Esther wasn't alone, however. She had Felix by her side, someone she cared deeply for.With Felix, she had a vulnerable spot.Felix and Pixie were her children, and she couldn't put one child in danger to protect the other."I'll infiltrate the enemy's territory as a customer, no worries," Benz said as he stepped out of the car. He patted the car's roof, reassuring Anna and Esther, "Keep your distance from here to avoid attracting attention. And don't worry about me. They won't dare to harm me."With those words, Benz confidently walked into the church hospital.Anna parked the car about a kilometer away. "Esther, trust Benz. He's reliable."Esther's grip on her phone tightened, and her face drained of color. "Anna, will calling the police help?"Anna thought about it and replied hesitantly, "Esther, I don't know. This is a foreign country, and things are different from our home country. What I mean is, if we dare to take a chance, we can contact the police officer who helped us
Benz shook his head and explained gently, "I didn't see Pixie. I just took a glance at the nurse's station. Anyway, when you get to the hospital building, go directly to the fourth floor and find Pixie. Once you find her, it's best to knock her out, put her in a medical waste bin, and take her out. Remember... don't speak unless necessary.""I understand.""Got it."Anna and Esther replied simultaneously."I'll wait for you in the medical waste room," Benz said."Okay."Esther and Anna, both dressed in full protective gear, stepped out of the car and headed toward the staff-only elevator on the fourth floor.As they approached, a man in surgical attire came closer to them. "You, come with me!"Anna and Esther were startled, but Anna gestured that she would go with the man after a moment.Left alone, Esther proceeded to Room 9 on the fourth floor. Fortunately, the journey was smooth, and nobody talked to her, nor did she attract any attention.Esther arrived at the door of the
IEsther finally realized that the young boy had been observing her through binoculars."I won't be someone else's mother." Esther softly explained, "Don't misunderstand me. I'm not unwilling to, but I'm going through a divorce with my ex-husband, and I'm facing some trouble right now."The handsome young boy smirked. "That's your problem and has nothing to do with me. Guess how long it'll take for them to arrive if I call out. What fate awaits your two accomplices?"Esther asked through her gritted teeth, "What do you want then?""I just want to feel a mother's warmth before I die," the young boy pitifully expressed.Esther's heart softened upon hearing that. She made a determined promise, "I'll grant your wish."The young boy took out his phone and snapped a picture of Esther in the protective suit."Let's go. I'll take you to see your daughter."Just as the young boy was about to take Esther away, an ear-piercing alarm blared throughout the hospital.The young boy's expressi
Jacob sat on the sofa, his cold expression tinged with disdain. "This transaction is consensual. I hope you keep your promise, Ms. Quill."Esther looked anxious, her gaze eager. "Mr. Sanderson, don't worry. I'll definitely keep my promise.""In that case, you may leave."Anna and Benz exchanged glances and stood up together.Esther hesitated for a moment, then called out, "Wait."Jacob looked coldly at her. "Yes?""Can I bring my son?" she asked.Esther thought that Felix would worry about her if she stayed with Jacob. She wanted to test if Jacob would allow her to take Felix with her."No." Jacob gestured to a black-clad bodyguard. "Please come with me.""Anna, take care of Felix and Sunshine for me," Esther said.Anna replied seriously, "Don't worry, Esther. I'll take good care of the kids and wait for your good news."After everyone else left the room, Jacob casually picked up a book and began reading.Esther did not know how to be a mother. She was still a novice, even
Esther experienced the luxury of having the whole mini market to herself for the first time in her life."Mr. Sanderson, any dietary restrictions?" Esther asked as they strolled through the spacious store with a wide array of goods. The enthusiastic staff continued their usual practice of shouting out promotions."I'm not picky."When Esther saw live shrimps in the water tank, she suggested, "How about we make ravioli with fresh shrimps?""Sure."Esther pushed the shopping cart, meticulously picking up a bag of flour and selecting fresh shrimp one by one. She appeared so focused that one might mistake it for a serious study.Jacob's expression remained indifferent, yet not a hint of impatience was visible.While choosing the live shrimps, Esther glimpsed Jacob, feeling an inexplicable heartache for him. Under the lights, he exuded a sense of loneliness, as if he didn't belong to this world."Mr. Sanderson, can you help me pick the shrimps?" she asked.Jacob did not refuse and
Jacob responded with a faint "Oh" and continued to ask, "You loved the wrong person, but you had children for him. Do you regret it?""You might not believe it, Jacob, but I've never regretted it." Esther's gaze fell on Jacob's young, handsome face. "If you're interested, I can tell you my story.""Go ahead." Jacob leaned back in the leather seat, a hint of excitement flickering in his eyes."I was infatuated with him at first sight. At that time, he was a popular guy on campus, excelling in both academics and sports. Many girls liked him, including me."Young love is like honey, making people eager to taste its sweetness. But he seemed to have an unattainable crush at that time. I'm not sure of the particulars. Anyway, we got married through his grandfather's arrangement. He resisted the marriage while I was immersed in the happiness of having my wish fulfilled."I naively thought that as long as I loved him, I could overcome everything and win his favor. But reality proved that
They started preparing supper then. Making ravioli was not complicated, and Esther was quite skilled at it. She mixed the dough and set it aside to rest before starting to prepare the filling.Esther planned to make both meat and shrimp fillings for supper, but she didn't intend to make too many."Jacob, come and help me." Esther handed the minced meat filling to Jacob and said gently, "I've already added the seasonings to the filling. Just stir it vigorously in a clockwise direction.""Okay." Jacob had never done housework before and did not even know how to stir the mixture properly.Esther had to stand behind him and patiently taught him how to mix the filling holding his hand."Alright, I got it."After mixing the filling, Esther taught Jacob how to roll out the dough and close the ravioli.Esther did not know how wealthy families like Jacob's usually interacted, but she did things like this when she was with Felix.Tonight, Jacob experienced many firsts—his first time goin
Esther rubbed her eyes, carefully examining the woman in the photo to confirm if it was real. After a minute, she placed the photo back inside the book, stood up, and quietly switched off the reading lamp before leaving the room.Outside, she finally released the suffocating feeling caused by the woman in the photo. Glancing at the closed door, she hurried back to her own bedroom.Felix had a video call waiting for her, probably worried about not seeing her.Esther quickly returned the video call, contacting Felix on his watch phone."Mommy!" Felix's cute voice greeted Esther's ears."Felix, Mommy has some things to take care of these days and might not be able to be by your side. You must listen to Anna, okay?" Felix patted his chest proudly and replied, "Mommy, I'm super good and obedient!""You're amazing!" A wash of heartache flashed in Esther's beautiful eyes. "Felix, Mommy loves you."Felix responded to the microphone with a loud kiss. "I love you too, Mommy."Seeing th
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