Ch. 2121..2130

Chapter 2121 Bet

William lowered his head and uttered in a sorrowful voice, “I know, I know.” Of course, he knew but he had no other choice. It didn't matter when he would die—the end was coming for him, regardless.

However, he believed he should at least make a gamble. Before, he placed all his hope on Federico. He wished there was still kindness in the old king and that he would be given another chance once he saw his good qualities.

After what happened today, his hope was dashed. Is it because I was discarded for so long that Federico has wholly ignored my value? He didn't even bother to pretend...

Federico’s contemptuous attitude made William give up on their familial relationship. At that moment, he would rather bet on Francesca and Danrique.

He hoped they would be willing to give him a hand, either out of love or friendship. Perhaps, it would be a far more effective strategy than getting Federico’s affection.

“Since you know, then fight against your fate till the bitter end,” Francesca uttered righteously. “Don’t worry, I won't stand by and let you all die. That's not something a doctor will do.”

“But have you thought about L? If you don't go back in time, what will you do if he gets engaged with someone else?” William reminded.

“If he changes his mind that quickly, then there's nothing for me to be sad about. If he's going to marry someone because we didn't meet each other for half a year, then that means he has never truly loved me.”

“I'm not judging your relationship with L. I'm just saying that there are things that can't be prevented.” Once again, he reminded with a serious tone. “Do you know how many influential and powerful people are doing their best to marry their daughters off to him? When you're not around, they'll create all sorts of opportunities to make that happen. Not only that, but those women will also use various seduction techniques to get their hands on him. If he falls for one of their traps and that woman is backed with prestigious status, he’s not getting out of that sticky situation. When that happens, there'll be nothing you can do.”

It hurt Francesca's head when she heard that. “Isn't he just a man? Is all this really necessary?” “Lisn't an ordinary man,” William answered in a serious tone. “He represents the various resources of the world's top business families. He also has so much money that no one can finish spending it over the course of several lifetimes. Even I, a prince, is only a side character in front of him. You're usually pretty carefree, so you may not see how precious and important he is. However, others may not think the same way—"

“All right, I get it.” She cut him off. “I know he’s excellent and awesome. However, there's nothing I can do if he really changes his mind. Besides, he never forgot about me in our seven years apart. Why are you suddenly repeating those rumors?”

"His foundation wasn't stable in the past. Things are different now...” William explained. “He had expanded into the Epean market and stabilized his foundation. Not only that, he got rid of Frank. Now, the three great families won't dare to have any ideas about him. Even the president will need to treat him politely. Currently, he’s standing at the apex of the world. Many people look up to him, but many others also want to be his ally, including my grandfather!”

"All right. He's that impressive and popular, huh?” Francesca chuckled self-deprecatingly. “So what? In my eyes, he's just Danrique. His status and identity have nothing to do with me. I'm going to call him and tell him about my current situation. If he truly loves me, he'll wait half a year for me.” Without delay, she pulled out her phone and prepared to call Danrique.

“Frannie!” William quickly stopped her. “Don’t be stupid! If you tell him you're staying here with me for half a year, your relationship with him will be screwed.”

"Why?" She still didn’t understand.

“There's no way a prideful man like him will allow you to ignore him again and again. Not only that, you're doing it for another man.” Panic was heard in his voice. “More importantly, if you don't leave now, you'll probably never going to leave here.”

Chapter 2122 Protected

“I won't be able to leave?” Francesca was momentarily stunned when she heard that. “Why?” she asked a moment later.

“Don’t you understand?” William was overwhelmed with panic. “You know so many secrets about the royal family. If not for the fact that you're Danrique’s girlfriend, you would have already been killed.”

When Francesca heard that, she widened her eyes in disbelief. Indeed, that had never crossed her mind, and she suddenly realized how naive she was.

She had assumed that she would be trapped there for half a year at most, and after curing the people in the castle, she could concentrate on treating William's leg.

After everything was settled, she would leave and reunite with Danrique. However, Francesca was beginning to realize that the situation was far more complicated than she had imagined.

During those six months, not only would there be a lot of women from prestigious families vying to be Danrique’s woman, she might also lose her life if she was no longer Danrique’s fiancée.

If I get killed, what would happen to Anthony? What would happen to Ms. Layla and Lincoln? How about the orphanage? “I cant die.” Francesca snapped out of her thoughts and exclaimed, “I need to stay alive!”

"You finally understand what's going on.” William sighed before continuing, “Francesca, you should leave before it's too late. Leave Danontand tonight and look for L in Erihal...”

“But I can't leave you guys alone.” Francesca put her hand to her forehead in frustration and said, “Let me try to think of a better solution.”

“Francesca, just listen to me,” William started panicking again. “You should head to Erihal and look for L first. When you see him, tell him all about what's happening here. Also, I need you to convey my message to him...”

"What message?” Francesca asked subconsciously.

“Tell him that I need his help. If he’s willing to help me this time, I'll do anything to repay him!” William enunciated each word clearly.

"Oh!" Francesca did not think much about it and merely nodded. “You mean, you want me to leave first and get Danrique to come and rescue you? That sounds like a good plan too..."

The woman was only considering whether she should leave or not and did not ponder over William's words. “But, will Federico make things difficult for you if I leave?”

“That's why you need to do that without anyone noticing,” William quickly replied before continuing, “I will get someone to prepare some fake identification documents for you. You should disguise yourself before I get my men to send you to the airport.”

"Seems like you've already gotten everything planned out...” Only then did Francesca realize what was going on. “Sure, I'll do as you say. I'll go upstairs and get changed now.”

"Wait a minute,” William stopped her and reminded, “Ignore any situations you might encounter along the way and just focus on leaving this place. If you hear any rumors in Xendale, don't pay attention to them. Your priority is to meet L. You have to do anything you can to see him. When you meet him, don't throw any tantrums or start any arguments...”

The man took a pause before changing the way he spoke. In a more direct manner, he said, “What I mean is, no matter what, don't break up with him. You have to continue being his fiancée.

It is even better if you can marry him right away and make it public. I'm not trying to make use of you by saying all these, but this is the only way to keep you safe and also not affect the orphanage.” “Is it really that serious?” Francesca was slightly confused. “Is knowing those secrets about the royal family serious enough to get me killed? And even affecting the orphanage?”

“The prestige of the royal family cannot be violated. Given your reputation as the miracle doctor, what you say holds a lot of weight. If you leak out their secrets, the royal family’s honor would be tainted. Besides, you were rather rude to the king and princes that day at the palace. Do you think they would let you off?”

William said seriously before continuing, “Also, you said that you love L very much and that he’s the only man you would ever marry. If that's the case, it's not worth it throwing a fit over small matters. By staying together, not only will you be able to be with the man you love, but both you and the orphanage will also be protected. Don't you think that's a win-win solution?”

Chapter 2123 Seeing Things

As William's words made a lot of sense, Francesca nodded firmly and replied, “You're right. I know what to do!” “Go on, then. Stay safe!” William urged.

“Wait for me.” Francesca hurried off, and without looking back, she said, “I'll come back with Danrique to get you!” “Sure, I'll be waiting...”

William sat on the sofa while watching Francesca’s departing figure quietly. A complicated glint flashed in his eyes...

After the door was shut, William lowered his head dejectedly. He knew that by sending Francesca away, it meant that he would lose her forever.

He was the one who convinced the woman to leave and told her to stay together with Danrique no matter what. He had personally sent the woman he loved to another man...

He would be lying if he said that he was not sad.

In fact, William did not want Francesca to go. He had considered letting her stay and treat him. Perhaps, she might develop feelings for him after spending half a year together...

They could think of other solutions after that. However, he was still rational enough to know that if he did not make use of the current opportunity, he might never be able to turn things around in the future...

He had been humiliated for the past two decades, and that was his only chance to turn the tables around and regain his dignity.

As such, he was hoping that he had made the right decision by pinning all his hopes on Francesca and Danrique. “Your Highness, Monica is already waiting at the gate,” William's subordinate reported.

“All right.” William nodded and said, “Push me out.”

“Understood.” When Monica saw William approaching, she hurried over and greeted, “Your Highness!” “Make sure that Francesca gets to Erihal safely and reunites with L,” William reminded again.

"Don’t worry. I'll make sure she gets there safely,” Monica promised. “Monica?” Francesca spotted the woman instantly as she walked downstairs carrying her bag. “Why are you here?”

“I'm getting her to escort you back,” William said softly before continuing, “It's getting late. You should get going.” “OK,” Francesca replied as she hurried toward the car.

“Francesca...” William called out to her suddenly. “Yeah?” Francesca turned to look at the man. “Remember what I told you. Don't quarrel with L,” William reminded once more. “Also, you must convey my exact message to L."

“I got it,” Francesca answered before getting into the car. Right after she sat down, she tried to recall what the exact message William wanted her to tell Danrique was.

“Let's go,” Monica urged the driver. With that, the driver sped off into the night.

Monica passed some items to Francesca, including a cap, her fake identification documents, and a flight ticket. “I'm worried that Federico would get people to stop you at the customs, so I got you a new identity. I hope this would help us board the plane smoothly.”

“Do you think anyone would intercept us on the way to the airport?” Francesca asked while looking out of the window.

“I don't think so,” Monica replied softly before continuing, “This is my official vehicle. I'm currently carrying out a mission as M Nation's FBI agent...”

“But they can intercept us on other pretexts.”

Right after Francesca finished her sentence, a few black modified cars could be seen tailing them. The corners of the woman's lips curled up into a smile before she said, “See that? I'm right.”

"Why are those people so annoying?” Monica frowned as she continued, “I can't believe they have been guarding outside the castle all this while.”

“Yeah. They were not going to give us a chance to escape...” Francesca sneered before saying, “But it seems like there are only three cars. Aren't they supposed to have more people?”

"His Highness had arranged for another vehicle to drive out from the back gate at the same time we left, to serve as a distraction. I think the rest of them had gone after that car instead. That's why there are only three cars tailing us.”

Monica remained calm as she said to the driver, “Speed up.”

“Sure!” “Let me drive..."

Francesca swapped seats with the driver without waiting for him to reply. The next moment, she turned the steering wheel and floored the accelerator.

Before her pursuers could react, the car had already disappeared in sight. Where did they go? Was I seeing things just now? The men in the car were shocked.

Chapter 2124 A Huge Bet

Soon, Francesca and Monica reached the airport. They checked in at the counter hastily and got on the plane successfully.

When the plane took off gradually, Francesca gazed at the night view of the busy city out of the window. At that very moment, she felt a rush of inexplicit emotion surging from within her.

Will Danrique be startled to see me later? Will he be happy to see me? Is he going to have an engagement with Hazel? Could it be he intends to make me jealous? Or perhaps it's his way to suppress William? Didn“t William mention that I might hear rumors or encounter some hardships in Xendale? What could it be?

Surprisingly, she began to have anticipation

Meanwhile, Robin, who had just woken up in the castle, was riled up after knowing what William had done. “Your Highness, how could you do so? Don't you know you'll only put yourself in deep waters by doing so? What if Ms. Felch doesn’t come back again? I reckon Mr. Lindberg will keep her by his side and never let her come to Danontand again. If that happens, who'll be the one to help expel the poison from everyone's body? How about your treatment?”

Regardless, William had cooled his head off. “I'd thought about that before. That's why I'm having a bet on how much Francesca cherishes our friendship and minds her responsibility as a doctor. Most importantly, I'm also betting on Danrique’s devotion toward her.”

He was fully aware that Danrique was not the type of man who would be bothered by trivial

matters

Notwithstanding, he presumed if the latter really loved Francesca, he would most probably grant her wish if she insisted on going back. In other words, he might even come along with her to fulfill her wish. Needless to say, it wouldn't do him any harm by doing so.

However, there was still a possibility that things might go the other way around. Since Danrique was not a man of good temper, he might disregard Francesca’s feelings and pay no heed to the matter. Inevitably, the risk of the bet is a bit high.

Robin was a bundle of nerves. “It could be riskier than betting on His Majesty's conscientiousness. At least, His Majesty is still your grandpa. Regardless of anything, he is still mindful of your safety and the royal family’s reputation. Even if he doesn't feel like investigating further, he won't let you suffer without batting an eyelid. Nonetheless, if he finds out you went against his will by letting go of Ms. Felch, he'll surely blow a fuse. By then, he might—"

Robin's voice trailed off as he dared not finish his words.

William snickered. “You've overestimated his conscientiousness. If he were a conscientious man, he wouldn't disregard me throughout these twenty years. Apart from that, he wouldn't turn a blind eye to my parents’ death and my leg injury. He wouldn't exploit the doping issue to threaten me into helping him to achieve his target either. In his eyes, I'm just a worthless, abandoned grandson. My existence means nothing to him.”

“Your Highness..." Hearing that, Robin was bereft of speech.

He was clueless about what William had been through in the castle earlier that day. Nevertheless, he could imagine that the latter must have been through mind-blowing and humiliating moments till he had given up all hope on his grandfather.

Subsequently, he would rather pin his hope on the other two people who were not blood-related to him instead of anticipating that Federico would help him.

“I trust Francesca. She won't let us suffer without doing anything and leave us behind. I'm convinced that she'll be back.”

"How about Mr. Lindberg?” Robin queried softly.

William was rendered speechless. No doubt, he was sure as h*ll that Francesca would be responsible for him and everyone else in the castle, but he barely had any confidence in Danrique.

He was not convinced that Danrique would be willing to help him. At the same time, he wondered if the latter would do something extreme. Thus, he was not at ease.

Robin let out a deep sigh. “It's no point to overthink now. Let's just bet on it.”

“Yes.” William smiled bitterly. “Unequivocally, fate is just like a bet at times. If I can't twist the situation this round, I would rather meet my end. After all, it's meaningless to live on if that's the case. If I have the chance to stand up again, I'll surely walk into the castle again and tell everyone that I'm back!”

Chapter 2125 A Bet

Right that instant, William could not resist thinking about Danrique. He had heard how the others described the overwhelming scene many years ago. At that time, sixteen-year-old Danrique wiped out the Lindberg family overnight, annihilating anyone who dared to stand in his way.

His white shirt was drenched in blood. It was as though his amber eyes were covered in blood as well. That was how he emerged as the new patriarch of the Lindberg family. Since then, his omnipotence was known to everyone. Sooner or later, I'll be like him too!

Knock! Knock! All of a sudden, William's subordinate knocked on the door hurriedly and reported, “Your Highness, Mr. Faulkner is here.”

“Please let him in,” William responded. The subordinate hesitated. “But...”

“Tell me!” William instructed him. The subordinate replied apprehensively, “Mr. Faulkner leads a group of military officers, claiming they are here to escort you to the palace. They are already at the entrance of the castle.”

“That's too much! Your Highness, are they thinking of arresting you?” Robin was on pins and needles.

"Yeah, I guess so.” William flashed him a smile. “Don’t worry. I'll only be away for a short stay with my grandpa and will be back soon.” “Your Highness..."

“If Francesca calls, keep this information from her temporarily till you hear about the official news on their wedding. Do you get it?” William reminded him solemnly.

“I got it.” Robin nodded as his eyes were red with tears. With that, William gestured to the subordinate to push his wheelchair out of the castle.

At the same time, Silas waited outside with the military officers. He stopped them from barging into the castle out of his respect for William.

He could not help sympathizing with William and tried to talk him out into changing his mind. “Your Highness, why are you putting yourself in a tight spot? Don't you know you'll only put yourself in a precarious position by going against His Majesty's will?"

William's lips curled up. “It's because I don't wish to betray my friend. Mr. Faulkner, thanks for your concern.”

Hearing that, Silas heaved a deep sigh.

Moments later, a few military officers stepped forward to handcuff William.

Silas lashed out at them. “What are you doing?”

"We're doing so as instructed by His Majesty...”

"His Majesty only instructed us to escort Prince William back to the palace for a short stay. What the heck are you doing? His Highness doesn't have any strength and can’t even walk. How could you think of handcuffing him?” Silas thundered again.

"Yes, Mr. Faulkner.” The military officers saluted Silas before pushing William's wheelchair out.

"Your Highness..." A servant helped Robin out after they left. The latter choked up and knelt on one knee to plead with Silas, “Mr. Faulkner, please take good care of His Highness. He's weak..."

“I know.” Silas patted his shoulder and flashed him a reassuring look before he turned to leave. William cast his head down and remained silent when he was carried onto the military vehicle in his wheelchair. As the rain was still pouring, his clothes and hair were drenched. His face was pale as a sheet.

William gazed at the castle via the rearview mirror as the military vehicle drove away from it gradually. He felt the throbbing pain in his heart when he caught sight of the servants gazing at his retreating figure in the rain silently.

There were about ninety of them, and all were fixing their gazes on him in silence.

After going through endless suppression and humiliation for twenty years, they were used to accepting everything silently. Undeniably, they had no choice but to bear with it regardless of what they encountered.

They shared the same fate as the gloomy castle that was gradually forgotten by others. Sadly, their prince could only lead a lonely and sorrowful life despite his identity as a descendant of the royal family.

Once Danrique was back in Xendale and got down from his car, a few maids hurried over to take his jacket from him.

“Mr. Lindberg, dinner is ready,” Norah greeted him with a smile.

Danrique only hummed before he headed upstairs to his study room in haste.

“Mr. Lindberg, you seem to be occupied lately. After coming back from the office, you still have to settle work matters here.” Sean brought Danrique a few copies of documents that needed his signature urgently.

"Did she make any calls?” Danrique was very concerned about that.

Sean replied warily, “Do you mean Ms. Felch? No, she didn't.”

"How about William?” Danrique asked again without lifting his head while signing a document.

“He didn't either. However, I received news that he has been taken to the palace. If I'm not mistaken, the military officers took him away on the spot in a military vehicle.”

Chapter 2126 Let Us Have A Bet

When Danrique heard that, he stopped whatever he was doing. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and seemed to be thinking...

Very soon, he picked up his phone and dialed Francesca’s number. The line was busy. “Do you think something has happened to Ms. Felch?” asked Sean anxiously.

“It's either that, or she has returned to S Nation, or it could be something else...” Danrique gave his order. “Find out what happened.” “Yes, sir!” Sean got to work immediately.

Danrique tried calling Francesca again, but the line was still busy. All of a sudden, he recalled that Francesca had blocked his number a while ago.

Danrique called her again using another phone, only to discover that her phone had been turned off.

It appeared that she might be on the plane though he had no idea if she was heading back to S Nation or Xendale. I think she should be flying to Xendale...

Sean passed the information to Gordon and got him to find out more about Francesca’s situation. He even reminded Gordon, “Mr. Lindberg is very anxious. Try your best to locate Ms. Felch as soon as you can.”

“I'll get to it right away.” Gordon immediately made the necessary arrangement and asked in confusion, “Why does Mr. Lindberg feel that Ms. Felch may be in trouble or that she has traveled somewhere else after he finds out that Prince William has been taken to the palace?”

"With Ms. Felch’s help, Prince William found out about the poisoning incident in the castle. He then used Ms. Felch’s relationship with Mr. Lindberg and pressured Federico to investigate the incident. But, Mr. Lindberg refuses to cooperate. Federico immediately summoned Prince William and Ms. Felch to the palace. A few hours later, Federico captured Prince William and took him back to the palace. Under these circumstances, there can only be two possibilities. The first one is that Ms. Felch has offended Federico. The other one is that she has escaped.”

After a pause, Sean smiled and asked, “Which scenario do you think is more plausible?”

Gordon was very decisive in his reply. “I think Ms. Felch must have offended Federico. As a result, she ran away. Given her temper, I'm surprised that she didn't beat Federico up!”

“Hahaha!” Sean burst out laughing. “That's true. Then again, since she has left safely before William was taken back to the castle, that would mean that Ms. Felch did not lose her temper. If you ask me, I think she has run away.”

Gordon was curious. “Do you think she has flown back to S Nation or Xendale?”

“That's something I want to know too,” replied Sean with a wry smile. “I guess Mr. Lindberg is even more eager to find out.”

“Let us have a bet.” Gordon rubbed his palms and was very enthusiastic. “I bet you that Ms. Felch has flown to S Nation. Given her foul temper, she will never take the initiative to come to Xendale.” "I think she is flying back to Xendale,” said Sean with utter confidence. “You have no idea how anxious she is after Mr. Lindberg announces his engagement...”

Gordon could not wait to finalize their bet. “Stop wasting time. If I win the bet, I want your gun that's made of pure gold.”

“I knew you have been eyeing that gun of mine for a long time...”

“Mr. Lindberg is biased. He only gives it to you and not me.”

"And, what if you lose?”

"What do you want?”

“If you lose the bet, then you will have to promise me something. I will let you know the details later on once I have given it some thought.”

“Deal!”

With that, the two men placed their bets on Francesca's final destination.

Back in the study room, Danrique began to feel restless. Originally, he was reading his documents, but he was not in the mood to do it anymore.

He was worried about Francesca’s safety and wondered what had happened to her.

After waiting for more than ten minutes, no one came to report to him, so Danrique yelled, “Men!” Sean rushed in. “Mr. Lindberg, Gordon has already arranged for someone to see to it.”

Danrique instructed, “Contact the immigration department of Xendale and find out if there's any news of Francesca entering Xendale.”

"Yes, sir.” Sean got to it right away and reported, “For the time being, there's no news. Maybe, there has been a delay, or perhaps—"

"Get them to keep an eye on this and report to you the moment they receive any information.” Danrique did not want to hear about other possibilities. He hoped that Francesca would fly to Xendale and look for him.

q

Chapter 2127 Silver Convoy

"Yes, sir.” Sean then went on to pass the instruction down. There was also news from Gordon's end after a series of investigations. “Mr. Lindberg, there is no record of Ms. Felch entering S Nation too.” “If she didn't go to S Nation or Xendale, could something terrible have happened to her?” Danrique frowned. “I don't think so,” Sean quickly consoled him. “That Federico is a very cautious person. Even if Ms. Felch has offended him, he would have discussed it with you before doing anything to her.”

Gordon nodded in agreement. “That's right. Furthermore, Ms. Felch is a skilled fighter. Most people won't be able to hurt her. Perhaps, she had run away, but she has yet to make it to the airport. Or she might have put on a disguise and left the country as another person. That's why we can't locate her.”

“It's possible,” said Danrique. He then instructed, “Get our informant in M Nation to keep a close watch on that side and inform us if there's any news. At the same time, keep an eye on the immigration.”

“Understood.”

There was no way Danrique could sleep that night.

He tried calling Francesca’s number several times but to no avail. The line could not go through. When he used another phone to contact her, it indicated that her phone had been switched off. He was very worried...

In fact, he was feeling regretful and felt that he should not have agitated her using such an extreme method in a fit of anger.

Meanwhile, Francesca was deep in her sleep on the plane.

Monica, on the other hand, had not shut her eyes and had been on high alert.

Whether Francesca could reunite with Danrique very much depended on Prince William's ability to turn things around. Therefore, Monica dared not let her guard down.

Looking at Francesca who was sleeping peacefully, she could not help but sigh. “What a carefree and bold girl..."

After more than ten hours of flight, they finally arrived at Xendale.

Only when the plane was descending did Francesca wake up in a daze. She looked out of the window and saw the fluffy white clouds. All of a sudden, she remembered something and asked in a hurry, “Monica, do you have any clothes with you? I don't have anything.”

“Don’t worry. I have prepared some clothes for you,” said Monica with a smile. “The weather is so different here. His Highness is worried that it may be too cold for you, so he has already instructed me to prepare everything for you.”

“That's good then.” Francesca patted her chest before continuing, “I'm afraid of the cold, and I am wearing a layer of clothes. If I get down like this, I will freeze to death.”

“Don’t worry. I'm here.”

Everything went on smoothly. The two women disembarked from the plane with everyone else and were going to collect their baggage before heading to the changing room.

Just then, Monica felt something amiss when she saw a group of people approaching them. She immediately pushed Francesca aside and told her, “Ms. Felch, you go ahead first—"

Before she could finish her sentence, those men started firing at them.

Thankfully, Francesca was quick, and the bullets missed her. Unfortunately, Monica's arm was injured.

Monica rammed the baggage trolley at those attackers before grabbing Francesca and started running.

However, not long after, some men were chasing after them.

Monica had no choice but to let Francesca leave first. She stayed to cover her.

Just as Francesca was leaving, Monica took another bullet in her leg. Francesca turned back to save Monica. At the same time, she fired a drug at them.

Red smoke began to spread, and there were flames everywhere

Those attackers had no choice but to retreat.

The tourists around them were frightened by their fight. Their screams rang out everywhere, and they ran for their lives.

Francesca carried Monica with her, and both women managed to escape. When they arrived at the car park, they stopped a car and wanted to leave. Just then, the doors of a few cars opened, and groups of men pointed their guns at them.

Francesca raised her brows and questioned them, “Who the hell are you guys?”

Those tall men looked like they were from Erihal. They were all wearing masks on their faces and dressed in black. It was impossible to see their faces.

Without a single word, they went forward and wanted to grab Francesca. At that instant, a silver convoy sped toward them like a flash of lightning.

Someone shouted in Erihalean, “Mr. Lindberg is here. Let's go!”

Chapter 2128 Angry

Before Monica could process what was happening, that group of men had already fled the scene. The silver convoy formed a semi-circle, protecting them like a guardian descended from heaven. When the car doors opened, several men got out and lined up in front of the cars. “Ms. Felch,” they greeted in unison. Seeing each familiar face, Francesca laughed. “Gordon, Sloan, Mylo...”

Her sentence trailed off when she saw Danrique standing in the line. Surprise crossed her face. Danrique’s long legs stepped out of the car. Dressed in a white shirt, he looked delectable. However, his gaze was as cold as the freezing weather. “So this is the legendary Mr. Lindberg?”

Monica stared at Danrique in a daze.

I've heard that Mr. Lindberg has an unrivaled good look and exuded an aura of a god, striking fear in everyone's heart. So, it's true. That rumor isn't an exaggeration. I thought Prince William was the most handsome man in this world until I met Mr. Lindberg. Only now do I realize the meaning of flawless perfection.

“That's him,” Francesca replied coldly. Her voice edged with anger and resentment as she cussed, “B*stard!"

"Without this b*stard saving you, you'll be freezing your butt off in some street in Xendale.” There was no warmth in Danrique’s voice. It was cold as ice and laced with arrogance. “Come here.” "Hmph!" Francesca turned her face away from him, ignoring his demand.

“Come on, let's get in the car. My blood is about to freeze.” Monica had thrown courtesy out of the window and limped over to the car while dragging her injured leg. “Thank you for the timely rescue. I'm Monica, a friend of Ms. Felch.”

“This way please, Ms. Monica.” Mylo led her over to one of the cars at the back. “Hey, Monica..." Francesca didn't expect Monica's will to be that frail. I can't keep up the act if she gets in the car of her own accord. “Get in.” Danrique glared at Francesca before getting in the car. “Let's discuss any issues you have back home.”

His last sentence proved to be useful as Francesca’s heart softened. With a bite on her lip, she followed him to his car dejectedly. “This way please, Ms. Felch.”

Sean opened the door for her and shot a triumphant glance at Gordon. I win! Gordon pursed his lips. Dissatisfaction filled his eyes.

I didn't expect the arrogant Ms. Felch would come to Mr. Lindberg of her own accord. It looks like all women are the same when they're in love. They don’t mean what they say.

The convoy drove in the direction of the Lindberg residence.

Sean had turned up the heater in the car, but Francesca still felt chilly. She didn’t get a chance to retrieve her luggage after getting off the plane due to the men pursuing her, so she was still dressed in thin clothing.

She even lost a shoe when she was running for her life earlier.

I think my foot has frostbite after running so much in the freezing cold.

Danrique raked his cold, assessing gaze up and down Francesca, then frowned with displeasure at her obvious discomfort. He was silent throughout the entire observation.

Francesca had taken off the other shoe she had on and was rubbing her frostbitten foot with the other. Her hands were rubbing her arms to warm up herself. She looked pitiful and helpless.

Sean, who was sitting in the passenger seat, silently turned up the heater. He didn't dare to utter a single word nor retrieve a coat for Francesca. He merely studied Danrique’s expression from the rearview mirror.

It was terrifyingly cold.

However, Danrique’s stony expression didn't hold long. He took off his coat in the end, threw it in Francesca's direction, and it landed on her lap. “Isnt Danontand nice? What are you doing here in Xendale?" he asked cynically.

“I didn’t want to come.” Francesca glared at him.

“Then, don’t come.” Danrique added, “It's not too late to fly back now.”

"You—" Anger rolled through Francesca at his remark. However, she forcibly controlled her temper and suppressed her wrath when she recalled William's advice—don't be difficult and don't fight with him.

Chapter 2129 Coaxing Him

Her concession softened Danrique’s heart. He grabbed onto her ankle, placed her feet on his lap, and even used his warm hands to warm up her feet.

His actions had broken the ice between them. Tears filled Francesca's eyes as she pouted her lips. “Silly Girl!” Danrique’s heart ached for her, yet he was frustrated with her. He pulled her against his chest and reprimanded, “Why did you run off to Danontand without discussing it with me?” Francesca pouted, feeling aggrieved. She didn't respond as more tears filled her eyes.

“Does it hurt?” Danrique couldn't bear to scold her. He gently rubbed her feet with his hands and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Your hair is this long already?”

“Yeah.” Francesca nodded with acknowledgment. “You said you like long hair, so I didn't cut it...” her voice broke into a sob. Danrique’s heart was crushed at the fragility in her tone.

He cupped her face and leaned down to kiss her. “All right, don't cry. Everything is fine now that you're back.”

Sean rolled his eyes at the passenger seat. Mr. Lindberg sure is easy to coax. All it takes is one sentence in a soft, pleading voice to soothe his ruffled feather. He kept saying he would punish Francesca and give her a severe scolding to teach her a lesson before. I suppose he has forgotten all about that. All that's left in his mind and heart are heartache for her.

“It's cold,” she complained.

Francesca curled up her cold, trembling body against him like a kitten.

Danrique tightened his arms around her and pressed her face deeper into his chest. “You won't feel cold like this,” he said with a kiss on her forehead.

"Mm-hmm." Safety and warmth filled Francesca's chest, smelling his familiar scent. Something warm surged within her and warmed up her body immediately.

“Silly Girl!” Danrique hugged her even tighter. “Tell me everything next time. Don't act recklessly. Got it?”

“Sure.” Francesca nodded obediently. Suddenly, Danrique’s ringing phone cut through the sweet atmosphere. Feeling frustrated, he took out and was about to hang up the call when Francesca saw the name flashing across the screen—it was Hazel.

The softness in her heart earlier hardened instantly, and rage stirred within her. She snatched his phone, rolled down the window, and tossed it through the opening.

Everything happened within seconds.

It was so fast that Danrique didn't even realize what was happening.

"You—"

“I almost forgot.”

Francesca broke free from his embrace and scoot back to her side with a straight back. Her dependence and cuteness earlier had gone up in smoke. Even her eyes that were brimming with tears earlier had a fierce glint in them.

“You're marrying Hazel. Why did you come looking for me?”

Her tone, posture, and attitude were those of a wife interrogating a husband

Danrique rolled his eyes and coldly demanded, “Roll up the window!"

"Yes, sir.” Sloan immediately wound up the window.

Sean glanced in the rearview mirror and instantly lowered his head, trying to shrink himself in his seat.

“What is this attitude of yours?” Danrique looked at Francesca with a frown. “You haven't even explained to me what was going on between you and William.”

“Nothing is going on between William and I. Nothing at all.” Francesca accused, “You, on the other hand, had even taken wedding photos, and news of your engagement has spread. Explain that to me. What's going on?”

“You first.” Danrique wasn't moved by her accusations. “You were the one who left for Danontand first.”

“I went to Danontand to treat my patient. Do you think I'm a player like you?” Francesca’s temper flared the more she spoke. “As for you, you never break off your relationship with Hazel. Now that news of your engagement with her has spread, you'd better explain to me.”

Chapter 2130 Go Home

Danrique merely frowned at her demand and stayed silent. His face was black. He had no intention to communicate nor had the attitude to want to solve the problem. “Danrique—"

“Let's talk after we get home.” Danrique ended the conversation with that sentence. Even though Francesca was furious, she didn’t want to argue with Danrique in front of Sean and Sloan

Fine! We'll talk when we get home. She pulled Danrique’s coat tighter, completely covering herself, and curled up in her seat. Her face was turned toward the window, unwilling to look at him. Danrique was speechless at her sudden change. This woman changes her attitude faster than how I flip through a book. She was acting cutely in my embrace a minute ago and started throwing a tantrum the next. It's like they are two different people. Also, she’s way too good at playing the victim. She was the one who flew to Danontand to meet with William and didn’t explain her actions to me. Yet, she’s interrogating my relationship with Hazel. What is this?

Meanwhile, rage pulsed through Francesca’s veins. I wouldn't have come to Xendale if it wasn't for Danrique’s involvement in William's matter. The reason I went to Danontand was to treat my patient. Yet here he was, getting entangled with Hazel again. She's even calling him now, yet he still doesn’t even want to explain. He is acting as though I don’t have any right to ask him about his affairs while he has every right to ask about mine. What is this? He is such a hypocrite!

The two continued to simmer in anger all the way back to the castle.

After getting out of the car, Monica shouted from afar, “Ms. Felch!”

Francesca hurried over to her. Danrique’s big long coat wrapped her body like a bedsheet. The bottom of the coat was dragging along the ground as she walked, but that was the least of her concern.

"What's wrong? Does your wound hurt? I'll treat it immediately once we're inside,” Francesca asked with concern.

“My injuries aren't serious, but...” Monica cast a skittish glance at Danrique before leaning in to whisper at Francesca's ear. “I gave His Highness a call earlier, but the line didn't go through, so I called Robin to inform him about our safe arrival at Xendale and our meeting with Mr. Lindberg. Robin asked me to take care of you and didn't say anything else. When I asked him about His Highness’ condition, he changed the topic. I'm worried if something has happened to His Highness.” “Maybe.” Francesca's expression turned grave. “I left in such haste. Federico might blame my sudden departure on him.”

“Yeah.” Monica panicked. “What should we do then? What if you beg Mr. Lindberg..."

"_w

“Francesca Felch!” Danrique ordered, “Go inside!”

Francesca looked over her shoulder to shoot a vicious glare at him but still followed him inside. She even gestured to Monica that everything would be fine.

“Ms. Monica, I've arranged for another doctor to treat your wound. Come this way, please.” Mylo was in charge of Monica's welfare, so he led her to the other wing.

“Thank you.”

Francesca trailed after Danrique into the castle. Norah and the rest went up to welcome Francesca warmly. “You're back, Ms. Felch! That's great! We all missed you!"

“I miss you guys too, Mdm. Norah.”

Francesca greeted them with a smile as though she was the lady of the house who had just returned after a trip.

“I've already run you a bath. Please head upstairs for a nice warm bath, and we'll bring the food up to you in a while.”

Norah was well aware of Francesca's habits. Francesca would always take a bath the first thing she got home, then have a meal in her bedroom in her pajama. That was the happiest moment for Francesca.

“Thank you, Mdm. Norah and everyone.”

"You're welcome, Ms. Felch! It's good to have you home!”

The household staff loved Francesca as Danrique’s mood would be better with her there. As a result, their life would be much better too.

The cold castle felt like home with her presence.