Bradley stared at the large photograph and disjointedly said, "No… Esther isn't dead!"Oliver stayed silent and just looked at Kevin, who motioned to his head as if to say that Bradley had gone insane.Insane? Oliver snorted. Esther, the victim, hadn't gone insane! How could Bradley, the perpetrator, be allowed to escape like this?"I'm giving you 24 hours. After that, the Warner Group won't need to exist in this world."Oliver's motivation wasn't mercy for Bradley. It was primarily for the tens of thousands of employees at the Warner Group. If the company went bankrupt, their families would suffer. The best way to minimize the impact on regular employees was a direct share transfer, ensuring a smooth transition of the Warner Group to Felix's name.Although Felix was still too young to take over the Warner Group, Oliver was determined not to let it become Bradley's weapon.Bradley gazed at Esther's picture and suddenly chuckled. He looked at Oliver's determined face, and his eyes
Kevin constantly reminded himself that he bore responsibility for Esther's death.After Kevin's departure, Warner Manor returned to its tranquil state. Bradley extended his hand to gently caress the familiar face in the photograph, particularly those bright, captivating eyes resembling a starry galaxy and gleaming with purity and radiance."Esther, you're not dead, are you?"You've always excelled at acting, at disguising."This time, you're just acting, right?"Each time Bradley posed this question to himself, he conjured the image of Esther's casket at the funeral home, the memory of watching it being pushed into the cremator."Esther!"No one ever taught me what love is. I always believed I didn't love you, that I despised you. But it was only after losing you forever that I realized I love you."Esther, who granted you the right to recklessly enter my world? Who gave you the courage to ruthlessly cast me out of yours?"Esther! You are my wife! How dare you leave without my
"Mr. Warner." Hoyt looked earnestly at Bradley and said, "I won't take this job of yours.""15,000,000 dollars!"Bradley grabbed his checkbook and hastily wrote a check for Hoyt. He handed it over, but Hoyt tore it in half."Mr. Warner, it's not about the money," Hoyt said, leaning back in his office chair. "Whether Esther is alive or dead, I won't assist you in doing harm. Clark regrets not being able to dissuade you in the past, which led to Esther spending five years in prison."Mr. Warner, speaking as an onlooker, let me remind you that there aren't many five-year periods in life, let alone having a woman's best years squandered in prison due to your arrogance. I won't take your case. Please leave."Bradley realized that Hoyt knew Clark and must be somewhat aware of his and Esther's situation."Clark came to see you?" Bradley asked.Hoyt then recounted the task Clark had given him."Clark has been searching for Esther's twin daughters. According to my investigation, your as
Of course, Oliver's move this time wasn't just about teaching a lesson as before. This time, he aimed to push the Warner Group to the brink of destruction.Bradley felt an overwhelming loneliness in the crowded conference room. The world was vast, yet there seemed no place for him. In a world with so many people, he felt as though he had no one by his side, unlike Esther, who used to be a constant presence."I'll transfer all my shares to my son, Felix," Bradley declared.His words sparked chaos in the conference room."Mr. Warner... Is the Warner Group going bankrupt?"-Across the seas in Sweet Town,Esther had been recovering, and her health had improved.Agatha entered Esther's room with a medicine bowl and found Esther packing her clothes."What are you doing, Esther?" Agatha inquired.Esther's expression turned fierce. "I'm going back to get revenge on that bastard Bradley and avenge my sister!"Agatha massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. The un-hypnotiz
Agatha paused, her concern evident as she left Esther's bedroom. Her temples throbbed, aching from the recent events.This child truly worried her. In the past, when she was powerless and tormented by Bradley, Agatha's concern had been palpable. But now, Esther's inclination toward violence and even killing was deeply troubling.Regret gnawed at Agatha. She realized that inducing a new personality in Esther may not have been the right choice. Instead, she should have helped her forget Bradley. She feared that mere forgetfulness wouldn't protect Esther from Bradley's potential harm.With a heavy sigh, Agatha grappled with her own helplessness. She wasn't sure if her actions had been in Esther's best interest.Esther neatly hung her clothes back from the suitcase and sat on the couch. She held her tablet, scouring the Internet for information about Esther and Bradley. Clicking from one link to another, she continued her search until darkness descended. That's when Agatha knocked on h
"Coming, Grandma Foster!" Esther rushed down the stairs, carrying a gift box. She wondered if Jacob would like the gift she had chosen for him."He will, as long as it's from you," Agatha assured.Today was Jacob's birthday. Esther had received an invitation from Xara and prepared the gift in advance.-Sweet Town was nearby, and an hour's drive brought Agatha and Esther to the Sandersons' house. The place was festively decorated, filled with joy, as they celebrated Jacob's 10th birthday, a special day for Steffan.Aside from business partners, extended family members had also joined the party.Esther handed the gift to Jacob, dressed in a suit, and gazed at the young man before her. "This is the gift I made for you. Take a look and see if you like it."Jacob accepted the gift and seemed pleased. "I like it.""You haven't even opened it, and you like it?"Jacob warmly reassured, "I like it as long as it's from you.""I crafted this myself."Jacob placed the gift box on the t
Bradley had spent the past six months searching for Esther without success. Instead, he stumbled upon Felix. To his surprise, Steffan and Xara were the ones raising Felix.Bradley's sudden arrival caught everyone by surprise.Gabriel had contacted Esther only to ask her to come to him upon learning of Bradley's visit to the Sandersons.Although it was common knowledge that Esther would eventually meet Bradley, there was an unspoken agreement among them to delay this meeting for as long as possible.Bradley entered the Sandersons with an aggressive demeanor."Sir, may I see your invitation?" the doorman requested.Bradley's expression remained icy, with the night breeze tousling his silver hair."Please inform Steffan that I am Felix's biological father," he stated.The doorman humbly said, "Sir, please wait."He conveyed Bradley's arrival to Steffan, causing Xara to nervously scan the room."Why is he here? What if he finds Esther..." Xara fretted.Steffan reassured her, emb
Bradley didn't waste any time and went straight to the point, "Mr. Sanderson, give my son back to me."Upon hearing that, Steffan smiled and calmly said, "Mr. Warner, it's my son's 10th birthday today. If you've come to congratulate him as a guest, you're welcome to do so."Bradley looked at Steffan fiercely, gnashing his teeth to contain his anger. "Mr. Sanderson, I would extend my congratulations considering the time you've spent raising my son.""Please."Steffan wasn't intimidated by Bradley. This was the Sandersons' estate, and if Bradley caused any trouble in front of the guests, Steffan would make sure he understood the consequences.The Sandersons' castle had a long history and had been meticulously maintained over the years. The guests at the birthday party were all influential business leaders. The world's most prestigious orchestra was performing live, and top chefs from a renowned restaurant were preparing exquisite dishes nearby.Steffan guided Bradley to a table whe
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