But Rickard knew the meaning behind Hesper's words. She did not want him to protect her but let her go instead. And just like what they had discussed when talking about the plan, he was to allow her to slip into the operation, even if it was dangerous.However, it did not matter to her; she had always been in danger.But at the same time, this tone also reminded Rickard not to forget that their purpose of coming here was to save Sherese and find out the truth behind Fenix's trade. If he were to quit because he was worried about her safety, all previous efforts would be in vain. That was why they could not leave now, but neither could they give up here."So, how about it? Have you thought about it?" Fenix looked at Rickard and refused to believe that this man would pay them 30 million dollars just for his mistress. If he were such a responsible and caring man, he would not have brought her to a casino in the first place.As expected, Rickard pondered for a moment and then pushed Hes
The man burst into laughter again but did not explain anything this time. He just shoved Hesper into a small dark room and closed the door after her. Once the door was securely locked, the man said, "This is not something you should be concerned about. Just stay put."As the footsteps grew fainter, Hesper's alertness and timidity disappeared utterly. She turned and noticed two or three people huddled in a corner. They did not seem surprised at her arrival and did not intend to strike up a conversation.She approached the group tentatively and asked, "Excuse me... Did they trap you guys here?"One person lifted their head to glance at Hesper. However, their eyes were filled with caution, and they did not speak. The other two remained silent and ignored Hesper.Hesper was somewhat surprised by their silence. However, she was sure that more women had been abducted. It was just that the others were likely being held in different rooms. It was only now that she knew why they seemed
Currently, the other individuals in the room might be able to provide some clues, but all three of them appeared quite hopeless and remained silent. If she acted too friendly, it might raise suspicion. She needed to maintain her image so that she could spend more time here to find a way to uncover the person's true identity and then find the antidote. So, the first step was to avoid drawing attention among these people. Not only that, but she had to make sure that she would not be sold today."Are we going to be sold soon?" Hesper asked, her voice quivering slightly due to the effects of the drug. After a moment, the person who had initially glanced at her nodded with a somewhat pessimistic tone."Once we're brought to this room, it means we're going to be sold. There's an auction tonight. So, don't even think about escaping. We can't get out of here." The woman's voice was gentle. Taking advantage of a momentary beam of light from outside, Hesper managed to catch a glimpse of th
Hesper was stunned for a moment when she heard Laila's name, but she soon calmed herself down and pretended that she did not know who she was."I'm Hestia Deschamps." After all, it was a name she had used before, and it sounded more familiar.Laila nodded. "Although I'm not sure whether they agree or not, I'm willing to take the risk with you. I have to leave this place. I can't let them sell me."Upon hearing this, the other two grew anxious, and they also joined in Laila. Hesper furrowed her brows slightly. She did not actually want these people to take risks with her. After all, she had not fully grasped the situation here and did not know what it would be like later. Her goal was not merely to escape but to interact with more people. However, given the current circumstances, it would only make her appear more suspicious if she refused to bring them along.Hesper took a deep breath and said, "I'll make arrangements later. Although our strength is recovering, escaping won't b
The drug they administered to Laila differed from Sherese, so she should be fine. The more Hesper thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. She patted Laila's shoulder and said, "You must try to escape. If you're caught and brought back, there likely won't be another chance to leave."Biting her lip, Laila knew Hesper was telling the truth and nodded firmly. "Let's work together, Hestia."Hesper felt Laila was naive, but she did not want her to know about her thoughts. She felt that each young girl of the Turners was more naive than the other. She admired Liam for his methods of nurturing children. Including his own younger brother, he fully preserved their innocence.That being said, Hesper regarded naivety as something quite precious. Even though she could not fathom why Quincey and Liam wanted to raise their kids like lambs in a world full of predators that would ultimately seek to consume them, she could not help but recognize their deep desire for their children to exper
"Laila, go. You need to go home," Hesper said calmly. Tears welled up in Laila's eyes when she heard Hesper's voice. Hearing Hesper's calm voice, tears welled up in Laila's eyes. She knew that Hesper had sacrificed herself so that she could escape, so she could not afford to waste this opportunity. With a determined nod, she took off running."Stop! What are you three doing?" a voice shouted.In response, the other two grabbed Hesper by the arm. One of them yelled, "She forced us to escape with her!" Hesper sneered. While the two felt guilty, their fear overpowered them. They trembled as they looked back at the pursuers."Trying to escape?" A man coldly chuckled as he grabbed Hesper. He met her eyes and felt as though she had glimpsed into his inner thoughts, causing him to petrify for a moment. However, he quickly snapped out of it, realizing that she was just a regular woman. There was no need to be afraid of her; she was just putting up an act."Sir, the auction is about
They had made their choice. Hesper had already given them a chance, and even if they regretted it now, it was too late.*The group of people brought them to Fenix and told him what had transpired moments ago. He was not angered since only one escaped. It was not a significant loss considering the larger scheme of things.However, Hesper caught his attention. She appeared delicate and vulnerable just a while ago, yet she managed to surprise him with this bold move within the span of an hour."What do we do about tonight's main attraction running off?" he questioned.The man lowered his head nervously, and Fenix chuckled, "It's fine, don't be so tense. I'm not going to get angry at you. If we lose tonight's star, we'll just put tomorrow's star in. It's not a big deal."The man knew that Fenix had forgiven him. However, he could not fathom why Fenix seemed to be in such a good mood today."Alright, take the rest downstairs and leave Hestia with me."The two remaining women heav
It went without saying that she was referring to Hesper. Meanwhile, Hesper was contemplating the relationship between the two. On the surface, it seemed like the woman was taking the lead in these matters, yet she still appeared somewhat wary of Fenix. It was truly perplexing."You can just administer your new drug to her."Hesper froze when she heard about the new drug. However, the woman seemed disinterested. "No need. For me, her value is not worth the cost of the suppressant."Suddenly, Fenix realized that Hesper had been listening to their conversation all along. Although they were being discreet, it could still be dangerous if someone attentive were to notice something. A thought crossed Fenix's mind, and his frown loosened. "Then let's keep her here. I quite like her," he suggested.The woman remained silent while Fenix continued nonchalantly, "She's been dead for so long. You can't expect me to spend the rest of my life alone. Don't be overly unreasonable. These days, t
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