Esther's reddened eyes brimmed with tears upon hearing that, and she struggled to breathe as she exclaimed, "You're not human! You're a devil."Chadwick laughed, shamelessly replying, "Thank you for the compliment."Esther took a deep breath and seriously thought back to the message she had deleted. She had only seen a bloody severed hand, but she had not carefully examined whether it belonged to Bradley or not. Naturally, she could not trust Chadwick's words alone."I want to personally confirm if that hand belongs to him."Chadwick whistled smugly. "I shall generously allow you to confirm it in person then."He hung up with a loud click.On Esther's end, the beeping sound from the phone sounded like someone was hammering her heart heavily.She forced herself to calm down, intending to verify the truth of Chadwick's claim. However, she felt that it would be better to go to the detention center tomorrow rather than asking someone else for confirmation.Hearsay was not as reliab
Thirty minutes later, Kevin arrived at the hospital and promptly sought out a hepatologist for Esther's examination. Despite their best efforts to expedite the procedures, it was noon before all the tests were completed.Kevin received an urgent work call during lunch at a nearby restaurant, forcing him to leave abruptly. Esther, dining alone, ordered several dishes that Bradley favored and personally delivered them to the detention center.She needed to see if Bradley's hand had been severed.Sitting in the visitor room, Esther was gripped by anxiety.As Bradley was about to exit the detention room, a group of burly men obstructed his path. They spoke subserviently. "Boss, please hold on."Bradley arched an eyebrow and asked nonchalantly, "What's the issue?""Boss, Mr. Pendleton instructed us to remove your arm. If you leave like this and it's discovered we didn't follow his orders, we'll be in trouble."Bradley glanced at his arm.One of the men produced a roll of medical gau
In a private hospital abroad.Liliane had just completed a series of plastic surgeries. After over ten procedures, her previously disfigured face had been completely restored.The old Liliane was considered a beautiful woman at best. However, the current Liliane had become an absolute beauty.All the distinct features that belonged to Liliane had disappeared. Her previously tanned skin had transformed into porcelain fairness and was as supple as a baby's. Countless sessions of skin brightening had transformed her entirely.Liliane gazed into the mirror, feeling bewildered. When Liam had disfigured her, she believed she was in a living nightmare. But now, she felt like she had been given a new lease on life.Her face was now stunning, beyond anything she had ever imagined. Every aspect of her facial features, even the shape of her ears, had been perfected.In all honesty, if Liliane's mother were to see her at that moment, she wouldn't even recognize Liliane as the striking woman
"Congratulations, you got it right."Liliane exclaimed, "Boss, have you already found a suitable liver donor?""Mandy, some questions aren't for you to ask. Understand?"When Liliane first heard someone call her "Mandy", she felt dazed and uncertain. Over time, she grew accustomed to her new identity and name."Watch the news." X dropped these three words and hung up.Liliane, not understanding, turned on the television. The program playing was Frontline Scoop."According to our reporter, a woman, unable to bear the impact of her disfigurement, set fire to her apartment early this morning..."Liliane stared at the TV, and her heart was gripped by an icy chill when she saw the video footage displayed. The person who had died in the apartment fire was her—Liliane Anstey.At that moment, a wave of fear washed over her. She did not know who X was but understood he had severed all her escape routes. From now on, she could no longer be Liliane Anstey—she had to become Mandy Pendleton
"What do you mean?" Esther looked at Chadwick in shock. "Considering your family status...""It's true that it doesn't have to be you," Chadwick said arrogantly. "Plenty of women are willing to have my children, but only you are the best candidate.""I'm still married to Bradley." Esther decided not to follow Chadwick's narrative and aimed to take control of the conversation. "Given your family's status, it wouldn't be honorable for you to marry someone else's wife."Chadwick frowned and asked ominously, "You two haven't divorced?""With your resources, Mr. Pendleton, you can easily find it out."Chadwick made a gesture and made a call to check if Esther had divorced. Naturally, the answer was negative."Mr. Pendleton, the Pendletons are influential and dignified. Marrying someone else's wife isn't respectable. Don't you agree?"Chadwick stared coldly at Esther, reminding her, "Then divorce Bradley right now.""He's already applied for an appeal!"Esther wanted to use Chadwick
The power dynamics in Capitus were complex and tangled. The Pendletons had a long-standing presence, and their influence ran deep. We need solid evidence to bring down the Pendletons in one swift move."Uncle Oliver, I'll seriously consider it."Oliver nodded and comforted Esther, saying, "I understand your feelings, Esther, but we shouldn't rush. Let's aim for steady and continuous progress.""Alright," Esther agreed.With affection in his eyes, Oliver spoke gently, "Esther, don't dwell too much on this. Focus on your recovery; there's a long journey ahead.""I understand," Esther replied.-After a day of running around, Esther returned to her hospital room, utterly drained.Agatha's scolding echoed in her ears as she saw Esther's exhaustion. "Esther, don't you care about your health at all? Your first childbirth recovery wasn't good, and now you're pushing yourself again. Are you trying to shorten your life?"Esther approached Agatha, embracing her as if she were her own gr
Esther's panic-filled gaze fixed upon the elderly couple before her. She urgently questioned, "Who are you? I don't know you! Please, leave!"Tears welled up in the eyes of the elderly pair. Samantha Maltby, the elderly lady, threw herself before Esther, clutching the hem of her pants with a desperate grip. She sobbed. "Miss, your liver can save my daughter. I beg you, please save her!"Esther stood in shock, finally comprehending their intent. They were seeking her liver. Yet, she couldn't imagine how this couple had knowledge of the confidential matching process."Please, stop crying," Esther implored, guiding Samantha to sit on the couch.Samantha's grasp remained unyielding, her frail hands gripping Esther's own with surprising strength."Miss, you seem like a kind soul. I beg you, please save my daughter," Samantha pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. "My daughter's life has been a relentless struggle. If you refuse, she'll have no way out."Samantha's tears felt like
Esther was putting her life at risk!A dedicated doctor like Kevin couldn't bear seeing Esther constantly endanger herself."Kevin, I don't have answers to your questions," Esther said with concern. "Have you found a suitable liver for Bradley's transplant?""I'm still searching. I'll let you know once I have any news," Kevin replied tiredly. "Please don't rush into donating your liver. I'll investigate how your medical reports might have been leaked."Esther shook her head, pleading, "Kevin, no need to investigate. If my liver can save that girl, I'll help her."She had never found the happiness she sought. When she heard about the girl's tragic fate, she hoped to save her and give Bradley a second chance at life.Kevin had no choice but to continue searching for a suitable liver for Bradley.-Esther underwent more tests, confirming her liver was a match for the young woman.Upon hearing this news, Esther signed the consent form for the liver donation. But due to the young w
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