But her calmness infuriated Rickard. He clenched his hands tightly, so much so that his knuckles gave off cracking noises. “Juniper has fallen ill because of you, and you still have the guts to deny everything?”Hesper laughed out loud abruptly. “You’re the one who’s asking me if I did it. I’m telling you that I didn’t, but still, you choose not to believe me. Must I be the person who’s caused her to fall sick? Do you really think that I have such great capabilities that I can lay a finger on the regal Ms. Wight?”A hint of hesitation flashed across Rickard’s face, but at that moment, two women entered the room, supporting Madam Duval.“You slut, how dare you lie in front of so many witnesses! So many servants in the villa saw with their own eyes how you talked back to me and humiliated Sophia and Juniper!”With snot and tears dribbling down all orifices on her face, she cried as she complained to Rickard, “Dick, she also said that even though she slept with another man, she’s stil
In the crowded guest room, Hesper knelt on the floor and picked up the divorce agreements sheet by sheet and compiled them.‘This is my ticket out of the Duvals. It’s also a turning point in my life where I get the fresh start that I deserve, so no matter how humiliating this is, I can’t let it slip through my fingers.’“Thank you for the agreement. I’ll sign it and hand it back to you later.”Hesper then stood up and turned around, ready to leave without saying a word.Rickard was fuming. “Who gave you permission to leave!” There was not even a trace of warmth in the reprimanding tone. “I’ve made it very clear that you’re to kneel in the yard to apologize!”“Rickard Duval, you’d better not push your luck.”“Is that a no?” He gave off a malevolent smirk. “If you don’t want to kneel, that's fine by me. However, if that’s your choice, you’ll be deprived of your rights to visit your son from today onward!”Hesper gritted her teeth in anger. “Aside from threatening me, what else cou
For a short moment, Rickard pinched the wine glass tightly.‘Hesper’s feelings for me? That was a long time ago, and judging from what she’s been doing recently, I can no longer believe in her.’“If you feel so sorry for her, you can go down there and kneel with her!” Rickard said coldly, shutting Benji’s mouth immediately.The two continued to stare at Hesper silently. She remained in a straight posture from the beginning to the end as if it was the only thing she could do to protect her dignity.A long time went by, and the sky slowly darkened.Hesper was tottering in the rain when a pair of spotless leather shoes appeared in front of her all of a sudden.Hesper slowly lifted her gaze, and the first thing that entered her vision was Rickard. He was standing in the rain with a black umbrella, staring at her indifferently.“Do you know what you’ve done wrongly?”Hesper opened her mouth, felt a burning sensation on her lips as if they were being torn apart from each other, and s
Seeing Hesper being picked up and carried by another man with his own eyes, Rickard’s gaze turned gloomy.“Stop right there.” He dashed forward so quickly that Benji, who was holding the umbrella for him, could not even react in time and keep up with his pace.Before anyone else present could react, Rickard had already rushed into the rain and stood in front of Matthew, blocking their way.‘He’s the man who made things difficult for Hesper in the hospital earlier today.’Matthew remembered Rickard; he had never had a good impression of men who liked to bully women.“Step aside,” he said as his black windbreaker rattled in the cold wind.“Over my dead body!”The atmosphere between the two men was tense. Rickard grinned ferociously. “Do you know who I am? The woman that you‘re holding in your arms is my rightful wife! And you’re asking me to step aside?”A hint of astonishment flashed across Matthew’s eyes. He then lowered his head and stared at Hesper.‘Judging solely from how
Matthew’s eyes were dark. Even though her words were harsh, his chest felt warm when she leaned into his chest. He felt her tears. “I’m not crying, I’m just happy.”Hesper sniffled and tried to force a smile, then got out of his embrace. Matthew didn’t call her out but instead calmly said, “My plane will be flying out today, so this is all I can do to help. What do you plan to do after this?”“It’s alright. You’ve already helped me a lot.”Hesper sincerely thanked him. If it weren't for him, Rickard wouldn’t have let her walk away so easily. So even thought she didn’t have a plan, she wouldn’t want to trouble him any longer. “I’ll spend some time at my friend’s place and find a stable job.”“That’s a good plan.” Matthew nodded and glanced at his watch. His plane would be taking off soon. “Goodbye.” He turned around and got into the car. Hesper was still smiling and waving goodbye when the door closed. Matthew didn’t say anything. He could tell that Hesper was just prete
First Crest Hospital. Julian walked out of the hospital after getting a call from Hesper, and when he stopped walking, he was immediately pulled into a car. In the Rolls-Royce, Hesper, who had a clear, soft, fur coat wrapped around her, was looking at him along with Matthew. “Hesper, what’s this?”Julian frowned. When he noticed that she was wet, his tone changed. “You were in the rain? Did Rickard bully you again? Also, what are you doing here?”“Ian, I’ll explain later. You need to leave with me now.”“What do you mean?” Julian was getting more and more confused. Hesper replied, “I’ve signed my divorce papers and I’m no longer married to Rickard, but I’m still worried. What if he holds a grudge and confronts you instead? Mr. Lane here is my friend. He arranged a place for us to stay, so it’s up to you whether you want to come along.”“I don’t mind leaving.” He was an orphan, with no family and nothing to miss in the city. Hesper was the only friend he had in the world,
Matthew took a seat with a cold expression. “What makes you think she can’t?”“Sir, Master Lane isn’t someone you can easily google. He would definitely look into Ms. Rivera's past. What if he found out—”Before Tanner could finish, Matthew cut him off. “So you need to wipe her records clean before he starts his investigation.”“Sir…” He was going to say something but halted when Matthew glared at him. He had been around Matthew since he was in his teen years, so he knew Matthew very well. Knowing that the man had already made up his mind, he reluctantly said, “Sir, it’s unlike you to be so impulsive. Could you tell me why you act so differently around Ms. Rivera?”Matthew’s hand froze. He didn’t know why. Whether it was looks or her status, it was nowhere close to the standard that would make him act impulsively. He didn’t even want to get involved most of the time, but every time that happened, he would think of his sister. “Maybe because she looks like my sister.” Tanner t
It was just as Hesper imagined. When Rickard realized that he couldn't find her, he immediately went to the hospital. “Mr. Duval, the hospital director said that Julian left a few hours ago.”Rickard’s legs grew weak as he balled up his fists. She remembered to bring Julian along. She had everything figured out, except him and their child!“Keep investigating! Find her even if you need to dig into the ground!”Seeing him losing his temper, Benji wanted to ask why Hesper leaving would make him so angry but didn't in the end. Only Rickard would know the reason. Night fell and Rickard returned home tired after searching everywhere without finding her. Sophia and Junpier, who were waiting in the living room, immediately scolded him. “Where have you been? Did you go search for Hesper? Let the woman leave. Why would you waste time searching for her?”Rickard looked at Sophia. The insult and disdain on her face made him feel disgusted. “Shut your mouth. She’s your sister-in-