.However, one thing was clear to him—the intersection of Esther and Bradley's lives resembled two lines crossing. After intersecting, they would drift further apart."Esther, you can investigate Bradley's criminal evidence. I won't object to that," Gabriel said with a stern face, emphasizing, "But ensure you complete your tasks on time and with quality.""Grandpa Gabriel, rest assured, I won't neglect my work."Gabriel nodded. "Go on then.""Alright." Esther stepped out of the office and approached Logan. "We can set off now.""Okay."Logan didn't inquire about Esther's conversation with Gabriel. Although they pretended to be engaged, Logan maintained a respectful distance from Esther. He wouldn't interfere much in her matters. However, he was aware that if she needed his help, he woul
Gabriel stated, "According to her husband, they argued before she went missing. He assumed she had returned to her parents' home and didn't inquire further since they often had cold spells for ten days to half a month. Their relatives and friends can testify to this."However, the cold spell extended to a month this time, which alarmed him. When he called her parents, they told him his wife never went home."Esther knew that the husband was often the first suspect when the wife went missing in cases like this."The wife bought a high-speed train ticket to her parents' home but didn't take the train back. The police traced her taking a ride-hailing car, and the driver claimed to have dropped her off on the street. The dashcam recording is proof. However, after that point, there's a blind spot in the surveillance footage. Usually, surveillance is kept for a certain period and gets overwritten after that."Logan asked, "What about the investigation on the missing woman's husband?""T
Esther rose, fixating on the distant scenery with clear eyes. "As long as he commits a crime, he'll leave traces."Logan was on the verge of speaking but was interrupted by the sudden ring of his phone."Hello, Mr. Sinclair."Gabriel's voice sounded grave. "There's a new lead.""Alright, we'll be right there."Logan stood up, turning to Esther. "We'll meet at the locker room entrance in ten minutes.""Is there a new development?""Yes."For most girls, ten minutes might not suffice even for basic grooming. For Esther, it was just right. The only issue was her long hair. Time was too short, and she lacked the opportunity to blow-dry it. Her damp hair draped over her shoulders, slightly soaking her T-shirt.Logan kept his eyes on the road. "I'll drive. You can use a towel to dry your hair.""Okay."As Logan drove, Esther sat in the car, patting her hair dry with a towel. Her hair was thick, posing a challenge to dry with just a towel.Nevertheless, Esther refrained from openi