Ch. 581..590

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 581

Hesper had undoubtedly been manipulating Rickard's feelings for her and using them to exact revenge. It was the most treacherous trap he had ever faced, and it proved to be a despicable yet effective form of retaliation.

As he listened to the recordings, his heart raced. However, he managed to conceal his shaking hands, not wanting anyone to see his vulnerability.

Seeing Hesper so vulnerable on the hospital bed reminded him of the desperate look on her face as she clung to a rag doll after falling from a building.

Rickard had underestimated the depth of her hatred.

Aware that he was likely the last person Hesper wanted to see, Rickard refrained from entering her room and instead shut the door.

"Mr. Duval?" Benji was somewhat puzzled, but Rickard did not explain and simply ordered, "Investigate what Sophia did tonight. I want all the details."

Benji was taken aback and muttered something under his breath.

"Hmm?" Rickard frowned.

Benji quickly explained, "Ms. Lane also instructed Renee to investigate Ms. Duval. It seems like you two can read each other's minds."

"Is that so?" Rickard did not pick up on Benji's flattery and fell silent. "My sister must have done something terrible tonight… She should hope I don't catch her in the act."

Upon hearing Rickard's tone, Benji shuddered on behalf of Sophia. He knew that if Rickard discovered her misdeeds, she would undoubtedly face a grim fate.

*

After leaving Renfrew's ward, Hesper's mood remained heavy. She hoped that his condition would stabilize soon so that she could have more time.

Renee had already returned and was waiting in the car with Isaac.

It was already very late. Hesper looked at her watch and saw that it was actually early morning.

She sighed and apologized, "I'm sorry for all the trouble. I didn't expect this to take so much time."

Both Renee and Isaac were aware of how busy Hesper was. She had to go to several places every day and still had to work on her drafts at night. She was like a windmill constantly turning without stopping.

Renee shook her head and handed the information she just obtained to Hesper. "Our people have been observing Sophia and her mother lately. Here is the report."

Hesper nodded. When she flipped the document, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Gambling?"

This was something Hesper had never expected. She should say it was a big surprise.

She never thought Sophia would be so daring. In the past, Sophia had shown interest in a handsome young boy, but now she was infatuated with illegal activities and was clearly losing money. It was evident that she was being tricked by the gambling den.

If Rickard were to know about this, he would definitely be furious.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 582

Playing cards was just a matter of technique for Rickard, who was an expert in these things. He believed that it had nothing to do with luck, and everyone was just competing with their own skills and techniques. He even made a name for himself in one game.

However, Sophia lost $45,000 in one night.

"Not only that, Sophia isn't the only one who has gone to this gambling den often. Even her mother, Julie, has frequented this gambling den many times," Renee said calmly. "They've probably contributed a lot of money to that gambling den."

Hesper wondered how Renee managed to obtain so much information. She knew that gambling was illegal in Halwanest, so those in this business were bound to be very cautious.

Renee looked awkward but cleared her throat and explained. "The owner of this gambling den had some dealings with the Lanes in the past. I just sent a message to Mr. Lane, and they quickly provided us with detailed information, which was even more detailed than surveillance footage."

"Had some dealings?" Hesper looked at Renee's expression and felt that these "dealings" were not just any ordinary kind of dealings. Since it involved her older brother, Hesper was curious about their nature.

"What kind of dealings?" she asked.

Hesper was Renee's savior. Except for the time when Hesper went abroad to study, Renee had always followed her around. Therefore, she quickly pinpointed the timing.

"Was it the year I went abroad? Come to think of it, Matt did seem a little different after I came back…" Hesper struggled to recall where exactly her brother was different.

Isaac chuckled and chimed in. "What kind of dealings could it be? The owner of that gambling den has been blatantly pursuing Mr. Lane. It's just that Mr. Lane always gives her the cold shoulder. By the way, the owner is a real beauty."

After hearing what Isaac said, Hesper suddenly realized something. When she came back that year, those girls and women who had fawned over her brother seemed to have disappeared instantly. At the time, Hesper even ridiculed Matthew for losing his charm.

It seemed like this owner of the gambling den known as Ms. Screwfield was responsible for it.

Hesper momentarily forgot about the main issue and was surprised by her own distraction. She stopped smiling, picked up the document, and instructed, "Find a way to reveal this information to Benji."

Renee was taken aback.

Hesper gave her a helpless look. "I can't get involved in this matter… It's a private affair of the Duvals, after all. But do you think Rickard will let his mother and sister off the hook so easily?" Hesper said as she glanced at the figures on the document.

If Sophia could lose $45,000 in one night, how much money had she and her mother lost in the past month? Hesper didn't need to calculate it; she knew it had to be a substantial amount.

However, during the previous month, Rickard was severely ill, Hesper did not oversee the Duval family, and Benji also lacked the authority to make significant decisions. It was already a struggle to keep the Duval Group running, so they couldn't afford to divert their attention to Sophia and Julie.

It was likely that Julie and Sophia had saved up some money over the years, but their rapid spending rate meant that they could have blown through half of their savings in just one day. So where did they find the money once they had exhausted their resources?

Renee had already sent the information to Benji, knowing that he would immediately pass it on to Rickard. Benji was initially happy to receive the information, but his smile vanished as he read through it.

As he continued to read, his brows furrowed deeply, and he let out a heavy sigh before forwarding the information directly to Rickard. He felt a surge of emotion in his heart. Hesper and her team may not be aware of Sopha and Julie's spending habits, but he knew it very well.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 583

Neither of them knew what it meant to spend wisely. Whenever they ran out of money, they would just withdraw from the family account. They did not know how to save money at all. In their minds, as long as Rickard and Ernest were still alive, the Duvals would always be an inexhaustible gold mine.

They had spent nearly $45,000 a night, so one could imagine how much they had lost in the past month.

*

Sophia grumbled to herself about her bad luck and how she had lost too much money that day. She snuck into the house as usual but was taken aback to find the living room brightly lit.

"Welcome back." Rickard's voice echoed in her ears. He had not changed his clothes yet, and Julie was sitting on the couch with her head hung low. Sophia's heart skipped a beat, and she collapsed to the floor in fear at the sight.

Julie surreptitiously watched for any signs of Rickard's emotions, but he was notoriously inscrutable. The only thing she sensed was the palpable tension that surrounded him, suggesting that he was in a bad mood.

"She didn't lose that much money," Julie said, but Rickard shot her a glance and shut her up. Although he appeared calm on the surface, Sophia could sense the coldness lurking beneath his composed gaze.

Sophia knew they were both in trouble when Rickard found out. But gambling was addictive. It led people down a slippery slope, and she just could not control herself.

"Dick, I'm sorry. It's all my fault," Sophia said as she grabbed Rickard's trousers, tears streaming down her face. "Please forgive me. I promise I won't do it again."

Infuriated, Rickard pulled his leg away.

"You're sorry?"

Sophia nodded.

Rickard knelt down, placing the bill in front of her. "You two have spent $450,000 in just a month. Half of the people in Genecity know that the Duvals have a mother and daughter who love to spend lavishly. You have quite the audacity."

Sophia's heart sank when Rickard mentioned the total amount that they owed to the gambling den. If Rickard did not know the exact number, she could still try to deny or make excuses, but it was $450,000. Every time Sophia looked at the cumulative total on the bill, she felt like she had gone mad.

Seeing that Sophia was crying profusely, Julie walked forward. "Although $450,000 is a lot of money, it's just a drop in the bucket for our family, isn't it?"

Benji, who could not bear listening to her anymore, blurted, "That's easy for you to say. It's not your money, so of course, you wouldn't feel the pain of spending it."

"Who gave you the right to speak here?" Julie glared at Benji.

Rickard closed his eyes. Benji did not say anything more and retreated to the side expressionlessly.

"Benji is my secretary and the reason why you two are able to squander $450,000," Rickard said, his voice chilling them to the bone. Julie realized that she had misspoken.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 584

Julie attempted to defend herself by saying, "That's not what I meant…" But Sophia could tell from Rickard's expression that their actions had consequences. Knowing that Rickard would not let them off easily this time, Sophia felt defeated.

"Have you not committed enough wrongdoings in the past?" Rickard spoke in a calm tone, then turned to Benji. "Starting today, neither of them will have any authority to use the house's money. You will take care of their daily needs."

Benji was taken aback and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you sure about this, Mr. Duval?"

"Yes, just do as I have instructed."

Sophia felt a sense of relief upon hearing the punishment. She had anticipated a harsher punishment, but they were only losing their access to the house's money. Being a Duval mistress was already enough to ensure a worry-free life, so losing a bit of money was insignificant.

"I'll also arrange a marriage for Sophia soon. As for you, mother, after Sophia's wedding, you will return to the old mansion."

"What?" Sophia and Julie exclaimed in unison. It did not seem like Rickard was joking, so they both became flustered.

Sophia stood up and protested, "No, I won't get married!"

She had plans to marry a man from a prestigious family and was certain that Rickard wouldn't find a good match for her.

Upon seeing Sophia's reaction, Julie quickly said, "Dick, you can't be so heartless. Look at your sister. She's not fit to serve someone else. I know we've made a grave mistake, but please forgive us."

Rickard remained silent for a moment, contemplating the repeated trouble Julie and Sophia had caused the Duvals. They had already caused problems for Hesper in the past and now had caused another one.

"Mr. Duval, perhaps we should wait for Mr. Duval Sr. to make a decision on this matter," Benji suggested, glancing at Julie and Sophia. He also believed that Rickard's decision was not appropriate. Considering the past behavior of the two troublemakers, what if Sophia went to her in-laws and spoke ill of Rickard? He would be defenseless.

"Okay," Rickard acquiesced. Julie and Sophia exchanged a glance, noticing the apprehension in each other's eyes. Rickard continued, "To prevent you from causing any more trouble, Sophia will intern at the company starting tomorrow, and mother, you'll go take care of grandfather."

Sophia did not want to follow this arrangement, but she knew it was probably the best outcome, given Rickard's stern expression. She could only agree with a nod.

*

Hesper was disappointed that she had not received any updates from the Duvals, as she was looking forward to some drama. However, she knew that Rickard was known for his protective nature towards his family members and that $450,000 was not a significant amount for him. He would surely find a way to recover the money.

At this moment, Renee knocked on the door, holding a file. Hesper looked up and saw her standing there silently.

"What's the matter?" Hesper took the file from Renee and quickly read through it.

Renee finally spoke up. "The Duval Group is the only one with the technology to complete this task. Without their assistance, we may have to postpone the Paradise Project."

'The Paradise Project again?'

Hesper sighed to herself. Rickard had left her plenty of traps to fall into within this project. Just as she expected, there's no free lunch in this world.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 585

"Okay, then let's contact the Duval Group," Hesper said. She had worked with them before, so she had nothing to fear. After all, as long as Rickard was a smart businessman, he would never refuse the benefits that came to him.

Renee nodded and turned to leave. Hesper fell into silence for a moment before continuing with her work. Previously, Benji had warned her that many of the contracts given to her by Rickard contained hidden clauses. Those contracts had been sorted and taken back to the Lanes by Matthew. Now, it seemed like she needed to retrieve them and carefully examine them to avoid any more accidents in the future.

Hesper sent a message to Matthew, asking him to mail her the previous contracts. With that settled, she began to prepare for negotiations with the Duval Group.

The Lane Holdings needed to recuperate at the moment, so Hesper was willing to make some concessions during the negotiations. If one deal fell apart, she might not have the ability to consider the next one.

However, Rickard was different. When he handed over those contracts to her, he must have already guessed that she would be working with the Duval Group.

Hesper felt that she should feel very sorry for not extorting Rickard for a good sum of money. After contact was made, news from the Duval Group came quickly. They were both in Genecity and had time to meet, so they arranged to meet the next day at noon.

Hesper was familiar with the Duval Group and had been going there every day for a while. When she arrived at the front desk, the staff greeted her warmly. After a while, they realized something was off.

"Didn't Ms. Rivera return the shares to Mr. Duval? Why has she come again today?"

*

On the other hand, Sophia never expected that her "internship" in the company would start from being a tea girl in the pantry. What's more, Benji instructed her not to reveal her identity, so she was constantly ordered around by office employees.

Sophia felt somewhat resentful. She had always been taken care of by others and had never taken care of anyone else since birth. However, now she was expected to serve tea and water to employees of her own family's company.

"Sophia, print 50 copies of this and deliver it to the conference room in half an hour."

Looking at the stack of documents in front of her, Sophia frowned. "This is too much! How can I print 50 copies in half an hour all by myself?"

"That's your problem. I still have work to do, so bye bye."

"Hey!"

Sophia held the documents and felt a surge of anger. The office employees treated her like a mere tea girl because they did not know her identity. For her, they were just a bunch of cowards who bullied powerless people like her.

However, Rickard's anger had not alleviated yet, so Sophia did not dare to say anything about her grievances. Frustrated, she suppressed her grievances and headed to the printer to fulfill her duties.

"How is it possible to print all of these…" Sophia put the documents on the table and glanced at them but then froze. She picked up the first page and examined it carefully. It was indeed a collaboration between the Duvals and Lanes.

'Why are we collaborating with the Lanes? It couldn't be for Hesper, could it?'

Sophia flipped through the pages and realized that the Lanes were in dire need of the Duval Group's assistance. If Rickard did not intervene, they could face major issues.

Sophia was not a top-notch student, but her years of education had not gone to waste. Her grandfather's strict upbringing had instilled some knowledge about managing a company in her.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 586

Sophia pondered for a moment before deciding to capture crucial pages from the documents and send them to her mother via pictures.

[Sophia: Dick is going to collaborate with Hesper. Mom, it appears that Hesper has no intention of returning to be his wife. We must not let my brother make another mistake.]

At that moment, Julie was receiving cooking lessons from Wendy on how to make an omelet. Though a simple dish, Julie struggled as she had not been cooking for a long time. Rickard had assigned Wendy to keep an eye on his mother, and Wendy thought it would be wise to teach her some cooking skills first.

Although it was Rickard's arrangement, Wendy knew that she was just a servant and should not interfere too much in the Duvals' family affair.

Upon reading Sophia's message, Julie was infuriated. However, knowing that she had made a significant error, she understood that Rickard would not heed her words at the moment.

As for Ernest, he would do everything in his power to bring Rickard and Hesper together as a couple if he discovered their ongoing communication, since he was more inclined towards their union.

"This is terrible…" Julie muttered to herself, leaving Wendy bewildered.

"What's wrong?" Wendy inquired.

Ignoring her, Julie removed her apron and stormed out of the kitchen. Wendy followed closely behind but was promptly pushed aside.

Julie had harbored dissatisfaction with Wendy for some time. Rickard had grown up alongside Wendy, treating her with more respect than he showed his mother. If it were not for Wendy, why would Rickard not listen to her?

Despite being pushed aside by Julie, Wendy continued to follow her, as she had been entrusted by Rickard to keep an eye on his mother. Julie looked at Wendy with disdain before turning around to send a message.

"Do you need to see this?" Julie shook her phone at Wendy, who lowered her head. Although she sensed Julie's inexplicable hostility towards her, she did not say anything.

Instead, she nodded and said, "If you have finished sending the message, let's return to the kitchen."

"Hmph!" Julie sneered at Wendy before lifting her chin and heading back to the kitchen.

Wendy sighed in disappointment, but she did not voice her thoughts and followed Julie back to the kitchen.

*

Hesper reached the meeting room effortlessly, facing no hindrances on her way. The employees were unsure of her sudden appearance but greeted her respectfully as "Ms. Rivera". Although Hesper was not currently a director in the company, she was likely to become the future lady boss, so it never hurt to be courteous.

Benji had been waiting at the office door for a while. Hesper acknowledged him with a slight nod, and he approached her, saying, "Mr. Duval is waiting for you in the meeting room. The legal and execution team members will also attend today's meeting. I hope that's okay with you, Ms. Lane."

Hesper turned her head and gave him a small smile before responding, "It's the first time I've heard of bringing team members to a business negotiation. Are you trying to intimidate us with numbers?"

Benji chuckled flatteringly, "Please don't be upset with me, Ms. Lane. This decision was made by Mr. Duval, and I have no choice but to execute it."

Hesper knew exactly what he meant, but she had grown increasingly frustrated with Benji lately. It felt like watching a greedy pig about to gobble up her well-cherished cabbage while having to keep up a pleasant demeanor towards the pig.

With that in mind, Hesper gave Benji a well-deserved glare before entering the office.

Benji was left bewildered, unable to comprehend what had just happened. However, whenever he was around Rickard and Hesper, their emotions were always difficult to decipher. He had grown accustomed to being the one who got hurt in the end.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 587

Upon entering the office, Hesper immediately realized that her initial perception of the situation was too simplistic. The meeting room was packed with people, at least thirty or forty of them.

She couldn't help but wonder, 'What is he up to now?'

That said, Hesper calmly sat down amidst the gazes of everyone in the room and faced Rickard, who was seated in the main seat. She forced a bitter smile and said, "It feels like I'm attending my own execution."

"You're just being paranoid," Rickard replied nonchalantly. However, upon seeing Hesper's strained smile, he couldn't help but smirk and add, "This just shows our sincerity to you, doesn't it?"

Benji coughed awkwardly, and Hesper bit her tongue before nodding. "Alright, let's get started. I want to see if your sincerity goes beyond just words."

"I'm sure you won't be disappointed, Ms. Lane," Rickard said.

Although the employees in the room could sense the tension between the two and they wanted to see drama between Rickard and Hesper, their professionalism as employees of a large corporation demanded them to remain composed and focused on their own documents.

As Hesper glanced around, she realized that she didn't have any materials in front of her. Just as she was about to speak up, the meeting room door opened once again, and someone rushed in with a stack of documents.

"Here are the final ten sets of documents. Is there anyone who still needs them?"

As Hesper raised her hand to indicate that she did, Sophia looked over and saw her seated in a red dress, smiling and waving at her with what seemed like a hint of mockery.

Sophia never expected to encounter Hesper during her lowest moment. She clenched her teeth so hard that they were close to grinding down. Despite this, in front of so many people, especially Rickard, she had to hold back her anger and approach Hesper to hand over the documents.

Hesper scolded Sophia. "Don't you have any manners?"

"Don't push it," Sophia replied.

Hesper was slightly surprised, "So this is how your company treats its guests. You claimed it was a sincere gesture earlier, but now even a low-level employee can speak to me so disrespectfully."

Except for Rickard, Hesper, and Benji, no one else in the room knew Sophia's true identity. Upon hearing Hesper's words, everyone looked at Sophia with some anger in their eyes.

Sophia couldn't understand how this had turned into her issue when it was clear that Hesper was causing trouble for her.

She looked towards Rickard for help, but he stayed silent, gazing at Sophia as if he didn't recognize her at all.

This was the first time Sophia felt incredibly helpless. Hesper continued to stare at her as if she would begin the meeting only if Sophia apologized.

Softly, Sophia muttered, "I'm sorry." The room was completely silent. Although her voice was barely audible, everyone heard her.

"Sorry about what?"

Sophia jerked her head up.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 588

Chapter 588Hesper's eyes were cold and sharp, devoid of any trace of amusement. Each word she spoke felt like a blade slicing through Sophia's body. When Sophia remained silent, Hesper repeated herself. "Sorry about what?"

All eyes were on Sophia now, and she felt like she was being scrutinized by every single one of them. She clenched her fists, feeling a sharp pang of humiliation. She had never been so insulted in her life. She knew that Hesper was trying to humiliate her in front of everyone. What Sophia could not understand was why Rickard remained silent. Why did he not say anything to defend her? Did he not know that the humiliation she suffered would reflect on the Duval family's reputation?

"I… I'm sorry, Ms. Lane," Sophia said, her voice trembling with indignation. She spoke louder this time, but the anger in her tone was apparent.

Hesper did not let her off the hook. She rubbed her temples wearily and spoke again. "Too soft. I can't hear you."

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault, Ms. Lane!" Sophia shouted this time, glaring at Hesper. "Enough is enough. You're at the Duval group now, not your Lane Holdings. What are you trying to prove by humiliating me like this?"

Hesper kept her eyes closed, seemingly unfazed by Sophia's outburst. Sophia could not take it anymore and turned to Rickard for help.

"What else do you want me to do? I've already apologized. What more does she want from me? Does she want me to kneel down and beg for forgiveness?"

Rickard could not comprehend why Hesper was suddenly targeting Sophia, but he was aware that Hesper had been disgraced by Sophia and Julie before. Rickard believed that Sophia deserved Hesper's wrath since she and Julie had used more extreme methods to shame her in the past, such as making Hesper kneel down.

Since Sophia brought this on herself, Rickard was not going to help her anymore. He nodded and said, "Since Ms. Lane thinks that you're not sincere enough, you should just keep apologizing."

Sophia clenched her teeth and scanned the room. Benji was stationed on the sidelines, showing no signs of offering any assistance. Sophia understood that there was no one in the conference room who could come to her aid.

"Ms. Lane, I take full responsibility for this. Please accept my apologies and forgive me."

When Hesper still did not say anything, Sophia went down on her knees in front of her. Both of them were very close to each other now, and Hesper finally opened her eyes. Despite their beauty, her eyes lacked any warmth or emotion as they locked onto Sophia's hateful gaze.

Sophia had never felt so terrified by someone's gaze before, not even when facing a wrathful Rickard, as she knew that he would spare her due to their blood relationship. However, Hesper's cold, emotionless eyes made Sophia feel as if she had died many times over.

"Isn't this a good enough apology? Or do you enjoy bullying the weak and only know how to behave when you're on your knees?"

Hesper looked down on Sophia, feeling that she had not gone too far. After all, she had given both Sophia and Julie a lot of time and chances, but they insisted on going against her and making her remember her humiliating past.

The employees nearby kept their heads down and minds to themselves, all knowing that the employee must have offended Hesper before. Hesper looked away from Sophia and smiled.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. Let's start the meeting now."

Benji helped Sophia up and escorted her out of the room before returning to the meeting.

Hesper was ruthless to Sophia this time, aware that her reputation was her top concern. Despite this, Hesper forced her to kneel and apologize publicly in front of everyone, which was almost worse than killing her.

As if the little incident had never happened, Hesper and Rickard discussed the contract and came to a consensus smoothly. The nearby employees were a bit surprised. They had originally thought that Hesper was incompetent and that she was just relying on the power and wealth of the Lanes.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 589

The attendees were taken aback by Hesper's dominance throughout the meeting, leaving Rickard at a disadvantage. It seemed they had greatly underestimated her.

"Mr. Duval, if we continue like this, we'll get nowhere," Hesper interjected, halting the profit negotiation with Rickard. She proposed a figure. "This figure is most acceptable to both parties after my calculations. I believe your company has also estimated beforehand. If you disagree, you can suggest a different figure."

The rest of the people fell silent. They had planned the data previously and determined the optimal solution. They just didn't anticipate Hesper to be so precise; it matched their previous calculation exactly.

"You seem prepared, Ms. Lane," Rickard remarked.

In response, Hesper smiled and narrowed her eyes. "You laid so many traps for me, so it's only reasonable for me to be well-prepared."

"Traps?"

Hesper tilted her head and said, "Quit pretending, Mr. Duval. There are numerous employees present. If I expose them all, this meeting may not end well for you."

Rickard frowned, glancing at Benji, who quickly looked away. Pinching his nose, Rickard seemed to realize why Hesper was so angry when she visited this time. He assumed Hesper's request for cooperation was a coincidence, but now he recognized it was Benji's plan all along.

Observing Benji and Rickard, Hesper also realized that she may have misunderstood Rickard. However, birds of a feather flock together. If Rickard did not share those thoughts, Benji wouldn't have had the audacity to make the call.

As they exchanged glances in silence, the other staff watched apprehensively.

"Okay. Let's do what you said," Rickard said, finally making a decision.

The people in the meeting room breathed a sigh of relief. Once the price was established, several small teams collaborated and the contract was swiftly completed.

After carefully reviewing the contract, Hesper signed it without any hesitation.

"I hope our collaboration will be pleasant," she said.

"Same here," replied Rickard, extending his hand for a handshake.

Hesper shook it politely and added, "I have some pending tasks at the office, so I'll take my leave. I trust that you'll deliver the machines on time, Mr. Duval. Thank you."

Without wasting any time, Hesper pushed open the meeting room's door, only to come across Sophia. She didn't know whether Sophia had stayed there since leaving or had just coincidentally come by.

Raising an eyebrow, Hesper was about to say something, but Sophia simply lowered her head and walked away.

"Will you be driving back, Ms. Lane?" Benji asked as he caught up with her.

Hesper snapped out of her thoughts and replied, "Renee will come to pick me up."

When Benji heard Renee's name, he was momentarily taken aback. Clearing his throat, he awkwardly said, "Then please take care on the road, Ms. Lane."

"Are you telling me to be careful on the road or telling Renee to be careful on the road?" Hesper casually asked.

Benji widened his eyes in panic and stuttered, "H-How did you know? I… I haven't confessed yet."

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 590

Hesper gestured with frustration towards Benji, who wore a dumb expression, and shooed him away while he was still embarrassed by having his thoughts exposed.

'Is it that obvious that I like Renee?'

"What are you doing?"

Suddenly, Rickard's voice sounded from behind, stunning Benji. He quickly put away his embarrassed smile and said, "Nothing. Ms. Duval looks a bit upset. Should I go comfort her?"

"That's not necessary," Rickard said. "She's already at the age where she should be responsible for what she did. Otherwise, how can we manage things in the future? Letting her live under the protection of the Duvals all her life and constantly causing trouble?"

It was true that Julie did spoil Sophia to an excessive degree, and perhaps it was Julie's habits that shaped Sophia's personality. Both of them needed someone to keep an eye on them.

If not, if they could lose $450,000 to the gambling den that day, then they could lose the Duvals' entire wealth the next day.

Benji nodded understandingly, but Sophia was acting a bit strange that day. He did not know why but she was a bit too calm just now, and he did not have a good feeling about it.

*

After Hesper returned to the company, she presented the contract to Renee. Upon seeing that the contract matched their expectations, Renee's face lit up with a smile.

"This is fantastic news. We can now proceed with the Paradise Project," Renee said, knowing full well that the project was Lane Holdings' most significant undertaking. Failure to continue with the project would put the company in a precarious position.

"How is Ren doing?" Hesper asked.

Renee hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "The doctor says that his condition is still worsening, and Mr. Lane has yet to find a compatible bone marrow donor."

Hesper simply nodded at Renee's report, refraining from any further comments, and asked her to leave with the contract. It was true that Renfrew's condition was alarming, but Hesper knew she could not let herself collapse. She kept herself busy with work to keep such thoughts out of her mind.

Several days went by, and Renee felt increasingly concerned about Hesper's condition when she looked into her office. However, Hesper kept insisting that she was okay, and Renee could not interfere with her work schedule.

Thanks to the Duval Group's machines and technology supporting the Paradise Project, Lane Holdings swiftly returned to its former state at an unexpectedly rapid pace. Everything seemed to be heading in a positive direction, until the Duval Group suddenly made headlines in the news.

"The Duval Group's machines have malfunctioned?" Hesper furrowed her brows while looking at the news on her phone. She stood up and instructed, "Pause the Paradise Project for the moment. I need to speak with Rickard."

"Yes, Ms. Lane."

Hesper attempted to call Benji, but he did not answer. She guessed that Benji must be receiving numerous phone calls due to the Duval Group's situation, so she decided to call Rickard's personal phone instead.

After waiting for a brief period, Rickard answered the phone, and there was some background noise on his end. Before Hesper could speak, Rickard said, "Suspend the Paradise Project for now."

Hesper was taken aback. "Did the machines really malfunction?" Initially, she assumed that it was just fake news created by competitors. However, out of caution and to prevent Lane Holdings from suffering the same fate as the Duval Group, she halted the Paradise Project. She did not expect that the news was accurate.

Something was likely happening on Rickard's end, as it took him some time before he spoke again.