Chapter 403

Claire exclaimed, "Miss, your body is so weak. This could endanger your life!"

"It's all right. I am willing to help Mr. Rodriguez's mother. It's just that after he saved me in the alley, I fell in love with him at first sight, so I made a selfish little request." The young girl raised her head modestly, her gaze as shy as a deer.

Lawrence furrowed his brows coldly.

She added with a bitter tone, hurrying to say, "Mr. Rodriguez, don't burden yourself. My feelings for you are my own. Just be a good boyfriend and fiancé, taking care of me and giving me warmth. Let me experience a beautiful love, and then I can die without regrets."

Lawrence roughly understood what she meant. In response, he also made a demanding condition, stating, "I can give you the role of a boyfriend or fiancé. You can have the care and pampering you desire. Apart from that, my heart and intimacy are off-limits. I can never fall in love with you, and I hope you understand that."

Ishara couldn't miss what he meant. He could portray the perfect boyfriend, yet his intentions were shallow, offering only superficial warmth and indulgence. However, she remained unfazed; time would ultimately unveil the truth. With her charm and skills, she would definitely be able to win his heart back from Winnie.

The young girl smiled and happily replied, "Having Mr. Rodriguez dote on me is enough for me."

"What else do you request? Feel free to speak up."

"I have one more request," Ishara pleaded. "Regarding the donation of my bone marrow and blood transfusion, I hope you can keep it a secret. My family doesn't know about my terminal illness. They only think I have a weak body. If they find out that I'm donating blood and marrow, they will be devastated."

Lawrence nodded in agreement, his heart stirred with a faint sense of pity for the young girl burdened with a terminal illness.

Dr. Moore, who was standing beside them, inquired, "Ms. Ishara, how is your physical condition? We need to have a full understanding so that we can properly care for and adjust you according to the blood transfusion requirements."

Ishara nodded and glanced at her own doctor.

The doctor stepped forward, looking solemn. "Ms. Ishara's body is in a terrible state," the doctor explained. "She shouldn't be risking her life to donate blood, but I couldn't stop her. Her terminal illness affects her heart, and even slight excitement can cause her to cough, wheeze, and faint. If you want her to donate marrow, you must take good care of her and keep her happy."

Lawrence looked at the person in front of him. The girl was a precious blood bank. If he took her life, he would naturally make an equivalent trade by giving what she requested. Hence, the man nodded and spoke, devoid of emotion in his eyes, "Starting from today, I will take care of you as a 'boyfriend.'"

"Mm, hello, boyfriend!" The girl happily laughed.

Her smile somehow pricked Lawrence, and for a moment, he saw a glimpse of Winnie in her. The resemblance between the girl and her was uncanny. Lawrence was startled, as if he saw the unharmed and delicate Winnie from three years ago, as innocent as a blank piece of paper. She was adorable. As he dimmed his gaze and lowered his eyes, he assured himself that there were two different people here.

Lawrence checked his watch and stood up as he asked, "Ishara, I have a meeting at ten. Can I drop you off at home first?"

"This is my business card, Lawrence. Give me a call if you need something. Lawrence, can I call you like that?" The girl asked gently and cautiously.

Lawrence furrowed his brows. He was repulsed by other women's endearments, but he could only agree verbally.

"Can I, too, chat with you anytime I want?" She asked hopefully.

As that was all part of a "boyfriend's" duty, Lawrence nodded faintly.

Outside the cafe, he led the girl to the car and drove her to Garden Hotel. Then, he raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "You're not from Lymington?"

The girl's eyes gleamed lightly as she smiled faintly. "No, I'm not from around here. My home is in Trento City. I came here secretly to seek treatment. In fact, I entered into a relationship with you to avoid an arranged marriage back home. I'm not interested in money or power; I simply want to spend my life with the person I love. So, would you be willing to accompany me back home to meet my parents as soon as possible? Would that okay?"

Lawrence fell silent for a moment, but now that things had come this far, he had to follow through with his words. He could only reply, "Okay."

Moreover, he was also planning on going to Trento City.

As Lawrence's Bentley pulled away from the Garden Hotel, he closed his eyes inside the car. "Bryan, verify her information," he instructed calmly.

Bryan looked at Lawrence with a complicated gaze. For Madam Rodriguez, Lawrence had given two years of his life. Bryan couldn't muster the courage to mention a single word about Winnie. Last night, the desolation and coldness of Lawrence in the hospital was something he had never seen before.

Ishara's gaze slowly retracted.

Claire received a message and her expression shifted slightly as she walked over. "Miss, Paul has arrived in Lymington today. It must be..."

Ishara's eyes froze, and her smile turned cold. "Father couldn't wait for his illegitimate daughter, huh? It doesn't matter, Mr. Rodriguez is already my boyfriend. Before Father finds out about me, we'll pack our bags and go back to Trento City."

Claire sneered, their objective already accomplished. "The Blanchet family has no sons. Your father must have considered your fragile health, along with the immense family business. That's why he wanted to bring back his illegitimate daughter, and even kept the position of 'Winnie Anderson' reserved for her. It's really unfair to you," Claire said, her pale lips curling into a subtle smile, showing no signs of disturbance.

In the office.

Bryan furrowed his brows as he replied, "Lawrence, there isn't much information about this girl. Even her last name is difficult to find, as if she's intentionally keeping it hidden. But she is indeed from out of town, and came to Lymington only for medical appointments at the hospital."

Lawrence squinted his eyes, recalling that she intentionally avoided mentioning her last name during their conversation at the café. He sensed it back then and observed, thinking it had something to do with her family background, possibly wealthy, and she wanted to protect herself from others.

The man frowned, pinching his forehead. "She doesn't have to be complicated. No need to investigate further. I'm not interested in who she really is. To me, she is an important resource."

Bryan understood.

At the cemetery in Lymington.

Winnie tenderly laid a bouquet of flowers in front of her mother Irene's tombstone, asking for her protection over Oscar. The rain had stopped, leaving a clear blue sky.

She slowly stood up and turned to her uncle, George. "Uncle George, shall we head downhill?"

Just at that moment, George suddenly turned toward the opposite direction.

On the steps below the hill, there was a tall middle-aged man walking up, dressed in a well-fitted black suit. He had thick eyebrows and fine lines around his eyes revealed glimpses of his handsome features from his younger days, exuding an air of noble elegance.

Winnie turned her head in surprise, feeling a bit puzzled, only to meet the deep and enigmatic gaze of this man. Beside her, Elliott couldn't help but let out a faint gasp, "Winnie!"

Winnie was taken aback by the call, feeling that something was amiss. Curiously, she regarded the man and politely asked her uncle, "Uncle, who is this?"

The middle-aged man's eyes welled up with emotions as he hurried toward her. A mix of bewilderment, excitement, sadness, and nostalgia flickered in his gaze. Tears shimmered at the corners of Carlos's eyes as he spoke, "My child, I am your biological father. You've grown so much, and you resemble your mother."

Winnie's body tensed, as if a lightning bolt struck her mind, leaving her startled and shocked. She did know that she had a biological father, as George mentioned it before, but she didn't pay much attention to it at the time and had no intention of searching for him. Never did she expect her biological father would find her so soon.