Ch. 2041..2050

Chapter 2041 Gentle

The next day, Anthony worked hard to gather all the herbs, equipment, and blood supply that Francesca needed for the surgery. In the evening, Francesca started operating on Lacy. Anthony and Layla helped her from aside.

Around three hours later, she wrapped up the surgery. Removing her surgical mask, Francesca wiped her sweat away and announced, “She’ll need to be monitored for twenty-four hours. If nothing out of the ordinary happens, she'll be safe.”

“We can take turns to do that, so you should get some rest,” Layla urged. “I'll take a shower. I need to meet William soon.” Francesca hurried away.

Anthony wanted to go after her, but Layla stopped him. “Not today. We need to keep an eye on Lacy. Besides, Francesca won't let you follow her.”

"All right. Next time, then.”

After taking a shower, Francesca drove her truck to Café Grape.

The owner was walking his dog nearby. When he spotted her, he waved at her from afar. “The hunk is waiting for you inside.”

Francesca waved at him in return. She parked her truck at the entrance and walked into the café. Robin brought his own coffee beans today. He ground them and brewed a few cups of fragrant coffee. The entire area smelled really nice.

“My exhaustion disappears the minute I smell the coffee,” Francesca commented.

She took a deep breath and felt her entire being relax.

"You must be tired today.” William gazed at her tenderly. “Your eyes are bloodshot.”

"Yeah, I'm exhausted. The surgery lasted for five hours.” Francesca massaged her brows. “I'm sorry you have to wait for me.”

“It's fine. I knew you were busy today and came later than usual.” William offered her a warm towel. “Put this on your eyes. You'll feel better.”

“Thanks.” Francesca took the warm towel and placed it over her dry eyes. At once, her exhaustion faded away slightly.

“Prepare some food for her,” William ordered Robin. “Some simple pasta will do. Make sure it's not seasoned heavily. Hurry up!”

“Yes. I'll get to it right away,” Robin responded.

Curious, Francesca asked with her eyes shut. “Can Robin prepare pasta now?”

“It's easy, so I got him to learn it.” William chuckled. “You didn’t have dinner yet, right? Your stomach must be feeling uncomfortable. Don't drink coffee. Here, have some warm water now. You can drink the coffee after eating some food.”

"Mm." After Francesca was done with her eyes, there was already a glass of warm water in front of her. She finished it in one gulp and felt her stomach warm up.

Soon, Robin came over with a bowl of pasta bolognese. Flashing a shy smile, he explained, “Every Ustranasion chef has tomatoes and minced beef in their fridges. I used eggs and flour to make the pasta myself. There is no other vegetable, but I hope you'll like it.”

“It's good enough.” Francesca took a bite and praised, “It's delicious! Thanks, Robin.”

“I'm glad you like it,” Robin replied cheerfully and went to stand behind William.

Francesca was starving. She didn't have lunch as she had to be with Lacy the entire day. Busy with the checkups and preparation, she didn't even get to drink any water.

Thus, the pasta was a lifesaver.

William gazed at her tenderly and waited until she finished her dinner. He then offered her a piece of tissue silently.

“Thank you!” Francesca wiped her lips clean.

William noticed she was sweating and told Robin, “Lower the temperature of the air conditioner by two degrees Celsius. You can increase it back to normal half an hour later.”

“Got it.” Robin immediately did as told.

Francesca wiped her sweat away and commented, “William, you're gentle, attentive, and thoughtful. You're the perfect man every woman wants!”

William chuckled gaily and sighed. “But you don't like me...”

“Mm? What was that?” Francesca didn't hear him clearly.

“Nothing,” came William's gentle answer. “You've filled your stomach, so it's time to drink the coffee now.”

q

Chapter 2042 Treating Him

“Mm.” Francesca sipped on the coffee and praised, “This is delicious!” Adoration flashed across William's eyes. “Remember, since you're not used to drinking coffee regularly, you need to drink some warm water and fill your stomach before drinking coffee. Otherwise, it might be harmful to the stomach.”

"Got it.” Francesca bobbed her head. “Did you do the checkup today?”

“Yes.” Robin handed the medical reports to Francesca. Francesca read everything and frowned. “I was right. You've been poisoned. How could they be this cruel? They want you dead!”

“I'm used to it.” William was unruffled. “I was only five when they first tried to kill me.” “When you were five?” Francesca grew emotional. “They are nothing but beasts!”

“I was born a healthy baby but had to rely on the wheelchair to get around after that,” William revealed with a bitter smile. “I thought they would spare my life, but six months ago, they took action against me again.”

“By poisoning you?” Francesca huffed. “You're no longer a threat to them. Why won't they give up?” “I wasn't a threat to them previously.” William exhaled sharply. “I've kept a low profile over the years so I wouldn't attract any trouble. Six months ago, I couldn't help but express my opinions during an important conference. The King, His Majesty, lavished praises on me, so those people started targeting me again.”

Robin added, “They used all sorts of despicable means to try to harm His Highness. Alas, he's too weak and doesn't have anyone to rely on. We couldn't confront them, so we had to wander around and dared not head home.”

He got so emotional that his eyes turned red.

“Robin, stop talking,” William chided in displeasure.

“Yes,” Robin replied hastily. He lowered his head and moved aside.

“Don’t worry. I'll treat your condition!” Francesca felt terrible for William, too. “You'll get to walk and return after recovering completely and give the b*stards the shock of their lives!”

William snorted in laughter. “You always make me laugh.”

Francesca scratched her head shyly. “Heh, I was a little rough. Sorry for that.”

She didn't think twice about being rough in front of someone else, but William was an elegant and polite gentleman. She couldn't stop blushing after realizing she had uttered crude words in front of him.

“Francesca, you should head home and get some rest.” William was thoughtful as usual. “I'm not in a hurry. You don't want to overwork yourself, do you? You haven't recovered completely yet.”

“I can't start treating you tonight.” Francesca glanced at her watch. “I need more time to treat you slowly.”

“Does His Highness have to move into your hospital?” Robin chimed in.

“I don't have a hospital,” Francesca told him as she furrowed her brows. “I set up a temporary clinic today to operate on Lacy. There are only basic medical facilities and equipment, and it isn't that big.”

“It's fine. We can ask our subordinates to stay somewhere else,” Robin suggested hastily. “Ms. Felch, to be honest, those people are searching for His Highness, and we can't really remain in a hospital for too long. Uh, can you—"

"Don’t make things difficult for Francesca!” William snapped.

“It's fine. Robin is really thoughtful.” Francesca pondered over the matter. “I don't live alone, so I need to discuss with them. I'll call you tomorrow morning.”

“No need for that. I don't want to trouble you,” William rejected her outright. “I can buy a villa nearby and build a clinic inside. You can stop by every day. But you'll have to let us know what medical equipment and medicine you need.”

Chapter 2043 No Qualms

“That sounds good.” Francesca nodded in agreement. “I can buy the necessary medical equipment and medicine as I have the connections. Besides, your enemies won't find out where you are if I'm the one who makes the purchase.”

“Great!” William flashed a smile and shot her a curt nod. “Thank you, Francesca.” “How much does the equipment cost? I can transfer one hundred million in M Nation's currency to you first. Is that enough?” Robin asked politely.

"Of course. It can even cover the medical fees. Oh, no. It's too much!” Francesca was flustered. "We're friends, so I can't take that much money from you. Besides, you've got it hard.”

William chuckled in amusement. “You love money, right? Why are you this polite?”

"Well..." Francesca blushed. “I love money, but I only make money in the right way. We're good friends, and you've helped me many times. I can't overcharge you.”

It was just an excuse. Truth be told, Francesca couldn't bring herself to take William's money. He was a prince but had never been taken seriously. Thus, he had lived in the dark all the while. At this juncture, his cousins were trying to kill him. As a result, he couldn't even head back home. Obviously, he wasn't a rich guy.

Francesca was willing to treat him for free if he didn’t have any money.

“I might look weak to you, but I have made plenty of money using my secret identity. You don’t have to worry that I cannot afford it,” William told her cheerfully. “I'll transfer the money to you so you can buy the necessary equipment and medicine. If you refuse to take it, I'll feel bad to trouble you."

“Do you really have that much money?” Francesca asked incredulously. “Are you giving me all the money you have?”

"Of course not!” William shook his head and flashed a resigned smile. “Do I look that useless? Why don't you help us to buy the villa that we're going to stay in? I won't give you more money for that.” “That sounds great.” Francesca had no qualms anymore. “I'll buy a few cars so you can use them.” "We have our own cars, so you don't have to do that,” Robin chimed in with a grin. “Thank you for helping us.”

“No worries. I'm making money from you, so it's no trouble.” Francesca broke into a vibrant smile. It feels like I'm doing something good besides making some money. That's amazing!

William relaxed when he saw her smile. "You should head home and get some rest.”

She looks greedy, but she’s gentle, kind, and thoughtful. That was why I racked my brains to make her accept the medical fee.

“I'll go home now. Tomorrow, I'll make the arrangements and call you.” Francesca put on her hat and reminded him, “I believe the preparations will be done within a week, and the treatment will begin a week later. Rest well and make sure you're always in a good mood.”

"Got it.” William nodded. “Robin, see Francesca to the door.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Outside, Robin made sure William wasn't looking before he tugged on Francesca’s sleeves and whispered, “Dr. Felch, please get a bigger villa with a yard and good environment. I can transfer more if the money isn't enough. His Highness often stays at home, so he might feel depressed if the place is small.”

“I understand.” Francesca nodded vehemently. “Don’t worry, I know what to do. That's a lot of money, so it's certainly enough. Besides, properties in the countryside aren't that expensive.” “Thank you so much!” Robin thanked her gratefully. “Also, there's no need to buy any furniture. His Highness prefers using custom-made furniture, so I'll make the arrangements.”

“Sure, no problem.”

 

Chapter 2044 Being Lured

Back home, Anthony sidled up to ask, “So? Did you agree to treat that prince?” “Yeah.” Francesca received a text and clicked on it. At once, she beamed. “Oh, that's fast. I've already received the money.”

“What money? How much?” Anthony glanced at her phone. “What the f*ck? This is a lot! Did the prince give you this much money?”

“Mm. For the medical fee and other stuff,” came Francesca’s answer. Her lips curved as she asked, “I remember a luxurious villa is put up for sale around seven kilometers away from us. Has it been sold?”

"Of course not. It's big and expensive. No one in their right mind would buy it,” Anthony replied. He then demanded, “What do you mean by other stuff? Did you agree to other conditions?”

“I agreed to help buy a property for him and set up a clinic inside so he can receive treatment for the long run.” Francesca instructed, “I'll go and view the villa tomorrow. Help me buy the medical equipment. We need to do this as soon as possible and start treating him.”

“I'll come with you. I can call to order the medical equipment you need but I won't let you view the villa alone.”

"Why not?" Francesca responded carelessly. “If you don't have to go to the medical equipment company, then stay at home and keep an eye on Lacy. We're busy and short of staff.”

Anthony tried to protest. “But—"

“All right, then. It's decided,” Francesca cut in, her tone allowing no room for negotiation.

She then hurried up the stairs

Anthony felt helpless as he couldn't refute Francesca. He went to Layla and complained to her.

"Yes, Francesca shouldn't view the house alone. However, we need help at home too.” Snapping her brows together, Layla ordered, “Stay at home and keep an eye on Lacy. I'll ask Francesca to take the bodyguard with her.”

“But—"

“That's enough.” Layla knew what Anthony was thinking about. “When the villa and medical equipment are ready, Prince William will move in. You can follow Francesca there every day to find out more about him.”

“All right, then.” Anthony nodded. “It should take at least six months to cure him.”

“Yes.” Layla gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulders. “You need to consider the bigger picture instead of acting recklessly.”

“I understand.”

Back in her room, Francesca wrote out a list of the medical equipment she needed and sent it to Anthony so he could buy them.

She then took a shower. After stepping out of the bathroom, she glanced at her phone, which remained silent. No one else contacted her besides the texts she received from Anthony.

Danrique didn't call or send any texts. Even Sean didn't contact her at all.

Disappointment overwhelmed her heart. It looks like the b*stard is indeed a hypocrite. He gave me his word but did otherwise.

She was deep in thought when Anthony knocked on her door. “Can I come in?”

"Come on in.” Francesca placed her phone aside.

Anthony brought along a cup of warm milk, a bowl of soup, and some sliced apples. “You didn't eat anything today, so I brought some food.”

“I ate something earlier.” Francesca glanced at the tray. “Leave the milk. You can finish the rest.” “Did you eat with the prince?” Anthony asked. There was a tinge of jealousy in his voice.

Francesca couldn't be bothered to waste time with him. “Anything else?”

"Here you go.” Anthony proffered a stack of paper. “I got the information about the villa and printed it out. There is a contact number, so you can call it before going there tomorrow. There might be no one there, and your trip might be in vain.”

"You're quite helpful.” Francesca took the papers from him. “Thanks!”

"Sleep early. I'll leave now.” Anthony spun on his heels to leave. At the door, he turned over his shoulder and flushed. “By the way, remember to put on your clothes properly when you're alone in a room with a man. You don't want to lure me into committing a crime, do you?”

 

Chapter 2045 Stubborn

“Uh...” Shocked, Francesca lowered her head to stare at her outfit. She was wearing a spaghetti strap and shorts. How will this lure him into committing a crime?

“Look at you. You are blessed with fair skin and have an ample bosom. How could you wear so little clothes? Luckily, you're with me. What if you're with someone else—"

“Scram!” Francesca grabbed a pillow and tossed it to him. Anthony slammed the door shut and fled the scene. Francesca was breathless with anger. To her, Anthony was unisex, so she didn't bother about her attire. How dare he say that to me? That's preposterous!

Feeling drained, Francesca returned to her bed to sleep. However, she couldn't help but glance at her phone repeatedly. Still no news from Danrique, huh? Good. That's great! Forget him. I shall pretend that I've never met him. It's no big deal.

Francesca switched her phone to silent mode and placed it aside. Rolling to one side, she hugged a pillow and fell asleep.

At the same time, Danrique was working in his car. It was the afternoon in M Nation. After he read the file, Sean came to report to him, “Ms. Atkinson has completed her inspection today. According to her schedule, she'll be boarding the plane back to Xendale tonight.”

“Mm,” Danrique grunted in acknowledgment and continued reading the following file.

“Gordon has contacted Riz Corporation. They claimed that Emperor isn't meeting anyone recently. We need to schedule an appointment and wait for our turn,” Sean reported carefully as he was afraid of invoking Danrique’s wrath.

"He's quite arrogant, huh?” Danrique’s lips curved. “I heard that Emperor isn't even eighteen years old yet. Where the hell does he get his confidence?”

“Uh...” Sean could barely hide his shock. “Seriously? Riz Corporation has been around since the last century and is the most prominent evil organization in the world. In recent years, it has conquered all the other organizations. I have always thought Emperor is an old man.”

“The previous leader's name was Priest. He was an old man. Emperor is the godson of his apprentice, Cadel. Back then, the Four Overlords rebelled against Priest. Emperor was only a nine- year-old child, but he managed to kill Priest and called himself “Emperor’. The Four Overlords then made him their new leader. Emperor is indeed a genius. He's capable and has divine-like ruling power. After acceding the position, he conquered the other evil organizations and expanded Riz Corporation to a bigger scale. We shouldn't underestimate it now. However, that doesn't mean it can do whatever it like,” Danrique concluded in displeasure.

No one in the world could make Danrique make an appointment and wait, not even Zachary and the President.

He's so arrogant despite his young age!

"He's indeed arrogant, but we shouldn't offend Riz Corporation.” Lowering his voice, Sean reminded, “I remembered someone told me that Emperor's father is a Lindberg too. He must be related to our family.”

"Oh?" Danrique was surprised. “Is that true?”

"Yes. Emperor's father is a cousin of an old lady in our family.”

“That's too far stretched. How many generations apart is that?” Danrique rolled his eyes. His lips curved up as he added, “But it also shows how amazing the Lindberg family’s DNA is!"

“You're right!”

“Did she call you?”

They were chatting amiably when Danrique’s expression turned stern without warning.

“She?” Sean was taken aback. “Oh, do you mean Ms. Felch? No.”

"What a stubborn woman.” Danrique’s expression turned dark. “Forget it. I won't call her. If she refuses to change, she'll get worse in the future.”

“Mr. Lindberg, don't do that,” Sean advised softly. “Men should be patient with women.”

q

Chapter 2046 Turning Point Of Life

Seven days later, Francesca successfully bought the villa for William and set up a clinic on the first floor. She then purchased the medical equipment and set them up inside.

Robin moved the furniture and electrical appliances he bought a while ago into the villa. The new house was ready after he purchased some decorative ornaments.

William was in a jovial mood as he got out of his car and looked at his new house. He knew he would only spend a few months here and return to Danontand after recovering completely. However, the next few months were the most important time of his life.

Francesca would be with him, which would be his life's turning point. He entered the house in his wheelchair but wanted to walk out with his legs! “Rest well and settle down. I'll come here tomorrow morning to begin the treatment,” Francesca told him

She was delighted at the thought of treating William so he could walk again. It would be a breakthrough for her in the medical field, too.

“You've worked hard all day, so go home and rest well. See you tomorrow!” “See you tomorrow!” Francesca left William with Robin and left in a haste.

Robin glanced at Francesca’s car and blurted out, “Your Highness, why didn't you chat more with Dr. Felch? Every time she shows up, you'll ask her to head home to get more rest instead of asking her to stay.”

“She worked hard these few days. Besides, she just went through surgery, and her head is still wounded. She needs more rest,” William explained briefly. “She's also not talking to Danrique, so I shouldn't disturb her.”

“They aren't talking, so it's the perfect chance for you to step in!” Robin exclaimed. “You shouldn't be a gentleman if you want to win her heart.”

“It's against my principles to take advantage of the situation. I believe Francesca admires these qualities of mine. If I become someone like that, she won't be friends with me anymore.”

William knew his place well.

“All right, then.” Robin then changed the topic. “There's a garden behind the villa. I'll take you there.”

“Mm.”

Francesca hurried back home and changed her clothes before she went to Lacy.

Lacy had already woken up for the day. She was weak but could speak. “Francesca!”

Delighted, Francesca took Lacy’s hand. “Lacy, you must recover soon. Let's go fly a kite after you recover.”

"Okay!" Tears swam in Lacy's eyes. She looked forward to her future.

"Good girl. Don't worry for I'm here. No one can bully you.” Cupping her cheeks, Francesca said gently, “You just have to stay at home and focus on getting better. Don't think too much, get it?" "Got it.” Lacy nodded tearfully.

Francesca stayed with her momentarily before leaving to talk to Layla. “Layla, I think Lacy has something weighing on her mind. Do you think we should find her a psychologist?”

"Orphans who live in orphanages are more mature than their peers. She only came to our orphanage last year and suffered a lot out there. She must be afraid after that ordeal. I plan to ask her friends from the orphanage to come and visit her. They can also spend time with her. There's no need to hire a psychologist. Lacy hasn't really gotten used to her new life at the orphanage, so she needs some time."

Layla was considerate enough to think in Lacy’s shoes.

"Sounds great. Thank you.” Francesca reminded her, “Chrono and his gang have stayed low. Perhaps Monica did help us out. William told me Interpol has been going after Chrono, so they won't dare to show themselves for the time being.”

"Yes, that should be it.” Layla nodded. “I've received the news too. However, we can't lower our guards. You need to be careful.”

“Got it.”

Chapter 2047 A Dog

Life was busy but fulfilling, and everything was progressing smoothly. Danrique was the only exception. It had been seven days since he last contacted Francesca. He didn't call or send her any message. Even Sean didn't contact her.

Francesca would fiddle with her phone every night before she went to bed. She even checked the blocked numbers to make sure she didn't forget to unblock Danrique’s number. Soon, she suspected that something was wrong with her phone.

Alas, she was just imagining things. He didn’t contact her because he didn't want to. There was no other reason! Francesca read a saying on the Internet: Perhaps he doesn't love you that much... She thought that it described their story perfectly. Francesca’s heart ached at that thought. She kept reminding herself to ignore that b*stard and think of the whole thing as a dream.

I wanted to escape and avoid him, and now my dream has come true. There's no need to be sad. Well, this is the end! Francesca changed Danrique’s name on her phone to “The End.” She also changed his profile picture to one of a dog consuming shit.

It took her ages before she found the perfect picture! Every time she saw the name and photo, fury would overwhelm her heart. Feeling pleased, she would then curse inwardly, Danrique, have this!

It was callous and vulgar, but it was the true Francesca. Taking a few deep breaths, she balled her fists up and cheered herself up. Francesca, cheer up. Forget the scum and start anew!

Suddenly, her phone rang. The caller ID was “The End,” and the profile picture was a dog consuming shit.

Shocked, Francesca thought she saw things. It took her a while before she regained her composure. Answering the phone, she greeted icily, “Hello, who is this?"

“Did you delete my phone number?”

Before making the call, Danrique reminded himself to stay calm and control his emotions. He was mature and should act like a gentleman. Alas, his temper erupted right after he heard her voice. Francesca pretended they were strangers. “Oh, Mr. Lindberg. What is this about?”

“Francesca Felch!” Danrique snapped. He was about to lose his cool. “If there's nothing, I'll hang up now,” Francesca said deliberately.

“Don’t you dare hang up!” Danrique growled. “You ungrateful woman, did you forget your husband just after a few days? Do you have a death wish? I finally finished work and gave you a call, but this is how you treat me? Apologize now, and I might consider forgiving you. Otherwise...” He trailed off in a warning tone.

Silence ensued.

Danrique moved his phone away from his ear and glanced at the screen to realize that the call had been disconnected a while ago. Gosh, did she just hang up on me?

He had wasted his time yelling at nothing!

Infuriated, Danrique soothed himself by patting his chest. He used to be calm and unfazed, but that woman managed to invoke his wrath every other day.

"Er..." Sean shot him a helpless look and was about to sneak away.

“Stand right there!” Danrique vented his anger on Sean. “Why didn’t you stop me just now?”

“I-1 dare not do so...”

"Why wouldn't you dare? You had the guts to persuade me to call her and arrange for a private jet to S Nation. What else can't you do?” Danrique barked furiously.

“Huh?” Sean gaped incredulously. “Didn’t you ask me if it's right to call Ms. Felch? I told you there's no harm in trying. You also told me to arrange for the private jet...”

He trailed off after seeing Danrique’s menacing look and corrected himself. “I shouldn't have done that. It was all my fault!”

q

Chapter 2048 Burning With Rage

Francesca was angry too. Despite waiting so long for his phone call, the first thing he did upon calling her was to place blame. He did not appear apologetic at all.

She hung up abruptly, not intending to entertain him. I am not one of his men. Who does he think he is to yell at me?

Francesca received a text message amidst her reverie. Initially thinking that Danrique had sent it, she unlocked her phone and discovered it was sent by William instead.

Thank you! The two simple words meant a lot to a man of few words like him. A complicated emotion comprising of tenderness, pity, and a sense of responsibility welled up within Francesca. She silently vowed to cure William's legs so he could stand once more to find the life that belonged to him. Danrique did not call again that night. Francesca, too, could not be bothered to deal with him. She tucked herself in early after a shower.

She was going to examine Lacy's injury the following morning before rushing to William's to give him treatment.

A stubborn and complicated disease had afflicted his legs for years. Francesca could not guarantee a complete cure with her current medical skills, which necessitated her to invest vast amounts of research into developing a new treatment plan.

Layla and Lincoln had also been pushing her to invent defensive poisons and concealed weapons. Though confident that Chrono and his friends would not show up again in a hurry, it was still no guarantee when they would.

Francesca spent two hours every day on the research of those two items, so she had no time to deal with Danrique.

Dating is affecting the speed with which I could strike back. I'm not going to waste my time like that!

As her mind wandered, Francesca fell asleep.

In M Nation, on the other hand, Danrique was having trouble sleeping.

"Shall we take off as scheduled, Mr. Lindberg?” Sean asked tentatively.

Though the original plan was to fly to S Nation, he did not know whether to take off or not in light of his employer's quarrel with his wife.

Sean was initially too afraid to ask, but the airport required an answer. He was forced to bear the risk of getting an answer from Danrique.

"Any word from Sloan?”

Instead of answering, Danrique posed a question of his own.

ja a

Sean was stuck in a difficult situation. There was news, but not something he dared tell Danrique about.

“Tell me!” Danrique glared coldly at him.

"Yes, sir.” Sean did not dare conceal it any longer and showed Danrique the information Sloan had sent. “Ms. Felch appears to be treating Prince William, Mr. Lindberg.”

Danrique took the tablet for a closer look and found all sorts of photographs and videos.

The first photograph was of Francesca wheeling William in the yard of a white mansion as they engaged in a conversation and laughed.

The second photograph showed Francesca squatting before him like she was massaging his legs. William was gazing at her in such a manner that affirmed their intimacy.

The third photograph was Francesca descending from a shabby pickup truck with Robin wheeling William to receive her. The pair shared a look and a smile as she handed William a gift.

The fourth photograph was Francesca lying back on a deck chair in the courtyard like she was asleep. William was adjusting her scarf, with another hand touching her face.

His hand appeared to be touching Francesca’s cheek, judging by the angle of the photograph.

A burning rage rushed into Danrique’s head and seared his logic.

Resisting the urge to break the tablet, he continued looking at the photos.

There were also several short videos. The first clip was shot surreptitiously from a window of a room where Francesca and William were in. Francesca leaned over as if to kiss him with one hand on his face as he lay in bed.

The second clip was worse... William was sitting naked in a tub with Francesca seated on the edge touching his legs.

Danrique couldn’t bear with it any longer when it came to the third clip and promptly hurled the tablet to the ground.

 

Chapter 2049 Take The Initiative

The tablet smashed against the wall with a bang and fell to the floor, where it shattered into pieces. Sean was so frightened that he did not dare to say anything. He stood against the walls and lowered his head.

The air felt as if it had solidified. The room was as silent as the grave. The subordinates who stood guard outside could sense the chill in the house. Their foreheads were drenched in sweat, and they did not dare make a sound.

“Cancel the flight to S Nation. We're returning to Xendale,” Danrique said after a long silence. “Yes, sir.” Sean did not dare ask further and instead hastened to make the arrangements.

Knowing Danrique, he would have flown directly to S Nation to clarify matters face to face before dealing with Prince William and Francesca—one is a friend while the other is his fiancée.

Sean did not understand why Danrique did not do that but opted to return to Xendale instead. Could he have given up on Ms. Felch?

As he pondered upon that possibility, Danrique’s phone rang. His eyes closed dangerously upon a single glance at the screen and picked up after a moment's silence, placing it on speaker mode.

“Is this a good time, L?"

William's voice sounded.

Sean was stunned. He did not expect the prince to take the initiative to call. Is this an act of provocation?

“Yes.” Danrique’s voice sounded at ease as if he was not aware of anything.

“I'am in S Nation,” William declared abruptly. “l am here to get Francesca to heal my legs.”

"Are you?" Danrique answered coolly.

“I have been thinking of ways to get in touch with this Dr. Felch to seek his help in healing me. In order to gain his approval, I have waited on Mount Phoenix throughout repeated visits, yet he rejected me. Then, he shut me out with the claim of being ill. That is why I could only beg Frannie for help.”

The prince sounded very earnest, with touches of humility and despair in his plea

Sean's heart twinged with pity upon hearing that. He finally understood the photos and videos must have been taken when Francesca was treating William. It's probably a misunderstanding.

"So?" Danrique was visibly unmoved.

“I have inadvertently discovered that your men were sneaking close to my home today and deduced that you sent them to keep Frannie safe from the shadows.

“I worry that it would cause a misunderstanding if they sent you updates, so I thought I would better call to clarify matters.

“Nothing is going on between Frannie and me. She is only treating my disease, with nothing between us thus far.”

“Thus far?” Danrique did not register anything else but that phrase.

"As she is currently your fiancée, I will not harbor any inappropriate thoughts,” William was good with his explanation.

“Now?” Danrique understood his meaning at once. William is telling me that he would court Francesca if she weren't my fiancée. He is just couldn't do that now.

“Frannie is a decent girl. I hope you won't misunderstand her,” William added. “The care she provides me is only in fulfillment of her obligation as a doctor.”

“You seem to be very thoughtful.” Danrique’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Of course. I do not want any misunderstandings to affect our friendship,” William said. “You are a smart man. You wouldn't overthink it, right?”

“Right!” With a cold laugh, Danrique hung up brusquely.

Sean could feel a chill running down his spine. It appeared that he had underestimated William, who had an eye for detail in covering loose ends.

He specifically called to have the first say in explaining the situation. Whatever Danrique do next would appear petty.

At the same time, William had an implicit message in his call—he had nothing going on with Francesca at the moment; she was merely providing him medical treatment. Whatever updates the subordinates of the Lindberg family sent would also be a misunderstanding.

However, once Francesca was no longer Danrique’s fiancée, he was going to court her openly.

 

Chapter 2050 A Mission To Be Proud Of

Though his words sounded like a disclaimer, how William handled the whole thing was a tactful one. Now Danrique would not know which course of action to pursue next. Knowing his temper, however, he would not let this slide easily.

After a long silence, Danrique looked like he had thought things through. “Prepare to leave for the airport,” he ordered coldly.

"Yes, sir.” Not daring to delay a second longer, Sean arranged for their journey to the airport at once.

They were actually supposed to return to Erihal. Well, Mr. Lindberg had spent so much time stabilizing the market over here, but there were a lot more to handle over at Erihal.

The president called several times each day to urge Danrique to return, but the latter purposefully delayed three more days because he wanted to drop by S Nation to bring Francesca home. However, they encounter the matter with the prince right before taking off.

Sean knew Danrique very well, he knew it was already difficult enough for Danrique to take the initiative to call Francesca. However, they would begin quarreling before they could say much. To make matters worse, Danrique then saw the rumors between her and William.

It must have been difficult for him to control the impulse to rush over and stab Prince William. Sean and everyone else were all alert and treading on thin ice. We would better watch our back. Danrique did not say a word. He did not even take any action against the slander involving Francesca, nor did he make any comments.

After boarding, Danrique settled down to deal with his documents before retiring for a nap. Throughout the whole time, he remained silent.

Sean felt rather uneasy. Danrique throwing a tantrum and taking action was his typical response. However, it spelled danger if he did not say a word or do anything.

After getting off the plane, Sean found an opportunity to call Sloan behind Danrique’s back. “Mr. Lindberg knows about Ms. Felch and is very angry. The consequences are dire. You must quickly find the opportunity to talk to Ms. Felch. It would be best to convince her to give Mr. Lindberg a call to sweet talk him.”

"Er..." Sloan's scalp tingled unpleasantly at those words. “It's not easy to get Ms. Felch to sweet talk, Sean.”

“I'm letting you handle it because it's not an easy task. How will you prove your persuasive skills otherwise?” Sean said encouragingly. “I really value you, Sloan. Besides, Ms. Felch and you are very close; hence, only you can accomplish this.”

“Is that so? Ms. Felch and I are close?”

Sloan did not hear anything else other than that.

“That's right. Why else were you sent to protect her?” Sean was stroking his ego. “You have faced life and death with her in the forest. She is much closer to you compared to the other bodyguards. Talk to her. She will listen.”

“All right. I'll look for Ms. Felch tonight.”

“All the best! We're counting on you!"

Sean sighed after hanging up. Having gone through many life and death situations over the years with Danrique, he had the confidence to solve any problem that came their way.

However, Sean had to admit that any issues regarding Danrique's love life were the toughest challenge for him.

He found it exceedingly tricky because Francesca's thought processes were usually against common sense and could not be easily understood and predicted like other issues.

It was already past nine at night when Francesca emerged from William's villa

Gazing at her shabby pickup truck, she put on some country music and pulled out to the road where not another soul was in sight. She felt rather relaxed.

Danrique’s face occasionally flashed across her mind and made her heart twinge painfully, but she would regain her composure quickly.

Women destined for great accomplishments must not be tethered by emotions.

Suddenly, a car drove toward her direction from the opposite direction and blocked her path. Francesca stopped her car and raised her eyebrows. Who is this blind idiot who dares to block my path? Is he seeking death?

Just then, Sloan led a bodyguard down the car and bowed respectfully at her. “Ms. Felch!”

“Sloan?” Francesca was stunned. “It's you!”

"We've been here for a while. We just didn't dare bother you,” Sloan explained. “Is this a good time? Can we talk?”