Upon hearing the words, Esther nodded. At that moment, she truly didn’t know what to do. Chris had always been her protector, shielding her from harm. Now that he had suddenly disappeared, Esther felt a deep sense of insecurity.
Just then, Caspian approached her.
“Esther,” Caspian said. “Come with me. I have something to tell you.”
Esther followed Caspian into the study, curiosity sparking in her eyes.
“Mr. Vance, what is it you want to tell me?” she asked.
Instead of answering her directly, Caspian smiled and asked, “Esther, do you think Chris might already be dead?”
“No!” Esther shook her head firmly. “I believe Chris is still alive. He would never abandon me and Hope like that.”
Caspian chuckled softly. “I wasn’t planning to tell you this, but seeing you cry over Chris every day, I have no choice. You’re right-Chris isn’t dead.”
“What?”
Esther’s face lit up with joy. She couldn’t contain her excitement.
“Mr. Vance, do you know where Chris is right now?” she asked eagerly.
Caspian shook his head. “I can’t tell you where he is-not yet. I can only tell you that Chris is safe. He’s staying away because he wants to protect you.”
Caspian continued, “Chris has made too many enemies. If he reveals himself, those enemies will seek revenge, and you could get caught in the crossfire. That’s why he’s hiding, waiting for the right time to come back to you.”
Hearing this, Esther couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer. She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
“My husband isn’t dead…” she cried.
The weight she had been carrying for so long finally overwhelmed her. Esther had been under immense pressure, and the thought of Chris being gone had left her feeling hopeless. Now, knowing he was alive filled her heart with relief and joy.
Suddenly, things became clear to her. No wonder she had felt his presence at the villa that day. Chris had indeed returned-he just hadn’t shown himself to her!
Caspian warned her, “Esther, you must not tell anyone about this. If people like Daniel Williams find out that Chris is still alive, they’ll go after him with everything they’ve got.”
Esther nodded resolutely. “Mr. Vance, I promise I won’t tell anyone. You can trust me.”
Caspian nodded in return, saying nothing more. He trusted Esther to handle this wisely.
—
Meanwhile, Chris boarded a plane, leaving Monster Camp behind.
After nearly a month of intense training, he had undergone a complete transformation. His features were sharper, his expression more resolute, and his aura more composed and controlled.
Instead of heading to Middleton, he returned to the East Coast.
His first stop was Chester Group, where he discovered that Esther had not returned from Middleton. The entire company was now being managed by Juliette.
Juliette was no longer the spoiled princess she used to be. She had turned into a full-fledged businesswoman, a force to be reckoned with.
Both East Coast Guards and East Coast Securities were running smoothly, ensuring that the East Coast remained an impenetrable fortress. Even without Chris’s presence, no one dared to stir up trouble there.
Despite this, Chris felt a sense of unease.
Now that he had passed the Monster Camp trials and significantly improved his abilities, it was time to reconnect with Lynx and the others.
With this thought, Chris picked up his phone and called Lynx.
“Boss, is that you? Are you alive?” Lynx’s voice was filled with shock and relief.
“Yes, it’s me,” Chris replied.
“Boss! That’s amazing! Do you know how worried we’ve been? We’ve been searching for you like crazy…” Lynx’s words warmed Chris’s heart.
“Are you coming back to Middleton now?” Lynx asked eagerly.
“No,” Chris said, shaking his head. “After everything that’s happened, I’ve decided to stay hidden for now. I don’t want to expose my identity, so I need you to keep this a secret.”
“Understood, Boss! By the way, I’ve got some intel. One of the Dragon Emblem fragments might be hidden among the four major salt merchant families in Riverton. Do you think…”
“Lynx, that information is crucial. If you find out anything else about the Dragon Emblem fragments, let me know immediately,” Chris said.
After hanging up, Chris’s expression turned serious.
Back at Emberwood Estate, his mentor, Archer Wintersong, had left him a letter, explaining that if Chris wanted to find him, he would need to gather all the Dragon Emblem fragments.
Now that one of the fragments was rumored to be in Riverton, there was no way Chris could ignore it. It held the key to his mentor’s whereabouts.
Chris had always regarded Archer Wintersong as a father figure.
Dr. Raymond had once told him that Archer Wintersong had gone to an incredibly dangerous place, where even someone as powerful as Archer faced a slim chance of survival.
Chris knew he had to act quickly. He needed to gather all the fragments and find his mentor. If anything had happened to Archer Wintersong, Chris couldn’t bear to imagine the consequences.
Without hesitation, Chris booked a flight to Riverton.
—
As he sat in the first-class cabin, reading a newspaper, a voice suddenly called out to him.
“Mr. Shelby!”
Chris looked up and saw a woman wearing sunglasses, her face filled with surprise.
“Lindsay Windson?”
Chris hadn’t expected to run into Lindsay Windson here.
“Mr. Shelby, it really is you!” Lindsay exclaimed, her excitement evident.
“Esther told me you were missing! How are you here? I have to tell her this amazing news!”
Chris smiled wryly. He hadn’t anticipated such a coincidence. Running into Lindsay on a flight to Riverton felt like proof that the world was indeed small.
“Lindsay,” Chris said quickly. “Esther doesn’t know I’m alive yet. Please don’t tell her.”
“Why not?” Lindsay asked, confused.
Chris sighed. “You don’t understand. I’ve made too many enemies. If they find out I’m alive, they’ll come after me, and I’ll endanger everyone I care about. I need to stay hidden for now.”
“Alright,” Lindsay agreed reluctantly.
She had heard about Chris being ambushed by the three assassins and falling off a cliff. She also knew about the chaos he had stirred in Middleton, making countless enemies along the way.
Chris looked at her and asked curiously, “Lindsay, why are you heading to Riverton? Are you attending an event?”
Lindsay was still technically an employee of Chris’s company, though he had long stopped managing Star Entertainment. Since the company had merged with Chester Group, he had even less involvement.