Ch. 141..150

Chapter 141

Chapter 141 Someone You Love

Rayna had sprained her ankle, so standing still hurt her. The little boy then brought her to a nearby chair to sit before pulling out a bag of chocolates.

“Chocolate is high in calories. You’ll have some energy after eating that.”

“Thank you.”

Rayna accepted the chocolate.

She had a hard time believing that this was a four-year-old boy. He spoke too calmly, and one could have easily assumed he had the maturity of a teenager.

“My father is a skilled soldier. He’s been posted to the front lines.” When the boy mentioned his father, his eyes shone brightly with pride. “He loves me very much. He also sends home presents every year.”

“A soldier, you say?” murmured Rayna, trying to ignore the burning questions she had.

Theodore is definitely not a soldier. Otherwise, how could he come back to Chanaea and help Curtis out? This boy also bears an uncanny resemblance to Theodore. What is up with that? Does Theodore have other siblings, perhaps?

On top of that, there are people out there who bear uncanny resemblances to others despite not being related at all. Wasn’t there a story about a child who resembled some bigwig in his youth? They weren’t related either.

After mulling over her thoughts, Rayna patted the boy on his head. “I think you’ll grow to be even better than your father.”

“Of course! I have to protect Mommy!” replied the boy, nodding vigorously. “I have to work hard and make her proud of me!”

“Is it just you and your mother at home?”

The little boy nodded. “Yes, but Mommy is busy at work, so I’ve got a housekeeper taking care of me.”

Just as the boy finished speaking, the phone in his bag began to ring.

He immediately pulled it out and answered. He sounded like a very well-behaved boy as he spoke. “Hello? Mommy? No, the teacher is not here. I decided to train on my own. Yes, I’m wearing a mask. I’ll send you the location and wait for you to pick me up.”

When the boy answered the phone, Rayna suddenly recalled that she had an appointment herself. She was running late as it stood.

Rayna said, “I’ll leave you to wait for your mother. I have other matters to attend to and need to go now.”

“Why don’t you use my mountain bike?” The boy could tell that Rayna was in a rush, so he took off his helmet and gave it to her. “On the pedestrian walkways, it’ll be faster if you ride the bike.”

Given that the mountain bike was not a children’s model, Rayna could ride it too.

Rayna also conceded that time was running out and agreed promptly. “Hmm, can I get your contact details? I’ll take you up on the offer to use your bike and will return it when I’m done.”

“Sure.”

After they exchanged phone numbers, Rayna was about to wheel the bike away when the little boy thrust his helmet at her.

“You need to wear a helmet.”

“There’s no need for one. Besides, that will not fit me.”

“Why don’t you try it on?”

The helmet looked small, and Rayna wanted to try it on to appease him. However, she was quite surprised that the helmet fit after all, albeit being a little tight.

Is my head actually that small?

The little boy grinned at her and said, “I told you! It does fit! I think you should be on your way, then!”

“We’ll keep in touch!”

Rayna was in quite a hurry, so she sped off on the mountain bike after bidding him goodbye.

The little boy waved at her disappearing figure before putting on his mask to wait for his mother.

Not too long after, a silver sedan came to a stop where he sat.

The doors were opened, and a woman clad in a beige suit sauntered over to where the little boy sat. She picked him up with a gentle smile and said, “Have you been waiting long, Carl?”

“Mommy!”

Carl pulled down his mask, intending to kiss her on her cheek.

However, Jasmine shook her head. Her gaze also seemed quite stern. Carl was a little disappointed, but he quietly allowed himself to be carried into the car.

Inside, Jasmine took out a towel and wiped Carl’s head dry. “Carl, if the teacher isn’t around, you can just play at home,” she said tersely. “It’s dangerous to go outside when it’s raining.”

“It wasn’t raining when I was out,” said Carl petulantly. “Besides, you said I couldn’t fall behind in my studies!”

“Well, things happen according to circumstances,” replied Jasmine. “I know you’re a smart and independent boy, but the outside world is not an easy place to be. I’ll forgive you this once, but please don’t do this again. Do you understand?”

Carl merely grunted in response.

“I’m not busy today, so I can keep you company at home.” Jasmine could tell that Carl was upset, so she lifted him onto her lap and kissed him on the cheek. “When we get home, I’ll make you some croissants. How does that sound?”

Carl was not quite placated by this. He looked at Jasmine and asked dully, “Mommy, am I unfit to meet people? Why can’t I go outside or to kindergarten?”

Jasmine kissed him on the hand and gently replied, “That’s not true! You’re Mommy and Daddy’s most precious treasure. However, your father’s status is quite special. If you were spotted by bad people, it could be dangerous. Besides, our little Carl is such a smart boy that he doesn’t need kindergarten. When I’m done here, we can go to Saintnam together. I think you’ll love it there.”

“Are you going to spend time with me?” asked Carl.

“I’m afraid not. I have to work,” said Jasmine, shaking her head. She did not want to lie to Carl.

“Then I won’t go!” huffed Carl in annoyance. “You keep telling me that if I study hard, Daddy will come back. But I’m already four years old! I’ve never seen him once!”

“Your father is at the front lines…”

“Don’t they get vacations? We have so many festivals! Even if he doesn’t get a long vacation, surely he needs some kind of time off? Daddy has never come back to visit!”

Jasmine fell silent.

She had never imagined how smart Carl could be.

 

Chapter 142

Chapter 142 A Chance

Rayna rode the mountain bike at breakneck speed, arriving at the hotel with five minutes to spare.

She strode briskly toward the entrance while trying to make herself look presentable, but a receptionist informed her that Owen and his entourage had already left.

“Darn it!” hissed Rayna as she dumped her bag on the front desk.

I borrowed some kid’s bike to hurry my ass over here, but they left already?

Are they toying with me?

After taking a few breaths, Rayna decided to give Owen a call.

“Ms. Garland.”

“Are you busy, Mr. Hunt?” The person on the line was not Owen himself. Rayna frowned but suppressed her temper and said, “I arrived at the hotel on time, but the receptionist said that Mr. Hunt has left the premises.”

“That’s right, Mr. Hunt had to hurry off because something came up. However, he did ask us to apologize to you when you called, Ms. Garland. Mr. Hunt said he would treat you to a meal when he has the time.”

Rayna was fuming as she heard this, but she could only contain her anger. “That’s fine. Since Mr. Hunt is busy, I guess I’ll have to reschedule this appointment.”

“Goodbye, Ms. Garland.”

“Goodbye.”

Rayna’s face was frosty after she hung up. She gritted her teeth and muttered to herself, “Jessie is right. My brain is the problem here. It’s not like I sold my soul to Faymon Group! So why the hell am I doing this?”

She swore, thinking of just calling Curtis and calling it quits.

Rayna sat in the foyer for quite some time, looking like a woman who was out for blood.

I learned quite a bit from Curtis when I became the acting CEO of Faymon Group. I only worry that if I go elsewhere, I won’t have much of a hands-on learning experience.

Rayna eventually calmed down. She fished out her phone and dialed Naomi’s number, saying, “Ms. Gardner, please head over to the information department and do a little snooping on Steven Hunt. If you find anything, contact me.”

Since Owen was busy, she decided to go after his son instead.

Five minutes later, Rayna received an update on Steven’s schedule. He was supposed to attend a friend’s birthday party, and a few people were invited to the celebration at a high-end club. She made her way to the venue.

Coincidentally, this was the same club where she had helped Curtis negotiate for the very first time.

When Rayna alighted from the car and noticed the name of the club, her thoughts immediately went back to the incident. She had had an upset stomach and excused herself to go to the bathroom but had been cornered by Curtis asking about how things were going.

If the heavens could give her another chance, she would not have shown up that day.

Rayna then sought out the manager of the club. In her friendliest voice, she asked, “I see that it’s inconvenient to drive since it’s raining. Has Mr. Hunt arrived yet?”

“He arrived early and is currently in the private room!” The manager assumed that Rayna was a friend of Steven’s. With a smile and a bow, the manager escorted her to where Steven was.

As soon as the door to the VIP lounge was opened, the strong smell of alcohol mingling with the scent of women’s perfume immediately filled Rayna’s nostrils. The room was decorated with luxurious gold trimmings, giving the space an added element of splendor.

About twenty or so guests occupied the room; there was singing, dancing, games of dice, and drinking. It was quite a lively atmosphere.

As soon as the manager brought her there, he promptly left.

The lighting in the room was dim, which made visibility low. However, Rayna’s sharp eyes soon landed on a man with a slick backcomb. His lips were curved in a smirk, and he seemed quite relaxed.

During the car ride here, Rayna had time to analyze the situation in great detail.

Prior to this, Faymon Group had used what was left of its funds to repurchase all the shares from the shareholders. If they were going to be put on sale again, they needed to have a big buyer.

Owen was a real-estate magnate abroad, going as far as to rank sixth place at his primary base of operations. In more recent years, he had since expanded his influence to other regions. On top of real- estate dealings, Owen also invested in the entertainment industry and made quite a bit of money from it.

Owen was a well-known local figure. As long as Rayna could convince him to purchase shares within Faymon Group, it would make her task of convincing other investors much easier. After all, she then had a solid reason to approach them.

Rayna smoothed her hair and sauntered over to Steven. “Hello, Mr. Hunt.”

Steven, who had been chatting with other people, raised his head to look at her. What met his gaze was a lanky, sharply dressed woman in a white suit who seemed to have a valiant and formidable aura. His eyes sparkled slightly.

Steven stood up and asked, “And who are you friends with?”

“I’m a friend of Owen’s,” replied Rayna with a small smile. She then placed a gift on the mahogany table. “I happened to be running errands in the area. I heard that a friend of yours is celebrating a birthday today, so I decided to drop in and say hello.”

“I did not know that my father had such a… charming friend,” said Steven, whose gaze swept across her figure suggestively.

The man next to Steven suddenly burst out laughing. “That’s funny. Have you not paid any attention to the news? This woman isn’t a friend of your father, but the acting CEO of Faymon Group, Rayna Garland.”

The voice sounded quite familiar to Rayna, who looked over with an arched brow.

From what little she could make out in the dark, Rayna realized that it was Jason Faymon, whom she had met but once.

He was Chester Faymon’s second son.

As soon as Jason opened his mouth, all eyes in the room were suddenly on Rayna.

Steven gave her the once over again and let out a low whistle. “I know that Faymon Group is going through a rough patch and that they have elected an acting CEO. However, I didn’t expect them to be a woman, and a stunning one at that.”

“What’s the use of good looks?” sneered another in the crowd. “Just look at how she’s driving Faymon Group toward bankruptcy.”

“Goodness. If I were Mr. Faymon, I daresay that any random person on the street could have done a better job.”

“That’s right!”

Ever since Rayna became the acting CEO of the company, such tactless remarks no longer had any effect on her. Rayna’s expression remained unchanged throughout the mockery. Instead, she smiled at Steven and said, “Is it possible for us both to have a little chat?”

“Rayna, did you seek Steven out because you couldn’t meet up with his father?” With a playful smirk, Jason leaned forward. “Are you hoping to meet Mr. Hunt through Steven, or are you trying to get Steven to invest in Faymon Group?”

Rayna frowned.

She had erroneously assumed that Jason was a good-for-nothing lout who did not take anything seriously. However, she had not anticipated his strong analytical skills.

Very quickly, Steven’s expression shifted into one of scorn. “Faymon Group is going to go bankrupt soon. On top of that, I’m sure they owe their debtors quite a large sum. Yet, you want my company to invest and buy shares from you? Do you think we’re stupid?”

Rayna smiled faintly and replied, “Mr. Hunt, I assume you’re aware that Faymon Group is still a leading company in Chanaea that drives the economies of Norwal City, Horington, and Yeringham while providing jobs for tens of thousands of people. I’m not sure if any other company is able to pull off the same feat.”

Rayna cleared her throat and continued, “We’ve merely run into a small roadblock. Going bankrupt is out of the question. Mr. Hunt, I’m hoping that you’d help me pass on a message to your father. Do tell him that I’d like to treat him to a meal. Your company is not going to regret collaborating with us.”

“My father is never going to collaborate with you!” scoffed Steven with a wave of his hand, indicating that he no longer wished to have this conversation. “You should probably seek out people who are interested in the first place.”

As soon as Steven finished speaking, Jason leaned over and whispered something into his ear.

Immediately after that, Jason said, “What a joke. Regardless, she is still an acting CEO of Faymon Group. Since she took the trouble to make a trip to see you, I think you should at least hear her out and be civil about it.”

Rayna had a feeling that Jason’s words were actually directed at herself instead.

 

Chapter 143

Chapter 143 Why Help Him

Rayna noticed Steven making a call. Shortly after that, the doors opened to reveal two waiters. They pushed in a cart of beer before loading the bottles onto the table.

After calculating the number of bottles as they were being placed, Rayna noted that there were twenty- four bottles.

Steven leaned back and pointed nonchalantly at the bottles, saying, “Ms. Garland, let me offer you a compromise. If you can finish all the beer on this table, I’ll set up a meeting with my father.”

“Mr. Hunt, you must be joking,” replied Rayna, her expression showing the slightest hint of emotion before she gave him another mild smile. “There are twenty-four bottles here. I doubt even a grown man can drink so many. Besides, I’m not a heavy drinker.”

Jason merely smiled and said, “Come now. A grown man might not be as capable as you are, Ms. Garland. You’re the acting CEO of Faymon Group! I think that a mere twenty-four bottles are nothing to you.”

“That’s right! Beer doesn’t even have high alcohol content. We’re not asking you to drink wine!” retorted Steven, clearly unhappy. “Here I am, giving you a chance. If you’re not going to take it, then please leave. Your presence is only disrupting the festivities.”

Rayna chose not to respond. Instead, she turned around to leave.

Beer may not have a high alcohol content, but drinking twenty-four bottles of beer is really no small matter.

Just as Rayna was about to leave, she heard Jason calling out to her in a singsong voice, “Rayna, don’t waste your time. Faymon Group’s failures are Curtis’ fault. The company is beyond saving at this

point.”

His tone seemed to carry hints of pleasure as if he had personally set foot in Faymon Group to witness Curtis being crushed beneath his feet.

Rayna could feel anger burn hot in her chest. This had become unbearable.

Just look at these parasitic sc*mbags!

If it had not been for Curtis’ intervention, what was left of Faymon Group would have been split between Jack and his ilk. What irked Rayna was that Jason, too, was a Faymon. It was one thing to not lend a hand, but the internal bickering was unpleasant to witness.

Rayna stopped and turned around to pin an icy glare on Steven. “Mr. Hunt, you mean to say that you’ll arrange for a meeting with your father if I finish all twenty-four bottles of beer on this table, yes?”

Steven was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor and hesitated before replying, “Y-yes, that’s right.”

Before he could say anything further, Rayna had picked up a bottle and downed its contents promptly.

It took her approximately eight seconds to down that first beer before moving on to the second bottle.

Jason did not think that Rayna would return to start chugging down beer. The smirk he had on his lips gradually disappeared before a gloomy expression settled on his face.

As Chester’s second son, Jason was well aware of what his father was up to. Jason then contacted the other companies that had dealings with Faymon Group. He would wait for the number of shares between Chester and Sienna to be near equal before selling some of the stock to these companies. With the profits as working capital, Jason would then utilize the media and public relations stunts to clear Faymon Group’s name, thus keeping the company afloat.

However, in all their machinations, their plans did not take Rayna into account.

This Rayna is a very capable woman, nothing at all like what a newly-transferred rookie from the translation department should be like. While we were setting our plans in motion, she was pulling funds from Faymon Group to repurchase the company’s shares.

By the time Jason came out of his stupor, Rayna had already downed the tenth bottle. Given that her demeanor had not changed in the slightest, many others had wandered over to watch the show, wanting to see if she could actually finish all the beer.

Soon, there were more empty bottles than there were full ones.

Steven was quite taken aback by this. Slowly, his expression changed from annoyance to shock. He had taken Jason’s advice of making things difficult for her, but he did not wish for other complications to arise.

“Hey, just stop if you can’t drink anymore,” said Steven. He could not bear to watch this any longer. “You’re going to be sick.”

Rayna did not respond. Instead, she picked up another bottle and proceeded to down it.

By the time she got to the sixteenth bottle, Rayna started to feel slightly ill. However, she did not wish to give up after having come so far. Suppressing her discomfort, she stubbornly continued to drink.

When she emptied the final bottle, Rayna’s face and ears were tinged a faint red. Her eyes also appeared misty. The last bit of alcohol that she did not swallow had dripped down her chin, staining her blouse.

The rivulets faintly outlined the sensual shape of her concealed lingerie. The breathing of all the men present grew heavier as they stared at her.

She had an absolutely gorgeous figure.

After downing the last bottle, Rayna was already a little unsteady on her feet. She shook her head and turned the bottle upside down to indicate that it was truly empty. “I’ve held up my end of the bargain. Now it’s time for you to fulfill what we’ve agreed on.”

“Holy cr*p, woman. Are you insane?” Steven was stroking his chin in awe. He had never seen a woman drink beer with so much determination. “I’ll definitely help you make an appointment with him.”

“Thank you.” Thankfully, Steven only looked like he could not be trusted. At the end of the day, he was going to keep his word after all.

Rayna staggered toward the door, but before she could even touch the doorknob, she was pinned against the wall by a large man.

“Rayna, you’re really working hard for Faymon Group,” said Jason with a smile as he held her hands in a vice grip. “What has that man done for you? Why are you so willing to help him?”

Rayna was already feeling ill. The fact that she was pinned against the wall so helplessly did nothing to help her in this state. With a smirk, she glared icily at him and said, “Mr. Faymon is your Uncle Alfred’s son and is older than you are. Even if you won’t address him formally, you should at least acknowledge his seniority and address him by name. This impertinence of yours really makes me wonder if the Faymon family has failed to teach you manners.”

Jason’s expression darkened as he tightened his grip further. “My, my. Aren’t you a feisty one?”

“Let go of me.”

“What’s the hurry, Ms. Garland? You’ve had so much to drink that you’re dizzy. I’m just giving you a hand, that’s all,” hissed Jason as he brazenly eyed her. “How was an insignificant little translator able to

become the acting CEO of the company, eh? I’ve seen plenty of smart and beautiful women, Rayna, but you are an enigma. Is your work ethic so admirable that it caught Curtis’ eye?”

“Or perhaps…” Jason paused and suggestively added, “you have other talents?”

Rayna could tell what he meant. With clenched teeth, she retaliated by sending a well-aimed knee to his crotch.

Jason was caught off guard, and the pain made him yelp out loud.

Rayna then shoved him off violently and straightened her attire. “Mr. Faymon,” she sneered, “I’d suggest being more civil in the future. You’re lucky that it was me. If it were anyone else, I fear it would have been a more… painful lesson.”

“F*ck you! How dare you kick me?” Jason had not anticipated Rayna to be so ruthless. Immediately, he dragged her back angrily and tossed her into the nearby couch. With one hand on her neck, he hissed, “Who are you to be so high and mighty? I know what b*tches like you do behind the scenes!”

Steven noticed that Jason was acting rashly and hurriedly came over to stop him. “Let it slide, Jason. Regardless, she’s still the acting CEO of Faymon Group. I doubt you want to draw the ire of Mr—”

“She managed to become the acting CEO because she was willing to sleep around for it. Is that somehow an achievement?” retorted Jason, cutting Steven off. “Curtis is a cr*pple who can’t even protect himself now! Do you think he can keep Faymon Group afloat?”

However, Jason’s rant did not end there. “On the surface, Curtis Faymon may be my uncle’s adopted son, but he’s nothing more than a favored pet of the household! Even if he inherits Faymon Group, what of it? Not a single drop of Faymon blood runs through that man’s veins! Does anyone even acknowledge him as one of us?”

“Are you out of your mind? Stop it!” hissed Steven through gritted teeth. Even though Faymon Group was currently down and out, one could not underestimate Curtis. Once he returned to the helm, Faymon Group was definitely going to make a comeback.

In fact, everyone in this social group knew that they were not on par with Curtis, nor was he a person they could afford to aggravate.

“The world knows it and probably thinks this way, so why can’t I say it out loud?” yelled Jason, still enraged by this. He then reached out to pat Rayna on the cheek, saying, “Rayna, if you’re sensible enough to be on my side, you can have anything from money to status. Everything will be ripe for the picking.”

 

Chapter 144

Chapter 144 Drink

Rayna quietly reached toward the mahogany table and asked, “And if I say no?”

“Do you have the right to say no?” Again, Jason squeezed her neck hard and smirked coldly at her. “Do you think I’m dumb enough to believe that you became the acting CEO through ethical means?”

He then let out a harsh bark of laughter and added, “You can stop joking now. Even a graduate from a top university can only manage to become an executive. You’re just a translator who has no business making executive decisions! How the hell did you end up becoming the acting CEO?”

Jason’s eyes darkened as he let out a mocking laugh. “Curtis is a cr*pple now, so what’s the fun in staying with him? Is he even functional down there? Oh, wait. I remember now. You were married to Julian before. Not bad, Rayna. You always seem to go after the men of the Faymon family. Now tell me, who was more capable between the two of them? Julian or Curtis?”

Without saying a word, Rayna reached for the closest beer bottle and sent it crashing down onto Jason’s head.

The bottle broke, and the glass shards could be heard falling to the ground.

Jason staggered backward from the impact, feeling warm blood trickling out from the injury on his head.

Everyone stood there and watched, frozen in their spots. Nobody, including Steven, dared to move. It was not until an unknown woman screamed that Steven came back to his senses.

Steven saw that Jason was behaving like a madman, with both his hands squeezing Rayna’s neck tightly. Immediately, Steven went over and pulled Jason back. “D*mn it, Jason, have you really lost your mind? Let go! If she dies, it’ll be the end of us too!”

“Piss off!” Jason gave Steven a violent shove and yelled, “A harlot who climbs into men’s beds for profit dares use a bottle to hit me? How capable of her!”

Jason then raised a hand and slapped Rayna on the face, hard.

The slap had landed on the injured side of Rayna’s face. She felt a numbness before noticing that her wound had reopened. It hurt so much that she furrowed her brows.

“Who the hell are you calling a harlot?” hissed Rayna, aiming the broken bottle at Jason’s belly and pushing it inward threateningly. “Say it again. I dare you.”

Steven, who initially wanted to hold Jason back again, felt a chill rush down his spine.

D*mn it! I should have just sent Rayna away earlier instead of listening to Jason’s stupid idea of toying with her! Now look at this mess!

Jason glanced at the broken bottle near his abdomen and scoffed. “You want to stab me, then? Go ahead! Stab me! I want to see if you have the guts!”

As he spoke, he aimed a slap at Rayna’s face.

Steeling herself, Rayna pushed the glass into Jason’s belly.

The slap that she was waiting for did not reach her face. Instead, Jason let out a grunt as redness bloomed on his abdomen.

“Do you want to test the limits of my power, then?”

It was unclear when the doors of the room had opened, but Curtis was there in his wheelchair, staring coolly at Jason. A strong, domineering aura radiated from his very being, which struck fear into everyone present.

Jason shuddered when he heard that voice, and his heart dropped to his feet.

The broken bottle Rayna held may have seemed small, but it was still sharp enough to puncture Jason’s belly. The blood from that wound seeped into Jason’s shirt, so he hurriedly clutched his belly to stem the flow.

“C-Curtis.” Jason had suddenly lost the arrogance from before. Instead, he got up and stood aside, stuttering as he uttered a greeting.

“That’s Mr. Faymon to you,” replied Curtis.

Jason abruptly paled.

Curtis is supposed to be recuperating at the mansion. Why is he suddenly here?

Curtis pushed a button on his wheelchair and entered the room. His gaze soon landed on Rayna. When he saw how disheveled she looked and the bruises around her neck, a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

“Can you walk? Do you need help?” asked Curtis.

“I’m fine.” Rayna’s voice was slightly hoarse as she struggled to get off the couch. Given the amount of alcohol she had ingested before this, she fell to the ground immediately.

Steven wanted to help, but Rayna held up a hand to stop him. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Steven smiled meekly.

We’re screwed. Curtis is going to come for our heads.

When Rayna managed to stand, Curtis gave her blouse a cursory glance before offering her the blanket he had on his lap.

Lowering her head, Rayna took in her appearance and instantly blushed, swiftly draping the blanket over herself. She had been so focused on drinking earlier that she never paid attention to the state of her clothing. “Mr. Faymon, what brings you here?” she asked.

“Wyatt invested in this club. He was concerned that I was going to be bored at the mansion, so he asked me to come over for a bit of fun,” replied Curtis. “I then heard that you were here too, so I came to see if you needed help.”

Curtis then turned to look at Steven. “Aren’t you Mr. Hunt’s son? How do you know Rayna?”

“M-Mr. Faymon.” Steven noticed Curtis’ hawkish glare at him, which gave him the chills. With a strangled laugh, he said, “We’re celebrating a friend’s birthday. Ms. Garland dropped by to deliver a gift.”

“Is that so?”

Before Steven could nod, Rayna smiled mildly at Curtis. “That’s right. I wanted to wish his friend a happy birthday and enlist Mr. Steven’s help in getting an appointment to meet his father because he is so busy. However, Mr. Steven was generous enough to buy me twenty-four bottles of beer. Thank you for the treat, Mr. Steven.”

Steven could feel his knees shaking.

D*mn this woman! She’s pretty but is not someone to be trifled with. She also knows how to use Curtis as a shield.

“T-This whole thing was Jason’s idea!” stammered Steven indignantly, pointing right at Jason. “He said he wanted to test Ms. Garland’s mettle, so I… I…”

Jason’s expression fell immediately after he heard that. “Curt… No. Mr. Faymon, I was just messing around with Ms. Garland. I never thought she was going to drink all of it! I bore her no ill will!”

“Is that so? Then you weren’t the one who said all these things?” asked Rayna icily. With that, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, which was still in recording mode.

When Jason saw the phone, his face turned deathly pale.

Rayna played the recording on loudspeaker. She had managed to record everything that was said from the moment she entered the room to what everyone said, followed by Jason’s crazed rants.

Everyone looked at Curtis with bated breath, not daring to even move.

They were all doomed.

After a while, Curtis finally spoke once more. “Since everyone likes drinking so much, let me buy you all a few rounds.”

Curtis then summoned a waiter and relayed his instructions.

Two minutes later, a few waiters hauled in carts filled with vodka and red wine, filling both mahogany tables with alcohol.

Everyone looked at the table uneasily.

Drinking an excessive amount of beer would just result in vomiting and a mild hangover. However, this was hard liquor on the table. Excess consumption of this could result in alcohol poisoning.

“Mr. Faymon, I said nothing earlier,” chimed someone in the crowd shakily. “On top of that, I can’t drink vodka well.”

“I said nothing either.”

“Me neither.”

“Come now. It’s Steven’s friend’s birthday, and you all were invited. How can you not drink even a little?” tutted Curtis mildly. “Don’t worry about the bill. I’ll cover all your expenses this evening.”

When Jason saw the hard liquor on the table, he swallowed audibly.

Vodka had an alcohol content of fifty-two percent. It would be a miracle if he survived drinking all of it. On top of that, he had an injury to his abdomen. How could he drink?

“Wait! Let me apologize to Ms. Garland. I messed up and humiliated her!” Jason trembled and looked at Curtis, saying, “Mr. Faymon, Ms. Garland stabbed me earlier and injured me, so I can’t drink.”

“Drink. It,” said Curtis mildly, enunciating each word. Nothing could conceal the sharpness in his eyes as he pinned a glare on Jason.

Chapter 145

Chapter 145 Uncle Curtis Has Curly Eyelashes

Everyone in the room exchanged glances. None had any intention of drinking. “If you’re feeling too tired to drink by yourselves, I can always have men help with that,” said Curtis.

With a wave of his hand, more than a dozen servers filed into the room and stood behind Curtis in a straight line.

Steven knew that none of them would be allowed to leave the room tonight unless they finished all the alcohol. D*mn you, Jason. ”Come on, bottoms up. You guys don’t intend on spending the night here, do you?” he said in a low voice.

With Steven taking the lead, the rest picked up the bottles and started drinking, with everyone trying to fight for the red wine first. The room became lively again, just as when Rayna first entered.

Jason had no choice but to drink as well.

On the other hand, Rayna had been hanging around Curtis since his arrival. She hadn’t spoken a word until now and was watching coldly as the crowd drank.

She had no reason to stand up for these people when she had Curtis to back her up.

“What happened?”

“What?” Rayna was snapped out of her reverie.

Is there something on my face? She reached out to touch her cheeks when she saw Curtis staring. Blood was trickling down her face as Jason’s slap had reopened her wound.

“Jason slapped me just now—Ugh!” Rayna stopped mid-sentence as her stomach roiled. She quickly covered her mouth and stumbled her way to the restroom.

She started throwing up the moment she reached the toilet bowl and instantly felt better after she was done.

Curtis wheeled himself over and handed her a piece of tissue. “Upset stomach?”

“I-I’m fine now.” Rayna never expected him to enter the stall when she herself couldn’t stand the stink of vomit. She said awkwardly, “You shouldn’t be here, Mr. Faymon. It’s dirty.”

“It’s fine.” Curtis reached out to flush the toilet so she wouldn’t have to get up. “I’ll help you clean your face. It’s bleeding.”

Rayna blushed.

Is there really a need for that? Oh, this is so awkward.

However, Curtis had already poured makeup remover onto a cotton pad before she could even reject his advances. She stood around awkwardly as Curtis carefully removed her makeup.

“Why did you apply makeup when your face is wounded?”

“I wanted to make myself presentable since I’m supposed to meet up with Mr. Owen today.” Rayna backed away to avoid coming into contact with Curtis. “Mr. York gave me some patches. He told me I could apply makeup once I put it on.”

Curtis’ mood darkened. “You didn’t manage to meet up with Mr. Owen?” he asked.

“No. I took the bus since it was raining cats and dogs today.” Rayna’s temper flared at the mention of that. “I even called to inform Mr. Owen that I might be late. He said he would wait for me. However,

when I arrived at the hotel on a borrowed mountain bike, the server told me he had already left. And I wasn’t even late! It was so frustrating. I was left with no choice but to visit Mr. Steven.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Rayna pursed her lips. “It’s my job anyways. Moreover, Mr. Owen is a big shot. I thought reaching out to other VIPs would be easier if he bought Faymon Group’s shares.”

Curtis paused a moment.

“Mr. Faymon, did I say anything wrong?” Rayna looked at him in confusion and asked.

“No.” Curtis dabbed a new cotton pad with water and gently cleansed her face after removing her makeup. “Just look for another buyer if he doesn’t want them.”

“But these are the people you trust, Mr. Faymon…”

“Not really. They’re just acting on their self-interest.” Curtis smiled. “Do you think they would be interested in Faymon Group’s shares if they didn’t have insider information? Rayna, there are plenty of smart businessmen in this world, and they have their ways of earning a living. Don’t bother with people who refuse to meet up with you. There will be more out there that will reach out to you on their own accord.”

“How long are we going to sit around and wait? Sienna is also working hard to get the shares,” Rayna said worriedly. “Moreover, Faymon Group’s share price is dropping, and our factories have ceased operations. What if this backfires?”

Curtis chuckled. “What does that matter? I’ll pay you out of my own pocket.”

“Mr. Faymon, this isn’t the time for jokes!” Rayna slapped his hand away angrily. “Sienna and your other aunts didn’t even contribute much back when Faymon Group was established, yet they want to

get a slice of the pie now that it has borne fruit? The company belonged to Old Mr. Faymon, and you inherited the company from him, so you’re the rightful owner of Faymon Group now. What right do they have to take it away from you? I don’t think you should hold back anymore since they don’t care about you. Tell them to bring it on. Money speaks louder than words these days. People will support you when you show them the money. Let them fight among themselves!”

Curtis smiled as he listened to her ramble away.

She can be so cute at times when she talks.

“Mr. Faymon, are you listening to me?” Rayna tucked her hair behind her ear and stared at him. “I won’t help you out anymore if you don’t care—Mmph!”

Curtis cradled the back of her head and pressed his warm, soft lips to hers. He ran his tongue over her lower lip, teasing her mouth open to deepen the kiss.

Rayna’s eyes widened as she got a close look at his lashes.

Such curly lashes.

It wasn’t until Curtis kissed her till she ran out of breath that she returned to her senses. Rayna blushed as she forcefully pushed him away and covered her quivering lips with her fingers.

Curtis too, was stunned as he rubbed his temples.

He didn’t know what had gotten into him when he kissed her. He just had the strong urge to pull her into his arms when his gaze landed on her lips, unraveling his deepest desires.

“Rayna, I…”

“Let’s just pretend nothing happened just now.” Rayna held out her palm to stop him from speaking, her cheeks red with embarrassment. “Thank you for removing my makeup, Mr. Faymon.”

Curtis watched with displeasure as she fled the restroom.

Meanwhile, the crowd had reached their limits with the alcohol while Rayna and Curtis were in the restroom. They had thrown up multiple times, but there were still more than a dozen bottles of vodka left on the table.

It was all Steven’s and Jason’s fault.

Upon Curtis’ return, they rushed up and begged for mercy. Some of the women were even weeping at this point.

“I’ll let you guys off since everyone seems really drunk.” Curtis swept his eyes over their faces. “You may leave on one condition.”

With that said, his gaze landed on Jason. “Mr. Jason looks drunk. Everyone give him a slap each to wake him up.”

“Mr. Faymon, I’m still your cousin even if I offended Ms. Garland earlier.” Jason was losing his cool. “My dad is your uncle. How dare you get these people to slap me?”

It was utterly humiliating!

Curtis sneered as he brushed his fingers over his wheelchair’s armrest. “You were saying I was just a dog to the Faymon family and am not worthy of being a Faymon earlier. Why are you calling me family now? I feel disgusted to be your cousin.”

Curtis decided not to hold back anymore. “Don’t think you can get away with this scot-free when you insulted me and slapped my woman. Jason, I’m teaching you a lesson in your father’s place. Either you

stand there and receive a tight slap from everyone here, or I’ll force-feed you the rest of the alcohol on the table.”

Chapter 146

Chapter 146 Feels Good To See Him Getting Humiliated

The crowd couldn’t help but shudder upon Curtis’ words.

Who would have thought that he could be so scary when his temper flared?

“Curtis Fay—” Jason clenched his fists and shouted angrily, only to receive a stern glare from Curtis before he could even finish.

Curtis gave everyone else a look. “It looks like you guys want to stay here.”

The crowd exchanged looks as they were hesitant to make a move.

On the one hand, they were worried about the consequences of slapping Jason since he was part of the Faymon family.

On the other, they wanted to get out of the room.

After a long silence, a bespectacled man walked up to Jason.

Jason never expected any of them to dare slap him. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the man murderously.

The bespectacled man plucked up his courage while shivering in fright. “I-I’m sorry, Mr. Faymon… I need to go. My girlfriend is waiting for me at home. Please don’t blame me for this…”

The man squeezed his eyes shut and quickly gave Jason a slap.

Of course, he knew he couldn’t afford to mess with Jason. Hence, after slapping the latter lightly, he turned around and tried to flee.

However, Curtis gave him a look. “How can he sober up with such a light slap? Slap him again,” he said with an ambiguous smile.

The man’s legs shook. “Mr. Faymon, I-I…”

“Slap him again!”

The bespectacled man was taken aback by Curtis’ demeanor. He turned back to Jason, pretended not to see the latter’s murderous glare, and landed a tight slap on his face.

Jason’s right cheek reddened upon the impact, and the corner of his mouth went numb.

“Jason,” Curtis spoke up when he saw that Jason was about to return the slap. “I’ll force-feed you the rest of the alcohol on the table if you can’t stand getting slapped.”

He wouldn’t be able to survive one bottle of vodka with an alcohol content of fifty-two percent. Hence, a dozen bottles of the hard liquor were out of the question.

Jason gave the bottles of vodka on the table a look, gritted his teeth, and pushed the bespectacled man away. Daily New chapters upload Only on Alaniniz(dot)com This time around, no server stopped the bespectacled man from leaving the room.

With the bespectacled man taking the lead and Curtis’ words to back them up, the rest of the crowd walked up to Jason, apologized, and slapped his cheeks.

In an instant, the sound of slaps filled the air.

Jason stood in a corner with clenched fists as his cheeks were slapped till they swelled.

In the end, Steven was the only one left who hadn’t slapped Jason.

He couldn’t bring himself to slap Jason since they were friends. Steven let out a dry laugh. “M-Mr. Faymon, my hands hurt. Why not I down one glass of vodka instead?”

“One glass of vodka?” Curtis sneered. “Are you looking down on me? Or are you looking down on him?”

“Mr. Faymon, I don’t mean it that way…”

“Did you hear him? Mr. Hunt said his hands hurt.” Curtis turned to the server behind him. “Help him out.”

“Yes, Mr. Faymon.” The server made his way over to Steven.

Before Steven could even register what was going on, the server, who was half a head taller than him, grabbed his right hand and used it to slap Jason.

Then, he swung Steven’s hand to land another slap on Jason’s other cheek.

After he was done, the server quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, Mr. Hunt. Your hand went out of control.”

Steven was devastated.

I’m done for. Jason won’t let me off this time.

“It looks like there is indeed something wrong with Mr. Hunt’s hands. Take him to the doctor.” Curtis’ gaze then landed on Jason. “Come here.”

Rayna, Jason, and Curtis were the only ones left in the room after the servers led Steven out.

Jason felt utterly humiliated after getting slapped more than a dozen times. He was so mad that he badly wanted to kill Curtis but didn’t dare show it as he walked up to him.

Curtis picked up a bottle of red wine from the table and smashed it down fiercely on Jason’s knees as he approached him.

Jason’s knees went weak, and he knelt down in front of Curtis.

Curtis grabbed his hair and pulled him up to eye level. “Jason, your dad is a smart man. I’m surprised you haven’t picked up anything from him after following him around for many years. At least your dad knows enough not to mess around with me even though he doesn’t like me. But you, you are a different story. Are you trying to tell the world that Faymon Group is declaring bankruptcy and that I’m a cripple?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Faymon. I shouldn’t have said all that.” Jason’s face twitched. “I crossed the line. But I’m sober now. Please forgive me, Mr. Faymon.”

Curtis sneered. “Yes, you shouldn’t have said and done all that. I can refresh your memory if you’ve forgotten how your mother died. It doesn’t matter even if Faymon Group declares bankruptcy. I’m still wealthy enough to buy the news headlines.”

Jason’s pupils constricted upon hearing that.

How did Curtis find that out when it’s meant to be kept secret? Who told him?

“It’s all my fault. Please, Mr. Faymon, Ms. Garland, forgive me.” Jason suppressed his anger and begged for mercy. He planned to pay Curtis back for all the humiliation he suffered today once Faymon Group had a new president.

Curtis gave him a look and shrugged him off as if he was a bag of trash. “I did say the drinks are on me today. Take the rest of the liquor home for Uncle Chester. Don’t waste it.”

“Thank you, Mr. Faymon.” Jason quickly packed up the rest of the liquor and left the room.

Curtis wiped his hands with a piece of tissue and turned his wheelchair around to face Rayna. “Ms. Garland, what’s on your mind?” he asked in amusement.

“Nothing.” Rayna returned to her senses, still shocked by the events that had happened.

This was her first time seeing Curtis teaching someone else a lesson, and he had shown no mercy.

Jason was spouting nonsense and making threats before this but didn’t dare make a sound after Curtis’ arrival.

This feels so good!

Rayna licked her lips subconsciously as it was feeling a little dry. However, she stopped midway through as the incident in the restroom flooded her mind. “M-Mr. Faymon, I’ll be taking my leave now if there is nothing else,” she stuttered.

She yanked the door open and was about to leave.

“Are you going to leave me here alone when I’m crippled?” Curtis called out to her.

“Isn’t your wheelchair motorized, Mr. Faymon?”

“It ran out of battery.”

Rayna saw that the wheelchair didn’t move when Curtis toggled the joystick. “What kind of wheelchair just runs out of battery like that? I’ll buy you a better one next time…” she muttered.

“I-I don’t mean it that way, Mr. Faymon!” she quickly added. “What I mean is, I’ll get you a better wheelchair while you’re still recovering.”

Am I out of my mind? I should think twice before I speak.

Curtis merely smiled. “Okay.”

The both of them ran into Wyatt as the elevator arrived on the first floor.

“Ms. Garland.”

Wyatt, dressed in a grey t-shirt, raised a brow and waved at Rayna. He then lowered his gaze and saw Curtis in his wheelchair. “Oh, Curtis, why are you he—”

 

 

Chapter 147

Chapter 147 I Dare You To Keep Laughing

“Didn’t you say you’d come to see me once you were done with work? What took you so long?” Curtis cut him off, his expression darkening.

Wyatt involuntarily shivered at his icy tone.

“O-Oh, yes.” Wyatt even started stammering. “T-The managers were having a meeting just now.”

Next to them, Rayna noticed Wyatt was looking off. Raising her head to look at the air conditioner, she couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. “The temperature is not that low, so why are you shivering, Mr. Lopez?”

Wyatt rubbed his arms. “Oh, I do think it’s quite cold. Well, I’m a bit sensitive to low temperatures.”

Rayna was speechless.

Curtis felt uncomfortable at their banter. He interjected, “I’ve already sent a message to Ms. Gardner. You should use the private car to return to the company, Ms. Garland.”

“Then, what about you, Mr. Faymon?” Rayna asked.

“I have something to do at the moment. Wyatt will give me a ride back later.”

“Okay,” Rayna accepted his offer.

Since she had wanted to return to the company, Curtis was saving her a lot of time when he called Naomi over.

“Curtis, Rayna is Faymon Group’s acting CEO,” Wyatt stated cheerily. “Why are you being so formal with her? You should drop the formalities!”

As she heard his suggestion, Rayna quickly waved her hands in disagreement and replied anxiously, “There’s no need for that! You can keep calling me ‘Ms. Garland’ like how you used to. Anyway, Mr. Faymon, Mr. Lopez, I’ll be off now.”

Just as Rayna turned to leave, Curtis chuckled softly and said, “Rayna, do your best.”

At that, she stumbled, almost falling from shock.

Oh, God! It’s embarrassing for Uncle Curtis to call me that in front of others.

As a result, she quickened her pace and disappeared in a flash.

Looking at Rayna’s frantic retreating figure, Wyatt howled with laughter. “Curtis, did you see that? Oh my God, I almost died laughing. She almost started to run when you said her name! How scared of you is she?”

Curtis shot an icy glance at Wyatt. “I dare you to keep laughing.”

“No, no. I didn’t laugh. This is how I look when my face is cramping up. It’ll go away soon.” Wyatt cleared his throat and changed the topic tactfully, “Oh, right, Theodore and Jeremy are already in the private room. Curtis, I’ll push you there.”

“Thank you, but I don’t need your help.” Curtis rudely slapped away his hand and wheeled himself forward with his head held high.

Wyatt was utterly flabbergasted.

Why did Curtis allow Rayna to push him but not me? Am I that hated?

Suddenly, as if his sense for gossip were tingling, Wyatt quickly turned on his earpiece and whispered, “Hey, Sawyer, can you look up which private room Curtis went to before this and what he did there?

Send everything to me through WhatsApp.”

I feel that I might have missed something interesting.

After Curtis entered the room, he saw Theodore chatting with Jeremy. He did not know what they were talking about to have made a cold and aloof man like Theodore wear a faint smile on his lips.

“What are you guys talking about?” Curtis asked with a smile. Only when he was with Theodore and the others would he let down his guard and be relaxed. “It’s rare to see Theodore smile.”

“Curtis.” Jeremy stood up from the couch once he saw Curtis wheeling himself in. “Where’s Wyatt?”

“Hey, hey! I’m right here!” Wyatt appeared behind Curtis and defended himself, “I wanted to push Curtis over, but he didn’t let me! It’s not my fault!”

Jeremy glanced at him. “You pissed him off again, didn’t you?”

“I swear on my mom’s grave that I didn’t!” Wyatt cried out dramatically. ”It’s really not my fault! He didn’t let me! I think he values a woman more than our friendship now! He lets Ms. Garland push him, but not me!”

Immediately, everyone turned to look at Curtis, their gazes filled with scrutiny.

Deadpan, Curtis said, “What nonsense are you spouting? You smell of sweat, Wyatt. I don’t like it. Anyway, let’s be seated.” Then, he went next to them.

Jeremy did not press Curtis for an explanation and made a cup of coffee for him. “These days, Sienna and Chester have been sweeping many Faymon Group’s performance shares up in secret, and they’re buying them at a high price to boot.”

“My aunt is a spendthrift and has to fund her son’s networking events, which means she doesn’t have much money,” Curtis said calmly. “So most of her money now comes from Chester.”

Looking down, Curtis continued in a deep voice, “On the other hand, Chester is a sly and conniving man. If he could take over Faymon Group, he’d treat Sienna like she was nothing. Ousting that sister of his is just a matter of time.”

“Then, isn’t that great? When they fight among themselves, we can just sit back and relax,” Wyatt said delightedly.

However, Jeremy was not that optimistic. “If we could think of that, no doubt Sienna could think of it too. Actually, I’m more curious about where Chester gets his funds to do all this. After all, he already owns fifteen percent of Faymon Group’s original shares.”

“Huh? Didn’t you say he only had six percent before this?” Wyatt sucked in a sharp breath. “How many shareholders did he contact?”

Curtis, on the other hand, was not that worried. “My father owns half of Faymon Group’s shares. Additionally, Rayna had acquired some of the shareholders’ shares, so Chester can’t do anything to us.”

Jeremy nodded in understanding. Smiling, he said, “Seems like Curtis has covered all the bases. And now, we should wait for Rayna to finish her job—duping Chester into selling his original shares to her.”

“Well, there’s no need to rush. Otherwise, we’ll spook them if we’re too obvious.” Rapping on the back of the chair, Curtis spoke. “Wyatt, arrange a meeting with Mr. Snyder of Majesty. Just tell him I need to ask him for a favor.”

“Why do you want to meet him?” Wyatt was puzzled. “It’s hard to repay his favor. Can’t I take care of it for you?”

Similarly, Jeremy was bewildered. “Wyatt is right. You can tell us if you need any help. If you go to Mr. Snyder for help, there’s no telling how much you’ll be taken advantage of in return.”

At this moment, Wyatt’s phone beeped.

Sneakily, he checked his phone and lifted his head sometime later with a look of realization. Putting his arm over Curtis’ shoulder, he smirked and said, “Hehe, I know why Curtis wants to meet Mr. Snyder.”

Curtis slapped his arm away again. “I told you to get away from me! You stink!”

Theodore asked, “What’s the reason?”

With a smug look on his face, Wyatt spilled the beans. “Listen, so Theodore, you were the one who arranged this meeting to be here, right? Naturally, I contacted Curtis and offered to drive him here a while ago. But guess what? When I sent Curtis a message to tell him I was going to pick him up, he was already here! Imagine my surprise! I thought he was clairvoyant since he was here before I could bring him here. But here’s the juicy part. After finding out Ms. Garland was here, he had someone drive him here to back her up.”

The corner of Curtis’ lips twitched in annoyance. “You’re so noisy. Just shut up, will you?”

At that, Jeremy smiled. “It’s okay, Curtis. We don’t think he’s noisy. Wyatt, please continue.”

Likewise, Theodore sat attentively, waiting patiently for more.

“Well, since all of you are curious, I’ll keep going!” Wyatt was thrilled when he heard of the gossip, so he used six minutes to narrate that incident with Steven in the private room to the rest.

The whole room was quiet when he told the story.

Exasperated, Curtis massaged his temples. He did not feel like talking anymore.

“This is my first time hearing Curtis supporting another woman other than Kristie,” Jeremy quipped. “Ms. Garland must be a competent woman for Curtis to appreciate her talent.”

“No! No!” Wyatt wagged his finger and said matter-of-factly, “I don’t think Kristie has had such treatment before. Have you ever seen him scolding his so-called cousin for Kristie’s sake? No, right?”

 

Chapter 148

Chapter 148 Lost His Composure

Curtis shot a cold glance at Wyatt. “Rayna is my subordinate. Her being bullied would be equivalent to me being trampled on. In that case, shouldn’t I speak up for her? Why are you being nosy?”

“Well, except for the board of directors, who in Faymon Group isn’t your subordinate?” the latter retorted with a grin. “I’ve never seen you help anyone when they are bullied!”

At that, Curtis grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into Wyatt’s mouth. “Shut up! Contact Mr. Snyder later! Got it?”

Since Wyatt’s mouth was filled with food, he could not verbalize an answer. All he could do was nod in response.

Jeremy shook his head and uttered regretfully, “Mr. Hunt has worked with Curtis quite a few times, yet he failed to figure out Curtis’ intentions and rejected such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“I still think that our plan is perfect and flawless.” Wyatt managed to swallow the popcorn in his mouth and continued, “If I hadn’t been involved in this, I would have thought that Faymon Group was going to collapse judging from this situation.”

Jeremy cast a glance at Curtis and wore a gentle smile. “Now I can fathom why people always say a man will go to great lengths for a beauty.”

“I can understand it, too, now.” Wyatt’s face broke into a grin, and he added, “I genuinely thought Curtis had no interest in women, and I’ve even planned to go under the knife if things are still not working out with him. Tsk, tsk! It turns out it’s because he didn’t meet the right woman.”

“You can go for surgery now. I need a woman.”

“Jeremy, are you for real?”

The smile on Jeremy’s face remained unchanged. “I can perform it on you, perhaps. You are aware of my skills, after all.”

“I can’t believe you’ve been having funny ideas about me, Jeremy.” Wyatt’s face twitched as he leaned closer to Theodore. “I won’t love you. Just give up!”

The men could talk about anything during their gathering. It was a lively and heartwarming scene to behold. Relaxed smiles were seen appearing on both Theodore’s and Curtis’ faces.

After joking around for some time, Wyatt lamented, “Say, Norwal City isn’t huge, but why can’t I meet the girl again even though I stroll in front of the hospital entrance every day? Is there something wrong with my waiting posture?”

Curtis took a sip of coffee before asking, “Love at first sight again?”

“It’s the ninety-eighth love at first sight,” Jeremy chimed in. With a look of disdain on his face, he said to Wyatt, “I don’t think you should ruin her life. She looks so young. Who knows? She could still be underage.”

“So what? I can wait!” Wyatt sat up straight and declared, “I’m serious this time. The moment I met her gaze, the idea of marrying her struck me.”

Everyone was rendered speechless by his statement.

Instantly, silence enshrouded the room. They all fixed their gazes on Wyatt, regarding him as a crazy man.

“What the hell! I’m serious. What kind of expression is that?” Wyatt grumbled in annoyance.

Jeremy merely sneered. “You say that every time you meet a woman whom you fall in love with at first sight. If you had made a move each time, the number of times you get married might’ve been recorded in the Guinness World Records.”

“But my feeling this time is different than before.” Wyatt wanted to explain further but was unable to describe that feeling. He then nudged Curtis’ arm. “Curtis, aren’t you getting married soon? You surely have stronger feelings than me.”

Theodore, who had remained silent, suddenly tightened his grip on the wine glass.

He exerted such a great force that countless cracks started appearing silently on the glass. However, none of them noticed that.

“Jasmine and I are just collaborative partners.” Curtis languidly leaned against the backrest of his wheelchair and continued with a faint smile, “Marrying her can make the Faymon family lower their guard around me while she can get shares from Mr. Sanders using my reputation.”

A glint flashed across Jeremy’s eyes. “I saw it on the news after I came back. I know that Ms. Sanders is capable. It’s just because of her identity that she holds no real power in Sanders Group.”

“Well, there’s nothing else she can do. After all, she’s just an illegitimate child.” Wyatt shrugged. “If her father could publicly announce her mother as his second wife, she wouldn’t have to face so much gossip.”

Jeremy let out a chuckle. “Mr. Sanders is only ruthless in the business world, but he is terrified of his wife at home. Even when he brought Jasmine home back then, he had to wheedle his wife into giving the approval. Despite that, Mrs. Sanders is still dissatisfied with it. While she allows Jasmine to take the family name, the latter isn’t allowed to enter the upper management of Sanders Group, and she has to be known to the public as their adopted daughter.”

Wyatt clicked his tongue. “Ms. Sanders sure is pitiful.”

Curtis was drinking his coffee while listening to their conversation. At first, he was perplexed as to why the two men were talking in tune with each other. Near the end, he caught on to the situation and uttered calmly, “She will no longer be pitiful after marrying me.”

“Woah! Curtis, are you serious about marrying her?” Wyatt was taken aback. “Didn’t you mention that she’s just your collaborative partner?”

Curtis replied, “Yeah. But since she doesn’t have anyone that she likes, and neither do I, getting married is nonetheless the best-case scenario. With Faymon Group backing her up, she doesn’t have to humble herself in front of the Sanders family.”

“Curtis, could you put your hand on your heart and say that again?” Wyatt took out his phone and waved it before Curtis with a teasing smile. “You kissed Ms. Garland in the restroom. Don’t tell me it was done on the spur of the moment.”

Curtis’ face darkened. “Wyatt, are you itching to have a good round of beating?”

Wyatt mustered his courage and replied, “You’re the one who is trying to deceive yourself.” Despite that, he cowardly moved to the side as he continued, “Or are you thinking of having both women at the same time and refusing to let go of any of them?”

“I watched a clip before.” Jeremy suddenly turned to look at Curtis and added excitedly, “If you look up at a woman and can’t resist kissing her in ten seconds, that means you like her. Curtis, how many seconds did you look at Ms. Garland then? Also, you mentioned that you and Ms. Sanders are collaborative partners, but you seem to like her a lot. Have you two slept together?”

As soon as those words fell from Jeremy’s lips, a shattering sound was heard from beside him.

Everyone turned to look in the direction where the sound came from, only to see that the wine glass in Theodore’s hand had broken. The sharp glass shards cut his palm, and blood dripped downward. He, however, had an apathetic expression on his face.

Wyatt let out a shout. While getting some tissues for Theodore, he exclaimed in anguish, “Hey man, I specially brought this custom-made wine glass over for you. Why did you shatter it? D*mn it! It’s thirteen thousand per piece!”

Jeremy asked with a grin, “Theodore, are you thinking about something? You even lost control of your strength.”

“Nothing. This wine glass is too thin. It broke when I merely gave it a light squeeze,” Theodore replied indifferently. His gaze remained unfazed.

“How’s that possible? This is expensive. It’s not easy to break.” With that, Wyatt picked one up and began to gather his strength in his palm. However, there was not even a single crack in the wine glass.

After catching his breath, he remarked with certainty, “Theodore, you must have thought of your goddess of the hunt earlier, which is why you lost your composure and broke the wine glass.”

Curtis asked, “What goddess of the hunt?”

“There’s a string of Anglandurn letters tattooed on the inner side of Theodore’s ringed finger.” Wyatt pointed at Theodore’s finger as he spoke. With a smirk, he added, “Curtis, you are also aware that the special forces Theodore used to be in are very strict, but unexpectedly, he got a tattoo in Anglandurn letters on his finger. It’s obvious that there is a story behind it.”

“Why have I never heard about this before, Theodore?” Curtis flashed Theodore a grin.

“It’s just an Anglandurn name. There is nothing strange about that.” Theodore got up from the couch and continued, “Carry on without me. I need to go home to deal with something.”

Jeremy responded, “Let Wyatt get a manager to drive you home.”

“It’s okay. Someone is coming to pick me up.” Theodore then strode out without looking back.

When he reached the door, he turned around and spoke to Curtis. “Ms. Sanders is indeed a pretty good person. Curtis, call me if you need my help.”

 

Chapter 149

Chapter 149 An Unfortunate Child

A long while after Theodore left, Jeremy was the first person to break the silence in the room by laughing. “Throughout the many years we’ve known each other, this is my second time seeing Theodore lose his composure. It’s too obvious this time around.”

“Where did he lose his composure the first time around?” Curtis asked.

“At the hospital,” Jeremy answered. “Back then, Jasmine went to pay you a visit at the hospital, where she bumped into Theodore. Although Theodore kept a straight face, Jasmine was flustered. Right away, I knew there was something going on between them.”

“So, this is what you didn’t want to talk about in the hospital?” Wyatt finally caught on. “D*mn! Couldn’t you just tell me? I felt so miserable for a few days after that!”

“That’s just because you’re stupid. However, you’re rather smart enough to know to play along this time around,” Jeremy quipped.

“What? Play along with what?” Wyatt was confused.

Upon hearing that, Jeremy held his forehead and uttered, “I’ve overestimated your intelligence. My bad.”

“Oh! Are you talking about Jasmine’s background?” It took Wyatt a long while to understand what Jeremy was implying. “F*ck! I thought you were interested in Jasmine. Who knew you were actually saying that to have Theodore hear it? Why must researchers like you overcomplicate things? Doesn’t your head ever hurt from it?”

“Didn’t I say you’re stupid?” Jeremy countered. “If you don’t believe me, ask Curtis.”

With that, Wyatt tilted his head to look at Curtis.

Yet, the latter ignored him utterly and voiced in resignation, “I didn’t know Theodore and Jasmine had a past. If I had known, I wouldn’t have collaborated with her.”

“No. What you’re doing is actually good, Curtis.” Jeremy chuckled. “You’ve also seen how much Theodore distances himself from women, and I reckon it’s because Jasmine hurt him. Based on the tattoo on his finger, I’m certain he still can’t forget about her. Let’s make use of this opportunity to see how long he can keep this up.”

Curtis thought about it for a while before agreeing to Jeremy’s plan with a soft grunt.

“How dare you guys complain about me toying with women? From what I see, you guys are worse than me!” Wyatt grumbled disdainfully. “Especially when it comes to you, Curtis. How could you use the car crash to trick Ms. Garland into being at your beck and call?”

Curtis’ face darkened instantly. The next second, the cup in his grip shattered, and some coffee spilled onto his lap. That gave the other two men in the room a huge fright.

Startled, Wyatt asked in a quavering voice, “W-What the f*ck? Are the custom-made glasses and cups I bought so brittle?”

“I don’t need you to contact Mr. Snyder anymore. Jeremy will do it,” Curtis said flatly as he wiped the coffee off his pants. “I want you to go over to Yeringham to get something else done for me.”

“I’m sorry, Curtis—”

Curtis interrupted Wyatt by shooting him a look. In a cold tone, he ordered, “Shut up. Get on a plane and leave tonight.”

Tears streamed down Wyatt’s face. This is so f*cking unfair! Curtis didn’t even say anything, no matter how blunt Jeremy was toward him in the hospital. Why am I getting sent away just because of a sentence I said? Finally, I get it now. I’m just an unfortunate child that no one loves!

Although an upsetting matter happened at the club the other day, Rayna did not take it to heart. After all, Curtis was there to back her up, and he had already taught Jason and the rest a lesson.

Not only did Steven send her an email to apologize, but he also made an appointment with Owen on her behalf.

Rayna had Naomi draw up a contract. Just as she was about to show up for the appointment, Jeremy phoned her to tell her that he wanted to see her. It was after they met did she realize Jasper was there as well.

A few exchanges later, Rayna discovered it was Curtis’ idea to invite Jasper to discuss a collaboration. Apparently, he wanted her to resell the original issue shares that she had bought for Owen to Jasper.

Jasper was a young and capable man. In terms of business strategies, he could be as good as Curtis. However, he was harder to deal with compared to the latter. In exchange for his service, he would request very high returns.

Knowing what kind of man Jasper was, Rayna went to the restroom to call Curtis before the contract was signed.

“Why have you changed your mind again, Mr. Faymon?” she asked. “Mr. Steven has already made an appointment with Mr. Owen on my behalf. In terms of collaboration, I think Mr. Owen is a better partner.”

“He’s an arrogant fool,” Curtis replied flatly. “Everyone knows you’re now the CEO of Faymon Group. He disrespected me when he annulled the contract with you. I don’t need a business partner like him.”

Despite his words, she knew full well that he was only unwilling to work with Owen because she was bullied. That flushed her cheeks a little while her heart raced.

“However, Mr. Snyder is an acquisitive man. If he becomes Faymon Group’s shareholder, it’ll only be detrimental to the corporation,” Rayna uttered.

“All he wants is some extra money. Just give it to him.” Curtis paused for a while before letting out a soft chuckle. “What’s wrong? Are you worried that I would be bested by him, Ms. Garland?”

Her ears were burning up because it was as if she could feel his breaths on her ears.

“No. I was merely asking. I’ll hang up now, Mr. Faymon.” With that, Rayna ended the call right away. When she saw the blush on her face in the mirror, she patted her cheeks. I shouldn’t have said so much!

After signing the contract and sending Jasper off, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Rayna knew Sienna and Chester bought a lot of the original issue shares from the other shareholders. Nevertheless, she had not been idle either, having the original issue shares from the other shareholders in her possession.

Besides, according to Curtis’ instructions, she secretly found someone to sell off those shares. Some of the money was transferred into Faymon Group’s bank account, and the rest was kept in a hidden account.

The next step of the plan would depend on Curtis.

“Hey, Ms. Garland.” Jeremy approached Rayna with his suit jacket slung over his arm. “Thank you for your hard work today. I would like to buy you lunch if you have the time.”

She hurriedly smiled at him and replied, “You’re too kind, Mr. York. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to meet Mr. Snyder. I should buy you lunch instead.”

“Don’t mind if I do!” he said.

Rayna drove to the appointment that day. Just as she was about to bring Jeremy to a restaurant, she received a WhatsApp text from the little boy.

Only then did she remember that the mountain bike in the trunk had not been returned yet.

Rayna replied to the text. Upon learning that the little boy coincidentally had an outdoor training session on the same day, she said to Jeremy apologetically, “I’m sorry, Mr. York. I’m afraid that I can’t treat you to a meal today. I need to return someone his mountain bike.”

“It’s all right. We can go out for a meal next time,” he answered.

Out of guilt, she insisted on sending him home before going to the agreed-upon meeting point—a restaurant.

Once she arrived at the restaurant, she found a table next to the window.

A few minutes later, the doors to the restaurant were pulled open, and in came a small figure. The boy looked around the surroundings and hurried over to Rayna’s table when he spotted her.

Carl pulled down his mask and greeted, “Hi, have you waited for a long time?”

“No. I only arrived a couple of minutes ago.” Rayna flashed him a smile. After he had taken a seat, she passed him the menu and voiced, “You’ve done me a great favor. Please let me buy you lunch, okay?”

“Thank you, then.” Carl skipped the ceremony and proceeded to order the dishes he liked.

Rayna watched the waiter leave before saying, “You’ve helped me twice, but I still don’t know your name. I’m truly sorry for that. My name is Rayna Garland. You can call me Ms. Garland.”

“It’s all right. I’ll call you Ms. Rayna. It sounds better to me,” Carl responded.

The boy was so sweet that her heart was instantly filled with delight from his words. He’s such an endearing boy!

In the midst of their chat, she finally found out that the boy’s name was Carl Sanders.

“You’re still so young. Why do you have to train outdoors every week?” Rayna was shocked to hear that from him. “The kids your age are in kindergarten.”

Disappointment flashed across Carl’s eyes, but he quickly beamed and said, “My mommy says I’m smart, so I don’t have to attend kindergarten. Besides, my teacher customized the outdoor training sessions for me to improve my stamina. It’s not tiring.”

 

Chapter 150

Chapter 150 A Wife

“In that case, your mommy is being too harsh on you.” Rayna frowned. “Having fun is the most important thing for kids your age. It’ll never be too late to learn those things when you’re older.”

Carl shook his head. “My mommy says I should start young because I can learn faster. I don’t find the sessions tiring. I just hope that I’ll be stronger than my daddy in the future. That way, I can see him more often.”

“Is your daddy a very busy man?”

“Yes. He doesn’t get many holidays.” Carl jerked his chin up slightly and said gleefully, “However, my mommy said he’d be coming back during the holidays. I get to celebrate the holidays with Mommy and Daddy this year!”

“That’s great.” Rayna smiled and stroked his head lovingly.

She knew being a soldier was tough because they had little time off.

Although Rayna had only met a handful of kids before, she found it relaxing to chat with Carl. In fact, she thought he was obedient, intelligent, and knowledgeable. Therefore, they had a pleasant chat over lunch.

Suddenly, Rayna’s phone started ringing, so she said to Carl, “I’m sorry, but I need to take this call.”

The moment she whipped out her phone, she saw that it was a call from an unknown number.

Bewildered, she answered the phone and asked, “Hello. Who is this?”

“Where are you now, Ms. Garland?”

“Is that you, Mr. Xavier?” The monotonous tone was the only hint she needed to figure out who was on the other end of the line. “I’m having lunch outside. How may I help you?”

“Where are you having lunch?”

Huh? Rayna froze momentarily before replying carefully, “Perhaps you can send me a location, and I’ll go—”

“Address,” the man interrupted.

She dared not imagine how Theodore would react if she were to say no to him. Frightened, she had no choice but to give him the restaurant’s address.

Carl looked at her and asked curiously, “Ms. Rayna, is that man a fierce man?”

“Very. I wish I could stay as far away from him as possible.” The thought of Theodore sent shivers down Rayna’s spine. Out of all of Curtis’ friends, Jeremy and Wyatt are the friendliest. Theodore is so grim that I bet everyone would avoid him.

“Did you give him the address because he’s coming over, Ms. Rayna?” Carl asked before sitting straight. “Don’t be scared, Ms. Rayna. I’ll protect you. If he dares to be harsh to you, I’ll beat him up!”

“You’re so adorable!” His declaration warmed Rayna’s heart, and she could not help but pinch his cheeks. Jessica’s right! His cheeks are soft and bouncy!

However, a thought crossed her mind belatedly when she saw Carl’s dark eyes. This boy is the spitting image of Theodore. Wouldn’t they see each other when Theodore comes over later? I don’t think Theodore is related to Carl, but what if Carl is related to his relatives? Will I cause any trouble?

Carl noticed Rayna was staring at him in silence, so he asked, “What’s the matter, Ms. Rayna?”

“I’m fine.” Rayna quickly stood up and put on his mask for him. “That man is vicious, so I think you should wait for me in the car. Once I’m done, I’ll send you back.”

Just as she was about to bring him out of the restaurant, they bumped into Theodore. As usual, the man wore a black shirt and a pair of slacks. His expressionless countenance seemed so murderous, frightening the female staff so much that their knees went weak.

Theodore’s gaze landed on Rayna. With large strides, he walked up to her. “Ms. Garland, are you leaving?”

“Yes. This boy is done eating, so I wanted to send him home first.” Rayna chuckled awkwardly and stood before Carl so that Theodore would not see him. “Mr. Xavier, please have a seat and wait for me.”

“I only have a few words to say. It’ll be quick.” Theodore jerked his chin in the direction of a table behind, gesturing for her to sit back down.

With that, Rayna could not leave even if she wanted to. Left with no choice, she steeled herself and returned to the table. She then sat Carl on the inner seat and lowered his cap to hide his face. “Wait for me, okay?”

The boy obediently hummed in response.

When the waiter served them glasses of iced water, Rayna immediately pushed one over to Theodore and asked, “Mr. Xavier, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You like Curtis.”

The certainty in his forthright statement stunned her for a moment. When she regained her senses, she replied in an awkward tone, “Mr. Xavier, you’re overthinking. I only see Mr. Faymon as my boss.”

“Drop the act, Ms. Garland. Your eyes are betraying you,” Theodore replied indifferently. “Besides, I’ve never seen any other women taking a hit for a man they only see as their boss.”

Rayna felt as though all her secrets were laid bare before him. At that moment, she was embarrassed, and her heart was racing wildly. Are my eyes so easy to read?

Still expressionless, Theodore uttered, “You know Curtis is engaged, don’t you, Ms. Garland? Sooner or later, he’s going to get married. I suggest you keep your feelings to yourself because nothing will happen between you and him.”

“Mr. Xavier, are you afraid that I might destroy Mr. Faymon’s relationship with Ms. Sanders?” Rayna’s heart sank, but she flashed him a faint smile before adding, “Is that why you want to see me? To persuade me to leave Faymon Group?”

Instead of speaking, he gave her a document.

Rayna opened it up, and her eyes widened at the contents on the last page of the document. Upon shifting her gaze toward Theodore, she asked, “Are you joking with me, Mr. Xavier?”

“If you think it’s insufficient, feel free to add on whatever it is that you want.”

“This isn’t about what I want!” She felt as though she was losing her mind. “Are you asking me to marry you, Mr. Xavier?”

Rayna then closed the document and remained silent for a while. “Yes. I admit I may have fallen for Mr. Faymon, but I never intend to destroy his relationship with Ms. Sanders. Mr. Xavier, marriage is an important matter in one’s life. It’s not a transaction.”

Pushing the document back toward Theodore, she uttered in a slightly mocking tone, “You don’t have to marry me to keep me away. If you don’t want to see me, I’ll hand over all my tasks to you and work

at one of the branch offices.”

Theodore stared at her for a few seconds, then said coldly, “Tell me your preference in men, and I can find you one to marry.”

“Do you have a wife?”

Before Rayna could utter a word in response, Carl, who was sitting next to her, stood up and asked Theodore that question.

Theodore shot Carl a sharp look, but the latter did not flinch at all. Instead, the boy’s dark eyes under the cap’s visor bored into his, which stunned the man. That is a pair of beautiful eyes.

Displeased with Theodore’s lack of response, Carl repeated, “Do you have a wife?”

“No,” Theodore answered, going along with the boy. However, he soon found it unnecessary to talk to a child, so he frowned and shifted his gaze back toward Rayna. “Ms. Garland, please answer my question.”

Carl seemed utterly disappointed when he sat down once again.

Meanwhile, Rayna suppressed her anger and forced a smile with her teeth clenched. “Don’t worry about me, Mr. Xavier. I’ll keep the matter to myself. I swear.”

“In that case, I think you should just marry me.” Theodore pushed the document back toward her and demanded, “Sign it.”

Rayna was rendered speechless. You’re crazy!

Once she had calmed herself down, she pursed her lips and said, “This seriously will not be necessary, Mr. Xavier. I know Mr. Faymon’s not the sole motivation behind your action. You’re also doing this for

Ms. Sanders.”

Theodore’s expression changed, and his gaze quickly darkened.

Seeing that, Rayna felt a chill down her spine and braced herself to finish the sentence. “Frankly, you’re worrying over nothing, Mr. Xavier. Mr. Faymon won’t know how I feel, so I won’t stand in—”

“Ms. Garland,” he interrupted grimly, “have you forgotten about what happened at the club?”

She was stunned by his words.