Ch. 121..130

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 121

“Isaac, why would you tell that to a kid?” Although Hesper interrupted him, she was still smiling.

“I’m not short of money, Ren. However, I can’t and shouldn’t just say no when the Wights are offering to pay me money, right?”

Renfrew nodded with just a hazy notion. The only thing that was occupying his mind was what Isaac did not get to say. Hence, when Hesper went to the study, he took advantage of the situation and scurried up to Isaac.

“Uncle Isaac, what were you going to say about Mommy before?”

“Huh?” Isaac was stunned, knowing that Hesper did not like him talking about her past too much. He continued to say unconcernedly, “It’s nothing, young master. Ms. Lane is doing well now, so there’s no need for you to worry about her.”

“Really?” The little fella misunderstood, thinking that the adults just did not want him to worry. He clenched his little fair hands and swore deep down.

‘Since Daddy has a lot of money, I’ll take some from him and give it to Mommy! Apart from that, I have a piggy bank too. It contains all the money that others have given me over the years, all of which can be given to Mommy!’

Seeing that Renfrew seemed to have made some decisions inwardly, Isaac looked confused.

‘Did I say something wrong? But I couldn’t have, right? When the lady first went to Lanes, no one in the family trusted her and she was left in a very difficult situation. She also had a very strong self- esteem and refused to accept Matthew’s help, so it was indeed a very difficult time. Thank God that the young lady strived for her own sake, and her life gradually improved.’

“Mommy.” The little rascal poked his head out of the door frame of the study.

“What’s the matter?” Hesper smiled. “Come here.”

Renfrew felt very distressed.

‘Mommy is so poor, she’s working very hard.’ He could not wait to bring his little piggy bank over.

Pretending as if nothing had happened, he said, “Mammy, didn’t you say that Great-grandpa is back? I want to go back to see him and come back tomorrow night. Is that okay?”

Hesper gave it a thought.

‘Well, I’ll be attending the Wights’ banquet tomorrow anyway, and Ernest probably misses Renfrew very much too.’

She nodded. “Okay, I’ll get Isaac to send you there.

“Thank you, Mommy.” The little rascal hugged her, kissed her, and then went back with Isaac.

Soon, Ernest saw his great-grandson whom he had not seen in a long time, and his wrinkled face immediately lit up.

“Renfrew, come here. Give Great-grandpa a hug. And it seems like you’ve grown a lot taller.”

The tiny fella ran over obediently and blinked his big innocent eyes. “Great-grandpa, did you bring me any present when you came back?”

Ernest was taken aback.

‘Although I always bring something back every time I come back to visit, Renfrew has always been very polite and never asked for it. What happened today?”

“Renfrew, what’s the matter with you? Has something happened?”

With that being asked, the innocent kid conjectured about his mommy’s difficult situation and fiddled with his fingers innocently. “Great-grandpa, want to give Mommy everything that I have in my piggy bank. Is that okay?”

Looking at the little guy’s cautious expression, Ernest was so distressed that he immediately found Rickard, kicked him in the butt, and reprimanded him. “Just look at the good deeds you’ve done. You don’t even know that your wife and child are suffering out there. Get a hold of $3 million and send it all to Hesper, now!”

Rickard was caught off guard by the request. “Grandpa, what are you talking about?”

Ernest thought he was unwilling to do as he ordered, so he kicked Rickard again. “I told you to pay Hesper. You heard me, right? She’s so destitute that she needs to live on Renfrew’s money, yet this is all you do in response?”

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Rickard looked extremely confused.

‘Hesper is destitute? From where did he get this hearsay?’

Seeing that Ernest’s expression did not look good, Rickard quickly explained himself before a third kick could come. “It’s not that I don’t want to give her anything. I did try to give her money twice before, but she refused to accept it.”

“Huh? What about…” Ernest’s expression turned a little more lenient. He turned around and asked his great-grandson, “What’s going on here?”

Renfrew continued to comment innocently. “Mommy has a very strong personality. Perhaps she doesn’t want Daddy to look down on her.”

“Hmm. That makes sense!” Ernest thought so too. He waved his hand, forcing Rickard to sign a check that was worth $3 million, and shoved it into Renfrew’s little golden piggy bank….

The next day, Hesper went to the Wight Manor to attend the banquet.

“You’re finally here.” Juniper was waiting for her by the door.

Seeing that her honored guest was finally more formally dressed, barring the veil that continued to cover her face, Juniper did not say much and pulled her in immediately. “I’ll say this, there are several famous socialites who want to get to know you. You should exaggerate your value and not make a fool out of me. Got it?”

Hesper, finding the situation funny, didn’t say a word.

After entering the banquet hall, she saw several familiar faces, including Julie and Sophia’s.

Seeing this, Hesper realized that it was impossible for Rickard to ground Sophia for the rest of her life. It was reasonable for them to be here when the Wights were holding a banquet.

“Juni, is this the miraculous doctor who cured you? Why is she wearing a veil?” Julie’s gaze landed on Hesper.

Lacking the arrogance and sarcasm that Hesper usually received when facing her, Julie looked and behaved very much like the matriarch of a wealthy family.

From the side, Juniper said, “Madam Duval, you might not know about this, but since she’s a medical genius, it’s only natural for her to not want to reveal her true appearance so easily. Based solely on her ability to cure diseases and save lives, she’s far superior to the group of doctors. from the hospitals who only care about fame.”

Julie had seen how Juniper’s face looked with her own eyes, so she could not help but admire this doctor’s medical skills too and said very kindly, “That’s right. I wonder what other kinds of disease she could treat. Doctor, could you maybe give me a quick checkup later?”

“Madam Duval, let’s talk about this later.” Juniper did not know what else she knew, so she immediately interrupted the conversation for fear of revealing her secrets. “Oh yeah, why didn’t Rickard come? I invited him too, didn’t I?”

“He… A pregnant awkwardness flashed across Julie’s face. They had pulled every trick available at their disposal to try to convince him to accompany them when they were departing from the residence, but Rickard had refused to come. In the end, they ran out of things to say, so Julie had to bring just Sophia to the banquet.

Wanting to maintain the Duvals’ relationship with the Wights, Julie decided she could not tell the truth and instead came up with a random excuse. “It’s all because of that b*tch, Hesper. She used Renfrew as an excuse to force Rickard to go to her place to see her and his son again!”

“What? He went to see Hesper?” Juniper bit her lips. The new and old grudges that she held against Hesper surged from the bottom of her heart and intertwined, and a ferocious expression appeared on her face. “It’s that b*tch again? I knew she would only turn to such wicked means to seduce Rickard! Wait until I’ve fully recovered, then we’ll see how I deal with her once I have some time on my hands!”

Hearing this, Hesper stopped pretending and took off the veil to reveal her true identity. “Are you talking about me, Ms. Wight?”

“You-What are you doing here?” Juniper’s eyes widened in shock.

‘I don’t remember inviting Hesper, so how could she be here?’

“Ms. Wight, have you forgotten? You’re the one who paid me $700,000 and asked me to show up at this banquet. How could you forget already?”

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 123

Juniper’s pupils constricted, and she finally came to her senses. “It’s you… You’re that medical genius?!”

“How about it? Since you’ve recovered, don’t you think I’m good?” Hesper had a smirk on her face that could provoke anyone. Juniper was so exasperated that her expression changed drastically.

‘I never would have guessed that the doctor who treated me was that b*tch, Hesper Rivera! And I actually paid her such a high reward!’

After realizing that she had been tricked, Juniper said angrily, “It turns out that you’ve been playing tricks on me from the very beginning. Did you force me to take those black pills on purpose?!”

“It seems that you’re not as dumb as you look. You’ve got it all figured out.” Hesper sneered, not hiding her mockery in the slightest.

Juniper, already having lost her cool, was about to hit Hesper. “You b*tch! We’ll see if I’ll beat you to death right here, right now!”

“Ms. Wight, are you sure you want to make a move on me right here and now?” Hesper did not even try to dodge or evade her strike, showing no signs of fear, sneering instead. “If I were you, I wouldn’t do this at the banquet I’m hosting. Aren’t you afraid of becoming the laughingstock of the people of Genecity? Plus, since I’m here, don’t you want to know where exactly Rickard is right

now?”

Juniper stopped moving instantly.

‘That’s right. If Hesper is here, then where is Rickard? Didn’t Madam Duval say that he was called away by Hesper?’

“Madam Duval, don’t you think you have some explaining to do?”

“Geez, Juni, don’t listen to this b*tch. Why would I lie to you?” Julie quickly explained. “Rickard really was called away by her early in the morning, he claimed that he was heading to her place because Renfrew wasn’t feeling well. Otherwise, why would Rickard not want to come and see

you?”

After being fooled left and right, Juniper had also become suspicious. “Is that so?”

Hesper tilted her head and scoffed mockingly. “Madam Duval, if I were in your shoes, I would have thoroughly done my research first before coming up with a lie. Are you sure that I called Rickard away?”

“I…” Seeing that she sounded so firm when she made the statement, Julie dared not speak up.

‘If she were to somehow prove her statement, wouldn’t my reply turn into another smack in the face later on?’

Now that she knew everyone was taking her for a fool, Juniper could not take it anymore. “Madam Duval, where exactly is Rickard?!”

“Don’t worry, I… I know where he is….” Julie had no choice but to tell the truth.

Juniper was furious. She gnashed her teeth and glared at the mother and daughter. “You keep telling me that you’ll find a way to make a match out of the two of us. Is this your way of making things work?”

Frightened by her rage, Julie subconsciously took two steps backward.

Sophia, unable to stand it anymore, stepped forward to defend themselves. “Juni, how can you be so rude to my mother? She had good intention, didn’t she? If my brother doesn’t want to come, we can’t just tie him up and force him to come. She only lied to you because she didn’t want to hurt. your feelings.”

“Good intentions? Do you really think I’m dumb?” Juniper had had enough.

‘When I was hurt and disfigured, the two of them only came by once, and now they’re trying to deceive me? They’ve never thought of me as family!’

Seeing that the atmosphere was becoming more and more stalemate, Hesper, who had been watching from the sidelines all along, shouted out of the blue, “Oh my God, no, the young lady of the Duvals and Ms. Wight are fighting each other! Madam Duval even got beaten too!”

With this sudden wail, all the people at the banquet were startled and rushed over in unison. Hesper took the opportunity to leave the scene, letting them go at each other!

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“No, there’s no need to come over! They’re not fighting. Why would they fight each other?”

Madam Duval did not want to lose face in front of all the attendees, so she tried to maintain order.

But everyone present was no fool. Judging from Juniper and Sophia’s expressions, one could tell from a glance that something unusual had happened.

Even if they did not fight each other, there must have been a fierce argument. Otherwise, the two of them would not put on such expressions that looked as if they were about to tear each other into pieces.

Soon, the matter spread as a rumor throughout the city.

Juniper, Julie, and Sophia all became jokes that the citizens talked about. The Wights’ desire to spread the word did not show any positive effect but actually made Juniper’s reputation even

worse.

The Wights were not reconciled with the outcome of the matter, so after the incident, they summoned Rickard to the Wight Manor.

“Rickard, look what happened. Do you realize how much Juniper has suffered because of you? And do

you still plan to ignore it?”

Facing the Wights couple, Rickard’s attitude was quite warm.

“I asked my mother and Sophia about it and they claimed that it was just a misunderstanding. Anyway, they shouldn’t have caused trouble during the banquet. I’ll apologize to you, the Wights, on their behalf.”

“Just an apology? That’s it?”

Mister and Madam Wight had always highly regarded Rickard, as he was extremely competent in running a business empire at such a young age, making him a rare talent. That was why both of them approved of Juniper wanting to be with him.

However, seeing that the relationship between the two was worsening by the day, Madam Wight pointed things out directly. “Rickard, you’re a smart man. The best way to completely put an end to such a rumor is for both our families to join hands through marriage. You should know best how Juniper feels about you. You won’t lose anything by marrying her.”

Juniper, who was standing at the side, blushed. She could not help but quietly observe his reaction, wanting to see what his response to the matter would be.

Rickard’s gaze dimmed, and after a few seconds, he politely rejected the suggestion. “Madam Wight, marriage isn’t a business deal. Juniper and indeed used to be together, but that period of time has passed and the conditions aren’t optimum now. Juniper is the one who will have tons to lose if we were to get married now.”

“No!” Juniper interrupted immediately. “I’m willing to give up everything as long as I can marry you!”

“Juniper, you’re a lady. What nonsense are you spouting?” Madam Wight’s expression was

extremely gloomy. Her daughter might not catch the underlying message in Rickard’s response, but she understood it in an instant.

‘Although Rickard’s reply sounds extremely polite, he’s made it clear that he won’t marry Juniper. If she goes all out in her sincerity like this, won’t others take her for a joke?’

Madam Wight took a deep breath and tried to put on a calm face. “Rickard, I understand that marriage isn’t a trivial matter and you’ll need time to think about it. Why don’t you go back and mull it over? There’s no need to give us a reply now

“There is no need for that.” Rickard did not hesitate at all, repeating himself a second time. “I’m sorry, Madam Wight. I won’t marry Juniper.”

“What did you just say?” Juniper was greatly astounded. She took two steps back, unable to believe her ears.

Her slender waist rammed into the corner of the table beside her, causing her to frown in pain.

But from the beginning to the end, Rickard’s gaze did not change at all. Thinking that he would approach her and care about her was only wishful thinking.

‘It turns out, he’s long already lost all his feelings for me. I’m the one who continues to stubbornly hold onto him and pester him…’

“Why? Why don’t you like me anymore?” Juniper burst into tears, but all she got was an apology. ‘I don’t want an apology! All I want is him!’

“Is it because of Hesper Rivera? I knew it! Ever since she returned, your mind has completely

changed! You… You’re not the Rickard I knew three years ago! It’s all because of that b*tch. She’s bewitched you!”

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 125

very

Rickard’s indifferent gaze finally changed after hearing her insults. He frowned and sounded displeased. “This is between you and me, and I’ve never promised you anything, so don’t take your anger out on other people.”

“Okay, alright.” Madam Wight knew exactly what was going on from experience. She could tell with a glance that Rickard was defending his ex-wife. She sneered and pulled Juniper to her side.

“Just look carefully, Juni. This is the man whom you’ve loved for so many years. Deep down, he’s only thinking about his ex-wife. From today onward, you’re not allowed to associate with him. anymore! The Wights don’t need such a son-in-law!

The whole sentence that escaped her mouth was filled with hints and threats.

Hearing what she said, Rickard did not care. “Then I’ll take my leave.” He nodded slightly to Madam Wight then turned around and strode away

“Rickard…” Juniper wanted to chase after him but was slapped by Madam Wight.

“Wake up already, Juni! What good would it do to you to keep a man who doesn’t love you at all?” Madam Wight was infuriated.

Juniper felt an unbearable pain deep down. “But I only love him! I’ve loved him for so many years. How do you expect me to let go of him?!”

“Love him? Have you forgotten why you even left him? And now you’re telling me that you love.

him?”

Madam Wight’s words calmed Juniper instantly. As past events that she found unbearable to recall slowly surfaced from the bottom of her heart, her cheeks flushed.

“Forget about it already. Since you’ve worked hard for him for so long yet he won’t even look back at you, you two are just not meant to be. The past is the past; I’ll definitely find a better man for

you.”

“Mom…” Juniper cried and wept even more sorrowfully, while Madam Wight felt for her too. The mother and daughter embraced each other tightly.

On the other side of the city.

“Hey, come and give me a hug!” Renfrew finally came back to Hesper, and they hugged each other too when they met.

“Mommy, look.” Renfrew held up a big golden piggy bank abruptly as if he was offering his mommy a treasure.

The flashy color of the piggy bank flickered and caused Hesper to blink.

“This is… Isn’t this your legendary piggy bank?”

“That’s right. You’re so smart!” Renfrew gave her an approving look.

Hesper did not know how to react to that. “Why did you bring it here with you?”

‘Even if Madam Duval and Sophia are unreliable, they wouldn’t put their hands on Renfrew’s belongings, would they? What’s more, his great-grandpa has come back, so they should be restraining themselves to the max now, right?’

Renfrew pulled her around the house mysteriously until they found a small hammer. “Mommy, you’ll know why as soon as you hammer it open.”

‘Huh? This…”

Hesper, who was still hesitating, was defeated by Renfrew’s begging gaze. “Okay, okay, then you should step further back so that I won’t hit you.”

The golden piggy bank was smashed open, and the crowded hundred-dollar bills scattered around like a waterfall.

“Wow!” Hesper was really surprised. When she glanced around, she even saw several bank cards and pure gold coins.

“Mommy, I’m giving all these to you. Do you like them?”

“Renfrew…” Hesper was a little moved and bewildered. “Why would you give me all this money?”

At this time, Isaac, who already had a premonition that something was going wrong, turned around silently and wanted to leave, but was pointed at by the little rascal before he could do so. Uncle Isaac said that you’re very poor, so I brought my little piggy bank here. Mommy, you can spend it however you like!”

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 126

“Isaac, would you like to explain what’s going on?” Hesper gritted her teeth.

‘Aren’t these two living right under my nose? What kind of misunderstanding could there be?”

“Ms. Lane, please listen to me…”

Isaac restated the whole story in embarrassment.

Hesper was even more moved after hearing this. She pinched Renfrew’s nose and comforted him, “You silly boy, Mommy isn’t poor. Otherwise, how could I afford such a big house?”

“But…”

The little guy thought for a while.

‘Perhaps it’s because Mommy has spent all her money on the house. I’ve heard people say that it’s very difficult to purchase a house. Mommy is alone, so it must be even more difficult.”

“Mommy, you don’t have to reject the money. What’s mine is yours!” Renfrew said while piling up the money in front of her. When he saw the check buried in the banknotes, his eyes lit up. “And I

have another surprise for you too. Taadaa…!”

Unfolding it, Hesper saw that it was a check and it came from the Duval Group.

She frowned. “Did you ask your dad for this?”

“No, it wasn’t me but great-grandpa,” the boy responded.

Hesper simply did not know what to say.

‘Mr. Duval Sr. hasn’t changed at all. He thinks I’m working very hard and is paying me such a large sum of money just because he wants to.’

“Ren.” Hesper returned the check to him and said earnestly, “I’ll make this clear to you now once and for all. Mommy is not short of money, so Mommy does not want to accept this check.”

“Why? Even if you’re not short of money, you can still keep it, right?”

“You might not understand this,” Hesper explained, “But your great-grandpa gave Mommy this. money because he feels bad for me. So since Mommy is doing well, I can’t take the money, can I? Otherwise, it’ll look as if Mommy is taking advantage of Great-grandpa’s kindness.”

“Oh, I see.” The little guy nodded and put the check away obediently. “Then I’ll put it away. Anyway,

if you need help, Great-grandpa and Daddy definitely won’t refuse to help you.”

The kid might not mean it, but the mother understood the innocent expectation instantly.

Hesper paused for a split second but said nothing.

That night, after a whole day’s worth of work, Hesper came to the yard alone.

She glanced at the moonlight, feeling uncomfortable, as something that Renfrew had said earlier

was stuck in her chest.

‘Firstly, I don’t want Grandpa to spend so much on me, and secondly, I don’t want to take Rickard’s money. Especially when this matter is a blunder caused by Ren. Grandpa wouldn’t know about my financial condition, but Rickard has to. Yet he still give the money to Ren…

Coupled with what Renfrew said earlier, Hesper felt indescribably awkward,

Thinking of this, Hesper decided to send him a text message.

“I’m not short of money, so don’t give me any more in the future,”

In the Duval’ residence.

Rickard was dealing with his family matters when his phone rang out of the blue. Seeing the message as soon as he tapped on it, he pursed his lips calmly.

Madam Duval complained with extreme dissatisfaction, “Rickard, did you hear what I just said? Why are you still looking at your phone?”

“I heard you. You were claiming that Hesper intentionally went to Wight Manor, caused a scene, and embarrassed you two, weren’t you?”

“Yes! If it weren’t for that b*tch, how would Sophia and I embarrass ourselves to this extent?”

Everyone in Genecity was saying that she was an old hag capitalizing on her seniority and using it as an excuse to treat others disrespectfully, even teaming up with her daughter to bully others. That was how her reputation was ruined.

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Rickard sneered. “Then do enlighten me, how did Sophia get to the banquet when I clearly grounded her? And you actually used me as an excuse and lied to the Wights?”

“This…” Madam Duval was at a loss for words.

‘Sophia’s restraint order has indeed not been lifted just yet, but I only took the opportunity to take her out to the banquet because I couldn’t bear to see her stay at home and die of boredom every day, but who would’ve known that something like that would happen?’

“I only made up an excuse casually because everything came in one go and I didn’t have the time to react. Who knew that Hesper would be there to expose me?” She was very dissatisfied.

‘If Hesper wasn’t present today, no one would’ve known about my lies, and things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”

Seeing that she did not realize that she was the cause of all these problems at all, Rickard lost all his patience. “I told you that I didn’t want to go; that means that I didn’t want to go. Why must you involve Hesper in this matter? Juniper has never liked her, so don’t you know that saying that in front of her is no different from adding fuel to fire?”

“Are you questioning me?” Julie immediately put on an aggrieved look. “No matter what

happened, I’m still your mother, and you’re questioning me for such a trivial matter? Rickard, is this what I’ve taught you?!”

“That’s enough!” A domineering voice sounded from the living room. Ernest came striding toward

them.

Both Julie and Sophia subconsciously backed away a little. They were afraid that Ernest would make their lives even harder if he were to find out about what they had done, but they still alerted him in the end.

“You’re at such an age already and yet you still don’t know what decency is? And you want Rickard to take care of the aftermath for you after you’ve committed such a disgraceful act? Does the dignified president of the Duval Group exist only to deal with such trivial matters for you?”

“Rickard is my son, so it shouldn’t be a problem for me to come to him for help, right?” Julie was dissatisfied with his accusation.

Ernest did not plan to let her have it her way. “I dare you to go out there and find me a noble lady in Genecity who acts just like you! You’re already in your fifties and all you know is how to cause trouble. Rickard found himself a family back then and you’re the one who single-handedly tore it apart, and yet you still don’t know how to restrain yourself! Having a lady like you is truly the Duvals

misfortune!”

“Grandpa, you’re going too far!” Sophia felt sorry for her mother, but her refutation would actually bring fire onto herself.

“How dare you talk back to me? I haven’t even gotten started with you yet. Since Rickard grounded you, why did you leave home and go out to attend the banquet? And now that you got yourself into trouble, all you know is to hide at home. Is this the backbone that one should have?”

“…”

The mother and daughter were reprimanded ruthlessly, but Rickard did not even utter a single word.

It was not that he did not feel sorry for them, but that they were indeed too much.

In the end, Ernest made a final decision. “In short, this matter ends here. If the Wights end up holding a grudge against us, then the relationship between our families ends here. The Duvals are no worse than their family, so why must we do things according to how they feel?”

Hearing this, Julie and Sophia exchanged gazes; they both saw a trace of worry in each other’s

eyes.

Breaking up with the Wights was nothing to them, but more importantly, what would they do about those secrets that they shared with Juniper?

In the past, they had always relied on the fact that Juniper would marry into the Duvals to maintain the current state of affairs. Now that the prospective marriage was ruined, none of them knew if Juniper would lose her mind and do something crazy.

After everyone left the scene, Sophia opened her mouth and said with an anxious expression hanging on her face. “Mom, judging from the current situation, Juniper…”

After living for so long and going through so much, Julie had already grown more competent when it came to dealing with such a situation. She thought about it for a while and said, “Don’t panic. Even though we’ve fallen out with each other Juniper is still living in Genecity. So if she dares to expose all those deeds that we’ve done, she’ll ruin her own reputation too. And when that happens, marriage aside, stepping out of her house would become a problem for her too! She’s

the one who should be worried now!”

The outcome was exactly as they thought. Juniper did not do anything in the next few days, and the Wights went on living their lives as usual. Things could not get any more peaceful.

Until–

On the day of Lane Holdings’ branch office’s opening ceremony, in order to gain a firm foothold in Genecity as soon as possible, Hesper sent invitations to countless people from all walks of life and asked them to come and support the company

And the Wights were among those who got invited.

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At that time, Hesper was walking among the crowd in a neat formal suit, and no matter where she went, everyone around her would congratulate her.

“Congratulations, Ms. Lane.”

“Thank you.”

She thanked everyone politely and was about to leave the scene to cascade orders to her employees, but just as she was turning around, Juniper rushed up to her and stood in front of her with intense resentment flashing across her pretty face.

“I didn’t expect you to really become the person in charge of the Lane Holdings’ branch office. Tsk tsk tsk, it’s really hard for us ordinary people to not admire your connection.”

“It isn’t any of your business, is it?” Hesper did not want to talk to her and wanted to leave, but Juniper clung to her tightly.

“What? Are you scared? Are you afraid that I’ll speak up in front of everyone present just like what you did the other day?”

“I haven’t done anything shady, so what’s there to be afraid of?” She flaunted patiently, and her gaze turned cold. If it was not for the fact that she was worried that it would ruin the opening ceremony, she would have summoned the guards to chase her away.

However, Juniper pushed forward. “If you’re not afraid, why leave in such a hurry? Why won’t you’ have a good chat with me?”

“Do I look like I have the time to talk to you?”

People around were already looking in their direction, so Hesper covertly exerted force, trying to break free, but Juniper’s grip became even tighter.

At this moment, a tall figure approached both of them, and Rickard separated Hesper from Juniper calmly. “Are you alright?”

The words were directed at Hesper, and Juniper’s eyes turned bloodshot instantly.

But before she had the time to feel sad, Rickard’s warning had already escaped his mouth. “Ms. Wight, this isn’t an occasion where you can mess around. I hope you know your place and behave.”

“I didn’t even do anything to her. Is there really a need for you to protect her to this extent?!”

His reproachful tone hurt Juniper deep down.

‘Is it not enough for him to reject me? Why must he show his affection for another woman in front of me? Has he ever taken my feelings into consideration?’

“Hesper, I’m still waiting for that moment to come. I’ll be there to witness if you can be the person in charge of this place securely for long!” She left a harsh message, turned around, and disappeared into the crowd.

For some reason, Hesper felt uneasy when she saw her turning away as if something was bound to happen today.

“Are you okay?” Rickard’s voice sounded right next to her.

Hesper came back to her senses. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

After a brief pause, she reluctantly said, “Thank you for what you just did.”

Rickard raised his eyebrows unexpectedly. “I thought all you feel toward me is resentment.”

“This is different. The grievances that exist between us will never be offset, but if you didn’t show up in time just now, I’m not sure how much longer until she stopped pestering me, so I should still thank you.”

Hesper did not want to continue speaking to him, so she told him to help himself to the banquet before she left to attend to her own affairs.

In the center of the crowd, Rickard was still staring at her quietly as emotions that were incomprehensible to others flickered in his eyes.

Soon, the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended smoothly

Hesper’s uneasy heart relaxed a little, and the press conference session started as the following

program.

At the entrance of Lanes’ Tower, she looked around with a cunning smile. All the reporters had been arranged to be here in advance. They were only there for show and would write something good about Lanes Holdings later.

Suddenly–

“Ms. Lane, you said that you’re the youngest daughter of the Lanes, but according to reliable sources, some people say that you’re the ex-wife of Mr. Rickard Duval, the president of the Duval Group. Is this rumor true?”

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 129

In the crowd, Rickard, who had been silent all this time, frowned when he heard the question.

Hesper’s smile remained wide and polite, but her gaze turned colder when she glanced over toward the source of the voice. “It’s true. After all, everyone has a past. But I don’t think marital status will affect Lane Holdings’ future development in Genecity. Am I right?”

my

“But an insider revealed to me that during your marriage with Mr. Duval, you were tortured to the point of death, and Mr. Duval didn’t have any feelings for you. It was you who kept pushing for a happy marriage. So, now that you’re back, won’t you think about taking revenge?”

As soon as this statement came out, the surrounding atmosphere fluctuated all of a sudden.

People like to gossip, and even though the other reporters had been briefed in advance, when such an astounding piece of news was put out there, it still attracted a lot of people’s attention

and interest.

Seeing that the situation was about to turn bad, Rickard’s expression dimmed. He raised his hand, and Benji, who had come to the ceremony with him, immediately stepped forward. “Mr. Duval.”

“Go and find out who’s behind this.”

“Yes.”

Hesper did not just stand there and act like a sitting duck though. Isaac saw that something had gone wrong and was also looking for the person behind the scheme.

But that person was hiding among the reporters, and the questions that he asked became more and more incisive.

“It seems that you haven’t figured out how to answer my question, but it’s okay. You can think about it slowly. I still have one last question, and I hope you can answer it for me too.”

“Do tell.” Hesper was already upset, but she still kept a faint smile on her face.

With so many people present, any changes in expression that she made would be over- interpreted. That would cause her enraged responses at the opening ceremony to be reported and published as the headline of all the news networks tomorrow.

“Ms. Lane, we looked into this matter and found out that Mr. Duval’s ex-wife’s last name is Rivera. She had a miserable life, no parents, and was someone deeply rooted in Genecity. So, I wonder how you got involved with the Lanes that were based far away from here in Emperion? You even became the daughter of the Lanes?”

“Yeah, I’ve always been curious too. How can a person change so suddenly, and how can the difference between before and after be so huge?”

“If she’s really the daughter of the Lanes, how could she have been living in an orphanage for more than 20 years?”

“Who knows, maybe she got lost when she was only a child?”

The people in the audience were discussing a lot. Seeing that Hesper’s brows were getting more

tightly creased, Rickard clenched his fists and was about to get up to help her, but that was when the sound of a sports car that originated from behind him slashed through the hubbub in the hall,

Everyone looked back, and Rickard was no exception.

Two luxury sedans cleared the way before the sports cars arrived at the entrance of the building, and ten bodyguards then lined up on both sides of the door. This level of grandeur could be considered as the one and only in Genecity.

A wide grin instantly bloomed on the corners of Helper’s lips. Sure enough, the car door was opened in the next second, and Matthew, who was wearing a high-end custom suit, walked through the crowd toward Hesper.

“Matthew!” Hesper could not conceal her excitement and trotted up to him.

The coldness in the eyes of the man who originally felt like an iceberg softened instantly, and he patted her head affectionately. “Slow down, Hesper”

He then took her by the arm, led her back onto the stage step by step, and stared down at everyone sitting below the platform. “Does anyone here have any more questions?”

The sentence sounded unconcerned, but its impact felt heavy. And the fact that Matthew made it to the ceremony scotched all the questions and arguments that the crowd had.

‘That’s Matthew Lane, and judging by the way he gets along with Hesper, only idiots who are out of their minds would continue to doubt her identity.

Matthew said indifferently, “I don’t need to explain my family affairs to anyone here. Hesper is my younger sister, so to anyone who bullies her, take this as a warning that you’ll be challenging my patience. Do you get me?”

The whole event went silent.

‘This is the opening ceremony of a branch office. Is it really okay for him to be so protective of his younger sister?’

Matthew did not care so much, and the cold aura that enveloped his body could not be

suppressed. And standing right next to him, Hesper could not do anything about him and could only look over at Isaac with a pregnant gaze.

Isaac understood her intention and immediately started calming the atmosphere of the event. After a few more lines on the platform, the interview session came to an end.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 130

When the crowd dispersed, Hesper turned around. “Matthew, why did you come here all of a sudden? And you didn’t inform me in advance either.”

Tanner was the one who answered her question. “Mr. Lane was afraid that you might not be able to handle today’s situation alone, so he shifted his schedule and deliberately rushed here to see you.”

Hesper could not be more moved.

Matthew had always been really kind to her, so kind that sometimes she felt that she was being treated like his biological sister.

“Thanks, Matthew.”

Seeing that she was once again lost in her imagination and conjecture, Matthew flicked her forehead with his fingers. “You should know by now who you are to me, and yet you’re still thanking me for such a trivial matter.

“Hey, it hurts!” Hesper rubbed her forehead with a smile, and the two entered the Lanes’ Tower, chuckling all the way in.

Seeing the two talking and laughing, Rickard’s eyes dimmed.

‘It turns out that she’s also capable of possessing such a lively and playful side. I thought she only

knew how to be indifferent and sarcastic.’

It was a pity that all that tenderness would only be showcased to another man!

“Mr. Duval, we’ve found the person. Do you want to deal with it yourself, or…?”

“Just leave it to her.”

Although he did not make it clear who the “her” was, Benji understood tactfully, though he was also a little puzzled at the same time.

‘Everything was still fine just minutes ago. Why is he so upset now?’

However, he did not dare to ask questions and got into the car after dealing with the matter.

Rickard was feigning sleep with his eyes closed, but he was obviously absent-minded, and there was a faint restlessness in the air.

Benji froze for a moment and asked tentatively, “Mr. Duval, are you angry about what happened just now? Don’t worry, we’ve handed the reporter over to Ms. Lane. She’ll definitely teach him a lesson.”

Rickard suddenly opened his eyes. “Since when did you change the way you address her?”

Rickard’s direct glare awakened the hesitation in Benji’s heart. He understood what he was asking almost instantly and responded truthfully. “About that… Ms. Lane said that she doesn’t want me to call her the young lady anymore.”

Noticing that the man’s expression was not looking too happy, he immediately changed his tone.

I can still address her as the young lady in front of you if you want. Is that okay with you?”

“There’s no need for that!”

‘Since she doesn’t even want to be called that, why would I care about it?’

“Move, we’re going back to the company now.”

“Yes…”

After the car’s engine was ignited, someone’s expression remained tense.

There was a corner in Rickard’s heart that had been choked.

‘Others might not know this, but does she really think that I can’t see through it? It’s impossible for Hesper to be related to the Lanes. Matthew only took her away back then as an act of kindness. But seeing that they’re acting so close in the name of brother and sister, it’s… This is really frustrating.’

At the same time, back in Lane Holdings.

“Your office doesn’t look bad at all.” Matthew sat down on the couch. The large couch was several feet wide, but it only made his body look even taller.

Just as Hesper was about to speak, Isaac brought a man into the office.

She did not even bother to lift her gaze and said calmly, “Since you’ve found the person, you can decide how you want to interrogate him.”

“Yes. But…” Isaac hesitated to speak.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ms. Lane, Mr. Rickard Duval is the one who sent this man to us.”

The atmosphere in the room seemed to remain stagnant for a moment. Hesper returned to normal only after a few seconds. “Okay, that’s fine, you can leave now.”

As soon as Isaac left with the man, Hesper encountered Matthew’s complicated gaze.

“He’s treating you much better than before.”

“What’ll that do now?” Hesper sneered.

‘All the suffering that I went through won’t be erased just because of this tiny favor.’