Ch. 1981..1990

Chapter 1981

Chrono wasn't appreciative of Francesca’s kindness.

Instead, he stared at her grimly while issuing a threat.

"Candice is lonely in heaven.Since she likes you so much, I will make sure to send you to heaven to keep her company when I get out of jail!"

Francesca ignored his threat, for he had been sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, Candice's death dealt her a huge blow, She even began questioning her own medical skills.

Thus, she spent the following two years closed off and stopped practicing medicine.

It wasn't until Prince William found her, repeatedly asked to meet her, and invited her out, coupled with the fact that the foundation was short of funds and the orphanage needed a huge sum of money, that she left for Danontand.

She thought that would be the end of things, so she didn't foresee Chrono getting out of jail so soon and tracking her down.

"Ms.Felch! Ms.Felch! Ms.Felch!”

Kerrie's voice interrupted Francesca’s thoughts, causing the latter to snap back to reality.

As she tightened her grip around the piece of candy, she raised her head to look at Kerrie.

"What is it?"

"You seem pale.Are you okay?"

Kerrie looked at her with concern.

"I'm fine."

Francesca shook her head.

"You should continue with your chores.I can have breakfast on my own"

“Understood.”

Kerrie led the maids away.

After that, Francesca stared at the hearty breakfast but didn't have the appetite to enjoy it.

The sea breeze blew past as she was leaning on the recliner.

While staring at the candy, she was reminded of Candice, who had passed away.

The emotions she felt were indescribably complicated.She didn't even notice when her phone on the nightstand was vibrating.

Throughout the day, Francesca locked herself in the room, not feeling like going anywhere.She slept after eating, without even checking her phone.

Danrique had called her twice, to neither of which she responded, nor did she reply to his texts. He was deeply affected by her actions, lacking the drive to do anything, nor did he have the appetite to stomach anything.

At night, he called Sloan after finishing all of his tasks.

Sloan was taken aback upon receiving his call, nearly dropping his phone before he answered the call in a panic.

"Hello, Mr.Lindberg!"

"What's Francesca doing?"

Danrique inquired directly.

"Um, she's..."

Sloan lifted his head to check on the balcony on the second floor.

Francesca was leaning on the recliner, spacing out as she stared at the ocean.

She had been lying there for an entire day.

"Ms.Felch is spacing out on the balcony” replied Sloan immediately.

"I'll go get her—"

"No need.Make sure to keep her safe,"

Danrique interjected aloofly.

"Yes, Mr.Lindberg."

Danrique hung up as soon as Sloan said that.

Even after knowing that the call had ended, Sloan was still feeling nervous, for he had a feeling that Danrique sounded as if he were angry.

He wondered if he should inform Francesca about it, but he decided against it upon recalling that Danrique had told him that it would be unnecessary.

Francesca remained on the balcony until midnight before retiring to her room for the night. There were a few missed calls on her phone, two of which were from Danrique, while the rest were from Layla and Anthony.

She called Layla right away, which the latter picked up quickly.

"Francesca!"

"What is it, Ms.Layla?"

"It's all good.l was just worried about you.You didn't pick up when I called you, so I thought something had happened to you."

"I left my phone in the bedroom, so I didn't hear it ringing.”

"It's good that you're all right.You gave me a shock”

Layla heaved a sigh of relief.

"Francesca, did that guy show up?”

"I think so.He sneaked into the villa last night, but nothing serious happened.”

"It seems like the bodyguards of the Lindberg family are skilled" said Layla gladly.

"Francesca, be obedient and don't leave the villa that is under the Lindbergs' protection.Keep that in mind!"

"l know."

Francesca was well aware that she would be in danger if she left at that point, for Chrono would be after her as soon as she left the villa.

Although she was an exceptionally skilled driver and could summon animals, those skills only worked under specific conditions.

Moreover, she had never killed a human, so she would never be able to land a fatal strike.

On the contrary, Chrono was a professional assassin who killed humans for a living.

Chapter 1982

"Also, I would like to know the details about you and Danrique.Does he really love you? Is he really serious about marrying you?"

Francesca didn't feel like continuing this conversation.

"I guess so...But now's not the time to talk about this.If there's a chance, I would like to talk to Chrono on the phone. still think Candice's condition was a little weird—"

Layla cut her short immediately.

"Don't be silly, Francesca.That person is crazy.There's something wrong with his mind, and you can't talk sense into a crazy person.Don't try to save someone who is mentally ill.Some diseases are just incurable, and you have to learn to accept that.No matter how powerful you think you are, there are just some things you can't do.No one is almighty enough to solve everything.”

"I know you're right, but Candice's death has left me with trauma.” Francesca sighed

"Francesca—"

"All right, Ms.Layla.I'm just thinking out loud here.l know my limits, so you don't have to worry about me.lI'll be fine because so many people are protecting me," said Francesca, changing the subject.

"Okay then.Stay safe.Call me every day to let me know you're fine."

Layla dropped the topic, knowing what she said wouldn't make any difference.

"Got it"

After ending the call, Francesca looked at the dark sky outside and wondered if Chrono would come again that night, or if he would contact her through some special way.

If he would, she would still like to have a proper chat with him.

Right then, Heidi and Samantha knocked on the door and entered.

After inspecting the place to ensure Francesca's safety, they planned to stand guard in the room like how they did the previous night, but Francesca sent them away.

The duo was concerned, but they respected Francesca's decision.

In the end, they chose not to disturb her and stood guard outside the room.

Francesca switched off the main lights on purpose and left the wall lamp on as she waited for Chrono to contact her.

As expected, her phone received a call from an unknown number soon after that.

She glanced outside and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"I have to give it to you for having the Lindberg family to back you up.”

Chrono was fluent in speaking Ustranasion, and his voice was hoarse and deep, bringing with it a tinge of chillness.

"You came last night.Are you thinking of taking revenge on me?" asked Francesca without beating around the bush.

"You have quite the self-awareness.Don't think you're safe under the Lindberg family's protection.just you wait.I'll come at you soon," uttered Chrono ferociously.

"There's something I want to ask you about"

Francesca tried talking sense into the man.

"Yes?"

Chrono was confused.

"Had Candice undergone a heart surgery before?"

Francesca queried.

"What are you talking about?”

At the mention of Candice’'s name, Chrono became agitated.

"Candice's main cause of death was the trigger of her heart problem coupled with excessive loss of blood.When she was shot, the bullet didn't hit her vital organs.She died because—"

"Stop finding excuses for your mistake! You were incompetent, and you failed to save her.Now, for fear that I would take revenge on you, you came up with these lousy excuses, hoping I'd let you go, tight?"

Chrono interrupted her furiously.

"I just want to make sure—"

"Make sure about what? Can you revive Candice? If it hadn't been for you, Candice wouldn't have died!"

Chrono bellowed in rage.

Francesca countered with a question, "You're just saying that to make yourself feel better, right? If you were an ordinary father instead of an assassin, no one would've chased after you just to kill you, and Candice would've lived a happy and healthy life."

"You..."

She continued coldly, "You put all the blame on me just to relieve yourself from the guilt. All this happened because of you.You're responsible for your daughter's death.Even if I didn't appear that day, how long do you think you could protect Candice?"

That's enough! Shut up!”

Chrono was enraged.

"No, it's not enough.An outlaw like you shouldn't have children in the first place.Even if you have a child, you shouldn't have brought your child with you.You were the one who caused Candice's death, and now you're blaming it on me and the paramedics.They are innocent.Thirteen lives were taken by you just like that.You think you're avenging Candice, but have you ever thought if she really wanted you to do this? She'd hate you if she knew you killed so many people for her sake—" "Shut up! Shut up right now!"

Chrono howled in distress, and a gunshot reverberated outside, tearing the silence of the night.Right after that, the call ended.

Sloan immediately sent someone to check out the situation and informed the police.

Francesca looked down at her phone with complex emotions.

Initially, she only wanted to talk to him, but the man was too adamant in insisting that she was the one who had caused Candice's death.

She then reprimanded him out of irritation and ended up causing him to fly into a rage.

A top assassin like him excelled at hiding, and he would not easily expose his whereabouts, which made it difficult for the Lindbergs to track him down.

Now that Chrono had lost his composure and fired a gunshot, revealing his current location, Sloan immediately took action and called the police.

Even if they failed to capture him this time, he wouldn't be able to approach her within a short period of time.

Therefore, that was probably considered an unexpected gain.

Francesca's head began hurting again.

She put her phone down, wrapped both her hands around her head, and lay down, waiting for the pain to subside.

Her phone was vibrating, but she was in so much pain that she could not bother to check.

A while later, her phone went out of battery and switched off automatically.

After all, a lot of calls came in that day, and she didn't charge her phone.

Meanwhile, in Xendale, Danrique listened to the busy signal over the phone and gritted his teeth in anger.

The audacity of this woman to ignore my calls and texts! Fine! Since she ignores me, I won't bother about her either! The more Danrique thought about it, the more his anger brewed.

Irked, he threw his phone away.

"Could it be that something happened?”

Sean immediately gave Sloan a call, getting information from the latter that there was a gunshot nearby where Francesca was at.

It was probably the person who had launched a sneak attack the night before.

Sloan had sent someone to track the person down.

Sean asked if Francesca was all right, and the former was relieved to hear from Sloan that she was fine.

Moreover, Sloan also told him that they had sent someone to protect her at all times, and he asked Sean to reassure Danrique.

After giving Sloan a few more reminders, Sean hung up the phone and cautiously tried to console Danrique.

"Mr.Lindberg, as you know, there was a gunshot nearby the villa. suppose Ms.Felch is just frightened.She'll probably contact you later."

Danrique scoffed.

"Frightened? She isn't scared of anything.Why would she be frightened by a gunshot?"

“Um...

Sean didn't know how to answer that.

"Perhaps she pretended to be gentle and docile so I would allow her to return to the country alone.That way, she could grasp the opportunity to escape...Otherwise, why has she been ignoring me since she reached H City?"

Danrique felt that something was wrong.

"Please don't overthink.Maybe that's not the case.”

"Why is that not the case? I read it in books all the time.The first few months are the honeymoon period, and couples will act all lovey-dovey with each other and are basically inseparable.Especially women, they would cling onto men like bubble gum.But look at how she behaves now.Not only does she not cling onto me, but she also ignores me..."

Danrique became increasingly flustered with the current situation.

"Once we settle everything here, we can just go to H City earlier.I think everything will be settled in a few days’ time?" comforted Sean.

"Why should we go there? She wouldn't even answer my calls! Send more men there to keep an eye on her.Don't let her escape,” uttered Danrique indignantly.

"Yes, sir!"

"From now on, I'll ignore her too.Unless something serious happens to her, don't mention her at all.'m going to wait for her to come and apologize to me."

Still annoyed, Danrique had a grim expression on his face.

"Yes, sir"

Sean nodded but sighed inwardly.Yeah, right.You won't be able to ignore her for long. bet you'd contact her within three days.

Chapter 1984

Chapter 1984

The villa with an ocean view was peaceful after the gunshot incident from the night before. Francesca spent three days in peace and tranquility.

There weren't any calls from unknown numbers, nor was there any intruder who invaded the villa in the middle of the night, let alone gunshots.

Even so, Sloan still didn't let his guard down.

Moreover, the guards sent by Sean had arrived, reinforcing the security of the villa.

Francesca stayed indoors for three consecutive days and got slightly restless after seeing that peace was restored.She asked Sloan about Gordon's progress.

Sloan told her, "Gordon has already found out that Dr.Felch is on Mount Phoenix.He brought his team to go and search for Dr.Felch yesterday, and he'll probably find him and bring him here soon.” Francesca was overjoyed upon hearing the good news.

"I didn’t expect Gordon to be so efficient! Since he has already found Mount Phoenix, I bet he'll find Dr.Felch soon.However, we're not sure if Dr.Felch would be willing to go with him.You guys are so rough with your ways.Don't tell me Gordon's going to tie him up and bring him here."

Sloan laughed.

"Haha! That's a possibility.That's what Gordon told me before this.If the doctor wouldn't agree to come with him, he'd tie the doctor up and bring him here against his will."

Francesca berated, "No! He can't disrespect Dr.Felch!"

“Um...

Sloan was stunned.He was just kidding, and he didn't expect Francesca to be so worked up.

"Go and give Gordon a call.Relay my message and tell him that he must respect Dr.Felch.If he refuses to come, just try to reason with him and persuade him nicely.Don't ever disrespect the elderly man.Although Or.Felch is a miracle doctor, he's quite old and suffers from all sorts of ailments.If Gordon's too rough and he ends up hurting Dr.Felch, I'll never forgive him!" uttered Francesca in exasperation.

"Okay, okay.I'll go and inform Gordon right away."

Sloan was about to walk away and give Gordon a call when a realization hit him.He stopped in his tracks and asked Francesca in puzzlement, "Ms.Felch, how do you know Dr.Felch is suffering from various ailments?"

"Erm..."

Francesca choked on her words for a while before finding an excuse.

"Well, he's an old man after all! Old people are prone to all kinds of diseases.Dr.Felch may be a miracle doctor, but he's still old, and he can't escape from the laws of nature, right?"

Sloan nodded.

"You're right! I'll go give Gordon a call.”

"Go ahead."

After Francesca watched as Sloan left, she patted herself on the chest guiltily.

It helps that this guy is stupid and he admires me, so he didn't think much about it.

Otherwise, he's going to find out about my relationship with Dr.Felch.

But if Dr.Felch is really brought here, my identity would probably be exposed.

No matter how hard I try, I won't be able to outsmart that old man.

He may be old, but he's sharp.

The mere thought of that caused Francesca annoyance.

She then remembered Candice's incident and would really like to consult her master about the surgery.

That was only if the old man was still willing to talk to her.

To this day, she still didn't understand why the surgery had failed.

That horrifying incident dealt her a huge blow and caused her to question her own medical skills. Also, she felt guilty for Candice’s death.

The happening was like a thorn that was stuck in her heart.

At the same time, it was like a puzzle that was waiting for her to solve.

Just as she was lost in her thoughts, her phone rang, and it was a call from Anthony.

Francesca answered the phone immediately.

"Anthony!"

"Francesca! Are you all right?”

"Yes.Why do you ask?"

"I wanted to go and find you, but Ms.Layla confiscated my passport and forbade me from leaving.She told me that I wouldn't be able to help much even if I went to you and that I would cause you trouble instead.I'm so worried about you, and I miss you so much.”

"Ms.Layla is right.You should just take care of the orphanage instead of coming here and messing things up.”

"Fine.l knew you would say that.”

Anthony heaved a sigh and continued, "I'm calling to tell you something”

"What is it?"Francesca asked casually.

"Mr.Lincoln has gone to Erihal.He wants to check Danrique out and make sure he's a reliable man.So, let me ask you, are you really going to marry Danrique?"

Chapter 1985

Francesca was speechless.

Why did Mr.Lincoln go all the way to Erihal just to investigate Danrique at this point of time? However, she had to admit that she had forgotten all about Danrique recently, as she had been preoccupied with Candice and Chrono's matters

"Francesca? Francesca...”

Anthony called her name twice and continued, "I'm not trying to interfere with your decision, but I want to remind you to think it through.Did you see the news recently?"

"What news?" asked Francesca.

"International news.Mostly Erihal's local news, of course.Various media platforms have been spreading the news about Danrique, and I suppose you will hear about it in Zarain.You should check it out? reminded Anthony.

"Danrique's made the headlines?"

Francesca hurriedly went to grab her tablet.She seldom used electronic products, as she disliked using them, but sometimes she didn't really have a choice.

As she switched on the tablet to look up news about Danrique, she mumbled to herself, "Did Danrique publicize our marriage to the media? How could he do that? I haven't even agreed to it yet."

The moment she finished her sentence, she froze.

Danrique was indeed all over the news and headlines, but it was not because he made their marriage public.

Instead, he was all over the news because of his love affair with Hazel.

The news articles described everything vividly.

Furthermore, there were even ambiguous photos taken of the duo.

There were photos of the two of them attending a banquet.

In one of the photos, Hazel was holding Danrique’s arm and looking up at him lovingly.

Besides, there were photos of them having dinner together.

Danrique even gave her a ride.

As if those weren't outrageous enough, there was even one photo of them sitting intimately beside a fountain.

Perhaps because Hazel had gotten her shirt wet, Danrique had taken off his jacket and was draping it over her shoulder.

In all those photos, only Danrique's side profile or back was seen, and the image was blurry. However, Hazel's face was clear.

The news spread like wildfire, and almost everyone knew about it.

Besides, the media even propagated them as childhood sweethearts who had grown up together and even disseminated the idea that they were about to get married soon.

To make things worse, some self-media wrote romance fictions with Danrique and Hazel as the main characters.

Along with the photos that portrayed them as a match made in heaven, a lot of netizens were envious of their relationship.

Currently, almost everyone around the globe was giving the couple their blessings.

As Francesca read the news, she felt like her brain was about to explode out of fury.A surge of burning anger rushed up her head, causing her to lose her mind.

How dare you, Danrique Lindberg? He was so loving and affectionate to me before we parted, but only a few days after I left, he began hooking up with another woman? Before this, he looked completely uninterested in Hazel when I was around.

Was that all an act? Anthony could sense Francesca's fury even though he was on the other end of the line, and he questioned cautiously, "Francesca...Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay.Why wouldn't I be okay? I didn't agree to marry him, after all. Thank god I didn't marry him."

She spoke through gritted teeth and hoped she could fly to Xendale right now and snap Danrique’s neck.

"Yeah, you're lucky you didn't marry him.It's still not too late for you to get out of this mess.Allin all, you can't be with a man like him.I've already seen this coming since a long time ago.A man who has a noble status and an honorable identity like him will never be loyal to only one woman.I've seen things like this happen way too many times before.Once you've recovered, Ms.Layla and I will go pick you up in H City, and when the time comes, you must cut all ties with that Danrique guy.Oh, and another thing, you must stay put within the Lindberg family's protection.Ms.Layla told me that the crazy quy would be observing you secretly, so it'd be dangerous if you were all alone.Hello? Francesca? Hello?"

Before Anthony could finish his words, Francesca hung up on him and called Danrique.

The phone rang for a long time, but no one picked up.

Francesca called again but to no avail.

After three attempts, she boiled with rage.

Chapter 1986

Francesca paced about in the house.She was so furious that she nearly broke her phone.

Half an hour later, Danrique had not called her back.

Soon, another hour passed, but she still had not received his call.She kept her gaze on the phone, turned on the notification, and continued to wait for his call.

A few hours had passed, but there was still no incoming call on her phone.

Francesca was on the brink of losing her mind and was about to get Sean's number from Sloan. Out of the blue, her phone rang, and it was Danrique.

Seeing that, she accepted the call without hesitation, "Hello!"

"Yes? Anything?"

His tone sounded cold and distant.

His voice sparked a fire in Francesca.

With that, she bellowed, "Danrique, what do you mean?"

Meanwhile, Danrique was signing some documents.

Because of that, he placed his phone on the table and put Francesca on speaker.

As she screamed on the other side of the phone, her ear-piercing voice almost hurt his eardrums. "Why are you so angry? Who got on your nerves?"

"I saw the news! You better come out with an explanation right now!"

At that moment, Francesca wished for nothing more than to grab him by the neck to interrogate him.

Her aggressive tone instantly irked Danrique.

Aloofly, he replied, "What's with your attitude? Are you trying to interrogate me?"

"What do you mean? Do I not have the right to question you?"

While poking her computer screen, Francesca could not help but curse endlessly.

"You bast*rd! It was you who shamelessly said that you wanted to marry me.You were the one who pursued me persistently.I've only been gone for several days.How dare you have an affair with another woman while I was away?"

"What do you mean by pursuing you persistently? Why do you make it sound like you're reluctant?" Danrique could feel anger pouring through.

He continued, "It was you who took away my first kiss and climbed into my bed.You have also used two identities to approach me, took a bullet for me, and even neglected your own life to save mine!"

"Well, maybe I was blind! There, happy now?"

Francesca roared in fury and hung up the call directly.

"D*mn! How dare she hang up on me?"

At that instant, Danrique was about to burst from rage.

"That bast*rd! How shameless, despicable, and reprehensible of him!"

Gritted her teeth in anger, Francesca could feel a fresh swell of rage in her.

Soon after, she accidentally saw one of the photos on the news.

In that photo, Hazel was wearing the Moon River's Heart.

That necklace was worth hundreds of millions.

As a matter of fact, Danrique bought that necklace for her.

However, she tried to act all high and mighty by rejecting him.

The fact that Danrique returned that necklace back to the store right after she rejected it filled Francesca with immense regret.

I thought he has returned the necklace.Why is it on Hazel's neck? As she read carefully, she saw the caption below the report that read: Danrique Lindberg Gifted "Moon River's Heart"

To Hazel At The Ball And Put it On For Her...

Reading that, Francesca got so furious and was about to lose her mind.Just then, Danrique called her again, and she picked up her phone.

"I call to tell you that you cannot hang up on me.It should be me."

"Danrique! You shameless, despicable bast*rd! Go to hell!"

After spewing some insults on the phone, Francesca hung up the call again.

Hearing that, Danrique was utterly dumbfounded.

D*mn! She hung up on me again! Not only that, everyone here overheard how she yelled at me! In the room, Sean broke out into cold sweat, and the other subordinates were also shivering in fear. Meanwhile, sitting on the sofa, Kevin could barely believe what he had just heard.

It was his first time seeing Danrique getting scolded by someone.

What surprised him the most was that he did not even stand a chance to retort.

The arrogant Harrier, too, felt deeply unsettled by the conversation earlier.

He then ran his hand over his nose awkwardly and walked out carefully.

Chapter 1987

Seething in rage, Danrique grabbed his phone to call Francesca again.

However, his call were being rejected straightaway.He continued calling her, but the call was rejected again.

Danrique tried again, only to discover that her phone had been turned off.

That d*mned woman.

As anger spread through him, he threw his phone against the wall.

With that, the phone smashed onto the floor and shattered upon that impact.

Seeing that, the bodyguards in the house dared not breathe loudly.

"Danrique, since you're busy today, I think I shall make a move.Goodbye" Kevin said fearfully.

With that said, he scurried out of the room, afraid of getting beaten up if he was not fast enough. Meanwhile, the bodyguards in the room became anxious.They kept their heads low, not daring to breathe loudly.

Sean then summoned up his courage, approached him, and comforted, "Mr.Lindberg, calm down.I think Ms.Felch is probably jealous after reading the news.That's why she...”

"So it's okay for her to point a finger at me and command me? Is it right to hang up on me and insult me insolently because she's jealous?"

Danrique questioned furiously.

Hearing that, Sean lowered his head and kept mum.I'm innocent.it wasn't me who scolded you and hung up on you.Why are you lashing out at me? I dare you to scold Ms.Felch instead.

"What more, she was the one who rejected my call and ignored my texts first! Why can't she call me when she can contact her ex- boyfriend earlier? I can't believe that she turned around and blamed me instead"

Danrique bellowed in exasperation.

Danrique knew all about that because he had previously instructed Kerrie to report her every moves to him, including the people whom she had contacted.

Knowing that Francesca called him after talking on the phone with Anthony, Danrique could feel a wave of fury crash through him.

"Yes, you're right.Don't be angry” Sean continued gingerly, "There must be a misunderstanding.Maybe Ms.Felch was..."

"What? What are you trying to say?"

Danrique refused to take Sean's advice.He roared, "The truth is that she still has feelings for her ex.Hence, she's trying to find fault with me so that she can break up with me!"

Danrique was about to explode with rage as soon as he uttered the last sentence.

"Yes.I must be right.She wants to break up with me!"

He gritted his teeth in anger.

"So she wants to run away? No way!"

Shortly after, he instructed, "Go and order someone to watch after her.Do not let her go anywhere.I'll fly to H City tomorrow and see what is she up to!"

It drove him so mad that he flipped the coffee table.

"Got it.I'l convey your instruction accordingly.”

Grabbing the opportunity, Sean made a phone call and fled the scene immediately.

Meanwhile, Danrique was still in a fit of rage.

As he stayed in the study room, he radiated an eerie sense of aloofness.

Noticing that, all the others outside the room were too frightened to go near him.

Subsequently, Sean called Sloan to ask about the situation on the other side.

Sloan responded anxiously, "Ms.Felch hit the ceiling and threw away the laptop and her phone into the swimming pool from upstairs.I'm asking someone to get them out of the pool now.”

"It seems like both of them are angry at each other.It's impossible for anyone of them to surrender yet. Well, there's nothing we can do.Let's be careful for the moment,” Sean said helplessly.

"What happened, Sean? Why are they quarreling? They were still very much in love with each other a few days ago before their separation”Sloan asked in puzzlement.

"I think Ms.Felch must have read the news and confronted Mr.Lindberg about it. At the same time, it seems like Mr.Lindberg has some misunderstanding about her too.That's why they're fighting with each other."

Sean continued his explanation, "We shouldn't interfere in this.Right now, you just have to remember to protect her well and ensure her safety.Do not let her run away, okay?"

"Noted."

Sloan nodded vigorously.

"Mr.Lindberg mentioned that he will fly to H City tomorrow. don't know whether he's serious about it or not.After all, there are still many pending works for him to settle here.Given the circumstances, there was no way for Mr.Lindberg to leave.However, he might be hot- headed to want to go there as well. Whatever it is, you must keep an eye on Ms.Felch, Do not mess this up.I'll contact Gordon to ask about his situation there now"

"Okay, got it!"

Chapter 1988

Francesca was boiling with fury, and she felt like hurling the things in sight.

However, everything was expensive, and she could only put them back on the shelves. have to calm down.

She paced back and forth in the room and reminded herself to stay calm and composed.To be furious would be to punish herself for someone else's mistakes.

However, she could not get the image of the photos of Danrique and Hazel getting intimate out of her mind.She grew more and more furious by the second.

Francesca so wished she could fly back immediately and tear Danrique into a million pieces. "Ms.Felch, please calm down"

Kerrie articulated carefully.

"There has surely been a misunderstanding.Mr.Lindberg is a very loyal man.Besides, he likes you a lot.I doubt that he will have a change of heart..."

"Don't try and talk him out of this.The truth is right in front of us?"

Francesca bellowed.

"Besides, when I called to ask just now, he did not deny it and even threw a tantrum at me..."

Kerrie did not utter another word.

After all, she dared not badmouth Danrique, and she knew nothing about the love and hate affair between a man and a woman.

"Ms.Fetch, don't get all worked up.Mr.Lindberg is coming here in just a few days.You guys could talk it out by then"

Sloan also chimed in.

"What is he coming here for?"

Francesca was even more furious after listening to Sloan.

"Is he here to show off how lovey-dovey he is with Hazel? Or is he here to quarrel with me for hanging up on him?"

Sloan was rendered speechless.

"All right, both of you may leave now."

Francesca did not wish to take out her frustration on them and said, "Let me be alone for a moment!"

"Yes? Kerrie mumbled as she scurried out of the room, afraid of being the victim of her anger. "Ms.Felch, don't be angry.l believe that Mr.Lindberg is not that kind of man.Let me go and find out more from others so that I can report to you," Sloan said.

He seemed to still care about Francesca.He turned around to look for more information after he was done.

Francesca drank multiple bottles of water, but it still did not manage to calm her down.She lay on the sofa and cursed at Danrique.She would give anything to break things off with Danrique for good right then.

Then, she got up to pack her things as she got ready to leave.

However, just after she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of two bodyguards guarding her door.

They immediately lowered their heads and greeted her, "Ms.Felch!”

They hurriedly trailed behind Francesca when they noticed that she was heading out, and they followed her wherever she went.

As soon as she quickened her pace, they followed up swiftly and quickened their pace in sync.

Just when she was about to step out of the villa, the two bodyguards stopped her in her tracks.The other bodyguard guarding the villa entrance stopped her as well.

"Sorry, Ms.Felch.Mr.Lindberg has ordered to not let you step out of the villa before he's here." "Why?"

Francesca asked with furrowed brows.

"It's dangerous out there.Mr.Lindberg is only looking out for your safety,” the bodyguard explained. "What if I insist?"

Francesca was getting irritated.

"Do you guys think you could stop me?"

"um..."

The bodyguards were flustered.

After all, they had all witnessed Francesca's seemingly magical prowess.

Even though she might not seem like a threat, ordinary people were no match for her extraordinary skills.

Besides, she was the future lady of the house.Hence, they dared not offend her.

"What's the matter?”

Sloan rushed over right then.

The bodyguards reported the situation in hand to him right away.Sloan immediately coaxed her, "Ms.Fetch, it is really not advisable for you to go out right now.What do we do if anything happens to you?"

His words led Francesca to think about Layla's warning.She told me not to get out of the Lindberg residence, at least not out of their protection anyway.

Otherwise, it's going to be very dangerous if Chrono manages to locate me...Even though she felt indignant, she knew better than to risk her own safety.

In the end, she relented and said in a huff, "Forget it.l don't want to put you guys in a difficult position.”

Then, she headed back inside.

Just when she was back in her room, Sloan presented Francesca with a new phone as he said in a small voice, "I've installed the SIM card for you.Please do not get angry anymore.I've asked around, and it seems like the rumors are spread by the Atkinson family.Mr.Lindberg is really mad as

well. Please believe in Mr.Lindberg.I've been working with him for many years, and I could say with certainty that he is not a disloyal man...”

Chapter 1989

Francesca finally calmed down at Sloan's sincere demeanor.

On second thought, Francesca realized that Sloan had a point.

Danrique was a stubborn and hard-headed man.One woman was more than he could handle. Hence, why would he trouble himself to look for another one? Could there really be a misunderstanding? However, it was most likely true that he gifted Hazel Moon River's Heart. Francesca fidgeted uneasily at the thought.She then decided it was not a good time to be throwing a tantrum.I'd better wait for Gordon to bring Dr.Felch down from the mountain and undergo the surgery first.

Feeling a weight lifted off her chest, she lay on the bed comfortably.

Even though Sloan had put a SIM card in her phone, she did not turn on her phone.is he going to call me if I turn on my phone now? He is a man with few words, but he's oddly good at arguing, the type to never concede defeat.Then, she set her phone aside and decided to just leave it as it was.However, she was afraid that Layla might not be able to contact her and would be worried. Hence, she turned on her phone in the end.She was even thinking that if Danrique were to call, she would block his phone number so that he wouldn't be able to bother her.

Nonetheless, hours passed by, and still, he did not call. There was not a single text from him either.To her surprise, Layla was the one who called.

Francesca hurriedly answered it.

"Ms.Layla!"

"Are you all right? You did not leave the Lindberg residence, right?" Layla asked anxiously.

"Yes, I'm still here," Francesca smiled bitterly.

"How did you know that Anthony called me?"

"That brat needs to be taught a lesson" she chided.

"I've asked him to not tell you, but obviously he had paid no heed to my words and gone on to tell you.Francesca, if you truly like Danrique and want to be together with him, you have to be mentally prepared for more of such gossip to surface in the future.Even if he is a loyal man, women will just flock to him and causing rumors to fly around.They're just trying their luck with him.You have to toughen up and be prepared for what may come.Don't simply throw your tantrums at him without substantial evidence”

"I finally understand the reason you were so against me dating him’ Francesca lamented.

Layla was a wise woman, and she had weathered many storms to be able to see things from a clear perspective.

"Francesca, you are smart, but you lack experience in life."

Layla then continued in a solemn tone, "Lincoln and I will help you out in this.Your priority right now should be to prepare and focus on your upcoming treatment.Don't delay your plans because of anyone.Do you understand?"

"l understand.” Francesca nodded.

"Thank you, Ms.Layla.Also, do convey my gratitude to Mr.Lincoln as well."She had lost her parents when she was a child.Dr.Felch had raised her and taught her basic skills to survive.However, she knew little about everything else.Francesca was a smart girl and had innate talent. However, she was young, and her life was just starting; hence, she lacked experience in a lot of things.She was grateful that she had someone like Lincoln and Layla to guide her along the way.

Without them, she would not have been able to survive.

"You silly girl. We are a family.Why are you saying thanks? Do remember my words and focus on your upcoming surgery.Do you understand?" Layla repeated.

"Yes, I understand" Francesca replied seriously.

"The surgery has to be carried out as soon as possible.You can't delay it any longer.If the Lindbergs have not yet found Dr.Felch, why don't you just be upfront with them? I'm sure that he will forgive you if you apologize sincerely.”

"I think they're going to be able to locate him scon.I'll ask around later"

Francesca was following up closely on the matter as well.

The thing was, Dr.Felch was unwilling to get off the mountain, and Gordon's hard-headed attitude had scared him off.

Chapter 1990

After ending the call, Francesca looked for Sloan and asked about Gordon's progress.

Sloan told Francesca that he was about to report to her that Gordon had already found Dr.Felch.However, Dr.Felch refused to leave the mountain.

Now, Gordon was trying his best to persuade him.

After Francesca heard that, she felt both excited and uneasy.They found Dr.Felch.

Will he come down from the mountain? What if Gordon reveals my identity by mistake? Upon that thought, Francesca hurriedly asked Sloan to call Gordon.She wanted to remind him personally.So, Sloan quickly called Gordon on his phone.

It took a while for the call to be connected

"Hello!"

"Gordon, Ms.Felch wants to have a word with you"

Then, Sloan handed his phone over to Francesca.

Gordon greeted her, "Ms.Fel—"

However, Francesca cut him off and said, "Is there anyone beside you?"

"I'm at Dr.Felch's house now" he responded.

"Go to the backyard.Don't let anyone hear you" Francesca said immediately.

“Okay”

Gordon went to the backyard with his phone.

"Ms.Felch, there's no one around now.Please go ahead.”

Francesca asked reluctantly, "So, you saw Dr.Felch?* "Yes, Gordon reported.

He continued, "I'm trying my utmost to persuade him to leave the mountain.However, Dr.Felch is adamant about staying put.Also, he said that he hadn't performed an operation in many years, so I should look for someone else”

"Did you tell him about my identity?"

Again, Francesca cut him off and asked anxiously.

"I only told him the patient is Mr.Lindberg's fiancée.As per your instruction, I told him about your condition and age.And that there's no medical record. didn't tell him anything else other than these"

Gordon became vigilant and glanced at the cabin.

"Did you tell him my name?" Francesca asked.

"No."

Gordon shook his head.

"That's great.”

Francesca breathed a sigh of relief and reminded him, "When you call next time, don't refer to me as Ms.Felch.Just say, Ms.Cece All right?"

“Understood.” Gordon nodded.

"Previously, I only called you when I was inside the car. don't think Dr.Felch knows that you both share the same surname”

"That's great to know.Well done.”

Finally, Francesca felt at ease.Then, she reminded him, "All right.Go and persuade him again.Don't negotiate with him but tell him saving a life is of boundless beneficence.And that Ms.Cece got injured while she was saving someone else.She's only twenty-one years old.She's so young.lt's a shame for her to lose her life just like that. Ask him to show her mercy."

"Um, is that what I should say?"

Although Gordon was only a subordinate, he only followed orders from Danrique.He was only polite to others but never submitted to anyone other than Danrique.

Now that he needed to beg an elderly that humbly, he felt slightly uncomfortable Besides, he was hesitant to describe his future lady of the house so pathetically.

"Also, you have to be more respectful to Dr.Felch than to Danrique,” Francesca emphasized solemnly.

"Think of him as Danrique’s father.Now, do you know how to deal with him?"

"Ah?"

Gordon was dumbfounded.

"What? Just do as I say!"

Francesca ordered domineeringly.

"Understood."

Since it was an order, Gordon didn't dare to go against it.

Before he left, Danrique told him to treat Francesca like his boss.

Also, he had to listen to her instruction as long as it didn't cause conflict for him.

"I'll be waiting for your good news!"

With that, Francesca hung up the phone.

Gordon walked back into the cabin with his phone in his hand.He behaved like a completely different person from before.

Previously, Gordon negotiated with an insistent attitude.But now, he acted respectfully and bowed ninety degrees to Dr.Felch.He said, "Dr.Felch, I'm sorry for my impertinence.l am here to apologize to you.My lady of the house had just given me a good round of scolding.She's a doctor too.She got injured while saving someone.However, doctors can't heal themselves."

After half an hour, Francesca received a call from Gordon.

Gordon sounded ecstatic on the other end of the phone.

"Dr.Felch had agreed.Finally! We're leaving the mountain tomorrow afternoon!"

"That's great!"