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
Esther appeared stunning from every angle—her photos emerged as masterpieces, no matter the perspective.Representing the Quills, Marcus thrust Esther into the public eye."Thank you all for making time for Esther's birthday bash amidst your busy schedules. Esther, everything before today was just the beginning. From this day forth, the world will revolve around you, like the sun, moon, and stars..."With Marcus' influence, even a simple "Welcome, Esther!" would earn a resounding applause.Esther gracefully withstood everyone's scrutiny.Certain families even considered arranging marriages between their distinguished heirs and Esther. Her previous marriage to Bradley didn't matter to those seeking political advantages; they aimed to leverage the Quills' support through Esther.After some pleasantries, Sadie urged Esther to take photos and playfully insisted on uploading them to social media."Mommy, you look so beautiful today!"Esther's joy was contagious, and Felix was impecc
"Let—"A man dressed in an Armani suit looked at Esther lewdly, shamelessly admiring her tear-filled eyes."Tsk, tsk, tsk, your frightened expression is quite exciting, I must say!"Fingers tainted with the scent of cigarette smoke brushed against Esther's red lips, and a suggestive breath tickled her ear. "Be a good girl and listen, understand?"Fearfully, Esther nodded.The man laughed arrogantly, triumphant. "You didn't really think I'd spare you, did you?"Esther forcefully bit the man's finger, causing him to wince in pain and furrow his brows.He lifted Esther and unceremoniously threw her onto a bed with cloud-patterned sheets.Esther's head hit the wooden bed frame, and she saw stars. Ignoring the pain, she immediately tried to get up and escape.The man grabbed her hair and straddled her. "Esther, do you think the Quills can protect you?"Esther glared at him and warned, "Aren't you afraid of retaliation from the Quills?""The mere Quills? I'm not afraid, you get it
"Save me..."The confident man said, "Esther, do you know how special this hotel is? Not just anyone can come to the garden! Understand?"The effects of the drug gradually kicked in, and Esther started becoming weak as if she were soft as mud. She teared up in despair.In a humble plea, she said, "Please, I beg you! Spare me, I'm pregnant..."The man laughed mockingly, pressed his hand forcefully against Esther's abdomen, and snarled, "Are you carrying Bradley's child? Or another man's b*stard child?"Esther's face was red.The man swallowed upon seeing this. Not yet—it was not the time yet. He could not be impatient and act prematurely. He had time and patience."I don't know who you are. You're brave to treat me like this, especially when I'm under the Quills' protection. It suggests your background might match theirs. Do you truly believe they won't take action against you?"Esther forced herself to calm down and analyze the situation. She even hoped she would not feel so em
Esther was livid and could not resist shouting, "You! Pervert!"Influenced by the effects of the drug, her voice carried a hint of coquettishness."Damn it! I can't stand it anymore!" The man's lips moved closer to Esther's, and she involuntarily retched at the nauseating smell of cigarettes and alcohol on his breath.Seeing this, the man grew even angrier and slapped Esther. "B*tch! What are you playing at?"Esther's mouth was instantly flooded with the metallic taste of blood. She spat at him with force, her voice seething with rage. "You're pathetic! You've never been truly loved by a woman in your life, have you?""Shut up!" The man's eyes turned bloodshot as if Esther's words had struck a hidden wound.Esther looked at him mockingly and retorted, "Do you even know what it's like to be loved? Or to love someone? You don't! You're just an animal driven by lust."The man grabbed Esther's hair, yanking her head back to gaze into his blood-red eyes. "Woman, do you think I'll let
Esther's heart, once silent and dead, reignited instantly. A torrent of emotions erupted within her, flowing like molten lava."Brad!"Bradley shoved the man aside and seized Esther. He asked her angrily, teeth clenched, "Esther, are you so desperate for a man?"The soft aroma of peach blossoms reached Bradley's nose from Esther. His grip on her arm unintentionally tightened."No... It's not like that." When Bradley appeared out of nowhere, Esther's resistance faded. The moment she saw him, her stubbornness disappeared."Stand up straight."Bradley released Esther, and her weakened body slumped."Brad, let's go!"Bradley roared ferociously, "Shut up!"When he received the unsettling photo from the man, his long-suppressed anger erupted uncontrollably. Esther belonged to him and only him. He wouldn't tolerate any other man touching her, even if he didn't desire her.Bradley forcefully pushed Esther back onto the bed and violently kicked the man to the ground. The man's eyes
Bradley's words pierced Esther's heart like a blade, causing a profound pain that felt like a thousand arrows striking her at once.She reached up and used both hands to cup Bradley's handsome face, locking her gaze with his intense eyes."Brad, it's yours... It's yours," she repeated, her voice trembling with emotion. "Bradley, I'm carrying your child."Bradley's grip on Esther's chin relaxed, but his eyes probed hers, searching for the truth. The intensity of his gaze made Esther involuntarily let out a soft moan."You're pregnant?" Bradley's voice was cold, disbelief and doubt filling his eyes.Esther nodded, her eyes wide and sincere."I don't believe you," Bradley sneered and smiled mockingly, his thumb and forefinger cruelly pinching Esther's chin. "Esther, you've always been crafty, spinning lies and deception. You'd even feign amnesia to manipulate me. How can I trust something as important as a pregnancy coming from you?"With those words, Bradley kissed her forcefully,
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