Ch. 2301..2310

Chapter 2301 Support 2

“I'm in S Nation, General Jablonski, but I'd like to get back to Xendale...”

“That's not a problem. I'll accompany you to Xendale.” Justin sounded ever so righteous. “With me around, those b*stards wouldn't dare to lay a finger on you!”

“Thank you so much, General Jablonski!” Words could not express how grateful Francesca felt. “But that place is Erihal's territory. Wouldn't I be causing you trouble?”

"Don’t worry. That's not going to happen. By the way, when you gave me treatment the last time, do you remember also curing an autoimmune disease of a child of my old acquaintance?”

"Yes, I do. It was that six-year-old boy with silver hair.”

"Yes, they were visiting me that day. That boy had a very unusual disease, and because of that, he had been traveling all over the world to seek help from numerous doctors, yet no one could treat him. That's why the entire family is thankful to you for healing the boy. My friend called me today to ask about you. He's also watched the news and suspected that the person was you. Both he and his son are really concerned about you. I think you can give him a call. He's the duke of E Nation, so he might be able to lend you a hand.”

“But don't you think I'd only be making a huge scene?”

Deep down, Francesca felt rather uneasy, for she had never asked anyone for a favor before. If it was not for the sake of the orphanage, she would rather not implicate the patients.

“Do you want to save lives?” was Justin's only query.

"Of course,” Francesca candidly responded.

“Then just do it without hesitation. Also, I have a question for you, but I need you to answer me truthfully so that I can make the right call.”

"Sure. Go on.”

“What's your relationship with Danrique Lindberg?”

Francesca took a moment to ponder before stating earnestly, “He's the man I love!”

“All right, I understand now.” Justin bobbed his head. “That means we'll stand with Danrique to fight against the president!”

“Yes,” Francesca said. The second she let that slip out of her mouth, she asked in surprise, “You can even do this?”

“I suppose I could be of some help one way or another. Plus, there's always strength in numbers, but only if you can get yourself more backers.”

"Got it. Thank you for pointing it out, General Jablonski!” Francesca was overwhelmed by emotion as she spoke.

“Go now. I'll be right over at S Nation to pick you up.”

"Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Francesca began to contact each and every person on the list in the ledger.

"Hello? Francesco speaking. I need some help!”

“That miracle doctor, Francesco? Is it really you? Oh, my savior, what have you gotten yourself into? How much money do you need? Just say the word, and I'll wire it to you at once.”

“Uh...” That left Francesca at a loss for words. How on earth did my public persona end up like this? I can't believe that I've become a materialistic money-grabber in everyone's eyes

“No, I don’t need money. What I need are the people's views and support!”

“Uh... Don't tell me you're that Chanaean female physician who's also the fiancée of Erihal’s greatest warrior, Danrique Lindberg, in the recent rumor?”

“That's me!”

"Goodness gracious! I knew it! All right. Tell me what you'd like me to do.”

“I need you to go with me to Xendale in Erihal.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“No problem. I'll make the arrangement straightaway.”

“You have my thanks. I'll see you there.”

"Okay, but will I be able to reach you at this number?”

"Yes. Let's keep in touch.”

Once Francesca ended the call, she moved on to dial the next number on the list.

Just like that, she made thirteen calls in a row. The people she contacted were all international bigwigs from around the globe, and the conversations they had were basically the same. All of them agreed to join Francesca in Xendale.

Having been talking over the phone for over an hour, Francesca could not help but feel exhausted. She looked up at Anthony and ordered, “Book me an air ticket.”

Anthony had yet to regain his composure from the astonishing moment a minute ago. He took quite a while to fully register what was going on before nodding hastily. “I'll do that right now

 

Chapter 2302 Homecoming

Just as Anthony took a few steps, he recalled something. “This can't be right. Didn't General Jablonski mention that he'll be fetching us tomorrow to Xendale?”

"Ah, yes! Forget the air ticket, then. We'll travel light.” “Okay.” With that said, Anthony bolted off to make the necessary preparations.

Francesca, in turn, jotted down all thirteen sets of contact numbers before closing the ledger and placing it into the safe. Following that, she returned to her room to wash up.

Out of the blue, Layla’s words rang in her mind. “No matter how capable we are, Francesca, there's always a limit to what we can do by ourselves. You have to pick up more skills to protect yourself.” Those words had never made sense to Francesca in the past. She had always frowned upon social butterflies, for she reckoned that she would never ever have to deign to beg others.

Yet, right then, she gradually saw the light. She knew that she had to become stronger, by hook or by crook, because only then would she be able to protect her loved ones. Playvolume00:00/00:44TruvidfullScreen

Back when Ms. Layla was put to death, I couldn't even do anything to fight back. But now, I know I can't stay like this anymore. I must go all out to save Mr. Lincoln's life, and I'll be Danrique’s strongest pillar of support!

Meanwhile, Danrique was awakened by a loud rumble. As he opened his eyes, he kept calling out to Sean.

A few minutes later, Sean finally rushed in. Instead of turning on the light, he said in a hushed tone, “Mr. Lindberg, we've been spotted by the helicopter from the military.”

Danrique gritted his teeth in fury. “Not bad for a silly old bugger. He even dispatched the military to track me down so brazenly.”

“Should we retreat, Mr. Lindberg?” asked Sean softly. “I'm worried he might send someone here for an assassination.”

As soon as he said that, an explosion rang out from outside.

Sean's visage did a one-eighty at that. He dashed toward the window and glanced out to check, only to find that the courtyard walls had tumbled. Worse still, dozens of military jeeps were forcing their way inside.

Considering the immense formation, the president must really want Danrique dead.

During the interim, some of Danrique’s subordinates had already charged forward to hinder the enemies while the others stayed behind at the villa as backups.

“Fall back!”

Rising to his feet, Danrique put on his jacket and grabbed his rifle before spearheading the retreat with Sean and the rest under the cover of his subordinates. In actuality, Danrique had planned beforehand and planted a time bomb somewhere in the villa. Right when all of them got out of the villa, the bomb was detonated.

A deafening sound reverberated through the air.

More than half of the president's henchmen were annihilated, and many of them were seriously wounded, leaving their remaining unharmed allies vulnerable.

Stepping away from the fiery flames and smoking ground, Danrique looked nothing less than a devil from six feet under.

At that point in time, it was about five in the morning. The once quiet and serene atmosphere of the villa had since been disrupted by explosions and gunshots. Even the birds and other wildlife in the forest ran for their lives.

As the convoy of the Lindberg family slowly set off, the subordinates all kept their guard up, fearing that there might be an ambush along the way.

It was then that Sean summoned Gordon over the phone and requested reinforcements.

Everyone had their hands full except for Danrique. Only he looked as calm as a millpond, staring out the window.

While they were going down the hill, brilliant rays appeared in the distant sky. It was as though the morning sun was cheering for them.

Just then, Sean gingerly put forward an inquiry. “Where are we going now, Mr. Lindberg?”

“Home,” replied Danrique with absolute resolution.

"Huh?" Sean thought his ears were playing tricks on him. The president has already come at us in broad daylight, and yet, here we are, heading home at a time like this? We'll only be getting ourselves killed!

"With honor,” added Danrique.

He looked ahead, his gaze reflecting his firm resolve.

“Understood.” Sean dared not probe further. Inmediately, he informed the drivers to bring them home.

Those bodyguards had been wandering outside under Danrique’s lead for more than a month. They were all overjoyed to know that they could finally be reunited with their families.

No matter what lay ahead of their journey, they were willing to follow Danrique to death.

It did not take long before Gordon arrived with his men to gather with Danrique’s group.

With that, the entire convoy made a beeline for Lindberg Castle. Danrique made a phone call, and soon enough, quite a few drones came flying in their direction, recording the party's return and broadcasting the video.

The title was simple, reading: Mr. Lindberg's homecoming!

 

Chapter 2303 Listen To My Advice

Soon, the video was circulated on the internet. Initially, it was only circulated among tens of media companies. Then, the numbers grew to hundreds and even thousands of media companies. In the end, all the huge media streaming websites around the world broadcasted the video.

However, Danrique did not give any comment on it. He also did not respond to the rumors that went around recently. He only wanted to tell the whole world that he was going to go home boldly. If something were to happen to him at home, it would be the president's doing.

His car was in bad shape from the impact of the explosion. It was supposed to be a glamorous convoy, but as of now, it was ruined. The people were sad to see it.

After all, he was an honest entrepreneur who wanted to focus solely on his business. Yet, he had been attacked abroad, and now his company was on the verge of being taken over by other people. His fiancée had been framed and sent to prison, and all the people close to him were either dead or injured. He could not go home either.

Although he did not say anything, everyone knew what was going on.

After the video went viral, many businessmen in Erihal started to migrate elsewhere. A few foreign companies also decided to end their business collaboration.

They would not earn anything if the business were to collapse. On the other hand, if they were to earn profits, they might end up just like Danrique—they could be harmed and their assets could be confiscated.

All of a sudden, the rumors that the president was confiscating the assets of Lindberg Corporation and attacking Danrique spread once again.

This time around, Danrique did not provide any information to others. He did not allow Jesse to publish any news about it either. The only thing he did was to bring his injured men home. Although the large convoy made for a magnificent scene, they were surrounded by a gloomy aura. It was as though they had accepted their impending doom.

In an instant, they managed to amass support from the public.

Indeed, their silent protest was a form of retaliation so that the president would not dare to lay a hand on Danrique.

In fact, if the president wanted to arrest Danrique, he would have to charge him with a crime. However, Erihal's economy had been supported by Lindberg Corporation over the years. Danrique fully controlled the company. In other words, it was Danrique who supported Erihal financially. Erihal had treated Danrique as if he was a supreme being. It came as no surprise that it would be difficult to accuse him of baseless charges.

Moreover, Danrique had a clean record. They could never find a fault with him.

The only thing that could potentially smear his reputation was that he had once poisoned members of the Lindberg family when he wanted to become the head of the household. However, it was only because they had been the ones who attacked him first. He had merely given them a taste of their own medicine.

What he did was merely pour his poisoned wine into the decanter and give it to his relatives while he took another glass of wine that was not poisoned.

After that, it was rumored that he had killed all his family members in one night. He came out of the castle with blood all over him, but only because his family had instructed their men to kill him after they were poisoned. He was merely acting in self-defense.

In addition, the law in Erihal at that time had never restricted prominent families from settling their personal feuds on their own. The incident was never mentioned before. It would be useless for the authorities to raise the incident again.

The only chance they had of smearing his reputation had been destroyed as well.

The president was in a dilemma. Nevertheless, it would always be easy to find excuses to frame others. His subordinate was quick enough to find an idea for him—Danrique was to be charged with arms smuggling.

It was a crime that would bring disastrous consequences to the citizens. The public would not be in favor of him anymore.

The president immediately informed his men to start the rumor and utilize their power to spread it among the people.

However, public opinion in Erihal had been changing during that period, and the public was now overwhelmed. Their ardor to seek justice had been used up.

Now, they were not even bothered to watch the drama unfold. In fact, they no longer cared about the latest news and public opinions anymore, so the rumor did not garner enough publicity.

On the other hand, the number of supporters for Francesca and Danrique continued to increase. After all, he was a handsome man, and she was a beautiful woman. The love story between a domineering CEO and a female doctor could always capture the attention of others.

The president's action had destroyed the heart-rending love story that the netizens had made up for the couple.

 

Chapter 2304 A Truce

The president did not sleep for the entire night. He sat in front of his computer, intending to see how far the rumor would escalate. However, after he looked at the news statistic, he nearly flew into a rage.

The rumor that he had created did not give any negative impact on Danrique. The netizens and the media doubted it completely. Everyone commented he had to resort to such a despicable and shameless way to slander Danrique as he could not find an excuse to fight against him.

Now, every news about Danrique would always be followed by a piece of news admonishing the president. The president was furious. He slumped back into his chair and tried to calm himself down. All the public opinions were in favor of Danrique. He couldnt find a way to outsmart Danrique in such a short time. He realized that the only way to stop the public discussions was by ending Danrique’s life.

After all, those who supported Danrique were doing it only because he was still alive, thinking that he could achieve great things again.

As soon as the president thought about it, he instructed his men to assassinate Danrique.

His subordinate reminded him hastily, “Mr. President, Danrique made such a huge commotion because he wanted to inform everyone that he was currently at home. If something were to happen to him at this time, everyone would know that it was you who did it.”

The president was anxious to hear it. “I can't do anything at all. Are you saying that I should sit back and do nothing? It wasn't easy for me to gain the upper hand. I can't let him win against me.” “Public opinion is like a roller coaster. It's hard to control because it changes every time.” The subordinate sighed. “The comments did not just come from Erihal. They came from all over the world. It's not easy for us to control them.”

“Stop the nonsense. You need to come out with an idea.” The president was distressed.

“I'm afraid there's nothing else to do other than make peace for the time being. If we continue to fight against him, it won't do us any good. He's merely a businessman, and you're the president. Your reputation is much more important than his...”

“I can't accept it. I've nearly won. Why should I give up so soon?” The president refused to admit defeat. "He's supposed to die in M Nation, but he came back alive. What a stroke of luck!”

“You're right. Even though the entire chemical plant exploded, he could still escape death. I think it's unbelievable as well. But now that he has come back alive, it means his time is not up. We've been caught off guard by the continuous retaliation. If we continue to fight, we won't gain any benefit from it.”

The president was still not willing to back down. “Riz Corporation has already affirmed their stand not to collaborate with him anymore. It means I still have a huge chance. If we don't kill him now, I'm afraid we won't have any chance in the future.”

“To be honest, we don't have any chance now. If you still care about your reputation, you have to be careful! Otherwise, you might not be able to become the president anymore.”

After thinking it through, the president said angrily, “Then, let's wait for him to ask for reconciliation. When that time comes, he will have to give me thirty percent of the shares of Lindberg Corporation Otherwise, there's no need to discuss it anymore.”

“I'm afraid that will be difficult.”

Meanwhile, in Lindberg Castle, William persuaded earnestly, “L, listen to me. Now that things have come this far, a truce is the best option.”

Sean was not fond of William from the start. However, when he heard William's words, he admired his bravery. He had the same thought as well, but he did not dare to voice it out.

Danrique did not say anything. He merely played with the ring that Francesca left.

He had arrived just in time before William and the others left.

Norah was very excited to see him. Even the other maids were wiping their tears.

William had quickly stopped the private jet from leaving for Danontand and gone to find Danrique with Hazel.

Sean only allowed William to enter the study room by himself after a long time.

Upon seeing that Danrique was alive and unharmed, William heaved a sigh of relief. That was the time when he had given Danrique the advice.

However, Danrique did not give any response for a few minutes. The atmosphere was tense.

Sean cleared his throat. He tried to ease the tension by saying, “Actually, the president has asked for a reconciliation, but Mr. Lindberg didn't agree to it.”

Chapter 2305 I Really Miss Her

“The current situation—" “William, you should return to Danontand first,” Danrique interjected coolly. Upon hearing that, William knew Danrique had no intention of carrying on the conversation. He nodded and said, “All right.”

“I'll walk you out,” Sean said politely. As Robin pushed William out, they ran into Danrique’s subordinate, who came in to make a report. “Mr. Lindberg, Ms. Atkinson wants to see you.” Danrique furrowed his brows. Immediately, Sean replied, “Mr. Lindberg has just returned. He needs to rest.” “Understood.” The subordinate quickly went away to inform Hazel, who was waiting outside.

She was craning her neck and staring impatiently at Danrique’s room, hoping to see him. However, much to her disappointment, Danrique’s subordinate returned to tell her that Danrique would not be seeing anyone for the time being, as he needed rest.

I am leaving soon with William, and I don't know when I can meet Danrique again. Now, only a wall stands between us. I just want to see him again, but sadly, he doesn't want to see me.

Upon seeing Sean show William out, Hazel instantly went forward and was about to speak when William shook his head at her. She stopped herself.

Right... Since Danrique doesn't want to meet me, whatever I say will only irritate him. It's better that I leave obediently. When Norah and the others saw that Danrique had returned, they refused to leave, declaring that they would live and die with him.

Even Robin's words could not sway them, so Sean decided to let them be. William didn't force anyone, and he left first with Hazel. Gordon ordered Squad One to send them to the airport.

Norah made Danrique’s favorite Chanaean cuisine and personally brought it to the study room. “Mr. Lindberg, have something to eat first. You can settle your business after you fill your stomach,” she said, concerned.

Raising his head to look at her, Danrique realized that she seemed to have aged a lot in over a month. Her hair had turned white, likely out of worry for him.

He wanted to comfort her and ask her not to worry, but he didn't know what to say.

In the end, he could only utter, “Thank you!"

“No need to thank me. This is what I should do. Mr. Lindberg, we're not going anywhere. We will stay here with you. Nothing will happen to you. Ms. Lindberg will protect us while she watches from heaven.”

Upon hearing Norah mention his aunt, Isabella, Danrique felt a sense of warmth. He remembered that Isabella had once said to him, “Danrique, we, the Lindbergs, are born leaders. No matter what issues we face, we must have the confidence that we can deal with them. Nothing can bring us down.”

I have never feared anyone or anything, but now, I have a weak spot, someone I worry about. I'm not afraid of death, but I can't let anything happen to Francesca

“Mr. Lindberg.” Sean's voice rang out.

Lifting his head, Danrique realized Norah had long left. He gathered his thoughts and ordered, “Tell everyone to eat and sleep well tonight. They don’t need to worry about being attacked. That silly old bugger won't dare to make a move for the time being.”

“Understood. I will inform them.”

Sean immediately went to convey Danrique’s orders and told Norah and the others to prepare some delicious food to reward the subordinates.

They had been through life-and-death situations with them and hadn’t had a nice meal or good sleep in over a month. Now that they were back, they could finally rest.

After arranging everything, Sean served Danrique his medicine. “Mr. Lindberg, it's time for your medicine.”

Danrique’s wounds had not healed, so he had been taking modern medicine.

Seeing the handful of medication reminded Danrique of Francesca. If she’s here, she will force me to drink immensely bitter herbal concoctions. Although it's easier to take modern medicine, I miss the scent of herbal concoctions. It will be nice if she’s here.

“Mr. Lindberg, why not give Ms. Felch a call? She must be waiting,” Sean reminded softly.

 

Chapter 2306 Pressure

Danrique fell silent upon hearing that. He hadn't contacted Francesca for a long time, and he missed her every day. Sometimes, when he spaced out, he could even vaguely see her before him.

I really miss her, but I don't want to contact her, as I don't know how to face her. I always had confidence in myself, but now, I don't know if I can give her a stable life. I'd rather bear the pain of missing her.

Sean understood Danrique’s concerns, so he stopped persuading him and left quietly. Danrique sat alone on the sofa and stared fixedly at Francesca's phone number on his phone for the longest time. On the plane, Francesca was also staring at her phone, wondering if she should call Danrique. “We're flying soon,” Anthony said quietly. Francesca put down her phone and turned to gaze outside the window, feeling lost.

In a way, I really resent him. If not for him, Ms. Layla wouldn't have died, and Mr. Lincoln wouldn't have been captured. I was just an average doctor. He was the one who dragged me into this mess. As I'm his fiancée, I'm not afraid of being implicated or dying, but I don't want people around me to get involved. Ms. Layla and Mr. Lincoln shouldn't have been implicated.

However, Francesca also knew that she shouldn't blame Danrique for everything, as she also played a big role in how things turned out.

I know Candice was a major reason why the first lady sought revenge against me. I had long guessed that the first lady was related to Chrono, but I didn't expect Candice to be Avery and Chronos illegitimate daughter. Just because I was a busybody, I caused a string of vengeful acts. First, it was Chrono.

Then it was the first lady. I wonder if other people will come to seek revenge in the future. This incident has taught me a huge lesson, but I don't understand what I did wrong. I only wanted to save Candice. Why did things turn out this way?

I swear I will never meddle in others’ business and save everyone I see. Never. Now, I only want to deal with this issue. First, I'll save Mr. Lincoln, then, if possible, help Danrique out of his predicament, but I'm not sure whether General Jablonski and the patients can help me and to what extent.

Time ticked by, and after more than ten hours, they finally arrived in Xendale. Francesca met up with the other patients she had gathered at the airport, and upon seeing the huge crowd of people, she couldn't help but be stunned.

I know they are big shots, but I don't know they are so influential. I think I unconsciously did something impressive.

Soon, international news outlets were broadcasting how thirteen big shots, who were a Chanaean doctor's patients, had hurried from all over the world to Xendale to help clear her name.

The news also added pictures and videos of them, but Francesca only showed her back and side profile, so her features weren't clear.

However, the thirteen big shots were not camera-shy. They publicly announced their support for Francesca and Danrique and that their purpose in accompanying Francesca to Xendale was to seek justice for her.

This piece of news spread across the globe like wildfire and sparked hot debate.

Soon, many supporters of Francesca also decided to fly to Xendale to support her.

Immediately, this matter became the talk of the town.

These people were highly influential, putting a lot of pressure on the president in ways that one could not fathom.

Seeing that things were about to go out of hand and the situation was urgent, the president could only give in and call Danrique again.

Chapter 2307 Give In

“It's really her?” Danrique stared at the picture shown on the news. Although Francesca's features were blurry, he could instantly recognize her petite figure.

“It is Ms. Felch. She brought with her thirteen low-profile but powerful people. They are now staying at Eden Hotel. Countless news outlets try to interview them every day. The president is swamped,” Sean said excitedly.

The instant he finished speaking, the president called. “Mr. Lindberg, he must have called for a truce,” Sean said upon seeing the caller ID. After glancing calmly at the phone screen, Danrique turned the phone to silent mode. He did not pick up or hang up.

Confused, Sean could not help but ask, “Mr. Lindberg, what are you doing?” Only when the call automatically ended did Danrique raise his head to reply, “It'll be hard to bring the president down, and I don’t want him to have his way so easily.”

“I see,” Sean said, instantly understanding the meaning of his words. We will definitely call for a truce, but Mr. Lindberg wants to leave the president hanging first and make him nervous. That way, the president may make further compromises.

Danrique didn't say anything else and continued reading his documents. “Do you not plan on meeting Ms. Felch?” Sean asked gingerly.

The two had not seen each other for a long time. Previously, due to the circumstances and the long distance between them, it was understandable that they couldn't meet. However, Francesca was now back in Xendale, and the two were in the same city. If Danrique didn't go to see her, she would be angry.

“Later,” Danrique replied. Sean didn't understand, but he didn't dare ask what Danrique was waiting for. Still, the present situation was favorable for them, so a reconciliation would be the best result. Although they wouldn't be content with such a result, it was never too late for them to seek revenge again in the future.

Danrique ignoring his call made the president lose his cool. He immediately called his most trusty subordinates over to discuss the matter. “Do you think Danrique will make a big move soon?”

“It's possible.” His subordinates also started panicking. “I already sensed something was up a few days ago. Under such dangerous circumstances, usually, people would go into hiding, yet he openly brought his injured men back. That was too weird.”

“Exactly. I knew he hadn't revealed his trump card yet. Indeed, the next day, his fiancée brought thirteen big shots to Xendale. It's obvious that she came to help him.”

"Usually, people would have asked for a reconciliation already, but since he refused to pick up your call, Mr. President, it means he has yet to make his ultimate move.”

"What ultimate move?” the president immediately asked.

“Could it be...” one of his subordinates trailed off as he didn't dare to continue.

“What is it? Tell me!"

"Since Danrique is so calm, I'm afraid...” That subordinate wiped his sweat. “I'm afraid he has gotten the support of Riz Corporation.”

Upon hearing that, everyone gasped in shock.

The president's face instantly turned ghastly pale. I have long heard Danrique seeking help from Riz Corporation, but previously, I received news that they rejected him. That's why I dared to assassinate him. I can't believe this.

“I heard rumors that the Emperor of Riz Corporation is related to the Lindberg family and is relatives with Danrique. It is quite possible...”

The others became increasingly unsettled as they talked.

“Mr. President, if Riz Corporation wholly supports Danrique, things don’t bode well for us. I suggest you give in and personally ask to reconcile with him.”

“I agree. Things are a mess now, and Erihal has become a laughingstock. If this chaos goes on, the situation will only get worse.”

“So far, Danrique has not released any evidence against you, so you can push all the blame on Mrs. President. It's not too late to turn the situation around. But if we drag this on longer, I'm afraid...”

Chapter 2308 The Final Negotiation

After hearing his subordinates’ analysis and suggestions, the president decided to stop going against Danrique and minimize his losses. Immediately, he brought his men and went to the Lindberg residence to negotiate with Danrique.

Danrique had just reapplied his medication and was wearing his clothes when his subordinate rushed in. “Mr. Lindberg, the president is here!”

Danrique was not at all surprised as if everything was within his expectations. He did not show any reaction and slowly buttoned his shirt.

Sean walked toward the window and glanced outside. “One car. He only brought three men. I guess he's quite sincere.”

Logically, the president would fear death when meeting his arch-enemy, so he should have brought a lot of men. However, he didn't do that as he knew it would be a sign of provocation.

Only by coming alone to call for reconciliation would he seem sincere. Danrique made no reply and sat down again to drink his medicine after wearing his clothes.

“Mr. Lindberg, you haven't eaten yet. You shouldn't eat your medicine on an empty stomach. Eat the medicine after having something to eat,” Norah hurriedly said.

"Oh, right.” Danrique put down his medicine. “Prepare lunch, then.” “Okay, I'll go now.”

As it was rare for Danrique to have an appetite, Norah was exuberant when she heard his words and quickly dashed downstairs, ordering the servants in the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Danrique sat on the sofa, sipping coffee. Sean, standing aside, asked softly, “The president's car is at the door. Should I go and welcome him?”

Danrique should have been the one to welcome the president out of respect, but as he was still angry, he couldn't possibly face the president with a pleasant attitude.

However, since they needed to negotiate, he couldn't just ignore the president.

Danrique replied, “Go.”

"Yes, Sir.” Sean hurriedly prepared to go to welcome the president when Danrique suddenly added, "Wear a jacket.”

“Huh?” Sean asked, pausing for a moment, but he quickly understood Danrique’s words. Mr. Lindberg is going to keep the president waiting. I guess he will only meet the president after he finishes lunch, so I probably have to wait with the president outside for one or two hours.

“Thank you, Mr. Lindberg,” Sean replied with a wry smile before hurrying out.

However, he didn't wear a jacket as it would seem that he had already known Danrique would be giving the president a hard time, which would make matters worse.

He decided not to wear one and would stay in the cold with the president. The latter would feel better about it, and the negotiation might go smoother.

Indeed, Danrique spent two hours eating his lunch.

Snow fell heavily outside, and although the president had been waiting inside the warmth of his car, he still shivered from the cold.

Sean fared worse as he stood outside, waiting by the door without a jacket. Although he had the tenacity of a soldier and looked fine, his face was starting to lose its color.

Two hours later, Mylo came out to inform them that Danrique was inviting them in.

By then, Sean's legs were already stiff, and gritting his teeth, he punched them to regain feeling in his legs before walking forward with a smile to welcome the president.

The president was purple with rage, but the instant the car door opened, he plastered a pleasant look on his face and even patted Sean's face concernedly after getting out of the car.

As they entered the house, a surge of warmth flowed through their bodies.

Danrique’s subordinates and maids greeted the president. Then, Sean led the president and his men to the study room.

Danrique wore a white shirt and was sitting on the sofa, drinking coffee elegantly. Although he still had a standoffish air about him, he smiled when he raised his head to gaze at the president. “Mr. President, good evening!”

The president had arrived a little after three in the afternoon, but it was already evening then. "Good evening, Danrique.”

The president sounded as amicable as before. It was as if they had never gotten into a dispute, and everything was just like how it was back then.

Smiling, Danrique gestured for him to sit, and the latter sat down on the sofa opposite.

Norah served them some desserts before leaving. Only Danrique, the president, and their trusted aides remained in the room.

 

Chapter 2309 Betray

“Mdm. Norah makes good coffee,” Danrique said casually. The president felt warm after taking a sip of the hot beverage. After that, he started to beat around the bush about what had happened during that period.

He went on by stating the facts first. Then he started to identify the reasons and analyzed them before finally reflecting on himself and apologizing. His whole speech sounded so formal that it was as if it was a negotiation conference.

By stating the facts, the president shifted the responsibilities to the first lady just as the media reported. According to the news, the first lady was the one who did it, and the president was totally clueless all this while.

“All of this happened because of my negligence in managing my family,” the president choked out, tears welling up in his eyes. The corners of Danrique’s lips curved upward in disdain when he heard that.

I get it if he wants to put on a show in front of the media. Why is he acting in front of me? It's just the two of us here. Nonetheless, Danrique did not want to expose him and merely watched him continue with his acting.

The president finally finished talking after forty minutes. He took a sip of the coffee again and anxiously waited for Danrique’s response.

Saying nothing, Danrique lowered his head and continued to drink his coffee.

After a few minutes, Danrique still did not utter a single word. The president felt uneasy and asked directly, “Danrique, do you want me to send Mr. Lincoln to you or to Francesca?”

It was a smart move, as his words relieved the tension between them. Hearing that, Danrique responded eventually, “To me.”

“Okay. I'll ask my people to make arrangements as soon as possible.”

As the president said that, he gestured to his subordinate to make the necessary phone calls for the arrangement.

Danrique did not respond further and continued to enjoy his coffee.

The president began to lose his cool as he said, “Danrique, I'm aware of the consequences this incident has brought. Let me know if you have any complaints or dissatisfaction. I promise I'll make amends and solve it properly.”

“Everything can be settled if no one is killed,” Danrique said, looking at him. “But how are you going to solve the problem when people are killed? Can you bring the dead back to life?”

His tone was surprisingly calm. Nevertheless, one could sense that his words were as sharp as a blade.

"Yes, indeed.” The president nodded vigorously. “This is all because of my negligence. I should've kept an eye on my wife instead of letting her act brazenly behind my back. Because of her, Ms. Layla and a few of your subordinates have been sacrificed. It's all my fault. How about you provide me with some advice to deal with this matter? I'll do as you say.”

“Do you mean that the first lady was the only one to be blamed here? Are you sure that you have nothing to do with this?” Danrique confronted, at last.

“Certainly. As I said, I didn't know about anything. I only found out about this after I watched the news,” the president answered firmly.

“If she committed the crimes alone, she'll be facing a death sentence. Are you sure about that?” Danrique drawled.

“No one is above the law. Even if she’s my wife, she’s still subjected to the same laws as a commoner.”

“You're truly a respectable and honorable president!” Danrique broke into a smirk.

The president could sense Danrique’s mocking tone. Just when he was about to say something, he saw two familiar figures appearing from the back of the bookshelf and was wholly stunned.

His wife and daughter had been standing behind the bookshelf, listening to everything clearly.

As the first lady gazed at the president, there was an unfamiliar look in her eyes. I've been living with this man for decades, but now it's like I don’t know him at all.

“Daddy, how could you do this to Mommy? How could you do this to us?”

Avery let out an angry roar, wanting to dash forward and have a word with him. But the president's subordinates were quick enough to stop her.

 

Chapter 2310 Reconciliation

As Avery was still screaming hysterically, one of the subordinates followed the president's order by knocking her unconscious. Throughout it all, the first lady kept mum, staring at the president with mixed feelings.

The president was caught off guard. Feeling extremely embarrassed, he dared not look at his wife and daughter in their eyes. However, being at a disadvantage, he dared not blame Danrique for that.

“Mr. President, since you've made your promise to release Mr. Lincoln, I'll keep my word and send Mrs. President and Avery home too.”

Danrique’s tone was flat as if he was chatting casually with his friend. Upon saying that, he put down his cup and left the place. “Send the guests out.”

"Yes, Sir.” Sean walked in the president's direction and said, “Mr. President, let me see you and your family to the door.”

The whole situation was a checkmate. Realizing that, the president could feel his face flush with rage, yet there was nothing he could do. He could only leave the place with his family dejectedly. Sean sent them to the car and watched them leave before returning to look for Danrique in the study room on the second floor. “Mr. Lindberg, they just left.”

Danrique merely hummed and said, “I need you to go over there yourself and get him back safely.” “Are you worried that the president might play tricks? If so, why didn’t we release Mrs. President and Avery after ensuring Mr. Lincoln is back safely?” Sean questioned in bafflement.

Danrique responded aloofly, “I've asserted my dominance by using the carrot and stick approach, so I tried to cut him some slack. The president won't do anything to Mr. Lincoln, but I'm afraid Mr. Lincoln would do something foolish...”

“Okay, I understand. I'll do it right away.”

With that, Sean hurriedly left with a few others.

Danrique was satisfied with the outcome of the negotiation that day.

After all, it was a win-win situation for both parties. Both of them had reached an agreement to reconcile by exchanging hostages. Not only that, they managed to solve the issues with public opinion, returning their relationship to its initial friendly state.

Since we've reconciled, there won't be a problem anymore.

However, Danrique was perturbed about something else.

Mr. Lincoln wants to avenge Ms. Layla. He won't give up knowing that his enemy is still out there. I fear that he might be impulsive when he leaves later! It will be troublesome if that happens. Although the president exercises forbearance toward me, it doesn't mean that he's fine with being the target of assassination. Bullets have no eyes. It will be uncontrollable if Mr. Lincoln plays with fire. But I suppose the president would be smart enough to anticipate that. I think he won't let Mr. Lincoln see him again. Even so, we have to be cautious to avoid it.

At that thought, he decided to play safe by asking Sean to bring a group of people there to pick up Lincoln.

Danrique took a glance at Francesca’s contact on his phone screen. He did not press the call button, nevertheless. Inwardly, he thought of notifying her only after they took Lincoln home to ease her mind

“Release him.”

The president gave his order on the way home.

“Understood,” his subordinate replied. “Should I send him back to the Lindberg residence?”

“I think Danrique must have asked someone to pick him up.” The president narrowed his eyes. "However, we shouldn't skip the formalities. Send him to the entrance of the presidential palace, and I'll apologize to him there. Otherwise, he won't let go of his resentment toward me.”

“What?” The moment his words fell, shock deluged the subordinate. “He attempted to assassinate you. If he sees you there, I'm afraid he will...”

As he glanced at the president, the subordinate noticed his gaze. With that, he stopped talking and followed his order immediately.

Later, Francesca was informed that the president would be releasing Lincoln, and she was asked to head over there to get Lincoln. Overwhelmed with joy, she rushed to the presidential palace together with Justin and his subordinates.

At the same time, Sean and his people were on their way to the presidential palace as well. Modern medicine did not seem to work well on Danrique. His wound failed to recover and got worse instead. The doctor changed the dressing of his wound, prescribed some anti-inflammatory pills, and advised him to rest earlier.

However, Danrique could not fall asleep. He was waiting for Sean to bring Lincoln back so that he could give Francesca a call.