"Alright. We've already seen her. Let's head back," Rickard said. When he turned around, his eyes registered a familiar figure at the corner. However, the figure soon disappeared from his sight. Rickard furrowed his eyebrows, but the figure was already gone out of sight and he didn't even know the exact direction to chase after them.Rickard had a feeling that he knew that person, but he could not tell who he was. Therefore, he had no other choice but to give up.*Since she had already checked in her luggage, Hesper boarded the plane smoothly without any issue. The ticket was booked by the university. Hesper was not the manager of Lane Holdings anymore, so she did not see the need for first-class seats. She followed the university's arrangement and sat in economy class.As it was still a holiday season, there were not many passengers on the plane, and Hesper's seat happened to be by the window. Although there was not much difference on the plane, she felt it was a good start.
013's answer did not dispel the doubts in Hesper's mind. Instead, it made her even more confused. After waiting for a flight attendant to pass by, Hesper whispered, "Second question. Why do you want to kill me? Don't tell me it's because of Juniper. She doesn't have any relationship with you anymore, right?""Well…" 013 chuckled softly in Hesper's ear. "You're smarter than Juniper. She's such an idiot. As her partner, I warned her not to do anything without planning, but she was too foolish and wouldn't listen."The ear-popping sensation during takeoff made people feel slightly uncomfortable."As for why I have to kill you… Well, that's a good question. I guess it's because I'm jealous of you, and in a way, I was born because of you."Hesper frowned. She certainly did not think it was some sort of supernatural event, but what 013 said was strange. As Hesper pondered, a flash of insight struck her, and she had the answer in her mind."You're the second personality?"*Myriade w
"You don't need to worry about that.""Alright."They were both quiet throughout the rest of the journey. Hesper didn't turn around to see who 013 was because she had a feeling that it wasn't the right time to know yet. "I hope you have a good life in Fredonia. I'll be seeing you around.""..." Hesper went through nerve-wracking ten-plus hours before the plan finally landed. Roberto was waiting at the airport. Hesper walked over with her luggage. It took about half an hour from deplaning to leaving the airport. Fredonia was a romantic country, and every Fredonian was born romantic. Winter in Fredonia was warmer than in Genecity. Hesper was ready for the weather and was dressed appropriately. Roberto saw her from afar and waved at her. "Mr. Sanchez." Hesper walked over with her luggage.Roberto said, "Welcome to Fredonia, the place where your dreams begin.""Thank you." Hesper nodded. "Is my hostel far from here? You came to pick me up so late. Your schedule must have b
The hostel Fredonia U arranged for the students to stay in was a good area. Even though Hesper had never been to this city, she knew it just by seeing how busy the area was. "Other than students, there are private units here too. However, people who live in the university town are mostly well-off," Roberto explained. "However, Antellon isn't a quiet city. Some members of Daybreak operate here."Daybreak?Hesper frowned. Roberto knew she had issues with Zoya, but he didn't realize that a psycho was lurking around her. That was why 013 left so easily the other day. He managed to get into the lion's den from a very safe place. It was perfect for 013 who was trying to attack her. "Sigh…" Hesper sighed, but she didn't say more to Roberto and settled down in her room. She knew that even if she told Roberto more, there was nothing that they could do about it. 013 was crazy. He was the second personality of a dissociative disorder patient. Hesper shouldn't expect him to have moral va
Jessie spoke in a cold tone at first so that she could keep her promise to Hesper. However, when she heard how respectful Matthew was, she felt embarrassed and her tone softened. "I'm sorry, I'm not blaming you… it's just that I can't tell you anything about her. I'm so sorry."Matthew nodded and didn't bother her further. Hesper decided to cut off communications with him so even if he pressed her friend, he wouldn't be able to get in touch with her. It was too easy to just disappear. Hesper was a smart woman. She'd find a way to do it if she wanted to. "Mr. Lane."Matthew suddenly heard Jessie's hesitant voice right when he was going to hang up. "I… Before Hesper left, we had a long conversation. She really thinks of you as her brother.""I know." Jessie paused, then said, "Alright, Mr. Lane. I'm sure you can find her, right? She took a lot of things into consideration before she left, and she must have struggled before she came to this decision… She just didn't want to see
Since there was an important appointment the next day, Hesper forced herself to sleep, but she only fell asleep when it was almost dawn. Roberto probably took that into account since he only went to see her when it was noon. Hesper had a long dream. She remembered that a lot happened in it, but when she woke up, all she felt was anxiety—That was why even though she had a sufficient amount of sleep, she still felt tired. Roberto looked at her and knew that she must have been through a lot. "You look tired. It could be jet lag, but you might need a few days to recover."However, even though he was her mentor, he didn't want to get involved with her personal life. Hesper nodded then sighed. Her beautiful eyes were still shining but they weren't as bright as before. Roberto's friend was Halwanese. Hesper didn't know Antellon that well, but she knew that Roberto had been driving for a long time because it became less and less crowded. "He's not very sociable, so he lives a li
"I almost couldn't recognize you. Why did you change your face when you're just staying at home?"Roberto led Hesper over. "Hesper isn't going to do anything to you. There's no need to be so careful. I've told you that you should make more friends."It was a disguise. Hesper quietly observed the man and couldn't see anything unnatural with his face. She was amazed. If she really managed to change her face, Matthew probably wouldn't be able to recognize her even if he walked past her. "Hesper, right?" The man looked toward her and observed, his calm eyes looking warm. "Such a beauty."The man spoke Halwanese when he said that, so Roberto didn't really understand. He stared at the both of them curiously. "What did you say? You know I don't speak Halwanese that well."Roberto sounded sad when he said that. Stephen looked over, then nodded at Hesper. "You, come with me."Hesper turned to look at Roberto, who nodded at her. "Even though he's a little weird, he always keeps his prom
The process was relaxing. Hesper just closed her eyes and felt Stephen apply something to her face. She couldn't tell what the texture was, but it was cooling. "By the way…" Hesper said, but Stephen tapped her head. "Don't talk.""..."Stephen realized that she had something important to say, so he impatiently said, "Go ahead. Don't talk during the procedure next time, or it might complicate things."Hearing that, Hesper cut it short. "It has to somewhat look like my face or my student ID won't work.""What?" Stephen smirked. "I'm just giving you a disguise, it isn't magic. I'm not going to change your face… If I knew that was what you were going to say, I wouldn't have let you speak."Hesper could tell that Stephen wasn't a young man and would be around Roberto's age, but his current face wasn't his original one, so Hesper couldn't tell his exact age. However, his personality… was so childish. After some time, Hesper was on the verge of falling asleep. Stephen removed his g
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