"Liar!" Jolene fiercely glared at Esther before revving her car's engine and speeding away. Esther rubbed her temples, watching Jolene's disappearing figure."Esther, everyone has their own path in life, and we should respect their choices," Agatha said, her tone carrying deep meaning. "Just as I do, as your mentor, respect yours."Esther's face filled with shame.Agatha continued. "I can't shield you forever, Esther. Make the most of the time you have with me. Learn as much as you can. You never know when that knowledge might be your lifeline.""I understand."Esther cherished her days at the clinic. She faced none of Chadwick's veiled threats, Bradley's relentless pressure, or Selene's unconventional teaching methods. She was just a student, enjoying the peaceful countryside alongside three children.Jacob, the eldest among them, naturally became the responsible older brother. Sunshine and Felix listened to him, and while Esther delved into her medical studies, the young trio
Sadie glanced at Esther, and Mandy responded with a warm smile. "I've just returned from overseas and don't have many local friends yet. Besides, my brother thought it'd be good for me to bond with my future sister-in-law."Eager to keep things smooth with Mandy, Esther invited, "Sure, come on over. Let's hang out together.""Sounds great."The nearby hot spring villas were decked out in festive decorations. After dinner, the three women relaxed before heading to the outdoor thermal baths.Wearing a swimsuit that accentuated her figure, Mandy stretched out beside Esther. However, Esther's gaze fixated on a small, almost-healed scar under Mandy's arm."Mandy, did you injure yourself there?" Esther asked.Instead of revealing the scar's true origin—a remnant from her plastic surgery transformation from Liliane to Mandy—she deflected, "Don't you have one?"Neither Esther nor Sadie had any such scars."Maybe it's more noticeable because of my extremely fair skin?" Mandy casually su
While Esther and Bradley remained unhappy, Mandy enjoyed her happiness."Good luck," X said."Thanks."After ending the call, Mandy strolled back to the hot spring pool. Sadie faced Esther as she playfully teased Mandy, "Mr. Warner knows how to treat a lady, huh?""Sadie, don't say that in front of my sister-in-law," Mandy replied, neither confirming nor denying Bradley's call. She smiled faintly and added, "Honestly, I don't think he loves me. He's just grateful.""Gratitude can turn into love," Sadie encouraged optimistically. "Don't give up."Mandy lowered her head and whispered after a moment, "I don't believe in love."Once, Sadie believed in love, inspired by her happily married parents. But after witnessing Bradley and Esther, she thought maybe not believing in love wasn't so bad.The three relaxed in the hot springs, sipping wine. Aware of an early makeup appointment, they wrapped up their evening.Esther had a restless night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Sh
Chadwick glanced at Esther, who sat beside him, and asked coldly, "Who's that?"Esther quickly deleted Bradley's message and replied casually, "Just spam."Chadwick warned Esther, "Think carefully, Esther. If you're having second thoughts, now is the time to back out."Esther thought about her family's plans and firmly shook her head, pressing her lips together. "I won't back out."Chadwick had hoped she would be in her traditional wedding outfit. But whether the wedding would proceed smoothly or not was not up to him.Mockingly, Chadwick said, "You're quite captivating, Esther. Before you came into my life, I was a playboy. But when you appeared, I willingly stepped into this marriage, leaving behind many possibilities to be with you."Esther smiled sarcastically. "Regretting it already, Mr. Pendleton?"Chadwick laughed heartily. "Regret doesn't exist in my vocabulary, Esther.""That sounds like something from a romance novel," Esther said with irony, which Chadwick missed, th
"Mr. Pendleton," Esther said, her voice filled with fury.Had she made a mistake trusting Jolene's words about Chadwick? Could he really be this cold, lacking empathy for others' misfortune?Would Chadwick go to such lengths to save Jolene, who was desperate? Or did he have hidden motives from the start?Was that why he had reacted so strongly when he found out Jolene was pregnant?Chadwick removed Esther's veil and taunted her, "Already playing the dutiful wife, trying to control me?""Mr. Pendleton, you don't have to pity the accident, but—""Pity? Why should I?" he icily interrupted her. "The world is full of suffering. If I pitied everyone, would it ever end? Enough of this nonsense. Let's not ruin my happy day!"Esther took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. Meanwhile, Chadwick impatiently tapped the car window."Tell them to clear the way. It's my big day," he demanded.He would have taken a helicopter if he had known about the traffic."Understood, Mr. Pendleton."
"Mr. Warner, I've brought the person for you," the nervous middle-aged woman said by the road, glancing at Bradley in the car.Bradley tossed her a gold bank card. "This is for your trouble."The woman picked up the card, her face lighting up with joy. "Thank you, Mr. Warner."Bradley glanced at the sleeping Esther beside him, a shadowy smile creeping onto his flawless face."Drive."-The black sedan headed for a nearby hotel. Bradley carried Esther and took the elevator directly from the underground garage to the rooftop.Before anyone at the wedding scene had a moment to blink, he had already whisked Esther off to a secluded island in Southeast Varnusia.He carefully placed Esther in her bridal attire into an oversized crystal casket."Esther Quill, you had your chance! You brought this upon yourself!"Bradley smiled wickedly. He snapped his fingers, and two muscular men emerged and gently closed the crystal casket's lid.Leaning back, Bradley seemed to relish the scene a
The various classical instruments filled the air with melodies, transporting every guest to the Renaissance's golden era.Faces beamed with rare joy. Even though the guests had attended numerous weddings, this one was exceptional, teeming with excitement. The union of the Quill and Pendleton families promised to be the wedding of the century.Mandy slowly edged closer to the lively venue, the rhythmic drums and percussion growing more intense. An unexplained sense of apprehension crept over her.She remained clueless about Esther's whereabouts and when Jasper and his party would strike against the Pendletons. However, she knew that her days under the Pendletons' control were over."Wait for a moment. The ceremony up ahead isn't done yet," the wedding planner whispered to the maid of honor as she approached her. "Proceed when you hear the trumpets.""Got it," the maid of honor replied.Mandy and Esther wore nearly identical traditional wedding attire. Even after swapping veils, th
Accompanied by her maid of honor, Mandy descended the red carpet with measured steps. At the end of the carpet, Chadwick awaited her, dressed splendidly in a traditional groom attire. His gaze remained fixed on Mandy, who looked elegant in her antique lace veil and flowing gown.With eagerness, Chadwick moved closer to accept Mandy's hand from the maid of honor. Confusion crossed his face as his eyes shifted to the apple she held.'Didn't I eat an apple in the car? Why does Esther have another one?' he thought.In the audience, Selene's curiosity piqued as she observed the couple on stage. Just then, a staff member from the wedding company approached her, whispering, "Madam Pendleton, Ms. Pendleton has disappeared."Selene frowned. "And what about Mr. Warner?"Before the woman could reply, the sky erupted with fireworks, and the air filled with the smell of gunpowder."We can't reach Mr. Warner on his phone either," the head of the wedding planner murmured.Selene's gaze retur
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