Ch. 131..140
Chapter 131
Chapter 131 Alfred As A Salesperson
Perhaps Rayna was too intimidating, for Kristie was shocked senseless. She stammered for some time but couldn’t form a complete sentence. Seeing that, Rayna refused to waste time talking to her and left.
Kristie only regained her senses when Rayna’s car disappeared from sight. Recalling how she was frightened by Rayna, she screamed and stomped her feet in frustration.
I wanted to assert my dominance over Rayna. Why did I end up being bullied by her? This is outrageous!
Under Rayna’s orders, a few reporters released news regarding Romeo Wilde from Fennbridge. In just a few hours, it created an uproar online.
Before Fennbridge’s Public Relations Department could contact the reporters to suppress the news, the government officials showed up at Fennbridge to arrest Romeo. The reporters snapped photos of him getting taken away outside the building, causing Fennbridge to be pushed to the eye of the storm. As a result, Fennbridge’s share prices dropped drastically and hit their limit down on the third day.
After the public focused their attention on Fennbridge’s matter, Faymon Group made a silent exit. The higher-ups flew to a small county to participate in charity events to stabilize their share prices.
Perhaps Kristie realized that Faymon Group was more important after getting chided by Rayna that night. When she was promoting her new film, she announced that she would participate in filming a documentary about children growing up in the mountains without receiving any pay. Her team took the chance to publicize the fact that she donated millions to construct schools in a few mountainous areas.
Kristie earned herself many fans due to her beauty, and coupled with the news, more people grew fond of her. Some rich fans even bought Faymon Group’s shares to support her.
With the help of the outside world, Faymon Group’s shares finally stabilized and increased gradually.
Rayna was as busy as a bee recently after what happened to Faymon Group. Besides dealing with the matter, she also had to comfort the restless shareholders.
She could finally heave a sigh of relief when Faymon Group’s share prices stabilized. Slumping into her chair, she scrolled through Twitter and saw the video Kristie shot to promote her movie.
Fortunately, Kristie was smart enough to use her fan group and her identity as an actress to help Faymon Group.
Recalling how Kristie offered her a check that night, Rayna couldn’t help but regret her actions of tearing the check.
It doesn’t matter who Kristie was referring to when she mentioned “boyfriend.” I would know if I had a boyfriend. Why did I rip that check apart? I must’ve gone nuts!
“Hmm?” Rayna noticed a familiar figure in a video and sat up in her chair. She played the video backward and paused it to get a closer look.
The video was posted by the official account, so it was pretty HD. The man was wearing a cap and mask, but his figure and half of his face that was revealed resembled James.
Why would James go there?
Rayna couldn’t enlarge the video so she squinted her eyes to get a better look. Right then, someone knocked on the door.
“Ms. Garland, are you busy?”
Rayna lifted her head hastily to see Alfred standing at the door. She quickly placed her phone aside and got up to welcome him. “Old Mr. Faymon, just call me Rayna. Have a seat.”
She offered her comfortable seat to him.
However, Alfred waved his hands and sat on a wicker chair across from her. He placed the thermal jar he was holding on the table and greeted her warmly, “Hello. Are you busy with work recently?”
“Yes, everyone’s busy!” Rayna flashed a smile. “The PR department is the busiest of us all. Ms. Winton also contributed to helping to quell the crisis.”
Alfred nodded. “Kristie is usually spoiled, and I didn’t expect her to be so sensible. She did a good job. However, you’re the one who contributed the most.”
After a pause, he added, “I know you also have to deal with the shareholders other than matters at work. It’s not easy being the acting CEO. Thank you for your hard work.”
Ever since Rayna started working, she experienced all sorts of conflicts at work. Jonathan used to be the only one who cared about her, but now there was also Alfred. Warmth spread in her heart, and she no longer felt exhausted.
“Come, have some chicken soup.” Alfred unscrewed the cap of the thermal jug and said happily, “Our cook makes great soup. Curtis loves chicken soup. He’ll have at least two bowls whenever he comes home.”
“Thank you. Oh, you can sit down. I can do it myself.” Alfred came all the way here, so Rayna didn’t reject his offer and took the bowl from him.
The chicken soup was cooked perfectly and tasted wonderful.
Rayna’s eyes lit up after she took a sip. “Oh, it’s delicious. Thank you, Old Mr. Faymon, for bringing me some home-cooked food,” she said gratefully.
“Oh, it’s nothing much.” Alfred gave a dismissive wave. He gazed at her affectionately as though she was his child. “If you like it, I can send the cook to Faymon Group. Your department has a designated chef, so others won’t say anything about it.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t need it,” Rayna responded with a smile. “Mr. Faymon hired chefs from five-star hotels who can cook equally well.”
Hearing that, Alfred stopped insisting.
They chatted briefly and soon mentioned the day they had stew. Alfred sighed. “I should’ve come to Faymon Group ages ago. Perhaps I might recognize you earlier. I had no idea you’re working at Faymon Group, and that Curtis trusts you a lot.”
Rayna felt a little embarrassed to hear that.
After all, she was once married to Julian and didn’t know Alfred was Curtis’ father.
Suddenly, Alfred asked, “Young lady, do you like Curtis?”
Rayna instantly choked on her soup. She grabbed two pieces of tissue to wipe the corner of her mouth as the tips of her ears turned red in embarrassment. “O-Old Mr. Faymon, I respect Mr. Faymon a lot.”
“Just respect? Don’t you like him?” Alfred refused to give up.
Rayna nodded awkwardly. “I’m grateful that Mr. Faymon trusts me, but he’s my employer, and I’m his subordinate. That’s all. Mr. Faymon has good taste, for Ms. Sanders is sweet and pretty.”
Alfred would be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed to hear her answer.
Jasmine was nice. She was filial and often visited him, but he wasn’t really fond of her. His ideal daughter-in-law candidate was Rayna, for she was confident and smart.
Oh, what a pity.
Alfred didn’t stay for long, as the hospital called and summoned him for a checkup. Rayna saw him to the door and arranged for Naomi to bring him to the hospital.
“Young lady, you should consider him,” Alfred said before he left, refusing to give up. “My son is a good choice. He’s good-looking, doesn’t have any bad habits, and is pretty rich.”
Rayna wisely remained silent.
“Curtis is five to six years older than you, but he’s a mature man who doesn’t need any training. He’s so much better than Julian, so I promise he won’t break your heart.”
Rayna forced out a smile. “Okay. Naomi will bring you to the hospital.”
After Naomi led Alfred out, Rayna returned to her office. She spun on her heels so quickly that she didn’t notice Naomi turning over her shoulder to give her an amused look.
Curtis is an eligible bachelor, so women would throw themselves at his feet. Why is Old Mr. Faymon worried that he can’t find a wife and keeps promoting him like a salesperson promoting a product? What an adorable and cheerful old man.
Chapter 132
Chapter 132 Attempted Assassination
After Faymon Group’s crisis passed, Rayna could finally relax. However, as the acting CEO, she had to read dozens of emails, approve documents, and learn difficult financial terms every day. The work was taking a toll on her.
Linda rarely went online, but she immediately called Rayna after reading the news.
“Is my son-in-law all right?”
“Mom, he isn’t your son-in-law. Stop calling him that,” Rayna corrected her. “Mr. Faymon is my superior. He’s still in the hospital, though. The doctor says he is recovering well. I might visit him later.”
Linda didn’t even listen to her and continued, “He seems okay. He has his own company, right? You should thank your lucky stars if he wants a divorcee like you.”
Rayna was speechless.
“Go visit him at the hospital whenever you’re free. He has his own company, so I think women would flock to him. Don’t let someone else take him away from you. Oh, remember to contact Roxanne. You guys should come back home for dinner sometime.”
The call was ended abruptly.
Barely two minutes had passed since Rayna answered the call, but Linda had already hung up. Besides, she only talked about Curtis as though Rayna didn’t exist.
Rayna heaved a sigh.
I shouldn’t have brought Curtis back when he got drunk. Otherwise, Mom wouldn’t have assumed there is something going on between us.
Rayna was still busy with work when it was time to get off work. Jessica had sent a text saying she was going to meet up with James as it was his school break. She sounded really happy and excited about it.
James might be dense, but Rayna had high hopes for him as he was tall and smart. Rayna wondered if they could get along well.
After replying to Jessica’s text, Rayna got back to work.
When someone from the risk department arrived to deliver some documents and asked if Rayna was hungry, she belatedly realized that it was already nine o’clock. After packing up her stuff, she went to the hospital.
Rayna rarely came to the hospital, but she kept in touch with Wyatt through WhatsApp. He told her that Curtis was recovering well and would regain consciousness anytime.
“Ms. Garland.”
Jeremy was on duty that night. He greeted Rayna when she came in.
Rayna nodded in response and glanced at the man in bed. Strangely, panic and disappointment overwhelmed her heart when she saw him still unconscious. “More than two weeks have passed since the incident. Did the doctor say when Mr. Faymon will regain consciousness?”
“The doctor can’t be sure about that,” Jeremy responded. Sensing her concern, he comforted her, “Ms. Garland, don’t worry. Curtis is fine.”
Jeremy pulled out a chair and gestured for Rayna to take a seat. He then poured her a glass of warm water. “I saw the news. Ms. Garland, you handled Faymon Group’s crisis efficiently.”
“Please don’t say that. I’m not the only one who contributed to turning the situation around,” Rayna responded. She couldn’t stop herself from stealing glances at the man on the bed. “Did the doctor say anything about Mr. Faymon’s leg? Can he walk again?”
Jeremy hesitated.
The four of them were the only ones who knew about Curtis’ plan. Even Alfred was excluded from the plan. After Jeremy came back, he saw how capable and trustable Rayna could be through everything she did.
He wanted to tell Rayna part of the truth so she wouldn’t blame herself. However, it didn’t escape his notice that Curtis must’ve kept his plan a secret from Rayna due to some reason. Thus, he couldn’t reveal anything to her.
“Mr. York?” Rayna’s voice sounded anxious as Jeremy didn’t answer her question. “Did the doctor say his condition is serious? That his legs cannot be saved?”
Jeremy had no choice but to nod. He lowered his voice deliberately to explain, “He’s suffering from necrosis. However, don’t worry. Things will get better once Curtis wakes up. The medical industry in Dartan is far more advanced, and I have friends there. Curtis’ legs will be cured.”
Rayna lowered her gaze.
She knew Jeremy was trying to comfort her. If necrosis could be treated easily, there wouldn’t be so many people depending on wheelchairs to travel around. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to trust him.
After all, his lie was able to ease her anxiety and guilt.
Someone called Jeremy, so he left after a short chat with Rayna. A while later, a nurse with a trolley knocked on the door.
The nurse told her, “I’m here to change Mr. Faymon’s dressing.”
Rayna stood aside to allow her entry.
The nurse came to a stop beside the bed with her trolley, but she nearly yanked off the IV drip by accident.
She hastily put it back and told Rayna, “It’s too dark, so I didn’t notice that this was here.”
Rayna was confused by the nurse’s explanation and lifted her head to stare at the lights. The lights are switched on but lowered to a minimum. However, the entire ward is lit. Why did she say it was dark?
She glanced at the bed. The nurse seemed to be changing the dressing deftly, but her actions seemed fake. The syringe was prone to bacterial infections, but the nurse touched it without disinfecting anything.
Is the nurse an intern?
The more Rayna observed the nurse, the more she found the nurse unprofessional. Something caught her attention when she was observing the nurse’s uniform.
Rayna wasn’t a frequent visitor at the hospital, but she knew that even interns needed to wear a uniform and white shoes. However, this particular nurse was clad in a pair of leather shoes!
When Rayna realized something was off with this nurse, she looked up to see the nurse grabbing an unsealed syringe and aiming it at Curtis’ neck.
The nurse was quick, and Rayna stood a distance away from the bed, which made it hard for her to do anything to stop the former. She immediately broke into a cold sweat out of sheer panic. Noticing the electric kettle with boiling water on the table, she grabbed it and tossed it in the nurse’s direction.
The lid of the electric kettle opened, and hot water landed on the nurse’s back, scalding her.
“Ow!” the nurse screamed as her arm swung sideways. As a result, the syringe she held stabbed into the blanket. Rayna took the chance to leap toward the nurse and clamped her arm around the latter’s neck to drag her back.
James had taught her and Roxanne this self-defense move when they went home for dinner previously. As James was pretty serious about it, Rayna learned a few moves from him.
Never had she expected it to come in handy this day.
Rayna guessed that the nurse was a fake, but she didn’t know the nurse was trained in fighting skills. The latter swiftly reacted after being dragged backward in a chokehold and gave Rayna’s knee a forceful kick.
Rayna’s knees went weak, and she nearly dropped to the ground. However, she didn’t release her grip on the nurse’s neck. The nurse started suffocating and turned crazed. Her arms flailed manically as she tried stabbing Rayna with the syringe.
They both toppled to the ground, entangled in a fight.
“Help! Someone, please help!” Rayna screamed, hoping that the bodyguards outside could hear her pleas.
Soon, bloody wounds appeared on her arm as she was stabbed by the syringe repeatedly. Gradually, she felt energy seeping out of her as the pain was too much for her to bear.
She clamped her legs around the nurse’s waist to gain leverage before reaching out to grab the electric kettle on the floor to hit the nurse’s head.
After she hit the nurse’s head twice, the latter dodged away agilely.
Rayna was no match for the nurse, who was trained in fighting. The nurse wrapped her leg around Rayna’s leg and gave a forceful twist. Crack! Rayna’s leg was broken. She gasped in pain as sweat beaded on her forehead.
Then, the nurse flipped over and pressed her knee on Rayna’s chest, panting heavily.
“B*tch, you want me dead, huh?” she sneered.
Pulling the syringe out, she gripped it tightly and thrust it at Rayna’s neck viciously.
Rayna tilted her head and tried her best to grab the nurse’s arm. Having failed in her first attempt, the nurse flashed a menacing grin and slashed the syringe across her face.
Rayna’s entire being trembled as she screamed in anguish.
Chapter 133
Chapter 133 Ambiguous Form Of Address
The nurse’s vicious grin widened when she saw Rayna’s suffering. She pulled the syringe out and was about to make another attempt to stab Rayna’s neck when the door was kicked open.
The bodyguard rushed in and pulled out his gun to shoot the nurse’s arm.
“Ah!”
It only took two seconds for the bodyguard to pull out his gun and fire the shot, so the nurse had no time to react. Blood gushed out of the gunshot wound on her arm, and she promptly dropped the syringe.
Two bodyguards ran over to pin the nurse down. No one knew that the nurse was prepared. Her arms were still flailing around when she licked her right cheek and bit the pill hidden there. Without hesitation, she swallowed it.
The pill took effect as soon as it slid down the nurse’s throat. When one bodyguard realized her intention and gripped her chin, trying to get her to spit the pill out, it was too late. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth, for she was dead.
Jeremy came in a tad later than the bodyguards and spotted Rayna lying on the ground. His brow twitched at the sight of the bloody wound on her cheek. At once, he helped her up.
Pulling over the trolley that the fake nurse pushed in, he rummaged around and got the stuff he needed to disinfect Rayna’s wound. He didn’t forget to ask the bodyguards to call Wyatt so the latter could bring his medical kit over.
The cooling sensation of the iodine on Rayna’s wound caused her to gasp in pain. Jeremy seemed pretty skilled at dressing wounds, so she asked, “Mr. York, are you a doctor?”
“Not really. I work at MORI Research Center,” came Jeremy’s answer.
“MORI Research Center,” Rayna repeated. One second later, her eyes widened in surprise.
She was so shocked that she couldn’t even feel any pain.
MORI Research Center was an organization serving the Amalgamated Nations but not controlled by it. As of now, the most advanced medical equipment and medication were all developed by MORI Research Center.
It was hard to get admitted to the Faculty of Translation of Norham University, where Rayna graduated from. One would need a lot of money and knowledge to be a student there. Nevertheless, MORI Research Center was even harder to get in. One would need at least six recommendation letters from one’s lecturers and had to publish at least four thesis or research papers in medical-related international journals to be qualified.
“Mr. York, you’re quite capable,” Rayna praised sincerely. She changed the way she treated Jeremy when she realized how impressive his accomplishments were. Come to think of it, everyone Curtis knows is pretty outstanding.
Jeremy’s lips curled slightly. “Not really. I’m just a little talented at conducting research. Ms. Garland, you’re capable, too. Faymon Group is doing well under your management. If I were in your shoes, I couldn’t have done that.”
Rayna quickly added, “We’re both capable. Right back at you!”
It was then that Rayna remembered the fake nurse, who was unfortunately already dead. The bodyguards bore grim expressions as they apologized to Jeremy.
“She must’ve scoped out the area ages ago. Look how experienced her disguise was. I don’t blame you for not seeing through her act.” Jeremy didn’t blame them. He only told them to carry the body out to deal with it.
Soon, Wyatt arrived.
“Why did you summon me? Did something happen?” Wyatt asked as he walked into the ward with a box. He blanched in shock upon seeing the cut on Rayna’s face. “What the heck happened?”
“Someone tried to assassinate Curtis. Fortunately, Ms. Garland was here and stopped the assassin,” Jeremy explained briefly.
He took the wooden box from Wyatt and opened it. Rayna felt her vision swimming at the sight of the dozens of glass bottles squeezed inside the box. To her surprise, the box looked tiny but actually had two layers. The bottom layer was full of medical equipment that Rayna couldn’t recognize.
Jeremy took out a few bottles and mixed the contents of the bottles. With a tool, he slowly scattered the powder mixture on Rayna’s exposed wound.
The powder mixture had a woody scent and felt itchy when spread across her wound. It didn’t cause any pain.
After dressing her wounds, Jeremy told her, “This medicine works well and won’t leave any scar on your face. However, as your flesh is exposed, it will take a few days for the wound to recover.”
“It’s fine. I’m glad that I won’t have any scars.” Rayna gave him a grateful nod. Not even experienced doctors could promise that the cut wouldn’t cause a scar. However, she had trust in Jeremy.
Luckily my face will recover completely. Otherwise, I might feel sad to see my reflection in the mirror later on. Women are vain beings, after all.
“I got the surveillance footage. The fake nurse showed up in the emergency department when Curtis was admitted to the hospital.”
When Jeremy was busy dealing with Rayna’s wounds, Wyatt left to get the surveillance footage. A few minutes later, he returned with a tablet and showed them the screen.
Wyatt’s usual lazy posture was all gone. His voice was solemn as he reported, “Her disguise was perfect as she came in with all the proper procedures. For the past few days, she remained at the emergency department and became friends with the other nurses. She then offered to help one of the nurses and got her card to deliver the medicine to our floor. No wonder you fell for her trick.”
“How could you say that?” Jeremy’s smile disappeared. “Do you know Curtis nearly died thanks to her careful execution? We don’t know if she has an accomplice.”
“Fine, I was wrong.” Wyatt dared not argue with him and gave himself a soft slap in the face.
After watching the surveillance footage, Rayna looked up with her brows furrowed. “I wonder who came up with the plan and sent someone to assassinate Uncle Curtis at the hospital.”
Wyatt turned to look at her and flashed a teasing grin. “Uncle Curtis? Ms. Garland, that is an ambiguous form of address. You called him ‘Uncle Curtis’ naturally, so I’m sure you used to call him that more than once. Am I right?”
Realizing she had used the wrong form of address, Rayna blushed to the tips of her ears after hearing Wyatt’s teasing comment.
Forcing herself to stay calm, she explained, “I was once married to Mr. Faymon’s cousin, Julian Faymon for one year. Before our divorce, I used to call him ‘Uncle Curtis’ like how Julian does. That’s why I get confused sometimes.”
“Seriously? How scandalous!” Wyatt had just come back from Norham and wasn’t close to Rayna. Naturally, he didn’t know about her past and was shocked to learn that fact.
He quickly regained his composure and urged earnestly, “Why did you get a divorce? Did you fall in love with Curtis?”
Rayna was at a loss for words.
Jeremy nudged Wyatt hard with his elbow, causing the latter to yell in pain with a grimace.
“Ms. Garland, ignore him. He’s a fool,” Jeremy told her gently. “It’s late, so you should spend the night here. Let me know if you’re hungry.”
Rayna hesitated momentarily but quickly nodded in agreement.
She drove here and could get back home easily, but she was still worried as Curtis nearly got killed earlier. I might need Jeremy to change my dressing tomorrow, so it is a good idea to spend the night here.
Jeremy then reminded Rayna of a few things to be careful of and left with Wyatt. Outside, they bumped into Theodore.
“What happened?” Anxiety was etched all over Theodore’s face. He glanced at the ward before asking Jeremy, “I came after reading Wyatt’s text. Did something happen to Curtis?”
“Let’s talk elsewhere.”
Jeremy didn’t want Rayna to overhear their conversation. They came to a secluded corner before he revealed the entire incident to Theodore. The latter’s expression turned as dark as thunder after he learned what had happened.
Calmly, Jeremy analyzed, “Ms. Faymon orchestrated a car accident previously. For now, she would stay low instead of drawing attention to herself by trying to harm Curtis at the hospital.”
Chapter 134
Chapter 134 Does Curtis Like Her
“Who else can it be? Her brother, Chester?” Wyatt asked. “I discovered Chester often frequents the club with the vice CEO of Faymon Group, Mr. Ziegler. They must’ve come up with something.”
Theodore fell into deep thought. A while later, he said, “Faymon Group might seem peaceful on the surface, but we know what those people have in mind. Curtis does, too.”
“A storm is brewing.” Jeremy sighed. “If we don’t calculate the Norham branch’s profits, Faymon Group is still worth hundreds of billions. Curtis is the biggest shareholder despite being Old Mr. Faymon’s adopted son. It is natural for Old Mr. Faymon’s siblings to feel upset.”
Wyatt nodded. “I think Curtis shouldn’t have spared them. His Uncle Chester and Aunt Sienna embezzled Faymon Group’s funds and sold classified information previously. If they get charged, they could’ve spent their entire lives in jail instead of causing trouble until today.”
“Stop talking as though you’re the smartest of us all!” Jeremy rolled his eyes and snapped, “Curtis cannot do that even if he wanted to. He isn’t biologically related to Chester and Sienna. He might be their nephew in name, but Old Mr. Faymon is their sibling. If Curtis were to go all out, do you think Old Mr. Faymon will approve of his decision? He told us to come back and help him to kick them out of Faymon Group so he could get the company back. In the end, he will most probably let them live the rest of their lives in peace without harming them.”
“Ah, how complicated. Fortunately, I am the only son in my family.” Wyatt rubbed his nose in exasperation. He then turned to Theodore. “Why are you quiet, Theodore?”
Theodore tapped his fingers on his slacks and asked, “What about the matter I told you to look into?”
“You told me to look into many matters. Which one are you referring to?”
Wyatt felt a chill go down his spine when Theodore pinned him with a withering look. He immediately responded, “I found nothing. Even if I spent a huge sum of money to hire the FBI to start an investigation, they won’t find anything.”
“Isn’t that strange?” Jeremy asked. “Old Mr. Faymon brought Curtis back from Illurasia decades ago. Why did he wipe off all traces? Is he trying to hide something? Besides, something tells me that Old Mr. Faymon treats Curtis well not because they are close. Instead, he felt guilty over something and gave everything to Curtis to make it up to him.”
His analysis made sense, but Wyatt was confused. “What are you talking about? Don’t tell me Old Mr. Faymon had a first love that he broke up with for some reason, but she got pregnant and died while giving birth to Curtis. Was that why Old Mr. Faymon felt guilty toward Curtis?”
“No wonder women love tricking you. You’re such a fool!” Jeremy mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. “I previously ran a DNA test on both Old Mr. Faymon and Curtis’ blood samples. They are not biologically related. If Curtis is Old Mr. Faymon’s son, why would the latter take him as his adopted son? Back then, Faymon Group was doing well. Sienna and Chester depended on Old Mr. Faymon, so they wouldn’t dare to protest or try to hurt Curtis.”
Wyatt ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Oh, this is complicated. My brain is about to combust!”
“Continue your investigation,” Theodore ordered. “You must find what Old Mr. Faymon wiped out in Illurasia no matter what.”
“Yes, continue the investigation.” Jeremy patted Wyatt’s shoulder and sighed. “Our parents are still alive, so even if we had a fight with our family, at least they would still care about us. Curtis, however, doesn’t have anyone. He never said anything, but I know how disappointed he is. He respects Old Mr.
Faymon and thinks of him as his father, but he still wants to know his background just to find out about his biological mother and his true identity so that his birth certificate could be completed.”
Hearing that, Wyatt felt sad for Curtis.
Of course I know that. I still remember Curtis when we first met. In the beginning, he was actually more distant than Theodore. After a while, Curtis slowly found his smile and regained happiness.
When they celebrated his twenty-eighth birthday, Wyatt joked, “Curtis, aren’t you going to get a wife and some kids? Who will inherit your assets?”
Curtis merely flashed a smile. “I don’t even know where I came from. I don’t want to be someone else’s burden. Even if I were to get married one day, it will be a marriage of convenience. I won’t marry for love.”
Theodore was the oldest among them. He might be grumpy and quiet, but he still had his family. His situation was different from Curtis’ as it didn’t matter when he would get married.
Wyatt’s heart clenched when he recalled the past. Exhaling sharply, he announced, “Okay! I’ll investigate it! I’m sure Old Mr. Faymon left something behind!”
Jeremy chuckled, and Theodore’s grim expression relaxed as well.
“I think they have spies in the hospital, so the news of the nurse consuming poison to commit suicide will reach their ears by tomorrow. They didn’t succeed this time, so they will attempt another assassination.”
“Find a way to make Curtis wake up,” Theodore uttered. “Rayna might be smart, but those in the corporate world are sly. She is inexperienced and cannot handle what will come later.”
“I agree with you, Theodore.” Jeremy bobbed his head in approval. “This is about the Faymon family, so there is no need to involve her. She has already sacrificed a lot for Faymon Group.”
Wyatt chuckled. “I knew an emergency would crop up, so I told them to bring your stuff back.”
Hearing that, Jeremy gave him a punch. “Good job!”
“Of course. If it weren’t for our ages, I would be…” He trailed off as something occurred to him. Placing his arm over Jeremy’s shoulder, he declared, “I should rank third, while you come last.”
I can never be the first. I’m no match for Theodore, and I’m also afraid of him.
Wyatt brushed the tip of his tongue against the roof of his mouth and asked thoughtfully, “Don’t you find it weird that Curtis entrusted everything to Rayna when he doesn’t trust anyone, even Kristie, other than us? Do you think he has feelings for her?”
He muttered under his breath, “What about Ms. Sanders? What does Curtis think of her? Is he going to marry her?”
Theodore remained expressionless but clenched his jaw.
“That is none of your business.” Jeremy glanced at Theodore before turning around to drag Wyatt away. “Hurry, go and get my stuff. I need to use it now.”
“Hey, you’re so much stronger now. Did you train in secret behind my back?”
“Shut up.”
Theodore was still rooted to his spot long after Jeremy and Wyatt left. He stood opposite the water dispenser. Suddenly, he recalled what Jasmine said to him that night, and his heart wrenched for some reason.
I’m that close to erasing her from my mind, but she appeared suddenly and dealt a huge blow to me like an arrogant attacker. I want nothing more than to choke her to death when we met that day at the hospital after four years.
Theodore tamped down his rage and fished out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He was about to light one when he realized he was still at the hospital. The alphabet initial on the inside of his finger caught his eye when he removed the cigarette from his lips.
His gaze turned dark.
A while later, Theodore pocketed the cigarettes and strode along the corridor. He pulled his phone out to make a call. “Are you free now? I need you to remove something.”
Chapter 135
Chapter 135 Why Are You So Fierce
Rayna’s cheek still hurt, and she wasn’t sleepy, so she went to her car to retrieve her laptop and continued working.
If she hadn’t become the acting CEO, she wouldn’t know that a CEO would be this busy.
There were countless reports and data to read; meetings, cocktail receptions, and charity dinners to attend. Every day, she was pressed for time, and her schedule was full until the next year.
She could understand how hard Curtis had it.
After replying to a few emails, Rayna exhaled sharply and massaged her stiff neck.
Her gaze flitted to the man lying in bed. Suddenly, her chest felt heavy as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
Half a month had passed since the accident happened. She solved Faymon Group’s crisis, but Curtis was still unconscious.
Is his condition that serious?
Rayna reached out to touch his cheek. The tip of her fingers had barely touched his warm skin when someone twisted the doorknob. She quickly retracted her hand.
“Ms. Garland, you’re still awake?” Jeremy came in and spotted the laptop on Rayna’s lap. “You’ve been busy at work during the day at Faymon Group, so you should rest at night.”
Rayna gave him a smile. “I’m not sleepy, so I’d rather do some work.”
Jeremy poured a glass of warm water and gave it to her. “You should go to bed. I don’t think Curtis wants to see you tire yourself out.”
“Thank you.”
Rayna was parched, so she gulped down half a glass of water and didn’t notice Jeremy’s expression.
After chatting with Jeremy briefly, Rayna felt a little sleepy and yawned a few times. She assumed it was because she was tired from work.
Jeremy told her to get some rest and left.
The VIP ward was as well-equipped as a comfy room in a luxurious house. There was also an additional bed for the patient’s friends or family to stay the night. Rayna glanced at Curtis and merely shifted her chair closer to the bed.
She sprawled on the bed with her wounded cheek facing upward and closed her eyes to sleep.
I should stay beside him.
Ten minutes later, the door was pushed open to reveal Jeremy and Wyatt.
“Her cheek is injured. Will she suffer from any side effects after taking the sleeping drug?” Wyatt asked.
“I developed it myself, so it’s fine,” Jeremy told him.
Wyatt grunted in acknowledgment. He came into the ward to see Rayna sprawled by the bed. Chuckling, he commented, “This is funny. Why didn’t she sleep on the other bed? Is she that concerned about Curtis?”
“Just shut up, will you?” Jeremy snapped. “If you continue spouting nonsense, scram.”
Wyatt put on a wounded expression. “Jeremy, why are you so fierce? You don’t love me anymore.”
Jeremy snickered icily. “If I do love you, that isn’t normal. Hurry, prepare the drug!”
After Jeremy kicked him, Wyatt stopped joking around. He opened his briefcase to prepare the drug. A while later, he handed a tiny bottle to Jeremy.
Using a syringe, Jeremy extracted the drug from the bottle.
“Go move Ms. Garland…” Jeremy was about to ask Wyatt to move Rayna to the other bed as she was in his way, but he soon changed his mind. “Forget it.”
Curtis can see for himself how much she cared for him.
Soon, the drug was injected into Curtis’ arm.
Wyatt got busy discarding the syringe and bottles while Jeremy removed his gloves and waited patiently.
More than ten minutes later, Curtis still showed no signs of waking up.
Wyatt rubbed his jaw and asked, “Why is it taking that long? Has the drug reached its expiry date?”
Jeremy replied icily, “You can try taking half a month’s drug in one go.”
Wyatt said nothing.
Five minutes later, Curtis’ fingers moved, and he finally opened his eyes. Slowly, his eyes focused to see Jeremy and Wyatt standing beside his bed.
Wyatt waved at him and beamed. “Curtis, welcome back!”
Comprehension dawned on Curtis when he saw them both.
“It isn’t time yet, right?” His voice was hoarse having spent the past few weeks unconscious. Calmly, he asked, “Why did you give me the antidote?”
“I’m sorry, Curtis. Something cropped up, so I had no choice but to do this,” Jeremy explained.
The nerves in Curtis’ legs were damaged due to the drug, so he couldn’t move around. Jeremy wound the bed up and placed a pillow behind Curtis’ waist.
Curtis lifted his hand and came into contact with someone’s hair. It was an itchy sensation.
Lowering his head, he saw someone sprawled on the edge of his bed. There was a gnarly wound on the person’s cheek.
“This is Ms. Garland. She was worried about you and decided to spend the night at the hospital,” Jeremy explained when he saw Curtis staring at Rayna.
He then told Curtis everything that had happened since the accident—including Faymon Group’s crisis and the assassination that night.
The more he revealed, the darker Curtis’ expression became.
He had predicted everything and calculated every step since the accident, but he had no idea someone actually dared to kill him at the hospital.
After finishing his explanation, Jeremy added, “Curtis, I know you trust Rayna, but she has her limits. I don’t think you should leave Faymon Group to her. It is a big responsibility to shoulder.”
“I agree.” Wyatt glanced at Rayna and sighed. “Rayna got cut in the face to protect you. Don’t you feel bad for her, Curtis?”
Curtis lowered his head and stole a few more glances at Rayna.
Her skin was smooth, save for the gnarly scar on her cheek. As he gazed at it, an unfamiliar feeling rose in his heart, causing it to wrench in pain.
Curtis brushed a finger across her wound. Without looking up, he said coldly, “Aunt Sienna exhausted her means to plan the accident, so she couldn’t have sent anyone to the hospital. Did you start an investigation?”
Wyatt immediately replied, “Yes. Sienna has been at home all the while as though she was trying to steer clear of the incident. However, Chester would sometimes meet Mr. Ziegler from Faymon Group. Perhaps he was the one who hired the assassin.”
Hearing that, Curtis snorted. “It looks like Uncle Chester cannot wait to gain control of Faymon Group and ended up working with Mr. Ziegler.”
“I guess it’s because of Old Mr. Faymon’s decision,” Jeremy said. “When you were in a coma, Sienna and Chester went to Faymon Group, vying to become the acting CEO so they could use the chance to get some shares. Later, Old Mr. Faymon showed up and appointed Rayna as the acting CEO without sparing their faces.”
“Curtis, please let me help you. I had nothing to do ever since I came back. I’m seriously bored out of my mind,” Wyatt pleaded. He was about to go crazy from having nothing to do. “Let Rayna get some rest.”
“I don’t need you.”
“Huh?” Wyatt seemed hurt. “Curtis, do you not trust me?”
“She can handle this herself,” came Curtis’ answer.
Jeremy’s brows puckered up. He was obviously displeased with Curtis’ response. “Curtis, you can’t be selfish. Rayna is just your employee and a human, so you shouldn’t drag her into the Faymon family’s business. We can help you out if you need.”
“You don’t know her.” Curtis shot Rayna a look. He knew how smart she could be. “She is smarter than you think. All she needs is some drive.”
Chapter 136
Chapter 136 Protective Curtis
“Everyone has their own choices. Some people want a quiet life, and some people want an exciting life. Rayna’s the former,” Jeremy said. “She thought she was the reason the accident happened, and she has been wracked with guilt the entire time. That was why she had been trying to take on everything by herself when something as big as this happened to Faymon Group. She was trying to protect Faymon Group for you. Curtis, have you ever thought about what she would do if she found out that this was all your plan and that you were lying to her?”
Jeremy’s words were straightforward, and they struck right at Curtis’ sore spot.
Curtis’ expression darkened.
For some reason, he felt as if his heart had been squeezed by someone when he thought about the look of devastation Rayna would have if she were to find out that he was the mastermind behind it all.
Curtis had been in the corporate world where tricks and cunning were commonplace for a long time. He had used so many people, but it was his first time feeling like this.
And he did not like the feeling.
“That’s enough, Jeremy,” Wyatt cut in upon noticing the atmosphere getting tenser and tenser. “Curtis is just trying to force out Rayna’s potential; he’s not using her. Besides, Curtis has given Rayna plenty of good deals.”
“Curtis was wrong to have brought Rayna into this plan, but you’re still trying to defend him?” Jeremy whipped his head to glare daggers at Wyatt. “Would you have said the same thing if she was your little sister?”
Wyatt shrugged. “I’m the only child; I don’t have a little sister. Hey, Jeremy, it’s only been a few days since you’ve known Rayna, but you’re already so protective of her. What’s the matter? Have you fallen for her?”
“I just don’t want all of Faymon Group’s matters to end up on her shoulders.”
“My, my, the more I listen to you, the more I think you’re interested in Rayna.”
Curtis felt ill at ease with their conversation, and irritation was starting to grow in his chest.
“I know what I’m doing, so stop babbling away about this. Since I’m now awake, this burden isn’t only hers to bear. But I still don’t need your help.”
“Curtis, we agreed to bear this weight together,” Wyatt muttered worriedly and unhappily. “We all know what kind of tricks Chester Faymon would pull. Are we supposed to sit back and watch as something happens to you?”
“Don’t you know the risks I take in my plans?” Curtis said confidently with a small smile.
“But…”
Wyatt was still worried, but Jeremy tugged him and cut him off. “All right, Curtis knows what he’s doing. If you’re bored, you should go and play some bowling.”
Wyatt frowned. “Bowling isn’t fun.”
It had been a long night, and Jeremy was starting to feel sleepy. Not wanting to linger any longer, he asked Wyatt to go back with him.
“Then I’ll carry her to the bed,” Wyatt said as he rolled up his sleeve. “She’s a woman after all, and it’s uncomfortable for her to sleep like this.”
However, before he could even touch Rayna’s waist, someone grabbed his arm.
The powerful grip made Wyatt grind his teeth in pain as he inhaled sharply. “What? Have I become a weakling? Curtis, why are you so strong even though you just woke up?”
Curtis shook his arm away and uttered, “Go back with Jeremy.”
Wyatt was speechless for a moment. A shudder ran down his spine when he heard Curtis’ tone, and he sheepishly retracted his arm.
Wyatt seemed to have sensed something, but Curtis’ gaze was an indifferent one. It was as if Wyatt had overthought the matter. After Jeremy tugged him again, he had no choice but to leave.
Exiting the ward, Wyatt mulled over what had just happened and asked, “Jeremy, was Curtis being protective just now?”
Jeremy huffed, “You were going to touch Rayna.”
“What in the world? I was being nice when I said I wanted to carry her to the bed,” Wyatt complained, but he soon realized something else. “Wait a minute. So Curtis really is interested in Rayna. Oh my god, I can’t believe that I got to see Curtis falling for someone before I die! Yes! My chastity stays intact!”
Jeremy narrowed his eyes at Wyatt and pursed his lips.
Rayna had not been able to sleep well ever since the accident, but now, she finally could.
However, the bed seemed a little small as if someone was pushing her off. When she opened her eyes, the first thing that greeted her was the ceiling. Then it was the scent of disinfectant. The realization that she was in a hospital bed came last.
Beside her was Curtis, and the two of them were so close to each other that there was no gap between them.
Rayna was bewildered.
When did I get on the bed?
Rayna could see the stubble on Curtis’ jaw, his slender neck, and his alluring Adam’s apple.
He was sleeping, and for a moment, the sight of him reminded her of sleeping beauty.
Rayna stared at his Adam’s apple for a while. Fascinated, she couldn’t help but reach out to touch it.
Oh, it’s hard. I can’t push it down.
Rayna was about to press it again when she suddenly heard a quiet hum. The hum was deep, and it made her freeze immediately. She was about to retract her hand when Curtis grabbed it.
Curtis’ expression was dark as he said, “Ms. Garland, have you seen anyone playing with someone else’s Adam’s apple?”
“Y-Y-You—” Rayna’s eyes widened as she stared at him as if he was a ghost. The feelings of delight, thrill, and melancholy crashed into her, and she found herself lost for words for a while.
After half a month, he was finally awake.
“You scared the living daylights out of me! I thought you wouldn’t wake up.” Rayna hit her head on his arm. Her tears flowed uncontrollably as she released her pent-up emotions after half a month. “I nearly became a sinner.”
Curtis let out a chuckle.
Truth be told, he, too, had woken up when Rayna had, but he had kept his eyes closed. What he did not expect was for Rayna to play with his Adam’s apple cheekily and burst into tears the moment he opened his eyes.
Women are so strange. Their mood changes so easily.
Rayna continued crying for a little while after that.
Only when she saw the damp patch on Curtis’ shirt did she return to her senses. Her face turned bright red, and she clambered off the bed.
Jeremy must be the one who adjusted the bed so high. This is so awkward. He could have moved me to the spare bed. I’m not that petite. Did I squash Curtis last night?
Rayna’s thoughts ran wild as she stood beside the bed.
Meanwhile, Curtis was staring at the wound on Rayna’s face with narrowed eyes. Despite himself, he brushed his finger near the edge of her wound and whispered, “Does it hurt?”
“I-I’m fine,” Rayna stammered, flustered by his actions. “It’s nothing, really. Mr. York said that it won’t leave a scar. It’s good that you’re fine, Mr. Faymon.”
Then, she asked, “Are you hungry, Mr. Faymon? I’ll get you breakfast.”
Curtis glanced to the side and said, “Don’t we have a landline here? We’ll just get someone to send the food.”
Rayna’s face burned.
She had come to the ward a few times now but had never noticed the landline. She felt dumb.
Rayna cleared her throat to cover up her embarrassment before dialing the internal line to the nurse to ask for some nutritional breakfast. Unbeknownst to her, Curtis was watching her every move with a smile.
Soon, the breakfast Rayna ordered was brought in by the bodyguard. Right as she was about to ask Curtis if he wanted to be fed, Curtis noticed her hesitance and said, “Make the bed higher. I don’t feel anything in my legs, not my hands.”
Rayna’s eyes flicked toward his legs, which were covered by the blanket. Her throat tightened.
Uncle Curtis still doesn’t know about his necrotic legs, does he?
Curtis looked at her and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“N-Nothing.” Rayna walked over to adjust the bed higher and put a bed desk on the bed. “Mr. Faymon, it’s been days since you’ve eaten. Have some oatmeal first, but it might taste bland.”
Chapter 137
Chapter 137 Keep Taking Care Of You
Curtis could hear something amiss in her tone, but he assumed that she was thinking about his legs, so he hummed in response and said nothing else.
Rayna carried the conversation alone while they had breakfast.
She told him about the company and about how Alfred was worried sick about him, causing Curtis to nearly burst into laughter.
He did not tell Alfred about the car accident, but Alfred was far from a fool. He must have figured out my plan a long time ago, or else he wouldn’t have gone to the company to show his support for Rayna and help her become the acting CEO.
“M-Mr. Faymon?” Curtis’ silence made Rayna think that he was gloomy to find out that he could not feel his legs. “The doctor said that the numbness is temporary and that they’ll be fine soon.”
All of a sudden, Curtis felt the urge to tease her. “What if they don’t?”
“That won’t happen!” Rayna choked out. “Your legs will be fine, Mr. Faymon. If… If they don’t get better, I’ll keep taking care of you, and I’ll take you all over the world. I’m sure one of the many medical geniuses will be able to help you out, Mr. Faymon.”
Her words were like a torch to his icy heart, melting it. The earnest look in her eyes was visible as she looked at him.
She seemed so serious as if she would genuinely bear the responsibility of taking care of him if something were to happen to him.
Right then, Curtis thought about what Jeremy had told him the night before.
“Curtis, have you ever thought about what she would do if she found out that this was all your plan and that you were lying to her?”
What would she do?
He had never thought about involving Rayna in the plan at the start. All he wanted was for her to help resolve the matter in Tyrandas. However, after a while of being by her side, he realized she was appealing in every way.
She was smart, she could think on the spot, and she was calm and collected.
Ever since they went to the village for the discussion, he had changed his plan. He had also gotten Rayna involved, set up a new department, and made her the manager of that department in preparation for what was going to happen afterward.
Indeed, she did not disappoint him. She was capable of completing everything flawlessly she was assigned to, and she was unparalleled when it came to resolving issues.
“Rayna,” he called out, opting to call her by her name rather than addressing her as “Ms. Garland.”
She froze.
“Jeremy has told me about Faymon Group’s matter. Thank you,” Curtis continued. “You did wonderfully. Sometimes, people need to be forced, and I hope you won’t hate me for it.”
Rayna did not understand what he was trying to say for the second half of his speech. She could sense that something was up, just like that night when he got into the car accident. Yet, she also sensed that she would go mad if she were to dig further into the matter.
Is it what I think it is? That shouldn’t be. He wouldn’t make light of something like that.
Right then, Rayna’s fair, sharp chin caught Curtis’ attention. He reached out to pinch it, only to find out that it was soft.
Rayna immediately snapped back to her senses at his touch.
Such intimate action made her ears red as she said somewhat awkwardly, “M-Mr. Faymon.”
“I didn’t think you’d have some fat on your face.”
Right as Rayna was about to question if he was trying to call her fat, she heard the sound of someone knocking on the door.
Instinctively, she smacked Curtis’ hand away and stepped away from him.
It was a loud smack that echoed in the room, and the back of the man’s hand reddened.
Both stiffened.
“Oh, Mr. Faymon, you’re awake.”
The nurse had come to change Curtis’ dressing, and she was thrilled to find Curtis awake. She ditched the cart and went to get the doctor.
Not daring to look at Curtis’ expression, Rayna kept her head hung low as she dug into her oatmeal again.
He only has himself to blame for pinching my chin. Hmph!
An important man like Curtis was someone the doctors dared not treat carelessly. A team of doctors came, but they were soon kicked out of the ward by Curtis, who said they were taking up too much space in the room.
When Rayna heard the doctor talking subtly about Curtis’ legs, she tightened her fists.
She would not let Curtis sit in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Curtis remained unfazed even after hearing the doctor’s long speech. The only question he had was, “Are my legs the only issue here? If that’s the case, I’ll go back to recuperate tomorrow. I don’t like the smell in the hospital.”
“Sure.”
Rayna was about to say something when her phone rang. It was a call from Naomi.
Naomi was capable of resolving many of Faymon Group’s matters swiftly and efficiently. Rayna reckoned something urgent must have happened for Naomi to call her.
Upon picking up the call, Rayna asked, “What is it, Ms. Gardner?”
“I can’t tell for sure, but it’s best if you come to the office,” Naomi said.
“All right. I’ll be there soon.”
Rayna was only the acting CEO, but everyone in the office was talking to her as if she was the CEO, and that made Rayna feel ill at ease—she felt like an imposter.
After ending the call, she realized Curtis should be the one to deal with the company’s matters now that he was awake.
“Mr. Faymon,” Rayna started as she looked at him, but it took her a while before she continued, “Ms. Gardner called earlier. Something happened with the company. Are you planning to deal with—”
“I can’t go to the office like this,” Curtis cut her off, knowing what she was going to say. “You have my permission to be in charge of everything in the company. I trust you.”
Rayna pursed her lips when she thought about how countless people would be gloating if they saw Curtis in the office in a wheelchair.
Right. He’ll only be laughed at if he goes to the office.
“I’ll give Mr. Lopez a call, then.” With that, Rayna looked for Wyatt’s contact on her phone. She was too worried about leaving Curtis in the room alone since last night.
Curtis only blinked and hummed in agreement.
Wyatt and Jeremy came in no time. As if they had done nothing to Curtis the night before, they revealed similar looks of shock when they saw Curtis awake.
It was so genuine to the point Rayna could not even suspect them. After exchanging a few words with them, she left.
On her way to the office, Naomi called a few more times. However, she could not pick up the call. Only when she arrived outside Faymon Group Tower did she see the group of reporters by the entrance.
Noticing the severity of the situation, she hurried into the elevator after parking her car in the underground parking lot.
“Ms. Garland.”
Naomi, who had been waiting for a while, quickly stepped forward to greet Rayna. Upon seeing the mask on Rayna’s face, she asked in surprise, “Do you have a cold?”
“Yeah,” Rayna mumbled. The wound on her face looked bad, and she did not want to frighten the employees in the company. She also felt awkward if others were to see her wound. “There are lots of reporters outside. What happened?”
“An accident happened at the water park in Hallsbay,” Naomi reported to her. “The wire on the crane head snapped when the crane was used to transport steel bars, and those bars killed six workers below them. This news made it to the local newspaper, and the workers’ families are protesting outside the branch office in Hallsbay.”
Rayna’s heart lurched, but quickly calming herself down, she asked, “Have the branch office drafted the compensation papers?”
“Five million for each worker per the contract for work injuries,” Naomi said. “But the workers’ families aren’t satisfied with that; they want a hundred million for every worker.”
“A hundred million? They’re obviously here to kick up a fuss.” Rayna halted in her tracks as her expression turned cold. “Have the branch office deal with this in accordance with the contract. If they continue to kick a fuss outside the branch office, we’ll bring this to court. Also, find out when the crane was purchased, as well as its manufacturer, and its regular maintenance schedule. Look for the one in charge of whatever the problem is.”
“Understood,” Naomi answered.
She was shocked that Rayna was still so calm despite encountering something like that.
No wonder Curtis left Faymon Group to her after his accident. Did Jefferson really let go of a smart woman like her? I really doubt it.
As they walked to the CEO’s office, Naomi continued, “There’s something else far more serious than this.
Chapter 138
Chapter 138 Personal Attack
“What is it?”
“The reporters outside aren’t here for the workers’ deaths. They’re here because of the embezzlement of Yannick Yencer, the general manager of the international department of Faymon Group.”
Rayna furrowed her brows. “Why are they here for that?”
“Here’s the thing,” Naomi started. “He stole from Faymon Group and used the money to start up a casino and a club, and he’s allegedly used his position to rape over a hundred minors. His subordinates kidnapped the girls at Yannick’s club. There are over fifty who have died after getting tormented by his subordinates and customers. The news spread like wildfire at five in the morning on various major sites, and the police came to Faymon Group to find out more about the situation at eight.”
Rayna nearly tripped at that.
As she supported herself against the wall, she whipped her head toward Naomi and inhaled sharply. “Oh my god, why must something like this happen right now? Fate is trying to push Faymon Group right into hell!”
Ever since Rayna was transferred to the new department, she had been focused on the directors and the management-level employees; she had not been paying attention to the international department and never thought that someone would be that gutsy to do something as horrible as this.
Embezzlement could be easily solved by firing the person involved. With a record, that person would not be able to rise up the ranks to the management level. However, it was a completely different matter for Yannick to use the money he had stolen from Faymon Group to open a casino and kidnap minors.
Half a month ago, Curtis had had an accident. Without a leader, Faymon Group’s shares had plummeted, and it had taken much effort to stabilize them.
This is a grave matter. How am I going to deal with this?
“The men they arrested at the casino spilled everything when the police interrogated them,” Naomi went on. “It happened so suddenly that the PR team couldn’t even do anything about it.”
Rayna took a deep breath to suppress the growing frustration in her. “Get the PR team and the legal team over.”
“I’ll do that right away.”
Shortly after, Rayna, the PR team, and the legal team were gathered in the conference room. The atmosphere was tense.
The sudden event had caught everyone by surprise, and they had similar looks of somberness on their faces.
Rayna started calmly, “The general manager of the international department, Yannick Yencer, has severely harmed Faymon Group’s reputation. This is a matter that we must deal with carefully, and we mustn’t let our guards down until this is over.”
The few of them then discussed what could be done to deal with the situation for over an hour.
Once the meeting was over, Rayna wasted no time rushing off to settle other issues.
Yannick’s actions were a devastating blow to Faymon Group. For days, the news of his atrocious crimes was all over numerous websites.
Faymon Group’s shares turned into a freefall. As a matter of fact, the bereaved families of the workers who died in the accident had come to Faymon Group’s office to accuse Faymon Group of its heartlessness. Their actions made the public see the company in a worse light.
At a crucial moment like this, Jack and the others had made themselves scarce, and the burden fell onto Rayna’s sole shoulders.
She even had to deal with the shareholders, and the overwhelming matters only exhausted her.
Rayna knew that Curtis checked the news too, but she deliberately kept a lighthearted tone whenever she interacted with him. Through their conversations, she found out that he had moved back to the mansion to rest and that Wyatt and the others would be taking care of him.
Faymon Group’s legal team was the most excellent team around—they even performed better than the legal teams of the other local companies, as they soon dealt with the families of the deceased workers.
The PR team would prepare a draft for Rayna so that she could apologize to the public on behalf of Faymon Group as the acting CEO. After that, they would leave the rest to the lawyers.
The lawyers were best at using the law to defend their employers, after all.
Besides, one of the media companies had received some financial incentives from Faymon Group to assist with the heated discussion of Yannick. Right as the matter was about to die down, another piece of news stunned the internet.
Rayna’s personal history had been leaked online, and it included her parents’ early divorce, the impoverished state of her family, and her admission into Norham University.
The leak was as shocking as a slap to Rayna’s face.
Ever since she became the acting CEO, she was most terrified of someone finding out about her history. She had told the PR team about her worries early on, and they had contacted the relevant people to keep the details of her history hidden so that they would not need to face unnecessary troubles.
Yet, what she was worried most about still happened.
Rayna held a press conference to confess to them her history, but the public did not believe her words.
Anyone who searched on the internet could find out that Norham University was a world-famous translation academy. Not only did the person who wanted to study in the academy have to be smart, but they also had to have a certain amount of wealth. So how did Rayna get in with the state of her family’s wealth?
Even though Rayna had explained to them with evidence that she managed to afford the tuition fees after receiving a scholarship and after her mother sold the family house, the people still refused to believe her. In fact, they started talking about how she had taken up the wrong role.
They questioned why an interpreter like her was an acting CEO.
No one had any good words for Rayna, especially those who had bought Faymon Group’s shares. Those people were the harshest out of everyone, and the shareholders were even starting to wonder if they should hold a meeting to re-elect another acting CEO.
That afternoon, the details of Rayna’s history were all sealed away, but those who had taken screenshots of the information continued to repost it on various websites. Even though the company had switched off the comment function of several media websites, the scandal went on.
Jessica did not let Rayna check the news. She consoled, “Nana, don’t listen to their rubbish. So what if that wasn’t what you initially studied? All that matters is that you’re capable enough for the job.”
Rayna forced a smile. “I’m fine.”
She was already numbed from the onslaught of news against her. After eating, she went back to her room to take a shower before lying down on the bed and stared at her ceiling in a daze.
When her surroundings quietened down, a voice in her head said, Can you really do this? Right. Uncle Curtis is a miracle worker. No matter what happens to Faymon Group, he’s capable of solving it with ease. On the other hand, I can’t do anything well. I’ve only made the situation at Faymon Group worse. I’m just an interpreter, and the only thing I know is interpreting. Why would I know anything about running a business?
Rayna’s chest felt tight as waves of anxiety and frustration washed over her. Desperately needing a place to vent her emotions, she grabbed her phone and clicked into her WhatsApp. However, when she saw Curtis’ name, she hesitated.
Curtis had already lost the use of his legs, and she was sure that he was definitely feeling worse than her. She did not want to disturb him with those matters.
After a while of struggling internally, she put down her phone.
The moment she did that, her phone screen lit up. It was a call from Curtis.
Rayna accepted the call and placed her phone by her ear.
“I saw the news.” Curtis spoke first, his voice gentle and deep. “I’ve already asked Wyatt to deal with the media companies who are making personal attacks.”
The upset Rayna had been feeling for days seemed to magnify when she heard his voice. A lump formed in her throat, and she nearly started bawling. However, not wanting to worry him, she kept her emotions in check.
“No wonder the news went away so quickly. Please thank Mr. Lopez for me,” Rayna said in feigned calmness. “I’ll be holding a meeting to reassure the shareholders tomorrow.”
“Tell me if you’re feeling upset,” Curtis said apologetically. “I’m sorry to have you bear this burden alone. Thank you.”
“W-Why would I feel upset?” Rayna wanted to tell him that she was fine, but the moment the first word went past her lips, her voice turned hoarse as if she was about to cry. Hastily, she clamped her mouth shut.
No. It’ll be too embarrassing if I cry.
Chapter 139
Chapter 139 Am I A Pawn Too
Curtis quietly waited for her to continue.
Rayna listened to his soft breathing for a while. Once she recollected herself a little more, she whispered gloomily, “Uncle Curtis, I don’t think I’m suitable for things like these. I’ve made everything worse. This is just a worksite accident and an embezzlement case of a management-level employee… It’s just a simple thing, and there are plenty of capable individuals in Faymon Group. So why can’t I resolve them? I feel like a failure.”
Rayna did not even feel as bad when her father had gotten a divorce from her mother and back when life had been even more challenging.
She felt she had done so poorly no one could bring themself to give her their approval.
“Rayna, no one in this world is perfect, and what people excel in is pointing out the flaws of others,” Curtis said. “You have to try things out to know what you do well in. Ignore what others have to say about you. You’re already doing a great job. You’ve managed Faymon Group so well while I was in a coma, and that is a tough job. If you’re overwhelmed by this, I’ll get Wyatt and the others to help you out in the office.”
Curtis wanted to force her to develop into an even better individual and to make her develop an ambitious mind. However, he did not want to force her to the end of the road.
He needed to know her limits.
Right as Curtis was about to tell her that she should rest for a few days, Rayna said, “I don’t want to trouble you, Mr. Faymon. I can deal with this myself. You’re right. How will I know where my limits lie if I don’t try things out?”
Hearing that, Curtis let out a low chuckle.
It seems that my worries are unnecessary. She’s capable of handling stress much better than I thought.
Rayna was flustered when she heard the man chuckle.
“Mr. Faymon, w-what are you laughing at?”
“Nothing. Ask me anytime if you have anything you can’t solve. You haven’t opened the document I gave you, right?”
“I… forgot about it.” Rayna had been too busy, and she had almost forgotten about the document Curtis had given to her. “I’ll go to the office to check it tomorrow.”
Fearing that Curtis would hold her accountable for her forgetfulness, she quickly changed the topic and talked to him about the documents she did not quite grasp. Curtis patiently listened to her and explained what she did not comprehend.
Rayna took a notebook and noted down the things he said—those were valuable advice.
“Sherfield Corporation is asking for collaboration with Faymon Group because they saw Faymon Group’s shares falling. They’re trying to take the opportunity to get a good deal. Their CEO wants money and nothing else, so just ignore them.”
Curtis taught Rayna how to read the room and negotiate with others. Eventually, Rayna stopped responding to him. The only sound he heard was her soft breathing.
Curtis froze.
He said nothing else and ended the call. Then, he sent her a message about the things he did not manage to finish telling her.
Rayna only recalled falling asleep mid-call the night before when she woke up the next day and saw Curtis’ message. Her face flushed from the embarrassment, and she cursed herself for how dumb she was.
This is so embarrassing!
Worried that Rayna was still affected by the news, Jessica had woken up early to prepare breakfast to console Rayna. Yet, to her surprise, Rayna was in a good mood. She looked as though she had won the jackpot.
Jessica asked in bewilderment, “You recompose yourself this quickly?”
“All my worries are gone after a good night’s sleep.” Rayna smiled. Her good mood was mainly due to Curtis’ talk with her the night before. “By the way, how goes the talk with my brother?”
“Don’t even start. I didn’t get to see him.” Jessica waved her hand dismissively as a gloomy look crept onto her face. “I was already there waiting for him, but he told me something cropped up and went back to the campus.”
“Maybe something did happen,” Rayna said, knowing what kind of person James was. “My brother isn’t the type to stand someone up. Once I’m done dealing with this mess, I’ll get him to apologize to you.”
Jessica giggled. “All right! I want to have stew that’ll cost him a thousand!”
“Two thousand for each pot works too!”
As Rayna was busy, she did not get to talk much with Jessica. After the two were done with breakfast, she hurried to the office.
Although the news about her history had been sealed away, the news about Yannick’s embezzlement and kidnapping of minors was still spreading like wildfire.
Faymon Group’s shares continued to drop.
Naomi reported the situation to Rayna, and Rayna was equally anxious. Nevertheless, there was nothing she could do about that. After going back to her office, she took out the document Curtis had given to her earlier from the drawer.
She wondered if the document he had given to her was a proposal for a collaboration with a company.
When she finally saw what was on the document, she froze.
It was not a plan for a collaboration; it was about Faymon Group’s shares.
The names of the directors mentioned in the documents were Curtis’ good friends. She needed to negotiate with them and persuade them to buy Faymon Group’s original issue shares.
As Rayna fixed her eyes on the document, she mumbled under her breath, “Some shareholders won’t be able to stand their ground when Faymon Group’s shares stop falling, and they’ll sell the shares they have. Therefore, we’ll need someone to take them. The old shareholders will sell their shares, and the new shareholders will take over those shares. Uncle Curtis won’t even need to lift a finger to change the shareholders within Faymon Group. This is such a meticulous plan.”
So Uncle Curtis knew that this day would come. That’s why he gave me this document when he sent me back here. He wanted me to contact those directors during this time. If Uncle Curtis could figure out the Faymons’ plan, doesn’t that mean he could have avoided the accident? Or could it be that he never thought about avoiding the accident so that trouble would befall Faymon Group? So am I a pawn too?
The world spun around Rayna. She felt as though she had been deceived, but she soon realized that Curtis had to have come to this conclusion because Sienna and the others would surely target Faymon Group.
He was only the adopted son of the Faymon family, and the Faymons refused to acknowledge him. Even if Sienna or someone else were the one behind the accident, there was no way Curtis could have avoided it.
Even if the shareholders sold their shares, the shares would be of a terribly low price. It was likely that Sienna and Chester would take the opportunity to buy them.
Rayna was a quick-witted woman, and she soon deciphered what was going on.
Thinking about Sienna’s and Chester’s attitude back at the shareholders’ meeting and the fact that they hadn’t shown up recently, she reckoned that perhaps they were behind the worksite accident and Yannick’s embezzlement coming to light.
Without wasting a second, Rayna called the secretarial department. “Ms. Gardner, I need you to make an appointment with Mr. Tyson of Wysdom.”
“Sure.”
After making arrangements for the company’s matters, Rayna messaged Wyatt and asked him to find a way to release scandals about Faymon Group as she hurried to the shareholders’ houses.
The police were quick to go public with what Yannick had done, and they also announced the date of his trial, which would happen in a few days’ time.
Faymon Group’s shares plummeted again.
The factories in Horington, Yeringham, and Hallsbay were almost all shut down. Tens of thousands of workers had lost their jobs overnight, and the management-level employees in the branch company had quickly switched jobs. In no time, everyone was talking about how Faymon Group was going to collapse.
Rayna did not pay much attention to news about Faymon Group no matter how bad it was. She simply bought plenty of high-quality supplements and humbly apologized to the shareholders.
The first thing the shareholders did was berate Rayna harshly. They went on about how women could never succeed in high-ranking positions and were nothing but pests. Then, they called other shareholders to discuss the situation. When they found out that Faymon Group was willing to reacquire the shares from them and the price was up for negotiation, many hesitated little in releasing their original issue shares the moment they were offered satisfactory prices.
Chapter 140
Chapter 140 Friendzoned
Some of the shareholders analyzed the situation and felt that Faymon Group still had a chance to recover, so they refused to sell their original issue shares. Rayna requested Curtis for guidance, and after negotiating with those stubborn shareholders, she managed to repurchase their shares.
At the same time, Sienna and Chester had been discreetly purchasing the original issue shares from the other shareholders as well.
When Rayna found out about that, she was even more certain that they were the ones behind the news. They were doing this to get Faymon Group’s original issue shares.
It was easy to purchase the shares but difficult to sell them.
Bankruptcy was an announcement that Faymon Group was going to make eventually. Some companies were even making plans to acquire it and were thinking about how people who tried to buy Faymon Group’s original issue shares at a high price were idiots.
Rayna tired herself out for days, and an ulcer even formed in her mouth.
As Jessica applied medication for Rayna, she cursed at Curtis. “Mr. Faymon’s too much! He can’t use his legs, but he can still use his brain! Why must you play the villain in this while he enjoys his time at home?”
“It’s not convenient for him to show up in the office like this,” Rayna said after inhaling sharply from the sting. “Help me get some foundation to cover up the scar on my face. I need to go out.”
“It’s raining today. Why are you going out?”
“I’ve invited Mr. Hunt out for a meal.”
“Why the heck are you doing that?” Jessica rolled her eyes. Despite feeling grumpy about it, she took some foundation and carefully patted it on Rayna’s face. “Your wound isn’t completely healed yet. Are you sure it’s fine for us to put foundation over it?”
Rayna chuckled. “It’s fine. Mr. York has treated it and covered a protective layer over the wound. I’ll tear the layer off after I remove my makeup. It doesn’t seem nice for me to have a meal with someone with a scar on my face.”
Jessica huffed. “Don’t you know why you have that wound on your face? That’s why I say Mr. Faymon’s a heartless man. You’re working so hard for him, but he never once talked about giving you anything in return. Nana, you should stop liking men like him, or you’re going to suffer even more.”
Rayna’s heart skipped a beat. “When did I say I like him?”
“Do I look blind to you?” Jessica patted the powder harder on Rayna’s face. “Why are you doing so much for him if you don’t like him? You even shielded him from a knife! Nana, aren’t you afraid that Curtis will just friendzone you? Hey, are you listening to me?”
“I heard you. I’m in a rush. Bye.” After touching up the last bit of her makeup, Rayna grabbed her bag and darted out of the room. The door closed behind her, shutting off Jessica.
Upon entering the elevator, Rayna heaved a sigh of relief.
Jessica’s words were like a spell, circling in her mind and making frustration grow in her.
Even if she once was interested in Curtis, that was no longer the case.
Curtis was engaged, and she hadn’t been visiting him at the mansion when she thought about the somewhat inappropriate incidents that had happened at the hospital.
She was only helping Faymon Group and Curtis because Curtis had shielded her from a fatal blow during the accident. In addition, he had given her much trust after she became the acting CEO. Those were the kindness she was repaying him for, and what she was doing was partially for the sake of finding out the truth behind Jonathan’s death.
It was a rainy day. Afraid that she would be caught in the traffic, Rayna took the bus to the hotel they had agreed on.
However, the rain had caused the collapse of a part of the road, and all of the vehicles were trapped. The bus could not even turn around.
Rayna glanced at the time as her worry heightened.
After waiting for around two minutes, she figured that the traffic would not be cleared any time soon. She checked the map and found out that running to the hotel from where she was would take around fifteen minutes. Without wasting any more time, she told the bus driver she wanted to alight.
Rayna walked as quickly as she could while taking out her phone to call Owen.
When the call went through, she said in the most humble way she could, “My sincerest apologies, Mr. Hunt. Is it okay for you to wait for me for another ten minutes? The road ahead of the one I was on collapsed, and I’m currently running to the hotel.”
“Ms. Garland, you should know that I’m a busy man. I’ve already turned down several requests for a meeting to have a meal with you. We’ll have to rearrange this meeting if you can’t come at the agreed time.”
Owen’s tone was polite, but it was clear that he was telling Rayna to appear right away, or else their deal was no longer on the table.
“I’m really sorry, Mr. Hunt. I’ll be there as quickly as I can,” Rayna said. The moment she ended the call, the wrath she felt nearly made her throw her phone away.
Why in the world Uncle Curtis chose these guys? They’re all so arrogant!
Not watching her step, Rayna hit an uneven spot and fell.
The muddy water splashed all over her face and drenched her.
“Miss, are you okay?” A small hand reached over to Rayna, and in the hand was a pack of tissues.
“Thank you,” Rayna said as she took the tissues and rose to her feet.
It was then she saw that the boy was dressed in trekking clothes, a helmet, and a mask. Beside him was a black mountain bike, and his entire appearance made him seem cool.
These eyes…
Rayna stared at the familiar eyes. Right as she was wondering where she had seen the boy before, the boy took off his mask and looked at her with bright eyes. “What a coincidence!”
“It’s you?” It was the boy who had picked up her car keys in the mall—the one who looked like a copy of Theodore. Rayna froze for a second before giving him a smile. “What a coincidence indeed. You helped me out again.”
“No worries,” came the boy’s response. “It looks like you’ve dirtied your coat.”
With that, he started fishing for another pack of tissue from his bag.
“It’s fine. I’ll just throw it away.” Rayna soon recollected herself. She took off her coat and threw it into the trash can, then took off her heels and broke them to convert them into flats.
After tucking her feet into the shoes, she muttered, “This feels much better.”
The boy was dumbfounded by Rayna’s fluid motions.
When Rayna combed her damp hair back and flashed him a confident smile, he gasped out loud. “You’re too cool! I thought you’d be crying after the fall.”
Rayna chuckled. “Crying won’t solve anything. I’d rather use the time to think of a way to solve this.”
“Why are you out here alone on a rainy day?” Rayna asked as she tidied her hair. At the same time, she kept glancing at the boy’s face.
Is he related to Theodore?
The boy smiled sweetly. “I had training today, but my teacher didn’t come, so I came out here to train alone. I never thought it’d start raining so suddenly. Luckily, the rain isn’t that heavy.”
“Won’t your family be worried about you?”
“No way! I know martial arts!” The boy lifted his chin. “Don’t underestimate me because of my small size. Most people can’t lay a finger on me.”
“How old are you?”
“Almost four!”
Rayna lowered her head to look at him. “Four? But you must be a hundred and forty centimeters now!”
“That’s because my daddy is tall.” The boy was proud when he mentioned his father. “My daddy’s a hundred and ninety centimeters. I hope I can be as tall as him someday.”
Unable to hold herself back, Rayna asked, “Who’s your father?”
It was only after the question was out of her mouth did she realize how inappropriate it was. An awkward look crossed her face, and she said, “I sound like a bad guy, don’t I? I was just curious because you’re tall.”
The boy did not mind, and he even chuckled cutely. “That’s fine. Even if you’re a bad guy, I’ll defeat you in no time!”
Rayna was speechless to hear that.
Hey, don’t get carried away, little one.