The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride

Raising his eyebrows, Ethan turned around and stood facing Patrick. The light from outside the door illuminated his profile, but
his face was against the light, making it difficult for Patrick to see his expression clearly.
“In a word, yes. Although all the evidence that you raped my mom has been erased, do you honestly believe you can also erase
all the crimes you’ve committed? The truth should be—and will be—revealed. My mother is innocent. It’s time for you to take the
fall for your sins. We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”
Then, the young man turned around and left. Patrick watched him walk away in silence.
When Ethan was gone, Patrick raised his head, stared at the ceiling with his turbid eyes, and suddenly burst into manic laughter.
In the end, he lost. Ethan had won.
The following day, Patrick went to the cemetery to see Sylvia.
He had never been there before.
The cemetery was located in a decent area. Nearby, there was a large plot of land covered in daisies, and the cemetery was
surrounded by pine trees.
When Sylvia was still alive, she liked flowers very much. It was not difficult to see why Ethan chosen this spot as her final resting
place.
Patrick set a bunch of lilies in front of her grave. Looking at the black and white photograph on the tombstone, he suddenly felt
that time had slipped away from him. In the photo, Sylvia’s beautiful and gentle smile was immortalized.
Thinking of what had happened in the past, Patrick suddenly found himself unable to look at her photograph. He lowered his
head, wrought with guilt.
“Get on your knees. What my mother needs is your apology.” Patrick heard Ethan’s cold voice from behind him.
Feeling humiliated, he squeezed his eyes shut.
He hadn’t felt an ounce of guilt for over twenty years, and now he was only here due to Ethan’s ultimatum.
“I’m sorry, Sylvia. I made a terrible mistake. I, Patrick Lester, hereby apologize to you.” Patrick had to kneel down in front of the
grave.

Patrick had been kneeling for over an hour before Ethan finally allowed him to stand up again.
*******
After leaving the cemetery, Patrick went straight to the police department and turned himself in. He admitted to his crime of rape
from thirty years ago.
Ethan had already arranged for the media to report this matter to the public. Thirty years ago, Patrick slandered Sylvia, claiming
that she had seduced a married man to sleep with her. Ever since then, the public had thought lowly of her. Now, her name was
finally cleared and her innocence was restored.
Reading the news on the newspaper, Janet was still not satisfied. Sighing heavily, she murmured, “It’s been so many years.
People have forgotten all about it. Patrick is really lucky.”
Patrick was already put into prison by the time the paper came out. Ethan sighed and rested his head on her shoulder.
“Destroying the Lester family completely will only dirty my hands, which is something my mom wouldn’t want to see. If she was
still alive, she would’ve approved what I am doing now.”
“Okay, honey. It’s up to you.” Turning her head to look at him, Janet pinched his cheek and kissed it. “You can finally take a break
now.”
Ethan smiled, closed his eyes, and said nothing.
Since he had given his word to Patrick, he didn’t do anything to the other members of the Lester family, which gave them the
opportunity to regroup. Despite this, they had lost most of their power and were deemed irrelevant now.
A few days later, Ethan held a press conference. He officially announced to the public that he would detach himself from the
Lester family completely and that he would have nothing to do with the Lester family from now on.
He was no longer Ethan Lester, but only Brandon Larson.