Ch. 161..170

Chapter 161

Chapter 161 I Will Kill You

That time around, Kristie caught his lips. From her clumsy yet eager actions, it was evident how much she liked him.

James slowly placed his stiff hands over her waist. He held his breath when he felt her soft skin through the thin fabric, and he pulled her closer till there was no space left between them.

Kristie was too addictive for him.

The two kissed fervently in the kitchen. Unbuttoning James’ shirt, Kristie planted kisses over his Adam’s apple and collarbone. Every move of hers fanned the flames of the burning desire within him.

Just then, an ear-piercing ringtone sounded from the living room.

With that, James recovered some of his senses. Upon noticing that his shirt had been unbuttoned, he quickly straightened it as his face darkened. “I’m going to take the call,” he said while putting Kristie down.

“It’s a scam call. Don’t answer it!” The woman refused to separate from him, so she clung to him with all her might and tried to stick her hand underneath his shirt. “Let me touch your abs. Don’t cover it. Just let me have one touch!”

It took James quite some effort to peel Kristie off his body. He then strode to the living room to look for his phone, leaving her alone in the kitchen.

Evidently, she was upset.

Gray Wolf’s abs must feel so good to touch, but he ran away before I could even touch them! How annoying!

Just as she walked out of the kitchen, she glimpsed the sharp look flashing through James’ eyes while he talked on the phone.

“If you dare to go to her, I will kill you,” he threatened the caller, his tone cold and murderous.

Stunned by the terrifying aura he was giving off, Kristie froze in her tracks.

James hung up the phone just then. At the sight of her frightened expression, the air of hostility surrounding him dissipated, but there was still a hint of coldness on his face. “Ms. Winton, pack your things. I’ll drive you to the film crew.”

“Okay.” Kristie nodded. A second later, she failed to suppress her curiosity, so she asked, “What happened?”

“It’s none of your business.”

The woman was caught off guard for a second before anger overcame her. She picked up the flower vase at the side and hurled it at James, yelling, “You’re acting as though you didn’t just kiss me earlier, and twice at that!”

“You were the one who kissed me the second time,” he retorted.

“I’m not going to the film crew anymore. I don’t care if I have to pay the compensation. I’m mad!” With that, Kristie stormed back to her room and slammed the door shut.

James massaged his temples in distress.

Indeed, women are unpredictable.

Meanwhile, Rayna felt energized after a long rest. Still worried about Faymon Group, she contacted Naomi through the secretarial department and continued to work on the company affairs.

While she was on the computer, she discovered that the email application was inaccessible, perhaps due to some plug-in problems.

After asking for Curtis’ permission, she headed to the study to use the computer there.

With so many of its factories closed down, Faymon Group saw a huge drop in its share prices. It was something everyone had been paying attention to recently, so Rayna surfed the web after she was done working.

As she scrolled through the news articles, she found out that Sanders Group had announced earlier in the day that they had given twenty percent of the company’s shares to Jasmine.

It seemed like Faymon Group’s issue did not affect Sanders Group much despite the previous announcement of Curtis and Jasmine’s engagement.

According to the information Kristie gave to Rayna, Jasmine had never received much love ever since she entered the Sanders family. They continued to regard her as an illegitimate child, so she was not given many opportunities in Sanders Group.

Since they decided to give her the company’s shares, it must mean that they were acknowledging her as part of the Sanders family.

Rayna scrolled down the page and scanned through the other headlines.

Jasmine is no ordinary character, judging from how she managed to snag twenty percent of Sanders Group’s shares without much fuss. I don’t think the other daughters of the Sanders family own more shares than she does. Based on what Wyatt said last time, I’m sure Carl is Theodore’s son. In that case, could Carl be related to Jasmine?

She was eager to find out the truth. If Carl was the child of Theodore and Jasmine, then Jasmine should not marry Curtis. That would be too messy of a relationship.

“Huh?” While Rayna was deep in her thoughts, she seemed to have accidentally clicked on something as countless video thumbnails popped up on the screen.

They seemed to be surveillance cameras footages.

Since Curtis was the only person living in such a huge mansion, Rayna thought it was normal for him to install surveillance cameras. She randomly clicked on a file, only to see that it was the footage from the day Naomi and the company executives came to the mansion for a meeting.

In the video, the group was seen heading to the second floor and did not come back down even after a long time. Curtis also went upstairs using the stair lift.

Finding it boring, Rayna clicked on the fast-forward button until it was nighttime in the video. She saw herself fainting in the kitchen and Curtis heading to her in his wheelchair. Afterward, he tried to wake her up by patting her cheek while making a phone call.

The doctor came by to perform a checkup on her and left, then Curtis proceeded to feed her the liquid medicine. It seemed like he had a hard time doing that, so he ended up taking the liquid himself and feeding it to her with his mouth.

Rayna’s face turned as red as a tomato as she watched everything unfold.

My goodness. I can’t watch this any longer. This is so embarrassing. How could I make Uncle Curtis… I’m so embarrassed!

“Ms. Garland.”

A knock came from the door at that moment, followed by Curtis’ deep voice. “Are you done working?”

“Y-Yes!” Rayna squeaked and hastily turned off the computer, fearing that he would come in on his own. Soon, she opened the door and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Curtis glanced at her and remarked, “Were you in a sauna? Your face is so red.”

Rayna touched her face out of reflex. Indeed, she was burning.

At the thought of what she had just seen, she could not bring herself to meet his eyes. Hence, she tilted her head to the side and lied, “It’s a bit stuffy in the study, and I forgot to turn on the air conditioner.”

“Ms. Garland, I can at least afford that much electricity. But if word gets out that someone died in the study, it will be difficult to sell this mansion,” Curtis quipped with a faint smile, his hand resting on the armrest of his wheelchair.

The sense of shame within Rayna vanished at that instant. She glared at him and uttered through clenched teeth, “Thanks for the kind reminder, Mr. Faymon!”

“You’re welcome. Go and make lunch.”

Lunch? Go make it yourself! Rayna was tempted to snap at him, but she did not have the guts to do so. In the end, she stomped her way down the stairs without saying anything.

Curtis followed her downstairs, where he noticed the huge glass jar Rayna had left in the corner of the living room. Upon moving closer to it, he could whiff a fruity fragrance.

“Is this wine?” he asked.

Rayna stuck her head out of the kitchen and took a quick look. She then continued to rinse the vegetables while answering, “Yes. My mom made it herself.”

Hearing that, Curtis recalled the sweet soup he had the last time. Wasn’t that soup made by her mom as well? It was quite delicious. I bet this wine tastes good, too.

With that in mind, he removed the jar’s cover. As Rayna was busy preparing lunch, she had no idea what was happening in the living room.

Besides, she would not stop him even if she saw him. Since the wine was homemade, its alcohol content was low compared to that of the liquors sold on the market.

When Rayna finally finished cooking, she was already covered in sweat. She placed the food on a platter and brought them out, but the scene before her made her jaw drop the next instant. The jar of wine was half empty by then, yet Curtis was still drinking from it.

“Mr. Faymon, that’s wine, not water! Aren’t you drinking too much?” she exclaimed.

“It tastes quite good.” Curtis raised his head and looked at her like an obedient puppy. His eyes were filled with delight as he added gently, “Mom’s got incredible winemaking skills.”

What?

Rayna stared at him in utter bewilderment.

He touched his face and frowned in confusion. “Sweetheart, why are you looking at me like that?”

She stood frozen in the same spot for two seconds, her mind as blank as an empty bottle. Then, she scrambled to the kitchen for her phone and swiftly dialed Linda’s number.

Once the call got connected, she stammered, “Mom, what’s in the glass jar you gave me? Is it really wine? Did you add anything else while you were making it?”

“No.”

“Mom, think hard about it!”

“Hold on.”

Linda began fumbling with something on the other end of the line. After quite some time, she said casually, “Oh, how careless of me. I gave you the wine I was planning to sell before. Why? Does it taste bad?”

Rayna glanced at Curtis and managed a dry laugh. “It tastes good. In fact, someone got drunk from it.”

I knew it! There’s no way homemade wine could have such high alcohol content!

Chapter 162

Chapter 162 Flat Stomach

Right after Rayna hung up the phone, Curtis wheeled himself over to her. He studied her flat stomach and questioned, “Sweetheart, why isn’t your stomach growing when you’ve been pregnant for so long?”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

How come he knows about everything but still thinks this fake pregnancy is real?

“Mr. Faymon, stop looking. It won’t grow no matter how long you look at it.” Rayna sighed loudly and was about to clear things up with him for the third time when he suddenly leaned over.

“The baby probably has arms and legs now, right? Let me listen,” he muttered as he placed his ear against her stomach, even closing his eyes to listen carefully.

Rayna put her hand to her forehead.

He’s so cute when he’s drunk!

Just as she was about to say something, the door beeped and was suddenly pushed open. Alfred stood there in his usual suit, appearing full of vigor.

Rayna was shocked to see him.

Meanwhile, Alfred also froze at the sight of the duo’s intimate pose.

“I was passing by, so I thought of visiting,” he said. When he saw Curtis’ head against Rayna’s stomach, his eyes lit up. “You’re pregnant?”

“No—”

“Yes,” Curtis chimed in. “It’s just that her stomach isn’t growing.”

Of course it won’t grow. I’m not pregnant!

“Really?” Alfred was so delighted to hear the news that he did not notice Curtis’ uncharacteristic behavior. With a bright smile, he strode into the house and pulled Curtis away from Rayna.

Then, he led her to the couch, glancing at her stomach from time to time. “I knew you and Curtis would end up together. You two are a match made in heaven, after all. This is wonderful news!”

“Old Mr. Faymon, you’ve misunderstood,” Rayna hurriedly explained. “I’m not—”

Alfred interrupted, “Don’t worry. I know what you’re going to tell me. Since you’re pregnant, Curtis and Ms. Sanders’ engagement is now deemed invalid. Curtis will cancel their engagement.”

“No, I mean—”

“Now that you’re with child, make sure you don’t tire yourself out. It doesn’t matter if Faymon Group goes bankrupt, as I still have enough money to support you guys!” Alfred cut her off once again. “You have to take good care of yourself and rest properly.”

Right when Rayna opened her mouth, Alfred’s phone started ringing.

The call seemed to be about something urgent as he stood up right after hanging up. He reminded them, “It’s Thanksgiving in a few days, so come visit the Faymon residence then. We haven’t had good news at home for so long.”

Before leaving, he even gave Curtis a stern warning. “Cancel your engagement with Ms. Sanders as soon as possible. Do you understand? If you dare to mistreat my daughter-in-law and grandchild, I’ll break your legs!”

With that, he left in a hurry.

His whole stay didn’t even last for ten minutes, but it left Rayna on the verge of breaking down.

“Curtis Faymon!” she barked his full name while shooting daggers at him. There was nothing for her to fear now since he was drunk anyway. “Do you know how big of a misunderstanding you have just caused?”

“Sweetheart, don’t be mad.” Curtis approached her in his wheelchair and poured a glass of water for her. “Here, drink some water. Are you upset because I got engaged with someone else?”

Rayna ignored the glass he handed over and roared, “I’m not pregnant! I’m not pregnant!”

“You are,” Curtis insisted with a firm expression. “Have you forgotten about that night at Intercontinental? You even clung to me afterward. I forgot—”

“Fine, I am pregnant!” Rayna slapped her hand over his mouth, embarrassment and despair washing over her. “Please just stop talking! I beg of you!”

This is so humiliating!

Curtis removed her hand and nagged, “Even Dad told you to take good care of yourself. It doesn’t matter if Faymon Group goes bankrupt. I still have tons of money. Even if you give birth to three babies, I have the financial ability to raise them.”

Rayna felt as if she was about to go insane. “Sir, I was wrong. Can we stop talking about this, please?”

“Then what should we talk about?” Curtis gave it a thought and fished out his phone. “Then I’ll give Jasmine a call and ask her when she’s free. We’ll hold a press conference to announce the cancellation of our engagement.”

“Wow, I’m so touched. Really.” Rayna suppressed her urge to cry as she held his hands down and coaxed, “Let’s talk about this another time. The baby and I are both hungry. Can we eat first?”

“Okay, let’s eat first.” Curtis stroked her stomach and added, “It isn’t good for the baby to starve.”

Rayna was at a total loss for words. At that moment, she wished she had never gone to Tyrandas with Curtis.

During the meal, Rayna ate quite a few pieces of shrimp. Upon noticing that, Curtis set aside the dish and told her, “Seafood is fine, but too much isn’t good for the baby. Have more of this spinach soup instead.”

When Rayna was about to reach for the grilled whole fish, he took the entire plate and picked out the fish bones. Before passing it back to Rayna, he even gave it a taste to make sure there was nothing wrong with the dish.

As Rayna savored the fish, she couldn’t help but think that Curtis was actually quite adorable despite his finicky personality.

However, she soon found out that she was wrong.

After the meal, Curtis enthusiastically opened the maternity app on his phone and purchased a bunch of baby products. Not only that, he entered the app’s forum and engaged in discussions on how to take care of a pregnant woman.

Goosebumps rose all over Rayna’s body while she watched his antics. She took away his phone and said gently, “Mr. Faymon, the doctor said you need to rest. Let me take you upstairs so you can have a nap.”

“I’m not sleepy,” Curtis said a bit unhappily. “Sweetheart, you’re acting too distant by calling me Mr. Faymon.”

“Shall I call you Curtis instead?”

Curtis’ brows remained furrowed. “Didn’t you always call me Uncle Curtis? That night, at Intercontinental—”

“All right, Uncle Curtis!” Rayna interrupted. With a trembling voice, she persuaded, “Let me take you upstairs for your nap now. When you wake up, I’ll call you by that name as many times as you want. How about that?”

Fearing that Curtis would say something appalling again, she quickly added, “As you know, I also need to nap since I’m pregnant. Uncle Curtis, you care a lot about me and the baby, right?”

As expected, that worked on Curtis. He immediately headed upstairs and went to sleep obediently.

Rayna could finally heave a sigh of relief.

After the nap, he’ll be sober and back to normal.

Rayna had planned to deal with the emails after putting Curtis to sleep, but she felt a bit sleepy after eating so much during lunch. As a result, she barely read a few emails before she fell asleep on the table.

A few hours passed by before she woke up with sore arms.

According to the time on her phone, it was already night. She figured Curtis must be sober by now, so she headed out of the study while rubbing her arms.

To her surprise, she ran into a group of people coming out of the conference room at the end of the corridor.

“Oh, what brings you here?” she asked. They were the same Faymon Group executives who had visited before, but Rayna was confused as to why they were there when she hadn’t asked them to come.

When the executives saw her, their eyes widened as though they had just discovered a whole new world.

One of them stuttered, “C-Congratulations, Ms. Garland. We will do our best to resolve Faymon Group’s problems.”

“Yes, that’s right. Please rest well, Ms. Garland!”

An ominous feeling rose inside Rayna as she took in their behavior.

The next moment, Curtis and Naomi walked out of the conference room. Before Rayna could speak, Curtis asked, “Sweetheart, did you have a good nap?”

Rayna stiffened at his words.

Why? Why is he still drunk when an entire afternoon has passed?

Unfortunately, Curtis did not notice her unnatural expression as he went on, “I asked Naomi to gather the executives here for a meeting so I could tell them about your pregnancy. Since you’ll be needing more rest from now on, I ordered them to handle Faymon Group’s affairs.”

Chapter 163

Chapter 163 Drunk On Purpose

“Hahaha! M-Mr. Faymon is just joking. Don’t take him seriously! I just dropped by because I was worried about his legs,” Rayna explained in a hurry.

The executives hummed in acknowledgment, but they didn’t buy her excuse.

We’re not blind. She clearly came out of a bedroom! How is that “just dropping by?”

“Don’t worry, Ms. Garland. We understand,” one of them assured her. “Faymon Group is unstable now, so we’ll keep your pregnancy a secret. In the future, you can announce it personally with Mr. Faymon.”

“Yes, we understand your situation.”

Rayna was tongue-tied.

I’m not pregnant. I’m really not pregnant!

However, no one would listen to her no matter how much she explained. After all, Curtis had claimed that she was pregnant.

The company executives then headed downstairs one after another.

Before leaving, Naomi even told Rayna, “Ms. Garland, I have lots of friends overseas. If you need any help, feel free to let me know.”

Rayna could not even bring herself to respond at that point in time.

Just then, Curtis came over to them and noticed Rayna’s dark countenance. “Sweetheart, are you feeling unwell? Should I call the family doctor over?”

“No thanks,” Rayna rejected him flatly.

All she wanted to do at that moment was to beat him up.

After Naomi was done with work, she returned to her apartment. She removed her coat, hung it on the coat rack, and entered the study.

Jefferson was sitting on the mahogany chair with his legs crossed elegantly. He seemed to be on a video call with someone as he spoke with his authentic and charming Lightspring accent.

Casting her a glance, Jefferson exchanged a few more words with the other party before removing his earbud.

“Are you done with work?”

“Yes. There were tons of things to deal with at Faymon Group. I’m exhausted.” Naomi walked over and hugged him from the back. “I went to Curtis’ house for a meeting today and witnessed something amusing.”

Jefferson smiled. “What could possibly amuse you? I’m intrigued.”

With that, Naomi inserted a flash drive into the computer and played an audio clip. Curtis’ voice sounded from the speakers the next second—it was a recording of him announcing that Rayna wouldn’t be visiting Faymon Group as often because she was pregnant.

“Rayna is actually pregnant. Isn’t it surprising?” Naomi glanced at Jefferson, but he showed no reaction even after listening to the clip.

In an attempt to provoke him, she commented, “I always thought that Curtis had feelings for Rayna, but he got engaged to Ms. Sanders. Now, it seems like he is indeed interested in Rayna. Who would have known that Rayna is pregnant if he didn’t mention it?”

“It is quite surprising.” Jefferson finally spoke, his voice calm. “It seems like Curtis and Jasmine reached some sort of agreement and got engaged to put on a show for the public.”

“Faymon Group’s problems did not affect Sanders Group much. I heard Jasmine managed to get herself a spot at the executive level of Sanders Group. Mr. Sanders even wants to give her the company’s shares.”

“Curtis is so generous,” Jefferson remarked. “With just an engagement, he helped Jasmine get rid of her label as an illegitimate child and enter Sanders Group.”

“Who knows? Maybe Curtis wants both of them,” Naomi jested. “Although Jasmine is an illegitimate child, she’s shrewd. That’s obvious from the fact that she survived in the Sanders family.”

Taking off his glasses, Jefferson rubbed his temples and said indifferently, “I don’t care about what he wants. All I want is Faymon Group. Has Chester revealed anything?”

“How could he give in so easily?” Naomi drew circles on his chest with her finger, adding, “He’s hoping to ruin Faymon Group with those shares in his hands and become the boss himself.”

Jefferson curled his lips up at that, the disdain in his eyes evident. “He’s been in the business circle for decades, yet he still can’t see through Curtis’ little trick.”

He went on in a stern voice, “Force him to speak. He has two sons, doesn’t he? He can choose which one he wants to keep.”

With a chuckle, Naomi bit his ear playfully. “You’re so brutal. Faymon Group is a huge company. Aren’t you scared that it will be too much for you to stomach?”

“Then I’ll pull it apart and swallow it little by little.”

“How about me?” Naomi purred as she held him tightly and leaned against him. Her lips slowly traveled toward his cheek, but he turned his head to the side and said softly, “I still have matters to attend to. You should leave first.”

“Jefferson.”

“Leave,” he repeated in a harsher tone.

Naomi looked at him unhappily. Eventually, she let go reluctantly and left the study.

When Jefferson was finally left alone, he tugged at his tie and opened the audio file again. While the deep voice from the recording echoed around the study, the look in his eyes turned frosty.

He slammed the laptop shut the next instant, his action so forceful that cracks appeared on the laptop cover. Veins could be seen bulging from his arms as he clenched his fists.

After sitting in silence for a while, he fished out his phone and dialed a number.

“Ringo, I need you to do something for me.”

Upon hearing Jefferson’s detailed instructions, Ringo refused him for the first time. He said worriedly, “Mr. Hamilton, the doctor said that you should—”

“Ringo, you were never so talkative before,” Jefferson cut him off.

“Mr. Hamilton, I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“Are you going or not? I’ll look for someone else if you aren’t.”

Following a moment of silence, Ringo answered helplessly, “I’ll go.”

At night, Rayna had a strange dream.

She dreamt that she changed her name in a hurry after escaping back from Yartran and married Julian. While they were exchanging rings on the altar during their wedding ceremony, Jefferson suddenly showed up.

Without a word, he smiled at her and whipped out a gun before killing Julian with one shot.

The loud bang in her dream jolted Rayna awake.

She sat up and wiped the cold sweat off her forehead, muttering, “Why would I dream of something like that?”

I haven’t been in contact with Julian ever since we divorced, and I never saw Jefferson again after that rainy night. Why would they suddenly appear in my dreams?

Soon, Rayna washed up and walked out of her room while yawning. When she was about to descend the stairs, she thought of Curtis and turned around to knock on his door.

“Mr. Faymon.”

She couldn’t even remember how she pulled herself through the night before. Every time Curtis got his phone, she would be on edge for fear that he would do something shocking.

It’s been twelve hours. He should be sober by now, right?

The door was opened not long after. Curtis was in his pajamas with his hair tousled, but he looked as elegant as ever.

Flashing Rayna a smile, he greeted, “Morning, Sweetheart.”

S-Sweetheart?

Rayna paused mid-yawn and gawked at Curtis.

He looks like his old elegant self, but there’s this soft and confused look in his eyes. This is not the normal Uncle Curtis I know!

Rayna clutched her chest and stammered, “D-Did you drink again last night?”

“Oh, I think so.” Curtis thought about it and explained, “I drank the wine inside that huge glass jar in the kitchen. It tastes good, but it burned my throat a little.”

Rayna was speechless.

I should have thrown that jar away. Why did I place it in the kitchen?

“Sweetheart, your clothes are untied.” Just then, Curtis noticed the loose ribbon on Rayna’s blouse and stepped forward to fix it for her. As he did that, his fingers accidentally grazed against the skin on her waist.

Rayna instantly shuddered and stumbled backward with a blush. “I’m going to make breakfast. What would you like to eat?”

“You can cook whatever you want. I’ll enjoy them regardless, Sweetheart,” Curtis said while gazing at her gently.

He… He’s such a flirt!

Rayna could not stay there any longer. She turned around and bolted downstairs as though her life depended on it.

Chapter 164

Chapter 164 What Did You Call Her

Curtis watched Rayna, who was preparing breakfast, from the door. His gaze did not so much as waver, and it made Rayna uncomfortable when she turned around several times and caught him.

She was at a loss for words. “Could you read the newspaper or something, Uncle Curtis?”

I can’t even cook a meal in peace with him staring at me like that. I wonder if a donkey kicked him in the head once. He’s so weird.

At those words, Curtis turned to leave to sit on the couch, and Rayna finally felt the atmosphere clearing up.

He returned after some time spent perusing the newspaper. “I’ve read the newspaper,” he declared solemnly. “It isn’t as interesting as my wife.”

Rayna flushed crimson again.

The amount of cheek this man has! Ah, but it feels pretty good to hear.

Breakfast that day consisted of pumpkin oatmeal and scones.

Rayna was about to ask Curtis if he wanted any butter when Curtis bit down on a particularly plump scone, causing jam to squirt in every direction, to his shock.

As she had never seen Curtis flustered, Rayna burst into laughter at his expression despite the dollops of jam upon her.

After laughing herself silly, she regained her composure to teach him the proper way to enjoy a scone.

“Here’s some butter for flavor.” Rayna deftly made a small incision in the scone with her knife and filled it with a smidge of butter. “See? This will prevent the jam from getting everywhere.”

“I see.” Humbled by the experience, Curtis took a bite of the scone she prepared for him and proclaimed, “Delicious! Your culinary skills are getting better by the day, Sweetheart.”

Rayna glared at him. “Were my culinary skills not good before?”

“You cooked well before, too,” he answered hastily, aware that his words had displeased her.

After several moments of silence, Rayna turned her gaze to his face. With her chin resting in her hand, she admired how Curtis’ long eyelashes flattered his side profile.

Seized by a sudden impulse, she reached out to pinch them.

Curtis turned to regard her, mystified. “What was that for?”

Upon realizing her foolish act, she quickly retracted her hand while pretending to examine him. “Your hair appears oily, Uncle Curtis. It’s time for a wash,” she said with a cough.

Curtis indicated the wheelchair he occupied. “It’s not convenient for me to do so. Help me, Sweetheart.”

Rayna nodded instinctively.

Moments later, she turned around and gave herself a smack on the cheek. “What’s gotten into you, Rayna?” she muttered severely. “Why did you agree to it? There must be something wrong with your head!”

As she had already made the promise, she was forced to follow through.

Rayna went upstairs in search of Curtis after cleaning up in the kitchen and stepped, for the first time, into his bedroom. It was lavishly decorated, with a faint but refreshing hint of sandalwood in the air.

Rayna raised the curtains in the bathroom with a push of a button, and sunlight flooded the room. It was blinding yet warm.

“What a lovely day it is! Let’s spend the day outside, Uncle Curtis,” she exclaimed as she gazed at the scenery outside through the large windows.

“I’d like that.” Curtis nodded, his eyes twinkling merrily.

Rolling up her sleeves, she was about to help Curtis to the washbasin when he shook his head. “I can manage on my own.”

Rayna stepped back several paces and watched as Curtis braced himself against the wheelchair to stand up with no small effort. He slowly lifted one leg onto the recliner with both hands before the other.

Despite the simple act, it took him a quarter of an hour, and his brows became soaked with sweat.

Rayna’s heart twinged. Clenching her fists, she vowed to herself to bring him abroad once business in Faymon Group was concluded.

There must be a hospital capable of curing his legs.

Rayna proved herself adept in the task of washing his hair. She even occasionally asked Curtis if her technique was to his liking.

“Stop moving, Uncle Curtis. Bend down a little. Lower.”

Rayna bent down to meet Curtis’ eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. “Close your eyes, Uncle Curtis,” she said huffily, “or soap will get in.”

Curtis kept his tender gaze fixed on her. “You look beautiful, Sweetheart.”

Rayna could not resist those words. She said no more, though her ears flushed pink.

She could never resist Curtis. Even a simple compliment from him would cause her heart to thump wildly against her ribcage.

When she was done, Rayna produced a clean towel to dry his hair, unaware that her clothes had been soaked. They stuck to her body and revealed her curves.

Curtis’ gaze flickered toward her several times. Suddenly, he pulled her into his embrace.

“Why are you—” Caught unawares, Rayna fell onto him.

Curtis wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and eased her head onto his chest.

Suddenly, the brisk female voice of his virtual assistant announced, “You have a visitor, Master.”

Rayna’s lips were just inches away from his when the announcement interrupted them. Flustered, she clamored off him and cried, “I’ll go see who it is!”

Phew! I almost made a mistake.

Even after she arrived downstairs, Rayna’s heart was still thumping. She smacked her cheeks to regain her composure before opening the door.

“You again, vixen!” Kristie exclaimed angrily when she saw Rayna on the other side of the door. “What are you doing in Curt’s house?”

“I—”

Rayna was just about to explain herself when Kristie’s gaze swept across her body, and upon seeing her wet clothes stuck to her skin, the latter started like she had seen a ghost. “What were you doing?”

“It’s not what it looks like,” Rayna muttered shiftily.

Kristie scoffed in disbelief and shoved her way into the house, calling for Curtis as she stomped up the stairs. Rayna gazed at her in despair before shutting the door.

After following her up the stairs, Rayna saw Kristie standing before Curtis and confronting him indignantly.

“How could you allow this woman into your home, Curt? Do you know how unfaithful she is? She’s toying with you! Who knows what she would have done to you if not for my timely arrival?”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

“Instead of being on set to film your scenes, you came here to tell me all of these?” Curtis asked her.

Kristie stamped her feet in consternation, grumbling, “You didn’t reply to my messages, so I came to check on you! I’m concerned about you, Curt, but you don’t seem at all happy to see me!”

Curtis was tired of listening to her, so he beckoned Rayna, who was standing at the door, to enter.

“Come in, Sweetheart.”

Kristie whipped around, and when she realized he was referring to Rayna, she shot him a disbelieving look. “W-What did you call her, Curt? Are you—”

“Don’t be rude. She’s my wife,” Curtis chided when Rayna arrived.

Rayna’s hair stood on end in her terror. “No, Ms. Winton. Please don’t misunderstand! Mr. Faymon is —”

“You want me to address her as your wife, Curt? What do you see in this vixen? Am I not your beloved?” Kristie screamed, cutting across Rayna’s explanation.

“I’ve never seen you as such,” Curtis said curtly.

Kristie was near tears. “Oh, Curt. Are you going to replace me for not having visited you recently?”

Rayna could not stifle her laugh at the sight of Curtis’ frank nod.

It’s so inappropriate to laugh right now. What do I do?

 

Chapter 165

Chapter 165 Preferential Treatment

“This is too much, Curt. I’ll never come to see you again!” Kristie said furiously. Then, she turned to leave.

However, she came back before she even reached the door.

“Calm down, Ms. Winton.” Rayna became vigilant as she saw Kristie walking in her direction. “Mr. Faymon was the one who said those words to you, not me.”

Kristie took out a check from her bag and tossed it to Rayna. “You want to be Curtis’ wife, Rayna? Stop dreaming. It’s impossible in this lifetime! Also, Gray Wolf has already broken up with you, so stop bothering him. This is the fee for breaking up. Take it!”

After that, Kristie flicked her hair and walked off in her high heels, her nose stuck into the air snobbishly.

Lowering her head, Rayna saw the amount on the check. It was twenty million, the same amount as last time. However, she was at a loss, wondering who was using her as a shield.

Noticing Curtis’ indifference, she asked while waving the check in her hand, “Do you believe I’m cheating?”

“No.”

Just as Rayna thought Curtis was full of confidence, he said, “I won’t allow my wife to get the chance to.”

To that, Rayna cleared her throat awkwardly.

After blow-drying Curtis’ hair, she went to change. As soon as he saw what she had put on, he frowned. “Change into something else. You’ll catch a cold if you expose your belly.”

“Look at this hot weather. How can anyone catch a cold from it?”

Curtis wheeled himself, wanting to go upstairs. “Well, then we’ll stay at home.”

“Fine, I’ll change.” Rayna pushed him back to the living room. She wasn’t sure how long it had been since Curtis had gone outside. It would be good to take him out to relax. “Wait here.”

As soon as she went upstairs, the door opened.

“Why are you all alone, Curtis?” Wyatt came in with a pile of documents before glancing about in confusion. “Isn’t Rayna supposed to look after you? Where is she?”

Seeing Curtis staring at the ground and ignoring him, Wyatt walked over.

“Hey, Curtis.”

In response, Curtis looked up at him in a daze.

His mild behavior had Wyatt thinking he was still drunk. Suddenly, something popped into his mind. “Curtis, do you remember how you lost a bet last time and said you’ll call me Daddy?”

He could only act tough when Curtis was drunk. With his back straightened, he said, “Call me Daddy now!”

“Do you really want to hear that?”

Failing to notice the change in Curtis’ expression, Wyatt rubbed his hands and said excitedly as he turned on his phone recording, “Yes, of course. Curtis, be quick—Ouch!”

He wailed in pain after Curtis seized his wrist tightly.

Curtis exerted more force, and with a crisp crack, Wyatt’s wrist was broken. Then, Curtis sneered, “When did I lose a bet and say I’ll call you Daddy, huh?”

“I was wrong, Curtis. I’m sorry!” Tears streamed down Wyatt’s face. He had teased Curtis as he thought the latter was still drunk, but he ended up landing himself in deep trouble instead.

“Look, Curtis. You’ve already snapped my wrist. Isn’t that enough? Please take pity on me and let me go. I swear I’ll never do it again. See what I brought you. Let me off this time!”

Curtis let go of him and muttered slowly, “Don’t play with fire next time.”

“I’m sure you would be treating me differently if I were a certain someone.”

With a grim expression, Curtis was ready to move his hand. “What did you say?”

“I-It’s nothing,” Wyatt hurriedly explained and acted pitifully. “Can I leave now, Curtis? My wrist is broken. I need to visit the hospital.”

“Send the documents to my study.” Curtis turned his wheelchair around.

D*mn it!

Wyatt could only curse inwardly. Looking at his broken right wrist and the documents on the ground, he gritted his teeth and picked them up with his left arm. Then, he followed Curtis up the stairs.

After entering the study, Curtis turned on his computer.

Wyatt’s original plan was to leave after putting down the documents. However, he changed his mind after seeing Curtis’ strange behavior. He walked over and saw Curtis watching the surveillance footage of the past few days.

Through the surveillance footage, Wyatt saw Curtis, who had gotten drunk, talking with Rayna and even laying his head on her stomach. Then, Alfred opened the door.

Then, it was a footage of the dining room.

Next, a few company executives from Faymon Group came to have a meeting in the conference room.

Wyatt watched all the surveillance footage with Curtis. Then, he smirked and said in a leering tone, “You sure are fit, Curtis. Rayna is already pregnant. Tsk!”

To that, Curtis gave him a side-eye. “Do you want me to sew up your mouth?”

Shocked, Wyatt immediately turned his head.

It wasn’t until after watching all the surveillance footage that Curtis looked at the frozen image with an unnatural expression.

In truth, he had only just sobered up in the living room earlier to find Wyatt teasing himself. However, he couldn’t remember what he had done, so he came to watch the surveillance footage. He didn’t expect so many things to have happened.

Now I know why Gabriel checks the alcohol concentration level every time I drink. I act way too silly drunk. Things would be terrible if any competing company found out about this.

Meanwhile, Rayna went looking for Curtis after she saw that he wasn’t in the living room. She saw Wyatt as soon as she entered the study.

“You’re here too, Mr. Lopez?”

Seeing Rayna’s arrival, Curtis immediately shut down the computer.

Rayna didn’t notice his action. Instead, she pulled Wyatt aside and whispered, “Mr. Faymon had some alcohol last night and is still slightly drunk. He won’t remember what you say.” “

“Huh?” said Wyatt subconsciously. “Curtis is—”

The next second, he felt a chilly aura flaring behind him, so he turned his head quietly. Curtis was staring at him, looking as if he wanted to break his other arm.

“What were you going to say, Mr. Lopez?” Rayna probed.

“I was going to say I’m counting on you to look after Curtis.” Wyatt patted her shoulder.

Rayna bobbed her head, thinking this was what she ought to do.

She noticed Wyatt’s right arm was limp, so she asked worriedly, “Is your arm all right, Mr. Lopez?”

“It’s nothing. I accidentally hurt myself.”

“Then you should call the family doctor. We have the number in the landline,” Rayna said. “The weather is great today, so I’m thinking of bringing Mr. Faymon outside for a walk. I’ll tell you when he sobers up.”

Curtis has long sobered up!

With a smile, Wyatt waved. “Okay, go on.”

After Rayna wheeled Curtis out, Wyatt’s face fell. While stuffing the documents in the drawer, he complained, “It seems like Curtis is the type to put women before friends. He even lied to Rayna!”

I just teased him a little. How can he break my wrist just like that?

“Huh?” Wyatt found a small box in the drawer. He took it out and looked closely at the words FX1236 on it. There was a small pill in the transparent box.

“Isn’t this the medicine Jeremy is researching?” he muttered.

It had been five years since Jeremy started his research on this medicine, but it was still semi-finished. The side effect of this medicine was that if one took a second pill within three years, there was a ninety percent chance of restoring one’s memory, so no news had been released to the public.

He had heard Jeremy talk about what had happened in Tyrandas before. The translator that Curtis brought got drugged by Kristie. Therefore, Curtis asked for two of these pills to feed the translator.

After investigating the people around Curtis, he knew that the translator was Rayna.

Playing with the box, Wyatt smirked.

I’ll let Rayna remember what Curtis doesn’t want her to remember.

Not long after Rayna and Curtis left the house, the phone in her pocket buzzed.

She tapped open her WhatsApp and saw a new message from Wyatt. He had texted: I left something for you in the kitchen cupboard. Remember to take it before going to bed.

 

Chapter 166

Chapter 166 Not A Beast

Rayna stared at her phone with a confused look on her face.

What is it? Why is he acting all mysterious?

Noticing Rayna’s absent-mindedness, Curtis asked, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, just some spam messages.” She put her phone back into her pocket and continued to push him forward. “There are many people by the lake. Let’s go there.”

After arriving at the artificial lake, Rayna saw more than ten middle-aged ladies dancing in the same traditional clothing. They were wearing waist drums while they beat and danced to them. The scene looked very festive.

Rayna wheeled Curtis as she looked for a place to sit. Then, she took out an orange and started peeling it.

“These ladies are so energetic. I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to dance at their age.” As she spoke, she put a piece of orange into Curtis’ mouth. “Have more oranges. It’s good for your health.”

Curtis gave her a glance.

The middle-aged ladies danced for a long time. Although drenched in sweat, the smiles on their faces remained unchanged. After that, they rehydrated themselves and took a rest.

One of them saw Rayna and Curtis and waved. “Young lady, come and have some fun!”

“It’s fine!” Rayna waved her hand dismissively and smiled, “You enjoy yourselves.”

“Don’t be shy; come join us!” The lady came and pulled Rayna with her as she said, “This is a simple dance. You can lose some calories, and it will lift your mood.”

Huh? I’m in a good mood. Why do I have to lift it?

A confused Rayna was then pulled into the center of the flower bed by the middle-aged lady and had a little waist drum tied around her. When the music started, she began clumsily dancing while watching the old ladies.

The dance was simple. She just had to move her feet and twist her hips. The main point was to hit the waist drum following the rhythm.

Rayna’s movements were rather uncoordinated for a while before she grasped the rhythm. After that, she found it fun and let loose. Meanwhile, Curtis watched her quietly in the shade.

Curtis had never seen this kind of dance before and couldn’t help laughing when he saw Rayna’s exaggerated movements.

This woman is adorable at times.

The music changed after they danced for a while. The middle-aged ladies sang along enthusiastically to a folk song, twisting their hips. It so happened that Rayna also knew the song, so she sang along.

Rayna coincidentally met Curtis’ gaze while dancing and saw him staring and smiling at her. Immediately, she turned around and blushed.

I’m doomed. My dancing must look utterly comical.

After barely finishing the second half of the dance, Rayna was covered in sweat. Then, she returned the waist drum to the middle-aged lady.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. As long as you’re happy.” The old lady gave her a nudge. “Your husband looked happy watching you dance. His gaze was on you the entire time. You two are still young, my dear. The most important thing is to live happily. Life will always get better.”

Rayna knew the lady was saying that to her because she had noticed Curtis in a wheelchair. Thus, she nodded and went back to Curtis.

Curtis handed her some tissues. “You danced quite well.”

“Ahem! Thanks.” Rayna cleared her throat. She knew that she must have looked funny just now. It took a few seconds for her to realize something, and she leveled a confused look at the man.

Something doesn’t feel right.

She asked, “Mr. Faymon?”

Looking at her, Curtis arched his brow. “Yes?”

“It’s nothing.” Rayna felt deeply embarrassed now that she knew Curtis had sobered up. It didn’t help that she had danced in front of him earlier.

Wanting to avoid Curtis, she saw an ice cream cart in the distance and ran off in a hurry.

As Curtis watched her retreating figure, he was bewildered. “Am I a beast?”

Why did she run off?

“Hi, do you sell mineral water here?” Rayna asked after arriving at the cart.

“Yes.”

The ice cream was too cold, so Rayna didn’t plan to let Curtis eat it. She bought him water and ice cream for herself. When she was paying, a little boy came by her side.

Rayna took a glance and saw that the cap the boy was wearing looked familiar. “Carl?”

The little boy raised his head. He was wearing a mask, but when he saw Rayna, his eyes lit up. “Ms. Rayna, what a coincidence!”

As he spoke, he wanted to take off his mask.

“No, keep it on.” Rayna stopped him from taking off his mask and glanced at Curtis. She was afraid that Curtis would see Carl’s features.

Carl hummed in acknowledgment but couldn’t help commenting, “But I have to take off my mask to eat my ice cream.”

Rayna was at a loss for words.

After receiving their ice creams, the two went behind the cart, where Carl took off his mask.

It turned out that Carl was out for some outdoor exercise today. He had passed by here and wanted to run around the artificial lake before returning home. Little did he expect to meet Rayna while buying ice cream.

“Why are you always doing outdoor sports?” Rayna asked. “Those are activities for adults. You should do it moderately. Otherwise, you won’t grow after a certain stage.”

“I should be fine. I only do it at most three times a week,” Carl replied. Then, he straightened his back. “Look, Ms. Rayna. I’ve grown taller.”

Rayna measured his height with her eyes and was surprised that it was true.

After giving it some thought, she was no longer surprised. It was only expected for Carl to grow fast since he had good genes from Theodore.

After some chit-chat, something came to Rayna’s mind, so she asked, “Your last name is Sanders. Is that your dad’s last name or your mom’s?”

“My mommy’s,” Carl replied. “Mommy said I’ll change my last name to my daddy’s after he’s discharged from the army.”

“Is your mom Jasmine Sanders?”

Carl suddenly became quiet as he eyed her warily.

Rayna could understand why he was behaving this way. After all, they had only met twice and didn’t know each other well. “I mean no harm. I know your mom. I noticed how similar your eyes were when I first saw you.”

“Really?”

Bobbing her head, Rayna pulled him aside and pointed in the direction of Curtis. “Do you read newspapers normally? That person over there is Mr. Faymon of Faymon Group. He is—”

“I know. He’s engaged to Mommy,” Carl chimed in. He looked at Curtis for some time before he muttered, “He’s not as handsome as Daddy.”

Rayna thought to herself, He’s your dad’s friend and someone you’ll have to address as uncle in the future.

“Do you like him, Ms. Rayna?” Carl suddenly turned to Rayna and said excitedly, “If you do, ask him to cancel his engagement with my mommy. Let me know if you need my help.”

“I—Ahem, let’s not talk about this.” She diverted the topic. “I have some news that might not be good news to you. Do you want to hear it?”

After confirming that Carl was the child of Theodore and Jasmine, Rayna wanted to tell him about his father. Otherwise, things would be a tangled mess if Jasmine and Curtis got married.

She didn’t mind even if she was called selfish.

Curious, Carl said, “Go on and tell me, Ms. Rayna. I’m stronger than I look, so I can handle it.”

“Actually—” Her mouth twitched, wanting to tell him the truth.

Just then, Carl’s phone rang.

He went to the side to answer the phone. A minute later, he came back and excitedly said, “Ms. Rayna, Mommy received a gift Daddy got for me from his friend. It’s on the way now, so I’m going home!”

“Sure, go on.” Rayna changed her mind. “Don’t tell your mom that we know each other, okay? She doesn’t want people to know about you, so let’s act like we’re strangers.”

“I got it.” Carl nodded furiously. “But in my heart, Ms. Rayna, you’re always going to be my friend. Just tell me if you like that uncle. I’ll be glad if he cancels his engagement with Mommy.”

Hearing that, Rayna chuckled.

Based on the relationship between Theodore and Curtis, it was only natural for Carl to refer to the latter as “uncle.”

 

Chapter 167

Chapter 167 Something That Can Make You Happy

At Norwal City Airport, Jasmine looked stylish and appealing in a white windbreaker, which accentuated her slim figure. After speaking on the phone with her son, she smiled softly as she walked out of the arrival hall with her luggage.

She was confident that her son would like the present she had brought back this time.

As Jasmine was making her way out of the crowded airport terminal, she heard someone calling her name.

“Jasmine Sanders?”

Subconsciously, Jasmine turned her head around and saw an elegant lady with a purple handbag. Countless memories from the past raced through her mind, causing her to grip her luggage handle tightly.

She stood still and nodded politely. “It’s been a long time, Mrs. Xavier.”

“At first I thought it was someone who looked like you, but it’s really you.” Despite Emma Mabins’ sophisticated appearance, her words were harsh. She acted all high and mighty as she walked up to Jasmine, scrutinizing the latter from head to toe.

After sizing Jasmine up, Emma sneered and uttered, “It’s only been four years. I never imagined you would succeed in getting the Sanders family to acknowledge you and even get engaged to Mr. Faymon.”

Suppressing the emotions in her heart, Jasmine kept her composure and replied with a smile, “I have to thank you, Mrs. Xavier. I couldn’t have done as well if it weren’t for the ten million you gave me.”

“That’s all you’re worth.” Emma smiled gracefully, her eyes filled with contempt. “No matter how capable you are, you’re still an illegitimate daughter, filthy and despicable.”

“You’re right. I’m filthy, despicable, and an eyesore in your eyes.” As Jasmine spoke, she approached Emma and grinned slightly. “I’ll have to fall to my knees and thank God if you even think highly of me. However, please keep in mind that the tables could turn at any time. Trust me. You’ll come begging and apologizing to me one day!”

After saying that domineeringly, she whipped around and left.

Consequently, Emma’s face flushed with rage.

It’s only been four years. Where did this woman gain the confidence to talk back to me?

“Has Theodore returned?” she asked her assistant, who was standing next to her.

“After returning home once, Mr. Theodore left for Norham again. There seems to be an urgent matter to take care of there,” the assistant replied.

“Call him and tell him that his grandfather isn’t feeling well. Ask him to come back as soon as possible,” instructed Emma. “Also, get in touch with General Lane’s friends. Invite them to dinner at the Xavier residence with their daughters.”

“Understood.”

Rayna pushed Curtis in his wheelchair, and they spent a considerable amount of time outside before returning to the mansion after dark.

While preparing dinner, she was thinking about how Jasmine wanted to hide her son’s existence. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she accidentally cut her finger. When she came to her senses due to the pain, she discovered that the cutting board was stained with blood.

“What’s wrong?” Curtis entered the kitchen in his wheelchair. Seeing that Rayna was still in a daze after cutting her finger, he immediately pulled her outside and searched for a plaster to cover her wound.

His movements were delicate and gentle.

Staring at the top of his head, Rayna abruptly asked, “Mr. Faymon, may I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“My brother has two friends. Friend A and Friend B are good friends, but Friend A’s girlfriend realized she was pregnant and gave birth to a child after her breakup with Friend A. Now, she’s married to Friend B,” uttered Rayna.

“What a b*tch.”

Rayna was intrigued. “It’s unusual of you to say something like that. No, she isn’t a b*tch. She has her reasons. Friend A is aware of that and still has feelings for her, but he doesn’t know about the child. What would you do if you were Friend B and learned about it?”

“No matter what reasons she has, she’s at fault for concealing the child’s existence,” said Curtis. “Because of her, Friend A and Friend B will never be friends again.” After a brief pause, he continued, “If I were Friend B, I’d dump that woman and use all my power to prevent her from returning to the country to hurt my friend.”

Rayna was stunned.

D*mn. Does he really need to be so ruthless?

Leaning gracefully in the wheelchair, Curtis fixed his gaze on Rayna and uttered, “Rayna, these words of yours make me feel uneasy.”

“Hahaha. It’s nothing. I’m simply curious. They are also good friends with my brother. I wasn’t sure what to say when he asked me what he should do, so I wanted to seek your advice,” Rayna quickly responded.

“Your brother should know how men get along with each other.” Having said that, Curtis pondered for a while and remarked, “Oh, I forgot your brother isn’t straight. Maybe he thinks differently.”

In a fit of rage, Rayna kicked his wheelchair.

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Faymon? Do you discriminate against homosexuals? My brother is perfectly fine as he is. He’s free to like whoever he wants. If he ever wants a child in the future, he can adopt one of my children!”

“I’m not discriminating against homosexuals,” explained Curtis resignedly. At the same time, he cast a glance at her stomach.

“Why did you look at my tummy?”

“Are you pregnant?”

Rayna was bereft of speech.

Rolling her eyes, she stormed angrily into the kitchen.

I just sent one lunatic away, and now here comes another. I’m amazed that I’m still maintaining my sanity!

After giving it some thought, she placed the beef back in the refrigerator and made tofu stew, deep-fried spinach, and stir-fried celery.

Once she was done cooking, she served everything to the table.

Glancing at the dishes on the table, Curtis could not help but ask, “Didn’t you say we were having beef tonight?”

“The beef has gone bad!” Rayna served him the tofu stew and stated, “With my cooking skills, these dishes still taste great even though they’re simple. Mr. Faymon, aren’t you being too picky with food? Other chefs only prepare two meals per day and are paid thirty to forty thousand per month. I’m not even paid to make three meals for you every day. How could you complain? When I first started cooking, my brother would eat everything I made and compliment me on how delicious it was. How can people be so different?”

Hearing her sarcastic remarks, Curtis rubbed his temples.

She was getting better at challenging his bottom line and would talk back to him whenever he said something.

When Rayna saw the man finish all the food while wearing a glum expression, she was in a good mood. She peeled an apple for him and cleaned the kitchen while humming.

No wonder they say men cannot be spoiled!

When she was about to leave, she remembered Wyatt saying he had left something in the kitchen. She opened the cabinet and discovered a cup inside. Curious, she took it out and saw a tiny box inside the cup.

Rayna shook the box and found out there was a pill inside.

Thus, she snapped a photo and sent Wyatt a text: Mr. Lopez, are you asking me to eat this?

After a short while, she received a reply from Wyatt: Yes, eat it before you go to bed.

Rayna: What is it?

Wyatt: Just be sure to eat it. It’s something that can make you happy.

Rayna was at a loss for words.

Moments later, she received another response from Wyatt: Trust me. When you wake up the next morning, you’ll thank me!

Rayna could not think of anything to say, so she turned off her phone.

Initially, she wanted to throw the pill away. However, she decided against it because Wyatt had never harmed her in any way. Since he had repeatedly asked her to eat it, she became curious and did so just before going to bed.

Consequently, some memories came flooding back to her that night.

It turned out that after waking up that morning, she ran into Gabriel in the hotel corridor. However, she was abducted by Kristie’s people as soon as she left the building. After she managed to escape, Curtis carried her back to the hotel and then…

Rayna became tense as the memories resurfaced, particularly the ones after Curtis carried her back to the hotel.

Is this a dream?

She gave herself a hard slap, and it hurt tremendously. As she closed her eyes, the memories flooded back vividly. She slapped herself again, and this time it was much more painful.

Chapter 168

Chapter 168 Let Me Be Your Brother

It now makes sense why I thought the time was off. I clearly remembered it being Tuesday, but when I woke up, it was already Thursday. It turns out that I had forgotten what happened on Wednesday night.

“Oh my gosh! What should I do?” Those memories were far too vivid. Rayna could not stop herself from rolling around on the bed. “If I had known that the pill had this effect, I wouldn’t have taken it!”

How should I face Curtis now that I know what has happened? This is so embarrassing!

At that moment, Naomi sent a WhatsApp message stating that something urgent had come up in Faymon Group. Rayna quickly responded, saying she would be there in no time. After changing her clothes, she left the mansion. Of course, she did not forget to ask the housekeeper to come to the mansion before she left.

“Nana!” The moment Rayna entered through the revolving door, someone bumped into her from behind. Jessica walked alongside Rayna and commented, “Aren’t you afraid that Mr. Faymon would be upset at you coming to the company?”

In response, Rayna gave her a fleeting glance and uttered, “Get lost.”

“You’re not the Nana I adore. You’re so fierce,” Jessica grumbled, pretending to be sad. After a while, she asked, “You don’t look good. Did Mr. Faymon ‘bully’ you?”

Rayna’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the word Jessica emphasized. “You’re overthinking it.”

“I figured it out from your expression.”

Rayna was bereft of speech and did not say another word.

“Are you going back at noon? If not, let’s go out for lunch. I came across a restaurant that serves excellent steak!” Jessica stated.

“I’m not going!”

“Nana, you’re about to turn cold and ruthless like Mr. Faymon.”

Rayna remained silent.

Jessica continued to babble on as she used her card to gain access to the elevator for the higher-ups. After they entered, a hand stopped the elevator door from closing as it was about to.

“Good morning.”

Wyatt was dressed in a black suit and standing outside the elevator. He had a tall, lean build and looked particularly attractive in a suit as he exuded an air of elegance.

If it were not for his face, Rayna would not have recognized him. “What brings you here?” she inquired.

“Things are getting worse for Faymon Group. I’m here to help you because I worry that you can’t handle it alone.” After getting into the elevator, Wyatt turned around and asked Jessica, “Good morning, gorgeous. Have you eaten breakfast?”

“Yes.” Jessica subconsciously nodded. After casting a second glance his way, she commented, “You look handsome like this. You should stop wearing those gaudy clothes.”

Hearing that, Wyatt twitched the corners of his lips. The next instant, he flashed her a charming smile. “Sure. If you like it, I can wear a suit all day.”

Rayna could not help but roll her eyes.

Goodness gracious. This guy is terrible at picking up women.

As the elevator ascended, Wyatt attempted to strike up a conversation with Jessica, even leaning in her direction. In Rayna’s eyes, he appeared to have never seen a woman in his life before.

Just when Jessica was about to walk out of the elevator, he quickly suggested, “Let’s have lunch together. My treat.”

“All right, but please let me pay for the meal as a token of appreciation for the flowerpot you gave me.”

Upon hearing her words, Wyatt beamed brightly.

At the same time, Rayna gave him a sidelong glance and snickered. “I made a mistake. If I had known you would show up, I would’ve turned on my phone’s video recorder earlier so you could see how you’re behaving right now.”

“Do I look suave?” Wyatt grabbed her shoulders with his outstretched hands. “I’m very confident in my appearance. Even celebrities could not compare to me.”

“Yes. You could certainly portray certain characters well with that face of yours.” Rayna pushed him away with her elbow and remarked, “You should come to Faymon Group often. We have a lot of pretty women here.”

“No. I only like Jessie.”

“Stop being delusional. She doesn’t like you,” reprimanded Rayna.

“It takes time for feelings to develop. I’m not in a rush.” With a grin on his face, Wyatt prodded Rayna and suggested, “Why don’t you take Jessie in as your younger sister?”

“Why should I?”

“I’ll become your brother-in-law if I’m successful in pursuing her.”

Rayna did not respond.

Shortly afterward, Wyatt added, “Or let me be your younger brother.”

“Have you gone crazy?” Rayna glared at him in disgust. “You’re a couple of years older than I am. Even if you have the nerve to think of me as your older sister, I lack the courage to accept that status.”

A playful smile hung on Wyatt’s lips as he stated, “Don’t worry. I look young.”

However, Rayna did not want to waste time chatting nonsense with him.

At present, she was feeling a little frustrated. First, she discovered that her younger brother was gay. Before she could fully process the news, Wyatt gave her a pill and made her recall such a passionate memory.

Ugh! This is so annoying!

After Rayna arrived at Faymon Group, she attended three meetings, and Wyatt was present at all of them.

In truth, Wyatt often came to Faymon Group. Rayna simply had not realized this because she was too preoccupied with caring for Curtis in the mansion. Since Yannick was arrested for corruption, Wyatt replaced him as the general manager of the international department.

Wyatt usually presented himself in a casual manner and never took matters seriously. However, he would become solemn and stern when in a meeting and speaking about work-related subjects.

All of a sudden, Rayna felt insignificant in comparison to someone like Wyatt, who had been in the business world for a long time.

She could not help but wonder how Alfred had the courage to hand over Faymon Group to her.

As soon as the meetings were over, Rayna got right back to work. Some of the branches were in trouble. All funds had been frozen, and a lot of employees had left.

Faymon Group had faced all kinds of crises since Curtis’ injury. In truth, it was already on the verge of collapse.

The numerous negative reports about Faymon Group left Rayna mentally and physically exhausted. She devoted herself to her work and did not even join Jessica for lunch.

“Ms. Garland.” Just then, a secretary from the secretarial department entered the CEO’s office with a food jar and handed it to Rayna. “This is from a man with the last name Hamilton. I’ve examined it. There isn’t anything wrong with the food.”

Hearing that, Rayna furrowed her brows.

A man with the last name Hamilton? It must be him.

Instead of asking the secretary to dispose of the food, Rayna opened the jar and discovered a note inside. The jar was filled with food that smelled enticing.

She unfolded the note, and it read: Eat well. I look forward to meeting you.

After reading it, Rayna threw the card into the trash can. Her face was expressionless.

I’m never going to meet you.

In the evening, she went back to the condominium with Jessica instead of going to Curtis’ house. Jessica was shocked and inquired as to what was wrong, but Rayna came up with a random excuse.

For the next few days, Rayna slept at the condominium, claiming that the company had a lot of work to do.

Meanwhile, Wyatt had been hitting on Jessica shamelessly since they had lunch together. No matter what time Rayna and Jessica arrived at the company in the morning, they would always meet him “by chance.”

Rayna was at a loss for words.

“Ms. Garland.” Naomi came into Rayna’s office in the morning and uttered politely, “The gifts for Thanksgiving are ready. Please check to see if they are adequate.”

Taken aback, Rayna queried, “It’s Thanksgiving today?”

“Yes. It was announced yesterday that all employees could leave work after three o’clock today,” Naomi answered.

Does this mean Curtis is going back to the Faymon residence for Thanksgiving?

“Ms. Garland?”

“Yes?” Rayna quickly regained her composure. Looking at the list of gifts, she asked, “Are there any gift cards left?”

“Yes.”

“Then give each executive a ten thousand gift card.”

“Noted.”

After Naomi left, Rayna picked up her phone with the intention of texting Curtis, but the moment she opened her WhatsApp, she paused.

Who am I? What right do I have to spend Thanksgiving at the Faymon residence? Besides, I haven’t been to the mansion in a while, and Curtis acted as if I didn’t exist. He never called or texted me. Why

should I call him to see if he needs help?

Needless to say, Rayna was enraged by the thought. Just as she was about to put her phone down, Curtis called.

 

Chapter 169

Chapter 169 Would It Hurt To Beg

Rayna was so shocked that she nearly dropped her phone on the floor.

What should I do?

Looking at her buzzing phone, Rayna gritted her teeth and answered the call after several seconds. She steadied her voice and said, “Mr. Faymon.”

“Wyatt said you were busy with work and asked me not to disturb you.” Curtis’ deep and magnetic voice was as attractive as ever even over the phone.

Is he explaining himself?

Rayna felt nervous all of a sudden and replied, “Y-Yeah, I’ve been quite busy.”

“It’s Thanksgiving today.”

“Happy Thanksgiving!” said Rayna subconsciously.

A pause ensued, followed by a low chuckle. Rayna felt like slapping herself upon hearing it.

Rayna, you idiot!

Curtis then said, “My dad called just now. He reminded me to go home for Thanksgiving and bring you, the pregnant lady, along.”

“Mr. Faymon, I’m really not pregnant.” Rayna felt awkward. She blamed herself for not storing the wine properly. “My mom just called too. I may need to go home.”

“Understood,” said Curtis. “A family should spend time together on Thanksgiving. I’ll go back on my own, then.”

“Mr. Faymon…”

What he said made Rayna feel as if she had done something wrong. She faltered slightly. When she was about to speak up, Curtis asked her to carry on with her work and hung up.

That’s it? He hung up just like that?

A look of disbelief appeared on her face as she glared at her phone.

What on earth? Uncle Curtis is acting so high and mighty! Would it hurt to beg me and admit that he needs me?

Later, Linda really did call to say that it was Thanksgiving and ask Rayna if she was free to come home. Rayna agreed to it and called James.

It turned out that James was not around. He was attending a ceremony in Pillere with Kristie. Roxanne was also filming in Bellridge.

Rayna sighed as it seemed she would be the only one going home.

Roxanne seemed to have caught the fancy of some foreign director. She was cast in one movie after another and selected for various celebrity endorsements. She had been overseas all this while and did not return.

When it was time to leave, Rayna took her laptop with her, intending to complete the unfinished work later. She ran into Wyatt and Jessica when she was going down.

She looked at them and asked, “You’re spending Thanksgiving together?”

“Yeah. Wyatt’s parents are overseas, so no one’s at home to celebrate with him,” replied Jessica. “Well, you know I’m not from around here. Are you going home, Nana? If you’re not, why don’t you—”

“Even if she’s not going home, she’ll be going to Curtis’,” interrupted Wyatt. “We shouldn’t take up her time. Let’s just celebrate by ourselves.”

“Why would I need to go to his house? He’s going back to the Faymon residence, and I’m going home to celebrate with my mom,” said Rayna with a cold smirk, obviously still annoyed that Curtis had hung up on her earlier.

“You’re letting him go back by himself?”

“He’s not a child. Are you worried that he’ll get lost?”

Stroking his chin, Wyatt made some sounds of disapproval and said, “Most of the Faymons would go back for a festival like this. Aren’t you worried that Curtis will get bullied in his current state?”

“Who am I to him? Why would I need to worry?” retorted Rayna. “Honestly, you should go instead since you’re so close to him!”

“No way. I said I’d accompany Jessie!”

“Well, you don’t have to. I’m quite comfortable going home alone to enjoy some drama series,” said Jessica.

“It’s Thanksgiving! Doing that would be a waste of such a joyous occasion! Let’s go enjoy the night view in a scenic setting,” suggested Wyatt laughingly.

Rayna left with an unamused expression.

The streets were exceptionally crowded and bustling since it was Thanksgiving. After Rayna purchased some presents from a mall with great difficulty, she was caught in a massive traffic jam while traveling home.

She waited quietly for the cars in front to move.

Upon looking out, she saw a lady pushing a wheelchair on the sidewalk. The man sitting in the wheelchair had a drip attached to him. The couple seemed worn out, but the smiles on their faces were full of happiness.

Rayna was suddenly reminded of Curtis and that call from earlier.

Due to Curtis’ identity, he had always been shunned by the Faymon family. If he were to go back in a wheelchair, the other members of the Faymon family would definitely take the chance to mock him.

Honk! Honk!

The blaring honks from behind pulled Rayna back from her thoughts.

Rayna proceeded to pass the green light and make a turn. After she drove steadily for a while, she called Linda. “Mom, don’t wait for me. I might reach home late.”

“Are you keeping my son-in-law company?”

Startled, Rayna choked and replied awkwardly, “No. I’m just helping him handle some things. I’ll come home right after I’m done.”

“Bring him with you when you come home,” responded Linda.

Rayna was speechless.

About twenty minutes had passed when Rayna pulled up before the steel gates of the Faymon residence.

She was about to get out and ask someone to open the gate when it automatically parted for her.

Does this mean they can recognize my car now?

After Rayna parked her car in the outdoor parking lot, a housekeeper quickly walked over and greeted her. She took the gifts Rayna had brought and directed the latter to get in a sightseeing car.

Rayna had no idea how vast the Faymon residence was, but to her, it was humongous and gave her the same feeling as when she had first stepped foot into Norham University. She had been there a few times, but that feeling of awe had not yet worn off.

About six minutes later, they arrived at the main house.

A majestic and lavish living hall as big as a ballroom came into Rayna’s sight as she entered with the housekeeper. Peals of laughter could be heard, suggesting that there were quite a number of people there.

“Old Mr. Faymon, Ms. Garland is here.”

Following the housekeeper’s announcement of her arrival, Rayna could sense that the laughter had died down a lot. She walked into the living room steadily and saw that the couches in the reception area were fully occupied.

All the men wore impeccable suits, and the women’s outfits looked tasteful and expensive. They exuded an aura of elegance befitting those who were from high society.

Rayna gave them a once-over, and her expression remained stoic.

Back when she was in a relationship with Jefferson, she had even met the royal family members of Yartran and dined with them. Therefore, she was not the least bit intimidated by the Faymons.

She walked over to Alfred and greeted him politely, “Sorry, Old Mr. Faymon. I should have come with Mr. Faymon, but I was held up at work.”

“We’re a family. There’s no need to be so formal,” said Alfred. He had not been in a good mood before Rayna arrived. Now that she was here, he finally started smiling and gestured for her to sit beside Curtis.

The moment she sat down, Curtis said in a low voice, “I thought you were going home for Thanksgiving.”

“I promised Old Mr. Faymon I’d come. It’s not nice to go back on my word,” answered Rayna in an equally low tone. She then sat upright and immediately turned to talk to Alfred.

Curtis’ gaze toward her softened when he heard that.

Many had come to the Faymon residence for Thanksgiving, as they hoped to get into Alfred’s good books and gain his attention. Even Julian’s mother had come. However, the moment Rayna arrived, Alfred had been talking to her.

This caused a lot of dissatisfaction among the others.

“Speaking of which, Rayna is indeed closely connected to our family.” Since it was inconvenient for the elders of the family to say anything, Brooklyn spoke up. “She was previously married to Julian. Now, she’s the acting CEO of Faymon Group.”

Everyone’s expression changed subtly. Brooklyn stared at Rolanda and said teasingly, “You’d been her mother-in-law for over a year. You should’ve told us she was so capable. That way, Julian wouldn’t

have divorced her.”

Rolanda could only smile awkwardly as the topic shifted to her.

Compared to the main members of the Faymon family, Rolanda was merely an insignificant relative. She was just there because she was somewhat related to the Faymon family. In actuality, she had no say in anything.

 

Chapter 170

Chapter 170 Putting On A Show

“Indeed. Ms. Garland has been exceptionally loyal to Faymon Group. She’s been taking care of Curtis with so much devotion. If I didn’t know better, I would think that she’s in love with him!” Jason chimed in.

Rayna started frowning upon hearing his sarcastic insinuations.

They were talking about her, but their remarks were all directed at Curtis. Rayna was about to speak up on behalf of Curtis, but Alfred patted her hand gently and said, “It’s okay.”

Rayna pursed her lips and held her tongue.

“Shouldn’t you greet your ex-mother-in-law since she’s here?” asked Jason, clearly enjoying himself. “Too bad we don’t know where Julian has run off to. If he’s here, it’ll be even more interesting.”

Brooklyn laughed and added, “It seems like you’re still holding a grudge, Ms. Garland. Oh, well, it’s understandable since Julian was the one who had an affair in the first place. His mother sided with him and not you. If I were you, I wouldn’t greet her too.”

“That’s enough. Pipe down,” said Sienna, pretending to advise them against talking anymore.

“Why?” asked Brooklyn, feeling aggrieved. “I’m just praising Ms. Garland. She managed to climb up to such a high position as an interpreter. Not only that, but she also has good taste. She only has eyes for the men in our family.”

“Since you seem to have much to say, let me assist you,” said Curtis impassively, finally speaking up.

He then instructed the housekeeper to bring a platform over.

After the one-meter tall platform was brought into the living hall, Curtis pointed at it and said, “Brooklyn, Jason, go give a speech up there to liven up the atmosphere.”

Curtis was clearly putting them on the spot and making them perform like circus monkeys.

Brooklyn did not expect Curtis to take it so seriously. Her face fell as she replied, “My throat is all dry from speaking just now.”

“Then bring a bottle of water with you to hydrate yourself,” said Curtis in an imposing tone. “Go on.”

Brooklyn turned to look at Sienna.

Before Sienna could say anything, Curtis cut in, “Two people is indeed too few.”

Sienna did not miss the underlying meaning of those words. Her expression darkened, but she did not say anything.

She knew her nephew well enough to know that he would put his words into action.

Without Sienna’s help and with Alfred turning a blind eye, Brooklyn and Jason could only step onto the stage at Curtis’ behest.

Curtis stared at them with a slight smile, but without any warmth in his eyes. “Say something. Don’t be so boring.”

Under immense pressure, both Brooklyn and Jason felt a buzz in their heads and started to talk in stutters. They knew that they had to say something, no matter what it was, and they could not stop. If they felt thirsty, they would just drink some water and go on. They only got down from the platform when it was time for dinner half an hour later.

Besides Julian, Chester and his eldest son were absent as well. Alfred arranged for Curtis and Rayna to sit on his left-hand side.

The housekeeper poured wine for everyone accordingly.

Rayna had barely caught the pleasant aroma of the wine when Curtis took away her glass and handed it to the housekeeper.

“She can’t drink this,” said Curtis.

The wine was not even a strong liquor. What Curtis had said immediately drew everyone’s attention, and they started making guesses.

Someone asked, “Is she pregnant?”

“Really?” Alfred looked so surprised that it was as if he was not the one who was at the mansion the other day. “What great news to hear on Thanksgiving! This is a double blessing!”

At the dining table, everyone had different expressions.

Curtis was making it obvious who the baby’s father was and that he was in a loving relationship with Rayna. It was clear as day what he was hinting at.

Despite that, Brooklyn still had not learned her lesson. She asked boldly, “Could it be fake? I heard she said she was pregnant when she got divorced from Julian, but it turned out that it was just her scheme for revenge.”

Then she turned to Rolanda and queried, “Isn’t that so?”

Rolanda wanted to nod, but Curtis shot her a glare right at that moment. Shivers instantly ran down her spine. She let out a dry laugh and replied, “They were just joking around.”

“You’ve already said so much earlier, but you still seem to be very energetic,” said Alfred to Brooklyn, giving her the side-eye. “Curtis has been spending time with Rayna every day. What is your concern?”

“I just don’t want Curtis to be fooled…”

“Are you implying that there’s something wrong with Rayna?”

“Uncle Alfred, we can all see for ourselves whether there’s something wrong with her or not. I don’t need to comment on that,” Brooklyn mumbled. “Besides, you didn’t seem as happy when I was pregnant back then.”

Alfred retorted mercilessly, “We may be family, but you’re just my niece. Rayna is my daughter-in-law. Of course I’m happy that she’s pregnant!”

“Have you gone mad, Uncle Alfred? She was married to Julian! How can she get married to Curtis now?” Brooklyn and all the other members of the Faymon family were clearly perturbed.

They had always had an issue with Curtis’ identity. He was not one of them biologically. However, Alfred, the head of the family, had named Curtis as his heir.

If Curtis had a child, everyone knew the significance behind it.

“That’s right, Alfred,” said Sienna calmly. “Curtis is engaged to the young lady of the Sanders family. If you take Rayna in, then what about Ms. Sanders?”

“It’s just an engagement. They’re not married. Curtis will take care of it when the time comes,” replied Alfred with a wave of his hand.

“Alfred…”

“That’s enough!” Alfred got impatient and was done playing nice. “All of you already have your own families and children. Curtis is not young anymore. It’s time for him to get married too. So what if Rayna was married to Julian? Curtis and Julian are just related by name. I didn’t interfere with your affairs previously. Now that my son is getting married, why do you all suddenly have so many opinions?”

Upon seeing that Alfred was angered, Sienna hurriedly said with a smile, “Alfred, we’re just a bit worried that Curtis can’t handle it well. Ms. Garland seems like a bright lady. We like her and hope that she can come to visit us more often.”

The other family members concurred one after another.

Alfred brightened up a little upon hearing that. “All right, let’s eat.”

Rayna did not expect so much drama to take place before they even lifted their cutleries. It was fortunate that Alfred was assertive enough to defend Curtis and her.

But I’m really not pregnant!

Rayna leaned over to Curtis and asked softly, “Mr. Faymon, should we explain things to your father later?”

“What’s there to explain?”

“You know what I’m talking about!” Rayna glared at him exasperatedly. “If we don’t explain ourselves now, what do we say when Old Mr. Faymon asks why my stomach is not getting bigger later on?”

“Lean over, and I’ll tell you,” said Curtis in a low voice with a smirk.

Rayna looked at him suspiciously but surmised that he did not have any reason to fool her, so she tilted her head toward him. The next moment, he kissed her before everybody present.

Brooklyn was so shocked that she dropped her fork.

Alfred, on the other hand, was delighted to see that. He cleared his throat and reminded them in a mock-stern tone, “We’re in the middle of a meal. Behave yourselves!”

Curtis let go of Rayna and said calmly, “She wanted me to kiss her.”

Rayna immediately pinched his waist.

The cold Uncle Curtis is gone! He’s replaced by a lying old scoundrel!

After dinner, everybody took the sightseeing car to go to the pond. Tables and chairs were set up near the pond for everyone to enjoy the scenery and night view.

Noticing that it was only a short distance away, Rayna decided to push Curtis over.

When she thought of what had happened earlier, she was infuriated. She kept complaining non-stop while they were making their way there. “You’ve gone overboard, Mr. Faymon. Even if you were just putting on a show, that was way too much.”

“I wasn’t putting on a show,” replied Curtis.

Rayna stopped in her tracks. She looked down and found that Curtis was also staring at her deeply.

“Rayna—”

He was about to speak, but Rayna interrupted him in a hurry as if she knew what he was going to say, “M-Mr. Faymon, I left my phone back in there. You go ahead first. I’ll go get my phone!”