Chapter 55 - Verdict

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"Mr. Albrecht, please have mercy on our daughter," An honest-looking but haggard couple stood outside the gate, with their backs hunched, humbly begging for Leon's lenience.

It was Esther's parents. They had hurriedly come after hearing what had happened. They traveled overnight, therefore appearing disheveled in front of Leon. But their perseverance was not weak. Although their backs were hunched, they were tenacious, as if they wouldn't leave until they could save their daughter.

Leon's brows furrowed as he stared at the humble parents.

The couple thought Leon thought of them as a nuisance, and they immediately became flustered.

Although they were ignorant townsfolks, they knew that powerful people like this man could hold the laws in their hands. No matter how much they would try to defend their daughter, this man could turn the tables to his advantage. So, they could only come and beg for mercy.

"Mister, it is this old couple's fault. We didn't educate our daughter properly. Please, punish us instead," Esther's father said, bowing his waist 90 degrees.

His wife also followed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"We gave our all to raise our daughter. Please, we couldn't bare seeing her life be ruined," The mother sobbed.

Leon stared coldly at the begging parents. But this coldness was not for them, but for their ungrateful daughter, who didn't even consider her devoted parents.

He didn't grow up to have loving parents. His childhood was spent in the orphanage until he was picked by the then-head of the Albrecht family. So, he never experienced such relationships.

But he does know that parents like them should be cherished.

He sighed in his heart and spoke coldly.

"I will give lenience. But for a few conditions,"

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Esther sat in a dim room with only a bright light above her head.

It was an interrogation room.

She was pale white right now, her arm still stinging from pain which was only bandaged casually by the medical staff.

Esther never expected everything would boil down to this. The fear in her heart loomed over her as she looked around the room in anxiety.

It was dark, as if her whole life would be judged.

She didn't understand. What went wrong?

It might be the environment Esther had been surrounded with that made her delusional to plan this far.

Her aunt was an example of a sparrow turning into a phoenix when she married rich. When Esther lived with her, she was also exposed to the rich wives of these families. They were only trophy wives that could easily be replaced by those businessmen.

And she thought the same with the Albrecht couple's relationship. She thought if she could show Leon that there were even better women than his useless wife, he would be influenced just like those unsatiated business tycoons.

But she was wrong. Not just that, she also underestimated Anika's position in Leon's heart. She didn't expect Leon would go this far just for Anika.

What did she do? Her frame-up was perfect, and the misdeed was not done in her own hands. But where was she now? She was going to be interrogated like a criminal.

This should be Leon using his powers to manipulate things in his favor. And now, Esther was only filled with fear of her own fate.

The door opened, and Esther's fear heightened even more. When she saw the cold face of the man, she shivered.

Leon went inside the room and sat in front of the table. He watched the pale and disheveled woman in front of him and was instantly disgusted.

He didn't wish to face this woman any longer, so he went straight to the point.

"I'll give you a choice. What I really want is to let you rot in prison. However, I can back down and follow the normal charges for defamation. 6 months in prison," Leon started as he tapped the table, an eerie sound filled the room.

"But for a condition. You wouldn't step into this city and anywhere near my family. You would stay in your town forever, living a humble and honest life. If I ever see you cross our path again, I can throw you back to jail and make your life even more miserable," He continued.

Esther's hand on her lap clenched. Her head hanging low suddenly raised up, her red eyes staring aggressively at Leon.

"Why? Why are you doing all of this for that woman?! She is not better than anyone else, so why?" She asked frustratingly.

Leon scoffed hearing this, his sharp eyes threw glances at her.

"You couldn't even compare to a strand of her hair. Do not even level yourself to my wife," His solemn voice dropped a verdict.

"You still don't understand your position, it seems. If not for your parents, I wouldn't even bother making these conditions." He added in disdain.

"Alright, if that's what you choose, I'll follow through with the case and ask for damages. Your family will be milked out to pay for your foolishness," Leon said with finality, standing up and fixing his coat.

He was done here.

He turned back to leave when he heard a harsh sound from the chair behind him.

"My parents?! They're here?!" Esther stood up and hurriedly asked.

Leon turned back again.

"They've come to beg for their daughter's life. But sadly, the prodigal didn't even care about it," He responded lightly, standing there with half his body covered in darkness.

In Esther's eyes, it was as if he was the devil giving judgment to her right now.

She trembled in fear. She was scared that there would really be no turning point for her and that her parents might be implicated.

Remembering her hard-working parents, the guilt only dawned upon her now.

"I, I agree, please don't involve my parents in this.." She whispered in a broken voice.

Leon glanced at her. Fortunately for the parents, their daughter still had some conscience.

He only turned back coldly and left the room, leaving Esther slumped on the ground.

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Leon decided to consider the poor and honest parents. He sent Esther back to their town to serve in prison for six months. And she was not to enter the city again. It could be said that a lavish and rich dream was cut off completely.

He also didn't let go of Esther's aunt. He implicated their family's business and made known his dissatisfaction to the business circle. Clients and investors would need to have second thoughts about having business with Amanda's husband.

Amanda didn't have it easy either. Because of her husband's crisis in business, he greatly blamed her for it. He directly divorced her and threw her out of the family.

Mocking and disdain were all she received from the rich circle, and there was no one she could turn to. She could only go home with the little alimony from the divorce and fend for herself. She only wished her children would still remember her in the future and support her.

With that, Leon made known to the world that his family, especially his wife, shouldn't be messed with.

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