Ch. 2071..2080

Chapter 2071 I Cannot Return

Hurting all over, Francesca didn't dare move a muscle, allowing Danrique to do as he pleased to her. The man stripped her down to her undergarments before wiping her down with a hot towel. As he did so, he asked, "Did anyone else touch you while I'm away?”

"Huh?" Francesca was momentarily taken aback. When realization dawned upon her, she promptly saw red. “You're such a b*stard, Danrique!” While she spoke, she tried shoving him away. “Buzz off! Don't touch me!”

Danrique grabbed her hand, so she wanted to shake him off. Amidst their scuffle, one of them accidentally touched her wound. At once, such excruciating agony flooded her that she broke out in a cold sweat. Even her face drained of all color.

Livid, Danrique lambasted, “I told you to stay still, but you just wouldn't listen! Let me have a look at it!”

“It's none of your business!” Francesca stood her ground obstinately. At that precise moment, a knock abruptly sounded from outside, and someone reported, “Prince William is here, Mr. Lindberg.”

As soon as Francesca heard that, she stopped struggling. She swung her head over and pinned her gaze on the door.

As Danrique clocked her reaction, chagrin swamped him. Grasping her chin, he warned, “You're mine!”

Then, he instructed the man outside, “Have him wait for a while.”

“Understood.”

Following that, silence reverted outside.

Francesca tried propping herself up to a sitting position, but Danrique pinned her down on the sofa. “Stay still.”

“What are you doing? I want to get dressed,” Francesca hissed.

Danrique said nothing and merely wiped her down silently with the hot towel. After doing so, he clothed her in a cotton maxi dress that was clean and loose and carried her over to the bed before calling out to the help outside, “Kerrie!”

“Coming!” Kerrie pushed open the door and entered with a few medical staff. They straightened the room. This time, William was allowed entry.

Robin wheeled William in.

William's gaze fell on Francesca right away, the look in his eyes brimming with concern and worry. Seeing that she was fine, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He lifted his head and greeted Danrique, “It's fortunate that you arrived in time this time, Mr. Lindberg. Otherwise, the consequences would've been disastrous.”

That remark made it sound as though Francesca was his family, and he was there to thank Danrique. Frowning, Danrique riposted icily, “Who'd save my woman if not me?”

William was startled for a moment, chuckling awkwardly without responding to that. Instead, he turned to Francesca. “Monica said everything has been sorted out at the orphanage, and the children are all fine. It's the silver lining in this whole fiasco.”

Again, those words of his made it clear that he considered himself part of all this, placing himself on the same front as her.

"Yeah, it was a narrow escape. I've also got to thank you this time for having Monica and the bodyguards rush over in advance. They were a great help at the critical moment.” Francesca regarded him with a smile on her face.

William gazed at her tenderly. “Don't be a stranger with me. How's your injury? Is it serious?”

“It's no big deal.” Francesca stole a peek at Danrique, only to notice that his brows were knitted together, his expression frightfully grim. She immediately changed the subject. “Oh yes, I can't treat you in the next two days, William. You must take your meds timely, and I'll go over when I've recovered.”

Cutting her off, Danrique interjected mildly, “There's no such opportunity anymore. We're going back to Xendale tonight.”

"We?" Francesca was stupefied.

“I've already sent some men to guard the orphanage, so everything will be fine. Also, I arranged for Helen to take care of your ex here. Therefore, you can rest easy.”

Danrique felt that his arrangements were perfect, impeccable even.

However, Francesca was still furious. “I'm utterly grateful that you saved me and the orphanage, but I can’t return to Xendale with you.”

"Why?" Danrique frowned with displeasure.

“I've still got a ton of things to do. With such a dire incident having befallen the orphanage, it isn't enough to merely send some men to keep guard. Besides, there's Anthony. I want to treat him personally. Furthermore, I've also got to treat William's leg in person.” Francesca wasn't in the mood to expound at length.

q

Chapter 2072 More Important Than Me

"So, you considered everyone, but not me.” Danrique stared at Francesca coldly. “You don't need me to take care of you! Go back by yourself if you want to do so!” Francesca huffed.

“Francesca Felch! What do you mean by that?” Danrique’s expression turned frightfully dark. Nonetheless, Francesca didn’t back down. “Stop asking the obvious! I've got my own things to do I'm not your pet, so what right do you have to arrange my life for me?”

Danrique remained silent, merely eyeballing her frostily. He was seemingly conveying his dissatisfaction with the look in his eyes.

“Ahem, ahem.” A tad awkward, William changed the subject. “In that case, take good care of yourself, Francesca. Why don’t we go out and talk, Mr. Lindberg?”

“Let's just talk here. There's no outsider here, so feel free to speak your mind.” Sitting on the sofa, Danrique acted as though he was the lord and master there.

“That's true.” William cast a look at Francesca. Seeing that she voiced no objection, he went straight to the point. “Francesca has been treating my leg these days. Although it hasn't been long, there's already been some significant improvement, so I hope she can continue treating me.”

Pausing, he looked at Francesca once more. “Is that okay, Francesca?”

"Of course! I vowed to heal your leg, and I never do anything halfway. It's my responsibility!” Francesca had a great sense of responsibility.

“I'm glad to hear that.” Relief suffused William.

"What's there to be glad about?” Danrique was on the verge of losing his temper and snapped, “Then, is it considered doing things halfway when you fled in the middle of dating me, Francesca?” Francesca was at a momentary loss for words.

William wasn't in the position to comment on that. He merely gazed at Francesca expectantly as though hoping she would say something.

“I'll settle the issue with the orphanage for you. If you're still worried about merely sending men over to keep guard, relocate the orphanage to Xendale. Likewise, transfer your ex to a hospital there. Is this to your satisfaction?”

Danrique proposed a solution right away.

William was somewhat staggered. From his understanding of the man, it was indeed a mega concession on his part to suggest that.

That made it clear as day that he cared about Francesca greatly.

Francesca was similarly surprised. She had never expected Danrique to utter such a remark. After deliberating for a while, she replied, “Forget about relocating the orphanage. The children are already accustomed to living here, so they wouldn't be able to adapt if they had to move to Xendale out of the blue.”

"What do you want, then?”

Danrique’s patience was already running thin. He felt that he had already shown her immense patience and sincerity. If she were to decline again, it'd definitely be because of William!

William fixated his eyes on Francesca as well, eagerly awaiting her answer.

“I'll go to Xendale to look for you when I've settled everything. Or you can come over to visit me if you're free. Let's maintain a long-distance relationship first. Ill go over when everything here has been resolved,” Francesca concluded after pondering for a long time.

At her words, William's gaze dimmed. He previously harbored a shred of hope within him, wondering whether she was refusing to return to Xendale with Danrique because of him.

He reckoned that perhaps she no longer wanted to maintain her relationship with the man. Regretfully, it was obvious from her words that she still wanted to continue dating Danrique.

It was just because of the responsibility on her shoulders that she couldn't leave.

Alas, Danrique wasn't pleased in the least. Instead, he was infuriated. “Resolved? When will you be able to resolve everything? Give me a specific time.”

Francesca glanced at William's leg before answering, “I'll go over as soon as William's leg heals. It'll require about another three months.”

In a flash, Danrique flew into a rage. “Sure enough, it's because of him! At the end of the day, I'm of no importance to you at all. The orphanage, your ex, and William are all more important than me!” q

Chapter 2073 I Would Like To Talk

Francesca was stunned upon hearing that, not quite sure how to refute it for a moment. Meanwhile, William cleared his throat and spoke softly. “Talk nicely, Mr. Lindberg. Don't throw a tantrum at a woman.”

“What has it got to do with you when I'm talking to my woman? Get out of here!” Danrique roared. At his bellow, embarrassment crept onto William's features. Nonetheless, he said nothing. He merely looked at Francesca and gestured for Robin to wheel him out.

After bowing to Danrique, Robin wheeled William out. “What's gotten into you? If you're mad, direct it at me! Why did you vent it on William?” Francesca reproached Danrique furiously.

“Why, are you distressed because I chastised him?” The fury within Danrique blazed even hotter. “Are you sick in the head?” Francesca's explosive temper reared its head as well.

Shooting her a glare, Danrique spun on his heels and stalked off.

As Francesca glowered at his back, her blood boiled.

Initially, I was really thankful and touched that he appeared when I was in danger after we hadn't seen each other for such a long time. But he then arbitrarily arranged my life for me all of a sudden. Then, he even started throwing a fit. I have no idea which wires in his brain got crossed!

Knock, knock! Just then, Kerrie knocked on the door and came in. “You must be hungry, yes, Ms. Felch? I've prepared dinner for you. Try some and see whether you like it.”

At the sight of Kerrie, a sense of warmth washed over Francesca. “Thank you. Why are you here, too?"

“I came with Gordon. Mr. Lindberg arranged for him to come over and deal with Chrono first. He said he'd bring you back to Xendale after the threat had been eliminated. Afraid that you'd be unused to the travel, he sent me along to take care of you.”

As Kerrie arranged the meal on the table, she added, “He treats you well, Ms. Felch. He's the kind of person who doesn't bother about trivial matters, but he considers everything for you. Most importantly, he actually had something crucial to settle, but he was so worried about you that he couldn't help flying over to look for you secretly. It's only because his private jet arrived half an hour later than ours that he made it over in time to save you.”

After hearing all that, Francesca fell silent.

He never once mentioned all this. Anyhow, I could tell that Sloan and the others rushed out to deal with things immediately when Chronos accomplice was tracking me at the airport. That makes it clear that they've been protecting me furtively. Thus, they only claimed to leave back then as a deliberate bait to lure Chrono and his accomplice out.

“I'll help you up to eat, Ms. Felch.” Kerrie helped her up to a sitting position and set up the table for her. “What would you like to eat first?”

“Never mind. I'd like to sleep for a bit.” Francesca hadn't much appetite right then.

“In that case, I'll step out first. Call me anytime if you need anything. I'll be right outside the door.” Kerrie bowed to her before leaving the room.

Lying on the bed, Francesca reflected on Danrique’s gentleness and thoughtfulness in the past. Then, she thought about how he always came to save her like a knight in shining armor at every critical moment. Unbidden, she felt touched.

Although he’s pretty domineering and aggressive, besides being a little too full of himself, all he does is ultimately for my good. As such, I should communicate nicely with him instead of sulking. At that thought, she called out to Kerrie, “Please ask Danrique to come over.”

"Understood. I'll go and tell Mr. Lindberg right this instant.”

A little more than an hour passed before Danrique strolled in leisurely. “What is it?” he asked coldly. “I'd like to talk with you. Come and sit over here,” Francesca urged in a gentle voice.

When Danrique noticed that she had softened her attitude, his expression eased slightly. But still, he maintained his aloof persona. “What do you want to talk about?”

“It's not because of anyone else that I can't return to Xendale with you at the moment. It's entirely because of my responsibility. The orphanage is my responsibility. The same goes for Anthony and William. I cant abandon them at this time and run off to date. That isn't fitting behavior for someone with a sense of responsibility,” Francesca explained.

Chapter 2074 Wait For Me

“I've already come up with a solution.” “I know. I'm aware that you put your all into considering me. But some things aren't as simple as you think.”

Remaining patient, Francesca continued explaining, “Firstly, the children grew up in S Nation since young, so they're already used to the life and language here. It'd be difficult for them to adapt if they were suddenly asked to go to Erihal now. Besides, Anthony had just had an operation. For that reason, he's not fit for long-distance travel. Then, there's William. I've already accepted his money. For his treatment, he bought a house and medical equipment here, even going as far as establishing an infirmary. I can't just leave with a single word at this time.”

"Are you saying you can't leave because you accepted his money? It's not because of some other reason?” That was the only point Danrique caught. “Of course. He's my friend, so I can't sit idly by. But our relationship is purely platonic,” Francesca clarified.

All at once, Danrique’s furrowed brows smoothed out. “Really? Then, give me an explanation as to why you were still with him in the middle of the night when I phoned you back then.”

"He came to deliver some food to me, so I went out to meet him. After eating, I went home. I don't think there's any need for you to doubt me because of that. I can't even handle one boyfriend, which is you. Where would I have the energy to cheat on you?” Verily, Francesca was a touch exasperated.

In response, Danrique eyed her disdainfully. “Well, that's true. Considering your simple-mindedness, you're entirely guileless. Hence, you probably don't have such deviousness.”

In truth, the fact that she acknowledged him as her boyfriend had him over the moon. Consequently, his attitude softened as well.

Francesca planned to explain everything to him in one go. “As for Anthony, he’s not my boyfriend. He's my buddy and family. We were once in life and death situations together. Later, we lived together like a family. He usually helps me manage the orphanage. That's all.”

Upon hearing that, Danrique was even happier. “I see. I just knew that your taste can't be that bad!” Francesca rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t look down on him, okay? Many girls like him."

“I don't care about that. Anyway, you can only like me alone.” Walking over to the bed, Danrique leaned over and asked, "You've got to take responsibility for them, but do you not need to do the same for me?”

Francesca's face flushed bright red. Every time he drew close to her, she would grow nervous. “I... Do you still need that when you're already a grown-up?”

"Am 1? Hmm?"

Without any warning, Danrique captured her lips.

Francesca was wholly stumped, falling into a trance. By the time she gathered her wits about her, the man had already deepened the kiss and explored every inch of her mouth.

She pushed at him lightly, but she couldn't budge him at all.

His kiss swept her up like a hurricane, carrying a sense of domineering possessiveness.

As she endured the passionate kiss passively, all reason gradually faded away.

Just when she instinctively reached out to hug him, he stopped. He didn’t continue ravishing her but lifted his head to stare at her.

Intense desire brewed in his noble and rare amber eyes, but he forcibly restrained himself and gazed at her with longing in his eyes.

A faint blush stained Francesca’s face. Her eyes were closed, and her eyelashes fluttered lightly in her apprehension and anxiousness.

Her adorable expression hit Danrique square in the chest.

He reached out and cradled her face, brushing his thumb lightly against her lips, his eyes brimming with tenderness.

Opening her eyes slowly, Francesca looked at him nervously. It was as though her eyes could speak. "Are you really not going back with me?” Danrique inquired softly.

“Let me finish everything here first. Then, I'll definitely go to Xendale and look for you.” Grasping his hands, Francesca asserted solemnly, “Wait for me!”

Chapter 2075 Her Tenderness

In a flash, Francesca’s words had Danrique’s heart melting. The man who appeared cold-blooded and ruthless was easily won over by her words.

In reality, it wasn't her words that won him over. Instead, he was defeated by her tenderness. As Danrique gazed into Francesca’s limpid and vibrant eyes at the sincere affection within them, his heart softened at long last.

He reached out and hugged her, pressing her face into his chest. Then, he sighed helplessly. “What am I to do with you?”

Hugging him around the waist, Francesca coaxed gently, “Three months will pass in the blink of an eye. Don't you have a lot of work as well? Let's take this time to finish all our work. When everything is done, we can then be together without any distractions.”

Danrique didn't argue further. “Okay, then. But you must remember that you belong to me.”

At that, Francesca was torn between laughing and crying. “Don’t worry, for you alone are enough for me. I don't have the time and energy to deal with someone else.”

“This is more like it. Even if someone pursues you, you've got to keep your distance from him, okay?” Danrique pinched her cheek.

"Even if the king himself pursues me, I'll never entertain him. My boyfriend is Danrique Lindberg. Who can compare to him?”

Francesca tilted her head to the side with a smug expression on her face.

"Haha!" Danrique couldn't help chuckling. He pinched her face, his eyes teeming with indulgence. “I've got to go to the airport in another two hours. Keep me company as I rest for a bit!"

“Sure.” Francesca shifted to the side, freeing up half of the bed.

Subsequently, Danrique took off his jacket and lay down beside her. Reaching out, he hugged her and kissed her forehead tenderly.

Francesca lay beside him, nestling in his arms like a docile kitten.

The two of them embraced each other like that, cuddling together with their bodies plastered together.

A romantic atmosphere hung in the room, peaceful and pleasant.

Outside, Sean had his ear plastered to the door and listened for a long time. When he didn't hear any clamor or things shattering in the room, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“They've made up?” Gordon asked in a whisper.

“Likely yes. Gosh, we really have it difficult. The two of them are dating, but we're the ones who are exhausted.” Sean heaved a sigh.

Meanwhile, Kerrie giggled. “Hehe! Sure enough, your method is effective! Everything you teach me to say to Ms. Felch works every time!”

In response, Sean advised, “Smarten up in the future. Learn to say all that without having me to teach you. Do you understand?”

"Yes, yes!” Kerrie nodded fervently.

Just then, Sean's phone vibrated. The instant he glimpsed the caller ID, he hastily walked to the side and answered the call. “Hello, Mr. President...”

A few minutes later, he returned with his phone in hand. Frowning, he said to Gordon, “The president is urging Mr. Lindberg to go back. We might need to take off earlier.”

“Everything has been arranged. The plane is already waiting at the airport. As for Mr. Lindberg, go and inform him about this yourself,” Gordon replied in a low voice.

"You're always leaving me with the difficult tasks.” Sean was exasperated, but still, he bit the bullet and knocked on the room door. “Mr. Lindberg,” he called out cautiously.

There was no response from within the room.

As he was struggling to decide whether to call out to Danrique again, the man finally answered, “You're dismissed.”

“Understood.” Sean swiftly zipped his mouth and stepped to the side.

Glancing at his phone that was vibrating relentlessly on the table, Danrique knew that the president was hurrying him to return. He then shifted his gaze back to Francesca, who had just fallen asleep in his arms. Reluctantly kissing her on the forehead, he carefully got out of bed and dressed. After that, he walked away with his phone in hand.

When he reached the door, he glanced back over his shoulder for a final look. He was very much reluctant to part with her, but he still walked out resolutely and closed the door behind him.

“Mr. Lindberg!”

Sean, Gordon, and the others stepped forward at once.

“Stay here, Gordon. Wait until everything here has been settled before you return,” Danrique ordered.

“Understood.” Gordon nodded.

In the next moment, Danrique pointed at Kerrie. “You, too. Take care of her around the clock.” “Understood, Mr. Lindberg!”

Chapter 2076 A Promise

When Francesca woke up, Kerrie informed her that Danrique had already left. The man departed three hours ago, and the plane had already taken off. Disappointment deluged Francesca.

His smell and warmth remain on the pillow beside me, but he left just like that without even a word to me. I initially thought that it'd be nothing to go about our own affairs and see each other again in a few months. However, he had just left, and I'm already feeling empty. We hadn't seen each other for almost a month, and our meeting this time was a special circumstance. We only managed to spend a few hours together. How fleeting! Then, he left again. I don't even know when we can meet again. I never knew it's going to be so saddening and disheartening to part with someone you love. "Are you hungry, Ms. Felch? Would you like to eat something now?” Kerrie queried in concern.

“No, it's okay,” Francesca replied on reflex. Subsequently, something occurred to her, and she asked, "Oh yes, why didn't you leave with them?”

Smiling, Kerrie explained, “Mr. Lindberg had me stay to take care of you. Gordon is also staying. He's only going back after everything has been settled.”

“I see!” A sense of warmth suffused Francesca.

Danrique looks cold and indifferent without a romantic bone in him, but he always considers everything for me, even things that never cross my mind... No, that's not right!

She suddenly recalled something.

He didn't explain things about Hazel! I actually forgot to ask about such a major matter! Yet, he didn't take the initiative to bring it up either. How despicable!

Meanwhile, Danrique was busy going through all the documents on the plane.

The president hurried him repeatedly, so he had no choice but to go to the airport an hour earlier and rush back to Xendale overnight.

If it were anyone else who secretly left at such a critical juncture, the president would certainly go off the deep end. But since it was him, the president could only coax and persuade him amicably. At the thought that Francesca would be busy for another three months, he decided to seize the time to resolve the civil strife issue.

Hopefully, everything will return to normal after three months. Then, Francesca and I can also have our wedding as scheduled.

Likewise, Francesca harbored the same hope. She wanted to settle everything at hand within three months, sorting out the orphanage. At that time, Layla and Lincoln would probably be back already. She wished to bring Danrique to meet them and prepare for the wedding.

After the incident this time, she realized that she still loved the man.

The moment she laid eyes on him, all her resentment vanished into thin air. All arguments and conflicts were also forgotten. All of a sudden, she transformed from an almighty amazon to a weak woman who only wanted to snuggle in his arms.

At that instant, she was filled with trust and reliance toward him.

Therefore, she finally realized her feelings. She knew for sure that she loved him.

In the days to follow, the two of them were both busy with their respective affairs.

While recuperating, Francesca treated Anthony and William. That aside, she went to the orphanage every day to visit the children. Her life was busy yet fulfilling.

Danrique, on the other hand, rushed back to Xendale and suppressed Frank so that he couldn't rise from the ashes. However, someone helped Frank flee to M Nation, so he was still a threat on the horizon

The president had already sent someone over to capture him. As for the rest of it, Danrique didn’t want to be involved anymore.

He started restructuring the three great families. Out of the blue, the Atkinson family began reining themselves in. That went doubly for the Yarrow and Harrington families. They were all afraid that Danrique would catch them doing something illegal.

Alas, that made it difficult for Danrique to make a move against them. He could only demote the positions of the three great families’ cronies as a warning.

After dealing with all that, he focused on conquering the Epea and Adrune markets. He had already gotten his hands on them in the past, but Pastor and the gang were stirring up trouble, sabotaging things repeatedly in the dark.

Right then, he spent half of the month in Summerbank and Lightspring. As for the other half of the month, he stayed in Xendale. But no matter how busy he was, he still phoned Francesca daily.

They both made a promise to make preparations for their wedding upon meeting again three months later.

Chapter 2077 Keep Your Distance

A month had passed in a blink of an eye. Francesca’s injuries had nearly healed completely. Anthony had already been discharged from the hospital but was still recuperating in his in-house clinic due to the severity of his injuries.

Francesca had hired a few medical staff to care for him at home and had Kerrie manage them. Meanwhile, she kept herself busy at home, the orphanage, and William's house.

After a period of treatment, William's leg had almost fully recovered. The problem in his lumbar vertebrae had eased significantly. Even though he still couldn't stand on his feet, they were not as numb as before. He even felt some sensation in them.

However, Francesca's treatment of William had reached a bottleneck stage. She couldn't find a breakthrough. If I continue treating him with this method, his legs won't make any more significant improvement. They'll only remain at this stage.

Thus, Francesca planned to halt his treatment temporarily while she searched for a breakthrough by flipping through medical books.

William asked, “Then, does that mean you won't be coming here as of late?”

“Yeah, I won't be coming over for a while.” Francesca’s gaze was glued to the man’s X-ray films as she spoke, “Let's talk later after I find a new treatment plan. Just rest well at home and take your medication on time. I'll have Kerrie come over to conduct acupuncture on you every day to stabilize your condition.”

William stayed silent at her remark. The disappointment was clear as day in his eyes.

“Can the nurse do it properly?” Robin noticed William's disappointment and asked carefully, “How about we head over to the café every day and you conduct acupuncture there? That can save a bit of your time.”

“For Prince William's case, it only requires the insertion of needles at two acupoints. It's simple and doesn't need any advanced skills.” Francesca didn't think deeper about their suggestion. “Even though Kerrie’s medical skills aren't that good, her basic skills are fine.”

"Yes. I'll do my best.” Kerrie nodded. “Please rest assured, Your Highness.”

“Then—"

“All right. The orphanage will reopen today, so I have to rush there.” Francesca checked the time on her watch. “Stay here for observation, Kerrie. You can leave after you finish His Highness’ acupuncture treatment at six in the evening.”

“Yes, Ms. Felch.”

Francesca left for the front door in a hurry, and Robin wheeled William to see her off.

Kerrie followed behind them and reminded, “Remember to take your medicine, Ms. Felch.”

"Oh, right.”

Francesca's injuries hadn't completely recovered, so she still needed to take her medication, but she kept forgetting about it. She would only remember to take them at Kerrie's daily reminder.

She got into the car and fired up the engine while her other hand rifled through her purse for her pills. She poured out a tablet and swallowed it without any water. After the pill slid down her throat, she waved goodbye at the trio, then pulled away from the house.

Kerrie watched as Francesca drove away and uttered, “Mr. Lindberg ordered me to take good care of Ms. Felch and to remind her to take her medication. I'm worried she'll forget to take it without me by her side.”

“I didn't expect Mr. Lindberg to be so meticulous,” Robin replied.

“Mr. Lindberg doesn't care about other people or things, but he's especially caring toward Ms. Felch. They have a lovely relationship. They need to video call each other every night...”

Kerrie continued to blab about how lovely Danrique’s and Francesca's relationship was.

Robin caught the forlorn expression on William's face and urgently interrupted Kerrie. “Okay, Kerrie. We've already prepared your meal. You may have it now and come back later when it's time for His Highness’ acupuncture treatment.”

“All right. Sorry for the trouble.”

Kerrie nodded with a smile.

Robin had a maid lead Kerrie to the dining room and ordered another maid to prepare a guest room for Kerrie to rest. Once he was done with the arrangements, he wheeled William back to his room.

On the way back, William was silent. His expression crestfallen.

"After the orphanage’s explosion and Mr. Lindberg's visit, Ms. Felch wasn't as friendly to you as before. It almost seemed as if she was keeping her distance from you.”

Robin finally addressed the elephant in the room after holding it in for so long.

“Yeah.” William nodded. “I thought Francesca would be disappointed with Danrique’s arrogance and unsociable traits. I didn’t expect her to continue liking him.”

Chapter 2078 Wait And See

“Mr. Lindberg had Gordon stay here to protect the orphanage and arranged for Kerrie to follow Ms. Felch. It might sound like he’s taking care of her, but he’s actually monitoring her.”

William didn’t know how to reply to Robin's speculation. “Kerrie would babble nonstop about what a lovely relationship Mr. Lindberg and Ms. Felch shared every time she came over. She would also bring up the pair's promise to meet up in October for their wedding. She was obviously telling those to us on purpose.”

“She is Danrique’s subordinate, so treat her politely,” William ordered. “Yes, Your Highness.” Robin didn't dare to comment any further. “October...” William glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. “There are two more months left!”

"Yeah, it's still a long way to go. Who knows what will happen within these two months.” Robin added, “I heard the daughter of Erihal’s president had divorced recently and arrived at Xendale a few days ago. Since she had always admired Mr. Lindberg, who knows if something will happen—" “Danrique isn't that kind of person.” Robin's biased remark didn't trigger William to lose his sense. Instead, William responded logically, “He's not a man who changes his mind easily about the decision he makes.”

“That's true.”

"Ask Francesca. How long will my treatment be on halt? If it's too long, we can make a trip back to Danontand first,” William demanded.

"Yes, Your Highness. I'll make a call to Ms. Felch immediately.” Robin dialed Francesca’'s number and soon got a reply. “Ms. Felch said the soonest would be a week. She wasn't sure about the latest.” “Then, let's head back to sort out some affairs first.” William ordered, “Make the arrangements now.” “But the acupuncture session—"

“Acupuncture is easy. I had the condition for so long that I knew a bit about it myself.” William continued impassively, “Ask Kerrie to leave her bag of needles here. We'll bring that along with the medicine Francesca prescribed to me.”

"Yes, Your Highness.”

After Robin made all the arrangements, he had someone send Kerrie back, then left for the airport. When Kerrie reached home, she mumbled, “Strange. How could they leave just like that? Was it because they don't want me to help His Highness with acupuncture?”

"What are you mumbling about?”

Francesca’s voice came from behind Kerrie.

"Why are you back so early, Ms. Felch?” Kerrie urgently approached her. “Prince William had left. Do you know about it?”

"Yeah, they decided to take a trip back to Danontand since Prince William's treatment is currently on halt.” Francesca was riffling through her medicine box when she continued, “There's a sick child at the orphanage, so I'm only here to get some medicine.”

“I'll go with you.” Kerrie hurriedly went to help.

“It's fine. Stay here and look after Anthony. He wants to have some soup today, so please make some for him.”

“All right.”

Francesca left in a hurry after she had taken the necessary medication with her.

Kerrie stayed back to take care of Anthony and informed Sean about William's departure.

Sean merely answered, “Take good care of Ms. Felch. Report back if anything else happens.”

“Will do.”

Subsequently, Sean relayed the information to Danrique and expressed his opinion. “The royal family of Danontand is a mess at the moment. Prince William's cousins are all searching for him. Won't it be too dangerous for him if he goes back now?”

“William is more capable than you think. He has his own plans if he's going back at this time.” Danrique continued casually, “His cousins might cause a lot of fuss, but they might not win William in a fight.”

“I only know that Prince William had started a company under his name and has a lot of businesses outside. His parents left this world early. Even though he had the old king of Danontand's love when he was younger, the old king is aging by the day. He's busy dealing with the nation’s affairs and doesn't have the time to care for Prince William. Prince William might have inherited his father's title, but he doesn't have any power or authority behind his title due to his disability. If his cousins continue targeting him—"

Sean paused briefly before continuing, “Judging from the current situation, it doesn't look like he can win the power struggle against his cousins.”

“Let's wait and see then.”

Danrique dropped his gaze back to his work at hand after that comment. I'm confident in my judgment, but at the same time, I don't care whether William will emerge as the winner.

Chapter 2079 Experiment

The next few days were the usual busy, fulfilling, and peaceful days. Ever since Chrono died, Francesca was no longer under threat. Gordon brought Sloan and the rest over to the orphanage and stood guard there. They returned to Xendale on the day the orphanage reopened.

The children in the orphanage had recovered from the trauma after over a month-long of counseling. Life at the orphanage had returned to normal.

Francesca would visit the children every day. Relieved to see the bright smiles on their faces, Francesca started her research on William's new treatment plan. She also began developing new concealed weapons and psychedelics at home.

Ms. Layla had emphasized the importance of concealed weapons and drugs numerous times, but I had a lot of deterrents back then, so I didn't focus on that. However, after Chrono's incident, I realized the importance of it. Even though I have self-defense skills and can deal with a few people, I'm still at a disadvantage when dealing with professional assassins.

Beast summoning requires preconditions, so I can't use it anytime I want. If I don’t have any other skills, it'll be difficult for me to protect the children at the orphanage. I discovered the spontaneous combustion powder by accident when I was trying to stop Anthony's bleeding. It surprisingly came in handy at a crucial moment. Without it, the consequences would've been deadly. Ever since that incident, I finally realized the importance of concealed weapons and drugs. Luckily, making weaponry and drugs is a cakewalk for me. I already have a lot of inventions, but I don't have the chance to test them out yet.

Anthony was sipping on his soup when a loud blast came from the backyard. He jolted upright, reached for his crutch frantically, and staggered as quickly as he could to the explosion site. “Oh, Francesca!”

“Ms. Felch!” Kerrie urgently raced to the backyard too.

Dark billowing clouds of smoke seeped through every crack of the laboratory. There was even a fire burning in a corner. Anthony opened the door and wanted to enter, but the raging blaze stopped him at the threshold.

Panic filled him as he hurriedly asked Kerrie to call the fire department.

At that moment, a petite figure walked out of the laboratory with soot stains all over her face. Only her clear, bright eyes were clear of the stain. The hair on her head stood up and pointed in every direction.

“The strength of this Marshmallow Bomb is truly amazing. Luckily, I wore the protective vest I designed.”

Anthony was stunned by the whole incident. “What the heck?”

“Ms. Felch, are you working on a new experiment?” Kerrie, on the other hand, immediately knew what Francesca was doing. “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine.” Francesca let out a sigh. “Please prepare a bath for me. I need one.”

“Sure. I'll prepare it now.” Kerrie left to carry out the order.

“Don't enter. There are toxins in there.” Francesca shut the door to the laboratory.

“You're contradicting yourself.” Comprehension dawned on Anthony. “You tested the weapons you designed against the protective vest you made. Which is stronger?”

“The protective vest.” Francesca patted the dust and soot off the protective vest she wore. “No weapon can pierce through it, and fire can't burn it too.”

“I think that bomb is quite powerful as well. It caused such a huge explosion.” Anthony trailed after her. “Teach me how to make it when you have the time. I can protect myself the next time I get into danger.”

“Let me test it out first.” Francesca waved her hand. “Improper usage of these will cause serious consequences.”

“You have to be careful then.” Anthony looked at her with concern.

Francesca went upstairs for a bath. She took more than an hour to clean herself up. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she checked herself out and noticed her bangs had curled up from the extreme heat from the blast.

She shaved her head for her surgery before. Now that her hair had grown, albeit still short, she looked refreshing and more feminine than when she was bald.

She checked herself in the mirror one last time and planned to have dinner before reading up on some medical books and pharmacopeia to come up with a new treatment plan for William. When she had just reclined on the sofa, Danrique video called her.

Francesca picked up the call instantly. “Hey, meanie.”

“Don’t you have a nicer nickname for me?”

Danrique looked gentlemanly and elegant with silver-rimmed glasses on his nose. He set down the documents in his hands on the desk and focused on his conversation with Francesca while sipping on some coffee.

“This nickname suits you well.” Francesca giggled. “You've finished your work early today, huh?”

 

Chapter 2080 Flirting

"I still have a stack here.” Danrique pointed at the mountain of documents at the side. “Why are you calling me so early then?” Francesca lay on her stomach on the sofa and rested her chin on her palm. “Look, my hair is longer now.”

“I see that.” The look in Danrique’s eyes became tender. “Did you curl your hair?”

“Haha!” Francesca burst out in laughter. “This is not from curling. This was the aftermath of a fire from an experiment I did today.” “It looks good. I see your boobs are bigger, too.” Danrique stared at her lovingly.

“Um...” Francesca looked down at her breast as heat crept up her cheeks. “How could they grow bigger when I've already reached full maturity as an adult? This is an angle problem.”

"Oh? So lying on your belly can make your boobs look bigger.” His gaze turned suggestive.

"Is the size that important? Big or small, they're just two mounts on the chest, that's all.” Francesca picked up a cushion from the side and covered her chest with it, blocking them from his assessing gaze. “Are you done looking?”

“If it's big, you can breastfeed your child after delivery.” Danrique discussed somberly, “If it's flat, you might starve the child.”

"You have no common sense. Having big breasts doesn't guarantee they'll produce milk. Milk production has nothing to do with the size of the breast.”

"Okay. You're right.” Danrique instantly raised both his hands up in a surrender gesture. “This is not important. If you can't produce milk, we'll hire a nanny.”

They had been video-calling each other every night for over a month. He knew her character well. If she encountered an academic issue, she would debate until he agreed with her. She might even flip through her books on the spot to prove him wrong.

Danrique would usually compromise to avoid wasting time on academic issues and would rather spend more time on exchanging sweet nothings with her.

“The nutrient in the current formula milk is adequate.” Francesca was in a good mood after Danrique agreed with her viewpoint. “Do you miss me, meanie?”

“I miss you. How are things going at your side? Can you finally come over now?”

Danrique gently stroked Francesca’s face on the screen

"Anthony's condition had stabilized, and the orphanage has reopened, but I've run into a brick wall with William's treatment. I'm going through medical books every day to research a new treatment plan.”

Francesca updated him on her recent ongoing. Suddenly, she heard a voice from the other end. “Mr. Lindberg, Ms. Atkinson requested to see you.”

Danrique glanced down at his watch and said, “Let her wait.”

"Yes, sir.” “I'm still at the office. I have to deal with something now. Talk to you later,” Danrique explained.

"You haven't explained to me about last time, yet you guys are meeting again.” Francesca's temper flared at Danrique’s nonchalance.

“It's work-related. What do you mean by meeting again?” Danrique wasn't planning to explain himself. “If you're worried, then come over and have a look for yourself.” “You—"

“I'm hanging up. I have things to tend to. Be good.” Danrique ended the call. Anger gripped Francesca at his half-hearted explanation. However, she didn't call him again and quarrel with him like last time. She merely sulked.

If I can’t treat William's leg, does that mean I can't go to Xendale as scheduled?

Will Danrique get angry? I don't think Hazel has given up on him. Even if Danrique is firm, can he continue to resist temptation? Maybe I should make a trip to Xendale. Even if I can't move there permanently, I should at least visit him.

Her phone vibrated suddenly, pulling her thoughts back. Seeing it was a call from William, Francesca picked up immediately. “Hi, William."

"Are you doing well, Francesca?”

William's gentle voice carrying a friendly greeting came from the other end. “I'm doing good, William. How's your leg?” Francesca asked.

“They were fine before but felt numb recently. I don't know if it's due to the rain,” William said gently. “Numb?” Francesca bolted upright at the news. “Did you continue the acupuncture treatment and take your medication on time?”

“I did.”