"No," Bradley said coldly as he walked away. "Starting today, inform the kitchen to prepare an extra serving of food."Mandy gasped and nervously asked, her lips trembling, "Bradley, you didn't really... Esther..."Bradley remained silent and walked away.Mandy turned and opened the refrigerator, pouring herself a glass of fine wine she fetched from the cellar. She lamented her past foolishness as Liliane. Why had she acted like a virtuous woman in front of Bradley? A man like Bradley didn't deserve that!Mandy took a sip, thinking she might as well head to the home theater to sing since she couldn't sleep anyway.She had initially considered seeking revenge against Esther, but now, she didn't need to lift a finger.Bradley had already tormented Esther to the point of despair. She wondered how the late Thomas would feel, watching his beloved great-grandson lose his ability to speak and his approved granddaughter-in-law being imprisoned by Bradley. She was sure he would be furious
Bradley couldn't muster the patience to read every line of Jasper's messages. To him, those messages felt like a silent taunt, as if they were telling Bradley that Jasper loved and cared for Esther more. Every word hit Bradley's sensitive nerves.In a decisive move, Bradley blocked Jasper. After doing so, he reopened the chat box and carefully reviewed the messages. When he saw the allergens Jasper had mentioned, he jumped from his chair in shock.He clutched his phone and dashed into the secret chamber like a whirlwind. There, he found Esther in the crystal coffin, covered in hives due to an allergy. Her lips had turned a faint shade of purple, and her eyes were shut as if in death."Esther!" Bradley called out, but she remained motionless. He scooped her from the crystal coffin in a hurry, ignoring everything else, and rushed her out of the bedroom. As he reached the garage, he spotted Mandy in the garden, seemingly slightly tipsy. She looked at the unconscious Esther in Bradley
Mandy hesitated and said, "I didn't see anything tonight. Can I go to sleep now?""Get lost!" Bradley curtly replied.Mandy remained unfazed by Bradley's anger. Lately, she had been immersed in novels about power struggles, where female protagonists sought revenge and rose to power, fueled by the feminist wave.She contemplated the idea of manipulating Bradley into marrying her and then orchestrating his downfall, eventually taking control of the Warner Group.Although she had received help from X, she was determined not to be indebted to anyone, even her benefactor.Mandy considered that sharing her plan with X might gain their support, making her a valuable ally and allowing her to leverage Bradley.-Bradley held Esther in his arms, her delicate form resembling a fragile porcelain doll. He gently carried her back to the bedroom and placed her on the large bed. The hives on her body were visibly fading, bringing him immense relief.Quietly, he sat by her bedside, his gaze fix
For a moment, Esther's heart seemed to stop."Why not keep acting, Esther? It's your forte, isn't it?" Bradley's words hit Esther hard, affecting her head and her heart."Your acting skills are incredible. You could even compete for an Oscar as the Best Actress. It will be a waste if you don't."Faced with Bradley's mockery and taunts, Esther stayed silent and merely watched him, waiting to see what crazier actions he might take."You knew you'd have an allergic reaction, yet you ate something that would trigger it. Did you think I'd have a change of heart when you were in distress? Did you believe you had a chance of being saved?"A trace of mockery appeared in Esther's beautiful eyes as she replied, "Mr. Warner, why would I entertain such a delusion?"Hope would be a luxury with a heartless man like him."Delusion?" Bradley walked up to Esther, looking down at her with a condescending smile. "Think I used the wrong words?"Bradley's eyes gleamed with malice. "Seems I've been
"Who is he?" Bradley asked.Esther gazed into Bradley's crimson eyes and mockingly asked, "Mr. Warner, aren't you really that clever? Can you guess who he is?""Don't provoke me...""Provoke?" Esther replied calmly, "Is this provocation? No, I'm just stating a fact."Bradley let go of Esther's chin and pushed her onto the bed. His imposing presence overwhelmed her.Esther didn't resist or struggle. She simply looked at Bradley's handsome face and whispered, "You're not him."The man she had once admired, the man in her heart, could never be like this.After what felt like an eternity, Bradley stopped and looked at the lifeless Esther."Esther! I don't care if you pretend to be dead, crazy, or have amnesia. I want you to remember..." Bradley spoke arrogantly. "Until I've had enough of you, don't even think about leaving."Otherwise… you'll face the consequences."With that, Bradley forcibly took Esther into the bathroom. "Clean yourself up."Esther unzipped her dress and thor
Mandy closed her eyes and stopped resisting.But Bradley let go of her neck and said coldly, "If you claim it wasn't you, I'll believe you, for now."Mandy managed a faint smile while her hand rested on her neck. She wondered how Esther endured this unbearable strangling. Did she even want to survive this with Bradley?Did Esther still love Bradley? That would be truly masochistic!"Thank you, Bradley."Bradley looked at Mandy without makeup and said, "I'm entrusting Esther to your care."Mandy hesitated, torn between rejecting and accepting. Finally, she spoke with determination. "I'll handle the responsibilities you've given me well."Bradley huffed and cautioned, "If you dare to help Esther escape, you'll face the consequences."Mandy watched Bradley walk away and couldn't help but clench her fist in frustration. Did she owe him money? Why was he treating her like that? Even people working long hours got paid! What did she get?-Early the next morning, Mandy diligently ca
Clark had dedicated almost half his life in service to the Warners. How did Bradley treat him after the accident?Kevin couldn't help but notice all of this and felt a deep sense of helplessness."Kevin!""Bradley, even if Clark's in a comatose state after working for the Warners for nearly a lifetime, he deserves to reunite with his own family. If you have any conscience, you should prepare a retirement fund for him."Bradley grabbed Kevin by the collar and thundered, "What are you insinuating here?""It's not an insinuation."Just as Kevin finished speaking, Bradley's phone rang, and he glanced at the unidentified number displayed on it."Bradley Warner. Who is this?""I'm Richard Pendleton. I'll give you what you want."Bradley released his grip on Kevin and coldly turned away to the window. "Your condition?""I only have one—treat my woman well."Bradley readily agreed, "As you wish."Richard added a veiled threat. "Mr. Warner, if you fail to honor your word, not even d
Kevin observed as Bradley made threatening remarks and sarcastically retorted, "What are you going to do, huh? Plan on letting Esther die right in front of Felix?"Bradley, do you even understand how you got to this point? It's because you never treated the woman who gave birth to your children like a real person. You've never shown Esther the respect she deserves!""Very well, Kevin!" Bradley's fist slammed onto Kevin's desk with a heavy thud. "You want to oppose me too?"Kevin shook his head and calmly replied, "No, I'm not opposing you. I stand on the side of justice."Bradley turned away indifferently, walked to the office door, and glanced back at Kevin to declare, "You're fired!"Kevin nonchalantly shrugged, removed the work badge hanging around his neck, and placed it on the desk. "Bradley, working with heartless people like you made me feel like I was aiding a tyrant. Goodbye."After Bradley left, Kevin systematically organized his work tasks.He called Oliver and report
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