After Candace left, Esther made a call to Lindsay.
About ten minutes later, Lindsay arrived in a Porsche sports car.
“Esther!” Lindsay’s face lit up with excitement upon seeing her.
“Lindsay!” Esther was equally delighted.
Lindsay smiled warmly. “Esther, it’s time for lunch. Let’s grab something to eat first, then we can talk!”
With that, Lindsay drove Esther to an upscale restaurant.
Inside, Lindsay said with a grin, “Esther, now that you’re in Riverton, think of it as your home. This restaurant has great food-I’ve been here many times. Order whatever you like!”
Esther wasn’t particularly picky about food, so she casually picked a few dishes.
“By the way, I haven’t seen Juliette in ages. How’s she doing?”
“She’s fine. She’s currently on the East Coast managing the Chester Group for me.”
As they chatted casually, Esther hesitated for a moment before asking, “Lindsay, I heard that Chris is here with you. Is that true?”
Lindsay froze for a moment.
Seeing Lindsay’s hesitation, Esther pressed urgently, “Lindsay, don’t keep this from me. Be honest-do you have Chris with you?”
With a sigh, Lindsay finally said, “Esther, I’m sorry. It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, but Mr. Shelby specifically asked me not to. Since you’re asking now, I’ll tell you-yes, Mr. Shelby is at my house.”
“That’s wonderful! I knew he wasn’t dead!”
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Esther’s face upon learning Chris’s whereabouts.
Lindsay comforted her, “Don’t cry, Esther. Mr. Shelby hasn’t met with you because he’s worried about your safety. He has too many enemies. If they find out he’s alive, they’ll come after him again.”
Esther nodded. “I understand. That’s why I didn’t plan to meet him right away. I came to Riverton with the intention of opening a branch office here, and I hope you can help me.”
Lindsay smiled. “Of course, I’ll help you! By the way, there’s a business gathering tomorrow. All of Riverton’s business elite will be there. You should join me-it’ll help you establish your branch office.”
Esther nodded in agreement.
Though Esther longed to see Chris immediately, she knew he likely had his reasons for not meeting her. Still, she had no intention of leaving Riverton.
Opening a branch office here made sense-Riverton was a key city in the southern region of Amerosia. It would be beneficial for the Chester Group. At the same time, being in Riverton allowed Esther to stay close to Chris. She would wait until he was ready to see her.
—
Meanwhile, at the Hunter family estate in Riverton.
“Brother, you have to help me teach that Chris a lesson!”
“Chris humiliated me at my engagement party! He made me the laughingstock of all Riverton. How can I ever show my face here again if he’s not dealt with?”
Sean Hunter was sobbing as he pleaded with his older brother, Sai Hunter.
At Sean’s engagement party, Chris had boldly taken Lindsay away, leaving Sean utterly humiliated and turning him into a joke across Riverton.
Sean seethed with hatred, but he knew he was no match for Chris. Left with no choice, he turned to Sai Hunter for help.
Sai Hunter, sitting calmly, glanced at his brother and said coldly, “Don’t worry. You’re my brother, and Chris taking your woman is an insult to the entire Hunter family. I’ll make sure this is resolved. Chris won’t live to see another day.”
“Thank you, brother! Thank you!” Sean’s face lit up with joy.
Sai ignored Sean’s gratitude and turned to a man standing nearby, dressed in black. “Blood, I want you to kill Chris for me.”
“Yes, Young Master.” The man named Blood replied in an emotionless tone.
Sean shuddered slightly as he looked at Blood.
He knew Blood was his brother’s most lethal enforcer. Once Riverton’s top assassin, Blood had become infamous for his ruthless efficiency. However, after taking too many lives, he himself became a target of revenge and was hunted down by his enemies.
In his darkest hour, Sai Hunter saved him, and since then, Blood had become a loyal servant to Sai, doing whatever he was ordered to without question.
Anyone Sai deemed an enemy was swiftly dealt with by Blood. To date, no one had ever escaped Blood’s deadly grip.
With Blood on the job, Sean was confident that Chris’s days were numbered.
—
The next day, at the Wind family estate.
Chris received a call from Ray, who invited him to a business gathering.
Chris wasn’t particularly interested in such events, but he didn’t want to decline Ray’s invitation. Out of courtesy, he agreed to attend.
After hanging up, Chris hailed a cab to the gathering venue.
This business gathering was a major event in Riverton, drawing all the city’s top business figures.
Sai Hunter, as the eldest son of the Hunter family-the leading salt merchant family-naturally attended as well.
As one of Riverton’s most influential figures, Sai’s appearance caused a stir. Many people flocked to him, eager to curry favor.
Sai, however, showed no interest in their flattery.
Suddenly, his gaze landed on a strikingly beautiful woman in the distance.
She stood beside Lindsay, her beauty so captivating that Sai’s eyes lit up instantly.
As the eldest son of the Hunter family, Sai had high standards, but he had never encountered a woman quite like her.
A sly smile curved across his lips. In Riverton, there wasn’t a woman he couldn’t have. This time would be no different.
Without hesitation, Sai walked toward her.
At that moment, Esther was chatting with Lindsay, who had been introducing her to various business contacts in Riverton.
Thanks to Lindsay’s status, everyone treated Esther with great respect.
Both Lindsay and Esther were stunning women, but Esther’s beauty and elegance drew particular attention. Many men approached her, but Esther politely declined their advances.
Suddenly, Lindsay’s expression darkened.
“He’s coming over,” she said.
“Who?” Esther asked curiously.
Lindsay’s face grew grim. “Sai Hunter, the eldest son of the Hunter family, Riverton’s most powerful salt merchant family.”
Lindsay’s rejection of Sean had already caused a rift with the Hunter family. Sai’s approach now could only spell trouble.