Hesper was increasingly puzzled now. If Charles did not care about Elise, why did he protect her so well? But his cold expression just now did not seem fake either.If it was love, it did not seem enough, but if it was not love, such meticulous care could not be explained. "Miss, let's go back together." Pierre noticed Hesper standing still and turned around to point to the sky. "It looks like it might rain soon. With this wind, it's likely to be a heavy one."Hesper nodded and followed him back. *Pierre was right. Not long after they arrived back inside, it began to pour outside. Although she had already warned him on their way back, Hesper still carefully checked the room to make sure there were no surveillance or listening devices before finally lying down and feeling relieved. She had not slept in two days. She was tired, but sleep would not come to her. All she could think of was Elise's abnormal behavior. She had told Hesper to leave quickly. This meant that her mother
As the realization hit Hesper, her heart sank. She had planned to find an opportunity to ask her mother what she remembered about the past. Her mother must have known more about what happened before Charles came into her life. But now, after just one night, her mother had already forgotten everything again, and Hesper was more convinced than ever that Charles was the one behind her memory loss. He had likely been planning everything from the moment she met him, waiting for the right moment to strike.Playing games with someone like him was too terrifying. Hesper knew nothing about him, yet he seemed to be in control of everything. As she watched Elisa scoop spoonfuls of dessert from her bowl, she suddenly felt that something was off. Her head was also spinning. After a moment, she realized that the dessert was the culprit. Before she came down, Elise already had two bowls of it. Could it be that Charles had been using food to make her lose her memory? Every so often, Charles wou
Gerard, not expecting Hesper to come to the station, tilted his head. Hesper rose to her feet and walked over. "I came here to ask if Officer Dubois has uncovered any new valuable clues within the past two days.""Ms. Rivera, although you are a victim, as a police officer, I can't disclose any information regarding the case to you," Gerard said warily, eyeing her.Hesper did not press on and nodded thoughtfully. "That means you've discovered something new. It's just that you can't tell me."Gerard was stumped. "Ms. Rivera, you didn't come here just to catch up, did you? If you have something to say, please speak plainly. But if you're going to ask me about the case, I'm sorry, but I have no authority to share anything with you."Hesper nodded again before bringing Yves over to Gerard. "My friend over here accidentally overheard that there will be a gun trade tonight in Antellon. I'm not sure if Officer Gerard is interested."Yves looked harmless and had a convincing demeanor, bu
After listening to Hesper's plan, Yves could not help but admire her talent. However, those who worked under Charles should all be wary of Hesper. How could they willingly take the blame for her plan?"Don't worry, I have a way," Hesper said with a smile, causing Yves to shiver all over. He could not help but feel that her smile was full of ill intent. Luckily, it was someone else who was being tricked and not him. Otherwise, he would have nightmares when he went back.'I should leave this kind of thing to Zaylour next time!' he thought inwardly. After sending Yves back, Zaylour asked Yves a lot of questions, wanting to know why he was suddenly excluded from the plan. He looked just like a puppy that had been abandoned by his master, wagging his tail towards anyone that he came across.Hesper pointed to the scar on his face. Zaylour touched his own face, and he puffed his cheeks out in anger before turning and walking into the corner.Hesper looked around but still could not find
"Well…" Pierre lowered his head. "Are you sure about this, Miss?""Of course, or else why would I bother?" Hesper rolled her eyes, a hint of impatience in her tone. "We'll make the transaction at that factory on the outskirts of Antellon. I'll lead the team to set up a blockade while the others handle the pickup. It'll be smooth sailing, I guarantee it.""Do you have enough people on your side?" Pierre expressed concern. "You only have a few unreliable individuals at your disposal… I mean, do you need my assistance?""About that…" Hesper replied and turned her gaze away, appearing lost in thought. "Now that you mention it, I suppose we could use some more help. But don't worry, I'll figure something out. However, it seems to me that you know a lot."Pierre felt a chill down his spine when he met Hesper's glance. He let out a nervous chuckle and said, "Please stop teasing me, Miss. I've overheard a few things from Mr. Deschamp, but I'm just a simple butler. I don't understand much o
"My mom suddenly feels a bit unwell. Quickly contact the family doctor and ask him to come and have a look at her," Hesper said as she furrowed her brows slightly. Upon noticing her expression, Pierre's eyes lit up slightly as he leaned closer to whisper into Hesper's ear, "What about your plans for tonight?"Smirking inwardly, Hesper appeared worried and shook her head, as if she had made a decision. "The plans are already set. I can't change them at will... I'll take care of my mother when I come back."Pierre could not hold back any longer and said directly, "Then why don't you come back early? I'll help you to handle the things over there."Hesper frowned a bit more. "I don't think that's a good idea. It would be too much trouble for you, and besides, this matter also carries some risks."Pierre was taken aback upon hearing the word "risk." Hesper continued, "But the location I've chosen is very safe. There should be no accidents, so I'll continue with the plan. Mr. Leroux, p
"Kill all these policemen!" Pierre ordered. When Hesper and her companions arrived, they overheard the command and raised their eyebrows in surprise."Mr. Leroux?" Hesper called out. Pierre turned his head and saw Hesper and her two companions pushing a crate of weapons towards them. His eyes widened in horror. "Quick, go! Don't come any closer!"However, it was too late. Gerard and the other policemen had already noticed the cache of weapons, and their expressions turned serious in an instant.'So, what Hesper had said was true! But why does the woman at the front look so familiar?'Hesper, Yves, and Zaylour did not give their all as the two sides clashed. Now that Hesper had appeared, Pierre dared not use his gun, and the police were hesitant to fire as well. Therefore, they could only fight hand to hand."Mr. Leroux, let's run first," Hesper shouted, and Pierre immediately understood. He turned and urged the others to run. The police scattered in pursuit, and Hesper noticed t
Since they did not waste their time with the police officers, Hesper and the other two returned faster than Pierre and his team. Moreover, whoever arrived first would gain the upper hand. Pierre had made a grave mistake. In order to avoid severe punishment from Charles, he would certainly try to smear Hesper's name.Feeling the urgency of the situation, Hesper acknowledged that her actions were not flawless, so she had to shift all the blame onto the butler's shoulders.As they saw the lights still on at the Deschamps residence, Hesper knew that Charles must have already been informed of what had happened on their end. The three of them exchanged glances before entering the house."Dad, Mom, I'm back." As expected, Charles and Elise were sitting in the living room. Hesper walked up to Charles and spoke. "We weren't able to complete the task today. We only managed to retrieve the previous amount of money.""I have already heard about it. What about the police?" Charles asked.It we
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