Esther found herself surrounded by countless speculations, especially as she watched her father’s unusually guarded demeanor. To her knowledge, he was never this cautious unless he was dealing with business rivals or people who posed a potential threat to the family’s private life. Seeing him like this, Esther chose her words carefully, hoping to ease the tension that had settled between them.

“I was bothered by something,” she said softly. “And it just so happened someone asked me ...