Ch. 101..110

Chapter 101 Worthy Of Marrying Me

Jessica quickly invited them in and pointed out to him where Rayna’s bedroom was.

Curtis carried Rayna into the bedroom. Right when he was about to put her down on the bed, he suddenly felt a wet patch on his arm. His expression turned solemn immediately, and he carried her to the bathroom instead.

Jessica followed from behind and asked, “What’s the matter, Mr. Faymon?”

“She’s on her period.” Curtis put Rayna in the bathtub and saw that his white shirt was dyed red. Seeing that, he couldn’t help twitching his eyebrows.

He then cleaned his shirt up with running water and said to Jessica, “Clean her up. I’m leaving.”

“Okay. Take care, Mr. Faymon.”

Curtis left and closed the door behind him. His sleeves were wet, so they were stuck on his skin. Despite having them washed, there were still faint red patches on them.

He then rolled his sleeves up to expose his muscular arms.

When he was in the elevator, flashbacks of Rayna playing cards in Plum Blossoms were running through his mind. He couldn’t help but smile when he recalled how courageous Rayna was when she was playing against Gavin. She’s skillful and vicious. Ms. Garland, there are things only you can do.

After sending Curtis back, Naomi drove back to Cerulean Bay. The condominium she went into was just a stone’s throw away from Rayna’s. Already familiar with her surroundings, she went up to the twenty-sixth floor.

The condominium she went into was beautifully decorated. It was a duplex condominium with a vintage vibe and floor-to-ceiling windows all around. The moment Naomi stepped in, she saw a man standing in front of the windows and talking on the phone.

The man was tall and lean. As he was leaning against the window, his figure was almost blending into the darkness.

She took off her shoes and tiptoed toward him before hugging him from behind. While running her delicate fingers over his chest, she unbuttoned his shirt to caress his muscular chest.

However, the man grabbed her wrist when her fingers came into contact with his muscles. He wasn’t holding on to her wrist with force, but it was enough to stop her from moving. Instead of turning toward her, he was still talking on the phone. “Yes. That’s the price. Go on and settle the matter,” he said in a deep voice.

Jefferson only turned around and casually pulled the woman’s hand out of his shirt after he was done with the phone call. The lights shone on his facial features, making him look gentle and handsome.

“How did your stalking go?” Jefferson asked.

“Every time I come over, you’re always asking me about work. Can’t you show me some concern?” Naomi was no longer acting professionally. Instead, she was grumbling with a pout.

After she grumbled, she leaned toward Jefferson and stood on her toes to give him a kiss. The smell of the perfume she was wearing was creeping into his nose, but Jefferson ended up turning away to avoid her kiss.

Feeling angry, Naomi shook him off and went to the fridge to get something to drink.

“Are you throwing a tantrum?” Jefferson followed her from behind. While running his fingers through her hair, he uttered gently, “Once everything is done, I’ll let you have a vacation.”

“I don’t want a vacation! I want you to change your attitude!” Naomi glared at him and fumed, “I’m your fiancée, but you’re always avoiding me. Do you hate me, Colbert?”

Jefferson flashed a faint smile and kissed her cheek. “Why would I hate you? You’re my fiancée, and because of that, I’ve been showing you the utmost respect. Besides, we have a lot of things to do in Chanaea. I don’t want you to get exhausted.”

“Really?”

With a gentle gaze, Jefferson asked, “Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you.” It seemed as though Naomi’s mood had been lifted. She kissed him and left her lipstick stain on his cheek. After that, she told him about what happened in Faymon Group.

Naomi wasn’t holding back any information. She started by telling him about picking up Curtis and Rayna at the airport. Then, she told him that the police wanted to take Rayna away for an investigation, but Curtis ended up vouching for Rayna. She also told him about how Curtis had sent Rayna home after the latter got drunk when she was playing cards at Plum Blossoms.

“I’ve been wondering if there’s something going on between Curtis and Rayna. Apart from Kristie, I’ve never seen anyone behave so casually with Curtis. When Rayna said she was on her period and asked Curtis to help her rub her belly, he ended up helping. Besides, his attitude toward her isn’t distant at all. Don’t you find that weird?” As Naomi was talking, she turned away to fetch herself a glass of water. Hence, she didn’t see the flash of annoyance that appeared on Jefferson’s face when she was telling him about Curtis and Rayna.

“Oh, wait!” Naomi turned toward Jefferson and asked curiously, “I heard you were once in a relationship with Rayna. What’s your impression of her?”

“It was just a short relationship, so I don’t remember much of her.” Jefferson smiled faintly. “With her background, she’s not even qualified to be a maid in the Terblanc family. Why would I even fall for her?”

“Is that so?” Naomi threw him a glance and added, “However, I think she’s smart. Why do you think a man like Curtis would be so friendly with her? I think he needs her help. Mr. Ziegler, the vice CEO of Faymon Group, is so powerful that it’s safe to say he holds absolute power. However, Curtis hasn’t done anything in response. Curtis only said Mr. Ziegler is a respected man in Faymon Group, and it seemed as though Curtis was willing to let Mr. Ziegler do whatever he wanted. In that case, why is Curtis roping Rayna in? Could it be that Curtis is into Rayna?”

Immediately, Jefferson refuted her theory by saying, “I’ve dealt with Curtis before, so I know he wouldn’t let his emotions get the better of him. He finds Rayna smart, so he just wants to use her. Moreover, he’s letting Mr. Ziegler do whatever he wants because he wants Mr. Ziegler to think that there’s nothing he could do in retaliation.”

“Are you saying that Curtis is plotting something?” Naomi figured out what was going on. “Curtis is going after all the employees in Faymon Group, isn’t he?”

“After all, Faymon Group belongs to the Faymon family. He won’t allow others to behave arrogantly.” Jefferson smiled. “We just need to strike when Faymon Group is in its weakest state. That way, all we need is a single move.”

In fact, there were similarities between Jefferson’s situation and Curtis’. They both had hurdles to overcome in their respective families, and they always had to be wary of the people around them. Hence, Jefferson could relate to Curtis’ thought process.

“Bringing Faymon Group down, isn’t that the reason you brought me here?” Naomi smiled and leaned on his chest. “Once we’re done, what do you have in mind for me?”

“Don’t you want to go on a vacation?”

“What’s the point of that? It’s not like you’re going to keep me company!” Naomi complained.

Upon saying that, she grabbed onto his collar and forced him to lower his head. With little to no distance between their faces, she asked, “Why don’t we get married after we’re done with this?”

Jefferson smiled and shook his head. While stroking her hair, he answered in a gentle tone, “How is that possible? I need to wait for my elder brother to get married first before getting married myself.”

“What? That’s so troublesome!”

“Well, he’s my elder brother, so I must respect him.” Jefferson caressed her cheek and suggested, “Why don’t you introduce your friends to him? Once he gets married, we’ll be able to marry each other, no?”

His fingers were cold as ice, and Naomi couldn’t help but shiver when she heard those words.

Although she thought she had concealed her reaction, Jefferson noticed it.

“I have a lot of friends, but they aren’t impressive. What if your brother is picky? Forget about it. Let’s only talk about marriage next time,” Naomi murmured.

“Yes. Our priority now is to deal with Faymon Group.” With a smile on his face, Jefferson said, “It’s late. Go to bed, okay?”

“Okay. Rest early.”

Jefferson’s smile turned insidious after he heard the sound of the door closing. He was so irritated by the lipstick stain on his cheek that he couldn’t wait to rub it off with a napkin.

“Marry me? You’re not worthy,” he sneered.

All along, there was only one woman he wanted to marry, and that woman was the only person worthy of marrying him.

 

 

Chapter 102

Chapter 102 Out Of Luck

Rayna woke up dizzy, and she was still feeling a slight discomfort in her stomach. I think I’m having my period. She massaged her head and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Upon getting out of her bedroom, she noticed movements in the kitchen. It seems like Jessica is in the kitchen.

Rayna saw the oatmeal and a few side dishes on the dining table, so she assumed that Jessica had made them. “Not bad, Jessie! You’re capable of making breakfast now!” she praised before sitting down at the table.

Jessica came out of the kitchen with a plate of bagels in her hands. With a gleeful smile, she answered, “Of course! Although I don’t cook, I can still make oatmeal. Try these bagels. I bought them at the supermarket last night.”

“You went to the supermarket last night?” Rayna froze for a moment before asking, “Did you only fetch me from Plum Blossoms after that?”

“Mr. Faymon sent you home last night.”

Upon hearing that, Rayna finally recalled what had happened the night before. I think I was squatting down by the road when I was waiting for Jessica to pick me up. After that, Uncle Curtis came up to me, and we had a chat before he said he would send me home. I don’t have any recollection of what happened afterward.

“Oh, I see…” Rayna was holding the bagel in her hand, and she was overwhelmed with embarrassment. It’s always Uncle Curtis sending me home whenever I’m drunk. Would he think I’ve been doing it on purpose? She then added, “I shouldn’t have drunk so much! I’ve embarrassed myself.”

“What’s so embarrassing about that? Mr. Faymon wasn’t even angry.” While grinning, Jessica uttered in an ambiguous tone, “Mr. Faymon even had your period stains on his sleeves. Still, he was in a good mood, and he carried you to the bathroom!”

Rayna was rendered speechless, and all she could do was rub her temples in embarrassment. How embarrassing is that? I don’t even dare to think about what happened last night. How am I supposed to face Uncle Curtis after this?

After breakfast, Rayna was still feeling ashamed when she was on her way to work.

Meanwhile, Jessica urged, “Don’t be so ashamed of yourself anymore. I think Mr. Faymon only sent you back because he’s into you. What if—”

“No!” Rayna interrupted her speech. Since there were a lot of people on the subway, she whispered, “He’s Julian’s uncle! Don’t you know that?”

“You divorced Julian a long time ago, right? Who says you can’t date a man who’s an uncle to your ex- husband?”

“Didn’t you say Mr. Faymon is bad?” Rayna shot her a side-eye. “You said he’s going to bring misfortune to his wife, so he can only get married in his thirties. What are you trying to do? Do you want him to bring misfortune to me?”

Jessica patted Rayna’s arm and giggled. “That’s right, but I’m just asking you to date Mr. Faymon. After all, I think you guys would make a lovely married couple.”

Rayna was at a loss for words upon hearing that. In fact, she could feel a headache coming just from listening to those words. Hence, she ignored Jessica and whipped out her phone to check the time. The moment she did that, she saw a few messages on her Twitter. Apparently, those direct messages she received were telling her that she had won a prize.

Rayna went on Twitter and noticed that the messages were sent by BC’s official site.

Three days prior, Jessica took her phone and participated in a lucky draw event held by BC on Twitter. Rayna won a car, so BC was telling her to collect her car from one of their stores within the next fifteen working days.

“What? I won?” Rayna checked the messages three times in a row. That’s my username, and I’ve indeed won a car! With that in mind, she passed her phone to Jessica and said, “Car.”

“What car?” Jessica asked in confusion. She was stunned when she saw the messages on the phone. Upon giving Rayna a tight slap on the shoulder, she exclaimed, “Wow! We won!”

Rayna was rather overwhelmed, too. “I think I’ve used up all my luck on this.”

“Were you born under a lucky star, Nana?” Jessica couldn’t suppress the excitement within her, and she shouted, “Do you have a driving license? Does this mean we won’t need to take the subway anymore?”

“I do, but don’t you think we should sell the car?” Rayna asked. “Although we won the car with my Twitter account, you were the one who participated in the event by sharing the tweet. Technically, you’re the winner.”

Jessica waved her hand dismissively and said, “That doesn’t matter. What matters is that we won! We don’t have to sell the car. Since you have a driving license, let’s just go to work with a car from now on. It’s so tiring to take the subway.”

Rayna smiled and nodded upon hearing that.

When Rayna arrived at work, she bumped into Edith. The latter took a few steps backward, and her expression turned grim instantly. It was as if she was irritated when she saw Rayna.

“Hi, Edith,” Rayna greeted.

Edith snorted and walked past her.

Rayna was unperturbed and went to her desk. Although she had already changed her seat, she still couldn’t shake Jefferson off. When she arrived at her desk, there was a fragrant camellia waiting for her.

Seeing that, Rayna massaged her temples helplessly.

Suddenly, her colleague turned toward her and said, “Rayna, there’s a meeting for the executives later. Be sure to arrive in the conference room at ten.”

“Since it’s a meeting for the executives, why should I go?” Rayna asked in a puzzled tone.

“I’m not sure. I saw the email from the company, and your name was in it.” The colleague then showed Rayna a screenshot of the email and whispered, “The email I told you about was deleted by Edith. Remember to go over, okay? If Edith asks you anything, don’t tell her I told you about it.”

Rayna looked at the screenshot. Indeed, it was an email the company sent out ten minutes prior.

“Okay. Thank you.” Rayna was smart enough to know why the colleague had decided to tell her about the email. I bet she’s just trying to get on my good side because it’s possible that I will be named the new supervisor at the meeting.

Rayna went through some documents and only went to the conference room at nine-forty.

The conference room on the top floor was only for the executives and the shareholders. The others would usually either hold their meetings in the conference room downstairs or in their own respective

departments. Not only were the regular employees not able to get into the conference room on the top floor, but they also needed special access cards to get in.

The moment Rayna exited the elevator, she saw a secretary from the secretarial department waiting for her. The secretary then brought her to the conference room. Before entering the conference room, the secretary had to flash her access card on a machine next to the door.

As soon as the door to the conference room was opened, Rayna could smell the scent of sandalwood in the air. There was an enormous conference table in the conference room of almost a hundred square meters big. The chairs were arranged nicely, and there were notebooks and microphones on the table. Besides, there was a high-grade projection screen on the wall. The walls in the conference room were mainly gray and white. Although the design was minimalistic, it looked elegant.

Rayna was stunned when she saw the conference room.

At times, she would visit her clients’ conference rooms when she was on business trips. I’ve been to countless conference rooms, but nothing beats the one Faymon Group has.

In fact, that was Rayna’s first time stepping into Faymon Group’s conference room for the executives. No wonder everyone wants to get promoted. The treatment the executives get is so much different from what the regular employees get. Everything here is so nice and elegant. Once one has enjoyed this kind of treatment, there’s no going back.

A lot of people were already seated at that conference table before Rayna arrived. Edith was sitting at the right end of the conference table, and she was talking to someone next to her while wearing a sly smile on her face.

Rayna’s entrance attracted everyone’s attention, and Edith was in disbelief when she saw Rayna. What is she doing here? I’ve already deleted the email.

Right then, Rayna asked the secretary, “May I know if I’m allowed to sit anywhere I like, or have I been assigned to a seat?”

“There’s your seat, Ms. Garland.” The secretary pointed to a seat.

Rayna thanked the secretary before walking into the conference room with her eyes looking forward. Eventually, she arrived at a seat opposite Edith and sat down. The chair was made of rattan. Not only was it very comfortable to sit on, but it also had a faint woody fragrance.

 

Chapter 103

Chapter 103 She Handles The Department Of Regulators

“That’s strange for an interpreter like her to join us in this conference room.” The woman next to Edith did not speak too loudly, but her tone was filled with mockery as she asked, “Are we allowing everyone to have a seat here?”

Rayna glanced at that woman and confirmed it was Brooklyn Faymon, Curtis’ cousin.

Brooklyn sounded upset about this arrangement, but so was Rayna.

She told Curtis that she did not want to clean up the mess even if he had to transfer another employee from the Norham branch. Yet, she was requested to join the executive meeting.

“Ms. Faymon, it’s been a while since we last met,” greeted Rayna with a smile. She hated it the most when someone was mocking her like that. It was plain arrogant. “I understand what you mean, especially when there are two of us representing the translation department. I admit I’m far from qualified to have a seat here, but you have to understand a mere employee like me couldn’t refuse to attend the meeting when the boss asked for me through an email. Ms. Faymon, I’m sorry if you feel like my presence is an eyesore to you.”

Brooklyn most probably did not expect Rayna to talk back. Her face darkened instantly.

No one else in the conference room said anything.

Everyone knew why the meeting was held that day. It was to appoint the new supervisor of the translation department. Since this matter had nothing to do with the other departments, they figured they could sit there and watch.

Later, more and more people stepped into the conference room. Soon, it was packed with representatives from different departments, including those who were often on business trips that

Rayna barely saw in the office.

Five minutes before ten o’clock, the door to the conference room was pushed open again. Curtis stepped inside with his secretary, Naomi.

He wore a dark gray suit that day. His tall, muscular figure and sharp features exuded a casual, indifferent, and powerful aura. Each of his movements was accompanied by an icy-cold temperament.

Then, Rayna noticed his necktie.

The brown and black striped tie complemented the tie clip underneath. Rayna could tell at one glance that the tie clip was from Armani, and the necktie looked very familiar. However, she could not recall where she had seen it before.

“Good morning, Mr. Faymon.”

As soon as Curtis stepped inside, the rest immediately stood up and greeted him. Rayna also snapped back to her senses and followed suit.

“All right. Take your seats.” Curtis nodded and sat down. Naomi sat beside him and quickly opened her notebook, looking solemn and professional.

Even when seated, Curtis kept his back straight. His authoritative aura had not decreased a bit. He said, “I’ve gathered everyone here for the meeting today to address the new supervisor for the translation department. Unfortunately, Mr. Lawson passed away unexpectedly, and we only have an acting supervisor now. Still, an acting supervisor is different from the actual supervisor. I wish to hear your opinions about that.”

No one said anything in response to that. It was complete silence inside the conference room.

“We have many capable employees in the translation department, but most are inexperienced.” In the end, Brooklyn finally broke the silence by saying, “The acting supervisor, Edith, is a senior staff in the translation department. I can see that she is serious about her work when I discuss work with her. Hence, I believe most of us will agree to appoint her as the new supervisor for the translation department.”

Curtis tapped his fingers on the desk and hummed in response. “You’re right. Edith has joined Faymon Group for many years, and she’s considered a senior staff in the translation department. We all know she’s competent at work.”

Hearing that, Edith looked delighted, whereas Rayna looked puzzled.

What’s wrong with Uncle Curtis? Does he not know Edith is on Jack’s side? How can we appoint her as the supervisor? Why did he even ask me to join this meeting? Just to join in the fun?

Just when everyone else thought they had confirmed the candidate for the new supervisor, Curtis continued, “She can be a team leader in the department but not the supervisor when she’s yet to display her leadership quality.”

Right then, the door to the conference room was pushed open again. A man in a suit walked in. “Mr. Faymon.”

Curtis nodded and stood up, introducing the man to everyone in the room, “This is Elliot Hopkins, who just transferred from the Yeringham branch. He will be appointed as the new supervisor for the translation department.”

Hearing that, everyone else, including Rayna, was shocked. They most probably did not expect a dark horse. Rayna was especially impressed that Curtis pulled a move no one had expected.

Elliot nodded to everyone else. “I look forward to working with all of you.”

“Mr. Faymon, isn’t this arrangement inappropriate?” After a moment of startle, Brooklyn asked, “Shouldn’t we assess his capability before appointing him? After all, working in the Yeringham branch is very different from working here in the headquarters.”

“I only transferred him here after learning his capabilities.” Curtis smiled calmly. The look in his eyes was unfathomable. “Just like how Mr. Saunders recognizes your ability.”

After catching the hidden meaning behind his words, Brooklyn changed her expression a little.

“Aside from appointing the new supervisor for the translation department, I also have another announcement to make.” Curtis swept a glance across the conference room, and he seemed to have fixed his gaze a little longer on Rayna.

He continued, “We only have one secretarial department in Faymon Group for now, and the workload is too huge for them to handle on their own. Hence, I’ve decided to establish a new department called the Department of Regulators to help them out.”

Everyone’s expression changed when they heard that.

In other words, setting up the Department of Regulators would give that department the right and power to monitor other departments.

Curtis continued as though he did not notice the drastic changes in their expressions and explained, “The Department of Regulators has access to all departments in Faymon Group and handles everything, including tasks at my office. It is equivalent to my right-hand man. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the office, that department represents me, and everything it handles is an order from me.”

“Mr. Faymon, isn’t that… unnecessary?” someone asked. “Setting up the Department of Regulators will give us less privacy. Also, is the board of directors aware of this arrangement?”

Curtis smiled. “The Department of Regulators only focuses on handling things at work instead of your privacy. If they ever do something to invade your privacy, that only means one thing. You must have crossed the line between your work and your private life. Setting up this department is my decision to make. Why should I inform the board of directors about this?”

“Well, the board of directors is to manage—”

Curtis cut them off with his cold voice, asking, “Are you implying that I don’t have the power to set up a department even when I’m the CEO?”

That person immediately fell silent.

In fact, it was unnecessary to bring up the board of directors. The board of directors only had two individuals for now. Alfred, the chairman, had not shown up since he handed the power of Faymon Group to Curtis. He would only turn up if Faymon Group were in a crisis. Meanwhile, the deputy chairman had traveled to Miralaea since Curtis took over Faymon Group and only cared about earning his monthly profit.

Rayna raised her gaze and unexpectedly met Curtis’. His eyes were as dark as ink, reminding her of the scene where he blocked her path in the restroom.

A chill ran down her spine. Rayna had a bad feeling about this.

Don’t tell me…

“Rayna,” Curtis called her out. His tone was emotionless, but there was a glint in his eyes as he continued, “You will be transferred to the new Department of Regulators from the translation department tomorrow onward. Naomi will arrange your office for you. You may choose your staff among Faymon Group’s or other branches’ employees.”

No way! No wonder Uncle Curtis was staring at me weirdly and telling me those things last night. He had planned this!

“W-What? Rayna is being transferred to the Department of Regulators?” Before Rayna could react to that, Edith exclaimed, “How is she capable of working in the Department of Regulators? Also, is she being appointed as the manager? That’s ridiculous.”

At first, Edith thought she would surely be appointed as the supervisor, yet Curtis unexpectedly transferred someone else from another branch. She had yet to recover from that shock, and Curtis made it worse by suddenly appointing Rayna as the manager of a new department.

 

Chapter 104

Chapter 104 Never To Escape

The Department of Regulators was equivalent to Curtis’ right-hand man, and they faced no restrictions within Faymon Group. What right does Rayna have to get this position?

Curtis calmly asked, “Do you have a problem with my decision?”

“Mr. Faymon, Rayna has a bad character, and she doesn’t deserve this position!” Edith was overwhelmed by her emotions, and she cast aside all her worries as she fished out the flash drive from her bag and inserted it into the laptop.

Soon, the video was projected onto the screen. It was a recording of Rayna playing cards with Gavin and the others. The quality of the video was good, and her face was captured perfectly.

“Mr. Gibson, I’m pledging myself for this final round. What are you depositing as security? It wouldn’t be right for you to bet only your money, isn’t it? Oh. You’re here too, Mr. Smith. Do you want to place a bet too? I-I’ll give you very good odds!”

The woman’s coy laughter echoed in the conference room, and Rayna was throwing herself from one man to another, seemingly the perfect example of promiscuity.

A sneer grew on Rayna’s lips.

I knew it. Why would Edith possibly let me go to Plum Blossoms to help Mr. Smith with his business deal? So this was something she and Mr. Smith agreed on. If Curtis didn’t come last night, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to leave even if I had won. How vicious.

Edith then pointed at Rayna and snarled, “Look, Mr. Faymon. Look at what kind of person Rayna has turned into. She was asked to help with Mr. Smith’s business deal, but she tried to seduce the others to get a good deal for herself instead! Someone like her will surely bring trouble to Faymon Group, and

she doesn’t deserve to be the Department of Regulators’ manager. Please think this through, Mr. Faymon.”

Curtis remained quiet.

Rayna knew that his silence was him giving her a chance to deal with her own matter, and indeed, this was a matter she should deal with herself.

Fortunately, she came prepared.

“Edith, it’s wrong of you to try to mislead him.” Rayna chuckled. “You were the one who sent me to help Mr. Smith out with his business discussion. The others in the department heard you too. After the discussion, Mr. Smith insisted on thanking me and forced me to the card room for a game. Why didn’t you release the part where Mr. Smith kept touching me? The three of them were up against me during the game too. So, am I supposed to let them do as they please? That’s funny. You shouldn’t assume that others are as weak as you. I’m only doing that to defend myself. Also, I’m part of Faymon Group, and I represent the company. Am I supposed to sit on my hands and let them put my name on the morning news headlines so that people can humiliate Faymon Group?”

Rayna’s words rendered Edith speechless and made the latter’s face turn bright red.

Edith then turned to Brooklyn with a pleading look.

Noticing that, Brooklyn furrowed her brows, seemingly upset with how weak Edith was. In a cold tone, she uttered, “Rayna, no matter how many excuses you have, we’ve all seen with our own eyes what was in the video. You said you’re doing this for Faymon Group’s sake, but aren’t you ruining Faymon Group’s reputation by acting like this with those men?

“Ms. Faymon, you haven’t even seen the entire video, but you’re already jumping to conclusions?” Rayna chuckled before taking out a flash drive from her document holder. “Let me show you what

ruining Faymon Group’s reputation really means, Ms. Faymon.”

Rayna then leaned over to tap on the keyboard for a while. The projector turned dim but soon lit up again.

She pressed the button to play the video.

The image was of Edith meeting with a man. The two of them then went to a hotel together. After that, Edith went to the other departments to talk to a few others to drive a wedge in their relationship.

The video jumped to another scene where Edith was talking to a rookie in the translation department. Edith then handed the rookie a document to photocopy. After that scene was an image of the news about the collaboration with a regional branch getting leaked to the public.

Edith was frightened to the point she slumped in her chair, her face as white as a sheet.

I was careful every time, but why was I still captured on film? Where did Rayna get these videos?

“You’re too bold. How dare you intervene in the other regional branches?” Brooklyn whipped her head to glare at Edith. She never thought that Edith would be so careless and foolish to be caught.

“I-I…” Edith stammered out, not knowing what she should say in response to that. “I know it’s wrong, and I didn’t mean to do it. This… This is…”

Edith was terrified of losing her job, and she was trying to say something so that her punishment would not be so severe. However, Brooklyn’s gaze darkened, and she slapped Edith. “Shut up! How dare you keep talking after doing something as shameful as this?”

At that, Edith covered her cheek, knowing that she had said the wrong thing.

It was not that she could not say those things but that she did not dare to say those things. If she exposed the involvement of those people, she would be doomed the minute she walked out of Faymon Group’s building.

“Edith, the company can’t keep you around after what you’ve done,” Curtis said indifferently as if he had not seen what Brooklyn had done. “Get your final pay from the finance department tomorrow. Dismissed.”

With that said, Curtis left the conference room before the others.

Just as Rayna came back to her senses, she saw Curtis leaving the room. After packing up her stuff, she hurried after him and managed to stop him before he entered the elevator.

“Mr. Faymon, didn’t we come to an agreement earlier?”

“About what?” he asked, his eyes fixed on the changing numbers on the elevator screen. “You said you didn’t want to take over your supervisor’s position, so I transferred someone over from Yeringham and did not put you in a difficult spot.

“Mr. Faymon, don’t you try to make it sound like you’ve spared me,” Rayna gritted out. “I haven’t taken over my supervisor’s position, but you transferred me to the new Department of Regulators. I told you I only wanted to earn a living and not get involved in any fights. You created this department and transferred me over, and now, everyone knows who I’m working for. This isn’t what we agreed on.”

A half-smile appeared on Curtis’ face, “Ms. Garland, were you not working for me previously?”

The answer was no. She used to work for Faymon Group.

Working for Faymon Group meant that her work was for money. On the other hand, working for Curtis meant that she was on his side. In other words, she was making Jack and the others her enemies, so

her life would not be as smooth-sailing anymore.

Nevertheless, she could not voice her thoughts out loud, for Curtis was still her superior. All she said was, “I’m just a translator, and my head is only filled with languages. I can’t be a manager because I’m not good at managing.”

“Rayna, I’ve seen how excellent you are, and I know what I say isn’t an exaggeration,” Curtis said as he strode over to her.

Instinctively, Rayna stepped back as her limbs turned weak.

However, Curtis only stared at her and did nothing else. “Leaving you in the translation department would be a waste of your talents, and I don’t wish to see a gifted individual like you disappear into the crowd.”

Rayna refuted, “But I would rather disappear into the crowd.”

“Rayna, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what’s going on with Faymon Group,” the man said, his warm breath tickling her cheek. “My men are all in Norham’s branch, and I can’t transfer them back. I need your help.”

His eyes were so dark they felt like a black hole that threatened to suck her in. The two of them were close, and Rayna found goosebumps rising all over her body. She took another step back again and hit the door behind her.

Her heart was racing, and it felt like it was about to leap out of her ribcage.

Every time she interacted with Curtis, Rayna felt like a bunny trapped in a cage. No matter how high she jumped, she could never escape him, and she could only go with his flow.

Darn it!

Chapter 105

Chapter 105 Did She Lose Her Mind

Right then, the elevator doors opened, and the moment Rayna lost her support, she fell backward.

Curtis reached out to grab her.

The man’s fingertips were cold. When he pulled her back into the elevator and allowed her to regain her balance, he considerately let go of her. The entire moment lasted no more than ten seconds.

Still, Rayna had yet to come back to her senses.

After pressing the elevator button, Curtis said, “Ms. Garland, take this as a favor for your supervisor. You said you didn’t believe that your supervisor died in an accident, so bring justice to him.”

I knew it!

Curtis’ words affirmed Rayna’s suspicion. Jonathan was a careful man, so she could not wrap her mind around how he could possibly get a heart attack just because he stayed up late for a few nights.

“Mr. Faymon, you know something, don’t you?” Rayna turned to him.

“My knowledge does not mean I have the capability to resolve this,” Curtis told her, the look in his eyes icy. “I’m sure you know what situation Faymon Group is now in after encountering those incidents in Tyrandas.”

Rayna tightened her fists.

Everyone wanted the large cake named Faymon Group. Furthermore, Curtis was not the biological son of the Faymon family, so the civil war within Faymon Group was even more intense than usual. In the end, the one who ended up exhausted was Curtis.

Rayna then glanced at the man for a little longer. From her angle, she could only see his side profile, as well as how tensed and stone-hearted he was. Somehow, a wave of pity swelled in her heart.

No matter how impressive he is, he’s just a man; he’s no God.

After taking in a deep breath, Rayna quietly said, “All right. I’ll take on this position. I’m not doing this for you or Faymon Group, but Mr. Lawson took good care of me in the past. He was my teacher, and I want to bring justice to him.”

Curtis’ lips curled into a vague semblance of a smile at that.

The elevator soon arrived on the translation department’s floor. When the doors opened, Curtis reached out to Rayna. For a moment, Rayna was distracted by his bony, slender fingers. “Ms. Garland, I look forward to working with you.”

“All right.”

Rayna remained standing by the doorway until the elevator doors closed, her hand he grabbed still warm.

It felt as though Curtis had become far more restrained and considerate after coming back from Tyrandas—like they were strangers. At that very moment, she felt the urge to see the drunk Curtis in the village back then again.

He had been gentle and nice, and he even called her “Sweetheart” in a magnetic voice.

It was a passing thought, but Rayna was shocked by it. Not only did her ears turn red, but a look of embarrassment appeared on her face as well.

Did I lose my mind? Why am I thinking about this? It’s nothing strange for Uncle Curtis to act like a stranger. We weren’t close from the start, anyway.

When Rayna stepped into the translation department, her coworkers swiftly crowded her. They bombarded her with exclamations and questions, and it seemed like they had already found out about the topic for the earlier meeting.

I’ve been honored to receive Mr. Faymon’s trust and have been transferred to the new Department of Regulators,” Rayna told them with a smile. “Nevertheless, we’re all part of Faymon Group, and we’re still coworkers. I’ll come back to visit the translation department whenever I’m free.”

“Rayna, did Mr. Faymon really allow you to pick your own people? Can you pick from our translation department?”

Department of Regulators was akin to Mr. Faymon’s right-hand man, and those who worked in the department would be allowed into any of the departments within Faymon Group. Not even the department managers were allowed to stop them from entering. It was a wondrous role.

“Yes, but the secretarial department will be giving me a list,” Rayna said. “So, at the end of the day, Mr. Faymon’s still the one to pick who works in the department.”

The others were disappointed to hear that.

Fortunately, Rayna was not surrounded by her coworkers for long, for Elliot arrived. He was the new head of the translation department, and he gathered the people to introduce themselves before sending Rayna off.

Rayna did not have many belongings with her, so she only had a box in her arms when she went up to the secretarial department.

Naomi personally led her to the new department.

The Department of Regulators was located two floors below the CEO’s office. The floor was not sectioned off, but a card was needed to enter and exit the place. On the left was the conference room, and on the right was the office.

The workspace was big, and there was a pantry inside as well. Moreover, the office had an attached bathroom, a card room, and a manager’s office. The manager’s office was shielded away with color- changing glass walls, and whenever the manager needed to deal with work matters, they could press a button and make the glass walls foggy. That way, others outside would not be able to see inside the office. A card was also needed to enter the sound-proofed office.

The corner of Rayna’s lips twitched as she listened to Naomi’s introductions. “This is so troublesome.”

And this feels like I’m going to jail.

“The Department of Regulators deals with everything in Faymon Group, so Mr. Faymon thinks of the department as an important entity,” Naomi said before handing a dark blue access card to Rayna. “Ms. Garland, this is the access card, and you can use this to unlock all of the doors in Faymon Group, including your department’s and your office’s. The cards for the employees of this department can only be used to access some of the departments, and they won’t be able to enter your personal office either. If you need any changes to the permissions, please come straight to me.”

Then, Naomi passed Rayna a gold foil stamped card to Rayna. “From now on, your suits will be custom-made by Mr. Eugene. I’ve already informed him of your measurements, so please just tell him what kinds of suits you need. Their studio also custom-makes dresses if you do have the need for those.”

“Thank… you.” Rayna could only blink in a daze as she took the card from Naomi.

Being part of the management level truly isn’t the same as being an ordinary employee.

After putting down her things, and while Rayna was still digesting what had happened earlier in the day, Naomi came again. This time, she was there to send her the list of candidates for the department, as well as some snacks.

“Mr. Faymon said that you’ll be having a tough time from now on, so he asked me to send you some snacks.”

“Please thank Mr. Faymon for me.”

What are you talking about, Captain Obvious? I’d rather have you stop trying to set me up than get anything else, Uncle Curtis!

By the time afternoon came, everyone in Faymon Group had learned about the new Department of Regulators, about how the new department was directly under Curtis and had minimum restrictions, and about how Rayna from the translation department had been transferred to the new department.

Everyone in the company was talking about the matter. They were curious and looking forward to it because everyone, except those in the planning department, wished they could score a role in the new department.

Whenever anyone was summoned for an interview, the others would watch them leave with jealous eyes, praying hard that they would be chosen instead. It was a bustling sight in Faymon Group.

By the time it was the end of working hours, Rayna was exhausted from the long day.

“Ms. Garland.”

“Bye, Ms. Garland.”

Just as she stepped out of the elevator, the passing employees greeted her continuously. Overwhelmed by their greetings, Rayna could only flash them a smile in response.

Shortly after, Jessica came downstairs as well.

“Darn, did you really get transferred to the new Department of Regulators?” Jessica asked as she jogged over to Rayna, a look of shock on her face. “Everyone in my office was talking about this throughout the afternoon!”

Rayna massaged the bridge of her nose and muttered, “Let’s go back before we talk about this.”

When they reached home, Rayna told Jessica what had happened earlier in the day as she cooked. The entire time, Jessica’s jaw hung slack from astonishment.

“How can being a translator mean that your talents are getting wasted?” Jessica blurted out. “I’d say he just wants to transfer you over to deal with the matters for him.”

“I know, but I can’t say no to him,” Rayna answered. “I want to find out the truth behind Mr. Lawson’s death.”

She would not have said yes to Curtis otherwise.

 

 

Chapter 106

Chapter 106 You Caused Me The Greatest Harm

“We’re wading in deep waters this time,” Jessica remarked as she adjusted her glasses. “This department thinks they can do whatever they want in Faymon Group, but its politics are complicated.”

Jessica appeared disgruntled. “Mr. Faymon looks decent. I can’t believe he’s so wicked.”

At this point, Rayna was not too worried. “Well, somebody has to do it. As Mr. Faymon wouldn’t return to the Norham branch, he would be here to keep things together if something goes south.”

“What about the interview? How is that going?”

Rayna pursed her lips. “Their résumés and capabilities looked impressive enough, but Faymon Group has the final say. I merely choose one, and the rest is down to the people in the Yeringham and Horington branches.”

Jessica understood. “It has to be this way as there are eyes everywhere in Faymon Group, who may be spies for Mr. Saunders or Mr. Grant. Those employed for less than two years in the branches wouldn’t even have the opportunity to come in contact with either of them.”

That was the end of the subject with nothing left to discuss.

“Is your brother controlling, Nana?” Jessica asked Nana after a while.

Rayna giggled. “What about him?”

“As soon as he heard that you recommended me and that we live together, he couldn’t stop asking about you and if you were being treated well. He even asked me to take you out often and away from work.”

“My parents divorced when we were young, so I basically raised him,” Rayna explained. “That is why he’s attached to me, which I do not mind. You should have more conversations with him about things other than me.”

Jessica was taken aback. “I’m sorry, Nana. I didn’t know.”

Rayna thought she was making it a bigger deal than it was. “Nothing to apologize for. It’s only natural that they would go their separate ways since things weren’t working out for them. All right, let’s eat.”

“Let’s. I’ll bring the food.”

Though Rayna claimed that her parent’s divorce did not bother her, the memories often overwhelmed her in her sleep.

Look at yourself. What good are you, aside from giving birth and cleaning the house? My business has failed. What help have you been? My biggest regret in life is marrying a woman as useless as you!

The man’s brutal words echoed in the darkness as if they were uttered beside her ear.

Rayna did not dare close her eyes because she would see her mother’s tear-streaked, helpless face when she did.

Sometimes she hated the man for how he blamed his entrepreneurial failures on her mother. She also resented how weak her mother was to stay doggedly by his side despite the beating and scolding endured.

Only after their inevitable divorce did Linda take on the burden of raising her newborn brother alone. Because of that, Rayna understood why her mother did not want a divorce. She was afraid of doing it all alone.

Thankfully, they somehow managed.

Rayna saw the sparkling diamond castle when she turned around, which comforted the unease in her heart. She gazed at it until she fell asleep.

She sincerely hoped that the man would grow old and die alone.

Over the coming week, Rayna personally visited the Yeringham and Horington branches, documents in hand, to select the candidates.

At the conclusion of the final interview, she rose from her seat.

Rayna extended a cordial hand to the young woman before her. “Your résumé and abilities are most impressive, and I think you would be a good fit for the Department of Regulators here at Faymon Group. Welcome aboard!”

The young woman was pleasantly surprised and hastened to accept the handshake. “Thank you for the opportunity, Ms. Garland.”

Rayna had selected three candidates from the Yeringham branch and two from the Horington branch; this young woman was the last one. As all the slots were filled, Rayna departed after the interviews.

Coincidentally, she ran into Julian at the lobby downstairs.

“Rayna.”

Julian regarded the woman before him with a complicated gaze.

Her custom-made gray suit accentuated her perfect figure, and her jet-black hair was done up neatly. With one hand in her pocket, the tall and fierce woman’s elite professionalism caused his eyes to gleam with surprise.

It had only been a month since the couple’s divorce, and she looked like a different person. Her presence was so magnetic that he did not dare look directly at her.

“Mr. Faymon.” Rayna inclined her head without correcting his greeting.

Having been married to Julian for a year, she had enough affection for him to admit she felt something upon running into him post-divorce. Her heart still twinged with pain.

As Rayna was about to walk around him, Julian instinctively blocked her path. “I’d been meaning to visit you in Norwal City. Let’s have a chat since you’re here.”

Rayna laughed. “What do we have to talk about?”

“I would like to apologize to you. Can we talk, please?” Julian said, with a much better attitude than before.

Rayna glanced at her watch. Worried about how Julian’s insistence on her company would look to the other employees, she grunted her assent and promptly left the office building to make her way to the cafe next door.

Julian followed her in.

“One latte and one hot cocoa, thank you,” he said without even looking at the menu to the waiter approaching their table.

He remembers what I like.

Rayna gazed across the table at Julian without a word.

Soon, the coffee arrived. Aromatic steam billowing from the cups filled the air between them.

Rayna took a sip and leaned back. “Speak your mind, Mr. Faymon.”

“I heard Uncle Curtis set up a Department of Regulators and made you its manager,” Julian said with a frown. “You shouldn’t take the job as it’s not something good.”

Rayna chuckled. “Are you showing concern for me?”

Julian filled me with sweet nothings before our divorce. Why is he showing concern for me now?

“The Faymon family is more complicated than you imagine,” Julian said. “You know as well as I do that Uncle Curtis is not related to the Faymon family by blood, which incurred the ire of the rest of the family when Grandpa left Faymon Group to him.”

After a pause, he continued, “We were once husband and wife, after all. I’m just worried that harm would come to you.”

He had been in a difficult position in Horington, especially since helping the rest of the Faymon family. Curtis would have left him stranded somewhere to his own devices if it was not for his last name.

It was only after divorcing Rayna did he come to regret that decision.

Upon recollecting their time together, he could not find anything wrong with Rayna aside from the fact that they could not share a bed. Besides, the fact that she was now glowing made him feel like he had thrown away something precious.

“You have caused me the greatest harm, Julian,” Rayna said with an impassive gaze at him.

Julian flushed with shame, aware of what she was referring to.

Rayna, on the other hand, remained imperturbed. “Did you know I was in Tyrandas when you called that night? Who told you that? Sienna? Is that who you’ve been helping?” she asked Julian, recalling

the phone conversation in Tyrandas.

“No,” Julian asserted, though he seemed reluctant to reveal who it was he helped. “Faymon Group will be bound for trouble soon. You’ll implicate yourself if you help Uncle Curtis.”

Rayna pursed her lips and scrutinized the man before her. She felt as if she no longer knew him.

Before their divorce, he told lies after lies like it was second nature and even tried to ruin her reputation with his mistress. It was ludicrous for him to show concern for her now.

Could this be what people mean about regret after a divorce?

 

Chapter 107

Chapter 107 She Will Join Our Family

“Thank you for the concern, Mr. Faymon, but I’m capable of handling my matters.” Rayna got up from the chair and placed a bill underneath the coffee cup. “This latte is on me.”

With that, she left swiftly.

Julian watched her leave, not getting up from his chair even though he wanted to run after her.

The truth was, he was not a heartless person. He just got bored when nothing happened between him and Rayna after being together for so long. However, he came to his senses as soon as he cheated and regretted his actions.

The man who went looking for Julian at the hospital and urged him to sign the divorce papers once said, “You’re an idiot for not appreciating a smart and capable woman like her.”

Julian finally understood the man’s words.

I’m an idiot.

After stepping out of the cafe, Rayna called for a cab and returned to Norwal City.

Her encounter with Julian and his words of concern left her feeling so frustrated that she went to the mall instead of returning to the office.

When she arrived at COCO to get a cup of milkshake, she heard someone calling out her name, which made her turn around, only to realize it was the old man she had met at the Armani store.

The man was dressed in a casual outfit, looking energetic.

Rayna was surprised, but she quickly put on a smile and asked, “Is that you, Mister? What a coincidence! Are you here for a cup of milkshake, too?”

“Yes. The one you recommended last time was delicious,” said Alfred with a grin. In fact, he had been visiting the store every few days to see if he could bump into Rayna there.

All that waiting had finally paid off.

“Yes, it is, but it has too much sugar. I think you should stop buying it. I have an idea. Please wait for me here.” With that, Rayna walked off.

Meanwhile, Alfred remained at his spot, having no intention of leaving.

Not long after, his butler returned from purchasing the things Alfred needed. “Let’s go, Old Mr. Faymon. I’ve gotten all the things.”

However, Alfred waved his hand dismissively. “You can go first. I’ll hang out here a little longer and go home on my own later.”

It was a hot and sunny day. The butler feared Curtis would give the butlers a terrible punishment if Alfred had a heatstroke outside. “No, no. I should stay with you. Are you waiting for someone or—”

“You’re really annoying. Why do you talk so much? Can’t I have some time alone? Just wait for me in the car!” Alfred glared at the butler, looking extremely displeased.

The butler was rendered speechless.

Seeing Rayna approaching with a bag in her hand, Alfred instructed the butler sternly, “Wait for me in the car. I’ll go over when I’m ready. Go quickly!”

When the butler realized Alfred was mad, the former scurried away with the bags of goods.

As soon as the butler was gone, Rayna arrived before Alfred, who asked, “What did you get?”

“There’s a café on the fifth floor, so I bought some coffee beans.” As she was speaking, she retrieved a thermos from the bag. The moment she opened the cover, the aroma of coffee permeated the air. “This is freshly brewed coffee from the store.”

Alfred was touched.

This young girl is so likable. We barely know each other and have only met twice. Yet, she’s telling me having a high sugar intake is bad for someone at my age. She even bought me coffee. What a thoughtful child.

Alfred could not help but sigh. “You’re so kind and thoughtful, unlike that son of mine, who only cares about his work. What’s he going to do with all that money when I’m dead? Build me a golden pyramid?”

Rayna chuckled at his words. “He probably just wants to let you live a better life. Besides, you look as fit as a fiddle. I’m sure you’ll live for another forty years, at least.”

Alfred laughed heartily. He was beginning to like her even more.

Since Rayna had no plans, she decided to keep Alfred company, chatting happily as they walked around the mall. Not long after, she realized it was dinnertime. Hence, she took Alfred to Divine Stews, a stew restaurant on the fifth floor.

The restaurant was filled with a delicious aroma and had customers happily chatting away, creating a lively atmosphere.

Alfred had had his fair share of stews at home before, but they were always on the healthy end. Thus, it was his first time eating a spicy version. In fact, his forehead was gleaming in sweat after he had taken a few mouthfuls.

Giving her a thumbs up, Alfred said, “The beef tastes amazing. It’s delicious!”

“Really?”

The sight of Alfred enjoying his food put a smile on Rayna’s face.

Rayna never had the chance to spend time with her grandparents because they died when she was young. Hence, she was extremely kind and warm to any good-natured elder. And since death was something inevitable for the elderly like Alfred, seeing him happily enjoying his food was all that mattered to Rayna.

As if sensing Rayna’s troubled thoughts, Alfred said, “You can tell me your worries if you find me trustworthy. Perhaps I could give you some suggestions.”

Rayna hesitated for a moment before uttering with a sigh, “It’s nothing. It’s just company matters.”

With that, she roughly recounted the story of being transferred to another department, the company’s complicated structure, and how she had no choice but to complete the most important task given by the boss.

Despite how short the recount was, Alfred understood where the problem lay.

He said, “You’re obviously not an ambitious person. That’s why you find your job difficult after the transfer. The truth is that conflict is part and parcel of large organizations, especially in listed companies where the competition is more intense. Employees at the base of the hierarchy only care about their salary. Who the leaders are and what are the company’s plans are none of their business. Meanwhile, those on the higher levels of the hierarchy have the power to intervene. Money and power are highly coveted things. In fact, no one in their right mind would refuse them. That’s why many problems arise. Since your boss assigned the most important task to you, that means he trusts you.”

Rayna raised her brow at his explanation.

Really? Curtis chose me because he trusts me?

Alfred smiled. “No matter how messed up the company is, you only need to ask if you’ve chosen the right person to work for and whether he deserves you working for him based on his actions. On top of that, you’ll also have to consider if he has your back when something happens.”

Rayna lowered her head to think about it. Suddenly, she came to an understanding, and she smiled. “Your words have given me great insight. I know what to do now. Thank you.”

Alfred chuckled. “Tsk. Why are you being so polite? I should be the one thanking you for giving me coffee beans and treating me to a meal. Besides, it’s only natural for me to know so much when I’m this old. Anyway, can we order another portion?”

Rayna rejected, “No way. You’ve already eaten three portions. It’ll be harmful to your body if you eat too much of it.”

Hearing that, Alfred pouted and grumbled, “You youngsters are always like this—always stopping me from eating this and that. I’m already so old, yet I don’t get to enjoy my food to the fullest.”

“Why don’t you have some carrot? It’s nutritious.”

After eating some vegetables, Alfred asked with a grin, “Young lady, do you have a boyfriend?”

“No, but I’ve only just gotten a divorce.”

The news surprised Alfred. “You’re divorced? Who is this blind idiot? How could he not want a great person like you? It’s a good thing you’re divorced, though. You can consider my son. He’s not bad. Besides, he’s tall and strong.”

While saying that, he fumbled around his pocket for his phone, wanting to show Rayna some pictures of Curtis.

Rayna chuckled.

Elderly people are all the same. They’re always worried about their children’s marriage.

Rayna could not bear to refuse Alfred when she saw how enthusiastic he looked. Thus, she said, “I’m a little busy these days. Why don’t we text through WhatsApp? We can talk about this when I have more time.”

“Sounds good.”

Alfred, too, realized he was being too hasty. After all, he had only met Rayna twice. He was lucky that she did not think of him as someone suspicious after everything he had said. Finally, they saved each other’s contacts.

Once he had gotten her contact, he saved her number as “daughter-in-law.”

Alfred was rather confident in Curtis’ looks and capabilities. I’m sure this young lady will join our family as long as Curtis puts in a little effort.

Just as Alfred was thinking about that, Curtis called.

Chapter 108

Chapter 108 Get To Know Each Other Better

As soon as the call connected, Curtis asked, “Dad, are you still at Obelisk Mall? I can pick you up since I’m passing by the area.”

Alfred was delighted to hear that.

What perfect timing for them to meet!

“Sure. Come to Divine Stews on the fifth floor. I’m having stew here.” With that, Alfred hung up.

“Is that your son?” asked Rayna.

“Yes. He said he was passing by the area. What perfect timing, huh? You two can meet and make friends. I can even get him to send you home later, too,” said Alfred while chuckling happily.

Oh no. I never wanted to meet his son in the first place. I can’t believe he’s coming just when I’ve gotten this man’s contact. This is so awkward.

“Mister, please carry on eating. I need to go to the restroom.” To avoid the awkward situation, Rayna came up with an excuse to go to the restroom to pay the bill and flee the restaurant.

Before leaving, she even informed the server to relay the news to Alfred.

Not long after she had left, the server approached Alfred’s table—table number twenty-three—and informed him politely, “Mister, your friend left because she had some matters to attend to. She has told me to apologize on her behalf.”

“She’s gone?” Alfred sighed while gazing at the entrance.

There goes my daughter-in-law…

Rayna had just gotten onto the escalator when the elevator door opened to reveal Curtis’ figure. However, he headed straight for Divine Stews without noticing Rayna.

Thanks to the small restaurant area and his height, Curtis immediately spotted Alfred sitting by the window with just one glance.

“Hey, Dad.” Upon arriving at the table, he furrowed his brows at the sight of the spicy stew. “You should cut down on these in the future. They are gastric-inducive.”

Alfred huffed angrily, “Tsk. What do you mean, cut down? You’re just as naggy as the butler. What’s so wrong about having good food when I only have a few years left to live? Fine. I’ll just have water then!”

Massaging his temples, Curtis muttered, “That’s not what I mean.”

The mere thought of what happened earlier infuriated Alfred, and he reprimanded, “I never would’ve answered your call if I knew this was going to happen. And now, my daughter-in-law is gone.”

Curtis was befuddled.

“I say, why didn’t you text me using WhatsApp instead?”

Still, Curtis said nothing.

“Why are you just standing there? Just look at yourself. You’re tall and strong. Your only flaw is that you’re too insensitive. Do you know how hard it is to meet a clever and capable woman these days? Ugh. This is so frustrating.”

Knowing Alfred was angry, Curtis patiently pulled out a chair, sat down, and listened to the former’s complaints in silence.

All Curtis heard was something about Alfred finally meeting the daughter-in-law after waiting for two weeks. According to Alfred, the woman was smart and thoughtful. She even chatted and had a meal with him. Just when everything was going well, Curtis ruined it.

It was then that Curtis finally came to a realization. He asked, “Is she the woman who helped you pick the tie?”

“Yes. She’s such a thoughtful darling. Tsk. My life is so terrible. Not only do I not have a daughter, but I also have to worry about your marriage when I’m already so old,” Alfred complained with a sigh.

Curtis could not help but laugh. “If you really want to know who she is, I can just check the surveillance footage. Then you can find an excuse and get her to chat with you.”

Upon hearing that suggestion, Alfred shot Curtis a glare. “Is that all you know? What if you frighten her?”

“Dad, I’m glad that there’s someone who can keep you company, but I don’t know her personally. It’s not safe. Besides, I’ve found you a daughter-in-law,” said Curtis.

Alfred was about to give Curtis Rayna’s contact when he heard Curtis’ words. The former stopped scrolling the phone and asked, “There’s someone you like?”

“Yes. I’ll introduce her to you in a few days.”

“Do you really like her, or are you just trying to make me stop nagging at you?” A wave of disappointment flooded Alfred’s heart when he saw Curtis nodding firmly. The latter did not seem to be lying. Regardless, Alfred put his phone down.

He thought Rayna was not bad, for she was smart and thoughtful. However, he could no longer be involved now that Curtis said he liked someone.

Ah… What a pity. There goes a couple that is a match made in heaven.

After listening to Alfred in Divine Stews that night, Rayna felt as if she was enlightened, and she knew what she had to do. She made swift and decisive actions the moment she returned to the company.

Soon, the five employees transferred from Yeringham’s and Horington’s branch offices had reported for duty in Faymon Group. As soon as they stepped into the Department of Regulators, Rayna assigned them a task, each with a deadline.

Hence, in the next few days, everyone in Faymon Group could see several well-dressed men rushing out of each department with a mountain of documents in their arms.

“Are they from the Department of Regulators? What are they doing?”

“It scares me to see how fast they’re walking around the company.”

Meanwhile, the originally empty cupboards in one of the managers’ offices were filled with countless documents. Even the table was filled with them.

In the office sat Rayna, who was flipping through the documents with her brain whirring at warp speed.

She studied translation for professional purposes. Though she learned some financial knowledge, the exposure was not enough. Thus, it was clearly stressful for her when she was suddenly transferred to another department and assigned to deal with everything in Faymon Group.

There were too many documents and complicated jargon she did not understand. In fact, she was on the verge of tears during the first two days. She had to consult Curtis directly regarding many matters and discuss them even in the middle of the night.

Thankfully, the people she hired were amazing; they helped to reduce much of her burden.

“Ms. Garland.” One of her coworkers knocked on the glass door and walked in, reporting, “Some of the secretarial department’s electronic documents are password protected. We can’t access them.”

Rayna asked, “Didn’t you tell them the Department of Regulators is investigating some matters?”

“I did, but they claim not to know the passwords to old documents. I’ve also talked to Ms. Gardner about this, but she says she has no access, too.”

Rayna frowned.

How could the secretarial department not know the password to their documents? Are they hiding something?

She did not dare to delay the matter any longer for fear of the other party destroying the documents once they found out the secretarial department was being investigated. Hence, she texted Curtis through WhatsApp to ask for backup.

In response, Curtis sent her a contact number without hesitation.

As soon as she added the contact, the other party sent her a text: Hello, miss. Can we get to know each other better?

Rayna was rendered speechless.

Swallowing her impatience, she revealed her name, position in the company, and her work relationship with Curtis. The contact immediately stopped messing around and replied: Please let me know what you need me to look into. I’m great at it.

He then requested Rayna turn on the remote controlling function on her computer, which Rayna obeyed.

Soon, Rayna was logged into the secretarial department using her company account, and the password-protected documents could be seen. With that, the man started keying in the passwords.

Upon seeing the words “incorrect password” that kept popping up, Rayna could not help but twitch her lips. Just as she was doubting the person Curtis introduced, the password was cracked.

This person is actually not bad.

Following that, Rayna regained control of the computer and inserted the flash drive into the computer. Right after she had transferred the files, she was kicked out of the system, and the computer shut down by itself.

Seeing that, Rayna hurriedly ejected the flash drive with sweaty palms.

I knew it. Password-protected documents aren’t that easy. The opponent must have a spy in the secretarial department. Thank goodness I was fast enough to get back up from Curtis. If not, everything would’ve been gone.

With that done, Rayna pushed the door open and said to her coworkers who were busy at work, “Whenever you find a password-protected document in the future, you must inform me immediately, no matter which department it’s from. Do not waste any time, understood?”

 

 

Chapter 109

Chapter 109 Uncle Curtis Will Take Responsibility

“Understood!”

Immediately, the Department of Regulators got busy. All of them worked late into the night to check every document in case the documents disappeared if they were one step too late. Sometimes, they would even sleep in the company.

However, their meals were taken care of by a small catering team. In fact, the team was at the employees’ service at all times. Anyone from the Department of Regulators only needed to make a call, and the food would be delivered within ten to fifteen minutes.

Thus, everyone in the Department of Regulators could not help but feel touched. Though they were tired, they were still well taken care of.

After looking through some documents, Rayna began to tremble in fear.

At first, she thought Faymon Group was just a complex organization. To her surprise, corruption was already happening among the company’s leaders. The amount involved in those transactions was tremendous.

No wonder Curtis wants to stay in Norwal City and establish the Department of Regulators rather than going to Norham’s branch. Faymon Group is going to be doomed if this isn’t dealt with.

Nonetheless, Curtis was unbothered when Rayna showed him the documents. All he said was, “Ms. Garland, I’m sure I’ve made myself very clear. The Department of Regulators is free to take matters into its own hands. There’s no need to report to me.”

His words rendered Rayna speechless.

What the h*ll? That means he’s turning our department into everyone’s enemy!

Regardless, there was no room for Rayna to make bargains. Given no choice, Rayna had to steel herself and deal with the matter. In less than one week, over sixty employees, including those with managerial roles, were fired.

Everyone in Faymon Group were panicking.

After all, everyone who was hired had to go through many stages of the selection process. Especially the executives, who took a long time to get to the top of the hierarchy. It was their first time witnessing Faymon Group firing so many people at one go.

Rayna said nothing in response to the private discussions and reprimands of the dismissed employees. Instead, she presented the relevant documents, which soon shut them up.

Those who were fired had either been involved in corruption or sold the company’s secrets. They were considered lucky for still being alive after all the crimes they committed against Faymon Group.

When the tough part was done, Rayna could finally relax.

She knew everyone in the department had been working hard the entire time. Hence, she rewarded them based on the company’s double-shifting system. They were given a week of paid leave, and if they were to go on trips, the company would pay for it. The employees from the other departments were extremely jealous when they found out about it.

Jessica was no exception. “Nana, your department is the best. You even get reimbursed if you go on holiday. Oh my goodness! It must be totally worth it to stay in luxury hotels. Is your department still recruiting people? I’d love to join.”

“Well, Mr. Faymon gave me the freedom to do as I see fit. Naturally, the people in my department need a rest after working hard for so long. I think you should stay put in the planning department. It’s too tiring over here,” advised Rayna.

Jessica sighed. “I’m still jealous of you guys.”

Rayna and Jessica were just exiting the company’s lobby when they bumped into Jack’s group.

“Hello, Mr. Saunders,” Rayna greeted politely, causing Jack to pause in his tracks. He did not look like someone who was in his fifties. He had a perfect posture, a domineering aura, and a pair of sharp eyes that were fixed on Rayna as if he was looking for something.

Finally, Jack uttered arrogantly, “Oh, it’s you, Ms. Garland. Well, well. You’re quite bold for firing over sixty people in a couple of days. Everyone in the company knows who you are now.”

Rayna merely responded politely, “I’m just doing my job for Faymon Group.”

Scoffing, Jack repeated, “For Faymon Group? I think it should be Mr. Faymon instead. No wonder everything was smooth sailing for you. You guys could even enter my office to look at my documents. Hmph. What are you up to? Are you guys going to fire me next?”

“You’re overreacting, Mr. Saunders. We’re looking into every department in Faymon Group, not just yours. Anyway, I’m just an employee. You can just tell me if I’ve done anything wrong. If you think I’m invading your privacy, I can get Mr. Faymon to check your office next time,” suggested Rayna.

“Are you threatening me?” Jack raised his voice, his face turning purple with rage.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare to.”

Just then, Jack’s secretary stepped up and said, “Mr. Saunders, let’s head upstairs first. Everyone’s waiting for us.”

In the end, Jack shot Rayna a glare before storming off.

It was only when Jack’s group had walked further away that Jessica finally spoke. “That’s Mr. Saunders? It looks like he’s not someone to be trifled with. Did you see his eyes? They were like inverted triangles. People like him are vicious and cunning. He looks well and truly mad. Be careful, Nana. I can’t imagine what he’ll do to you.”

Rayna only smiled in response.

She had nothing to be afraid of. After all, Curtis was her boss; he would take responsibility if anything happened.

After a week of hard work, the weekend had finally come. Rayna, too, wanted to get some rest. Unfortunately, BC’s headquarters called, urging her to claim her car or the prize would be annulled.

Thus, she dragged Jessica along to BC’s auto sales in Norwal City to pick up the car early that morning.

Rayna was asked to present her Twitter account and ID card to the salesperson before being brought over to view her car. The new model had four colors, and she was allowed to choose either one.

Hearing that, Rayna chose black. Once the papers were completed and fuel was added, Rayna was free to drive the car away.

She did not have to worry a single thing about the process. Even the car plate was settled by the car company.

Jessica sighed in admiration as she sat comfortably in the passenger seat. “How nice. You don’t have to get squished in the subway anymore.”

“Well, I’ll still get into traffic jams during peak hours.” While saying that, Rayna tapped on her phone to check the time. “I haven’t visited home in a while. Why don’t we go to my house for lunch?”

That suggestion filled Jessica with excitement. “Sure! I want to try your mom’s cooking. I’m sure her food tastes amazing. Do you want to ask if your brother’s on holiday? I can meet him as well.”

Rayna giggled. “You two seem to be getting along well.”

Hence, she dialed James’ number.

Since a person’s voice sounded different on the speakers, Jessica did not realize Rayna’s brother was the youngster she had met twice in the elevator.

Coincidentally, James was on leave that day, so Rayna asked him for his location to pick him up.

When the call ended, Jessica asked hurriedly, “How do I look today? Am I pretty?”

“Very. You look like an angel from heaven.”

“Oh, please. You’re flattering me.” Jessica covered her face, looking shy.

With that, Rayna started driving while following the directions to James’ location. Just as they passed through a tunnel, Jessica’s phone rang.

When the call ended, Jessica said with a troubled look, “Looks like I can’t visit your house today. My aunt is summoning me to have a meal at their place. Apparently, my uncle is back from his business trip at Faulkay.”

“It’s okay. You hadn’t visited your aunt’s place when you came here, anyway,” Rayna commented, understanding Jessica’s situation. Thus, Rayna keyed the location into her phone and sent Jessica to her aunt’s before picking James up.

Twenty minutes later, Rayna arrived at the location and spotted James, who was leaning against the billboard. He wore a gray, short-sleeved shirt and a pair of cargo pants. Thanks to his tall figure and handsome features, the surrounding women could not help but glance at him occasionally.

Rolling down the window, Rayna teased, “Hey, Mr. Handsome. Do you want to hitch a ride?”

James glanced briefly at the car before walking over with pursed lips. Meanwhile, the women who were about to talk to him gaped in surprise, shocked by the fact that James was actually leaving with Rayna.

“It’s a blessing to be good-looking. You’re welcome wherever you go. Oh, well. It looks like I don’t have to worry about your marriage in the future.” Rayna could not help but chuckle as she glanced at those gaping women through the rear mirror.

James, on the other hand, was not bothered by her teasing. Rather, he asked, “Rayna, did you buy a car?”

 

Chapter 110

Chapter 110 Couple Outfits

“No, I got it in a lucky draw.”

After relating the matter to him, Rayna paused briefly before continuing, “Initially, Jessie wanted to come along with me, but her aunt called her halfway, so I had to send her back.”

James heaved a sigh of relief.

Luckily, she didn’t come. I only spoke to her on Rayna’s account, and I’m not interested at all. On top of that…

While he was lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang. The sight of the familiar number that had called countless times over the last few days caused him to turn off his phone with a frown.

“Why aren’t you answering?” Rayna caught a glimpse of his phone by coincidence. When she saw the caller ID flashing “Princess,” she was immediately upset. “Didn’t you claim that you’re not in a relationship? Why are you hiding it from me?”

“It’s not. It’s just a friend.”

“Since when did you have a friend called ‘Princess?’“ Rayna was clearly skeptical.

Wearing a grim expression, James explained, “She took my phone and insisted on typing in her own caller ID. I simply forgot to change it.”

With that, he took out his phone and deleted Kristie’s number.

Having heard his response, Rayna didn’t question him further. Instead, she advised, “If there’s someone you like, you had better let me know and clear the air with Jessie. Otherwise, juggling

multiple girls at once will make you a jerk, while I, too, will be just as guilty. I find Jessie to be a nice girl. That’s why I introduced her to you.”

James scratched his nose. “Rayna, you don’t have to worry about me. I have no intention of getting into a relationship.”

“I’m not pressuring you into one. It’s nothing more than a chat.”

James was stumped.

What difference does it make?

After that, Rayna drove to the market to purchase some fruits and crabs before heading to Linda’s house.

She had given Linda advance notice of their visit in the morning. Thus, the latter had already boiled her special duck broth. However, surprised that James was coming back too, she swiftly whipped up a few more dishes.

Due to her bad back, she would feel sore after bending it for a long time. Hence, Rayna helped her to the couch to rest before returning to the kitchen to take over. However, she walked in to find James already at the helm.

He had finished up the smorgasbord of food, including the duck broth and steamed crabs.

Upon tasting the food, Rayna realized her brother was a significantly better cook than she was. She commented saltily, “Both of us learned how to cook from Mom, so why does your cooking taste better than mine?”

“I practiced a lot when I was bored in school,” James explained, as the school food wasn’t up to his taste. Fortunately, his excellent academic results provided him the privilege of staying in a single room

where he could do so.

His response triggered a look of concern from Linda. Pinching him all over, she was concerned that he wasn’t eating well enough. “Why don’t I pack some pickled food for you to bring back there? You can snack on them when you’re hungry.”

“There’s really no need,” James rejected her, for he wasn’t allowed to bring them in even if he wanted to.

“Good. Mom, you can give them all to me.” Worried that James would want to fight her for it, Rayna added, “Your pickled vegetables are really appetizing. Even my flatmate loves it!”

“All right. I’ve also prepared some sweet soup which you can bring back with you.”

After lunch, Linda proceeded to pack the sweet soup for her children. While sending them off, she even reminded James to behave and not get into fights in school.

Nonetheless, James remained silent, with Linda nagging in the background.

It wasn’t until they were back in the car that James suggested, “Rayna, the scholarship I received this year is pretty generous. As Mom’s house is becoming run down and far from where you are, why don’t we find her someplace nearer?”

As a scholarship recipient in the past, Rayna was cognizant that it would not amount to much. Hence, she inquired with a smile, “How much did you receive?”

“More than two million.”

“Have you made a mistake?” She—almost choking on her own saliva—gave him a look of shock. “How can that broke boarding school of yours afford such a generous scholarship?”

In truth, their school wasn’t poor, just stingy. Nevertheless, his money came from his “part-time” job.

Grunting in acknowledgment, James explained, “That’s because I was placed top five in school and won an award for a research project. That’s why they gave me so much.”

“Well done! You’re doing better than I did back then,” Rayna lamented. It wasn’t lost upon her how smart James was when he was young, especially compared to Roxanne.

From the looks of it, all three of them were reasonably successful. At the very least, none turned out to be a failure.

Given that she had millions in assets which included the two houses from Simon and Gavin alongside a stake in Gavin’s company, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to call her rich.

Therefore, faced with how filial James was, she didn’t object to his idea as she drove him to the city to go property hunting together.

At most, she would cover the difference if he came up short.

Coincidentally, there was an event going on at the property developer’s office. Crowds thronged its lobby since it was also the weekend, while the development scale model was surrounded by people on all sides.

When one of the salespersons saw Rayna and James enter, she came forward to greet them. “Hello, how may I help you?”

“We’re looking for a property.”

After checking with Rayna about her requirements, the salesperson ushered both of them to the western corner of the scale model and began recommending one of the residential areas there.

The floor and layout of the unit were acceptable, whereas the development was located close to where Rayna was staying.

Satisfied with the unit, Rayna asked, “James, what do you think?”

“Looks good. There’s a library and movie theater within the neighborhood too. Mom won’t be bored living there.” As the place had a lot of privacy, James, too, was happy with it, leading him to inquire about the price.

“Nine million eight hundred and sixty thousand as of now.”

James was bereft of words.

What does she mean by “as of now?” Is the price still going to change?

A sudden sense of disappointment crept into James when he realized the two million he had didn’t even come close to the amount needed.

“For such a big space that contains four bedrooms, three halls, and four bathrooms, I can’t complain about the price.” Rayna wasn’t surprised. Since it was a smart development located in the city center, there was no way it was going to be cheap.

James scratched his nose in response. “Rayna, why don’t we take a look someplace else? I’m sure there are other developments around this area.”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Rayna broke into a gentle smile, cognizant that James found the unit too expensive and was reluctant to accept her help. Since it was the weekend and they had nothing better to do, she was happy to spend their day property hunting.

Little did she expect Curtis and Kristie to also be present.

Curtis was there to buy property, while Kristie insisted on tagging along out of curiosity. More importantly, she was frustrated by Curtis’ refusal to tell her the reason for his purchase despite her asking.

Ever since he returned from Tyrandas, Curtis’ attitude toward her drastically dampened. Whenever she invited him out for a meal, he would decline and urge her to focus on her acting, as if he was trying to avoid her.

I’ve already admitted my mistake and been punished accordingly, so why is he giving me the cold shoulder still?

With frustration welling up inside her, Kristie whipped out her phone to make a call. When it was unsurprisingly ended again, she stomped her feet and felt the urge to scream.

Ever since Gray Wolf quit, he refused to take my calls no matter what. This is ridiculous! Does he think I’m not paying him enough? How can he leave just like that?

“I think this is a decent unit…”

Suddenly, Kristie heard a faint yet familiar voice rings out behind her. She subsequently realized that it was Rayna who was also checking out the property development. Standing beside her was a tall young man.

Rayna was dressed in a gray knitted skirt and walking in a pair of black Nike shoes. The youth beside her was wearing a short sleeve shirt of a similar color. With him being two heads taller than her, both of them could’ve been easily mistaken for a couple.

However, when the young man turned his head, allowing his side profile to come into view, her eyes widened in surprise.

Gray Wolf!