Ch. 2031..2040
Chapter 2031 Protect Yourself
"You're intelligent, Ms. Felch.” Monica chuckled. “His Highness was right.” “You're one of William's men?”
Francesca was astonished. It had been a long time since she contacted William. The last time she saw him was when she was up against Frank at Xendale. She never thought that William would have sent someone to protect her from the shadows.
“Somewhat,” Monica replied. “I'm actually an Interpol officer, but I'm under Prince William's instructions to protect you. His Highness said that you might be upset if you knew about my identity, so I thought of a different way to approach you instead. I thought I'd fooled you, but it seems like you've known that I was lying since the start.”
“Regardless of everything, thank you.” Francesca was truly grateful for her assistance. “My gratitude is to William too.”
“I think you should thank him yourself,” Monica said with a smile. “His Highness has been waiting for you the whole time.”
“William's in S Nation?” Francesca gasped.
"Yes. He came at the same time, but he took a different private jet.” Monica lowered her head respectfully. “He should be contacting you at a later time. I'll be taking my leave now. Goodbye.” Monica left.
As Anthony stared at her retreating figure, he muttered, “I would've never guessed that she’s an Interpol officer by her young looks.”
“She's much more impressive than you.” Layla smacked Anthony's head and berated, “You don't even know how to guard someone. What can you even do?"
“Ms. Layla, why are you still chiding me when I'm already hurt?” Anthony mumbled miserably as he pouted.
“If not for the fact that you're hurt, I would've beaten you up!” Layla shot him a glare. “You're so infuriating. If not for Ms. Monica this time, the consequences would have been unimaginable!” Anthony grinned and leaned against Layla as he sang, “Yes, yes. Everything's my fault. I'll become the personification of a headache and never leave her alone ever again.”
“Shoo.” Layla kicked him. “Settle the compensation matters with the hospital. I want to have a talk with Francesca.”
“I'm hurt, but you're still asking me to go?” Anthony began to complain, but when he saw the vicious look in Layla's eyes, he quickly changed his mind. “Yes, I'll go. I'll go right away!”
Once Anthony was gone, the clinic fell silent.
Layla sat down beside Francesca and patted the back of her hand as she consoled, “Don't feel guilty about this. This has nothing to do with you.”
Layla knew Francesca best. Even though the younger woman seemed carefree, she had a soft, kind heart.
Therefore, Francesca would surely be plagued with guilt and self-blame for how the nurses died because of her.
"Sometimes, I wonder if being kind is wrong.”
Francesca had been doing a lot of thinking lately. If she had not been a busybody back then and insisted on waiting with Candice, the little girl would not have given her candies. Perhaps she would not have died then.
If Candice did not die, Chrono would not have killed thirteen medical staff, and his partner would not have killed the four nurses.
Matthias, Anthony, and Monica would not have been hurt.
Her nosiness was the origin of the entire thing.
“There are many things in this world that cannot be explained with words. Everything's destined to be,” Layla lamented.
Francesca did not speak, but she warned herself in her mind, Francesca Felch. You mustn't stick your nose into anybody's business from now on. You mustn't!
That was the principle she lived by for the next four years. Only when she met a man called Zachary Nacht four years later did she finally go against it.
“Francesca, after everything that's happened... Do you want to reconsider my suggestion?” Layla asked in a solemn tone.
"You're a skilled doctor, and you're a fantastic driver. However, these won't protect you and the people you want to protect. You can combine your medical knowledge with biology and chemistry to develop both medicine and poison. They're not to hurt others; they're to protect you. Lincoln and I are getting older. One day, we won't be able to protect you anymore, so you have to learn to protect yourself.”
Chapter 2032 Meeting William Again
This time, Francesca listened to Layla’s words. Truthfully, she had been mulling over her decision ever since Chrono attacked her at H City.
Francesca was petite and physically weak. Although she was fit and could go up against several ordinary people, it would be challenging for her to hold her ground against professionals like Chrono.
She had the ability to summon beasts, but beasts were not present in the many places she frequented. In other words, she would not be able to use her ability in many situations.
Hence, it was imperative for her to change herself. While she was ruminating about that, her phone rang. After glancing at the caller ID, she quickly picked up the call. “William!”
“Francesca, when will you be free? Can we meet?” William's voice was still as gentle and pleasant to the ears as always.
As Francesca looked through the glass door to gaze at Lacy, who was in the opposite ward, she squeezed out, “It isn't convenient for me to stray far from Lacy with her current condition. What about this? Come to me. I'll send you the address.”
“All right.”
After ending the call, Francesca sent the address to William.
However, Layla was worried. “Is this Prince William someone reliable? It's best that no one knows about our location.”
“Layla, William's my good friend, and he’s a good man. He's very nice to me, so everything's going to be fine. To be safe, I've actually sent him the address of a café two kilometers away from here. If anything happens at home, I'll be able to rush back,” Francesca said as she packed away her things. “I'm going up for a shower first. 'm covered in blood and grime.”
“All right, go on.” Layla helped her up. “I'll get someone to go with you later.”
“It's fine. I can go by myself. My car keys are in the room, right?”
“They're in your drawer.”
"Okay. Thanks, Ms. Layla. Please watch over Lacy for me and call me if anything happens.”
“Sure.”
Francesca then went back to her room and took a quick shower. After changing into a set of casual clothes, she put on her cap, took her car keys, and hurried to meet William.
Just as Francesca left, Anthony came down the stairs and asked Layla, “Layla, where's Francesca going?”
"Out to settle some things. She won't be far.” Then, Layla glared at him. “Aren’t you supposed to be going to the hospital? Why are you still here?”
“I've just uploaded some information to Mr. Lincoln. I'll be leaving now.” Frowning, he added, “Is Francesca really fine leaving by herself? Ms. Layla, why didn't you send someone to go with her?” "She has my weapon in the car, and she has gone out to meet someone she knows. Furthermore, she’s not meeting the guy far from us, and I have access to all the surveillance cameras on her way there, Layla explained. Then, her tone turned frigid as she questioned, “Do I need you to tell me what I should do?”
"Of course not, of course not. Sorry,” Anthony quickly apologized before leaving with his bodyguards.
In the meantime, Francesca sped down the path in an old pickup. Soon, she reached Café Grape. The reason the shop was named that was that the owner had a dog named Grape.
“Ms. Felch, you're here!” the owner greeted Francesca.
Francesca often came to buy bread and coffee. Both she and Layla were lazy people who did not bother preparing food for themselves. Therefore, if Lincoln and Anthony were not at home, no one would cook, and the two women would head out to buy food.
The coffee at the café was nothing special, but their toast was to die for.
"Hey, Mister.”
Francesca could not remember his name, so she always just called him “Mister.” Twirling her car keys, she then stepped into the establishment. Just as she sat down, two luxury cars drove over. The owner placed a glass of ice coffee in front of Francesca and gave her a few breadsticks. At the same time, he arched a brow and asked, “Those cars aren't here for you, are they?”
“Maybe they are.” Francesca took a sip of the black coffee before nearly choking on its bitterness. "Your coffee is as tough to drink as usual, huh?”
Right then, Robin wheeled William into the café. Four towering bodyguards followed them in, and a few more guarded the door.
Chapter 2033 His Efforts
“It seems like they're really here for you.” The café owner turned to greet them, “Hi, what would you like to drink?” “A few cups of coffee will be fine. Please stay outside for a while.”
Robin handed a wad of cash to the owner. The owner glanced at the cash but did not move to take it. Instead, he turned to look at Francesca. Francesca nodded.
It was then he took the money and put on his denim cap. Whistling as he walked out, he added, “There are canned drinks on the countertop. Help yourself to them.”
“Thank you,” Robin said before closing the door. Then, he bowed to Francesca. “Greetings, Ms. Felch.” “It's been a while, Robin.” Though Francesca greeted him as well, her eyes were fixed on William.
It had only been a little over a month, but William seemed ghastly pale. It was as if he had gone through a severe bout of illness, for he had lost much weight. In fact, even his eyes seemed sunken. “William, you..."
“The condition of His Highness’ legs has worsened,” Robin grimly explained. “I don't know if it's because he was in the cold at Xendale or not, but after he went back, his legs began aching and swelling. Even his lumbar region is having issues now—"
“Robin!” William cut him off. “You're talking too much.”
“Understood.” Robin hastily hung his head and fell silent.
William then looked at Francesca and smiled at her. “Francesca, have you done your surgery?”
“I have.” Francesca took off her cap to reveal her bald head. “Look!”
A chuckle burst out of William. His spirit lifted every time he saw her, and he would find himself relaxing. The gloomy clouds that had hung over his head for the past few days dissipated in an instant.
“I'll get some drinks.”
Robin then pushed William to the side of the table before heading to the counter to get some beverages. What he was trying to do was to give the two some privacy.
"William, have you consulted anyone about your legs?” Francesca asked, concerned about it.
“I have. They're a famous traditional medicine practitioner too, and they've done acupuncture for me. However, it doesn’t seem to have much effect.” A bitter smile crept upon William's lips. Nevertheless, he changed the topic and asked, “This isn't important; what's important is you. Monica has told me about what happened today. Who attacked you? Was she from Erihal?”
“No. It's more of a personal grudge; it has nothing to do with Erihal,” Francesca corrected. “I'm glad to have Monica's help this time. I thought Danrique sent her at first. I didn’t expect her to be working for you instead.”
“I was worried about you and scared that something might happen to you. I don't have any capable women bodyguards by my side, so I hired Monica. She can hold herself well in a fight and is quite reliable. I hope she was of help to you.”
William continued to gaze gently at her.
“But how did you know that I was flying from H City to S Nation at that time?”
Francesca was curious. Under Danrique’s protection, her whereabouts should have been kept confidential. Yet, Monica and William had known where she was.
“I went to H City after Frank's case. I've been looking for Dr. Felch too, for I wanted to consult him about my legs. However, I later found out that Gordon had invited him elsewhere. I'm guessing that they must have gotten Dr. Felch to operate on you. Hence, I decided to wait patiently at H City, thinking that I'd be able to consult Dr. Felch after your operation. However, not long after Dr. Felch returned to the mountain, he fell ill. Thus, I had no choice but to return to H City first...”
"What? My master's ill?” Francesca urgently asked. “What's going on?”
“I'm not sure about the details, but his apprentice said that he fell ill and told me not to disturb him That's why the only thing I could do was leave my contact details and lead my men back down the mountain. I then went back to H City, thinking of visiting you, but I was afraid that Mr. Lindberg would be upset. So, I could only call Gordon and ask him about your condition. I think I heard you throw things in an angry outburst, so I guessed that you'd be angrily running back to S Nation soon. I was worried that something might happen to you, so I asked Monica to keep a close eye on you and to protect you from the shadows.”
A pause later, William added, “Monica's an Interpol officer. It was easy for her to get the details of your departure from the country after a brief talk with the people at the airport.”
Chapter 2034 A Good Person
After another pause, William continued, “At first, Monica wanted to contact you, but I know the kind of person you are—you won't accept my arrangements—so I asked her to approach you in a different way. And... she ended up with a strange plan to fool you.”
“I got it,” Francesca replied with a soft laugh. “I never thought that you'd understand me so well— that you know I'd run back to S Nation after hearing me lose my temper. You knew that I wouldn't like someone tailing me around, so you got Monica to protect me in a different way.”
As she spoke, she could not help but think, If only that dummy Danrique knows me this well too. Sadly... it seems like he never knows what's going on in my head. He only knows how to treat me aggressively.
Seemingly knowing what Francesca was worried about, William added, “By the way, I don’t think Dr. Felch’s condition is severe. I was on the mountain for a few days and saw his apprentice and a young lady brewing herbal concoctions every day. However, they spoke light-heartedly, so I guess that it's only a common cold. Otherwise, they would have been panicking.”
“That's good to know.”
Francesca sighed in relief. It was then she realized she had accidentally let slip her relationship with her master earlier.
Fortunately, it was William, so there was no harm in letting him know.
“Do you still have anything difficult to resolve?” William continued asking. “Who's the one after you? Do you need me to intervene in this?"
“It's fine. I can deal with this myself,” Francesca answered, not wanting to trouble William. “Let me have a look at your legs.”
With that, she crouched down to check his condition. The moment she caught sight of them, she drastically paled. “Why are they like this?”
“What's wrong?” Robin was on his way back with two glasses of fruit tea when he heard her. Instantly, he panicked and asked, “What's wrong with His Highness’ legs?"
“You're right in that it's much worse than before.” Francesca checked William's back with a grave look. “His lumbar region isn't the only thing affected. There's something wrong with his vertebra too.”
“What?” Robin blurted out. “Dr. Felch, please save His Highness! Please!”
"Something's not right.” Francesca furrowed her brows. “You were poisoned back then, and when I treated you for that, your legs were in much better condition. Moreover, your lumbar region and vertebrae were only slightly strained from the constant pressure, but now...”
Francesca trailed off, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
“Francesca, why don't you speak your mind?” William urged. “Could it be that I've been poisoned again?”
“For now, I don't see any signs of poisoning,” Francesca told him. “However, you'll still need to do a test. What about this? Head to the hospital to do a full-body check-up with blood tests tomorrow. Then, come to me with the results.”
"Of course, of course. I'll work on it once we're back.” Robin nodded fervently.
"You mustn't let anyone know about this,” Francesca reminded.
“I understand.” Robin was a smart man, and he knew exactly what Francesca was trying to tell him. “I have to go back now. Lacy's quite ill, and I have to check on her,” she said as she fixed her worried gaze on William. “It's best that you do your checkup earlier tomorrow. Once you're done, call me. We'll meet here again.”
“Okay.” William smiled and bobbed his head. “See you tomorrow.”
"See you tomorrow.”
Francesca watched him for a little longer before turning to leave.
As Robin watched Francesca leave, he could not help but ask, “Your Highness, why won't you tell Ms. Felch the truth? Someone's out to hurt you, and we've already done a checkup.”
“If she finds out about it herself, she'll be even more concerned.” William's gaze never left Francesca. "If you ask for the name of a good person, that name would be Francesca Felch.”
Chapter 2035 The Light Of Hope
“The only one who can save you now is Dr. Felch. However, I highly doubt you'll have a chance with her, Your Highness. Please don't let your emotions cloud your judgment,” Robin warned with a sigh. “Is it because of Mr. Lindberg?” William retorted, clearly refusing to call it quits. “I know I can't compete with him now, but if I fully recover someday and inherit the throne, things will be different...”
“If you became king, you'd have even less say in your marriage,” Robin reminded. “You'd be expected to marry a woman who can help secure your throne.”
William suddenly recalled Danrique’s words and felt his heart burn with hope. “Mr. Lindberg was right. Only when we've hit rock bottom will we do whatever it takes to reach the peak. After all, we want to be our authentic selves!”
"W-Well—"
“If I have to stay in the dark for the rest of my life, then so be it,” William interrupted. “But if I ever get the chance to be king and stand on top of the world, I'll definitely marry the woman I love!” The prince was full of hope, which was the one thing that had helped him through the longest, darkest days of his life and kept him going.
As such, Robin couldn't bear to persuade him otherwise, nor did he want to dash his hopes.
Before Francesca entered William's life, he had come close to resigning himself to his fate. Her appearance, however, quickly became his beacon of light. No matter how much effort it might take to win her over, William knew it'd all be worth it.
More importantly, he finally found a goal to strive toward, a purpose to live for, and the motivation to carry on.
Meanwhile, Francesca had returned home, but she couldnt stop thinking about William's condition. She was fairly certain that someone had harmed the prince, and even though the signs of poisoning weren't visible yet, she knew a thorough checkup the next day would definitely confirm her suspicions.
She had previously heard Robin talk about how sinister and scheming the royal family was, and she'd never forget William's paleness and melancholy expression when she first met him.
In fact, the first time he smiled was when Francesca took him out for some much-needed sun. They had rescued an injured bird, and as he watched the bird spread its wings to fly away, a smile finally crept across his face.
He had even mentioned how much he wished he could fly free like the birds in the sky.
From that moment on, Francesca decided she'd do everything in her power to heal the prince's legs. Alas, she later became so bogged down in other matters that she hadn't had a chance to research a cure. William's leg condition, on the other hand, continued to worsen, which made Francesca even more guilt-ridden.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Francesca, Mr. Lincoln is back!”
“I'll be right down,” Francesca replied before putting on a jacket and rushing downstairs.
Lincoln was busy all year round and was only home for a few days each month. Every time he was back, he would, without fail, gather everyone for a meeting.
As it turned out, Lincoln and Layla used to be special forces agents. Upon their retirement, they roamed the world and stayed unmarried and childless for the rest of their lives.
Later, they met Francesca and Anthony by chance, and after having gone through a life-and-death situation together, they quickly became a family forged in fire.
It wasn't long before the four of them founded the Lovely Care orphanage, but due to their limited funds, they had no choice but to entrust the orphanage to a foundation.
Unfortunately, that was also the main reason for Lincoln to call a meeting that night. “The foundation is rotten to the core!” he grumbled. “Almost everyone in upper management was embezzling money, which includes the funds that Francesca had transferred previously. I rushed there last night to detain those scumbags and forced them to sign the release form for Lovely Care orphanage. Thankfully, I also managed to get them to return the money they stole from Francesca. Now that that's over, we'll either have to find a new foundation for the orphanage or start one ourselves. However, if we go with the latter, the funds required will undoubtedly be an astronomical sum...”
With that, the three of them promptly turned to look at Francesca. It had always been her dream to build an orphanage, and since she was also the main financial backer, it was only natural for her to be the decision maker.
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Chapter 2036 Be Yourself
"How much would it take to set up a foundation?” Francesca asked bluntly.
She had never been good with the concept of money, and account keeping always gave her massive headaches. Because of that, she'd never beat around the bush when discussing finance- related matters.
"Um, about that...” Anthony mumbled before handing the calculator to her. Francesca stared at the string of numbers and began counting the number of digits. Oh, my goodness, there are at least ten digits. Argh! My head hurts just from looking at it.
“Okay, that's enough. I'm getting cross-eyed from all the numbers,” she grumbled. “How much more do we need?”
“A lot,” Lincoln replied. “The truth is, our current financial strength is far from enough to start our own foundation. I've also been looking around to see if we can find a more suitable and reliable foundation.”
“Indeed. There's no need to pile so much pressure on ourselves. It'd be easier to find another foundation,” Layla uttered. “Besides, we don't have to rush this. The money we recovered is enough to tide us over for a while.”
"How long would that be, though?” Francesca asked anxiously.
Since she didn't have an answer to that, Layla quickly turned to Anthony.
“Twenty-five days,” the latter replied as he showed them the bill.
“Sell my jewelry. I heard it's worth a hundred million,” Francesca said nonchalantly. “Once I've completed Lacy’s operation, I'll begin treatment on William's legs. I think I'll be able to earn quite a bit from him.”
Upon hearing that, Layla furrowed her brows. “But didn't you say that Prince William's condition is very tricky? Furthermore, his safety will affect the power struggle within Danontand's royal family. It's best not to get yourself involved in that.”
“That's right,” Lincoln chimed in. “Dragging politics into this will only complicate things further. Turn it down if you can. We don't need the prince's money.”
When Francesca heard that, she suddenly recalled how her master had also avoided treating William. Understanding dawned on her.
He, too, had told her before not to save any political figures or to get involved in their matters.
At the time, she couldn't quite understand why. To her, they were all humans, so why shouldn't she save them?
Alas, her master didn't explain further and only told her to do as he said.
Francesca hadn't dwelled on it then, but now that she had given it some thought, she finally understood her master’s well-intentioned advice.
“Think back on how you got into trouble on that yacht in M Nation,” Anthony sternly reminded “That group of people wanted to kill you so you wouldn't have a chance to treat Prince William. They knew that as long as the prince remained uncured, he wouldn't be able to fight for the throne.” "Oh, you've finally wised up,” Layla teased as she pulled Anthony's ear, only to have the latter respond with a goofy grin.
After pondering for a while, Francesca finally spoke up. “I understand the concerns, but William's my friend. I met him earlier, and it was clear that his condition has worsened. It has gotten to the point where his lumbar region and spine are affected too. Not only do those in the royal family want him out of the race for the throne, but they also want him dead! If I stood by and did nothing in his hour of need, I'd be going against my principles and a doctor's oath!”
As soon as they heard that, Lincoln and Layla exchanged silent glances. They, too, used to be young and impulsive and would always go to the ends of the world for their friends.
Their reckless actions ended up costing them a lot, but despite that, they never regretted a single thing.
After all, that was the power of youth!
Besides, Francesca was only twenty-one years old. She needed to experience life for herself, be it good or bad, and feel the array of emotions that lay in store for her.
They could pave the way for her and steer her away from making wrong turns, but they couldn't pull her along right to the end. If they did, life would be meaningless!
Seeing as how neither Lincoln nor Layla said a word, Anthony knew better than to raise his objections. “All right. Go ahead and do whatever you want. If anything happens, we'll shoulder the responsibility with you.”
In a rare turn of events, Layla turned to him and praised, “Well done, kid. You sure are quick-witted today.”
"Yes, and you even stole my line,” Lincoln added as he tousled Anthony's hair affectionately.
“Thank you,” Francesca replied, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
She had a family protecting her and navigating her through life's challenges, so what was there to be afraid of?
Thanks to them, she had the courage to be herself!
Chapter 2037 Toys
Not long after, Lincoln brought up yet another question. “By the way, Francesca, do you remember what Layla said about developing poison and hidden weapons for self-defense? Since we're still healthy and agile, we can help you with it. Otherwise, you won't be able to protect yourself if you run into any dangers again.”
In the past, Francesca had always stuck to her master's teachings of not making poison, but with how things were going, she knew it was time for a change.
I was told not to leave the mountain or learn modern medicine, yet I did them anyway. I've also already gone against my master's advice by treating a royal family member, so what difference would it make if I violated another one of his rules?
Having made up her mind, Francesca replied, “Okay. I'll start preparing for it after Lacy’s operation.” "Good," Lincoln said, nodding in relief as he grabbed a leather bag from the shelf and handed it to her. “Here's your most treasured possession. I found it for you.”
“You found it?"
Elated, Francesca tore into the leather bag and found herself staring at a large knife.
As it turned out, the knife was the only item she had taken with her from Mount Phoenix.
There was also the word “Fran” engraved on the blade, which, interestingly enough, was how her name came about.
When Francesca was younger and went up the mountain alone to pick herbs, her master had given her the knife for self-defense. That way, if she ran into wild animals, she'd be able to protect herself. However, since Francesca was capable of summoning beasts, she hardly saw the need to use the knife as a weapon. Instead, she realized she could use it to chop down trees and thorns in her way and even smash rocks with it!
Kids who grew up in the mountains didn't have the privilege of having toys, so to her, the knife was her only plaything.
She loved it so much that she brought it wherever she went.
Unfortunately, when Francesca moved a few months ago, the kids at the orphanage took her knife away to play with, and she couldn't find it despite searching high and low. She had already given up on it, but who knew Lincoln would get it back for her?
"Happy now?" Layla asked as she gazed fondly at Francesca. “You've finally gotten your toy back.” “Haha! I'm overjoyed!” the latter exclaimed. “Seeing it is like seeing my master again!”
As a matter of fact, she'd always recall her master's words of encouragement every time she saw the knife. “Francesca, you're a blessed and gifted child, and there's nothing that can stump you. Give your best! I'll always be protecting and rooting for you!”
Therefore, whenever she ran into difficulties, she'd picture her master near her, which gave her the strength to keep going.
A while later, Lincoln clapped his hands, signaling the end of their meeting. “All right. That'll be it for today. Run along and have a good rest.”
Since Layla still had accounts to settle with Lincoln, Anthony left with Francesca to collect her jewelry. He'd sell them the next day and use the money to fund the orphanages for the time being. As the two of them made their way up the stairs, Anthony suddenly asked, “Say, has Danrique called you?”
“I blocked his number,” Francesca snapped back.
Danrique had also blocked her number previously, and that memory only made her boil with rage. Her initial plan had been to turn off her phone and cut off all contact with him, but knowing that Anthony and the others might need to reach her any time, she decided against it and blocked his number instead.
When Danrique tried calling her on Sean's phone, she blocked Sean's number too.
From then on, she rejected calls from all unknown numbers, which explained why her phone had been so silent recently.
Anthony cleared his throat as he hesitated to speak up.
“What do you want to say?” Francesca muttered.
“They called me and asked if you were safe. Once I gave a simple reply, they hung up...”
"Who called you? Was it Danrique?”
Anthony narrowed his eyes. “No. It was his subordinate. He sounded a little sinister, and even though he didn't say much, I felt like he was threatening me.”
Upon hearing that, Francesca immediately knew who the mystery caller was. “It was Sean, wasn't it?” "Yes! That's him!” Anthony replied. “He told me his name as soon as I picked up the call. What an arrogant prick.”
“Ignore him.”
Despite those words, Francesca had to admit she felt rather upset. Why hasn't Danrique called to explain himself? He doesn't care about me at all, does he?
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Chapter 2038 Ungrateful Wretch
"Yes, just ignore him,” Anthony chimed in. “That Danrique isn't sincere at all. He hasn't even bothered to call you to apologize, so don't go easy on him and forgive him so soon.”
“I know,” Francesca muttered before tossing her bag of jewelry to him. “Now, get lost!” “D*mn... Can't you be a little gentler?”
"Scram!” “Okay! Okay!" After Anthony had left, Francesca lay on the couch to play with her phone. However, when she saw the list of blocked numbers, she began to ask herself if she should finally unblock Danrique.
Monica was right about teaching him a lesson. Otherwise, he'd never make a clean break with Hazel. Then again, if I don't unblock his number, how could he call to clarify things to me? Well, I suppose I should do it. That'll give him a chance to explain himself and beg for forgiveness!
With that, Francesca immediately unblocked both Danrique’s and Sean's numbers.
Before she went for her shower, though, she intentionally put her phone on silent and tossed it aside.
Even if he calls, I won't answer it. I want that a*shole to feel anxious and panicky. Yep! That's it!
It didn’t take long before Francesca finished her shower. Upon coming out of the bathroom, her gaze fell straight on the phone's black screen as she wondered if anyone had called.
I'm sure he must have called, but who cares? He can continue panicking!
The next second, she sat in front of the dressing table and began applying medication to herself. However, even as she did, she couldn't help but notice that her phone was dead silent.
He must have gotten mad when I didn't pick up his calls earlier. Fine, I think I've punished him enough. Let's see what he has to say now.
Francesca promptly got up to retrieve her phone, but when she unlocked it, she realized she hadn't gotten a single call.
Needless to say, she was stunned.
My goodness! Does Danrique not know I've unblocked him? Or does he think he’s still blocked, so he didn't bother to call? Oh no, how should I let him know?
Just then, the phone suddenly rang. Francesca’s anxiety quickly melted away as she stared excitedly at the screen. Alas, her happiness was short-lived when she saw it was Sean calling her.
Argh! Why isn't it Danrique? Then again, he might be using Sean's phone to test me.
At the thought of that, Francesca gulped and recomposed herself before taking the call. “Hello.” "Oh, thank heavens! I finally got through to you, Ms. Felch,” Sean exclaimed. “Are you all right? Where are you now?"
“I'm very well,” Francesca said coldly. “As for my whereabouts, I don’t think there's a need to let you know.”
"W-Well..." Sean stammered before looking at Danrique timidly.
Even though the latter's eyes were flaming with rage, he managed to restrain himself and made a gesture.
“Don’t be mad, Ms. Felch. The incident from before was just a misunderstanding. Mr. Lindberg—" “No need to explain to me. I don't feel like hearing it,” Francesca interrupted. “Is there anything else? Otherwise, I'll hang up now.”
"Please don't be like that, Ms. Felch. Mr. Lindberg is very worried about you—"
Unfortunately, before Sean could finish his words, Francesca had already hung up the phone.
What a useless man! Can't he explain things himself instead of getting his subordinate to do so? He isn't sincere at all!
Meanwhile, Danrique was just as furious as she was. “I've had enough of that ungrateful wretch and her foul temper! Since she loves being angry, I'll let her be! Don't call her again. I don't care anymore!”
“Calm down, Mr. Lindberg...”
"Also, why did you sound so timid earlier?” Danrique scolded. “You said I was worried about her and made it sound like I was begging her! I didn't do anything wrong, for goodness’ sake!”
"Y-Yes, but—"
"What's the point of keeping you around if you don’t even know how to speak up? Get out of my sight!”
q
Chapter 2039 Explain
Sean felt aggrieved. Danrique could only take it out on him since he could not vent his frustration on anyone else. I still got a scolding from Mr. Lindberg even though I was cautious with my every action. He's been finding fault in everything I do today.
Judging from the current situation, he believed it would be unlikely for Danrique and Francesca to mend their relationship anytime soon. Mr. Lindberg will continue to throw a fit and test everyone's patience.
He flinched at that thought and instantly gave Sloan a call. “Sean!” “Have you managed to find Ms. Felch yet?”
“Not yet. We went to the hospital Ms. Felch visited earlier, but the hospital didn't have her address. However, we should be able to locate her soon since I've just gotten the address to the orphanage.” “Mr. Lindberg wants you to protect Ms. Felch, but she mustn’t know you're observing her. Keep an eye on her and update me from time to time.”
“Got it.”
After ending the call, Sean scrolled through the news on his phone. Stories about Hazel were all over the internet.
The media even widely reported the incident that happened to Hazel at the banquet and coupled it with a few misleading photos, claiming that Danrique had rescued a damsel in distress. Oh, great. Ms. Felch is going to flip if she comes across these news stories. But since Mr. Lindberg is planning to wipe out the three great families, he has no choice but to lay low and not act impulsively for now! “Son of a b*tch! Go to hell!” Francesca roared when she scrolled through the news site.
She exploded with rage when she read the news story on how Danrique rescued Hazel and saw how intimate they were in the photos.
Initially, she thought she had misunderstood Danrique, but now it seemed she had not been wrong. It's like he doesn't care that I've run away! Shouldn't he put his work aside and fly to S Nation to explain to me personally? He could have at least given me a call! Not only did he not do that, but he’s still not distancing himself from Hazel either!
It had not been long since their first misunderstanding, and yet another intimate photo of him and Hazel had popped up on the internet again.
This only proves how unimportant I am to him and how little he respects me. It was stupid and gullible of me to assume that he was serious about our relationship. The feelings he said he has for me are all fake!
The more Francesca thought of it, the more flustered she grew. In a fit of anger, she lifted her tablet and tossed it out the window, but upon realizing the device was hers, she leaped forward and caught it in a swift move. Phew, thank God.
Francesca held the tablet close, patting her chest while heaving a sigh of relief.
"What are you doing, Francesca? Juggling?”
Anthony, who was playing a game on his phone while lying on a recliner on the balcony, was amazed by Francesca's agility when she leaped forward and caught the tablet.
“It's none of your business!” Francesca glared at him before returning to her room
"You must have read the news again, right?” Anthony asked suddenly.
A vortex of anger swirled inside Francesca, and she tossed the tablet in Anthony's direction.
“F*ck!” Anthony managed to dodge the tablet. Thankfully, the device did not break into pieces as it hit his chair before falling onto the carpet. Anthony picked it up and exclaimed, “Hey! It's your tablet. You bought it with your money!”
Francesca got so annoyed that she drew the curtains and gave him the cold shoulder.
Anthony shook his head and continued playing with his phone while lying on the recliner. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door.
“I'm coming in!" Layla opened the door and came in with a plate of fruits.
"Oh, come on, Ms. Layla. Couldn't you at least wait for me to respond before entering? I'm a man now, mind you.” Anthony looked at Layla with a pair of puppy eyes.
"Stop acting shy. You've been with us since you were seven. We even know the number of moles you have on your butt!” Layla rolled her eyes at him.
“But I'm a man now. A grown man!” Anthony sighed and gave in. “Forget it. Take a seat, Ms. Layla. I'll get you a glass of water.”
“That won't be necessary.” Layla sat on the couch, crossed her legs, and gestured for the young man to take a seat. “Come here and sit quietly. There's something I need to tell you.”
Chapter 2040 Protect Myself
Upon noticing how serious Layla was, Anthony walked over, drew the curtains, and sat opposite her. "Why are you acting so secretive? What is it?”
“Mr. Lincoln has shortlisted a few foundations and plans to embark on a field trip to inspect them, so he'll be away during this period. Meanwhile, I have to keep an eye on the orphanage to prevent Chrono and his men from laying their fingers on the children. That means you have to take care of Francesca.”
“Sure. No problem!” Anthony agreed without hesitation as he had always wished he could stay by Francesca's side and protect her all day.
“Hold on. Let me finish.” Layla gave him another side-eye before continuing, “Listen carefully. I have two missions for you, and you must accomplish them.”
Anthony pricked up his ears. “Go on.”
“First, you need to find out Prince William's character. You'll also need to investigate the people around him to see if they have ulterior motives. Secondly, should Danrique’s men come to look for Francesca, you must inform me before making any decision. I want to meet them personally.” It was not difficult to tell that Layla was serious about these two missions.
“I'll have no problem accomplishing the first mission, but the second mission—is that necessary?” Anthony pouted to express his dismay.
He continued, “That dude says he wants to marry Francesca, yet he's constantly involved in scandals. He didn't even bother to come to S Nation to look for her personally. This means he doesn't even care about Francesca. Why do you still want to meet him?”
"You know nothing. Just shut up and do as I say.” Layla was running out of patience.
“Fine.” Anthony was reluctant but dared not go against Layla’s instructions.
“Here, take this.” Layla gave him an exquisite silver gun. “This will come in handy should emergencies happen.”
“But I'm not good with guns,” Anthony said sheepishly while retrieving the gun. “Besides, I've not killed anyone before. I'm scared...”
“Didn't you say you're a man?” Layla shot daggers at him. “Have you not learned a thing or two after living with us for so many years?”
"Give the young man a break.” Suddenly, Lincoln walked in and defended Anthony. “He's good with computers, not guns. Why do you keep forcing him to do things he’s uncomfortable with?”
"How dare you blame me? It's all your fault since you're the one who pampered him.” Layla looked up at Lincoln with a scowl. “You two have fun talking. I'm going back to my room now.”
Before leaving, Layla pointed at Anthony and said, “Remember what I said!"
"Got it,” Anthony responded reluctantly.
“I understand you need to obey Layla and protect Francesca, but I want you to take good care of yourself too.” Lincoln expressed his care more affectionately.
He gently patted Anthony's injured arm and said, “Look at you. What if the bullet had hit your body or brain instead of your arm? Have you thought of the consequences?”
“That didn’t cross my mind at all. When I saw Francesca was in trouble, I knew I had to rescue her. It was purely instinctual!” Anthony responded with a smile.
“There are many ways to rescue a person. You don't have to use yourself as a human shield.” Lincoln looked at him while knitting his brows. “Francesca is a living being, and you're a living being too. You two are my family, and I wouldn't want to see anything bad happen to either of you.”
“It's different. Francesca’s life is more precious than mine,” Anthony blurted out with a chuckle. “Don't you dare say that,” Lincoln growled in a deep voice. “You two are equally important. It's your duty to protect her, but you must watch out for yourself too!”
Anthony was stunned for a bit as he had rarely seen such a serious expression on Lincoln's face. Eventually, the young man nodded repeatedly and said, “All right, all right. Got it.”
Before leaving, Lincoln gave him another pat on his shoulder.
When he was about to step out of the door, he turned around, looked at Anthony, and reminded him, “The gun that Layla gave you is a custom-made weapon. Carry it with you at all times to protect yourself and Francesca.”