Ch. 2161..2170
Chapter 2161 Really Hate It
Francesca changed into a set of pajamas, crawled into bed, and turned off the lights to sleep. Fine! Since he's ignoring me, I'll do the same to him. Hmph!
They slept on their sides, their backs facing each other as they were still mad at one another. For some reason, they felt as if they were miles apart, even though they were sharing the same bed. Francesca was still angry, but she soon dozed off without realizing it.
However, Danrique was having trouble falling asleep. Having taken the next step in their relationship, he, at that very moment, desperately wanted to get close to Francesca. After all, they were currently sleeping in the same bed. It was incredibly difficult for him to resist the temptation. Two hours later, Danrique carefully moved backward, wanting to be closer to Francesca.
To his surprise, he could not feel her back, even when he had moved so much.
Hence, he inched backward again, but it made no difference.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, he turned around, only to find her sleeping on the edge of the bed. What on earth? She's going to fall.
In the end, he reached out an arm and pretended to sound cold, saying, “Come here!”
No response came.
Noting that, he poked her arm with his finger. Even so, there was still no response.
When he moved closer to take a look at her, he discovered she had already fallen asleep.
His blood boiled, and anger rippled in him.
How dare she? I'm having trouble sleeping because I'm angry, but here she is, sleeping soundly like a log. What a heartless woman!
At that moment, Danrique had no intention of coaxing her anymore. He reached out and pulled her into his embrace, leaning over to kiss her.
“Mmph!”
Francesca, who was immediately awakened by the kiss, squinted and struggled to free herself from him.
Unfortunately, Danrique had locked her in his embrace, pinning her down with one leg so that she was immobilized
Francesca had no choice but to endure his barbaric actions driven by his desires.
His kiss carried a hint of punishment. It was no different from a beast gnawing on its prey, almost suffocating her.
After a prolonged kiss, he finally let her go and watched in amusement as she frantically tried to catch her breath.
“Danrique, you—" Just as Francesca had finally recollected herself and was about to scold him, he turned over, pinned her under him, and continued to ravage her.
No matter how hard Francesca struggled, she could not break free. She pounded hard on his back and even pushed his chest. Still, she could not shove him away.
Soon, all her reasoning gradually faded under his warm breath and wild kisses.
The tension in the room rose to its peak while their bodies intertwined like beasts in a ferocious fight
Uncontrollable moans filled every inch of the room.
That night, Danrique was not as gentle and careful with Francesca as the night before. He was more violent, doing whatever he wanted to her.
He did not release her until she cried and begged him when she could not endure it anymore. Hugging her tightly from the back, he planted kisses on her shoulder and fell asleep.
Francesca, too, fell asleep within seconds due to exhaustion.
However, she instantly fell into a series of nightmares. One of them was a nightmare about William and the people in the castle. In her dreams, they had died and turned into vengeful souls who had returned to take her life.
The nightmare was so frightening that she shuddered and awoke from her sleep. She was still trembling and drenched in a cold sweat even when she had awakened.
"What's wrong?” Danrique woke up. Sensing something was amiss with her, he quickly asked, “Did you have a nightmare?”
Francesca did not answer, still shocked by the horrifying images that were replaying in her mind. Grabbing her shoulder, Danrique turned her around and pressed his forehead against hers, reassuring her gently, “Don’t be scared. I'm here.”
Francesca could feel the warmth and strength in his grip, but when she recalled the dream, she could not help but ask, “Can you please help him? For me?”
The pleasant atmosphere was instantly ruined by her words, which was like a bucket of cold water poured onto Danrique. He felt as if his heart had frozen over.
Turning around, he left the bed, got dressed, and said coldly with his back facing her, “I really hate how you're thinking about other men while lying in my arms.”
Chapter 2162 Lifesaver
"Danrique...” Francesca was going to explain herself when he straight up walked out of the room. In the end, Francesca was left staring at the tightly shut door. She felt extremely helpless when she recalled his cold and angry reaction.
In the past, she felt she had control over every situation and could excel at many things. Recently, however, she had been feeling increasingly helpless over many issues.
Take rescuing William, for example. She had to rely on Danrique just for that matter. Convincing Danrique was the biggest problem.
She had thought of every possible solution and weighed the importance of that matter before reasoning with him. She even kept her temper in check while humbling herself to beg him. Sadly, everything she did was fruitless.
And now, she had even infuriated him. She did not know what to do. Sighing, she hugged a pillow and stared blankly at the scenery outside that was covered in snow.
The spot on the bed beside her was still warm, and his scent still lingered in the air.
It was true that Danrique cared for and loved her very much. He had even done so much for her. However, he would not give in the slightest bit when it came to rescuing William.
Danrique once said rescuing William won't affect him, nor will it cause any complications. So, why isn't he willing to help? William is his friend, too.
Francesca lay in bed, unable to fall back to sleep. Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrating, and she picked it up to check the notifications.
They were messages from Monica. Some of them were sent when Francesca and Danrique were entangled with each other earlier.
Since she could not fall asleep, Francesca decided to read them one by one.
Monica: Ms. Felch, I've received news that the b*stards have secretly poisoned Prince William. He was sent to the hospital yesterday and is currently in terrible condition.
Monica: I'm sorry, Ms. Felch. I know I shouldn't be disturbing you at this hour. I know I shouldn't be hurrying you because the more I do it, the more annoyed Mr. Lindberg will be. But His Highness" condition is very unstable! I'm really worried...
Monica: Ms. Felch, I've received another update. Robin and the others are stuck in the castle. No one’s allowed to enter or leave. They're not allowed to buy necessities, either. The amount of food stored in the castle is extremely limited. Besides, the water source is poisoned. If this goes on, they're going to die..
Monica: These people are really heartless animals! I can't believe they used the excuse of looking into the water source to lock over eighty people in the castle. They can’t do anything to counterattack. If we don't help them, the consequences are going to be horrible.
Monica: I know this matter is putting you in a difficult spot, and I know you're in an awkward position, but you're the only one who can save them now. We're talking about human lives here. There are over eighty of them. We can't just ignore this...
Monica: You're their only hope, Ms. Felch!
After reading all the messages, Francesca felt a heavy feeling in her heart. While she was thinking of a way to talk to Danrique about it, she received another text from Monica.
It read: Ms. Felch, I'm going to personally beg Mr. Lindberg
Before Francesca could even process the meaning of the message, a gunshot sounded outside. Francesca jumped in alarm and hurried to the window to look.
It turned out that Monica wanted to enter the front hall but was stopped by the bodyguard. Hence, she sneaked out in the middle of the night, wanting to enter the study room through the windows. Unfortunately, Gordon found her and fired a shot.
Monica was hit and fell onto a pile of snow from the second floor.
Blood gushed out of her wound, staining the white snow.
A group of bodyguards armed with guns instantly surrounded her, ready to take down the intruder. “Monica! Stop! Don't shoot her!” Francesca yelled.
Hearing that, Gordon quickly gave orders to the other bodyguards. Removing Monica's cloak, he could not help but frown when he recognized who she was. “It's you?"
Francesca flew down the stairs and helped Monica up, making sure the latter was safe before scolding Gordon, “Don’t you know who she is? Why did you fire your gun?”
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Chapter 2163 Beg Him
“I'm sorry, Ms. Felch. We didn't recognize her earlier. Besides, there's no reason for us not to shoot when someone suddenly crawls up the wall outside Mr. Lindberg's study room at this hour,” Gordon explained in a hurry. “You—"
“It's not their fault, Ms. Felch. Please don't blame them,” Monica advised. “Come on. Let's go in and get your wound cleaned first.” Francesca hurriedly helped Monica into the building, but the latter insisted on seeing Danrique.
"Please, just let me see Mr. Lindberg. There's a favor I need to ask of him personally.” Gordon said, “You can just talk to me. I'll help you pass the message to Mr. Lindberg.”
“No. I need to ask him in person...” Panicking, Monica tugged at Francesca's hand and pleaded, “Please, Ms. Felch. I'm begging you.”
“Monica...” Francesca wanted to dissuade Monica. Before she could even do that, the latter fell to her knees with a thump, ignoring the wound on her leg. “I'm begging you. Please let me see Mr. Lindberg!”
"Get up quickly. Your leg's wounded. You'll be crippled if you kneel like this,” Francesca ordered anxiously.
“Then so be it. I'm willing to sacrifice my legs for His Highness’ well-being if that's possible. I'll even sacrifice my life,” Monica said, tears spilling from her eyes.
Hearing Monica's words and seeing her in such a state moved Francesca. Unable to refuse the former, she could only promise, “All right. I'll take you to see him once I've bandaged you up.” “Ms. Felch—"
“Surely I have the right to do so?" Francesca cut Gordon off, leading Monica into the front hall. Gordon did not dare to stop her despite knowing the situation would anger Danrique. Given no choice, he could only send someone to report the situation to Danrique
Meanwhile, Francesca cleaned Monica's wound, helped the latter into a wheelchair, and pushed her to the study room on the second floor.
At that time, Sean was guarding the door. He did not stop Francesca from entering; he probably knew she was coming. He merely glanced at Monica and lowered his head to open the door. Danrique, who was reading some documents at the table, did not look up even when he heard the door opening. He kept working away.
Feeling slightly nervous, Monica glanced at Francesca before speaking carefully. “I'm sorry for disturbing you at this hour, Mr. Lindberg.”
Suddenly, Danrique looked up from the documents and cast Francesca a meaningful gaze. Francesca said defiantly, “She just wants to see you briefly. Can't she talk to you face to face?” Danrique glared at Francesca and questioned Monica, “I only let you recuperate here because of her. And now, you've sneaked out of the side palace in the middle of the night and tried to break into my study room. Are you courting death?”
Monica lowered her head and apologized, “I'm sorry for offending you. I won't blame you if you want to punish or even kill me, but please save Prince William.”
“As far as I know, you're not working for William. Interpol isn't something anyone can join. You should cherish the bright future you have ahead of you.” Danrique leaned back in the chair, glaring coldly at Monica.
With her head hung low, Monica said, “My current achievements are all thanks to Prince William. Besides, he was the one who saved me. That's why I'm willing to do anything for him.”
"How touching.” Danrique shot Francesca a thoughtful look.
Francesca was so touched by Monica's words that she kept her gaze on the latter, not noticing Danrique staring at her.
“Mr. Lindberg, you're the only one who can save His Highness now. Please—"
Danrique interrupted coldly, “Even Francesca failed to convince me. What makes you think you can?”
Monica was rendered speechless.
Francesca, however, was enraged. She snapped, “Danrique, you—"
"Enough. I need to carry on with my work. Take them out.” Danrique did not want to talk to them anymore.
“Understood.” Sean stepped into the study room and gestured for the ladies to leave. “This way, Ms. Felch.”
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Chapter 2164 Cold Blood
Knowing there was no point talking to Danrique at that moment, Francesca tugged at Monica to leave. However, the latter shouted in panic, “Mr. Lindberg, please! I'm begging you! Please help Prince William!"
Alas, Danrique only continued studying the documents, unmoved by her pleas. “Ms. Flech, please talk to Mr. Lindberg. Please...” Monica implored anxiously, grabbing Francesca’s hand.
“I've been asking him every day. It's no use. Come on, get some rest first. I'll think of something else,” Francesca said softly.
Still holding Francesca’s hand, Monica said anxiously, “But Prince William doesn't have much time left. If things get delayed any further, he'll die.”
“Monica—"
Before Francesca could say anything, Monica suddenly slumped to the ground from her wheelchair and begged emotionally, “Mr. Lindberg, I'm begging you. Please...”
“Monica...”
“Ms. Monica, why are you doing this to yourself?” Sean rushed forward to help her up.
Regardless, Monica refused to leave. She clung to the doorframe, crying, “Prince William was harmed by those heartless people! He's been transferred to the hospital, but the castle's now on lockdown. There are about eighty people in there, and they're all poisoned. No one can leave or even enter the castle. All they can do is just wait for death to knock on their doors. Mr. Lindberg, Prince William has always viewed you as his good friend. He's in trouble now. All I'm asking is for you to make a trip to Danontand. This will all be solved if you go there. Please! You can take this as an act of kindness. I'll do anything you want as long as you save him.”
Francesca was moved by Monica's speech, but Danrique was still unfazed. “Everyone has their own fate. I have no right to interfere with them.”
“Mr. Lindberg...”
“Take her out,” Danrique ordered impatiently.
Sean hurried forward and lifted Monica into the wheelchair. The latter was still pleading, but Sean pushed her out without any delay.
Francesca watched the scene with complex emotions
She could not understand why Danrique was being so heartless. At the same time, she had no right to scold him.
There were no rules in the world where one must help another. Wronging them for not helping would be an act of guilt-tripping.
Thus, Francesca could not blame him.
Even so, she could not ignore William's plight, which left her all the more conflicted.
"Are you mad at me?” Danrique cast her a cold glare.
“No.” With that, she walked out without saying anything else.
Danrique stared at her back, his expression turning grim. Whenever she argued with him, he would act adamantly. However, he would get worried when she kept quiet.
The truth was, he did not think there was anything wrong with his decision, but making her unhappy left him feeling uneasy.
Things between them were quite awkward at that point, and Danrique did not know how to resolve it
Hence, he decided to not return to the room.
Meanwhile, Francesca returned to the room and fell back into the bed, pondering the matter in silence.
She felt extremely lost. What should I do?
Just then, her phone vibrated again. It was a call from Monica.
Seeing Monica's name on the screen then made Francesca feel pressured. She held her head, not wanting to look at the phone. However, her guilt got the better of her, and she answered the call, “Yes, Monica?”
“I'm sorry, Ms. Felch. I was too reckless just now. I shouldn't have done that. Did I put you in a difficult position?”
Woz”
“I know I shouldn't have troubled you, but I'm really worried about Prince William.”
“It's okay.”
“I'm so stupid. I shouldn“t have gone looking for Mr. Lindberg. I don't have anything to bargain with him, nor do I have the skills to convince him. I only made him more annoyed.” Monica took a deep breath and recollected herself, saying chokingly, “Ms. Felch, I can see that Mr. Lindberg really loves you. You're the only one who can save Prince William now. Please. Please think of another way.” Francesca sighed. “I really don't know what else I can do. I can’t convince Danrique anymore. Anyway, I've decided to go back to Danontand tomorrow to rescue William.”
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Chapter 2165 What Am I To You
Monica was stunned by those words. It took her some time to return to her senses. “You're going alone?” Francesca felt utterly helpless. “Yes. You may not know Danrique that well, but no one can make him change his mind. Not even I. Besides, he’s always suspected that there's something going on between William and me.
Danrique’s extremely bothered by it, so there's no way he'll help William. But you're right. William is in terrible danger. I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left if I don't take any action. So, I've decided to return to Danontand tomorrow and come up with a plan to rescue William. By the way, did you get any information from your people? Send them to me.”
Monica said hurriedly, “I'll go with you. I have all the information here. In fact, I have more. Besides, two is better than one.”
“But your leg is injured. There's no use in you going back. On the contrary, I'll even have to take care of you. Why don't you just stay here and recuperate? The bodyguards won't hurt you as long as you don't mess with Danrique.”
“No way. I have to go back with you. Don't worry; I won't be a burden to you. I might be injured, but I can at least provide you with information. Besides, my partner is still in Danontand, and I have some connections who will surely be of help.”
“All right, then. Pack your things. We're leaving in a while.” Francesca got up to look for her travel documents.
"Will Mr. Lindberg let you go?” Monica sounded a little worried.
“I'm free to go wherever I want. He can’t stop me!” Francesca declared.
“Really?”
A voice suddenly came from behind her.
Francesca jumped in shock. By the time she turned around, Danrique was already standing in the room, staring at her with a sharp gaze under the dim lights.
He looked like a raging beast.
“Monica, I'll call you later.” Francesca hung up and reprimanded him, “Why are you eavesdropping?” “This is my room. There's nothing wrong with me listening to the conversations in my room. What's this? Are you really going to Danontand to carry out a rescue mission?” Danrique sat on the sofa, gazing at her nonchalantly.
“Since you're not willing to help, then I have no choice but to do it myself. Tsk. Where's my backpack, anyway?" Francesca continued fumbling through the drawers.
“Did you even ask me?” Anger was surging within Danrique, but he did his best to suppress it. "What do I need to ask?” responded Francesca, still looking around for her things and paying little attention to him.
Seeing that, Danrique pulled her over, causing her to stumble and fall into his embrace. Just as she was about to move, Danrique locked his arms around her. He placed one hand around her waist while the other held her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Look at me, Francesca!”
Francesca, who was forced to look at him, noticed the fury in his eyes. Even so, he was doing his best to control his emotions.
“Tell me. What am I to you?" he hissed.
"I..." Francesca was stumped by the question. She did not understand why he was asking such a question at a time like that.
"Answer me!”
Danrique was so furious that he pinched her chin harder, causing her pain.
“Let me go. It hurts...” Francesca shoved him away angrily.
Danrique gritted his teeth. “Oh, so you know what pain feels like? Remember how you wanted to stay at S Nation because of the orphanage, Anthony, and even the two elders back then? Sure, I can understand all that, but you and I are officially dating each other now. Yet, you still want to fly to Danontand to save William. What exactly am I to you? You prioritize all those nonsensical people, but what about me? What am I to you?”
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Chapter 2166 Ran Away
“Danrique, I have a lot of things to deal with right now. I don't have the time or the energy to think about all this. Let me go this instant. I have to go to Danontand. I promise I'll definitely come back to you once I'm done with everything.” Francesca was starting to get frustrated
All she could think of at that moment was to rescue the people in the castle. Naturally, she had not considered Danrique’s feelings.
Her reaction left Danrique more frustrated. “So, William is more important than me? You'd rather rescue him yourself after failing to get my help?”
Francesca had officially lost her patience. “What else am I supposed to do? I can't possibly sit back and do nothing! I've done everything I could to beg you, but you still refused. Of course, I have no choice but to do it myself.”
With that, she shoved Danrique away and continued searching for her backpack. This time, she finally found it. As she dug through its insides, she found all her traveling documents, including her purse.
She heaved a sigh of relief. After sending Monica a text, she started to get changed.
"You can't do anything without me. Besides, you'll only be getting yourself killed if you go there,” Danrique uttered coldly, looking at her busy figure.
Sadly, Francesca ignored his words. She changed into a set of suitable clothing and put on her socks. “Get someone to send us to the airport.”
“Francesca...” Danrique was on the verge of exploding with fury. “Did you not hear what I said?” Francesca raised her head and looked him in the eyes. “I heard you. You said I can't do anything without you and that I'll only get myself killed if I went there. Well, I don't think there's anything I can do about that. After all, I always keep my promises.”
With that, she picked up her backpack and her coat and walked toward the door.
Danrique bellowed, “Francesca! If you step out of this room, then it'll be over between us!” Francesca halted in her tracks. Even her hand that was pulling the door handle froze. After several seconds of silence, she murmured, “If I die, please find yourself another woman. I'd hate to waste your time.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she swung the door open and marched off.
“Y-You..."
Danrique could not believe his eyes. She left. She actually left!
He had taken a gamble. In the end, he still lost.
In truth, Danrique was totally capable of locking Francesca in the house, not letting her leave or have any contact with the outside world. He could even send Monica away and prevent anyone or anything related to William from getting in between him and Francesca.
However, he did not do so because he wanted to know what she truly wanted to do.
Although he had said those unkind words about Francesca constantly putting others before him, he still chose to believe in her feelings for him.
Thus, he did nothing to interfere with the situation’s development.
He wanted to know what she would do if she followed her heart.
And now, the truth had proven him to be overconfident, for Francesca had chosen to leave.
In fact, she walked away without turning around, even after he said those words.
Even worse, she told him to find another woman because she did not want to waste his time.
The image of her retreating figure and the words she said kept replaying in Danrique’s mind. How indifferent of her...
At that moment, he was filled with intense disappointment as if a pail of ice-cold water had been dumped onto him.
So, I was the one who was too naive and childish. Perhaps her purpose for coming back this time was to ask me to save William. And maybe all that affection she gave me for the past few days was for William's sake.
The more Danrique thought about it, the angrier and more bitter he felt.
Knock! Knock!
Right then, several knocks sounded on the door. Sean reported nervously, “Mr. Lindberg, Ms. Felch wants to leave with Monica, and she ordered us to prepare her a car. I've ordered some men to stop her before coming up here to report to you.”
“Make her—" Before Danrique could finish, the rumbling sound of an engine could be heard from the outside, followed by the sound of a car speeding away.
Danrique immediately hurried to the balcony to have a look. It turned out that Francesca had stolen a car and driven off with Monica.
She drove so fast that the car vanished from his sight in the blink of an eye
Chapter 2167 Go All Out
“I'll get someone to chase after them.” Sean was about to give the order when Danrique responded, “No.” Sean was stunned. “Huh? Mr. Lindberg—"
“There's no point making her stay when she's set her heart on leaving. Let her go if that's what she wants. She'll definitely come back to me for help once she’s in trouble.” Danrique seemed oddly calm.
“Should we send someone to protect her in secret, then?” Sean asked softly.
“No.” Danrique was determined to teach Francesca a lesson. He uttered through gritted teeth, “Since she can be so fearless for William's sake, then we shall let her see what it truly means to be digging her own grave.”
“Got it.” Noting Danrique’s eyes that were glinting with hostility, Sean hurriedly left the room with his head lowered.
Meanwhile, Danrique did not move away from the window. He kept his gaze fixed on the direction Francesca had left for a long time.
Intense disappointment was the only thing he felt at that moment.
Francesca had crushed his passionate love for her.
He could not help but imagine what Francesca was feeling at that moment. She must be cheering over the fact that she escaped successfully. Very well. I shall grant her wish. Go on, Francesca. I'd like to see if you can rescue William without my help.
Francesca sped all the way to the airport, not daring to slow down for fear of someone catching up with them.
However, even when they had arrived at the airport, completed the procedures, and gone to the departure hall, Danrique’s men were nowhere to be seen.
Monica looked around uneasily, whispering, “Will Mr. Lindberg send someone to follow us? Are they going to attack us before we board the plane?”
Francesca glanced at her ticket, looking rather calm. “No. He didn't send anyone after us, which means he's well and truly mad this time.”
Monica froze for a second. She then said frustratedly, “I don’t understand. Why isn't Mr. Lindberg willing to help Prince William? Saving Prince William won't do him any harm. I'm sure the prince will definitely return the favor when he inherits the crown in the future.”
Francesca sighed. “He must have his reasons, though I don't understand it either.”
"You actually understand him quite well. It's a pity that no one understands Prince William.” Monica sighed.
“You do.” Francesca stared intently at Monica. “It's rare to have a confidant who's willing to do anything for us in this life. He's a lucky man.”
In a panic, Monica stammered, “N-No... Prince William is an extremely prestigious person, while I'm just a plain nobody.”
Francesca smiled. “You're not plain. Look at you. You're good-looking and have become a senior Interpol detective at such a young age. Most importantly, you have sincere feelings for him. That alone is a rare trait.”
“Please don't get me wrong, Ms. Felch. All I have for Prince William is admiration and gratitude—" Francesca interjected, “That's not important. You don't have to explain it to me. Then again, I have to tell you this. I only see William as a friend whom I need to help. That's all.”
“I know. The person you love is Mr. Lindberg. But with his temper, I'm afraid the relationship between you two might not go well...” Monica said in a low voice.
When she finished her sentence, she hurriedly clarified, “Uh... That's just my opinion. Please don't think too much about it."
Francesca let out a sigh. “That has crossed my mind, too. I've always been a carefree person. I have my dreams and responsibilities, but he hopes I can give up on all that and stay by his side...”
After a brief pause, she added to console herself, “Oh, whatever. I'll just go with the flow.”
“I think it's time we board the plane.”
"Yep."
With that, they boarded the plane heading back to Danontand.
The truth was, they knew this was a dangerous trip. In fact, they might not be able to do anything and even fall into the opponent's hands. Even so, they were willing to go all out for William's sake. q
Chapter 2168 Limited Capabilities
Danrique had trouble falling asleep the entire night. Whenever he recalled the scene of Francesca leaving without looking back, a stabbing pain shot through his heart.
It was only last night when they were having an intimate moment on that very bed. He could still remember the way she curled up like a docile kitten and shivered in his embrace.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake away the memory of how cute she looked.
I don't understand. She seems to like me a lot and looks happy when we're together. But why does she behave like an entirely different person when William is mentioned? She keeps saying she’s doing it because she feels responsible and wants to keep her promise. She's just a kid. Why would she be responsible for a man—a prince, to be more specific—and even his family? And that nonsense about friendship. I really can't wrap my head around it. As if any kind of purely platonic relationship can exist between a man and a woman. What utter nonsense!
He could not understand, nor did he want to understand what was going on.
All he believed was that Francesca did not love him enough, for she had left him for another man. She knew going to Danontand was no different from challenging death, yet she still chose to leave. Her last words for Danrique, telling him to find another woman because she did not want to waste his time, were like an insult to him.
Fine. If she’s going to be this stubborn, then I shall let her learn this lesson the hard way. She's a stubborn idiot who won't give up until she realizes it's hopeless. I'm going to make sure she learns her lesson this time.
Back then, Francesca had always traveled without any worries. She could even sleep soundly when she escaped Danontand with pursuers chasing after her the entire journey.
This time, however, she could not fall asleep.
She kept staring out of the window, her mind occupied with thoughts of Danrique.
In the past, she could come and go whenever she wanted, even if they got into a fight and broke up. Even if it was the latter scenario, she could continue being stubborn or stand her ground. However, their relationship had progressed to another stage, and their feelings for each other had deepened.
Deep down, she did not want to leave.
To be honest, she was hesitant the moment she stepped out of the room. She wished Danrique would stop her, and they could then talk things through properly.
Sadly, he did not do that.
All he did was warn and threaten her.
Threats were absolutely useless on Francesca, who had a stubborn character. Hence, hearing those ruthless words only made her leave without looking back.
In truth, she was actually feeling a little reluctant when she stole the car and left with Monica. And when she stared at the reflection of the master bedroom windows through the rearview mirror, hesitance crept into her heart.
However, Francesca did not see his silhouette there, and with Monica urging her on, the former had no choice but to slam on the gas pedal.
There was no turning back the moment they left in the car.
Since she had decided to walk down that path, all she could do was march forward bravely.
And now, Francesca could not bear to have other thoughts. All she wanted was to rescue William as soon as possible. Once she was done with William's matters, she would return and have a proper talk with Danrique. If, and only if, she were still alive at that point.
At that thought, Francesca took a deep breath.
As she turned around, she found Monica sound asleep beside her.
Monica had been worried about William the entire day, but she soon fell asleep after taking some pills for the wounds on her legs.
After putting a blanket over Monica, Francesca leaned back in the chair and stared blankly into space.
Her mind was still filled with thoughts about Danrique. Hence, she forced herself to dismiss them and started analyzing William's situation, coming up with plans to resolve it.
This is actually quite difficult. Even if I managed to rescue William, what am I going to do about those in the castle? I can't possibly take them all with me. Looks like there are only two ways to go about this matter. Either I rescue William and ignore the others in the castle, or sacrifice William and rescue them.
All those thoughts made Francesca realize how limited her capabilities were.
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Chapter 2169 Learn Her Lesson
Francesca was not an expert at coming up with strategies. The only thing she was good at was treating patients.
She felt that dealing with this matter was a strenuous task, and she did not even know what the right move was. Just then, she thought of Layla.
If Layla and Lincoln were there, they could teach and help Francesca analyze the situation. Unfortunately, they had gone deep into the mountains to live in seclusion.
Francesca had no idea how they were doing now. Just like that, Francesca endured the flight that was over ten hours with her mind full of complicated thoughts.
The moment she got off the plane, she turned on her phone to check if Danrique had called her. Sadly, he had not called or texted.
Even Sean and Gordon had not called her. Francesca felt a little disappointed. Looks like Danrique is really mad this time. I don't think he'll talk to me anymore. Does this mean we've broken up? Letting out a sigh, she was about to put away her phone when Anthony called. She answered right away. "Hey, Anthony.” “Francesca, did you hear anything from Ms. Layla and Mr. Lincoln?”
"Huh? Didn't you say they were going to live in seclusion in the mountains? I checked with Gordon yesterday, and he told me their phones had been out of service. Maybe they went somewhere really remote—"
“They definitely talked about going to live in seclusion in the mountains, but I've just received news that they were being pursued by people from Riz Corporation. Mr. Lincoln has been captured, but Ms. Layla got away. No one knows where she is now.”
"What? How did this happen?” Francesca was shocked.
Pausing momentarily, she murmured to herself, “Gordon didn't tell me about this. Did he not find out about it, or did he purposely hide it from me?”
Hearing her words, Anthony responded, “It could be the former. After all, Riz Corporation has tight security. It's almost impossible to get any information about them, so it's only normal that Gordon didn't find out about it. I have a few leads because I've always been in contact with them. Why don't you try asking Gordon again? Ask him if he can help us find Ms. Layla.”
“Okay. I'll call him now—"
"Aren“t you at Danrique’s? Why do you need to make a call?” Anthony was puzzled.
“I—" Francesca was about to answer when a Danontese announcement rang out. Anthony immediately realized where she was. “Don't tell me you've gone to Danontand.”
“I have.” Francesca knew she could not keep it from him anymore.
“Oh my goodness. Have you lost your mind? You're not a god! You can't save everyone. It's already good enough that you can manage the orphanage well and help Ms. Layla and Mr. Lincoln. Why do you have to make yourself responsible for Prince William? Surely Ms. Layla has warned you about how complicated Prince William's matter is. It's not something you can simply interfere with. You shouldn't have treated him in the first place, nor should you have gone to Danontand after that. And now—"
Francesca cut him off, “All right. All right. That's enough. I know all that, but things have already progressed to this stage. I'm stuck in a very difficult position, you know. William and his people in the castle were poisoned. I can't just let them die.”
Anthony was filled with panic. “You can't save them all. Go back to Danrique’s now and stop getting involved in this matter.”
“I'm already involved, and there's no backing out now. Anyway, I'm going to hang up. I'll give Gordon a call to ask about Ms. Layla’s situation.” Francesca sighed.
"Ugh, are you trying to make me worried sick—"
"Bye."
With that, Francesca ended the call. When she was about to call Gordon, she started to question herself. I broke up with Danrique. Isn't it a little inappropriate for me to call his subordinate? However, since it was an urgent matter, Francesca could not be bothered to think so much.
She quickly dialed Gordon's number. It did not take long for the call to be connected.
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Chapter 2170 Take Action Immediately
Francesca went straight to the point, asking Gordon about Layla and Lincoln's situation. Gordon hesitated for a moment before admitting, “I actually knew about it already, but I feared you'd get worried. That's why I didn't tell you.”
Francesca was livid. “You... This isn't a small matter! How could you keep it from me?”
Gordon responded hurriedly, “Please don’t panic. I actually informed Mr. Lindberg the second I found out about it, and he ordered me to send someone to rescue them. Anyway, I've already sent some men to Zarain. They should be able to rescue one of them soon. As for the other one, we're already negotiating with Riz Corporation.”
Francesca let out a sigh of relief. “Really? That's good to know.”
“Don’t worry. I'm in charge of this. I promise to handle it well. Anyway, I've got to hang up. Mr. Lindberg is looking for me,” Gordon said softly.
"Okay. Thank you.” Francesca wanted to ask about Danrique, but Gordon had hung up before she could even open her mouth. Sighing, she put away her phone and rushed to the restroom to look for Monica.
Monica had trouble moving around due to her injury. Hence, she had to rely on a wheelchair. After disguising themselves, Francesca pushed Monica out of the restroom and picked up their suitcases in a hurry. Soon, the latter's partner came to fetch them.
It was only after they got into the car and departed from the airport that they could finally heave a sigh of relief.
“I wasn't expecting things to go so smoothly. I thought they'd be stopping us at the airport.” Monica patted her chest.
“It was a sudden decision to return to Danontand. Maybe they haven't heard about it yet. I bet the people from Erihal don't even know I'm gone,” Francesca deduced.
Monica nodded vehemently. “Right. People typically wouldn't dare to spy on Mr. Lindberg's place, nor would they be able to. Since those animals don't know we've returned, we should seize the opportunity and take action as soon as possible.”
Francesca bobbed her head. “You're right. First, we need to meet William. Do you guys know where he is?"
Monica’s partner, Dominic Hoffman, answered, “We found him already. He's in the royal hospital Security there is extremely strict, so I'm afraid we won't be able to sneak in easily.”
"Do you have the building's blueprint?” Francesca asked urgently.
“Yes.” Dominic pulled out the hospital's blueprint and explained, “I'm guessing Prince William was assigned to the orthopedic inpatient department. Apparently, he had a relapse and can't even sit up straight. He can only be treated in bed now.”
“Those b*stards! It must be their doing,” Monica spat furiously.
“Let's go to the hospital. I'll slip in to see William first,” Francesca ordered promptly.
Monica offered, “I'll come with you. We can watch out for each other's backs.”
Francesca did not refuse, for she knew Monica only wanted to help save lives. “All right. You'll disguise as the patient, and I'll disguise as the doctor.”
“The necessary outfits and tools are in the car. Go ahead and get changed now. I'll be waiting outside if there's anything you need.” Dominic had prepared everything they possibly needed. “This dude is not bad.” Francesca eyed him.
“Thank you, Dominic.” Monica was beyond grateful.
Dominic flashed her a grin. “Don't mention it. We're partners, after all. You should take care of yourself. I can't believe you injured both legs when you've only left for a few days.”
“I know. Don't worry.”
With that, Francesca and Monica changed into their outfits in the car and successfully sneaked into the hospital.
Monica could speak Danontese. Since she was an Interpol agent, she was used to situations like that, which allowed her to put on a perfect act.
It was extremely helpful for their mission.
It did not take long for them to find the inpatient building William was at. However, there were many officers guarding the area. It was practically impossible for outsiders to enter it.
As the two women were feeling anxious, a senior officer stepped out and asked the guards if the doctor sent by Federico had arrived, to which the guards said no.
Just then, Francesca and Monica exchanged a look of understanding. Immediately, Monica swerved the wheels of her wheelchair to hide in the corner while Francesca grabbed a medical kit and walked over, introducing herself as the doctor sent by the king.