Ch. 1841..1850

Chapter 1841 Could It Be Me

H City was a place Francesca knew like the back of her hand.

The first city she had gone to after going down the mountain had been H City.

Although she had lost most of her memories from the explosion, a sense of familiarity still washed over her when she went back to H City.

Still, that did not mean she could recall most of her memories.

Once they were out of the airport, Francesca and Anthony took a cab to the hotel. Anthony then pointed at the infrastructure outside and said to Francesca, “Francesca, look. That's Storm Hotel— the place we'll be staying at tonight. You liked this hotel in the past. Although it's in the middle of the city, it's the eye of the storm, and it has convenient transportation systems nearby. The tallest building over there is the Nacht family’s Divine Corporation. I heard that it's the first branch company that Zachary Nacht established in Zarain's market. It specializes in technology, and it's quite impressive. The white building opposite it is the Windt Corporation's office. Although it's not as almighty as Divine Corporation, it's still quite famous. The CEO of Windt Corporation, Richard Nacht, is the richest man in H City. Back when the medical school rejected your admission, he was the one who told them to take you in. Do you still remember that?”

Francesca could vaguely recall a little about those things, but none of those memories were in detail.

“Richard's a good man, and he has done many good things in his life,” the driver chimed in.

“He has donated to children’s homes and nursing homes, and he even funded the construction of various schools. As a matter of fact, my nephew is working as a security guard in his company. Oh, right. It's his daughter's engagement today. The ceremony is grand, and my nephew even went to the event to help out.”

“Is that so? That's good to hear.”

Anthony recalled Francesca's benefactor, Richard, well. He then smiled and said to her, “Francesca, why don’t we send him a congratulatory gift?”

“Let's not." Francesca shook her head.

“Maybe he doesn't even remember us. Let's not disrupt the ceremony abruptly.”

“True.” Anthony nodded. He then asked, “Whose son is she marrying?”

“The Sterling family’s son,” the driver replied. “I heard that the families are of equal status, and the two of them are really good childhood friends.”

“I'm envious..."

Anthony then hooked his arm around Francesca’s shoulders and teased, “Francesca, when are we going to get married too?”

Like Francesca, Anthony was a genius orphan—he could pick up any skills after one more try.

At that moment, he held two PhDs in business management and economics. Although he had a company to run, he was also managing the charity for Francesca.

He had a baby face, but he was handsome as well. Moreover, his eyes were bright, and he always gave others a feeling that he was an extroverted, cheerful person.

"Did you lose your marbles?” Francesca glared at him.

"We're good friends. How can we possibly get married?”

"Um..." Anthony was evidently disappointed, but in the next second, he began laughing boisterously.

“Right. You haven't matured enough yet.”

Francesca ignored him and continued messaging William. William and the others were only going to reach at night, but it was only four in the evening. Therefore, Francesca still had a few hours more to spare.

“Francesca, why don’t I meet Danrique on your behalf? I'll tell him that the necklace is ours, and I'll ask him to return it to me,” Anthony suggested

. “He's the CEO of Lindberg Corporation. I'm sure he’s a reasonable man who won't forcefully hold onto someone else's belongings.”

“The thing is that the necklace is the keepsake he gave to his first girlfriend. It's special to him,” Francesca replied, frowning.

“But that doesn't make sense. That necklace is clearly mine, so how can that be a keepsake between him and his first girlfriend?”

Could it be that he has made a mistake, or could it be that I've forgotten something? If he hasn't made a mistake, then... I'm his first girlfriend? What?

 

Chapter 1842 Look For Him

"How is that possible?” Anthony exclaimed, quickly dispelling her thoughts. “We've always been together, and we talk about everything under the sun. How could I possibly not know if you've got a lover?”

“Uh...” Francesca nodded in agreement and said, “Well, maybe I knew him before I knew you?” "You were only sixteen when I became friends with you. Back then, you were constantly working on the mountain, while he’s been working in Erihal. So, how did you guys get to know each other and even fall in love?” stated Anthony, analyzing the situation rationally.

“Besides, even if you knew Danrique, you can't possibly be his first love. Both of you are of different worlds, to begin with.”

“That's right.” After giving it some thought, Francesca, too, found it quite impossible. She and Danrique were indeed two different people. Be it their identity, social status, family background, or even their character, there was a major contrast between them.

“Maybe I should talk to him.” Anthony was worried about letting Francesca face him again.

“I'll just make the situation clear and retrieve the necklace. Let's not make things complicated.” "Okay." Francesca nodded.

“Don’t let him know about our relationship. Just try it out using only your name. It'll make things easier for me if you can get it back.”

“All right.”

Soon, both of them settled down at the hotel. Francesca stayed in the hotel to get some rest while Anthony contacted Danrique right away.

That night, Francesca was awakened by a phone call. It was from William. Still feeling groggy, she answered, “Hello?”

“Francesca, I've just got off the plane. Where are you? I'll go over to your place.” He sounded rather excited.

“I'm sleeping at a hotel.” Francesca yawned.

“Meet me later..."

“Okay. You carry on sleeping then. Come see me once you're awake, okay?” William sensed she was still sleepy and did not want to interrupt her rest.

"Okay." After ending the call, she squinted her eyes for a while to make herself sober up. Then, she gave Anthony a call. "How did it go?”

"I contacted Danrique’s subordinate, Sean. But he rejected my request to meet Danrique right away without even waiting for me to finish. He even blocked my number.” Anthony was annoyed.

“Looks like these so-called important people are really arrogant. They don't even bother giving any chances to people they don’t know.”

“I knew it.” Francesca smiled. “It's okay. I'll deal with it on my own. You should go back to the hotel and get some rest.”

“But won't it be dangerous if you go there alone? Maybe I should go with you—"

Before Anthony could finish, Francesca hung up and called William. “Where are you meeting up with Danrique?”

“I've just received a call from him saying he’s got some matters to deal with tonight. So, he won't be meeting me. Francesca, where are you? I'll go to you—"

“He's got matters? What kind of matters?” Francesca interrupted William. She then demanded, "Do you know where's he going?”

William, who was on the other end of the call, fell silent. After some time, he finally asked softly, “You didn’t return to H City to see me. You're here to meet him, aren't you?"

“Exactly. I need to talk to him about some matters,” she admitted unhesitatingly. “Do you know his whereabouts?”

Silence resounded through the speakers, but it did not take long for William to answer, “All I know is that he'll be going to Sultry Night around ten o'clock.”

“Sultry Night?” Francesca did not know what kind of place that was.

“It's H City’s most famous bar,” William explained.

"Oh. I see. Thank you!” Francesca thanked him and ended the call right away.

She glanced at the time, realizing it was nine o'clock at night. Hence, she quickly got off the bed, washed up, got changed, and put on her mask, getting ready to head to Sultry Night to look for Danrique.

When she thought further about it, she recalled how Danrique was already suspicious of her when she went to see him directly to get the necklace. However, they were faced with a precarious situation at that time, and he did not have the time or energy to look into the reason.

If she were to ask it from him again, he would definitely get to the bottom of the matter. Perhaps he would even remove her mask to find out what she looked like.

 

Chapter 1843: The Meeting

At the thought of that, Francesca took a cab and made her way to a street near Sultry Night. She bought some equipment and dressed herself up, disguising as one of the seductive women at Casino Inferno before entering the bar.

Sultry Night was crowded with people and deafening heavy metal music filled the air. The place was livelier than Casino Inferno.

As Francesca searched for Danrique among the sea of people, she noticed a man dressed in a suit was leading a group of male models that were wearing face masks, walking toward the section of private rooms.

The group of men chatted as they walked. They mentioned something about an honorable guest who had come to the bar that night and was choosing a male model in the VIP room.

It was her first time at the bar, so she did not know what a VIP room was. Despite that, when she heard the words “honorable guest,” she wondered if it was Danrique.

Hence, she followed the group of male models into the private room section.

Along the way, she passed by a luxurious VVIP room, and she saw the suited man guiding the male models into the room.

Francesca leaned over and took a glance; two women sitting on the sofa came into view.

One of them was gorgeous, fair-skinned, and dressed in a white skirt. No doubt, everyone's eyes would light up at the sight of her. However, she was drunk and was lying on the sofa muttering nonsense.

The other woman was dressed in a yellow skirt and looked rather pretty. Yet, she was way out of the white-skirt woman's league.

At that moment, she was tugging at the woman dressed in a white skirt, consoling, “Don’t be sad. Hector is on the way—"

“I won't forgive him even if he comes. What nonsense is this?” The woman in the white dress was enraged.

“His parents announced the engagement was called off, while he said nothing...”

“Calm down. That's how men are. They just don't know how to appreciate things. This time, our purpose is to make him angry and nervous. Look, these are all the male models I've hired. Go ahead and pick one. Once Hector is here and sees another man pursuing you, he'll definitely panic.” Francesca rolled her eyes as she watched the scene. That woman in the yellow skirt is obviously setting the white-skirt woman up. But the latter is quite stupid as well. I can't believe she actually fell for such a cheap trick.

When she was about to go in and expose the yellow-skirt woman, a familiar figure passed her by. It was Danrique. Seeing that, she hurried after him.

Once Danrique, Sean, and the others entered the private room, Gordon brought a group of men and guarded the outside. Francesca was about to enter before the security guard of the bar stopped her.

“This is the VIP room. No outsiders are allowed.”

“I'm looking for—" Francesca paused halfway and rephrased her sentence.

“I'm looking for that man who entered earlier. He's my friend.”

"Who are you, ma'am? How are you associated with the honored guest?” The security guard showed no respect for her.

At that time, Francesca was dressed in a red lace dress and had delicate makeup, which was precisely the look of a dancer at Sultry Night. Naturally, she did not look like she was someone of high status.

Francesca wanted to charge in there, but a few more bodyguards came over and threw her out. Infuriated, Francesca gritted her teeth. However, she had no choice. Danrique was too vigilant, and the security around the area was too strict. There was no way she could get close to him.

She had no choice but to think of other options.

Meanwhile, Danrique was meeting a middle-aged man in the private room.

The latter's gaze was alert and filled with wisdom.

“Mr. Lindberg, I know you're both rich and powerful, but the country’s market is being controlled completely by Zachary. I'm afraid no one is able to take it away from him. Besides, my business is encountering some issues. How am I supposed to help you when I can’t even protect myself?” Danrique merely sipped his wine in silence.

“I heard you're venturing into Epea and Adrune’s markets. Why don’t you put your effort in there for the upcoming years? I bet the markets there will be enough for you to earn for the next four to five years. It's still not too late to consider entering our country’s market after the foundation there is stable,” the middle-aged man uttered those words half-heartedly.

With that, he got up and excused himself.

“I might have said too much today. Of course, if you think my words don't make sense, you can ignore them. I'm sorry. I still have other matters to deal with at home. I'll be leaving now.”

 

Chapter 1844 The Hidden Truth

At that, the middle-aged man prepared to leave.

“Please hold on!” It was rare for Danrique to use the word “please” with such great respect.

The middle-aged man stopped in his tracks, lowering his head with a conflicted expression. Danrique put his glass down and stared at him. “I know the Nacht family is attacking you. As long as you give me the word, I'll definitely help you.”

Astonished, the middle-aged man lifted his gaze from the ground and looked at Danrique. "You—" “You're the man Aunt Isabella loved in the past. Now that you're facing some trouble, I can definitely help you,” Danrique said seriously.

“But I hope you can tell me if she has a daughter. And if she does, where is her daughter?”

“How do you know about your aunt's relationship with me?” Richard was shocked.

“This has always been a secret. Only a handful of people on earth know about this.”

“I received the items left by Aunt Isabella not long ago,” Danrique said grimly.

“She passed away due to an illness many years ago. She even quietly spent her final days by the sea to not make us worry.”

"What?" Richard froze and widened his eyes in disbelief.

“You're saying Isabella’s dead?”

For years, he had been constantly searching for her. He never expected to hear such news.

“Yes.” Danrique looked extremely upset at the mention of the matter.

“I rushed over right after receiving the news, but I still did not get to see her for the last time. I could only handle her funeral and bring her ashes back to Xendale.”

"Oh, Isabella...” Richard could not bring himself to believe that the wife he had been searching for was no longer on earth.

For many years, he had been facing everything with determination and bravery no matter what the matter was. That was because he had been hanging on to the hope of finding his beloved wife and reuniting the family.

It was like a faith that kept him going on.

However, at that moment, his faith was crushed completely.

"One of the items Aunt Isabella left was a picture of her holding a baby. She was dressed like a girl. For the past few years, I've been searching for the child.”

“It's true that Isabella and I dated, but it only lasted for a while,” Richard said sadly.

“I've let her down. I didn't have the ability to protect her. That's why she chose to leave...”

“She left, probably because she did not want to put you in trouble.” Surprisingly, Danrique understood the situation well.

“Back then, the Nacht family was in chaos. Harrison had just died, and the Nacht family was looking for her to get revenge. That was why she chose to disappear.”

“Really?” Richard looked as though he was slightly relieved.

“That means she doesn't hate me—"

"Yes, she doesn't,” Danrique said with confidence. Softly, he continued, “Aunt Isabella left me a letter. She said you're the best man on earth and that I should help you out if you're in danger.” He said those words with the utmost respect. Clearly, Isabella had expressed her deep feelings for Richard through the letter.

“Thank you, thank you,” Richard choked. His eyes were red, and he did not dare to look at Danrique. “You still haven't answered my question. Does Aunt Isabella have a daughter?” Danrique asked again.

“Is that the child you had with Aunt Isabella?”

“No,” Richard denied at once.

“Isabella was only with me for three months. How could she possibly be pregnant with my child? I do have a daughter, but she’s born of my other girlfriend.”

"Okay." Danrique did not want to ask further when he saw how firm Richard's attitude was. Instead, he took out a black card and wrote his phone number on it before handing it to the latter.

“This is my phone number. Please call me if you're in danger or if you need anything.”

“Thank you!” Richard took the card, gave Danrique a grateful look, and left the room.

Meanwhile, Danrique watched him leave with a complicated expression.

“Mr. Lindberg, should we look into Mr. Windt's daughter?” Sean whispered.

Chapter 1845 Give It Back

“No.” Danrique shook his head. “Whether his daughter is Aunt Isabella's, I should respect their decision. If he wants to let his daughter return, he'll naturally contact me. If he doesn't want to, then there's no need for me to force him. Besides, the Lindberg family is facing a crisis. With enemies attacking from every corner, returning to our family might not be a good thing, either.”

“That's true.” Sean nodded. “It's not too late to bring Ms. Lindberg back once you get rid of the threat and control Lindberg Corporation completely.”

Remaining silent, Danrique lifted his glass and swirled the wine gently.

Meanwhile, Gordon quietly escorted Richard out from the back exit.

As soon as Richard got into the car, he put away the black card carefully and looked at Jeffrey, saying, “Jeffery, take me to the mausoleum!”

“Mr. Windt, why would you want to go to the mausoleum at this hour?”

“I have to put one more thing in the box I left for Charlotte.”

Meanwhile, at Sultry Night, Francesca realized there was no point in forcing her way in. Besides, she was at a bar. There was nothing or no one she could summon. Just as she was raking her brains to think of an excuse, Danrique walked out of the building.

Sean and the other subordinates followed closely behind, watching out for the surroundings carefully.

They were not worried about dangerous incidents. They were doing that mainly because Danrique was particular about hygiene. He believed the people there were dirty and did not like to be touched.

The reason Danrique chose to meet Richard there was that the latter was watched closely by the Nacht family. It might be easy for them to spy on Richard at other locations, while Sultry Night was a chaotic place that made it easy to avoid suspicion.

When they walked past a private room, a few women almost stumbled into Danrique, who frowned with a look of disgust.

The subordinates quickly pulled them away and escorted Danrique to leave from the back exit. Francesca hurried after them, but Danrique was surrounded by his subordinates, who protected him with care. It was impossible for her to get close to him.

Right then, a loud gunshot could be heard from behind them, breaking the noisy atmosphere.

The surrounding people instantly screamed, and they started running for cover.

Stuck in the middle of the crowd, Francesca was pushed forward involuntarily.

Danrique turned around and scanned the area briefly before shooting Sean a look.

Understanding Danrique’s intention, Sean immediately instructed Sloan and Mylo to check out the situation

As the crowd was walking out of Sultry Night, Danrique suddenly spotted a familiar face among the crowd. It's her?

He paused in his tracks and stared at Francesca.

She, too, lifted her gaze and looked at him. As they locked gazes, their eyes glinted with complex emotions.

Francesca panicked. I'm not wearing any masks today. Could he have recognized me? Will he take revenge on me?

Francesca felt extremely uneasy, but running away was not the solution at that moment. She still had to face him and take the necklace back.

While she was deep in her thoughts, someone knocked her down. Immediately, the messy crowd came running in her direction, almost stepping on her.

At that moment, a tall, slender silhouette rushed toward her in the blink of an eye and picked her up.

When she cast her gaze at her savior, an unbelievably handsome face came into view. His clear eyes sparkled brightly as if they had stars in them.

They were gazing at her.

"You—" Before Francesca could speak, another gunshot rang in the air.

With Francesca still in his arms, Danrique marched off. His chest was large and warm. She could even hear his clear and powerful heartbeat.

At that moment, she could not help but feel puzzled. With his personality, shouldn't he be dragging me away forcefully and then take revenge on me for holding him hostage previously? Why is he still carrying me so gently?

“Are you all right?” Danrique’s voice traveled into her ears, pulling her back into reality. She broke free from him frantically and stretched out her arm toward him. “The necklace is mine. Give it back!” Danrique merely stared at her without saying anything.

“I had no choice but to hold you hostage back then. I didn’t hurt you, didn't I?” Francesca was beginning to panic. “Okay, what about this? If you want to hit or scold me, I'll let you do it. But once you're done taking revenge, you must return the necklace to me, okay?"

Chapter 1846 So It Was True

"You don’t remember me?” Danrique gazed at her. If she was really Cece, she should remember him. Seven years might have passed, but his face did not change much. Hence, she should be able to recognize him instantly.

She, on the other hand, had transformed from a fourteen-year-old teenager to a twenty-one-year- old woman. Her entire body had gone through major changes, which was why Danrique had a hard time determining if it was her.

"Of course,” Francesca blurted. “You're the guy who was held hostage by me at a casino in Lightspring.”

“Look at me.” Danrique lifted her chin so she could look at his face. “Look carefully. Apart from that time at Casino Inferno, what else do you remember?”

Francesca's heart skipped a beat. Did he already figure out who I am? If he knows I'm Francesco, will he think I was playing him?

“Do you remember anything?” When he noticed her gaze that was lost in thought, he thought she had remembered the incidents from seven years ago.

“I—" Francesca looked around in panic. Suddenly, she tiptoed and inched closer to him affectionately.

Seeing that, Danrique lowered his head, wanting to hear her clearly.

Panting slightly, Francesca’s red lips moved, and she said softly into his ears, “I remember it now. I think we... We met before somewhere...”

As she spoke, her arms reached slowly for his neck.

"Yes. Seven years ago...” Just as Danrique was about to talk about the matters from seven years ago, Francesca suddenly removed the necklace and fled.

Danrique did not stop her. Instead, he just frowned while watching her in silence.

Alas, before she could run far, Francesca was stopped by a few bodyguards.

Seeing that, she quickly changed her direction and started running to her left. Yet, she was blocked by several bodyguards again.

Similarly, Sean and several bodyguards surrounded her on the right.

She was surrounded by Danrique’s men.

There was really no way to escape.

Moreover, she could not summon the creatures to help her at that location

Even if she were to put up a fight, she was not a match for them.

If there were only a few of them, she could still fight them. However, there were over ten men, and all of them were trained fighters. In the end, she was still dragged back to Danrique’s spot.

With his arms crossed in front of his chest, Danrique eyed her calmly.

Francesca said meekly, “I just wanted to take back what's mine.”

"You really dont remember me?” Danrique looked right into her eyes.

"What?" Francesca was confused by his question. What does he mean by that?

“Is this necklace really yours?” Danrique changed his method of questioning.

"Of course,” Francesca answered confidently. “I've always been wearing it. Who could it belong to if not me?”

“Prove it.” Danrique approached her gradually.

"You still want proof?” Francesca was rendered speechless. “The necklace dropped out of my bag back in Casino Inferno. You saw it with your own eyes, didn’t you?”

Seeing Danrique keeping silent, she pointed at the necklace in her hand and said, “This necklace has a secret feature. Do you know how to use it?"

“What secret feature?”

Francesca fiddled with the necklace. She then pressed on the diamond in the middle of the cross, which shot out a red beam. To her surprise, Danrique’s phone rang right after that.

With widened eyes, Francesca watched everything unfold with confusion and shock.

Why does the cross have a communication device hidden in it? And why does it contact Danrique straightaway?

Suddenly, she recalled Sean's words. He said the necklace was the one Danrique gave to his first love. Could I really be his first love?

“Cece!” Danrique was extremely emotional. “It's really you!”

“I...” Francesca was too stunned to move when he hugged her tightly. She felt his strong arms around her as he called out softly into her ears, “Cece...”

Right then, images flashed in her mind, just like the ones in her dream.

She started coming to a realization—perhaps they really had a pure and innocent relationship back then.

Chapter 1847 I Have A Boyfriend

When Francesca was still lost in her thoughts, another gunshot sounded from afar, followed by a subordinate reporting, “Mr. Lindberg, something happened.”

Danrique furrowed his brows and shot Gordon a look.

Seeing that, Gordon quickly led the crowd away from the scene.

"Cece, come with me.” Danrique pulled her into the car.

“No...” Francesca wanted to break free from his grip. “I still have some matters to deal with.” Before she could finish, Danrique pushed her into the car.

The engine was revved up, and they fled from the scene.

Not long after, a few black, modified cars could be seen tailing them

Sean reported, “It looks like the Nacht family’s car.”

"Zachary?" Danrique narrowed his eyes coldly.

“I'm not sure.” Sean frowned. “The person in the car doesn’t seem to be Zachary's subordinates, Bruce and Ben. I've never seen them before.”

“Maybe they don't want us to recognize them?” a subordinate suggested.

"How can we not when the Nacht family’s convoys are easy to identify?” Sean said. “Besides, H City is Zachary's territory. If it's not his men, then who could it be?”

“Great.” Danrique narrowed his eyes while glaring at the car behind them. “I haven't even gone looking for him, and he’s here already.”

“Mr. Lindberg, Zarain has strict laws. It's best if we don't start a fight here. Should we retreat for now?" Sean advised carefully.

Danrique raised his brow. “What are you afraid of? Let's go against them.”

"Okay." Sean did not dare to argue.

Shortly after, both parties entered a violent race.

Soon, the Lindberg family’s car had caused the Nacht family’s cars to overturn completely on the viaduct.

Two modified cars collided into the railing, causing a massive traffic accident.

Some passersby called the police, and the Lindberg family’s convoy left before the authorities came. Along the way, the bodyguard who was driving the car cheered, “I heard the Nacht family's bodyguards are quite incredible with amazing driving skills. Looks like they're not so legendary after all.”

“That's weird.” Sean was puzzled. “Logically, the Nacht family shouldn't be so weak. Could they not be Zachary's men?”

“Let's go back first.” Danrique was absolutely not concerned about the incident earlier. He only had eyes for Francesca at that moment.

"Send me back to Storm Hotel.” Francesca did not want to go back with him. “My boyfriend is still waiting for me there.”

Danrique was shocked. “Boyfriend?”

“Yes,” Francesca said. All she wanted at that moment was to break free from him. “We haven't contacted each other for so long. It's natural for me to have found a boyfriend.”

Earlier, she heard him utter the words “seven years ago” faintly. On top of that, he was still a teenager in her memories. Thus, she was sure that they had lost contact for quite some time. Despite that, her words struck Danrique like a lightning, and his body froze.

He could not believe the innocent first love, the woman he had been thinking of every day, actually told him she had a boyfriend in such a casual manner.

So, all these years I've been waiting was nothing but a joke?

"Forget it. Just drop me there. I'll take a cab home.” Francesca noticed his odd expression. Hence, she wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible before he lost his temper.

“Uh...” The bodyguard who was driving looked at Danrique through the rearview mirror.

“Go to Storm Hotel,” Danrique ordered.

“All right.”

“You're sending me back?” Francesca eyed him uneasily.

“Do you really have a boyfriend?” Danrique turned to look at her.

"Yes. We're getting married soon,” Francesca answered seriously. “He's the one who's been taking care of me all these years.”

“But we promised each other that I'd marry you once you're older—"

“That's just a simple joke made when we were kids. How can it be taken seriously?” Francesca interjected emotionlessly. “We're from different worlds. We don't suit each other.”

Danrique felt as though a pail of cold water was poured onto his head, dashing all his hopes. It was his first time having such a feeling.

Chapter 1848 Kill Him

Since he was a child, he never got involved in other romantic relationships.

For the past twenty-seven years, the closest he got to a girl was seven years ago, when he held Francesca’s hand.

To him, Francesca was his first love, the only person he cared for, and the only relationship in his lifetime.

He had been holding on to that belief, spending all his time and effort looking for her in hopes of giving her a happy life.

Now that he had found her, there were no traces of warmth in her gaze. Instead, there was only suspicion, uneasiness, nervousness, and caution.

Worst of all, she told him she had a boyfriend, and that they did not suit each other as they were of different worlds.

On top of that, she even said their promise was just a child's joke that could not be taken seriously. He could not believe his ears.

Is this real? Or did I hear it wrongly? Or did I make a mistake? Perhaps this girl in front of me is not my Cece. But she’s got the exact scar just like Cece’s. And she knows the secret of the necklace. She should be...

"Why are you staring at me like that?” Francesca shifted aside. “Don’t tell me this is unrequited love?"

"Are you really Cece?” Danrique still could not accept the truth. “Where did we first meet?”

“I don't remember,” Francesca answered casually. “The mountain, I think.”

Danrique was stunned. Her answer was right, but her casual tone clearly showed she did not care about the past anymore.

“I'm sorry,” Francesca comforted, noticing his dejected looks. “I was still young back then. I didn't know what love was. I'm afraid the promises I made back then can't be counted...”

After pausing for a while, she lifted the necklace and asked carefully, “Since you've already given me this necklace, you won't take it back, right?”

“It's yours once I've given it to you.” Danrique suppressed the mixed emotions within himself, trying his best to appear calm. “Leave that man and return to my side!”

"Uh..." Francesca was dumbfounded. Really?

As far as she remembered, Danrique was an arrogant person who was extremely particular about things. She could not help but wonder if he could really accept the woman he loved to return to him, even if she had dated other men.

“He didn't take good care of you.” Danrique did his best to suppress the hostility in his voice. “He let you wander around places like illegal casinos. And now, he got you in such a state.”

As he said that, he scrutinized her, immediately noticing her slightly exposed thighs and the ample bosom beneath her V-neck shirt. He quickly shifted his gaze, and his expression darkened once again.

“It's a long story.” Francesca did not know where to begin. Hence, she could only act like she did not care. “Basically, I won't leave him. In fact, we're getting married soon.”

“Then, call off the wedding—"

“How can I do that—"

“I'll deal with the consequences,” Danrique interrupted. He then ordered firmly, “Give him a call right now and tell him to wait at the hotel. I'll talk to him personally.”

Francesca was baffled. She thought Danrique would give up and throw her out of the car with the necklace when she said she had a boyfriend. She even thought he would curse her with resentment, saying he never wanted to see her again.

That way, she could finally free herself from him.

Never did she expect him to make such a move.

Oh no. I'm doomed. This won't do it. Maybe my story isn't believable enough.

Francesca took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and said, “Actually, he's not just an ordinary boyfriend. We've been living together for two years now. You know what living together means, right? You know, the kind that sleeps together every night—"

Before she could finish, Danrique grabbed her face with force.

His handsome face suddenly leaned closer, his eyes filled burning with hostility. With his jaws clenched, he hissed, “Looks like I've got to kill him.”

"Uh..." Francesca's mind was buzzing, and she said frantically, “No. You must not hurt him.”

As soon as she said that, the car came to a stop, and the subordinate reported, “Mr. Lindberg, we've arrived.”

Chapter 1849 Let Me Go

When the door opened, Danrique let go and exited the car coldly.

Francesca got off the vehicle on the other side. She tried to escape, but her path was quickly blocked by a few of his subordinates.

She furrowed her eyebrows and was wondering what to do when suddenly, a familiar voice entered her ear. “You're finally back.”

It prompted her to turn back subconsciously. Anthony walked out of the hotel toward her. “You didn't accept any calls or reply to any text. I was getting very worried.”

“Anthony...” Before she could say anything substantial, Sean controlled Anthony.

"Hey, you all...” Anthony wanted to say something, but he was cut off by Sean's cold gaze.

“That's him?” Danrique pointed at Anthony and asked Francesca.

"Don’t you do anything to him.” Francesca rushed forward, pushed Sean away, and kept Anthony behind her back.

"W-What's going on?” Anthony asked in a low voice.

“Shut up and don't say a word.” She didn’t want the lie to be exposed.

Danrique didn’t say anything and simply shot a glance.

A few of his subordinates stepped forward and tried to drag Anthony to the car.

He resisted, but he was no match for them.

Francesca quickly begged Danrique for mercy. “Please, don't touch him.”

“If he doesn't have the ability to protect you, then he doesn't deserve to have you.” Danrique looked really calm, but there was a bone-chilling look in his eyes.

“This is my matter. What does it have to do with you...” Before she could finish, his subordinates had stuffed Anthony into the car.

“What are you doing? Let me go...” Anthony yapped anxiously.

Suddenly, he received a punch to his nose, causing him to bleed instantly.

He held his nose as he entered a daze.

“Stop!” Francesca pushed the subordinate, who threw the punch, away and punched him back. "How dare you hit him?”

Even though that subordinate was hit, he didn't have the nerve to say anything.

Danrique furrowed his eyebrows with disdain and gestured.

A few other subordinates pulled Francesca away immediately while the rest continued to drag Anthony into the car.

"Hey, what are you all doing?” She was getting concerned.

“A quick pain is better than a prolonged one. If he dies, you'll feel awful for a while. But if you stay with him, you'll suffer for the rest of your life.” Danrique spoke righteously, as though he was getting rid of a public threat.

"You..." Before she could say another word, the car's engine had already been started, and the vehicle was prepared to leave.

Anthony continued to struggle inside the car and got a few punches as a result.

Francesca was extremely worried as she shouted, “You can't touch him!”

"Why?" Danrique looked at her coldly.

“Because... Because I'm pregnant with his child!” she revealed.

It was as though the air froze for a moment. Everyone was stunned as they looked at her dumbfoundedly. Then, they slowly and carefully turned their attention to Danrique.

At that moment, his face was as dark as a black hole, and the look in his eyes was as cold as a winter's night. He spoke every word slowly and firmly. “What did you say?”

“I said I'm pregnant with his child.” Francesca decided to go all out on the lie. “When I was alone for all these years, he was the one taking care of me. We were already living together. I got pregnant, and we're preparing to marry each other next month. I know you're powerful and rich, Mr. Lindberg, and I can't afford to mess with you. However, there are so many pretty and pure women in this world. Why do you keep bothering me?”

“Bothering you?” Danrique reacted to that phrase very poorly.

He couldn't believe she said he was bothering her when he held nothing but love for her.

“That's right.” Francesca panicked as she continued, “Back then, when we first met, we were still kids! How would I know what love is? Who'll actually cling to promises made when they're little? I also didn't know you treated it that seriously and never forgot about it. In any case, what I have with my boyfriend is love. I want to marry him and give birth to his child. So please, don't bother me anymore and let me go..."

 

Chapter 1850 Joke

There was a sense of helplessness and even pleading in her voice.

Everyone who heard that thought it was simply Danrique’s one-sided love and that it was all in his head, yet he still clung to Francesca like there was no tomorrow.

Danrique suffered a great blow. The expression on his face became extremely dark, as though it was covered by black clouds that preceded a violent storm.

He had never suffered such emotional damage before. It felt as if his heart was stabbed by something and that it was bleeding out.

At that moment, he felt like he was a joke.

All the infatuation and perseverance he experienced and went through were just a big, fat joke. Francesca felt a little guilty when she saw him like that. Maybe I overdid it a little...

While she had forgotten what happened in the past, her heart ached faintly when she saw him being that upset. Maybe, when I was young, I really did love him wholeheartedly?

“Mr. Lindberg...” Sean was very worried.

He had followed his employer for ten years and not once did he see his employer acting like that before.

Danrique didn’t say anything and coldly gestured.

Sean promptly relayed an order to release Anthony.

Anthony was beaten black and blue as he climbed out of the car with a disheveled look. He hid behind Francesca weakly, as though he was an aggrieved daughter-in-law while she was a brave, dependable man protecting her lover.

Danrique stared deeply at Francesca one last time silently before heading back into the car.

The convoy swiftly left and disappeared from their sights.

She finally let out a sigh of relief and looked at the necklace in her hand. “I've finally gotten it back. From now on, he probably won't disturb me anymore.”

“So he's the legendary Mr. Lindberg?” Anthony asked fearfully. “He was full of murderous intent and very scary.”

“Mhm. Let's head upstairs first.” Francesca walked toward the hotel while he followed behind. “Hey, you said you wanted to marry me. Is that true?”

She rolled her eyes at him and quickened her steps instead of replying to him.

"You also said you're pregnant with my child. Hehe, I think I can turn that into reality—"

“Shut up!” She cut him off coldly. “I only said that to get rid of him. We're going back to S Nation tonight. Go make the arrangements.”

“You're that rush?” Anthony walked faster to keep up with her. “Didn't you want to undergo an operation with—"

"We don't have time.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “We need to leave this place fast to avoid getting into more trouble.”

"Ah? Why?” He didn't understand.

"What if he comes back to seek revenge on me after he patched up his wounded ego?” She sounded annoyed. “He thinks the world is his oyster. I bet he had never experienced such grievance before. I hurt him through and through.”

“That's true. He looked like he was about to eat someone.” Anthony shivered when he thought about Danrique’s look.

He felt lucky he was still alive.

Both of them returned to their rooms and began packing their things in preparation for leaving. Concurrently, Danrique was still staying silent with a foul expression in the car.

Sean had never seen his employer acting like that before, and that made him pretty uneasy. He wanted to comfort Danrique, but he wasn't sure what to say because he didn't really have any experience in that department.

At that moment, Danrique’s phone began to vibrate. However, it didn't seem like he noticed it at all as he sat unmovingly.

Sean didn't have the nerve to say anything. Soon, his phone rang, and he answered it. “Hello?”

His expression changed drastically after the person on the other end told him something. After replying, he turned to Danrique and reported, “There's a situation at the company, Mr. Lindberg.” It was then that Danrique returned to his senses and picked up his phone to read the document. He quickly relayed an order in a deep voice, “Go back to Erihal!”

“Roger.”

Francesca and Anthony called for a taxi and hurried to the airport. On their way there, William called her. “Are you free now, Francesca? Let's meet up.”