"Where’s Rickard?" Looking at Sherese, who just came downstairs and did not know where she was going, Hesper stopped her.Sherese adjusted the sunglasses on the bridge of her nose and said after a short while, "I don’t know where Rickard went. There’s an appointment that I have to attend later, but Rickard did tell me that you won’t be allowed to leave the estate today."Having said that, Sherese took a glance at Hesper’s pale complexion. "Your face looks as if you’ve just dusted it with flour. You should really get some good rest."Hesper knew that she must not be looking too well at the moment, but Sherese obviously looked as if she was hiding something from her—— She had been acting extremely secretive recently.‘Sherese doesn’t know anyone on Leafdelle Islands, so who would she have an appointment with?’But Hesper did not say anything. Sherese and Rickard had worked together before, so she wondered what the siblings were trying to pull off this time. It really looked like the
Delphine did not think that Hesper would come here to see her today just to obtain this piece of information from her. In her imagination, Hesper should hate her to the bones, and all she would do was laugh at her when she was down and out.However, nothing that she had imagined actually happened. Hesper only stood in front of her and calmly asked her for the identity of the person who was trying to kill her.For a moment, Delphine seemed to finally realize why she lost to Hesper, but this moment of thought was soon overwhelmed by pure hatred."If you're so omnipotent, then why not figure it out yourself? Why come to me for the answer?" Delphine did not even know who the other party was, so she could not answer Hesper’s question, but this did not hinder her from being quarrelsome.As soon as she saw Delphine’s expression, Hesper immediately realized that she did not know anything."You don’t know who it is and you haven’t even gotten your hands on Renfrew, so what makes you think
‘She’s not at all worried that she’s about to be driven out of the Bernards. It looks as if she knows that she can still maintain her current glory even if she leaves this place.’This conjecture stunned Hesper for a split second, but she came up with a solution almost in an instant and sent a message to the number that Rickard had left for her some time ago, asking the people on the other end of the text to keep an eye on Delphine and her mother and to take note of where they would settle down after they had left the Bernards’ villa.Rickard was the one who left her this manpower, worried that she would have no one to rely on when she was on Leafdelle Island.Of course, Hesper would not act like a hypocrite at this moment, and she would not stand on ceremony with Rickard when needed, as such trust had formed between them. That was why Hesper chose to trust Rickard and, naturally, the people working for him too.Having already come to the Bernards’ villa, it was only natural for He
Hesper nodded slightly when she heard his question then rubbed her temples.It was only the third day, and she was already starting to feel not as sober as before during daytime—— She could vaguely feel a faint headache, and fragments of her childhood seemed to be flashing past right before her eyes. Come to think of it, she remembered the reason why the drug was known by so many as the hallucinogenic drug was because it would cause the patients to hallucinate.Everything had been more terrifying than all previous expectations. After all, if she were to lose the ability to distinguish reality from illusions, it meant that she had completely become Rickard’s burden on Leafdelle Island.When she opened her eyes, traces of fatigue overflowed from her eyebags."Mrs. Duval, you seem a little tired."The driver turned around and stared at Hesper from the front, while Hesper waved her hand and leaned back into the rear seat. "Just drive home for now. I didn’t rest well last night.""...
Hesper gave off a smile and shook her head. "Aunt Juliette, don’t worry too much. As I said, I know what I’m doing. After all, I’m a doctor myself."Hearing what Hesper said, Juliette could only nod—— She did not know if Hesper really knew what she was doing, but she believed that Hesper was doing so for the benefit of the Savatiers. "Hesper, there’s no need for you to act strong. Promise me, okay?"Hesper took a glance at Juliette with a rather complicated expression, knowing that all she wanted was to treat her well. Such pureness seemed a little out of place on the entire Leafdelle Island, and that was why she had softened her attitude toward the Savatiers at first."Okay, I understand, Aunt Juliette. I’ll take good care of myself."Hearing what Hesper said, Juliette nodded, helped Hesper upstairs, fetched her a glass of warm water, tucked her under the quilt, and only left the room hesitantly amidst Hesper’s gentle persuasion.It was already noon, and Hesper could clearly feel
However, Rickard’s expression did not look too good, and Hesper soon realized inwardly that this medicinal ingredient might be extremely difficult to source. Perhaps even Rickard could not get his hands on one of them here on the island; it was as rare as Vitalis.But this information confused Hesper even more.‘No matter what kind of herb it is, there will always be a growth cycle that the species sticks to, so even if its rare, it’s absolutely impossible for us to not be able to get even one of its kind. Not to mention that Rickard has so many people working for him here on the island.’‘But not even one single plant? That’s really weird.’"This medicinal herb is known as the Iron Blossom. Not only do we not have it in our possession, but we also can’t even find a piece of information about it on the Internet." Rickard’s brows creased slightly when he said so. "The only information that we have at this moment is just the name."‘Iron Blossom?’Hesper also frowned. She had never
"However, as for the prescription that you developed by yourself, I think you should adjust the amount of a few herbs in order to maximize their effect. This should improve the efficiency of the prescription by a little."Hearing this, Hesper finally let off a smile. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Master."After hanging up the call, Hesper glanced at Rickard—— She had placed her phone on loudspeaker throughout the whole phone call, so Rickard heard the entire conversation clearly from the side.Anyhow, at least they had just made some progress."About the medicinal herb that they’re looking for, don’t the Mustafas have a photo or picture of it for our reference?"Rickard shook his head and responded uncertainly, "Whether they don’t actually have it or they do but don’t plan to share it with us, I didn’t get it."It was impossible for Raheem to approach a stranger without any preparation. After all, this was a serious matter. If the other residents of Leafdelle Island were to find
After taking the medicine, Hesper laid back on the bed without saying anything, Rickard had already melted her armor away and managed to poke her in the softest spot of her heart, so she was at a loss for words at the moment and could only stay silent.Rickard did not say much either. After taking the glass away, he proceeded to leave in order to deal with business matters but not before he covered Hesper with the quilt first, letting her have a good rest.Even though she was laying on the bed with her eyes closed, Hesper did not feel drowsy at all—— The intense drowsiness had been relieved by the fact that she had slept for a few hours during the day, which left her with a window to think about things."By the way, Raheem invited me to Camille and Ranfik’s engagement banquet." Rickard spoke abruptly as if he knew Hesper was still awake.Hesper was a little shocked. She instantly opened her eyes and sat up on her own. "The engagement banquet has been set? When is it...? Camille doe
He had never anticipated that he would end up loving her so deeply.It could be said that amidst all the misunderstandings and complexities, their journey together had taken many winding paths."I wouldn't risk getting into trouble just to set off fireworks for someone I didn't even like," Rickard said, his voice gentle. "You dummy."His words were soft, but as Hesper listened to his explanation, she cleared her throat, and her eyes turned bloodshot. She had never imagined that the person she had loved so intensely in her youth had, at some point in their lives, secretly admired her.Hesper attempted to smile but ended up with teary eyes. Seeing this, Rickard reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair. "If it's going to make you cry, I won't say anything more."Hesper pursed her lips. "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't."Rickard, despite understanding her reluctance, couldn't help but reflect on the past and openly admitted to the emotions he had felt in his you
They were flooded with memories, and Hesper couldn't help but admit that she had been through so much with Rickard. Her eyes welled up with emotion.The livestream ended, as they couldn't maintain constant surveillance of their lives. Even though they hadn't gone home yet, the crew had left.In the past two days, people had gotten to know them quite well, so the crew decided to give them some alone time.Hesper sat in the passenger seat and stole a glance at Rickard. She couldn't help but say, "I never expected that the only time you were seen as making a mistake in Grandpa's eyes was because of me.""There are many things you don't know," he replied. Hesper raised an eyebrow and asked, "Like what? Tell me."Suddenly, Hesper recalled the countless times Rickard had looked at her. Yet, during those moments, Rickard had always had feelings for Juniper. She knew that was the reality, so she never expected that Rickard might have had the same strong feelings for her as she had for h
Hesper glanced at Rickard, who remained emotionless, but she still reached out to hold his hand.[This is tough to see. Both of Rickard's parents are no longer here… Sigh.][Hesper immediately checked on Rickard. If I were Rickard, I'd love her so much.]Ernest shook his head and remained silent as he flipped to the next page. Most of the pictures were of Hesper after that. She hadn't realized she had so many childhood photos. Julian appeared in some of them, too.Before everything went sour.Rickard didn't have many pictures. As he grew older, he became quieter.Most of them showed Hesper standing next to Julian, but there was something off about them.[Did you notice... In many of those pictures, Hesper was looking at Rickard, and in others, Rickard was looking at her.][Oh my god, is this puppy love? I had no idea!][I remember Rickard had another lover.]Hesper had noticed, too, but there was no need to remind people that Rickard used to hate her, so she dismissed it as a
Hesper and Rickard entered the room and awkwardly informed Ernest that everything had been live-streamed just now. Ernest was shocked, but upon hearing that it was something people do, he nodded."It's fine. There's nothing that others can't hear."Hesper pursed her lips and glanced at Rickard before saying, "We didn't expect the Summers to come and see you. You should move in with us so these people will leave you alone."If Ernest lived with them, no one would dare intrude because they represented power and influence.Who would dare challenge them?"I don't want to get involved in your life. Renfew and Renarie would keep you occupied enough."Hesper understood that he had already made up his mind not to live with them, so she didn't press the matter further.She could understand his concerns, as many things might become inconvenient. Besides, Ernest didn't want to disrupt their lives either."We'll be heading to Fredonia soon, so even though we have filming to do, we wanted t
So what if the cameras were still recording?"Was my son's life not as valuable as your son's?"If he had grasped this earlier, recent events might not have unfolded. Jade had a point.The live chat fell silent. Though they lacked the full backstory, they could deduce what had transpired in the past.[I heard Rickard lost his parents when he was a child. I feel sorry for him.][His parents died because of that incident. It's no surprise if he harbors resentment.][Truthfully, this old man has no shame. If my child were responsible for another child's death, I'd beg for forgiveness.]Everything unfolding before their eyes was purely coincidental, and no one had control over the situation. They could only watch and terminate the livestream immediately if anything escalated.Fortunately, Jade received a stern talking-to and refrained from discussing the matter further, but Mrs. Summers did not fare as well. Hesper and the others bore witness to her irrational behavior.[This is e
"We've known each other for years, Ernest. I saved your life once, and now your descendants want to take my son's life!"As they approached, Jade Summers was angrily berating Ernest before him. Hesper's countenance immediately turned frosty as she walked over to Ernest."You should conduct yourself more appropriately, Mr. Summers Sr."Jade was taken aback to see Hesper, but he composed himself, took a deep breath, and fixed her with a hatred-filled gaze."If it weren't for you, none of this would have happened. You're just a woman. Since when do you get a say in the Duval family matters?"In the 21st century, people were all for equality. Besides, Hesper was no ordinary or unintelligent woman. Naturally, she had a voice in these matters.The viewers were inundated with comments when they heard Jade's words, and the live chat exploded.[Who is this guy? He looks old but lacks respect.][What's the argument about?][I sense some drama.]Rickard walked over. Jade had thought he
[Didn't Hesper mention that Mr. Duval Sr. took care of her? Maybe she did grow up well.][I'm certain she did. Hesper doesn't strike me as someone who would tolerate mistreatment.]Hesper and Rickard were under constant surveillance throughout the journey, and they hadn't allowed Benji to accompany them. Rickard was behind the wheel, with Hesper in the passenger seat.During the drive, they remained silent, but to observers, it appeared as though they were in harmony.Upon arriving at the ancestral mansion, Hesper noticed other cars parked around and cast a curious glance at Rickard. Visitors to Ernest's home were a rarity."Sir, Ma'am, you're back," a young housekeeper greeted them. It was the same person who had assisted Wendy earlier, but they couldn't recall her name. Nevertheless, Hesper had faith in her.Noticing the housekeeper's troubled demeanor, Hesper deduced that the guest inside was likely unwelcome. However, she couldn't fathom who would disrupt Ernest's life. Given
Rickard noticed something in Hesper's expression, prompting him to ask, "Is there something else you haven't told me?"Being intimately familiar with each other wasn't always without its challenges. Hesper could never conceal anything from him.She sighed and replied, "It's nothing. Just that Pennleigh will also be on the list."Rickard fell silent.Hesper was aware that sometimes Rickard might not appear bothered, but Pennleigh's presence did bother him.Observing Hesper's awkward expression, Rickard lowered his gaze and suddenly took on a pitiful appearance, like a big dog caught in the rain.Yet, she knew he was merely putting on an act. Still, every time she saw him like that, she couldn't help but miss the Rickard who didn't engage in such playful antics. His character had undergone a change.Hesper found it amusing but didn't quite know how to express it. She sighed and added, "It's a fantastic opportunity. I know you'll let me go, right?"Rickard had no intention of inte
"Sullivan lied to her. He had her parents quietly killed. She found out after she turned her back on you."Benji lowered his gaze. "She was already dead when you came back. It was suicide."The conclusion lacked the weight necessary for such a betrayal. Hesper shut her eyes. The person she had trusted most was Renee. They had shared countless years together.Hesper acknowledged that their bond might not have been a genuine friendship. Renee had abandoned her when given the choice.However, Hesper had faced such situations before.Thankfully, there had been someone who had placed her first in their heart, reassuring her that she wasn't always relegated to being an option. Hesper stood in silence for a while before simply nodding.There was nothing she could do to aid Renee now. Renee had entered and departed alone, leaving no trace behind with Hesper.When the topic was broached, it weighed heavily on her heart. Hesper understood the situation but found herself at a loss for word