Mandy and Leah remained silent, yet their shared gaze felt as though a thousand words had been exchanged."Liliane is fortunate to have a friend like you."Leah's remark caused Mandy to feel embarrassed. "I should thank you for giving birth to such an amazing daughter. Liliane had told me that you're the best mother in the world."Late at night, Mandy had pondered her life choices, realizing that her infatuation with Bradley's beauty and the ensuing absurdities had shaped her life differently.Despite having a loving father and a doting mother, her fixation on outdoing Esther led to a downward spiral.Had she not been blinded by Bradley and focused on Leah's affection, Mandy could have married a wonderful man and created a happy family. Even if her health issues prevented her from having children, a joyful life with Leah would have awaited her.Unfortunately, her actions had landed Leah in prison while she had undergone numerous surgeries, resulting in her current status. Now, du
Without waiting for Dylan to finish speaking, Bradley looked up from the documents and looked coldly at him."Give it to me," he demanded.Dylan handed over all the physical files from the investigation and a USB drive containing interviews with villagers from the small town.However, Bradley didn't even glance at the materials. He directly threw them into the trash."Mr. Warner!" Dylan exclaimed."These things are no longer necessary," Bradley said.As Dylan looked at the scar on Bradley's neck, he wondered what had happened to make Bradley want to end his own life while he hadn't been around."Understood, Mr. Warner." Dylan respectfully left Bradley's office.As Dylan exited the room, Bradley's email received a new message. He clicked to open it.It was a proposal Gavin had sent. He meticulously detailed the entire process leading to Logan's unexpected death in it.After skimming the attachment's contents, Bradley took a deep breath and immediately called Gavin."It's me.
Gavin nonchalantly picked up the teacup, breathed in the tea's aroma, and replied, "Mr. Warner, I truly don't know Cole."Bradley pushed the electronic versions of all the documents related to Cole's death to Gavin."Then explain this?" Bradley demanded.Gavin took Bradley's phone and skimmed through it. Initially, he was indifferent, yet his expression gradually shifted to a more serious one."Mr. Warner, please wait a moment," Gavin said and sent Cole's name in a message. "I'll check first."Bradley seethed. He believed that if Cole hadn't met with an accident, the whereabouts of his twin daughters with Esther would not remain unknown.All the leads stopped at Cole. To find out about his daughters, Bradley needed to locate Cole. However, since the accident, Cole had disappeared without a trace, and Bradley had no idea if he was alive or dead.Gavin said warmly, "Mr. Warner, don't worry. There'll be news soon."Bradley felt an inexplicable surge of emotions in his chest. While
Bradley stared at Gavin. His sense of justice and sensibility engaged in a final internal struggle. Half a minute later, he sat back opposite Gavin.Gavin calmly brewed another cup of tea for Bradley. Instead of calming Bradley's heart, the aroma of the tea unsettled him. It felt as if the following moment was when he actually faced Richard's covert forces."Mr. Warner, strictly speaking, you're my master now," Gavin stated, gazing into the distant sunlight through the window. His eyes held a chilly gleam. "Where there's light, there's darkness. With demand comes wrongdoing. Of course, we only serve a select few."Bradley listened quietly to Gavin's words."Mr. Warner, you might not understand, but in reality, every person has their price tag." Gavin spoke lightly, as if stripping away someone's life was trivial."We need to consider the implementation and its consequences every time. Of course, Mr. Warner, you know how risky our actions are. But for wealth and status, we pursue r
Bradley's words made Gavin laugh aloud. He looked at the boiling kettle and softly said, "Mr. Warner, you might have a misconception about us. There's no deal that can't be struck here, only insufficient bargaining chips. Everyone has their weak spot, including you and me."Gavin's candidness made Bradley understand one thing. In Gavin's world, everything could be priced. Even orchestrating an accident merely required a willing driver. As for why no flaws were found in the investigation, it was because Gavin would legally compensate the driver's family.Bradley thought to ask what Gavin and his team offered when Chadwick wanted Cole dead. But in a moment's thought, he felt there was no need to know anymore. Because... even if he knew, Cole wouldn't return to him."Aren't you afraid..." Bradley was acutely aware that Gavin's line of work wasn't lawful.Gavin looked at the steaming kettle, his expression indifferent. "Mr. Warner, wealth and risk often go hand in hand. God is fair. He
Dylan suppressed his anger, refraining from directly questioning Bradley. Instead, he continued to work by Bradley's side, believing that darkness would eventually pass and light would prevail.Bradley turned and looked at Dylan. "Go buy a plot of land for a grave. It'd be best to select a favorable location to erect a tombstone for Cole.""Mr. Warner, who is Cole?" Dylan asked, feigning ignorance.Bradley's heart ached. "He was your predecessor, my special assistant."Bradley held onto the belief that, as long as he hadn't laid eyes on Cole's body, there lingered a possibility that Cole was still alive. Yet, with Gavin's words echoing, the harsh truth hit Bradley. Cole's chances of survival were minimal. They were professionals—very professional."Alright, Mr. Warner." Dylan painfully suppressed his grief and indignation. He couldn't comprehend how Bradley, after Cole's loyal service to the Warner Group, could be so heartless.A grave? A tombstone? Could that alleviate his guilt
Oliver's attitude was within Bradley's expectations. "Mr. Quill, I'm ready for it anytime."Hadn't Esther said he owed her three lives? He really wanted to know why she had said that. When did he owe her three lives?"Then please look forward to it, Warner," Oliver said and stepped past Bradley toward the car parked at the company entrance.Bradley thought about Felix and his own daughters, whose whereabouts were unknown, and quickly caught up with Oliver."Is there something else?"Bradley looked at Oliver. Gavin's presence and the forces behind him were like a constantly ticking bomb.He wasn't afraid of death. If he died, he would reunite with her sooner under the ground. He would surely ask for her forgiveness. However, he was worried about Felix.As Gavin had mentioned, everyone had a weakness, and his weakness was Felix.Felix was the treasure brought into this world by Esther with her life. He hoped Felix could live peacefully and continue his and Esther's lives."Mr. Q
Kevin sighed helplessly as he thought that such was life's twists and turns.-After hanging up, Bradley searched for a hypnotist on his phone. As he was checking the profile of a hypnotist, his phone rang.Gavin: [Mr. Warner, regarding Cole's death, you can ask Mr. Chadwick in person.]This message from Gavin reminded Bradley. He immediately set aside his search for a hypnotist and took a cab to meet Chadwick.-Chadwick saw Bradley in the reception room."Warner, I heard you've taken over my dad's underground forces. Congratulations, you're now the king of the night!"Bradley didn't inquire how Chadwick got this news. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why did you want Cole dead?"Chadwick burst into laughter. "Do I need a reason to want someone dead?"Bradley sat lazily, but his expression was chilly.Chadwick looked at him mockingly. He sniffed and tapped the table in front of Bradley with his handcuffed hand. "Got any cigarettes?"Bradley didn't have any. "No."Chadwick
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