Chapter 433

Steffan’s smile was faint, his gaze fixed on the pure, innocent face in front of him. Suddenly, he understood why Bradley had put so much effort into keeping her close.

“Jacob is aware, too,” he revealed.

Esther’s eyes widened in surprise. With a puzzled look, she asked, “So, you all planned this?”

“Not me,” Steffan clarified. “I keep my promises. When I agreed to let her go before, I meant it.”

Esther frowned. “Is Jacob’s illness also a lie?”

“It’s genuine. I moved Jacob to the church hospital hoping they’d find a matching donor there.

“1 Steffan lifted his coffee cup, his deep blue eyes focusing on the fields in the distance. “I’m a businessman. If money can fix a problem, then it’s not a real problem.”

Esther understood the implied meaning in Steffan’s words. As a father, he needed someone to save his child. The legality or morality of the process was not within his scope of consideration.

“May I dare ask what illness Jacob has?”

Steffan withdrew his gaze, his tone cold and composed. “The doctor said that if Jacob had a sibling, perhaps there would be a higher chance of survival.”

Esther was momentarily at a loss for words. As a mother, she believed Xara would choose to have another child with Steffan to save Jacob.

“Esther, thank you.” Steffan got up slowly and handed a bank card to Esther. “This is the reward that Jacob offers you for being his temporary mother. The password is Felix’s birthday.

Esther sat in a daze, staring at the bank card. She had never thought that Jacob had been deliberately manipulating her.

Upon reflection, however, she realized there had been traces of it all along. It was just that she was preoccupied with Pixie’s case at that time and had not connected Jacob’s actions to this direction.

Jacob’s appearance, his assistance, the transaction he made, and the photo that had fallen. from the book-all of it was a carefully woven net Jacob had cast.

Steffan and Jacob had always been aware of Xara’s whereabouts, but they had not disrupted her peaceful life. Esther’s appearance was the unexpected turn that broke the current deadlock.

Just as Esther was uncertain whether what she had done was good or bad, Jacob approached her.

“You’re going back?” he asked.

Esther looked at the boy before her. His face carried a light hint of innocence.

Actually, she knew that Jacob was not at fault. He was just a child yearning for maternal love. A child’s love for their mother was innate, Instinctual.

Esther smiled faintly and said, “I’ve done three DNA tests with Pixie. She’s not my daughter. I’ve entrusted a lawyer to see if I can change the custody of Pixie to my name. Although… it might be somewhat idealistic, I still want to give it a try.

“Jacob, I don’t know what your family of three has gone through, but I believe your mother has never stopped loving you. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen to return the moment she learned you were sick…”

“Can I go with you?” Jacob asked.

Esther asked as if she had not heard him clearly, “Jacob, what do you mean?”