Chapter 284

Bradley sneered with contempt. “Esther, you spent five years in prison, so you may not be aware that there’s now a cooling-off period for divorce.”

Esther looked at Billy in astonishment, unsure if Bradley’s statement was true. She hesitantly asked, “Is he telling the truth?”

Billy nodded softly and gently said, “There is indeed a cooling-off period.”

Bradley stood alone in the middle of the road. His tall figure exerted menacing pressure on Esther and Billy as if he had countless men behind him.

“I have the final say in my marriage,” she declared.

Esther refused to remain in a loveless marriage, considering it more of a tomb than a true union.

Bradley took graceful yet menacing steps toward Esther and Billy, his chilling eyes turning a terrifying crimson. “I’ll count to three. If you don’t come over, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

Billy whispered to Esther from behind, his voice lowered, “Esther, I’ll hold onto Bradley, and you run…

Run far away…”

“One.

“Two.

“Three.”

As Bradley closed in on Billy and Esther, the latter instinctively stepped back. Suddenly, Billy seized Bradley and shouted at Esther, who stood there stunned, “Run!

“Run!

“Run!”

The moment Esther heard the word “run,” she instinctively darted backward. She sprinted frantically along the asphalt road but soon realized that being on the main road would be too convenient for Bradley and any men he might bring to capture her.

Decisively, she veered into the forest. The area surrounding Warner Manor was densely covered with vegetation and wild grass.

In her knee-length dress and lightweight flats, Esther ran with the wind whistling in her ears.

The vines and thorns in the woods scratched her calves, causing small droplets of blood to ooze from the scrapes.

The pain did not deter Esther. She continued running, determined to escape.

When Kevin arrived with bodyguards in a car, Billy was still holding onto Bradley’s thigh, resolute in his determination to keep him restrained, even at the cost of his own life.

The bodyguards easily pulled Billy away from Bradley.

Billy shouted in anger, “Bradley, if you don’t love her, why do you insist on keeping her by your side?

Are you trying to drive her to her death?”

Bradley looked down at the enraged Billy and responded mercilessly. “Shouldn’t she die?”

Billy was left speechless.

“What are you waiting for? Go and bring her back to me!”

The bodyguards pursued Esther in the direction she fled. The forest was silent, and Esther could even hear the chaotic footsteps of the bodyguards.

Glancing at the handcuffs hindering her, Esther swiftly removed a black hairpin from her hair, inserted it into the keyhole, and nervously jiggled it.

The lock opened!

With the chains no longer holding her back, Esther’s escape became much easier.

She placed the hairpin back in her hair and broke off a twig to tie up her thick hair.

Even with her best preparations, they were futile against overwhelming strength. No matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t outrun the physically fit bodyguards. They closed in on her.

Without Bradley’s orders, they didn’t dare to use force against Esther. However, Bradley approached Esther swiftly, dragging Billy along.

Bradley silently aimed the pitch-black muzzle at Billy’s forehead. “Esther, I’ll count to three. I’ll blow his head off with a single shot if you don’t come over!”