Chapter 4 Being Ruthless

After getting home, Francesca spent some time catching up with her brother before heading to bed. The next morning, she and Ian were outside the courthouse bright and early, divorce papers in hand. She called Benedict. "I'm at the court. Bring yourself here and let's get this over." "Francesca! Do you have any idea how long I was looking for you yesterday?" Benedict's voice was sharp with frustration. "Where I go is my business, not yours," she replied coolly. He exhaled hard, his tone dropping to a low growl. "I can't leave the hospital. If you want this divorce, you'll have to come here to finalize it." Even though Benedict had spent the entire night searching for Francesca, he never actually left Suzanna's ward. Benedict had been glued to her side ever since the doctors claimed Suzanna's condition was critical. He had spent the night in her ward, too anxious to leave. It wasn't just guilt or worry, though. Years ago, during his Marine days, Benedict had been caught in an ambush in Lupristan. Just when he thought he was done for, his comrade had thrown himself in front of the enemy's bullets to save him. Before he died, that comrade had asked Benedict to take care of his sister, Suzanna. Benedict had taken that promise seriously, treating Suzanna like family ever since. But Suzanna didn't see herself as just a sister. She wanted more, she wanted to be the lady of the Landon family. Francesca sighed. If Benedict insisted on signing the papers at the hospital, she could guess why. He still wanted her kidney. However, Francesca wasn't scared. No one could take her kidney without her consent. She also had another reason to visit the hospital—Mabel was recovering there. Francesca needed to say goodbye. Mabel was the only person in the Landon family who had ever shown her kindness. "Hospital, huh? Fine. Just wait for me," she said before ending the call. Turning to Raymond, she added, "I'm going to see Grandma in the hospital." Raymond nodded. As Mabel's doctor, he knew how much Francesca cared about her. "I'll come with you," he offered. "She had surgery a couple of days ago, and I should check on her progress." Of course, the real reason was that he didn't want Francesca going in alone. He knew the Landon family too well to leave her unprotected. "Perfect," Francesca said with a smirk. "And the plans we made yesterday, looks like it's time to put them to good use." She stepped into the waiting luxury car, while Raymond followed closely behind. Today wasn't just about ending things with the Landon family, it was about making sure they got what they deserved. When they arrived at the hospital, Francesca didn't waste any time. She headed straight for Suzanna's private ward and pushed the door open. Inside, Suzanna was surrounded by nurses and doctors, who were fawning over her like she was on the brink of death. As soon as Suzanna spotted Francesca, her expression shifted. She plastered on a smile and turned up the theatrics. "Francesca! You're finally here. I feel so awful," Suzanna whimpered, her voice trembling as if she were some fragile victim. Francesca stared her down, unimpressed. She had seen this act too many times over the last three years. Behind all that fake sweetness, Suzanna was nothing but a master manipulator. With a cold smile, Francesca replied, "If you're feeling that bad, maybe you should just drop dead already." Suzanna's smile froze, her eyes darting nervously. She clearly hadn't expected Francesca to be so direct. In the past, Francesca might've held back, even if she didn't like her, but not today. The doctors and nurses glanced at each other, visibly uncomfortable. Francesca wasn't just blunt, she was ruthless. "Francesca, what the hell is wrong with you?" Benedict snapped, his voice laced with frustration. His eyes were hard as he added, "Suzanna is your sister, too. How can you say something like that?" Francesca rolled her eyes, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Sister? You mean your side chick?" Benedict's face went rigid, his anger flaring. "What nonsense are you saying now? Care to explain yourself?" His tone was icy, but there was a flicker of unease. Francesca was acting completely out of character, and he didn't like it. He opened his mouth to lash out but stopped short, reminding himself of the surgery ahead. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to keep calm. "Francesca, you're overthinking everything. Once the surgery is done, I'll give you whatever you want. But don't think you can use the idea of divorce to manipulate me, I'm not falling for it." Suzanna, ever the actress, chimed in, her voice soft and trembling. "Francesca, please don't misunderstand. This is all my fault. Benedict neglected you because he was so worried about me." Francesca's sharp gaze locked on Suzanna. A cold smirk tugged at her lips. "Oh, spare me the act. I'm not in the mood to watch your little show today."