Ch. 2021..2030

Chapter 2021 Reinvestigate

"Actually, I know what Harrier is up to.” Hazel smiled wryly. “My dad can't see it, but I can. On the surface, he makes it seem like he’s working together with the Yarrow and the Atkinson families. Behind the scenes, however, he has been coming up with his own schemes. When the three families work together, he will do his best to get benefits out of it.

However, he will let the other two families take all the risks. He always comes up with glorious excuses and makes it seem like he's sacrificing himself to help others. This time was a perfect example. My dad is so grateful to him and was thanking Harrier for giving me the chance to come on this inspection.”

“If you knew all that, why did you still want to come?” Danrique questioned. “Is it okay if I speak my mind?” Hazel asked cautiously. “Go on.” Danrique was rather impressed by her honesty.

“The main reason is that I want to spend more alone time with you,” Hazel answered directly. “Besides, among our generation, I think you're the most capable person among the three great families. Mr. Yarrow's son is a spoiled brat and is not interested in running the family business Although Harrier is slightly more capable, he's too greedy and ambitious.

He's always trying to take advantage of the people close to him. However, he doesn't have what it takes to fight against outsiders. A person like him won't achieve great things. I don’t want to be like him and focus on schemes and plots. Instead, I want to see the outside world and broaden my horizon

If the three great families continue to prosper, I believe in my capability of carrying the Atkinson family forward. Even if something were to go wrong with the three great families in the future, I could still uphold the Atkinson family on my own!"

Danrique was stunned when he heard that. At the same time, his opinion of Hazel changed slightly. Compared to the others in the three great families, she seems to have a clearer mind and the required fighting spirit! In fact, she knows there's a possibility I might destroy the three great families in the future.

I don't sense a hint of resentment in her tone. Instead, she was just brutally honest. I think she knows that it's only natural in the business arena for the strong to dominate the weak.

Although nothing was certain, Hazel was willing to work hard in enriching her relationships and strengthening her family. “Therefore, please don't hate me, Mr. Lindberg.” Then, she added, “I'm working hard, but I won't force anything upon you. Also, I'm not going to come up with schemes behind your back. I just hope that I can be there whenever you need me!”

“You sound very sincere,” Danrique replied indifferently. “For now, I don't think you were involved in helping your dad kidnap Cece and drugging her in the banquet hall.”

"What?" Hazel was taken aback, and she quickly answered, “No way! Although my dad wants me to get close to you, he’s not capable of doing such a thing.”

Danrique glanced at her coldly and kept mum.

“Please trust me. My dad never did such a thing. He has always been the most cowardly in the three great families. How could he possibly have the courage to kidnap someone close to you?” Danrundefinedgique narrowed his eyes when he heard that. She has a point.

Danrique sent her home and went back to his villa. Sean and the others rushed back at once, and they were relieved to see him unharmed.

Right before any of them could say a word, Danrique ordered, “Re-investigate Cece’s kidnapping case.”

“Noted, Mr. Lindberg.” Sean glanced at him sheepishly and said, “There's something else I need to report to you. Please don't get angry, okay?”

“Speak!” Danrique had just had a long night, and he was drinking his tea gracefully.

“Ms. Felch has run offt”

Spurt!

Chapter 2022 Men Are Scary

Danrique spat out his mouthful of hot tea and began to cough badly. Sean patted his back and comforted him, “Don’t worry, okay? I think she’s fine and—"

"What happened? Why did she run away so suddenly?” While talking, Danrique picked up his phone and rang Francesca. “Well, you would know, wouldn“t you?” Sean replied weakly. “Kerrie told me you had an argument with her, and she left because of that.”

"What?" Danrique was rendered speechless. We had an argument, all right. All I need to do is just explain myself, no? Why did she need to run away? What's with this woman?

While he was still angry, he heard the automated reply through the phone, “The number you have dialed is unavailable.” He then furrowed his brows and questioned, “Where did she go? When did she leave?”

“Exactly four hours and ten minutes ago,” Sean answered. “Sloan said she kicked a bodyguard away and took a Lamborghini. After that, she went sailing over the walls and sped off. Sloan thought she could be going to the airport, so he sent people there. However, she had driven to a nearby city to catch a flight. Sloan is sure of it because he found the Lamborghini there. She's now on a flight toward S Nation.”

Danrique was utterly baffled. What she has done is even more courageous than any of the men here! I love it! Still, did she really need to do that? It's not like I've done something unforgivable, right? I hung up on her, and that's all I did! Did she need to kick my bodyguard, steal a car, drive to another city, and board a flight to S Nation? What is she going to do next time when we're married? Is she going to leave every time we have an argument? I have enough bodyguards for her to kick down all she wants, and I also have a lot of cars for her to use. However, I doubt my heart can take it!

“Mr. Lindberg, would you like to send Gordon and Sloan to S Nation to look for her?” Sean asked tentatively. “I doubt Ms. Felch would want to come back, though.”

“Let Gordon continue with his mission. After all, that matter is rather important,” Danrique ordered firmly. “Send Sloan to S Nation to keep an eye on her from afar. Don't disturb her or let her realize his presence.”

"Okay. I got it.” Sean then left to relay the message.

Danrique tried to call Francesca again, but he was still getting the same response. Could she still be on the plane now?

After thinking it through, he texted: Call me back when you see this!

Danrique never liked explaining himself. A couple should just trust each other. Furthermore, I've never wronged her or done anything to betray her trust. Why must she always get jealous and doubt me? She must change that attitude of hers.

Achoo!

Francesca sneezed a couple of times on the flight. I bet Danrique is talking bad about me right now. When she recalled his actions, she gritted her teeth in anger.

While Francesca was fuming, she suddenly noticed the young woman next to her crying. The woman had finished all her tissues but was still sobbing inconsolably.

"Are you all right?” Francesca gave her some tissues and comforted her. “Bad things are bound to happen in life. Cheer up, okay?”

“That scumbag! He tricked my feelings and ran away with my money. He left me with nothing except for his child...” The young woman held her stomach and cried even more fiercely.

"What?" Francesca reacted dramatically. “He ran away with your money? How much money are you talking about?”

"Around three hundred thousand. My parents gave me the money to pay for my school fees and living expenses. I gave everything to him. My parents still think I'm in school. I don't even know what I'm supposed to say to them when I get back...” The young woman was crying her heart out. With a hand over her stomach, she added, “When I first got pregnant, he told me he was going to marry me. However, he kept stalling. Now that my pregnancy is showing, he ran off. What am I supposed to do now?”

Francesca was taken aback when she heard that. Men and relationships are scary. They'll trick our feelings and steal our money!

Chapter 2023 Cheated On

While crying, the young woman said, “Don’t be like me, okay? Don't trust men, so you won't get tricked by them. Men are all cheaters. At first, they'll say all the nice things. But once they get you, they won't cherish you.”

“That sounds like...” Danrique popped up in Francesca’s mind right away. At first, he was nice to me. After I agreed to marry him, however, he changed.

"Also, don't ever spend money on a man. Otherwise, they'll start taking you for granted.”

“No. That won't happen.” Francesca held her backpack tightly and declared, “He can cheat my feelings, but I'll never let him take my money!"

The jewelry Danrique had given to her was in the bag, and she had been keeping it close to her. When she was going through the security check earlier, the authorities had asked her to show her proof of purchase and a certificate for the jewelry. She didn't have the receipt, but she had the certificate with her. They had detained her for quite a while before agreeing to let her through. I've already wasted so much time and energy on Danrique, but at least I got jewelry in return. Otherwise, I would suffer such a great loss.

"Yes. That's right. You have to keep your money safe.” The young woman then looked around and leaned toward Francesca to whisper, “You have to safeguard your purity too!”

"Oh..." Francesca froze momentarily. Danrique has already hugged, touched, and kissed me. Does that count as losing my purity?

“You seem quite young. You haven't done that with him yet, have you?” the other woman asked. “I'm not sure.” In a nervous tone, Francesca said, “I've slept with him...”

"You've lost your virginity, then!” With an angry expression, the young woman sighed and continued, “It seems like you've already been tricked by a man! However, it's good that you still have your money with you. Trust me, okay? Men are trash. Once you've given them your attention, they'll start mentally abusing you by ignoring you, your phone calls, and your texts!”

"You're right!” The more Francesca thought about it, the angrier she got. Every man is the same!

"If they don't have a use for you, they'll dump you as soon as possible. If they still see value in you, they'll soon come apologizing to you and asking for forgiveness. Besides that, they'll find a way to get you back...” The young woman kept telling Francesca about the various ways trashy men acted and all their tricks.

Francesca was listening intently to her theories.

"When he seeks you out, just ignore him. Otherwise, once you've forgiven him once, you'll have to forgive him for the rest of your life! No matter what you guys are arguing about now, I'm sure you will argue about the same thing over and over again in the future.” The young woman was so focused on giving advice that she had forgotten about how sad she was.

She thought she had met a person in as much distress as she was, so she felt less sad. Besides, she was even feeling a sense of accomplishment from being able to pass on her knowledge and experience.

“What should I do, then?” Francesca believed her so much that she was treating the other female as her mentor in relationships

“Don't cave in,” the young woman answered. “No matter how much he explains himself and how he begs, ignore him. He's just lying to you.”

After pausing for a while, she went on to ask, “By the way, why did you break up with him?”

"H-He was on a business trip and the woman he has a scandal with had also gone to the same place for a business trip. When I called him, I could hear her voice in the background.”

“That's it, then!” The other woman smacked her own thigh and uttered agitatedly, “You've been betrayed! You've definitely been cheated on! There's something going on between him and that woman, for sure. He must have gone behind your back to meet up with her.”

Upon hearing that, Francesca became infuriated again. I'm so tempted to go to M Nation and kill Danrique right now! How dare he cheat on me?

"Once a cheater, always a cheater. You'll see. If you forgive him once, you'll have to keep forgiving him for the same mistake for the rest of your life,” the woman said knowingly. “I've dated eight men before! I know them like the back of my hand!”

Chapter 2024 Broken Up

"You're right!” Deep down, Francesca had already decided to not forgive Danrique. “Let me tell you what you should do next.” The young woman held Francesca’s hand and said, “First, you need to switch off your phone and stay off the radar—"

"Wait," Francesca interrupted her speech. “Why should I do all that when I've already broken up with him?” she asked in a puzzled tone.

"You've broken up with him, but you still need to punish him, no?” came the reply. “He lied to you, hurt you, and made you sad. Don't you think he deserves a punishment?” “W-Well..."

“If he doesn't get punished for his mistakes, he'll surely continue on and hurt other girls!” “You're right! Okay. What should I do after I go off the radar?” Francesca was utterly impressed by the advice. I need to learn a thing or two from this love guru!

"You have to go off the radar because after a man breaks up with you, he'll soon start to regret his actions. After that, he'll feel insecure and panicked, thinking that you've gotten yourself a new boyfriend. If you don't let him contact you, he'll grow anxious and go insane. We need to make him lose his way and go crazy over you.” The more the young woman talked, the more excited she got. “Now, you have the upper hand, and you're the one making decisions.”

"Got it.” Francesca nodded vigorously. “What's next?”

“If he misses you or feels as if you mean a lot to him, he'll surely look for you again. Then—" The woman suddenly stopped giving advice and started putting on an act. “I'm tired. My baby is kicking me, and I can't keep going. When you get to the point I was telling you about, call me and ask me. I'll leave you my contact details.”

"Okay!" Francesca noted down her contact details and asked, “Is your home in S Nation?”

“Yes. If you need help with anything in the future, drop me a message, and we can go out for coffee.” The girl put on a friendly expression and continued, “However, it's kind of tiring giving free advice, you know? Especially when I'm pregnant...”

With that, she rubbed her stomach and acted sad. “That guy ran away with my money, and I'm now left with nothing. I don't even know if my parents will take me in. If they don’t want me anymore, I won't even have money to give birth to my child.”

“Are things going to get so bad?” Francesca felt bad for her, and at the same time, she felt embarrassed for taking her advice for free. Hence, she quickly took out her purse and gave the other female all the cash she had. “Treat this as a fee for your advice!”

"W-Wow... I shouldn't...” The woman was pleasantly surprised. “You're giving me tens of thousands...”

“Just take it, okay?” Francesca uttered casually, “That's nothing. I still have plenty.”

"Okay, then! Thank you!” The young woman's attitude changed dramatically because she thought she had just bumped into a rich client. “Miss, just look for me whenever you need anything in the future, okay? I'll be ready to advise you. If you're free, I can even tell you about all the things I've gone through with those eight ex-boyfriends.”

“That won't be necessary,” Francesca quickly answered. “I'll look for you again if I run into any further relationship issues.”

“Sure! You can call me anytime!” The young woman was nodding happily. Looks like I've just found a benefactor! It's so easy to make money off of this fool. With her help, I don't have to worry about my hospital bills anymore.

Francesca smiled when she saw how happy the other woman looked.

After exchanging names and contact details, the two of them chatted happily for the rest of the flight.

Soon, the plane arrived at S Nation, and they parted ways after exiting the airport.

Anthony had driven a flashy yellow sports car to pick up Francesca. The moment he saw her, he asked, “Francesca, did you break up with Danrique already?”

 

Chapter 2025 What Is The Problem

Francesca rolled her eyes and snapped, “That's none of your business!” Anthony grinned cheekily and leaned closer. “I'm just concerned about you. Where's your luggage?”

Tossing her backpack at him, she said, “There are valuables inside. Take good care of it.” “What is it? Whoa! Where did you get all this jewelry?” His eyes lit up as soon as he opened the backpack. “They're a gift from that b*stard.” The mere thought of Danrique made her blood boil.

The light in Anthony's eyes died instantly. Then, he said arrogantly, “What's so great about that? I'll buy some for you in the future too. So what if he's rolling in money? He's promiscuous and unfaithful, and his feelings for you aren't genuine—"

“Shut up! You talk too much!” Francesca growled in a low voice, frowning. Not daring to utter another word, he hurriedly opened the car door and protected her head as she got into the car. Francesca scanned the surroundings carefully but did not spot anyone suspicious. Then, Anthony started the engine and drove off. He even put some music on as he drove at a leisurely pace on the wide road.

Nonetheless, she was still a little on edge and dared not let her guard down, only breathing a tiny sigh of relief when they reached the deserted highway. She asked Anthony, “Where are Ms. Layla and Mr. Lincoln now?"

He replied, “Mr. Lincoln is at the foundation, and Ms. Layla is at the orphanage. She has been at the hospital the past few days and only returned to the orphanage today because something came up.” “It's nothing serious, is it?” she asked.

“It's nothing serious.”

“In that case, head straight to the hospital,” Francesca said decisively. “Contact the hospital. I want to know the details of Lacy’s condition.”

“Okay.”

Anthony got in touch with the hospital as he drove. When the latter learned that Francesca was on the way over, they said they would immediately inform Lacy’s attending doctor to await her arrival. Layla called while they were still on their way to check if Francesca had landed, and the latter told her that she had already arrived some time ago. After assuring Layla that everything was fine, Francesca also mentioned that she was heading straight to the hospital.

Layla said she still had some business to attend to at the orphanage and would meet up with Francesca at the hospital later. The older woman also kept reminding Francesca that she and Anthony had to be careful.

After hanging up, Francesca mused with a relieved sigh, “It looks like Chrono still hasn't recovered after getting bitten by Sam and doesn't have the strength to get up to anything. His accomplices probably won't dare to strike alone either.”

Anthony nodded. “That seems to be so. It's been quite quiet here, and there's been nothing much over at the orphanage. The only issue is Lacy's illness.”

“Ms. Layla only mentioned that Lacy’s condition has worsened, but she didn't give any specifics. Do you know what happened?” she asked.

“Previously, when there was an explosion at the orphanage, a piece of metal got lodged in Lacy's body. Although there was damage to her spleen when they operated on her to remove the piece of metal, her condition was stable. But for some reason, complications suddenly started arising over the last couple of days,” he explained.

"Who did the surgery? Were the person's skills up to par?” she pressed hurriedly.

“I heard that it was S Nation's best surgeon. Lacy's condition wasn't that complicated at the time, so a surgeon would've been able to handle it. Nobody expected things to take a turn after so long That doctor was also extremely shocked,” Anthony replied, continuing to relay what had happened to Francesca as he drove.

Francesca could not help feeling uneasy. It stands to reason that even if there were such complications, they would've cropped up during the observation period. But in Lacy’s case, it has been quite some time. She should be fine by now. Why is it suddenly occurring now? Could it be that they didn’t remove all the remnants of that piece of metal during the operation? Or are there any other hidden injuries or conditions they didn’t detect at the time? However, the chances of that are very slim. After all, those surgeons are the best in their field. They couldn't possibly lack such professionalism... But if that's not the problem, then what is?

 

Chapter 2026 Watch Over Her

Soon, they arrived safely at the hospital. Matthias, Lacy’s attending doctor, was already waiting in his office. Anthony accompanied Francesca to meet him. Matthias took out Lacy’s various medical test reports and treatment plans, then proceeded to explain the latter's condition in detail.

Francesca went through them meticulously. For the time being, I don't see where he made any mistakes. He did indeed adhere to the usual treatment plan, and the test results at the time show that Lacy didn't sustain any other injuries. How strange. Since there were no other injuries and the surgery was a success, why are there still complications?

Matthias was also baffled. He even said, “I've been keeping a close eye on the child's condition, and she was doing fine. I went abroad a few days ago, and when I returned, I heard she was starting to run a recurring fever.”

He explained everything seriously and responsibly, showing no signs of dubious behavior. After carefully reading the medical reports and relevant test results, Francesca went to the ward to see Lacy.

Lacy was running such a high fever that she slipped in and out of dazed wakefulness and unconsciousness. She's only six years old, yet she’s now painfully thin.

Francesca examined Lacy thoroughly, took a few samples again to run some tests, then started the treatment. Meanwhile, Matthias personally led a few other medical staff to provide assistance. Everything progressed smoothly, and Anthony remained outside the ward, waiting for Francesca. Layla arrived halfway through. After learning that Francesca was treating Lacy, she did not go in since she did not want to disrupt them. She merely said to Anthony, “There are still some matters I need to attend to back at the orphanage, so I'll have to leave in a while. You should stay here and wait for Francesca. Don't step away, and call me if anything happens.”

Anthony nodded. “Okay, got it. What's going on today? Why are you and Mr. Lincoln so busy?” “Mr. Lincoln found out that there has been corruption in the foundation. On top of that, the staff involved are trying to flee. That's why he had to rush over there immediately. Meanwhile, I watched the surveillance footage and noticed a figure in black sneaking into the orphanage last night. I'm worried Chrono or his accomplices have come to plant explosives again, so I've been looking into that with the police,” Layla explained.

Anthony was shocked. “Oh my god! That has to be investigated carefully. It'll be bad if there's another explosion...”

Layla replied with a grave expression, “Indeed. That's why I dare not delay. If it were before, I'd definitely stay by Francesca’s side after her return. However, there's no helping that today. I also can't seem to shake off this uneasiness. Things have been peaceful here recently, but why have so many things suddenly happened simultaneously as soon as she returns?”

"You don’t mean to say that Chrono is behind all this, do you? Could they be trying to distract you and Mr. Lincoln so that they can get at Francesca?” Anthony asked, his face turning deathly pale in an instant.

Layla frowned as she responded, “We can't rule out that possibility. That's why I asked you to stay and keep watch over her. We can't let anything go wrong.”

“It should be fine. We're at the hospital, and with so many people around—"

Layla cut in impatiently, “Cut the nonsense. Why don’t you try telling that to a professional murderer? I know you can't fight and won't be able to do much, but you can at least sound the alarm, can't you? I've already sent over some bodyguards. They should be here soon. But before that, you should stand guard right here. Don't go running off. Even if you need to use the restroom, hold it in!"

"Yes, yes. Of course. I understand.”

He saw Layla off until the elevator, then went back to stand outside the operating theater immediately.

It's been more than three hours

Anthony gazed at the indicator light outside the operating theater. He could not help feeling worried and wondering what the situation was like inside.

Francesca just had surgery herself and hasn't fully recovered yet, then had to go on a plane for more than ten hours. She must be feeling exhausted as it is after the long flight, but she had to rush to the hospital to perform surgery as soon as she got off the plane. She hasn't even taken a sip of water. I wonder if her body will be able to hold up...

Just as all those negative thoughts raced through his mind, his phone suddenly rang. A nurse rushed over at once and reminded, “Sir, you can't answer the phone here.”

 

Chapter 2027 Follow Me

“I'm sorry. I'll take the call in the stairwell.” Seeing that the call was from Lincoln, Anthony could not let it go unanswered. Fortunately, the stairwell was nearby, only several meters away.

He stood in the stairwell, leaving the door ajar so he could still see the entrance to the operating theater. Using his foot to prop the door open, he answered the call using his Bluetooth earpiece. “Hello?”

"Anthony, do you keep a copy of the foundation's accounts from all these years? Send me an electronic copy at once,” Lincoln said, his tone urgent. “I do. I'll send it to you right away.”

Anthony lowered his head to search for the document on his phone, failing to notice that a figure in white had seized the chance to slip into the operating theater while he was distracted.

“Ms. Felch, are you saying that Lacy was poisoned?” Inside the operating theater, Matthias was staring at Francesca in shock.

That was what Francesca concluded after conducting a series of examinations and injury analyses. "Yes. Lacy's condition had already stabilized, but someone poisoned her wound, causing this sudden illness.”

“That can't be! Lacy has been at our hospital all this time. There are nurses watching over her every day, so how could she get poisoned? Who would do that to a child?” Matthias exclaimed in utter disbelief.

He had no idea that Francesca was the legendary Francesco. Anthony had only told the hospital she was a professional surgeon and presented various certificates.

On top of that, Lacy was one of the children at the orphanage. That was why the hospital had allowed Francesca to operate on Lacy.

In a calm tone, Francesca answered, “I don't have the answer to those questions. We can only let the police investigate. I'm going to treat Lacy now. Could you please ask Anthony to bring my bag here, then help me prepare some medicine?”

"Okay."

Just as one of the nurses was about to go out and look for Anthony, she suddenly noticed a figure wearing a white coat, mask, and spectacles at the doors. The person was staring at Francesca menacingly.

There was no nametag on the person's chest, and the nurse had no idea when the person had entered.

"Are you a doctor? May I know who you are?” the nurse asked subconsciously.

Everyone turned around when they heard her voice. At that moment, that doctor suddenly whipped out a gun with a silencer and fired once directly at the nurse's chest.

The nurse collapsed to the floor immediately.

"Ahh—"

Before the other nurses could cry out, the person fired multiple consecutive shots at them, each killing its target. They did not even have time to struggle before they stopped breathing.

Matthias’ eyes widened in fear as he stood rooted to the spot.

The attacker was about to shoot Matthias when Francesca suddenly grabbed a scalpel and flung it at the assassin.

The scalpel cut the stranger's hand, and the person's arm lowered. However, the gun did not fall to the floor.

Francesca snatched up a pair of scissors at once and prepared to stab the person again.

Alas, the attacker raised the gun again and trained it on Francesca’s head. “I'd like to see whether your scissors are faster than my bullet.”

It was a woman's voice.

“You're not Chrono.”

Francesca frowned as she fixed her gaze on the woman. The latter looked about the same height as Chrono. Although her face could not be seen clearly because of her hat, mask, and spectacles, her voice and tone seemed to indicate that she was from Jetroina, just like Chrono.

“Follow me!” the woman commanded sharply.

Realization dawned on Francesca. “You're his accomplice? What do you want?”

Furious, the woman growled in a low voice, “I told you to follow me!”

“You can't escape. This is S Nation, not Jetroina. Chrono doesn’t know what he’s doing, and it won't end well for you either if you help him,” Francesca said coldly.

The woman ignored Francesca and shifted her aim, pointing the gun directly at Lacy on the hospital bed.

Francesca immediately rushed to stand in front of Lacy. “No! The person you're after is me. Don't harm the innocent.”

“In that case, get up and follow me while wheeling the kid.”

The woman spoke Ustranasion fluently, and her tone was firm.

 

 

Chapter 2028 Realization Dawned On Her

“It's enough if I follow you. Why do I need to bring the child?”

Francesca dared not provoke the woman any further. After all, the latter was wielding a gun in her hand. But even though Francesca did not fear death, she could not let Lacy and Matthias get involved

Those nurses died a horrible death just now. There's no way I can drag more innocent people into this. Without uttering a single word, the woman immediately fired the gun at Matthias’ leg. "Arghhh!” He tumbled to the floor, writhing in pain. “Shut up! If you make any more noise, I'll kill you!" the woman barked. Matthias immediately covered his mouth tightly with his bloodied hands, not daring to make a sound further.

When Francesca saw the extent of the woman's cruelty, she could not help thinking that the former was even more daring than Chrono. Clearly, she’s not someone to mess with. If I continue to resist, the consequences will be dire. I can only appease her first, then think of something after leaving the hospital.

She said hurriedly, “Very well. I'll follow you. However, Lacy can't go. She's in very critical condition now. If she doesn't have the ventilator—"

Bang!

“Arghhh!”

Before she could finish her sentence, the woman shot at Matthias again. He let out an agonized cry, then collapsed to the ground and fainted.

Francesca was dumbfounded. "You..."

Pointing her gun at Lacy, the woman said, “If you spout any more nonsense, I'll kill that kid. So, are you coming or not?”

Hence, Francesca had no choice but to unhook Lacy from the machines, hang an oxygen bag on the hospital bed, and wheel the bedbound girl toward the doors.

The woman walked behind Francesca with the gun concealed inside her sleeve. She warned in a low voice, “No tricks. Otherwise, I'll kill you.”

Francesca remained silent. She opened the doors to the operating theater and wheeled Lacy out. “Francesca, why have you come out?”

Just then, Anthony walked over after taking the call. He saw Francesca pushing the hospital bed out with Lacy on it, a doctor following behind.

Feeling the gun pressed against the small of her back, Francesca had no choice but to make up an excuse to mislead Anthony. “I'm taking Lacy upstairs to do some tests. You can just wait here.”

“I'll go with you.” Anthony was about to step forward and push the bed when the doctor stopped him immediately.

Anthony was puzzled.

“I'm going to operate on Lacy later. Go to the car and get my bag. Also, ask Ms. Layla to bring the surgical kit I keep at home. I'm used to using my own,” said Francesca.

“I'll get someone to send it over at once. However, are you sure you can do it alone—"

"What's with all this chatter? Move out of the way.”

Shoving Anthony aside, Francesca quickly wheeled the hospital bed away.

The doctor followed her with one hand helping to push the hospital bed and the other still inside a sleeve.

Although Anthony sensed something amiss, he could not quite put his finger on it.

As he hesitated, Francesca and the others had already entered the elevator.

At that moment, the four bodyguards Layla had sent walked out from another elevator. They spotted Anthony immediately and hurried over to meet him

Anthony was about to instruct them to go and get the surgical kit when Layla called to ask whether the bodyguards were there already.

“They're here. However, Francesca just took Lacy upstairs. She asked me to bring her bag and wanted someone to go and get her surgical kit from home. She said she’s used to using that set,” Anthony said, explaining what had happened.

Layla was somewhat dumbfounded. “She always brings them with her, so it's not at home. Did she really say that to you?”

“Yes... She and a doctor wheeled Lacy out. She appeared impatient when I spoke to her...”

Layla immediately knew that something was not right. “A doctor? The nurses should be the ones who wheel the hospital bed. Go and check the operating theater.”

Anthony pushed open the doors to the operating theater at once and was shocked at the scene before him. Several nurses lay dead from gunshot wounds, and Matthias had gotten shot in both legs. It was unclear whether he was dead or alive.

“Go and follow Francesca at once! Quick!"

 

Chapter 2029 A Scene

Anthony instantly brought the bodyguards to look for Francesca. It was then he realized the gravity of the situation. “Don’t hang up. Put on your Bluetooth earpiece and stay on the call. I'll come right away."

As expected of an ex-special forces agent, Layla was exceptionally efficient. Furthermore, Anthony was just someone who studied economics and business management. Although he had picked up some things from Layla and Lincoln, he was not talented in that field. Therefore, he would have a much slower reaction time.

At that moment, he was overwhelmed by guilt—he hated himself for not noticing the oddness earlier. If anything were to happen to Francesca, he would despise himself for the rest of his life.

In the meantime, Francesca, Lacy, and the Jetroinian assassin disguised as a doctor stepped out of the elevator, about to head to the parking lot at the back.

Right then, an excited voice traveled into their ears. “Francesca! We meet again!”

At the same time, a young woman in a floral dress stood in Francesca's way.

When Francesca lifted her head, she realized it was Monica, the young woman she met on the plane who was premaritally pregnant.

When Monica saw Francesca, she exclaimed, “Francesca, I've purchased a maternity checkup package deal at this hospital with the money you've given to me! Thank you!”

However, the assassin was staring intently at Francesca. She was giving Francesca looks that signaled her to cut the conversation short and stop wasting time.

“No problems.” Francesca pried away Monica's hands before coldly saying, “I have something to attend to, so let's chat another time.”

With that, she began pushing the hospital bed again.

“Um...” When Monica spotted Lacy on the bed, she abruptly cried out, “This child isn't yours, right?” Francesca rolled her eyes, speechless.

"Oh my god, I thought you were from a rich family to have been so generous. I never knew that your life was this tough too...” Monica choked out. “No. I can't take your money!”

At that, she took out a stack of cash from her bag and shoved it into Francesca’s hands.

“It's fine,” Francesca dismissed.

She did not want to get the other woman involved, but Monica refused to let her go.

The two of them kept pushing and pulling each other, and the assassin was about to go mad from impatience. Hence, she shoved Monica aside and began towing Francesca away.

Yet, Monica fell to the ground and began shouting in agony as she held her stomach. “Ow, that hurts so much! You're a doctor! How can you shove a pregnant woman? I'm going to sue you!”

Her shouts attracted the attention of the people around them.

Almost immediately, a group of patients and their family members surrounded them and stopped them in their tracks.

Francesca tried to walk over to help Monica up, but the assassin grabbed her hand again and warned in a quiet voice, “Don't you dare try anything.”

Thus, Francesca had no choice but to keep pushing the hospital bed to leave.

At the same time, the assassin said to the crowd around them, “Coming through. Coming through.” “My stomach hurts! It hurts!” Monica continued crying out. In fact, she even clambered to her feet to grab the bed to stop Francesca and the assassin from leaving.

"How dare you leave after knocking me over? Don't you dare leave!”

“Cut it out!” Francesca quietly said, not wanting to get Monica involved.

"You were the ones who pushed me to the floor, yet not only do you not want to bear responsibility for this, but you're even asking me to cut it out? I've only been pregnant for three months! My pregnancy isn't stable yet! It hurts really bad right now, and you have to take responsibility for this!" Monica continued to yell as she grabbed the bed rails with one hand and Francesca with the other. “You—"

Just as Francesca was about to say something, the assassin suddenly spoke. “All right, I'll take responsibility for this. My money's in my car, so come with me. I'll compensate you.”

Francesca turned pale upon hearing that. The assassins trying to trick Monica over to kill her!

“Do you think I'm an idiot?” Monica shouted. “You're trying to trick me to a quiet corner so that you can beat me up before fleeing. This is a hospital, and you're a doctor here! Let's settle everything here!”

q

Chapter 2030 Who Is It

By then, the assassin had lost all patience. She sneered and said, “Fine, I'll settle it now.” With that, she pulled Monica over and pressed a gun against her body.

Surprisingly, Monica seemed fearless. As a matter of fact, she even screeched, “What is this? Is that a gun? Help! Help me! Someone's trying to kill me!" Everyone around them was astounded.

Enraged, the assassin cocked her gun to kill Monica, but Monica counterattacked with a high kick. The assassin stumbled back from the kick, and she gasped. “You're in this line of work too!"

“You're smart!” Monica cried out as she swung a fist at her. Simultaneously, she said to Francesca, “Leave now!” “Thank you!” Francesca uttered before wheeling Lacy toward the elevator.

"Stop right there!”

The assassin tried to shoot Francesca, but Monica forced the assassin to confront her instead. However, as Francesca had injured the assassin’s hand with the scalpel earlier, and Monica had kicked her as well, her hand was too weak to fire an accurate shot.

In the meantime, Francesca tried to push Lacy into the elevator, but the people from the earlier crowd were running everywhere like headless chickens. They had filled up the elevator, and Francesca could not enter with the bed at all.

All she could do was anxiously try to get to the other elevators.

Meanwhile, Monica was still fighting against the assassin. Although she seemed like a skilled combatant, the assassin had a gun. Not long after, she was shot in the shoulder.

“Monica!”

Francesca wanted to run over to help Monica, but she could not leave Lacy alone.

Once the assassin shot Monica and forced her to move back, she trained her gun on Francesca. “Die, b*tch!”

With that said, she pulled the trigger.

Right as the bullet was slicing through the air toward Francesca, someone lunged over to shield her. “Argh!” came Anthony's cry of agony.

Francesca snapped back to her senses and yelled, “Anthony!”

While the assassin was registering the sudden turn of events, Monica pounced toward her to fight her again.

The four bodyguards that Anthony had brought with him jumped into action. One went to help Anthony, another to guard Francesca, and the remaining two left to deal with the assassin.

At that moment, police sirens sounded outside. The police had arrived.

The assassin was forced to go up against three people, and she could not lay a finger on Francesca at all. Thus, she had no choice but to flee through the back door.

Francesca hurried over to Anthony anxiously. It was then she realized he was only hurt in his arm—it was not a fatal wound.

Nevertheless, it was Anthony's first time getting shot. His face was pale, and he kept yelping in pain. Francesca instantly asked some people to help him and Monica to a doctor while she escorted Lacy back with two bodyguards.

Soon, Layla arrived with her men. When she found out that Francesca and Layla were fine—that only Anthony was hurt—she heaved a sigh of relief.

In the end, the case closed with the deaths of four nurses and police intervention. The hospital also no longer allowed Francesca to treat Lacy there anymore.

Therefore, Francesca had no choice but to take Lacy, Anthony, and Monica home.

To be honest, Francesca had a clinic at home; it was just that she did not have a better range of medical equipment and medicine than at the hospital.

Thus, Layla sent her men to purchase more medical equipment and medicine while Francesca prepared to operate on Lacy the next day.

That night, Francesca took out the bullets for Monica and Anthony before treating their wounds. “Thank you!” It seemed like Monica was used to it, for she never made a sound the entire time even though she had been shot in the shoulder. On the other hand, Anthony kept yelling.

“I should leave now.” Monica stood up.

"Who sent you here?” Francesca asked without beating around the bush.

“Francesca, what are you talking about? I'm just a pregnant lady who happened to meet you,” Monica said with a smile.

"You're not pregnant,” Francesca interrupted. “I took your pulse when I gave you the money on the plane. I've known since then.”

“But you still... pretended to fall for it?” Monica whispered in shock.

“I thought you were someone Danrique sent to protect me from the shadows, so I went along with it. But now that I think about it, you clearly aren't,” Francesca deduced confidently. “His subordinates are the same as him—straightforward. They'd never beat around the bush like what you're doing now.”