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 initially believed Esther had run away once more. He swiftly checked the surveillance cameras and confirmed that Esther was still peacefully resting inside the crystal coffin. She hadn't escaped, so what was going on?Next, he inspected the other surveillance cameras around Warner Manor and observed a large crowd of people.'Very well! The Quills are attempting to cause trouble again!'Bradley hopped onto a helicopter and returned to Warner Manor. He disembarked from the helicopter and strolled confidently toward Oliver and Gabriel."What brings you here?" he asked.Oliver gazed at Bradley. "Hand Esther over.""Mr. Quill, you must be joking. Everyone knows that Esther is well cared for by the Quills. Even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare to kidnap the Quill heiress."Gabriel sneered. Unable to contain his anger at Bradley's audacity, he raised his cane and struck him."Bradley, this cane is on behalf of your grandfather to teach you a lesson!"Young man,
Mandy seemed unaware of Bradley's intimidating stare. She maintained her pleasant smile and said, "Mr. Quill, would you and your companion like to have a seat while you wait?"Oliver gave Mandy a cold, dismissive look and declined the offer.Bradley approached Mandy confidently, placing his arm around her waist. He spoke in a somewhat threatening tone by her ear. "Mandy, when distinguished guests like Mr. Quill are visiting, can we avoid trivial questions?"Mandy quickly said, "Of course. I'm sorry. I'll have the service staff prepare everything."Bradley chuckled and added, "Please do. Also, instruct the staff to assist these gentlemen with their investigation. Understand?""As you wish." Mandy turned and strolled inside.Did Bradley believe she would inform Oliver? He was overthinking. She wouldn't help Esther escape from him. However, the moment of nervousness she noticed on Bradley's face was intriguing.Once Mandy left, Bradley continued to observe Oliver without displaying
"Maybe you think I'm lying now. If you do, consider seeing a psychologist to retrieve that buried memory."Gabriel turned to Oliver and said, "Let's go."Oliver looked sorrowful. Gabriel looked at Mandy, then spoke seriously, "We'll discuss this more.""Okay."After Oliver and Gabriel left, all the search and rescue personnel departed, and Warner Manor returned to its usual calm.When everyone had left, Bradley grabbed a teacup from the table and hurled it at Mandy, who dodged it, and it shattered at her feet."B-Bradley," Mandy said in fear, stuttering.Bradley stepped closer, clutching Mandy's throat. His eyes turned sinisterly crimson."Bradley..."Mandy wondered if the enraged Bradley might strangle her to death.Bradley stared coldly at Mandy's face, finding no admiration in her delicate features. "Mandy, tell me, what did you want to tell Oliver?"Tears welled up in Mandy's eyes. Her voice was hoarse with pain as she replied, "I... I didn't say anything.""Do as I ins
The Warner service staff were hard at work cleaning. Even though the search and rescue team had departed, the real task for the service staff was just beginning.Bradley navigated his way through the bustling workers and entered his bedroom, which was the first area to be tidied up. The air carried a faint scent of disinfectant.He locked the door behind him and proceeded smoothly into the hidden chamber. Esther lay motionless in the crystal coffin, appearing lifeless and resigned."Esther," Bradley said, resting his hand on the edge of the crystal coffin. His dark gaze lingered on Esther's emotionless face."Do you know that your uncle, Oliver, came searching for you? He made quite a scene but left empty-handed."Bradley closely observed Esther, determined to notice any subtle changes in her expression.However, Esther remained unresponsive, showing neither joy nor sorrow.Bradley understood that she still had feelings but was unwilling to engage with him, even refusing to use
Esther flashed a mocking smile and said casually, "Oh, sounds interesting. I could give it a try."Upon hearing that, Bradley slammed his fist against the crystal coffin. He warned Esther fiercely, "Esther, if you even think about taking your own life, I'll bring Felix back and make him witness your decaying body day and night. He'll watch your corpse rot, fester, and turn into bones!"Esther maintained her composure and replied helplessly, "You don't have to wait. You can do it right now. You have the power over all of us—me, Felix, everyone. You can do as you please."I won't feel sorry for Felix. He's stuck with a father like you."Being mute doesn't change a thing. He's still alive, and you can torment him as much as you want. If it pleases you, Mr. Bradley Warner."Esther's words weren't meant as irony. She had accepted her fate and saw no point in further discussion. She closed her eyes, awaiting Bradley's outburst.But to her surprise, the expected rage didn't come. Instea
Esther's every word was like a knife through Bradley's heart. He abruptly stood up and glanced at her coldly before exiting the secret room, leaving her alone. Esther watched Bradley leave and huffed in frustration. She no longer understood his intentions and had no intention of cooperating with him. When she looked at his handsome face, there was no attraction, only disgust. She detested Bradley and herself.-Mandy was preparing to go out when she noticed Bradley descending with a hostile air. "Bradley?"Bradley saw Mandy with her purse and asked, "Where are you going?"Mandy took out her phone and casually replied, "I received a call from my mother at the sanatorium. I need to go there.""I'm coming with you," Bradley insisted, leaving no room for discussion.Mandy didn't understand why Bradley wanted to accompany her but didn't object. The driver was already waiting, so she got into the car alongside Bradley.Mandy put her phone away and enjoyed the scenery outside the
Upon entering the sanatorium, Mandy spotted Liora and a middle-aged gentleman, dancing. This left Mandy feeling perplexed. She had been informed that Liora wasn't feeling well, so why was she dancing?"Mandy, you're here," Liora exclaimed with joy. "This is Wayne Perry. I fainted while taking a walk outside, and he brought me back."Liora appeared bashful as she said that, which tugged at Mandy's heart."Hello, Mr. Perry."Wayne remarked, "I won't disrupt your mother-and-daughter chat. I'll be on my way.""Take care, Wayne."As Mandy watched Liora and Wayne bid farewell at the entrance, she couldn't help but rub her temples.After a while, Liora approached Mandy and asked, "Mandy, what do you think of Wayne?""He seems quite scholarly," Mandy replied.Liora sighed and confided, "Wayne is single, and I...""It's your life, your choice." Mandy easily discerned that Liora's heart was beginning to flutter. She had been under the impression Liora and Richard had a loving relations
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