Ch. 371..375: Begging For A Reconciliation Chapter 371-375

Chapter 371 Keep Moving Forward

"We managed to find out where Serena was actually being held by eavesdropping on Anna. We've rescued her now. It's lucky Han and the others weren't able to stop us." Shawn had prepared his explanation in advance and glanced at Leah, his gaze pregnant with meaning.

The face-altering technology used on the surveillance video was perfect and seamless. By right, Leah should not sense anything off or suspicious. What had happened, though, after his last conversation with her…?

"I see…" Leah's eyes darkened slightly, and her heart felt like a stone. If Hendrik had not told her what was really going on, she was sure Shawn would have kept her in the dark.

Between Shawn and Hendrik, somehow she felt that Hendrik was more trustworthy. Perhaps the man had his own agenda as well, but he had said himself that he meant her no harm. If it hadn't been for him, she would have been unable to leave Qustraebar, nor would she have been able to forge a long- term collaboration with the HJ Corporation.

"Thank you." She pulled herself together and thanked Shawn, not letting on that she knew about his deception. The most important thing was that deep in her heart, she did not believe Han would use such despicable means to get even with her. Ever since Alfred's death, she could sense his deep grief. He knew the pain of losing a friend, so he would never harm Serena to achieve his goal of revenge.

When Shawn saw that Leah was no longer uneasy, his own suspicions vanished as well. "Why don't you stay and look after her, Sarah? I'll send some security personnel over for your protection. I need to get back to work now."

"Okay."

Leah's tense nerves relaxed only after Shawn's departure. Her gaze was bleak. If this continued, all her close friends would end up like Alfred…

She did not think she could shoulder the weight of such a heavy responsibility.

The magnificent sunset was now hidden by dark clouds. It looked as if it would rain soon.

Leah closed the windows in the hospital room so that any rain would not pelt in. Seeing that Serena was still unconscious, she picked up her phone and deliberated for a long time before she sent a short message to Hendrik. It read, "Hendrik, have you ever lost anyone important to you, like friends or family?"

"Yes." His reply came back seconds later.

Leah gripped her phone tightly, and she pressed her lips together. She texted back, "How did you overcome the sadness?"

Alfred's death was like a sharp thorn embedded deep in her heart; every time she thought about him, it hurt her beyond measure. A young, vibrant life had been lost, all because of someone like her. His sacrifice was truly not worth it.

Hendrik answered her in just a short while. "You must look ahead. Don't stop moving."

This brief reply pierced through the confusion in Leah's heart, bringing clarity to her thoughts. She stared dumbly at the message, and large tears began rolling down her cheeks.

She had to look ahead now…

She had been so bound up in her grief and sorrow that she had been unable to move on, going about her everyday life like a zombie. Even though she had signed an agreement with the HJ Corporation to collaborate long-term, she had not really entertained any grand ambitions or big dreams. She had only thought about making more money so she could pay off her debt to Han, trying to get through each day as best as she could.

She had not realized until now that after Alfred's death, she had completely stopped moving forward and was merely stagnating in place.

After this conversation with Hendrik, Leah felt as if she had somehow become much closer to him. It was as if she were reborn; now she needed to find herself again. Even if the memories were bitter and painful, she would always remember the gallant man who sacrificed his life for her. From there, she would rebuild her life.

Night was fast approaching; it had started to drizzle, and the air was much chillier now. Leah smoothed down Serena's blanket and decided to go down to buy some food. She had not had her dinner yet. In truth, it had been a long, long time since she had eaten a good meal or slept well.

"Leah."

As soon as she came out of Serena's room, a familiar voice drifted through the dim corridor, startling

her so much that she let out a muffled shriek. Unsettled and in a state of panic, she stared at Han, having no idea when he had arrived. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see if you were idiotic enough to torture yourself by not eating dinner," Han retorted condescendingly, his gaze frosty with disapproval. His eyes were mesmerizing under the dim lights and somehow utterly irresistible. Leah found she could not tear her gaze away.

Her mind was torn by conflicting emotions. "Why are you genuinely trying to help me…?" It did not matter whether it was last night's affair or trying to rescue Serena today; Han might not have been able to rescue her friend after all, but he had tried his best to do so.

Han's lips curled in a faintly mocking smile. "What, this time, you don't think I engineered the entire scheme for my own ends?"

His pointed jibe made Leah's cheeks pale very slightly. Twisting her fingers together, she replied, "If there's nothing more, I'll be on my way." She was afraid he might take it into his head to argue with her again, and she did not want to disturb Serena.

"One last warning. Break off your relationship with Shawn as soon as possible." Han grasped her arm, his voice cold.

"I know…" Somehow, his overbearing demand did not fill Leah with fury and dissatisfaction. She merely nodded.

Han was slightly thrown by her tame acquiescence. However, he merely frowned and escorted her to his car. "You're coming with me. I'll have someone guard Serena."

When they arrived home, the family doctor had already been waiting for some time. He changed Leah's bandages and smiled at her in a comforting manner. "There's no need to worry, Mrs. Howard. You can take the bandages off tonight, and by tomorrow you can use your hand like normal. However, try to avoid getting it wet."

Leah blinked, startled at how the doctor addressed her. "I'm not his wife, you're mis…"

"Mrs. Howard, you can't hide it from me, you know. Mr. Howard had these special medications sent back here via expedited delivery. At great effort and expense as well, I have to add…"

Han, who had been quietly enjoying the sight of Leah's embarrassment, suddenly looked black as thunder. "That's enough!"

After the doctor had gone, Leah looked at her hands, her mind a whirl of conflicted emotions. "Why did you do all this?" She was truly shocked; she had never expected Han to be so concerned about her.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm disgusted by your little ruse; using your injuries to try and worm your way into my confidence." Han turned and left without a second glance.

This time, however, his cutting words did not upset Leah. Instead, she stood there for a long time, staring dumbly in the direction he had gone.

His actions did not reflect his cold, abominable attitude toward her; she had escaped from harm so many times because of his help, whether covert or overt. Even when he had forcibly taken Carlotta away and made her keep her distance from Anna, these things had, in fact, helped her.

…

Shawn sat at his office desk facing Jackson. When he thought about what Leah had asked earlier, he felt somewhat disturbed, as well as a vague sense of unease. This situation had not altered his relationship with Sarah in the least; in fact, it seemed to push them even further apart.

"How are preparations going?" He glanced at his assistant, who hastily reported, "We've blamed Serena's kidnapping entirely on Anna. Ms. White won't suspect us."

Shawn's expression relaxed slightly. Turning to Jackson, he inquired, "Have you been able to find out anything about Hendrik's actual appearance yet?"

Jackson spat on the floor in annoyance. "No, I haven't been able to find a thing. Even if he's been captured on surveillance cameras, he wears a mask, so no one has any idea what he looks like. However, I did manage to dig up something interesting…"

Shawn frowned. "What is it?"

Jackson's smile held a hint of malicious teasing. "Hendrik seems to have some sort of connection to your Sarah White. In Qustraebar, he repeatedly helped her. My thought is that he may also have given Sarah the White Group…"

Chapter 372 Betrayer

“Bang!” Shawn slapped the table angrily in response to Jackson's words.

His face was tense and frightened, “How could Sarah have anything to do with him? I was in Qustraebar, so how did I not know about this?"

“It is natural you can’t hear the story because Hendrik doesn’t want you to know.” Jackson sneered leisurely.

"Now that we're getting down to business, maybe Sarah can introduce you to each other because she knows Hendrik so well." Jackson went on.

This proposal irritated Shawn for no apparent reason.

"Are you trying to tell me that Hendrik has also taken a fancy to Sarah!" he exclaimed, grabbing and smashing the teacup.

Han Howard was enough to irritate him, and now another powerful Hendrik appeared out of nowhere.

"Thinking about that, Han is under Mr. Lancaster's protection," Jackson said calmly, opposite to Shawn's erratic behavior.

“So, you're unlikely to be able to restrain him." He resumed.

"You can work with Hendrik to sever Han and Mr. Lancaster's trust and annex his property so you can

compete with Hendrik." Jackson proposed.

"Utilize everything, including the one you love." He threw him some hints.

Shawn quickly grasped the pros and cons and narrowed his eyes, "So, maybe we can start with Sarah and ask for her assistance in introducing us..."

After careful consideration, he contacted Lucy and requested Leah's schedule.

The following afternoon, Leah paid Serena a visit to the hospital.

Leah felt terrible after she saw Serena awaken and stare blankly at her dislocated right hand.

She approached the bed's side.

"I apologize, Serena. You're in pain again because of me..." Leah expressed regret.

“This isn't your fault, Sarah.” Serena shook her head and comforted her, feigning indifference.

“This morning, a police officer came by. They informed me that they had apprehended the mastermind, and their motive is the money." She informed.

"However, I just had someone look into the mastermind. These are Anna's ducklings. We have no proof that she did it. It's a shame we can't lock her up..." Serena explained.

Leah was astounded, “Is it, Anna?”

She realized what Shawn had told her the day before was correct. Hendrik, on the other hand, provided evidence that Shawn was the true culprit.

Again, her mind was clouded by a daze. Hendrik seemed trustworthy after the conversation yesterday, but now it appeared that Shawn might also be innocent.

"I want you to leave the studio and live a better life, Serena. You will certainly defy it." Leah returned to the subject.

"Don't you dare say it. I'm Serena Coleman," she snorted coldly. “I'm not going to run away from a bad woman like Anna!"

Serena's righteous indignation had caused Leah to helplessly smile, "Well then, get well soon and come back to work."

After a brief conversation with Serena, Leah was ready to return to the drawing studio.

Shawn was waiting for her when she arrived downstairs at the hospital.

"Sarah, please allow me to drive you back to the studio." Shawn gave her a friendly smile and opened the car door for her.

She stared at him for a moment, wondering how he knew she was in the hospital.

"I've called a cab, thank you." She politely and awkwardly declined.

Shawn appeared to have sent bodyguards to protect her secretly while monitoring her.

"I have a question for you, Sarah...” Shawn asked.

"Do you know who Hendrik is?" He was in her way, and his face was difficult to see in the blazing sun.

"I've heard of him," Leah replied, startled and frowning.

The news that Hendrik had saved her in Qustraebar had slowly spread throughout these people.

Shawn did not believe her response and assumed she refused to admit it.

"Well, do you have time tonight?" He did not press on her.

“Let's go out to eat and bring Charlotte. I've been missing her a little." He invited.

He smiled and changed the subject, but Leah was perplexed. "Charlotte is currently with Han; I can't bring her out."

"Maybe next time." Leah declined his invitation.

She said her goodbyes and took a cab back to the studio.

When Shawn inquired about Hendrik, her intuition told her that he was up to something else.

For the time being, it appeared that she should avoid him.

The more she tried to avoid Shawn, the more she saw him.

Whether out meeting clients or going to the hospital to see Serena in the middle of the night, she always bumped into him, intentionally or unintentionally.

Something wasn't quite right.

She ditched him once more and returned to her studio room with a solemn expression.

She allowed Ben to arrange for another bodyguard to stand in for Shawn's bodyguards who had been sent to monitor her. She couldn't possibly have such a high chance of meeting him.

Only those in the studio knew where she went at all times.

In the middle of the night, the icy night rain washed away the day's residual heat in the air.

Lucy informed Shawn of the latest developments in her room on the top floor of the studio.

"That’s enough, Mr. Shawn. If this keeps up, Ms. White will doubt me..." Lucy choked with sobs.

She didn't want Ms. White to get it wrong.

Shawn would never give up easily if his goal was not met.

"Have you forgotten who you are? You appear to be siding with Sarah now." He warned and his eyes were hardened.

"I..." Lucy panicked.

After a long pause, she realized she couldn't escape the Fords and replied dimly, "Got it."

After the call, Lucy collapsed helplessly and wanted to cry.

She hoped Ms. White would not discover she had betrayed her.

At this moment, she tensed up and turned around because she could hear rustling footsteps behind her.

Only a dim wall lamp provided some light in the room. She did not turn on the light in the room.

"Ms. White..." Lucy's face turned pale and ashen as she noticed Leah approaching her slowly.

Lucy reasoned that Ms. White would not hear the phone call just now.

"Lucy, usually there are spare keys for the room," Leah said sarcastically as she stood still in front of her and threw the keys.

"I never thought it was you..." Her eyes welling up with tears.

Leah felt a dull ache as she was betrayed by someone she trusted.

She never questioned her trust when living with Lucy for the past few years.

She had only told Lucy about meeting with a client the day before when no one else was in the office.

She was skeptical after meeting Shawn again yesterday.

"I’m sorry, Ms. White! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!" Lucy became alarmed when she noticed her disappointing eye.

She quickly knelt and wrapped her arms around Leah's leg, pleading for mercy.

Lucy’s hot tears soaked through her suit pants and also punctured her heart.

"Stand up and don't apologize. I appreciate everything you've done for Charlotte over the years..." Leah couldn't help but turn her head away from Lucy and pull her up.

"Ms. White, I didn't mean any harm." Lucy was aware of being driven away.

She was flustered, tears falling even harder.

“I simply informed Mr. Shawn of your schedule. I want you to reconcile and help Charlotte with a complete family..."Lucy choked with sobs.

 

Chapter 373 Onlooker

“Pack your stuff and return to the Ford family tomorrow.”, Leah ordered. She turned away from Lucy’s pledging.

“I’m sorry, Ms. White…” Lucy felt distressed.

She should have known this day would come after she promised Mr. Shawn to spy on Ms. White’s movement.

The following day, Leah did not inform the other members of the real reason for Lucy’s departure.

“Lucy is returning to assist the Ford family for the time being. Everyone continues to work hard.” She found an excuse to keep Lucy’s image alive in everyone’s hearts.

It was her tenderness.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Lucy stood her back to the door and carried her suitcase. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she kept muttering.

After she left, the studio went back to normal. Leah visited Serena in the hospital and informed her of Lucy's departure.

"Sarah, I saw the video of Lucy leaving that another employee sent me," Serena puzzled. "What is causing her to cry so hard?"

"What in the world happened last night?" Serena inquired.

Leah’s eyes flickered slightly; her lips moved but hesitated to speak.

“She may never come back here to work again, so she is upset.” She comforted with a smile. She decided to hold back from telling Serena the truth.

She knew that Lucy had no malicious intent. But she not only ruined herself but also implicated Serena and possibly other employees in the future.

It was one of her red lines that couldn't be crossed.

Maybe Lucy mistook helping Shawn for helping herself. She didn't need this kind of imposed help.

“How are you feeling today, Serena?” Leah asked calmly to change the subject.

“I think I can be discharged from the hospital today.” Serena smiled cheerfully. She did not take Lucy’s matter to heart.

Leah’s face sank slightly, “No, the doctor said you have to stay for ten days.”

“All right then.” Serena smiled helplessly after noticed her being serious.

“How’s your current relationship with Han? Did you fall in love with him again after becoming acquainted?” Serena was being curious.

This unexpected topic perplexed Leah, and she could not help but recall that ambiguous night. Her cheeks flushed slightly.

"No, it is still the same," She shook her head. “Everything he did to me was for vengeance."

This was the reason that made Leah's fervent heart to gradually cool. The light in her eyes faded.

"Sometimes, I think Han is not as cold-blooded and heartless as he appears," Serena frowned.

"Let's not go there; I've decided to live a good life in the future." Leah smiled mockingly. She also felt the same way about him.

Her beautiful peach blossom eyes twinkled with light.

"After this incident, my baby girl has grown up..." Serena was pleased to see her rare appearance of vitality.

This also meant that she had finally gained clarity and decided to move on from the pain of the past.

"I'm not your daughter!" Leah declared angrily.

"How did you finally get over it?" Serena asked. Her pale face dyed with a hint of healthy rosy color.

"I did it after speaking with Hendrik." Leah was being honest.

Serena was stunned and let out a light sigh at first. " The same Mr. Hendrik that I thought?"

Her eyes shrank in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Leah was perplexed by her imposing demeanor. “Is there anything wrong with him?"

"It's a huge problem!" exclaimed Serena.

"For example?" Leah was stumped.

"That's the legendary Mr. Hendrik! How did he become one of your closest friends?" Serena looked at her befuddled expression for a moment before exclaiming angrily.

It turned out to be the source of the problem.

"I met him in Qustraebar," Leah said with relief. “He recognized me and offered to assist me several times. I asked him why he had approached me, but he refused to talk. He just stated that he would not harm me."

Serena was perplexed, "He knows you? Is it possible that he likes you?"

"After Shawn, Donald, and Ian, will this mister drop by every day at the studio?"

Serena smiled broadly, recalling a scene where several men competed for a woman.

It appeared that the days ahead would not be bored.

"What are you thinking, Serena?" Leah’s face darkened. “We are just buddies."

"You're more than Ian's friend!" Serena replied.

This person was always the onlooker on the front lines.

Leah suddenly remembered prime details to share. "Serena, you and everyone should try to keep a distance from Shawn from now on," she said, putting on a serious face.

"Because what happened to you this time appears to be related to him. Keep in mind..."

"Understood." Serena nodded. She concerned of her stern warning despite surprised at Shawn actions.

She had a sneaking suspicion that something was wrong.

Lucy sudden departure at a time when the studio flooded with orders was, after all, suspicious.

She would not press her if Leah refused to speak.

"I'll go buy you lunch then," Leah smiled. “You can relax here and call me if anything comes up."

After purchasing a meal, Leah walked on the green sidewalk of the city roads as golden autumn leaves fell.

She was a little worried because the gloomy autumn scenery meant that another year was about to pass.

What Hendrik had told her would come to light at this appointed time.

"Uh-huh, move on..." she took a deep breath.

“Young lady.”

A frail and elderly voice cut her off.

The sudden appearance of the voice startled Leah, and she looked sideways at the elderly woman who was a head shorter than her, "What's the matter, Grandma?"

A gentle smile spread across her delicate face, and a defenseless look fell into the woman's eyes, with a deep smile flashing across her eyes.

"Young lady, I'm starving. "Can you buy me a meal at that restaurant?"

"You can eat this, Grandma," Leah hurriedly handed her takeaway. “I'll get another..."

"It's just two hundred meters ahead.” She explained with a guilty expression.

“The food is very cheap and won't cost you too much. This one is too expensive; you keep that to yourself.” The elderly woman pushed the takeaway back into Leah’s arms.

Leah finally gave in to the woman's wishes and went with her to a restaurant not far ahead.

It was noon now, and there were many people on the street, so she didn't suspect anything else at all.

It wasn't until the old woman shoved her into the frozen warehouse in the restaurant as soon as she

walked in that she realized she had been duped.

Leah was dumbfounded.

When she looked at the closed cold storage door, her eyes turned red with resentment.

She treated the older woman with sincerity and didn't expect to be hurt.

Before she could respond, all of the air conditioners in the cold storage began to blow cold air, causing the temperature to drop.

She would die if this continues.

Chapter 374 Same person

Leah initially desired to contact Serena or Donald.

Unfortunately, there was no signal inside the cold storage, and only emergency calls were enabled.

She had no choice but to call the police.

“Sorry, the number you dialed is busy…”

All of the emergency lines were busy, no matter how many times she tried to call other branches.

She was in poor health, and her hands were so cold that they were numb.

Leah squatted helplessly on the floor, afraid of running out of breath, and hammered feebly on the cold storage door.

“Let me out…” she shrieked.

A solid sound from the cold storage door demonstrated that the sound insulation effect was good.

Serena, who hadn’t seen her in a long time, panicked as half an hour flew by.

Her right eyelid twitched, and she was restless due to strong uneasiness.

She dialed Leah’s number to alleviate her anxiety. However, all that was heard was a cold system voice

saying that no one had answered.

She panicked and quickly contacted others to assist in her search.

Her fingertip landed on Shawn’s contact in the address book, but she chose Han instead.

Serena thought Han wouldn’t be a bad person at all, looking at the way he kept the secret of Alfred’s death from Sarah,

“What’s the matter?”, Han inquired coldly not long after the phone call was connected.

“Sarah appears to have vanished. She said she went out to get food and hasn’t returned, and her phone isn’t working. Can you assist me in locating her?” Serena explained clearly and was on the verge of crying.

“Got it,” Han replied instantly.

Serena was unable to remain calm following the phone call. She ripped off the cannula and rolled out of bed as quickly as she could.

Her head became dizzy as a result of the excessive range of motion.

She had intended to find Leah at first but changed her mind shortly after sprang out of the hospital.

Something wasn’t right!

Serena reasoned carefully that whoever was after Sarah would undoubtedly find her as well.

If she went out looking for Sarah defenseless, she would have squandered her chances of survival.

The most important thing she needed to do now protected herself to save Sarah.

As a result, Serena took a cab to the police station.

She had to hide out in the police station for a while, whether they came after her or not.

Her intuition was right. As soon as she stepped into the cab, several nurses broke into her room under the guise of making the rounds.

The fake nurses' faces darkened as they looked at the empty beds, "She ran away? Turn on the surveillance and quickly bring her back to the higher-ups! Otherwise, it's not going to end well for us."

…

As soon as Shawn finished the meeting, his assistant stopped him.

"Boss, something doesn't seem right with Ms. White. Our bodyguards on the sly discovered that she had entered a restaurant and had not yet exited." His assistant informed him.

"Do you need to ask me about this?" "Do bodyguards serve no purpose?" Shawn was in bellicose form.

The strong coercion caused the assistant to break out in a cold sweat, "Forgive me, boss. It's just that the circumstances are unique right now."

"I have considered that Mr.Ford has the plan to cooperate with Mr. Hendrik, but he appears to be involved with Ms. White. I’m afraid that saving Ms. White will arouse his hostility." His assistant worried.

"Right. The whole Linkville knows she's Ms. Ford, there's no reason why Hendrik shouldn't know," Shawn frowned.

Finally, he ordered the bodyguards to rescue Leah.

When his bodyguards arrived, Leah had already been rescued.

"Mr. Ford, all of the surveillance cameras in the area were disrupted and unable to function normally, so we didn't get any footage of who took Ms. White away." The bodyguards revealed.

“Bang!” This wasn't what Shawn wanted to hear, and he slammed down all the documents on the table.

"Is there any news about Han?" His eyes were cold.

He couldn't think of anyone else with such exceptional ability, except for Han Howard.

"Nothing new, saying he was on a business trip in another city." His assistant responded politely.

"According to our findings, Mr. Hendrik could be the one behind this incident. He has, after all, arrived in Linkville..."

"Hendrik?" Shawn's expression changed.

Seemed like the rumor was true about Hendrik falling for Sarah.

"Darn it!" he grumbled.

He planned to cooperate with either Hendrik or Han and achieved his goal of controlling one side and then annexing both sides.

He hadn't expected these two people to fall in love with Sarah.

When Jackson saw Shawn's unkind expression at the office, he frowned. “Enough! A mere woman is just a pawn to expand your business empire, take it easy."

"I have some more important news for you..." Jackson uttered.

Shawn shifted his emotions. "What's the matter?" he asked, his face glum.

Jackson took the seat across from him, “I have cultivated a spy over the years, and usually collect information for me.” He said coldly.

“However, he told me today that Hendrik is most likely Han Howard.”

Shawn’s eyes shrank in surprise, “What did you say!?”

“Han Howard is Hendrik?”

No, this was impossible.

He was agitated, and a chill crept up from behind him.

If they were the same person, he was in grave danger.

Jackson was hesitant and said, "I'm not certain about this. My informant just told me that he once saw Han and Hendrik enter and exit an ancient castle in Qustraebar."

"Others knew this old castle was under Hendrik's name but hadn't seen both of them going in and out at the same time. Han will vanish every time Hendrik appears..."

Shawn felt better, but his brow remained furrowed. "I doubt it's the same person. After all, Han has been exiled abroad for the last few years, and achieving such a great achievement as Hendrik in such a short time is impossible."

"However, the likelihood of their cooperation is high." Jackson explained further.

"It appears that we will be unable to persuade any of them to cooperate." Jackson gave a nod.

"We need to switch strategic partners!" Shawn agreed.

…

Leah passed out after a half-hour of being frozen in the freezer.

When she awoke, she was once again in a dimly lit room. She groped her way out of bed, looking for the light switch in the room.

She sat exhausted on the floor after failing to locate the switch after much groping.

She had been removed from the cold storage, but it was not certain that she had been rescued.

She must confirm the current situation.

“Thud!” The lights in the room unexpectedly turned on just as she was thinking.

A thin figure appeared at the door.

The man was dressed in a black windbreaker and a stunningly detailed retro black iron mask. He just stood there, and no one could take their gaze away from him.

" Who are you?" Leah stood up in a daze. She was exhausted.

She couldn't stop coughing. It was probably suffering from the cold.

The man took a step forward and approached her slowly, accompanied by a strong sense of oppression reminiscent of hell.

"You can't even take good care of yourself," he said condescendingly as he stood still in front of Leah.

The familiar tone startled Leah; she took a few steps back.

"Who are you? Why did you lock me up here?" She coughed and repeatedly asked.

“Hendrik.” The man sneered softly.

Chapter 375 I Want a Baby Brother

Leah looked up at the man in a confused state when she heard his name and asked, "You're Hendrik?"

Was it Hendrik who had befriended her?

"If not?"

Leah paused as she studied the mask on his face with a puzzled expression. "What's your relationship with Shawn?" she inquired.

She might as well ask her questions now that he had appeared before her.

There must be a reason Shawn was so determined to find him!

"I have nothing to do with him," the man said nonchalantly.

Leah had never heard this person's voice before, but something about it felt strangely familiar, especially the faint scent coming from Hendrik's body. The scent was uncannily similar to the one Han always wore.

She suddenly had the ridiculous thought that they might be the same person.

However, she was quick to dismiss that theory.

Unlike Hendrik who was so gentle, Han would do everything he could to torment her. Even though they

both had a cold demeanor, Hendrik would always answer her questions patiently, console her, and encourage her to always look forward.

"Thank you for saving me. I should go back." Leah gave her heartfelt thanks.

She did not expect him to show up in Linkville only to save her yet again.

He was the hero as portrayed in the movies, always appearing to save the leading female character.

She staggered away from Hendrik, wanting to leave, but her arms were immediately grabbed. When her skin came into contact with his touch, the familiar sensation sent tingles to the base of her skull.

Helpless, Leah had no choice. She turned around with a smile on her face and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Hendrik dragged her downstairs to the dining area and told her, "Eat first before you go."

A table of exquisite dishes greeted her, most of which were her favorites.

Leah was shocked to the core. "How do you know I like to eat these?" she asked, her gaze fixed on Hendrik's mask.

"If I set my mind to think, I would know," Hendrik replied as he sat her on the seat.

He didn't eat. He just sat there quietly, watching Leah eat.

He wouldn't let her go until she was done eating. "We're still in Linkville. A car is waiting outside to take you back," he explained.

Leah stood in front of Hendrik with a serious expression as he turned to walk away. "There's something I'd like to know," she said.

She moved closer to him, almost touching him.

"What is it?" Hendrik asked, his brows slightly furrowed beneath the mask.

"Come a little closer," Leah said, motioning for him to lower his head.

Hendrik complied but didn't say anything, as if he had read her mind.

Leah gave him a long look, then slowly said, "I want to know who is behind this mask…"

She reached out and grabbed his mask to remove it before she had even finished speaking.

A slender hand, however, reached out and grabbed her hand. On both hands, Hendrik wore black suede gloves similar to those of noblemen. Even though the gloves were on, Leah could feel his sweltering body heat.

"Don't be so impatient. When I get a chance, I'll show you." Hendrik's cold voice had a playful tone to it.

Leah blushed and pulled her hand back with embarrassment. She immediately followed up with, "I'm sorry. Are we still friends?"

She always felt that Hendrik was not as terrifying as people had made him out to be, even if they had only been texting back and forth over the phone.

Now that she had seen him, she was so nervous that she could hardly breathe as she stood beside him.

He'll definitely get angry at this stupid stunt I've pulled…

"As long as you desire our friendship." Hendrik released her hand after saying that.

Leah exhaled a sigh of relief and smiled slightly, saying, "Thank you for always helping me! See you next time!"

She hurried away after waving goodbye to him.

Serena was probably worried sick when she vanished so suddenly.

He didn't remove the mask until she faded away into the distance.

Han's heart was racing as he remembered her smile from earlier.

It had been a long time since he had seen her smile so freely without having to keep her guard up.

He wanted to see more of that for no apparent reason.

The advantages brought about by this Hendrik personality appeared to be far greater than he could have imagined…

Serena had been doing well in her recovery. Ten days flew by, and she was back at the studio.

On the day Serena was discharged from the hospital, Leah had made special arrangements for everyone working in the studio to take the day off to celebrate with a meal together and some downtime.

In the morning, everyone was discussing where to go.

"Let's go to Ocean City, Sarah! We can watch the great white sharks and dolphins perform!"

"Why not go to an amusement park instead, Sarah? Let me play with your daughter..." Serena approached Leah with a mischievous grin.

Leah arched her brows a little and said, "Carlotta is with Han. You'll have to tell Han about it."

She couldn't have Carlotta whenever she wanted anymore, let alone lend her to Serena to play with.

Serena felt put out. She pouted and grumbled, "Why don't you have another baby with somebody else so I can play with them?"

Everyone in the office felt the air had grown heavy as soon as the words were spoken.

They all shuddered as if they had been preyed on by a dangerous beast.

Following their line of sight, Leah turned her head but was startled to see Han staring back at her with his cold, deep gaze.

A cute little girl was standing next to him.

"Mommy!" Carlotta ran over with a smile as soon as she saw Leah.

Leah hugged her tight and smiled in relief as she noticed her face had a healthy blush and fuller cheeks.

"Carlotta, what makes you want to play at Mommy's today?"

After giving her a terse response, Carlotta turned to Leah and said, "Mommy, Aunt Serena just said that she wants you to make her another baby so she can play with it. With which Daddy are you going to have the baby?"

Leah was at a loss for words.

How could this kid have asked such a question in public?

It gave the impression that she was promiscuous…

Serena was the first to burst out laughing, and she quickly snatched Carlotta over. Next, she questioned, "Carlotta, which daddy do you prefer?"

She had asked a very dangerous question, and for a moment, Leah felt nervous for herself.

She didn't want to see Carlotta say something stupid in front of Han because if Han got angry, he'd only target her…

"Of course it's this daddy..." Carlotta's eyes sparkled with wit. "How about this?" she asked, switching her gaze between Leah and Han. "I'll join Aunt Serena and the others for some fun."

"Daddy and Mommy can spend time together, and while at it, take advantage of the chance to quickly make me a baby brother to play with..."

Leah immediately objected, saying, "No, we're all having fun together..."

"Good." Han's cold voice cut her off.

Leah looked at him in disbelief right away. Although she made a slight movement with her lips as she prepared to speak, she ultimately decided not to ask the question she was thinking of.

Forget it. He's probably already come up with a plan to torture me.

Serena wasted no time in acting after a decision had been made. She brought Carlotta and a few other coworkers to Ocean City.

Han took Leah away, and nobody knew where he was going.

She experienced a sharp chill as she gazed at the vibrant autumn scenery out the window. Lucy called as she pulled her jacket tighter around her.

"Ms. White, I've heard you guys are going to go play together today..."

Leah nodded, sadness flashing across her eyes. She responded, "We are, indeed. How…are you

doing at the Fords'?"

She couldn't help but be concerned.

Lucy was exposed as an undercover agent, and no one knew how Shawn planned to punish her, especially given his nature.

Her concern moved Lucy, and tears welled up in her eyes. She replied, "I'm fine, but Ms. White, I hope none of you go out to play today. Stay at home. Jackson appears to be plotting something against you behind Mr. Shawn's back..."