Jasper walked mechanically, got to the burned body, and knelt heavily. He reached out his hand, but as soon as his finger brushed the body, he pulled back like it shocked him."Esther! I'm so sorry!"This is all my fault! I promised to keep you safe, but I let you down!"Esther, I... I..." Jasper's hands trembled as he tried to hold it. "I'll take you back."Bradley seized Jasper by the collar, his voice filled with threat. "Jasper, you can't touch her!""Can't? Bradley, what gives you the right to stop me?"Bradley couldn't believe this burned body was Esther, but he wouldn't let Jasper near her, even if she was just a body."Esther is my wife," Bradley declared for all to hear, which made Jasper and Kevin laugh.Jasper turned to Bradley and asked, "If she's your wife, where's the marriage certificate?"You claim Esther is your wife, but did you ever treat her like one? Not even for a day, not even for an hour!"Ask everyone here. Ask the firefighters, the police, the doctor
"This time, it's not up to you!" Jasper shouted, turning to Kevin. "Stop him!"Kevin promptly extended his arms to block Bradley, saying, "Bradley, she's not your wife!"Bradley roared, "Kevin, get out of my way!"Kevin replied, "I won't! I was too weak before, and it cost Esther her life!"This time, even if it meant risking his life, he wouldn't let Bradley take her away, no matter what.While Bradley struggled with Kevin, the latter was repeatedly thrown down. Yet, he didn't give up.Jasper asked the firefighters to help restrain Bradley while he and the medical personnel loaded the charred body onto the ambulance.The medical personnel quickly confirmed that there were no signs of life in the body.Everyone present hung their heads, mourning the loss of a vibrant life.Jasper paid the ambulance driver to expedite the coroner's report and then take the charred body to the funeral home.-After a few hours.Upon seeing the charred body, the mortician at the funeral home w
"Did you not anticipate her death when your car collided with her?"Did you ever consider her mortality when you subjected her to repeated abuse?"Did you believe she wouldn't experience pain, despair, or lose hope in life?"With each word Kevin uttered, Bradley appeared increasingly affected.At that moment, Kevin felt that his words had not been severe enough. What he had said fell short of conveying the profound wickedness of Bradley's actions."Bradley! You bear the responsibility for Esther's life!"You owe Esther an apology and two daughters!"If you hadn't instructed Cole to take the children from the prison hospital back then, Esther's life wouldn't have been in this dire state!"She's gone now, and you drove her to her demise! She didn't even know where her two daughters are! Can you truly be at peace with your conscience?"Jasper showed no sympathy for Bradley and weakly said, "Kevin, do you think confronting him like this is productive?"He will never reflect on hi
Every day at the funeral home, various forms of separation and departure due to death were witnessed. In the hospital, there was always a glimmer of hope, even if it was just a tiny sign that the person was still alive. However, when they arrived at the funeral home, that hope vanished forever.Vibrant individuals became lifeless bodies in this place, and once all the procedures were completed, one would vanish from this world the moment the button to start the cremation furnace was pressed.At first, the body disappeared, but gradually, friends and family would forget them. The living moved on with their new lives, while the deceased became a part of memories. Some might briefly think of the departed, but life returned to its ordinary routines.Bradley's large hand clutched his chest tightly. His heart pounded wildly, and he felt every heartbeat. When he saw the person in the coffin, he truly felt the profound meaning of parting in life and death.Esther had vanished from his worl
"Esther is not your wife. She is her own person."Kevin approached from the side, saying, "Bradley, do you think that in Esther's final moments, she might have been relieved she divorced you? If not, as her husband, you'd have had legal rights to handle her funeral. I believe she'd have preferred anything over any connection to you."To keep Bradley away from the coffin, Jasper's big security team prevented him from approaching despite his repeated attempts. Esther was just steps away from him, yet she felt impossibly distant, forever out of reach.Bradley seethed with anger, his eyes cold as ice. No matter how desperate or frenzied his actions, he couldn't reach his beloved.Kevin gazed at Bradley, perplexed by his irrational behavior. After all, Bradley didn't love Esther. Whether she was alive or dead, what did it matter to him?Bradley would never have imprisoned Esther if he had a trace of true human emotion in his heart. He wouldn't have locked her up in a lightless secret r
To Oliver, Jasper, and Kevin, Bradley was simply a heartless monster. He lacked the emotions that a human should have—love, companionship, and friendship.Oliver took a deep breath and addressed Bradley firmly, "I should punch you to make you understand the pain you've caused. But now, it's unnecessary."Esther is gone, Felix can't speak, and you..."Oliver managed a bitter smile. "You'll live on in atonement."Bradley abruptly rushed to Jasper, seized his collar, and demanded, "Jasper, I don't believe Esther is dead! Give her to me! Where have you hidden her?"Standing by Esther's coffin, Kevin gazed at her lifeless face and questioned Bradley, "Look at her face. You still doubt it?"You refused to accept Esther's death before, but it's too late now!"The last time you took Esther to the hospital, I warned you that her time was limited, but you didn't believe me."When you deceived and held Esther captive, did you ever think she might die?"When you crashed into Esther's car,
A massive blaze swiftly consumed the coffin. Bradley, beaten and bruised, struggled to reach the cremator, desperately pressing the button amid the searing heat. He whirled around and snarled at the staff, "Stop! You need to stop!"The staff somberly replied, "Sir, please accept our condolences.""Esther! Wake up! I won't let you die! I forbid you from dying!"Bradley's eyes turned a chilling crimson, and a lone bloody tear trickled from the corner of his eye. At that moment, he teetered on the edge of madness."Oliver Quill! Just you wait!"Oliver raised an eyebrow and spoke coldly. "Bradley, do you know why I've refrained from acting against you? It's because I was concerned for Felix."Yet, when you repeatedly imprisoned, tormented, and abused Esther, did you ever consider that she's Felix's mother?"The flames in the cremator subsided. The staff turned to Oliver and asked, "Sir, have you chosen an urn?""Use the finest urn available."The body transformed into a handful
Mandy gasped for breath, struggling beneath Bradley's unyielding grip. She reached for her self-defense pepper spray, her last resort, and unleashed it directly into his eyes."Bradley, what happened to Esther?" Mandy asked, her voice trembling with anxiety. She couldn't help but wonder if Esther was even alive. Given Bradley's obsession with her, he might have preserved her in some grotesque manner, even in death.Bradley fixed his gaze on Mandy, a look in his eyes she had never seen before. It was a profound sadness, a glimpse into a Bradley she had never known, a man who had always exuded strength and confidence.His belief had crumbled, and he now stood amidst the ruins, searching desperately for something he could no longer find. He clawed at the rubble, a futile quest that yielded nothing.As Bradley slowly retreated, Mandy observed the changed man, though he still retained his striking appearance. Something had shifted within him.Mandy reached for her phone and settled on
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