Even if Bradley needed her heart, liver, or kidney, she would readily donate them without hesitation.Five years of imprisonment…Five years of separation from her own flesh and blood…All of it should have wiped away any trace of Esther's former love for Bradley. She did not love him anymore. She would not love him again. From now on, she would love herself and her children.As for Bradley, she would consider him, along with her first love, sealed away in the river of time.-When Esther returned to the hospital room, Agatha was already there with breakfast."Good morning, Grandma Foster."Agatha asked, "Felix said you're not feeling well? You've been vomiting?""I'll tell you later."Esther stroked Felix's head as he ate earnestly, his soft and fluffy hair endearing. "Felix, enjoy your breakfast. Mommy has something to discuss with Grandma Foster.""Okay, Mommy!" Felix responded sweetly.A sense of contentment colored Esther's face. Perhaps she should still be thankful to
"Then terminate it," Agatha said coldly, her attitude meticulous and cruel. "A child who isn't fit to be kept in every way... Even if you manage to preserve it, it can lead to problems. However, before the prenatal checkup, your worries are just that—worries.""Grandma Foster, I'm also worried that Bradley will find out about my pregnancy," Esther confessed.Esther wondered whether they could still successfully divorce if Bradley discovered her pregnancy."Esther, before you worry about a successful divorce, consider whether your body can safely support your labor," Agatha advised. She knew people would go to great lengths to save their child, but a mother's safety should always take precedence over the fetus.While movies and TV often depicted dilemmas between a mother's life and a child's, in real life, this rarely occurred because doctors prioritized the mother's safety.The doctors in the operating room would do everything to save the mother. Only when the mother survived woul
After confirming Felix's wrist information and checking the IV bottle, the nurse began the IV infusion. When it was done, she changed Felix's head bandage.Esther and Felix sat together, engrossed in their reading. Esther read a medical book while Felix tackled an introductory calculus book. They stuck to a timer—reading for an hour and then resting for 20 minutes.Esther's blood test results were also ready when Felix's infusion finished.Agatha entered with a solemn expression, handing Esther a test report.Esther asked, "Grandma Foster, what does this mean?""Show me Jasper's report."Agatha headed to the balcony after speaking. Esther retrieved Jasper's test results and handed them to Agatha, who then compared the HCG values."Esther, this test result isn't positive. Your HCG levels have doubled. The data is concerning, and you're still anemic. Brace yourself mentally."Agatha's words struck Esther deeply."Grandma Foster, I... I..."Though the child's arrival wasn't in E
Upon hearing the phone's beep, Kevin took a deep breath. He hadn't foreseen Esther assuming he and Bradley were orchestrating another dramatic act. Yet, on second thought, he realized her perspective was understandable given the tense circumstances.Kevin wanted to call Esther again and clarify Bradley's condition. However, he realized his number had been blocked too."Dr. Slade, Mr. Warner's test report is out."Kevin's secretary handed him Bradley's test report, her expression grim.Upon seeing her troubled face, Kevin's expression also turned serious. He carefully flipped through Bradley's report page by page, and then he asked in a shaky voice, "Liver cancer?""Yes, based on the report, it does seem to be liver cancer."Kevin was shocked. He stammered, "But his medical examination last year showed no issues. How could he suddenly have liver cancer?"Bradley was so young, and his health had always been excellent. How could he end up with liver cancer?"Dr. Slade, treating Mr
Bradley furiously hurled the phone to the ground."Bradley, don't vent your anger on my phone!" Kevin stared at the shattered screen. Despite being wealthy enough to replace 10 or even 20 phones, the loss was irksome due to the data stored in it."Who's angry?" Bradley sneered. "Do you think I'd get worked up over that woman? Is she even worth it?"Kevin tightened his grip on the phone as he tried to reason with Bradley."Bradley, don't call Esther that. After all, she's Felix's mother."Bradley gritted his teeth, his eyes radiating intense hostility. "I wish she wasn't."Kevin sighed helplessly, took a seat on an adjacent sofa, and spoke calmly. "Bradley, it's a fact. She's Felix and your daughters' mother...""Kevin, if you're here to defend Esther, you can leave!""I'm the hospital director. Where can I go?" Kevin didn't want to argue much, given Bradley's patient status. "Bradley, I intended to keep your condition from you, but as the person involved, you have the right to
"Bradley, if you're alive, Felix will have you to protect him. But if you die and Esther remarries, who will protect Felix?"Kevin fearlessly tried to persuade Bradley, hoping he would calm down and seriously consider his treatment.Perhaps Kevin's words touched a nerve within Bradley. "Prepare a treatment plan for me. I'll go back to the company.""Alright."Kevin sighed in relief, genuinely concerned that Bradley wouldn't take his health seriously.Bradley loosened his grip on Kevin's neck and left the hospital with steady steps. He emitted such a threatening aura that bystanders instinctively stepped back in fear.-A heavy silence gripped the Warner Group as Bradley arrived there. People held their breath, scared to make a sound."Summon the legal department to my office.""Yes, Mr. Warner," answered the secretary.Bradley sat in his chair and gazed into the distant horizon, a chill settling in his heart. 'I... have advanced-stage liver cancer?'He smiled mockingly and t
After Cole got into the accident, Bradley's level of intimidation skyrocketed!Would it be considered an occupational injury if Bradley had scared him to the point of cardiac arrest?"Come in."The secretary entered with a terrified expression. The moment she pushed open the office door, she immediately put on a professional, smiling face."Mr. Warner.""Prepare a plane to Capitus. Contact the staff at the Royal Palace Hotel. I want to meet Esther.""Understood."-A major event recently happened in Capitus.The Quills welcomed a young heiress who had spent five years in prison and faced a high-profile national divorce case with Bradley. Yet, the Quills still hosted a grand banquet in her honor.The purpose was clear—to show Capitus' high society that Esther wasn't alone; she had the Quills' support. Anyone thinking of bullying her needed to reconsider.The banquet's location was meticulously chosen. Receiving an invitation from the Quills was a point of pride among Capitus'
"Sadie, please don't praise me like that. I'll get embarrassed."Esther placed her hand on her chest, looking slightly uneasy.Today, she wore a strapless mermaid evening gown with a simple yet radiant design. At first glance, it might seem ordinary, but it glistened like scattered starlight beneath the bright lights upon closer inspection.Around her graceful neck hung a stunning jade necklace of the highest quality. It was flawlessly pure yet irresistibly captivating."Esther, let's go," Marcus called."Sure."Given the numerous guests, Marcus, his wife, and Oliver went ahead to welcome them at the exclusive Royal Palace Hotel. They were concerned about the crowd and wanted someone to look after Felix, so they entrusted him to Agatha."Esther, if you haven't been to Capitus before, you might not know that the Royal Palace Hotel is not open to the public. It's reserved for important guests."Aunt Faye's influence played a significant role in securing this for us, along with ou
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