Chapter 97
Chapter 97
The Norman Family was the head of Sundew, but the Gant Family followed closely behind in terms of power. Bryxton had the Felix and Forger Families working with one another, and the same could be said for the Norman and Gant Families in Sundew. Francesca was the CEO of Gant Corporation, and she used to be Leon's partner. She couldn't even be said to be his official partner—she was merely a replacement for Quinn.
Yet, she willingly stayed by Leon's side without uttering a single word of resentment. When Leon wanted to leave, she let go of him without causing a fuss at all. I had no idea what she was trying to get from Leon, but the only logical explanation seemed to be love. It was like what I felt toward Nicholas. Gary was right—Francesca was a pitiful woman.
Francesca left after having a few drinks, while Gary and I stayed for longer in the bar. We both had an idea, but we were both rather hesitant. "Are you going to go, President Felix?" he asked. Francesca was the CEO of the Gant Family, and the Yates happened to be signing a contract with the Gants. As of then, both my assistant and I couldn't find any way to stop them. However, we happened to bump into Francesca at a time like this.
She had once phoned me to get me to help bail Leon from the police station. So, she technically owed me a favor. Perhaps there'd be some hope in the situation if I approached her for help. "You can arrange an appointment for us," I told Gary hesitantly. I felt like my motives were too clear if I met her at a time like this. "I'll call the Gant Family in a while," Gary said after taking a look at the time. Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.
Gary and I had just walked out of the bar when our footsteps came to a halt in front of the exit. Francesca's figure was leaning against a black race car, and she gazed at us with a twinkle in her
eyes. It seemed like she had noticed our presence after all. "Were you waiting for us?" I asked her. Francesca had put on makeup that night, and her dusty pink eyeshadow was gorgeous. She was an attractive woman.
However, when she was with Leon, she would wipe off all her makeup to live a simple and plain life with him. She was even willing to live in an old, rundown house. She was willing to give up her luxurious life just to be with him, yet he ended up abandoning her. "Would you like to go for a ride?" Francesca asked while pointing at her car.
"Sure," I replied before turning to look at Gary. "You can head back to the Norman Residence first."
…
Francesca had impressive driving skills—she was better than me even though I drove almost every day. She brought me to drive around the ocean before stopping the car by the side of the road. We got out and walked along the beach for a while. She didn't seem to realize it when the waves lapped upon the bottom of her pants—she simply continued walking forward.
After about five minutes, I couldn't hold it in anymore. "Did you wait for me just to chat with me? Does this have to do with Leon?" I asked.
"Am I a joke, Miss Felix?" She spoke in a self-deprecating tone.
"What do you mean?" I pretended not to understand her words.
"I'm just a woman who was abandoned by Leon," she said in a dejected tone.
"Can you bear to leave him?" I asked.
"It doesn't matter what I feel about leaving him. He's the one who doesn't want me, Miss Felix. I'd been by his side for three years, and he constantly reminded me that he had another woman whom he loved more than me… I know that I was just a replacement, but I continued to love him in a timid manner. I thought that things would eventually work out if I stayed by his side every day… But when the woman came back, I still had to step aside and give up my spot," she uttered.
I didn't know what to say because I didn't know how to comfort her. I contemplated my words as I felt the wind on my face. "Quinn returned to Bryxton because her kidney was starting to fail. She's back in search of a kidney donor, but she hasn't found one… She's struggling to survive now. We all hope that she survives this, Miss Gant. Leon wants her to survive, perhaps not because he loves her… But because he and Quinn have never spoken about their feelings toward one another. Perhaps he feels guilty about this."
Leon felt guilty because he didn't stop my parents. He was young back then, so maybe he didn't have the power to do anything. Meanwhile, the reason I gave Francesca was just to comfort her, since it was true that Leon and Quinn had never told each other what they felt about each other. They simply managed to connect and understand each other without even exchanging words.
"I've seen Quinn. She's a weak and simple young woman, and she's the first love that every guy would want to have," Francesca uttered. Quinn had a tiny figure, and any guy who saw her would feel the urge to protect her. She was someone worthy of being protected—after all, she had been unlucky throughout her whole life, especially after she met the Felix Family.
"When did you meet Quinn?" I asked before pressing my lips together.
Francesca continued to stroll in the direction of the ocean, and the icy water was about to reach her waist. Her figure looked especially skinny in the dark night, and it felt like a breeze would just send her tumbling into the ocean. She responded with a sorrowful look on her face, "Yesterday. I did a blood test as per Leon's request, and my assistant just told me that I was a match for Quinn."
"Your kidney's suitable for her?" I asked in surprise.
Her smile was filled with despondency. "Yeah. But I'm not going to donate it. I can't ignore my own needs and give in to Leon's request just like that. How should I reject him, Miss Felix?" Both Nicholas and Francesca were good matches for Quinn, but one was willing to donate while the other wasn’t. Yet, I would never agree to have Nicholas donate his kidney while Leon wanted Francesca to donate hers. This placed us all at a tough spot.
However, why would Francesca agree to do the test if she had no intention of donating her kidney? Ultimately, it was because she was a soft-hearted woman. She couldn't stand firm with her principles in the face of Leon's requests. That was the reason she was asking me about all of this. She wanted to know how to reject Leon. But what could I say? I wanted Quinn to survive…
I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts in my head before I addressed Francesca's question. "As long as you're not willing to do it, no one's able to force you into it. Leon is someone you love, but he isn't your whole life, Miss Gant. Furthermore, you don't owe him anything, and you don't need to sacrifice anything for him. You deserve to live your life."
When she heard what I said, she tilted her head sideways while questioning me. "Don't you want Quinn
to live?"
"Yeah. I hope that Quinn can survive because…" I paused for a moment as I walked deeper into the ocean to stand next to Francesca. "Quinn's other kidney is in my body, and I feel extremely sorry toward her. Despite that, I can't bring myself to return this kidney to her! Life turns everyone selfish, Miss Gant. However, what you're doing isn't selfish—I'm the one who should be donating my kidney."
"It seems like you guys have a lot of secrets, Miss Felix," Francesca uttered. We stopped talking about this matter after that, and we headed back to the shore. I followed beside her while asking her a straightforward question. "Are you going to sign the contract with the Yates Family tomorrow?"
She hesitated for a moment. "So, there was a reason you came to Sundew." She was a smart woman, so she immediately understood my intentions. "What do you need me to do?" she asked me. She didn't ask me what I wanted to do—she simply asked me what I needed from her. This felt like she was opening the doors for me to make my request.
"I need you to call off this partnership with the Yates Family," I uttered.
"Okay. I'll give it some thought," she said. Seeing that she was somewhat agreeing to my suggestion, I hurried with a follow-up statement. "Why don't we have a detailed discussion about this tomorrow? I'll give you the best possible compensation, and I'll offer you a satisfactory amount for the fees that you need to forfeit this agreement with the Yates," I said.
"Okay. It's getting late. We should head home." Francesca sent me back to the Norman Residence. While we were on the way back, I received a call from Leon. "I found a donor," he uttered in a serious tone.
Francesca could hear Leon's voice on the call, and I noticed her tightening her grip on the steering wheel as she drove. "Who is it?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"Francesca Gant," he replied. He used her full name.
"Leon, are you really willing to—" I started with a strained voice.
"This is the only chance for Quinn to survive. I wouldn't mind asking for her kidney, Renee, I wouldn't even mind dying to save Quinn!" he uttered after interrupting me.
Francesca was speechless.