Ch. 601..610

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 601

Matthew, no longer caring about the agreement, immediately took the picture out of the file and stood up. He went upstairs, knocked on Arthur's door, and, after getting approval, went in and stood in front of Arthur.

Arthur was reading some papers on the couch. He removed his reading glasses and frowned. "What's the hurry?"

"I found this picture." Matthew didn't beat around the bush and immediately took out the picture, placing it in front of Arthur. "Who is the woman? Why have I never seen her in any pictures in our home? Why does she look so much like Hesper?"

Arthur froze when he saw the picture. Facing all the questions, he sighed. "I didn't think you would find it."

Arthur took the picture from him and scrutinize it then shook his head. "I destroyed everything about your mother except this. I didn't have the heart to do it, so I slipped it into a book. I don't know when the book went missing, but I guess it was fate that you found it."

Matthew was stunned. "My mother?"

Matthew suddenly came to the realization that he never heard anyone talk about his mother before. Even when his grandpa talked about the past, he rarely mentioned her.

Matthew's hand shook. "I don't think I know my mother's name."

Arthur sighed and handed the picture back to Matthew. He looked at the woman's face in the picture, but it was such an old picture, her face wasn't clear anymore.

"Her name is Elise Rivera."

That was an unfamiliar name. Matthew caught the key point. "She's a Rivera too… Is it a coincidence or… Is Hesper actually Rachael?"

"No," Arthur said. "Elise is Yolanda's sister. Hesper is the daughter of your Uncle Theo and Yolanda Rivera."

Matthew frowned. He had already confirmed it with Theodore. Hesper wasn't his daughter. So, why would Arthur say that? It was as if…

He was trying to misguide him?

Realizing that, Matthew subtly put the picture in his pocket.

"Did you know that Hesper's child is sick?" Matthew said, changing the topic. "He needs a bone marrow transplant to save his life, but we can't find a suitable donor in this country."

Arthur was silent.

"It's a shame. I've met that child and he's really clever and adorable. Talented too. I've tested Uncle Theo and Shawn, but they weren't matches. You're too old, so you wouldn't be qualified to be a donor. The doctor said that if he doesn't get his surgery soon, he won't live through winter."

Arthur closed his eyes sadly. Matthew was sure, so he didn't continue speaking and turned to leave the room. He then called his assistant.

"Arrange for a DNA test for me and Hesper."

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 602

Meanwhile, Hesper took a deep breath as she witnessed Julie and Sophia getting into a car and leaving Genecity. Ernest stood behind her and put a coat on her shoulders.

"I've heard Rickard say that you helped when Duval Group was in trouble." Ernest looked at the girl who he watched grow up. He didn't know when she started feeling like a stranger to him.

The stubborn eyes he saw at the orphanage now looked stronger too.

Hesper shook her head, deciding to be honest. "If we didn't solve that issue, Lane Holdings would be impacted too… Besides, Duval Group was also a result of your hard work, so I couldn't just stand by and watch."

Ricakrd stood beside them. Ernest looked at his disappointing grandson, then sighed and said, "I heard that Ren is sick. I haven't had the chance to visit him… How is he? He's a lucky boy. I'm sure he'll be alright."

Hesper and Ernest chatted for a while longer while Rickard just stood there.

"It's getting late, and I'm sure you have work to do," Ernest finally said. "You don't have to talk to this old man."

"Time flies by whenever I'm with you."

Hesper didn't want to leave, but taking such a long break was a luxury. She got up. "I'll visit you when I have time. Call me anytime if you need help."

"Alright." Ernest smiled, then looked toward Rickard. "Send her home."

Hesper knew he did that so they would spend time together, but the past was so long ago and too much had happened between them. To Hesper, it was a lifetime away.

Rickard paused but then nodded.

In truth, Rickard had contemplated carefully before sending Julie and Sophia away. Hesper, Julie, and Sophia had so many disagreements, so he didn't think that this was going to end so easily.

Rickard and Hesper were quiet on their journey to Hesper's place. She only said Lane Tower, but nothing else.

Rickard was trying to figure out why Hesper wouldn't speak. Was it because she thought she had things under control because of his love for her, or did she no longer want to be part of the game?

The sky turned dark. At the final traffic light, Hesper suddenly spoke.

"Rickard, let's let each other go."

The light turned red, so Rickard stopped the car and looked toward her.

She maintained her gaze forward while her stunning eyes were cast down, her lush eyelashes resembling a fan shielding her eyes from the light.

"Juniper, Julie, and Sophia, all the people who hurt me, have left my life. I suddenly feel tired."

Hesper sighed then calmly said, "Renfrew won't get used to living without you or me. Once he gets better, I'll agree to co-parent. This way, we don't have to see each other."

Rickard tapped on the steering wheel, sounding discontented. "What about me?"

Hesper looked at him with slight surprise then smirked. "I lost feelings for you a long time ago. I'm sure you can tell the difference between novelty and love, and stop hurting me."

Hearing her calm and sober tone, Rickard suddenly felt anxious, but he didn't know why.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 603

"So, you think you can toss me aside after completing your plan?"

"…What plan?"

So many confusing memories rushed into her mind. She seemed to have planned to make Rickard fall for her and then push the most painful, dullest knife into his chest.

However, Hesper had long given up on that plan.

She thought that it was ridiculous. She watched as Rickard parked in a slot next to the road, then turned and grabbed her wrist, holding her down against her seat.

His breath was so close, Hesper felt anxious but still looked calm.

"What are you trying to do?" she said.

Rickard tried to find traces of emotion on her face, but Hesper's eyes were as calm as a pond without ripples, gentle but quiet.

"Disgusting."

Hesper paused.

Rickard let go of her and sat back in his seat. "If we don't find a match for Ren's marrow, I'll do what Professor Miles says and take the medication that'll help me temporarily recover. We can't delay his surgery any longer."

The topic changed so quickly, but Hesper wanted to avoid the awkward situation, so she remained silent. She would willingly trade her life for Renfrew's if she could, so she didn't have the right to tell Rickad not to do that.

They sat there in silence until Hesper suddenly saw someone familiar outside the window.

"Unlock the door," she said.

"What?" Rickard didn't know what was going on but unlocked the door.

Hesper got out and grabbed Dianthe, who only had a backpack and looked haggard.

"Dianthe?"

Dianthe almost cried when she saw Hesper and clung onto her like a sloth to a tree. "Hessy! Please take me in!"

Hesper was confused, but Dianthe looked so emaciated, she wasn't sure if it was even her. She patted Dianthe's back and let her get into the car.

"Still going to Lane Tower?"

Even though Rickard didn't know who Dianthe was, he could tell that Hesper knew her, so he didn't ask questions.

Besides, seeing how she looked, it wasn't appropriate to ask what happened in the car. Hesper hesitated, then said, "Head to my apartment. You know the address."

"Yes." Rickard didn't deny it. He rolled up the privacy screen and let Hesper and Dianthe speak in private.

Dianthe, who sat next to Hesper, curiously looked at Rickard, but before she could get a good look, the privacy screen blocked her.

"What happened?"

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 604

Dianthe's temper flared at the question. She didn't care that the privacy screen only created a space between the front and back of the car, not blocking out noise. "It's all because of Rachael Lane. I saw her for who she was and refused to give her special treatment, so she set me up."

Hesper cleared her throat. Dianthe didn't get the hint and continued. "So much happened while you were abroad. I know you're very busy. Nathaniel… Let's not talk about him. Let's talk about Matt instead. He's a quiet one; I'm sure he hasn't told you anything."

Dianthe realized that she made a mistake by bringing up Nathaniel. Even though no one knew why the Tuckers disappeared, the Baylesses, Lanes, and Tuckers had a good relationship, so they knew what Nathaniel did. She looked down with guilt.

"It's alright, it's not your fault."

Hesper was very calm, so Dianthe was relieved. "Do you remember Ehren Sulzbach? His legs work now."

"They work now?" Hesper paused and remembered that Nathaniel and Ehren were quite close. Daybreak took Professor Miles because they wanted to cure someone's legs.

The timeline fitted. Was Professor Miles treating Ehren?

Was Ehren still in contact with Nathaniel then?

Hesper thought about it but Dianthe continued.

"We're not very close. Even though we're just acquaintances, I was glad when I found out that his legs were cured, but then our families started thinking about getting us married to each other." Dianthe seethed.

"I later found out that Rachael was the one who suggested this idea to my mother. She knew I wouldn't listen to my family's arrangements, so she tried to set me up."

Hesper frowned and cut her off. "Why did you have an issue with Rachael before? I heard that she's very sociable."

"Maybe because I'm not sociable." Dianthe pursed her lips. "Why else? I never liked her since we were kids. When I thought Rachael was you, I figured that I was too much of a brat when I was little. But turns out, Rachael became worse when she grew up. I don't know if it's because she wasn't taught manners…"

Hesper shook her head. Dianthe wrinkled her nose, paused, then continued. "I heard her talking behind your back behind closed doors, saying how she would eventually take your place."

None of that surprised Hesper, but Dianthe managed to catch her doing all that, so it wasn't a surprise that she was now a public enemy.

"I even have a recording."

Hesper blinked, then the two of them cleared their throats tacitly.

"So, you're… a runaway bride?"

Dianthe hung her head like a lost puppy. "Yes, I didn't know where to go after leaving Emperion. I remembered that you were back, so I wanted to go to Lane Tower to try my luck. Didn't expect you to pick me up on the way there."

Even though she felt a little helpless, Hesper still took her in. Rickard didn't speak the entire journey and quietly played the role of a driver. After getting out of the car and watching Rickard drive away, Dianthe leaned close to Hesper's ear.

"Your driver is so hot. He looks familiar though."

Hesper coughed and felt that she had to clear the air. "That's the CEO of Duval Group, not my driver."

Dianthe immediately became nosy, but then realizing that "the CEO of Duval Group" was Hesper's asshole of an ex, her expression changed. "Don't forgive him!"

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 605

Hesper was silent for a moment. "It was just a coincidence. I haven't forgiven him… Let's not talk about that. Let's go back and get you cleaned up. My current apartment is too small. I'll get Renee to find you a new place in two days."

"Thanks, Hessy!"

Dianthe forgot about the gossiping and follwed Hesper into the apartment.

A few days flew past and Matthew finally got the results of the DNA test.

The assistant placed the envelope in his hands. Standing in front of the window, Matthew hesitated then opened the envelope and took the report out.

He immediately went to the last line.

"Your guess was right. Ms. Rivera is actually your biological sister."

Seeing the result, the assistant was shocked too. However, since Matthew made him get the DNA test done in secret, it was obvious that Matthew had evidence Hesper was his sister.

Matthew balled up his fists and shoved the report back into the envelope, handing it to the assistant. "Destroy it."

"…Mr. Lane?"

When Matthew shook his head, the assistant didn't push it and took the envelope. "Is there anything else, Mr. Lane? By the way… Ms. Bayless seems to have run away from her marriage arrangement and is staying with Ms. Rivera."

"Dianthe Bayless?"

Matthew didn't know her that well, but he heard that she knew Hesper. When 'Rachael' first came back, Dianthe had boycotted her.

"As long as Hesper isn't hurt, just let her be. Protect Hesper from a distance and don't let anyone get close to her."

"Yes, sir."

The assistant walked out of the office. Matthew looked down and took the old picture out of his pocket. It had the unfamiliar faces of his parents. After a long moment, he looked up at the cloudless sky.

"I've finally found Rachael."

Even though he didn't know why Simon and Theodore Lane tried to hide Hesper's true identity from Grandpa, he believe that there must be a reason. He had to go back to the family home and ask Arthur about it.

However, what was more important at that moment was to find out if his marrow would be a match for Renfrew.

After making arrangements with the hospital, the results were soon out. Renfrew and Matthew actually matched. Since Matthew's health was in good condition, they made preparations for the surgery to be done in a week's time.

"I'm so glad…" Matthew's lips curled into a smile when he saw the results, and he immediately called Hesper.

"Matt?"

Hesper was curious when she saw who was calling.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 606

The document Hesper asked Matthew for a while ago hadn't been sent over yet, so she thought that he was too busy and had forgotten about her request. On top of that, with the issue of Halwart Factory, Hesper herself forgot about it too.

Hearing Hesper call her Matt again felt weird. Matthew never felt as happy before, but since there were other issues at play, he suppressed his joy.

"I found someone whose bone marrow matches Ren's. It's me."

Hesper was designing, but when she heard that, she dropped her pen. She asked with a shaky voice, "You found a match… and it's you?"

"Yes." Matthew wanted to be by her side to answer her question. "The doctor says I'm healthy and fit the criteria. As long as Renfrew gets the preparation needed, we'll be able to have the surgery in a week's time."

"Alright… I'm going to give the doctor a call," Hesper hung up and realized her fingers were shaking. Her heart was strung up, but she was rejoicing.

How could she be so lucky? The person they were trying so hard to find was so near.

When she spoke to the doctor, he became tongue-tied. Never once in his career did they find a match so quickly… Only the Lanes and Duvals could do it.

After recovering from the surprise, the doctor said, "Are we doing the surgery in Genecity? Renfrew's condition is fine, but the medical facilities in Emperion and Genecity are similar."

"We'll do it in Genecity."

Hesper didn't want to take the risk. If something happened on the way back to Emperion… At least the Duvals and Lanes were in Genecity. She and Rickard would do everything to make sure that the surgery was performed smoothly.

The doctor understood and said he would arrange for the surgery as soon as possible.

Hesper checked with the doctor previously. There was no doubt that Professor Miles was the best doctor. Now that everything was ready, all they needed was to wait for the week to come.

After thinking about it, Hesper sent a message to Rickard, as he was Renfrew's dad. He had the right to know about Renfrew's surgery.

"Alright, thanks." Rickard had decided to wait for a week before using his own bone marrow, but now there was a suitable match.

Hesper called Renee to get her to the hospital first.

"Young master's conditions…"

Renee saw how anxious Hesper was and her heart sank, but then she saw Hesper smile and shake her head. "The surgery can be performed. Matt's marrow is a match for Ren. Ren's going to be saved."

Renee was surprised when she heard that, then she became overjoyed.

On the way to the hospital, Renee subconsciously drove fast and almost passed the speed limit. Hesper had never seen her drive so fast before and realized that she wasn't the only anxious person.

When they got there, Renfrew was told that he would go into surgery soon. He smiled seeing how anxious Hesper was.

"I knew you'd find a way to save me. I wasn't afraid at all."

Hesper hugged him and her eyes looked determined. "You'll be fine. The surgery will be a success. I'll bring you out for lots of food and fun afterward."

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 607

"You're the best." Renfrew chuckled. "You can't suddenly disappear. You only see me on the phone."

Hesper patted his head with a pang of guilt.

Rickard rushed over. Seeing Hesper and Renfrew quietly embracing, he didn't want to break them up. He turned around and spoke to Benji. "Protect Ren at all costs. Where's Professor Miles?"

"I heard him say that he's staying with an old friend." Benji quickly continued. "Do you want me to bring him over to your home?"

"Yes, just in case."

Rickard nodded, so Benji immediately got in touch with Professor Miles and left the family of three in the room.

"Why is Daddy standing there by the door?" Renfrew suddenly asked.

That made Hesper turn around. She saw Rickard standing there, so she took a step back and touched her face to test the temperature. When she was sure that she didn't look embarrassed, she spoke.

"Matt will be here tomorrow, and the doctor agreed to perform the surgery within the week. The success rate is 80%. As long as his body doesn't reject the transplant after surgery—"

"Hesper." Rickard cut her off.

She looked up and saw that he was suddenly standing very close to her.

"There's no need to tell me," he said. "I'll speak to the doctor on my own. Take a seat and rest."

Hesper paused. She knew that she was anxious, so she took a deep breath and looked down. "I don't know where Nathaniel is. I'm worried that he will attack Ren."

The success rate of the surgery was very high, and since Professor Miles was the one performing the surgery, Hesper convinced herself to be positive. However, she was anxious because Nathaniel was constantly watching.

Nathaniel's expressionless face the other day by the river as he was about to kill Renfrew lingered in her mind.

It was like a nightmare.

To help Hesper relax, Renee brought Dianthe over.

Dianthe knew that Hesper's son was gravely unwell, so when she saw how fatigued Hesper was, she immediately walked over to hold her hand. When she did, Hesper finally snapped back to reality.

"Look at you. You might just break down before Renfrew recovers."

Dianthe thought Hesper was fearless. Seeing her this way for the first time made her heart ache.

A mother's love was so scarily powerful.

When Hesper looked up with tired eyes, Dianthe quickly said, "Renee tasked me with taking care of you today. All you need to do is rest. Don't work or worry about Renfrew."

Hesper seemed to listen to her. That was the first time Dianthe had to look after someone. She brought Hesper home and watched her get into bed. She was so obedient, she was a totally different person from her usual self.

Dianthe prayed in her heart that nothing would happen. Seeing Hesper's current state, if anything happened to Renfrew, she would definitely lose her mind.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 608

Matthew arrived at Genecity the next day. The only thing that didn't go smoothly was that he didn't see his grandpa. Theodore brought him back to his place the day before, and Simon was nowhere to be found.

Even though Matthew had reason to believe his family members were avoiding him, he still kept his secret. However, when he saw Rachael, he could no longer look as happy as he used to be.

He didn't know if 'Rachael Lane' at home even knew if she was the imposter. He could forgive her if she was forced into it, but she knew she wasn't the real deal, yet she did so much to harm Hesper…

Matthew would make her pay.

Hesper was nowhere to be seen at the airport, only Renee was there. Matthew curiously asked, "Where's Hesper?"

"She's unwell…"

Renee didn't expect Hesper to fall sick at this crucial time. Dianthe didn't know what to do. Hesper was fine the day before, but when she woke up the next day, she had a high fever.

Frowning, Matthew said, "Is she still staying at the apartment?"

"Yes," Renee replied. "We were planning to move to a new place after Ms. Bayless came over, but we didn't have the chance to."

The two went to the apartment. When Matthew saw Hesper, he frowned but didn't speak.

Dianthe was cooking soup in the kitchen. Since she had never stepped into the kitchen in her life, so she was considered a genius just by not setting the place on fire.

Dianthe felt guilty when she saw Matthew, but he didn't look affected. That meant he had already known she was there; perhaps the whole world knew where she went after she ran away from home.

As Matthew walked into the room, Renee walked to Dianthe and said, "Please take a rest, Ms. Bayless. I'll take care of the kitchen… I've ordered take out. It'll get here soon."

Matthew walked into the room and realized the blinds were drawn. Hesper, who lay in bed, sat up when she saw him. She didn't look sick.

"Hesper…" Before he could finish, he saw her shaking her head. Then she shook the note and pen in her hands.

Matthew understood. He walked over to feel her forehead and confirmed that she didn't have a fever. "How could you suddenly fall sick? I was away for just a few days…"

Hesper smiled then scribbled something on the paper.

Hesper: I'm just pretending to be sick. The room is bugged.

Matthew looked up in shock. Hesper shook her head then continued scribbling.

Hesper: We can keep the listening devices. I've checked and there aren't any surveillance devices.

Matthew: Did Nathaniel do this?

Hesper nodded. That was why she hadn't used her phone. If Nathaniel and his team were monitoring her apartment, Myriade would have a way of hacking into her phone.

Matthew: Why are you pretending to be sick?

Hepser lowered her gaze, then replied after some hesitation.

Hesper: Renfrew is vulnerable right now. If I'm 'sick', the attention will be on me, and Renfrew will be safe.

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 609

He knew something was up.

Matthew rubbed his temples as Hesper looked at him and shrugged, then put the pen and paper under her pillow so Matthew couldn't say anything more. He chuckled.

Now that he thought about it, Nathaniel knew Hesper was actually Rachael from the beginning. That was why Daybreak kept going after Hesper, making her a target.

Hesper thought Matthew would be angry, but not only was he not angry, he chuckled. She was confused. However, even before she found the listening device, she had made up her mind to pretend to be sick so that the attention would be on her.

Regardless of whether Matthew agreed, she would still carry on with the plan.

Matthew took the pen and paper from under the pillow, sighed, then wrote: I'll send someone to protect you. Don't worry about Ren either. The Lanes and Duvals are here, so no one will be able to take him away.

Hesper smiled and nodded.

A week soon passed. The surgery was the next day.

Hesper's 'sickness' lasted for a week and she didn't even go to work. Her condition made the people working at Lane Holdings' branch worry because they were just picking up again.

Renee knew Hesper's plan, but seeing the employees feel negative, she had to maintain the daily operations there. Before Renfrew went under the knife, she had to make sure the company stayed afloat.

Daybreak, which had been keeping an eye on them on the down low, thought that it was the best time to attack.

"Now that the Lanes and Duvals are focused on Renfrew Duval's surgery, we won't fail if we attack Hesper now." Carter looked at Nathaniel who was still hesitant and said, "You should grab Ms. Rivera now. You can do whatever you want with her after that. Matthew ran a DNA test, so it would be too late to act after Renfrew's surgery."

Nathaniel was still silent. Even though he didn't catch anything suspicious from their voice surveillance, Lane Holdings had suddenly fallen to chaos internally. Nathaniel felt that Hesper wouldn't have fallen sick so easily.

And why did it coincidentally happen during this time?

"Think about your parents, Big T!"

Nathaniel glared at Carter through the corner of his eye and his voice sounded frigid. "Since when do I take orders from you? Don't bring my parents into this."

Carter paused, knowing he made a mistake. He took a few steps back, but seeing how Nathaniel was going to miss the best time to act, he was unsatisfied.

"I'll go see Hesper with Carter. Big T should go see Renfrew with Riley," 013 suddenly said as he kept his eyes on Nathaniel. "If Hesper really is gravely sick, the two of us would be enough. If Hesper is just pretending and we can't get her, our mission will still be accomplished if we have Renfrew."

"No."

The group all looked toward Nathaniel.

"You and Riley only want to kill Hesper," he said. "If I'm not around, you won't let her off."

"No," 013 said without hesitation. "She has severely affected your ability to make decisions. If I get the chance, she'll be the first I kill."

A Spoonful of Sugar: Don’t Beg for Love Chapter 610

They were in a stalemate. Carter stepped forward to calm the situation. "How's this? Why don't I go with Big T to get Hesper while 013 and Riley go get Renfrew?"

013 and Nathaniel didn't say anything at first. Then Nathaniel finally nodded. "Alright, let's do that."

"I hope you'll do what needs to be done." 013 coldly stood up and walked past Nathaniel. "You feel like a stranger to me. Is Hesper Rivera really so important to you? They don't have the guts to talk about this, but I do. Don't forget Uncle Idris and Aunt Lucille are looking down at you from heaven. When are you going to avenge them?"

"Enough." Nathaniel's face turned cold. "Don't address them the way Set does. You don't deserve to."

The air froze again. Carter scratched his head and made eyes with Riley. Riley grabbed 013 and left, leaving Carter and Nathaniel.

Carter understood Nathaniel because he had someone he loved dearly too. He was going to say something to cheer him up, but Nathaniel stood up.

"There's no need to say anything more. We'll leave at dawn."

"What? This dawn?"

Nathaniel opened the door, leaving him standing there.

"Why didn't you give me a chance to speak? I'm really good at counseling."

With one day left till the surgery, Hesper felt uneasy.

She tried hard to convince herself that Renfrew was safe because a lot of people were keeping their eyes on him, so nothing could happen. However, she kept dreaming about the other night.

In her dream, she didn't manage to stop Nathaniel from throwing Renfrew into the river. Renfrew struggled in the river, keeping his eyes on her, questioning why she wasn't trying to save him.

Rickard had been staying by Renfrew's room twenty-four hours. Matthew had gone into the control room, so there shouldn't be a problem. However, Hesper still had the dream that would make her break down.

When she woke up again, it was midnight. Hesper tossed around in bed and when she couldn't stand it anymore, she texted Rickard to ask about the situation there.

Rickard replied very quickly.

[Rickard: Everything is alright.]

Seeing the three words on her screen, she felt calmer. When she closed her eyes again, she didn't go back to the nightmare. Instead, she fell into a deep slumber and stopped dreaming.

At that moment, two people went upstairs through the elevator.

Nathaniel saw the message informing him that 013 and Riley had arrived at the hospital. He pulled his hat lower and turned to give Carter a signal to tell him that they were ready.

There were guards with Hesper but not a lot of them. The men Nathaniel brought were enough to eliminate them, but they were worried that Rickard would send more men when he found out what happened.

Genecity was Rickard's turf, so they were behind enemy lines. They might have trouble taking Hesper or, worse, get killed in the process.

That was why they had to start with Renfrew so the firepower was focused there. That way, they could be confident that they could take Hesper away even if the guards there left.

Meanwhile, right after replying to Hesper's message, Rickard stood up and looked at Renfrew, who was fast asleep. Rickard stretched out his hand and pulled the blanket to cover him better.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard outside. Rickard frowned and walked to the door.

There shouldn't be people walking around there. It seemed that even though Hesper tried to distract them, Daybreak still showed up at the hospital.

Rickard sounded the alarm, and at the same moment, the door was forcefully opened. Renfrew woke up from his dream and realized that his dad was just a foot away from him. Rickard clenched his jaw and pulled Renfrew into his arms.