Chapter 2 No Spending

Ian was the head of the Anderson family, the richest family in North Ashington. His business empire covered everything from military industries to medical, aviation, media, and high-tech sectors all over the world. Everyone knew Ian as the successful, good-looking businessman, but not many knew he had a sister. As North Ashington's wealthiest man, Ian kept Francesca's identity hidden. He didn't want anyone taking advantage of her or treating her differently, so he made sure it was clear the Anderson family only had a son. While Francesca didn't get the fame of being the sister of the richest guy around, it spared her from a lot of unnecessary trouble. Ian had planned to wait until she graduated, then bring her into the family business and eventually reveal who she really was. But he didn't expect her to fall for Benedict. She was willing to give up everything; her inheritance, her future, to be with him. It made Ian angry. Even the Rothswell family, a wealthy family in Ashington, didn't come close to Ian's level. He felt Benedict didn't even deserve his sister. Now that Francesca had admitted her mistake, Ian felt a mix of relief and sadness. He knew she must have been treated badly by the Landon family, and he wanted to step in and protect her more than ever. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Benedict looked over the test results, his brow furrowed. He turned to the doctor and asked, "Are you sure only Francesca's kidney is compatible with Suzanna's? No other matches?" The doctor glanced at Suzanna, then replied, "Miss Mitchell has a rare RH-negative blood type. No other kidney matches. Your wife is the best match." Benedict paused for a moment, then asked, "What if we expand the search and don't just limit it to Merton? There's gotta be someone else out there who's a match. If the price is right, I'm sure they'll agree." The doctor was about to explain that finding a living kidney donor wasn't that easy, but Suzanna, who had been quietly listening, cut in. Weakly, she spoke up. "Benedict, don't stress over it. Just take me out of the hospital. I don't want you to hurt Francesca for me." Benedict sighed softly. "Suzanna, you're too kind. Francesca will understand. It's just a kidney. The doctor said that even with one kidney, she'll be fine. Once you're better, you can thank her." Suzanna gave a sly little smile and nodded. The doctor then added, "In theory, there are plenty of people with RH-negative blood type across the country. We could get in touch with the Red Cross and find one. But it's gonna take some time, and Miss Mitchell can't wait that long." "Then let's move forward with the surgery now," Benedict said firmly, without hesitation. He turned to the doctor, urging him to prepare for the procedure. He also quickly dialed Francesca's number. "Where are you? Why aren't you here yet?" "Benedict, you asshole, why don't you just donate your mom's kidney? I want a divorce!" Francesca's voice screamed through the phone. Benedict gritted his teeth, his voice cold. "Are you out of your mind? Just come to the hospital and get the surgery done. You can take whatever money you want." "I don't give a damn about your money! I'm done with you. The divorce papers are ready. We'll see each other in court!" Francesca snapped, hanging up without another word. Benedict's face went dark, and Suzanna, glancing at him, asked in a soft voice, "What's wrong? Is she refusing? Maybe we should just forget it... it doesn't matter if I die. You should live happily with Francesca." Benedict didn't answer her right away. He paused for a moment, then made two quick calls. "Get her to the hospital in ten minutes! Freeze all of Francesca's credit cards!" He exhaled in relief after giving the orders. The surgery was ready to go, it was just Francesca who was holding things up. Benedict wasn't about to let her drag this out any longer. To him, it looked like Francesca was just trying to squeeze more money out of him. Everyone always said she married him for his money, that she was nothing more than a gold digger. So, every time Benedict needed something from her, he would send a chunk of money, enough for her to spend however she wanted. Money wasn't an issue for him. The Landon family could pay her enough, he just saw it as buying one of her kidneys. Still, he needed the surgery to happen first. He was just going to make sure Francesca understood not to push her luck. All of Francesca's accounts were set up under the Landon family's name. With one word from him, she'd go from rich to broke in an instant. He figured this would finally make Francesca listen. No matter how crazy she acted, he was determined to get the surgery done today. But ten minutes later, Benedict got a call from his subordinate. "Sir, we've contacted the police and searched everywhere in the city. It's like she vanished. There's no sign of her." "What?" Benedict frowned, confused about where she could have gone. But he wasn't worried. If I check her credit card history, I'll know where she bought the plane ticket, he thought. Another call came in with some results. "All of Mrs. Landon's accounts are frozen, but there are no recent transactions. Only entry records." Benedict looked over the long list. Just like his subordinate said, there was nothing but incoming money, no spending at all. The most recent transaction was the 1 million dollars he had just sent her. He couldn't believe it. It was hard to grasp how she hadn't spent a single dime in years.