My Husband Wants Me Dead novel (Esther and Bradley)

Clark laughed heartily. “Compared to being in a coma, I’m doing pretty well now.”
Clark would be a lifelong comatose patient had luck not sided with him. Agatha’s intervention had spared him that fate. It wasn’t
the fear of being in a coma that bothered him—it was the worry that his wife and children would feel guilty and blame themselves
if it happened.
“I’m sorry I’m only coming to see you now,” Bradley said.
Clark had essentially witnessed Bradley grow up and held a deep affection for him. Noticing the dark circles under Bradley’s
eyes, Clark asked with concern, “And you? Haven’t you moved on from the shadow of Esther’s death?”
Bradley sat in silence for a while.
Daphne placed tea and fruits in front of Bradley before returning to the kitchen to busy herself.
“Clark, back then...”
Few knew about Bradley’s secret room. Bradley was well aware that Kevin would never have discovered it without Clark’s
guidance.
“You’re wondering why I revealed the location of the secret room to Kevin, aren’t you?” Clark knew Bradley might think he would
stand by his side forever. “Do you know Esther’s true identity?”
Bradley shook his head.
Clark guessed no one had told Bradley about Esther’s true identity. Perhaps, for many people, Esther was dead. The secret had
dissipated with her death.
“Esther’s biological father was an undercover DEA agent. After many years of infiltration, he finally found evidence against a
criminal group, and it was wiped out.
“Considering the dangers of his job, he later chose to live a normal life in a very remote town.
“He got married, had a child, and they lived a seemingly happy life. But... one day, out of the blue, their enemies sought revenge!
“They killed people, set fires, and Esther was the sole survivor. Similarly, because she witnessed this tragedy, her body’s
protective mechanism selectively sealed those memories.

“After that, she became Billy’s illegitimate daughter. Mr. Thomas knew about Esther’s true identity. That’s why he chose Esther
for you, not just because she saved you when she was young but also due to her unique background.
“We all hoped that Esther would never recall those painful times and, under the protection of the Warners, would become...”
Clark sighed deeply. He didn’t look into Bradley’s eyes but instead gazed up at the vast blue sky.
“In fact, I’ve been thinking lately, did we make a mistake at the beginning? Esther had the right to choose, and so did you.
“If we hadn’t assumed that what we did was for your own good but instead laid out all the facts for you to decide, would your lives
be different now?”
Since Clark learned of Esther’s death, he had been contemplating whether the adults were the ones who had made a mistake
from the start. They shouldn’t have changed a girl’s life under the guise of “doing it for her own good”.
“With things at this point, we should look forward. Before Esther died, her biggest regret might have been not finding her own
daughters. You are the biological father of those girls, and you should find them.”
Bradley’s heartache was overwhelming, like needles pricking him. He had never known Esther’s background. He thought back to
the day when Gabriel went to the ICU to see Esther—maybe that was when she learned the truth about her identity.
Bradley looked calm on the surface, like a sea without ripples, but turmoil surged beneath his deep eyes.
“Clark, do you have any leads on my daughters?” he asked.