Ch. 241..250

Chapter 241 Lend Me A Few Employees

Curtis said nothing. Evidently, she had made the right guess.

Rayna sneered, “Mr. Tylinski is most probably the most ‘responsible’ assistant in all of Norwal City! Mr. Faymon, you’re lucky to have him.”

“If you like, you can bring him to Hatchair Group.”

“That I dare not. Hatchair Group cannot afford to hire him.” Rayna waved her hands hastily. Curtis’ words reminded Rayna of the upcoming bidding for the high-speed railway station, causing her to lean back in her chair and let out a sigh.

Rayna explained, “As for the bidding for the high-speed railway station in the eastern district, I’ve assembled a team of people from other companies. They did their best, but they didn’t meet my expectations.”

“You haven’t completed the bidding document yet?”

Rayna’s brows were knitted in worry as she replied, “If it was easy, I wouldn’t be so worried. This is my first time leading a project like this, and I’m not very good at it.”

Curtis grinned. “So what are you getting at?”

He had seen right through her, so Rayna grew shy. She coughed awkwardly and answered, “Everyone in the industry knows that Faymon Group only hires the best. I’d like to borrow a few employees from Faymon Group.”

“Hatchair Group is incapable but wants to win the tender for the high-speed railway project?” Curtis tutted. “Are you overconfident or just a fool?”

Rayna flew into a rage. “Never mind if you refuse to lend me your employees. Why did you have to insult me too? Well, money can work wonders. I trust that I can hire experienced team members if I offer them enough money. I must win the tender!”

If they were able to win the tender, it would be a major achievement for Hatchair Group and would also serve as a validation of Rayna’s abilities. It would be a huge step forward for the company and Rayna’s career.

The sight of her confidence made Curtis’ lips curl up. “You can borrow Faymon Group’s employees if you like,” he offered.

Rayna asked, “Is that a yes?”

Curtis considered the idea and responded, “Each person in Faymon Group has specific duties and responsibilities. If I were to send someone to Hatchair Group, it would likely reduce the productivity and efficiency of our group.”

Rayna understood the underlying meaning of his words. She harrumphed and snapped, “Just tell me how much you want.”

“Ms. Garland, it is you who need my help. Why are you acting like you’re the boss, hmm?”

“Mr. Faymon.” Rayna forced out a smile to look sincere. “I would like to request the temporary assistance of a few of your employees. Please allow me to compensate you for their time and efforts.”

“We can talk after dinner.”

“Okay, let’s do that.” Rayna was about to suggest having Adrunian food when she noticed he was glancing at her. “Mr. Faymon, what do you want to eat? Let’s head to the supermarket to get some groceries.”

Curtis was pleased by Rayna’s attitude and responded, “You were the one who suggested it.”

Rayna’s lips twitched. Capitalists are the most annoying people ever. All they do is milk others all day!

While at the supermarket, they were about to shop for food when Rayna received a call from James asking her whereabouts. He told her that he and Kristie had not yet had dinner, so she invited them to come to Curtis’ house to eat.

Curtis frowned unhappily. “Is my house a shelter that takes anyone in?”

“Not just anyone is allowed in, but there have been a few exceptions,” Rayna said impatiently. “My brother is going to be your future brother-in-law, right? Why are you upset about him having dinner at your house? You didn’t seem this upset when Ms. Sanders came over. You even took her upstairs to speak with her privately!”

Curtis inched nearer until they were pressed against each other intimately. “Ms. Garland, are you jealous?”

“I was just stating facts. Step back!” Rayna slapped his head away and pushed the trolley ahead. Chuckling lowly, he followed behind her.

After spending an hour at the supermarket, Rayna purchased three large bags of groceries that Curtis carried for her. It was at this point that she realized he was quite helpful.

He could help her carry shopping bags and be her driver.

When they arrived at Curtis’ place, Rayna held a small shopping bag and entered his house using the access card. Inside, she heard Kristie’s coy voice that gave her goosebumps.

“Rayna, you’re back!” Kristie exclaimed as she stood up from James’ lap and ran over to help carry Rayna’s bag. “Let me help you!”

Rayna looked at Kristie’s bright smile and had the urge to tell her to act more naturally. However, she remembered that it was the first time James had found such a pretty girlfriend at his age, so she suppressed the urge and didn’t say anything.

Forget it. She’s Mr. Faymon’s sister, after all.

After leading Rayna to the couch in the living room, Kristie brought her some water and began massaging her shoulders. “Rayna, LV is hosting a fashion show next month. Would you like to go with me?”

“Rayna, do you like to act? My new movie is about to start filming soon. Do you want to cameo in it?”

“Rayna, is your company in need of money?”

“Rayna—”

“Okay, that’s enough shoulder massaging,” Rayna said as she moved away, not used to Kristie’s enthusiasm. “I won’t make you break up, so there’s no need to do this. You’re being a bit too eager.”

Kristie quickly moved to hold onto Rayna’s arm affectionately. “I really like you, Rayna. You’re so beautiful and kind. I want to introduce you to all the nice guys I know.”

Curtis’ cold voice rang out. “Who do you want to introduce to her, hmm?”

“Hey, Curt! How could you eavesdrop on our conversation like that?” Kristie huffed in frustration. She didn’t dare act mischievously in front of Curtis and quickly retreated back to James’ embrace.

James was accustomed to Kristie snuggling up to him. He furrowed his brows and gravely told Rayna, “His son is an obsessive fan of Kristie. He somehow obtained her schedule and has been secretly stalking her.”

“Harry Verlice?”

James nodded. “He kidnapped Kristie when her assistant wasn’t paying attention. I was on my way to rescue her when I realized you had activated the tracking device on your ring. That was why I called Mr. Faymon.”

Hearing that, Curtis was pretty bothered.

Can’t he call me by my name, Curtis? Why does he call me “Mr. Faymon” as though we aren’t close to each other?

“That obsessive fan is insane. He wants me to die with him.” Kristie then added, “Rayna, don’t be mad at James for not coming to save you.”

Rayna finally understood why Kristie was so enthusiastic earlier. Oh, I see.

She explained, “I’m okay. Elijah asked for my help a few times, but I refused, so he hired someone to kidnap me and bring me to the hospital to extract my bone marrow by force.”

Kristie panicked instantly. “Did they succeed?”

“No.”

“Oh, I’m glad to hear that,” Kristie said with a sigh of relief. She muttered, “Curt would seem useless if they were to succeed since he couldn’t even protect his own girlfriend.”

Rayna, who was eating an orange, stopped when she heard Kristie’s words.

“You must be starving. I’ll go start cooking now!” She quickly stuffed the remaining orange slices in her mouth and rushed to the kitchen.

Curtis was in a good mood, so he followed her to the kitchen. “I’ll wash the vegetables.”

“Wow, did you hear Curt?” Kristie exclaimed, holding her cheeks in amazement. “He never does any housework, but he just offered to wash the vegetables!”

James didn’t feel like replying to her.

It was pretty tiring to have an energetic girlfriend.

Rayna noticed Curtis entering the kitchen to help, but she didn’t say anything. It would be easier with an extra pair of hands. “The kitchen is going to get smoky. Why don’t you change out of your shirt?”

“It’s fine. My other clothes aren’t cheap, anyway.”

Rayna rolled her eyes. Fine then!

The German Shepherd puppy also snuck into the kitchen. Curtis had been feeding it well, so it had grown significantly in size. It wagged its tail eagerly and followed Rayna everywhere.

“Hey, stay away from me. I might accidentally step on you!” Rayna pushed it away with her leg, but it continued to stick close to her. Amused, Rayna ultimately decided to let it stay near her.

 

Chapter 242 Arnaud Montail

Rayna commented, “You have a strange dog. You are its master, but it doesn’t stick to you.”

Curtis responded, “Aren’t you?”

It took Rayna a moment to realize what he was referring to. She quickly lowered her head and pretended to chop the vegetables, her face turning bright red.

She was busy frying fish and couldn’t leave the pan, so she taught Curtis how to make meatballs instead.

Curtis almost gave up when he saw the two large bowls of minced meat, but in the end, he put on the gloves. It was his first time doing this, and he couldn’t even make the meatballs round. Rayna grew anxious when she saw how little progress he was making.

“Roll them! Who told you to pinch them?” Rayna got so angry that she started teaching him the ropes. “Roll it like this. Oh, I can’t believe it. Why is your handwriting so pretty when your hands aren’t that flexible?”

Curtis blurted out, “They are two different things!”

“Roll the meatballs!” Rayna roared. She slapped his head and ordered, “If you can’t roll them, you can’t have dinner with us!”

It was at this point that Curtis learned not to talk back at a woman.

During dinner, Kristie learned that Curtis had helped roll the meatballs. She saw how helpless he looked and couldn’t stop laughing as she slammed the table. “Oh, I can’t believe Curtis got scolded! This is hilarious!”

She then prayed solemnly, “God, please give Curtis a mischievous daughter who will give him a hard time!”

“Kristie!” Curtis’ veins nearly popped up in rage. “Who gave you the courage to say that?”

James chimed in, “I gave her the courage.”

“What are you all doing? Eat your food!” Afraid that they would argue at the dining table, Rayna started serving them. “Stop talking. You don’t want to spray your saliva all over the food, do you?”

Curtis pulled a dish closer to him.

After dinner, Rayna reminded Curtis that he had offered to do the dishes and sent him to the kitchen. She then went to the yard with James.

“I found this,” James said as he handed Rayna an envelope. “Twenty-five years ago, a jewelry store in Irushea had a customer who brought in an uncut sapphire. He was getting married and wanted the store to design a set of jewelry for him. They created a three-piece set for him. When the client returned to pick it up, he asked them to engrave his wife’s initials on the ring. I discovered that the man’s name was Sylvester Faymon while his wife’s name was Xandra Quaker.”

James paused before continuing, “I was unable to find any information about the couple’s work, as it had been completely erased. All I know is that the man took a bullet and committed suicide. I saw the couple’s photo, too.”

Rayna’s lips curled. “Let me guess. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Curtis, right?”

James nodded.

Seeing that, Rayna told him about Curtis’ background briefly.

“Ah, now I understand,” James exclaimed upon comprehending the purpose of Rayna’s request for him to look into the ring. “Based on your expression, I get the feeling there’s more that you want me to uncover.”

Rayna asked, “Are there any clues about the necklace or the earrings?”

“According to my information, the earrings were sold at an auction in Bellridge a decade ago and are now in the possession of a noblewoman. I don’t have any information about the necklace, though.”

“What a pity,” Rayna remarked.

James’ investigation proved fruitful, but he hadn’t discovered what she wanted to know the most.

“Rayna, share with me the details. I will go and look into it.”

“No need.” Rayna gave him a smile and shook her head. She wasn’t sure about the matter as it might not be a coincidence. “I might be overthinking.”

James stopped pursuing the matter.

Kristie acted as if Curtis’ home was her own by turning on the sound system after dinner and singing loudly into a microphone. The noise was so loud that Curtis feared his eardrums would burst from the noise pollution.

With an icy expression, he forcibly removed James and Kristie from his house due to their annoying behavior.

Curtis came back to see Rayna squatting and watching the German Shepherd puppy eat meat. Approaching her, he jokingly asked, “Ms. Garland, are you planning to steal the dog’s food?”

Rayna ignored him.

Confused, Curtis crouched down to find that Rayna was staring at the ground with a sad expression. “What’s the matter? Did someone give you a hard time at work?”

“Huh? What?” Rayna turned to look at him as if she had just come out of a trance.

Curtis was both angry and amused. “You looked like you were about to cry, so I asked if someone had been bullying you.”

“No,” Rayna responded as she wiped her face with her fingers. “I was just thinking about how you’re too stingy. You have a lot of employees, yet you won’t even lend me a few of them.”

I’m the most generous person in the world.

With that thought in mind, Curtis went upstairs to retrieve his laptop. He then logged into his company’s system before giving her the laptop. “Take your pick. After you make your selection, I’ll have them report to you for work.”

Rayna couldn’t believe her ears. “Are you sure I can choose whoever I want? Is this a trap?”

“Yeah.”

“What?” Rayna held her breath. “Are they expensive?”

Seeing how nervous she looked, Curtis suddenly felt like teasing her. “Mm. I wonder if you can afford them.”

“Our company is quite rich.”

“Do I look like I’m in need of money?” The man inched nearer to her. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, making him look extra sexy. “You can pay me back in another way.”

Rayna placed her hands on Curtis’ chest, her heart racing from the warmth.

He’s too irresistibly sexy.

“Mr. Faymon, it is possible.” Rayna forced herself to keep a clear head and stammered, “B-But Mr. Chambers is a bit chubby, so I’m afraid…”

A scowl crept up Curtis’ face as he lost his jovial mood. “Ms. Garland, I have to give it to you.”

“Should I make the call on your behalf?”

“No need. Pick the employees you need!” With that, Curtis stormed upstairs.

He knew she would anger him further if he were to stay.

Rayna’s mood improved considerably.

After being bullied so many times, I’ve finally avenged myself!

After obtaining the assistance of several employees from Faymon Group, Rayna was pleased to see her team’s abilities significantly improve. The bid documents they produced were now exemplary within the industry, which was a marked contrast from their previous efforts.

They say that ninety percent of talent works in Faymon Group. That is true.

On the day of the tender, Rayna arrived at the venue with her team members.

The high-speed rail project attracted many companies other than Faymon Group, including construction firms and major conglomerates with construction divisions. The scene was bustling with activity.

Rayna, having gained valuable experience at Faymon Group, was now representing Hatchair Group to win the tender project. She displayed poise and confidence, so many people approached her to greet

her.

“Are you Ms. Rayna Garland from Hatchair Group?”

A tall, handsome man with short blond hair, chiseled features, and bright blue eyes walked over and stopped in front of Rayna.

He was an Adrunian but spoke Chanaean fluently without any accent.

“Hello, I am Rayna Garland, representing Hatchair Group,” Rayna introduced herself, shaking the man’s hand out of politeness even though she didn’t know him. He, however, seemed to be familiar with her.

The man gave a charming smile. “I’m Arnaud Montail. I’ve only been in Chanaea for three months and have acquired a few companies. I received a request for a proposal for the high-speed rail tender and decided to come and see what it’s all about.”

His casual mention of “acquiring a few companies” made it seem as though they were not significant. Rayna was momentarily at a loss for words and wasn’t sure how to respond.

Perhaps wealthy people acquire companies like we buy mustard leaves.

Rayna returned his smile. “Mr. Montail, you seem confident that you will win the tender.”

“I’m just here to see what’s happening,” Arnaud said thoughtfully, staring at her with his sparkling blue eyes. “But I think Hatchair Group will win the tender.”

Rayna instinctively knitted her brows.

The man appeared to be the typical elegant and charming Adrunian gentleman, but his gaze made her feel uneasy, as if she was being watched by a venomous snake.

 

Chapter 243 Treating Me Instead

“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Montail.” Rayna took a moment to adjust, but she smiled gently and replied, “To get the bid today, we’ve really worked hard. Winning it will be a testament to our abilities as a company.”

“You’re capable and beautiful, Ms. Garland. People are easily enamored by you.”

“You’re exaggerating, sir. I’m nowhere near as capable as that,” replied Rayna.

Rayna had not intended on speaking to this man at all. Seeing that it was soon time to bid, Rayna politely excused herself. However, Arnaud took two steps forward and kept her from leaving.

With a very flattering smile, Arnaud bowed politely and murmured in a deep voice, “Ms. Garland, I’ll give you a gift in a few days. I hope it’s to your liking.”

Rayna could feel herself tremble unwittingly. When she returned to her senses, the man had disappeared.

She furrowed her brows tightly.

This man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere to chat with her made her feel very uncomfortable.

At ten sharp, the bidding commenced.

All major companies wanted to win the high-speed rail bid, and the competition was expected to be fierce. Apart from Rayna, the other companies have also sent out female representatives. A lot of them appeared to be formidable and smartly dressed.

Rayna had no confidence before. However, since Faymon Group had lent her some experienced team members who had won a few bids, she felt more confident this time. As such, she was not worried about not winning.

After some competitive bidding from all the companies, the project was finally awarded to Hatchair Group. The representatives from the companies who lost congratulated her heartily and provided her with their business cards.

Throughout the whole affair, Rayna maintained a gentle smile. When it was finally over, Rayna allowed her exhaustion to show. She gave her keys to another colleague and asked her to drive.

While in the car, Rayna took out her phone and texted Curtis excitedly.

Rayna: Thanks for loaning me some team members, Mr. Faymon. The bidding went beautifully, and Hatchair Group got the project!

Mr. Faymon: Bah. With that crappy company of yours?

Rayna: Mr. Faymon, do be civil even though you’ve done me a favor. My company is also one of the best in the industry! The company’s market value was anything but low.

Mr. Faymon: Very well. Congratulations on winning, Ms. Garland. Your hard work has paid off.

Rayna: Can you give Mr. Tylinski half a day off? I want to treat him to a meal as thanks.

Mr. Faymon: Shouldn’t you be treating me instead?

Rayna: Didn’t I cook for you last week? Why are you so insatiable? If not for the materials Mr. Tylinski gave me, I wouldn’t have gotten this far. Besides, the man helped me tirelessly. It’s only right that I thank him properly.

Curtis was not very happy when he saw Rayna’s response.

What has Gabriel actually done, honestly? I was the one feeding her information tirelessly!

“Mr. Faymon?”

Coincidentally, Gabriel pushed open the door. However, he had not noticed that Curtis was in a foul mood. After placing several documents on the table, he happily asked, “Mr. Faymon, I need to bring Elizabeth to a cat convention. I’ve already taken care of your itinerary. Can I leave work at two?”

“I’m afraid not,” said Curtis.

Gabriel was stunned at how curt the response was. “W-Why not? Is something the matter?”

“One of the food factories in Hallsbay has encountered problems. I need you to look into it for me,” said Curtis coldly. “While you’re at it, please bring back their finance reports from the last quarter.”

“Mr. Faymon, I’m your assistant. I’m not working for the finance—”

“I’m well aware of that,” replied Curtis icily, cutting him off. “I didn’t ask you to look into the reports personally. Just ask one of the secretaries to book you a ticket for your departure.”

Gabriel was so upset that he could not quite respond. What did I do wrong? Why is he so offended that he’s taking it out on me? He wants me to get on a plane and go just like that!

Before Gabriel could leave, Curtis waved him over. He then picked up a pen and scribbled something on some paper before handing it to Gabriel.

“There’s going to be a cocktail reception for the executives organized by a friend of mine. Go check it out and get yourself a blind date. You’re not young anymore! You should stop being so obsessed with that cat of yours. People are going to think that you want to marry your cat!”

“Mr. Faymon, I’m a year younger than you are,” remarked Gabriel weakly.

“You look older than I do, however.”

This rendered Gabriel speechless.

Today is not my lucky day!

“Hey, Curtis!” Suddenly, the door to the CEO’s office was pushed open, and Wyatt strode gaily in. “Goodness! Are you okay, Mr. Tylinski? You look quite pale! Are you feeling ill?”

Gabriel forced out a smile and replied, “I might be coming down with something. I’ll be heading off, sir.”

“Curtis, aren’t you being a little mean?” asked Wyatt as he pulled out a chair. “The guy’s going to burst into tears at any minute.”

“Do I look like that kind of boss?”

Wyatt wanted to nod but decided to keep his thoughts to himself. The last thing he wanted was to invoke Curtis’ wrath. Instead, he pushed over a photograph and asked, “Have you seen this ring before, by any chance?”

The ring in the picture was set with a beautiful sapphire, showcasing its exquisite craftsmanship.

When Curtis saw the ring for the first time, he felt a sharp burst of pain between his temples that vanished as quickly as it showed up. There was something quite familiar about the ring. “Judging by the setting, it has to be pretty old, I assume?”

“I think this was made in the last twenty or so years,” replied Wyatt. “I wanted to buy a gift for Jessie and stumbled upon this ring by accident.”

Curtis was not happy to hear this. “Well, buy it then. Or are you here to show off?”

“That’s not what I’m here to discuss,” retorted Wyatt. He seemed to have a rather complicated expression. “Do you know that the ring is owned by someone who is also looking for the original owner?”

After hearing this, Curtis’ face sank. He seemed to realize that something was off as well.

“Do continue.”

“I followed that person’s tracks and found that the ring is part of a three-piece set made roughly twenty- five years ago by an Irushean jeweler. I sent someone over to look into this and found some interesting things out from the designer himself.”

Wyatt cleared his throat and added, “The designer said that it was commissioned by a young man who wanted an engagement gift using the gemstones he bought at an auction.”

Having said that, Wyatt pushed another photo toward Curtis.

The photo had a yellow hue, and the figures looked blurry. However, one could distinctly make out that they were a young man and a woman. As Curtis gazed at the man, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

“When the man brought his wife over to try out the jewelry, the designer took this picture of them. He had intended to develop it and give it to the man, but the man never showed up. Heck, they even decided on a time and everything.”

Seeing that Curtis had gone silent, Wyatt felt more depressed. He was unsure of how to continue.

“Where are they now?” asked Curtis.

“Dead,” replied Wyatt. “They were colleagues at a research institute. What they were doing remains unknown, and I have been unable to dig up anything. However, I did manage to find out their names.”

“What are their names?”

“Sylvester Faymon,” said Wyatt, giving Curtis a pointed look. “That’s his wife, Xandra Quaker.”

Curtis stared at the photograph and said nothing more.

“It is possible that they merely share a surname,” murmured Wyatt, having noticed that Curtis seemed to be mulling over something. “There’s one more thing. I’ve not managed to look into Sylvester’s ties to the Faymon family or Old Mr. Faymon himself.”

“Does anyone else know about this?”

Wyatt shook his head and replied, “No. I came over as soon as I received this picture. I never mentioned anything to Theodore either.”

“There’s nothing that needs to be said,” said Curtis. He picked up a book and inserted both pictures inside before placing them into his drawer. “There’s also no need to look into this matter.”

“Do you want me to get this ring back for you?”

Chapter 244 Especially Prepared

“It’s of no use to me,” replied Curtis with a mild yet bitter smile. “I appreciate that you’ve gone through the trouble.”

Wyatt sighed.

Trouble? I went through quite a bit to investigate this, but this is all it has amounted to.

After Wyatt left, Curtis was left alone in this massive office. He hung his head low, thinking about something quite intently. After a while, he opened the drawer and pulled out the photographs from inside the book.

In the past, he had been thinking about what it was going to be like if they met. After much investigation into his past, he gradually grew more despondent before finally giving up. Now, this information had landed right in his lap, unannounced.

These people were long gone.

Curtis looked at the couple in the photograph. A bitter smirk tugged on his lips as he mumbled, “Perhaps it’s for the best.”

Now, he no longer had to mope around thinking about this.

Suddenly, Curtis’ phone vibrated twice.

Rayna had sent him a message, saying: Mr. Faymon, see you at eight this evening. I’d like to treat you to dinner.

When Rayna arrived at the company, she received a call from the hospital inquiring about her ties to Linda.

Immediately, Rayna rushed over to the hospital. She then arrived at the ward and saw Linda lying on the hospital bed with bandages around her hands and legs. The doctor informed her that Linda had fallen down the stairs, resulting in multiple fractures. She thus needed to stay at the hospital for some time.

After waving the doctor away, Rayna hurriedly crouched next to the bed and asked, “What happened? How did you take such a massive tumble?”

“I was not careful. However, it felt like someone pushed me,” replied Linda weakly. “I wanted to carry some books upstairs, but I was looking down when someone gave me a shove from behind.”

Rayna’s expression turned very solemn. “Did you manage to catch a glimpse of this person?”

“No.”

Rayna knew that her mother was not a liar. Thinking that someone had likely attempted to take her mother’s life, Rayna could feel a shiver go down her spine. After entrusting her mother’s care to a nurse, Rayna made her way to the library at Linda’s workplace.

Despite the incident, nothing seemed out of the ordinary at the library. The place was operating like normal as people came and went. However, Rayna was met with disdain when she asked to view the surveillance footage.

Rayna then picked up the phone and called the police.

It was only when the police arrived that the librarians brought them to the surveillance rooms. However, the staircase was a blind spot. All they could see was Linda rolling down the stairs and not who pushed

her.

The cameras showed many people going upstairs at different angles, but nobody looked suspicious. After poring over the footage for over an hour, they found nothing.

The police had other matters to attend to and could not linger. Since they found no clues, they left quickly.

Just as Rayna exited the library, a man walked over to her and said, “Ms. Garland, there’s no point in looking into this. You’re not going to find anything.”

Rayna pinned a death glare on him. “You’re responsible for this?”

The man merely replied, “Ms. Rayna, my boss is asking that you wise up and give us what we want. Otherwise, the next penalty won’t be as mild. Do you understand?”

“Are you working for Mr. Ziegler?” Rayna had been threatened by Mathias before, and the incident was still fresh in her memory. With a sneer, she added, “In your dreams. I’m not giving him anything.”

Rayna was seeing red.

“Go and tell Mr. Ziegler that I’m not going to forget this incident. He’d better watch his back. If these dirty tricks are all he has got, then he’s more than welcome to try using all of them!”

The man was stunned by Rayna’s sudden rage. After looking at her once more, the man departed.

Rayna wanted to send a text to James but found that she had been logged out of WhatsApp by a different user. Daily new chapters upload Only On Alaniniz(dot)com Immediately, she changed the password and logged in again. Was someone else using this account?

She scanned through her messages and discovered nothing unusual. She then exited the app and proceeded to call James instead.

When the line was connected, Rayna said, “Mathias Ziegler of Faymon Group thinks that Julian gave me an unsavory bit of information about him. He tried to force me to give it up and took it out on Mom.”

“How is she doing?”

“She’s fine, but she has multiple fractures,” replied Rayna. “If you’re not busy at school, please look after Mom. I can’t help you much with that. Have you made progress on the investigation?”

“Mr. Ziegler’s covered his tracks very well. Nothing was left behind, not even a crumb trail to follow,” said Julian. “However, did Julian truly not give you anything? An email or a USB stick, perhaps?”

“None at all. If he sent out an email, it would have been tracked down by Mr. Ziegler ages ago.” Rayna shut her eyes and rubbed her sore temples. Just thinking of Julian’s death made her heart ache.

However, Julian had never given her anything.

“I’m not sure who logged into my WhatsApp account,” said Rayna warily. “Can you please look into this as well? That person never reached out to anyone. It’s truly strange.”

“I’ll look into it.”

“Good. Let me know if you find anything.”

Rayna was still worried about Linda and wanted to stay behind at the hospital, but Beau Chambers called to congratulate her heartily on her success in bidding for the high-speed rail project. He also mentioned that the company wished to host a celebratory dinner for her.

Since Rayna could not refuse the invitation, she gave the nurse a monetary gift and drove to the meeting place.

Rayna did not invite Curtis out of concern for incurring gossip. After all, they were not equals. She then gave Gabriel a call, but he despondently replied that he was in Hallsbay for work.

Rayna could discern from his tone of voice that Curtis was seemingly unhappy with Gabriel, and he was sent away to Hallsbay on purpose. When she recalled her conversation with Curtis via text earlier, she was unsure if she wanted to laugh or cry.

Doesn’t that mean that he was upset that I wanted to treat Mr. Tylinski to a meal, and he got upset? Why take his anger out on Mr. Tylinski like this?

How childish of Curtis.

Curtis did not know that Rayna was attending a separate gathering organized by her company. He immediately drove to the restaurant they agreed on.

“Hello, Mr. Faymon,” said the receptionist. “We’ve just received a text from Ms. Garland, informing us that she will be a little late. Would you like to wait in the lounge or at the restaurant?”

“The lounge,” replied Curtis. The restaurant was crowded, and he did not like the noise.

“This way, please.”

The receptionist led Curtis to a luxurious private lounge. After serving him drinks, she quickly departed.

Curtis took a sip of his red wine and was about to look at his phone when the doors were suddenly flung open, and a slender figure walked in.

The private lounge suddenly became dark after she turned the lights off.

When Curtis got a good look at the woman’s face, his expression darkened. “Get the hell out!”

“Don’t be so heartless, Mr. Faymon!” whined the young woman as she approached Curtis seductively. She had an alluring figure under the garters she wore, but the left side of her face was obscured due to the dimness of the room.

Stephanie crawled onto Curtis and lightly trailed her fingers across his face, breathing gently onto his neck.

“Do you want to have fun, Mr. Faymon?”

“I said get the hell out!” Without warning, Curtis grabbed Stephanie by the neck, quite disgusted by the scent that she wore. He was about to push her aside when he suddenly frowned.

Curtis could feel his insides heating up as his breathing turned erratic. His mind suddenly became fuzzy as well.

Stephanie noticed this and gave Curtis a gentle push back onto the couch. “Mr. Faymon, I had this wine prepared especially for you,” she cooed seductively. “Do you like the taste?”

Curtis breathed in and realized that he was suddenly sensitive to all the smells surrounding him. Stephanie’s perfume wafted into his nostrils, and he could feel his throat turn dry.

Stephanie then guided Curtis’ hand towards her small waist, letting him stroke her there. She then lowered her head and trailed her lips from his neck provocatively before stopping at his ear.

“Do you want to have fun?” asked Stephanie huskily.

Curtis held onto whatever was left of his sanity. He suddenly grabbed Stephanie by the hair and slammed her onto the glass coffee table in front of them.

“Ah!” Stephanie’s forehead had been cut, causing her to shriek in pain.

Curtis panted heavily and pushed her onto the carpet. “Get the hell out!” he hissed, clenching his jaw.

Chapter 245 Do Not Touch Him

His hands were propped against the glass coffee table as he panted. When he lifted his head, he noticed the miniature camera hidden in the wall lamp.

His gaze darkened.

How dare someone make a move on me here?

Stephanie was shoved to the ground, her head bleeding. The man exuding a murderous aura terrified her, and she wanted to flee from the room. Yet, the thought of what she wanted to do stopped her from doing that.

I’m not scared.

Stephanie crawled over to the man’s feet and squeezed herself into his arms as she touched his leg. “Mr. Faymon…”

At the same time, she pulled her skirt lower to reveal the milky skin beneath.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” A bead of sweat rolled down from the man’s forehead to his cheek. His voice was downright icy, but he could not pull his hand away from Stephanie.

The flames in him were boiling his blood.

Stephanie beamed. No one was capable of holding their ground against the drug, not even that man.

As she buried herself in Curtis’ arms, she reached out for his pocket. Once she fished out his phone and unlocked it, she clicked on his WhatsApp and video-called a certain person.

At Rayna’s side, the company employees were merrily having their meal.

When she saw the incoming video call, she told her assistant about the call and went out with her phone.

“No… Mr. Faymon, don’t…”

Right as the call went through, the voice of a woman traveled into Rayna’s ear. When she looked at the screen, she saw a woman lying in Curtis’ arms in the dark, and she saw the unbuttoned state of Curtis’ shirt.

Before Rayna could react to that, the call was cut off.

Rayna’s heart lurched, and her hands shook. She quickly called the number again, but the person on the other end of the line only accepted the voice call.

“Ms. Garland, do you remember me?”

“Stephanie! Goath!” Of course, Rayna would remember her. Stephanie was the pretentious woman who tried to throw acid on her but ended up getting a taste of her own medicine instead.

The repressed pants of the man on the other end of the line made Rayna panic. She snapped, “What have you done to him?”

“What have I done? Ms. Garland, didn’t you see it just now?” Stephanie let out a small laugh. “I’m not afraid to tell you that Mr. Faymon’s body is hot, and he’s refusing to let me go right now!”

“Don’t touch him!” Rayna snarled. “Are you trying to f*cking meet the grim reaper?”

Stephanie’s laugh became even higher-pitched. “I didn’t touch him; he’s the one who has been touching me! Rayna, I want him to treat me roughly. It must be a thrilling experience. You know how that is, right?”

“Stephanie Goath, do not touch him!”

After ending the call, Rayna kicked off her heels and rushed outside.

Even though the video call had only lasted a few seconds, Rayna noticed that they looked like they were at Wyatt’s club from the decor in her background. Without wasting a second, she called Wyatt and asked, “Where are you right now? Curtis is at your club.”

Wyatt responded in confusion, “And? What’s wrong with that?”

“Someone’s about to rape him!”

“What the f*ck?” Wyatt nearly threw his phone away from him from the shock. “I’ll look for him right now!”

Rayna ignored the fact that she was not supposed to drive after drinking. The very thought of the video call earlier was threatening to overwhelm her senses. The entire way there, her foot never left the accelerator, and she sped past several red lights.

In just six minutes, she arrived at the club.

Rayna stumbled into the establishment and darted up the stairs to the second floor. It was there she saw Wyatt, who was still kicking on the door to the room.

Rayna shrieked, “You haven’t gone in?”

“I couldn’t! This f*cking door’s been blocked by something heavy behind it,” Wyatt cried out. Then, inappropriately, he said, “They sound like they’re having fun inside. It’s fine, right?”

“Shut up!” Rayna roared. “Another word from you, and I’ll kill you!”

Wyatt clamped his mouth shut.

Rayna then looked through the window to see what was happening inside. The moment she saw Stephanie straddling the man, she shoved Wyatt aside.

Holding her skirt up, she threw a hard kick at the door.

Whatever was blocking the door from the other side fell, and the cracked door swung open. Rayna pushed it further and stormed inside.

Wyatt was astounded.

What in the world? This woman actually managed to kick open the door I couldn’t open?

The sight that greeted Rayna when she entered was Curtis half-lying on the carpet with a flushed face. His arms were trembling, and Stephanie, who was sitting on him, was moaning for more from him.

All the blood in Rayna’s body surged into her brain. She rushed over, grabbed the bottle of red wine from the table, and smashed it on Stephanie’s head. Stephanie screamed and fell to the side.

“I told you not to touch him!” Rayna bellowed as she grabbed Stephanie’s hair and repeatedly slammed her head against the table. “Did you not hear me?”

“Ahh! Help me!” Stephanie screeched, trembling from the pain.

Rayna slapped her a few more times before towing her out and throwing her at Wyatt. “Keep an eye on this b*tch. Once I’m done here, I’m going to deal with her myself!”

“Sure!” Wyatt could only nod in response.

When Rayna returned to the room, she saw Curtis in a soaked shirt and with a tense expression. Swiftly, she went to him to support him, but the half-conscious man flung her away.

He gritted out, “Get lost!”

“Curtis, it’s me.” Rayna grabbed his hand and realized he was burning up. “I’ve called Mr. York, and he’ll be here soon—”

However, before she could finish her sentence, the man pinned her down on the carpet.

Curtis then planted his lips on her as he weighed his hot body on her. Rayna had never seen him act in this way; it was as if he had lost his mind.

I don’t think Jeremy’s going to be here in time.

“Curtis, calm down!” Rayna pushed the man as hard as she could. “I’ll help you when we move somewhere else.”

Right as she was about to tell him that the place was not safe, she turned around to find that the door to the room had been closed at one point. Even the window on the door was covered up.

Rayna took in a deep breath.

What the heck? If Wyatt has the time to do that, why isn’t he coming in to help out instead?

“Rayna,” the man muttered as he kissed her in a desperate manner. He kept pushing himself onto her, his voice hoarse and quiet.

Rayna’s heart softened, and she responded to his kisses.

Everything that was happening in the room was recorded by the miniature camera and uploaded to a computer.

Jefferson sat in front of that computer, still, as he watched the videos without even blinking.

The condominium was in a terrifying silence.

When Naomi entered the bedroom and saw Jefferson sitting before the computer, she asked, “What are you watching?”

Yet, when she walked over to him, she found that the screen was black.

Hugging the man from the back, she said, “The doctor said you need to rest well.”

Jefferson hummed in response.

When he rose to his feet, he suddenly wrapped his hands around Naomi’s neck and threw her on the bed. Then, he pulled off his necktie and tied it around her neck before tugging it hard.

“Ugh!” Once Naomi snapped back to her senses, she began struggling with all her might.

“You thought I didn’t know you’re one of Arnaud’s men?” Jefferson leaned over to stare at her grimly. “You’ve been putting on an act for years. Aren’t you tired?”

Tugging the necktie again, he questioned, “Are you disappointed to see me so healthy?”

By then, Naomi’s face was starting to turn purple.

I let my guard down and let Jefferson have the upper hand over me! I can barely breathe…

Naomi’s thrashing weakened. When she was right at death’s door, Jefferson let go and took out a box from the drawer.

 

Chapter 246 Going To Kill Him

“You were about to inject me with this, weren’t you?” Jefferson asked, his gaze dark.

Fear crept into Naomi’s heart, and her arms started to shake, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not climb back upright.

In the next instance, the needle was inserted into her arm.

Once the syringe’s contents were in Naomi’s bloodstream, Jefferson grabbed her chin and forced her to look at his gentle smile. “Tell Arnaud I’m going to kill him.”

Naomi’s eyes widened, and she panted.

Then, Jefferson threw her off the bed, snatched the chair, and smashed the computer. Without even changing his clothes, he left.

When his subordinate in the corridor saw him, he hurried over and greeted, “Mr. Hamilton.”

“Scram!” Jefferson roared before shoving his subordinate away. A metallic tang rushed up his throat, and he vomited out a mouthful of blood. Weakly, he supported himself against the wall.

“Arnaud! Montail!” Jefferson closed his eyes. Recalling what he saw in the surveillance camera, he grounded out, “I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you!”

When Curtis came back to the waking land, he woke up with the headache of the year. Then, he noticed something heavy on his chest, and that sobered him up immediately.

It was then he recalled driving to the club and seeing Stephanie entering the room.

Once his eyes were used to the dim lights in the room, he realized there was a woman sprawled on his chest. That certain scent was still strong in the air, and he knew what that meant.

D*mn it.

A homicidal thought formed in Curtis’ mind. Just as he was about to pull the woman away from him, he spotted the pearl earring on the woman’s earlobe and froze.

He had seen that earring many, many times.

While he was still in a daze, the woman sprawled on him woke up. She looked at him groggily and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Curtis let out a sigh of relief upon registering her face.

Thank goodness it’s her.

“I’m so tired,” Rayna mumbled hoarsely, the exhaustion audible in her voice.

She lowered her head to plant a kiss on his chest. Thinking that the drug was still not out of his system, she muttered, “Let me sleep for a little longer, okay? My waist hurts…”

The spot she kissed heated up, and that heat wormed its way into his heart. He could not help but hug her and kiss her hair.

“Why is your heart beating quicker?” Rayna questioned, sober from her worry. “Do you feel unwell?”

It’s already been one night, but he’s still feeling like this?

At that moment, Rayna felt the urge to skin Stephanie alive.

After rubbing her cheek on the man’s chest, she sighed and said, “All right. I’ll help you out, but I can’t stand, so I’ll help you in another way, okay?”

Rayna kissed his lips before letting her kisses trail downward.

When Curtis saw the hickey on her bare shoulder, he quickly pulled her up and said, “You don’t need to do that.”

“Are you uncomfortable?” Rayna asked as she lifted her head. It was then she realized that the man had clear, bright eyes. She stiffened. Then, her face heated up and turned red.

Flustered, she hung her head and cried out, “This is so embarrassing!”

What was I just doing?

When she heard the man’s quiet chuckle, she hammered his chest and huffed, half-embarrassed and half-mad. “Why are you still laughing? You gave me such a scare last night! You were nearly raped, you know?”

“All right, I won’t laugh anymore.” Curtis embraced her. “Thank you for protecting my reputation, Ms. Garland.”

Rayna felt strange to hear that.

Then, she stiffened when she heard that she was apparently the one who invited him to the club. “But I didn’t send you any message. The company had a gathering last night, and I was having a meal with my coworkers.”

“Did anyone use your phone?”

Rayna shook her head. “I had it with me the entire time, but my account was logged into last afternoon.”

“It looks like this was premeditated.” Curtis sneered. “How dare they make a move on me on my territory. They must think that it’s their time to die!”

“I thought Stephanie was interested in you,” Rayna said, realizing that she had underestimated the complexity of the matter. “Someone must have instructed Stephanie to do this.”

Curtis took her hand to his lips to kiss it. “That’s why you were in a rush to come last night?”

“Stop kissing me.” Even Rayna’s fingers were starting to heat up. She could not even sit upright even if she wanted to, so she resorted to merely glaring at him. “Look what you’ve done! You were so aggressive last night.”

I shouldn’t have come here to suffer for the whole night!

“Does it hurt really badly? Let me take a look.”

“Curtis Faymon!” Rayna bellowed before wrapping the blanket around her tightly. At the same time, she kicked him down from the couch. She was angry, but she was also scared that he would do something to her.

In a resigned voice, Curtis said, “I just wanted to…”

“Shut up!”

After getting showered with the random things Rayna threw at him, Curtis zipped his mouth and put on his pants. Glancing at her torn dress, he quietly made a call and walked out of the room.

When Jeremy came with a set of new clothes, he had a barely-concealed smile on his face.

Curtis was close to giving him a beating at that.

Rayna then took the clothes to get changed in the restroom. After coming back out, she saw Curtis walking over to the wall lamp and taking something out of it.

“Was it switched on the entire night?” Rayna’s face turned as white as a sheet when she figured out what the item was. “Did I show up in a video on those dirty websites last night?”

Again, she felt the urge to murder Stephanie.

Curtis’ expression was dark, too. As he took apart the tiny camera, he consoled, “No. I’ll deal with this myself.”

“I can’t believe you can still say that!” Rayna cried out. “This won’t hurt you at all! Argh! Curtis, why are you so stupid to have come to this club?”

“I thought you were the one who sent me the message.”

“Do I have that much free time to treat you to meals every day?” Rayna was on the verge of tears. “What do I do now? I don’t want to show up on those websites! This is so embarrassing! I’ve never been as embarrassed as now in my whole life! Curtis, you stupid idiot! I shouldn’t have come. I should have just let her rape you!”

Curtis tolerated her cursing and quietly coaxed her, “All right, all right, this is all my fault, okay? Why are you crying again? Does it not hurt anymore?”

Rayna wiped her face and gritted out, “I’m so freaking unlucky!”

Curtis bent over. “Come, I’ll carry you.”

“Stop laughing!” Rayna rolled her eyes at him. “Settle the score with that woman!”

“I’m not laughing.”

“Your eyes are crinkling!”

At that, Curtis was bereft of words.

He then carried Rayna out of the room. To his surprise, Wyatt and the others were standing in the corridor.

The moment Rayna saw them, she wished she could dig her grave to bury herself in it right there and then.

“Curtis.” Wyatt walked over before glancing at Rayna. “Well, the soundproofing function in the room is exceptional, so we heard nothing at all. I swear!”

Rayna was desperate to throw herself out of the window.

F*ck, you’re straight up telling me that you heard everything!

Nevertheless, Curtis quietly noted down that moment to take revenge on it later before asking Wyatt, “Did you ask her yet?”

“Not yet. We were waiting for the two of you.”

“Let me.” Rayna gestured for Curtis to put her down. When she saw that the tied-up Stephanie was still unconscious, she walked over to the other woman and gave her a harsh slap.

Stephanie screamed and finally opened her eyes.

Grabbing her hair, Rayna hissed, “Who told you to do this?”

Stephanie flinched when she saw the men standing around her with hostile looks in their eyes.

However, her silence only made her receive another slap from Rayna.

“No one! You’re just annoying to me!” Stephanie roared. “I can’t stand watching you b*tch hooking up with everyone, so I wanted you to feel what heartache is like!”

Studying Rayna, Stephanie then gloated, “Although I’ve failed, my efforts aren’t wasted since thousands of men saw your naked body!”

 

Chapter 247 Somebody Named Hamilton

The conversation arrived at Rayna’s sore spot. She sent another slap across Stephanie’s face.

“Where are we most lacking in women?” she asked Wyatt.

“Let me check.” Wyatt produced his phone and showed Rayna several options.

Stephanie turned pale upon hearing them. “My father will not let you go if you dare touch me!” she shouted.

“Stephanie,” said Curtis from behind Rayna. Though his voice was low, the glint of malice in his eyes was evident. “I don’t think you are stupid enough to drag the rest of your family down with you.”

Stephanie shuddered with terror.

“Despite Commander Goath’s prestige, it won’t be difficult to drop tens of millions into his account and send him and his entire family to prison,” Jeremy added with a smile.

“It was all my fault, no one else’s! I’ll speak.” Stephanie was thoroughly frightened.

How could I forget that the one before me is no ordinary man?

Curtis, who could single-handedly raise Norwal City’s GDP with Faymon Group, commanded the respect of all who beheld him and could easily employ somebody to do any bidding he wished.

A fierce glint flashed across Stephanie’s eyes before she stammered, “I-It was a man named Jefferson Hamilton who ordered me to do so. He also promised to send me out of the country when it was done.”

“You’re lying!” Rayna shouted.

She knew Jefferson, who, despite his ambition, would not stoop to do something as underhanded as that.

She yanked Stephanie’s hair and dragged the latter forward. “You’d better tell the truth, or I’ll send you to a place inhabited only by men. The Goath family will be finished then!”

“I am telling the truth. Don’t hurt my family,” Stephanie sobbed. “Jefferson approached me and asked if I could do something for him. I hated you for causing my disfigurement and stealing Teddy from me, so I agreed to help him. He said everything at the club had been arranged, and all I had to do was to show up at the appointed time.”

Rayna slapped her. “Tell the truth!” she ordered coldly.

The slap made Stephanie cry all the harder. “May I die a painful death if I’m lying!” she sniffled. “He said he would send me to Irushea tonight. You can look it up.”

Wyatt checked the flight indicated by Stephanie and verified it less than a minute later.

“Stephanie’s right. Her name is on the list of passengers.” Wyatt handed his phone to Rayna for her perusal. “Five million was deposited into an account bearing her name an hour ago.”

The myriad of numerical proof on the phone felt like thorns in Rayna’s eyes. Her teeth chattered.

Though she refused to believe Stephanie that Jefferson would do that, the evidence was laid before her.

At the sight of Rayna swaying, Stephanie instigated by saying, “I’d asked Jefferson what happens if you didn’t show up, and he said a lecherous woman like you, who fell for every man she met, would show up. He also said the videos of me and Mr. Faymon would rebuild Faymon Group even if you didn’t turn up.”

Curtis’ gaze hardened, and he aimed a vicious kick at Stephanie.

“Ah!” Stephanie’s chest throbbed from the impact. Her features contorting in pain, she bent double on the floor.

“She’s all yours. You know what to do,” Curtis declared, his voice solemn, as he bent down and lifted Rayna up. “I despise the Goath family.”

“You didn’t keep your word, Mr. Faymon,” Stephanie uttered in pain. “I told you everything you wanted to know, and you promised you wouldn’t drag my family into this.”

“As long as you’re alive, the Goath family will not be dragged along with you,” he said coldly.

Without another word, he left with the figure in his arms.

Demented, Stephanie yelled curses after Curtis’ departing back.

“Stop shouting.” Wyatt knelt and slapped her hard across her cheek. “Shut your d*mn mouth. I’ve narrowed down several places for you. Pick one.”

When Curtis emerged from the club with Rayna in his arms, they saw two policemen standing by a car parked on the side of the road.

That appears to be Rayna’s car.

“Does this car belong to Ms. Rayna Garland?” One of the policemen glanced at Rayna as he scribbled a ticket. “You’re something else. As if speeding in the city isn’t bad enough, you ran six red lights! What a menace on the road you’ve been. How did you get your license?”

Rayna flushed red from embarrassment. “I’m sorry!”

As she had been in a rush to arrive at the club, the empty streets prompted her to drive impulsively.

The cop continued to admonish, “Even if you were in a rush, you should obey traffic rules. What if you hit somebody?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m deducting twelve points and suspending your license!” The policeman handed her the ticket. “Come to the precinct for a refresher course next week.”

“All right.”

Rayna was about to take the ticket when the other cop came over.

“Mr. Faymon.” The second cop greeted Curtis and quickly pressed his partner’s hand down. “Are you friends with this lady? Our apologies.”

“No! We are not friends,” Rayna answered at once and snatched the ticket from the first cop’s hand.

Being at fault, I don’t intend to get out of this by using my position of privilege.

“I will be there for the course next week and think hard about my actions,” she promised.

“I’m awfully sorry,” said the cop.

“No! It’s me who should be sorry.” Rayna and the policemen exchanged bows. “I shouldn’t have run the red lights. Please do this according to the procedure.”

Soon after, the officers left.

Rayna heaved a sigh of relief and gazed mournfully at the car she had been driving for several short months. “This car is going to fall into ruin at home. What’s more, I have to retake my driver’s license!”

Curtis could not resist a laugh. “You could have explained it to the cops. They might even let you keep your license.”

“Explain what? Ah!” Rayna squealed when he yanked her into his embrace. She rolled her eyes at him. “Tell them that you were about to be taken advantage of and that I was rushing to rescue you? How embarrassing it would be to say that out loud! It’s all your fault that my driver’s license is suspended! You’re even stupider than Wyatt for not being able to take care of yourself.”

“I was drugged—” Curtis protested.

“Nobody made you take it, did they?” Rayna interrupted, incensed by his retort. “Did Stephanie force the wine down your throat? Stop making excuses for yourself!”

“Fine, you win.” Curtis massaged his brow, weary of arguing for a lost cause. “I’ll go with you to retake your test. It won’t take long.”

Rayna’s expression finally took a turn for the better. She tossed him her keys. “Drive!”

“To the hospital or—”

“Shut up!”

Rayna punched him. Curtis smiled as her strikes did not even tickle him.

Rayna did not want him to carry her because it made her look helpless. She got into the passenger seat by herself, put on her seatbelt, and received a message on WhatsApp from James.

Having discovered that her WhatsApp account had been logged into, he forwarded the IP address and the intruder’s information to her. Rayna recognized the address as being from her residential area.

Upon noticing the familiar phone number, Rayna ran a quick check and discovered it to be Naomi’s.

James then sent another message, which read: I’d found out about the woman. Dorothy McKahn, the daughter of a Jetroinian politician, is Jefferson’s fiancée.

Chapter 248 You Know How To Cook

Rayna wrote: Who is she to Harry?

James replied: Dorothy’s aunt is married to Elijah. Harry is her cousin.

Rayna’s eyes flashed coldly.

It appears that this woman, Dorothy, is a big shot. She is not only Elijah’s family but also the fiancée of my ex-boyfriend. Perhaps it really was Jefferson who had engaged Stephanie to create the scene at the club.

“What’s wrong? What was that?” Curtis asked upon noticing her scowl.

Rayna pursed her lips. “Dorothy is with Jefferson.”

Curtis frowned, though he did not look surprised. “Is that so? I knew there was more to this woman than meets the eye, so I didn’t make use of her when she joined Faymon Group. Instead, I let Gabriel handle the important matters.”

“How could he…” Rayna choked, at a loss for words.

Jefferson has his limits. I was certain it was not he who had done those things, and as it turned out, he is precisely that sort of person. I have merely been thinking the best of him this whole time.

“I will deal with all of that. Don’t concern yourself with it.” Curtis took her hand and kissed it before changing the subject. “What would you like for lunch? I’ll make you something.”

“You?” Rayna turned to regard him with an astonished gaze. “You know how to cook?”

“No.”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

After stopping by the supermarket for groceries, Curtis brought Rayna back to his mansion. As soon as the door clicked open with a swipe of his keycard, the pair heard vague noises coming from within and wondered if they were being robbed.

“Wait here. I’ll go in for a look.”

Upon entering, Curtis saw two figures sneaking around in the living room on a mysterious errand.

“Gabriel,” he called coldly upon recognizing one of them. “What are you doing in my house instead of being at work? How did you get in?”

Gabriel spun around and greeted him calmly. “You’re back, Mr. Faymon.”

Curtis gazed at him inscrutably before turning to the figure beside him and saw that man, with a tuft of white hair by his ear, stuffing something behind the cabinet.

“Dad.”

“Why do you have to shout? I’m not deaf yet!” Alfred straightened up after stuffing the items and rolled his eyes at Curtis. “Can’t I drop by for a visit?”

“What were you doing?” Curtis asked.

“You have rats here,” Alfred asserted. “I was helping you catch them.”

Curtis was rendered speechless.

Having heard the noises from outside, Rayna recognized Gabriel’s voice. She entered and discovered that Alfred was also present. “Are you feeling better, Old Mr. Faymon?”

“I’m feeling much better after my stay at the hospital,” Alfred replied with a smile. “I was worried that Curtis might be feeling lonely at home, so I came to check on him.”

Rayna felt so uncomfortable that she did not know what to do with her hands.

Though it was Curtis’ house, she visited so often that it was like returning to her own.

Is that a little excessive?

“I recall some matters that require my attention. I should—”

Rayna was just about to depart with an excuse when Alfred gave a dreadful cough. Gabriel hastened over to hold him. “Are you all right, Old Mr. Faymon? I think you need a visit to the hospital.”

Alfred nodded with a sigh. “Me and my old bones.”

“I’ll be leaving with Old Mr. Faymon. See you, Mr. Faymon, Ms. Garland.” Gabriel helped Alfred toward the door.

Before he left, Alfred leaned close to Curtis and warned in a small voice, “I had personally asked for it. Don’t you dare come back and face me if you mess it up.”

His warm smile reappeared on his lips when he turned to face Rayna. “I’ll be making a move, Rayna. See you next time!”

“See you.” Puzzled, Rayna asked instinctively, “Are you really all right? Would you like Mr. Faymon to send you home? He has nothing to do, anyway.”

“I don’t need him,” Alfred said in a huff before leaving with Gabriel.

The old man’s tone amused Rayna. How did Curtis anger him this time?

She returned to find Curtis going through his closet as though looking for something and asked, “I’d heard Old Mr. Faymon say you have rats. Are there really?”

She peered in.

Before she managed to lean over, Curtis grabbed her by the shoulder and steered her to the living room. “It’s dead in the corner of the closet. Don’t look, or you’ll lose your appetite.”

Rayna shuddered. “Forget it, then,” she said with a look of disgust.

Curtis smiled to himself.

What rat? It’s actually…

Under the initial assumption that Curtis was joking, she was surprised to see him head to the kitchen with the groceries to commence cooking. Curious to see what he was capable of, she did not stop him.

Besides, we can just order takeout if it’s inedible.

After asking the caretaker about Linda’s condition, Rayna called Beau to ask for a leave of absence.

“Several months?” Beau repeated, stunned. “What is so important that you have to be away that long?”

Rayna confirmed with a grunt. “I have urgent matters to attend to. Mr. Wright can handle the rest since we have already obtained the tender for the speed rail. Feel free to terminate me if you think my request unreasonable.”

“How could I let such a good employee go?” Beau laughed. “It’s not a problem. Attend to your business first. The company and I will be here when you get back.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“No worries.”

Rayna heaved a sigh of relief after hanging up, though she felt a little resentful.

Having just accepted a large project, I am forced to hand it off to somebody else before it even began. Work would have commenced long before my return to Hatchair Group.

After setting down her phone, Rayna went to the kitchen and found Curtis busying himself at the counter. Though it appeared that he seemed to know what he was doing, his princely air clashed oddly with the kitchen.

Her lips twitched at the sight of his neat white shirt and black trousers. “Aren’t you going to sauté the vegetables with some oil, Mr. Faymon?” she teased.

Curtis turned around to regard her. “I know how to oil the pan.”

“Your outfit…” Rayna surveyed him from head to foot with a jeer. “With how nicely you’re dressed, you look like you’re shooting a commercial instead.”

Curtis gazed down at his attire and realized it was indeed unsuitable. He spread his dirty hands resignedly at Rayna. “I’m afraid I must ask for your help, Ms. Garland.”

“Do it yourself. The apron is hanging on the wall.”

Curtis bent over and pleaded patiently, “Stop playing and help me put it on as my hands are dirty. The meal will only be ready in the afternoon if you keep dawdling. Aren’t you hungry?”

Rayna’s ears blushed as she muttered about him being an inconvenience, but she nonetheless removed the apron from its hook.

“Bent lower. You’re too tall.”

Helpless, Curtis did as he was told.

Rayna tied the apron for him and was just about to retreat when he planted a kiss on her lips. She hurriedly pressed them shut and glared at him.

“Apologies. You smell so nice that I can’t help myself.” Curtis smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Scoundrel!”

“What did you say?” Curtis made to kiss her again, but Rayna retreated with superhuman speed, which amused him to such an extent that he laughed heartily, his eyes twinkling in delight.

The table was set with lunch an hour later.

“Did you make all of this in an hour?” Rayna pulled out a chair and took a seat as she surveyed the four dishes on the table, which looked rather professionally done. “They look good.”

 

Chapter 249 Wealthy Sister In Law

This man had never been in the kitchen before, yet the first meal he cooked was so successful! It’s infuriating!

Curtis handed Rayna a fork and said proudly, “There’s nothing I can’t do as long as I put my heart into it.”

Rayna was speechless. What a shameless man!

She picked a piece of delicious-looking sweet and sour pork and ate it. Not even two seconds later, she couldn’t control her expression because of the sourness and spat out the meat. “Why is it so sour?”

“There are pineapples inside. Isn’t it normal for it to be sour?” Curtis replied. “It’ll be more abnormal if it’s sweet.”

“Fine, you win.” Rayna was too lazy to argue with him. She moved on to taste another dish, which was a plate of scrambled eggs mixed with some bitter melon. After taking a bite, she spat out the food with a bitter expression and complained, “Why is it so bitter?”

“It’s called a bitter melon for a reason, right?”

Rayna had no retort left. She didn’t dare taste another dish and scooped two spoonfuls of fish soup while trembling. After taking a sip, her expression stiffened as she swallowed the soup with difficulty. She asked, “Why did you add so much sugar to the soup?”

Curtis’ expression changed subtly as he answered, “I thought I added salt.”

“You—” Rayna was so close to cussing him out, but she held back the urge and just gritted her teeth. “Even if it was salt, are you trying to kill me by adding so much?”

“Is three teaspoons too much?”

Rayna almost banged her head on the table out of defeat. After a few seconds, she spoke. “Mr. Faymon, promise me you won’t cook again, all right? Just order some food if you’re hungry.”

“I followed the recipe. My cooking should be all right.” Curtis was still feeling proud of himself. Yet, the look on his face became even weirder when he tasted a piece of the pork he made. Reluctantly, he swallowed the meat and said, “Let’s order some food.”

It was so sour that it felt like his teeth were about to fall out.

“We shouldn’t order anything else! Finish the food!” Rayna snapped and rolled her eyes at him. “Pork is expensive nowadays. It’s wasteful to throw it away! We can still eat it since it’s not burned.”

“I don’t lack the money to buy more pork—”

“Being wasteful is shameful!” She interrupted him by stuffing a piece of pork into his mouth. In a threatening tone, she continued, “I will place a hundred rats in your house if you don’t finish all this food!”

Curtis remained silent and watched her eat the food quietly, even though the food was too sour for her liking. Warmth filled his heart. I will gladly give her the moon if she were to ask for it right now. She’s too cute.

The pork and fish soup were still bearable to Rayna. However, the scrambled eggs were too bitter. Thus, she let Curtis finish it. It was the first time in her life that she felt miserable while eating.

Rayna sent a text to Kristie: My dear sister, you’re so blessed. I’m jealous of you.

Kristie replied: Oh my goodness! What did you just call me, Rayna? Please repeat it!

Rayna: My dear sister.

Kristie instantly transferred two hundred thousand to Rayna.

Kristie: I’ll definitely treat James well! Don’t worry, Rayna!

Rayna: This money…

Kristie: Is it not enough?

Just when Rayna wanted to tell Kristie it was more than enough, the latter transferred another two hundred thousand to her. Additionally, the latter sent her a few pictures of luxury bags released in the fall season. Next, the latter asked about her preference or if she wanted them all.

Seeing that, Rayna deleted the reply she was planning to send and quietly received the four hundred thousand transferred to her by Kristie.

After that, Rayna replied: If that brat doesn’t treat you well, just let me know! I’ll punish him for you!

Kristie: Kisses! You’re the best, Rayna! I love you the most!

Ah, I guess it’s pretty great to have a wealthy sister-in-law.

“What a genius she is. She’s using my money to make you happy,” Curtis uttered coldly before sitting down next to Rayna.

“Where are your manners, Mr. Faymon?” Rayna covered her phone screen immediately and glared at him. “How dare you peek at my phone! You’ve violated my privacy rights!”

“Anyone can see your phone because you were holding it so high up.”

Rayna had no words of retort. With a frustrated expression, she kicked him lightly. “Go sit over there.”

However, Curtis then noticed her red and swollen ankle. Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed her leg. It seems like she sprained her ankle. It’s all swollen. ”What happened? Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“I-I’m fine.” A hint of scarlet crept onto Rayna’s cheeks. She wanted to pull her feet away from him, but he placed her leg on his thighs and massaged it gently.

After a short while, he asked, “Does it still hurt?”

Rayna shook her head in response.

“This won’t do. Let’s go to the hospital.” He was worried after seeing how swollen her ankle was.

“I don’t want to. It’s just a sprain, and it doesn’t hurt much.” She strongly refused. What if he brings me to visit the obstetrics and gynecology department again? That would be so embarrassing!

She then kicked him again and exclaimed, “It’s all your fault! I told you that the space was too small, but you were still so fierce, causing me to fall from the couch and twist my ankle…”

At the thought of those sexual memories, she found herself unable to continue speaking about them. Therefore, she lowered her head to avoid eye contact with him.

It didn’t take Curtis long to understand her words. He could not contain his laughter and was kicked by Rayna again. Later, he went to get the first-aid kit and applied some anti-inflammatory ointment on her ankle.

While he was applying the ointment, Rayna asked worriedly, “Regarding the mini surveillance camera… I won’t go viral because of the footage, right?”

“You won’t. Faymon Group controls the stock market of the famous websites in our country,” answered Curtis. “The signal at the club was cut off by Wyatt, so nothing was uploaded to the internet.”

Rayna sneered. “He can’t even protect his own privacy. How can he manage someone else’s?” With that, she tossed a pillow at Curtis. “I’m so annoyed by your mere presence!”

The pillow bounced off him harmlessly. “You can hit me if that makes you feel better.”

Irritated, Rayna kept hitting him with the pillow.

Sometime later, Curtis remained unfazed while she was feeling sore and tired. As she lay down, he handed her a cup of coffee, bothering her further.

After goofing around, Rayna began to discuss serious matters with Curtis. “I’ve applied for a long leave with Mr. Chambers.”

“Why?”

“Curtis, please hire me again at Faymon Group,” Rayna requested as an icy glint flashed across her eyes. “Mr. Ziegler has taken action on my mom. I can’t just let it slide.”

Hearing that, Curtis responded with a darkened expression, “I’ve had my eyes on Mathias for a long time. However, he’s extremely smart, and we’ve only ever caught his scapegoats. He changed his nationality a long time ago, and he also has a strong network of connections. If we capture him without having any evidence, he will simply drag people he knows into the matter. It would be unhelpful to us.”

“Even the most secure program has its flaws, let alone him,” Rayna said. “Besides, I’m not alone. James and Wyatt would help me.”

With that, she turned to Curtis and asked suspiciously, “Do you think all your subordinates are useless?”

Curtis was rendered speechless by her accusation.

Seeing how Curtis remained quiet, Rayna continued mocking him. He rubbed his temples helplessly. After a while, he pinned her down on the couch when she was still laughing at him.

Then, he stared at her dangerously. “You seem happy, don’t you, Ms. Garland?”

“No, you’re still an impressive man, Mr. Faymon,” Rayna complimented him against her conscience. “Look. There isn’t any other company in the country that can compare against Faymon Group, right? It’s because Faymon Group has the most talented people!”

“Are you saying I’m not good enough?”

“You are great!”

Hearing that, Curtis looked at Rayna with a meaningful expression. Rayna was utterly clueless at first, but her face reddened completely when she realized what he was insinuating. “You’re too much, you old pervert!”

Curtis pulled her into his embrace and carried her upstairs.

“What are you doing?” Rayna asked cautiously. “Our discussion is over. I want to go home!”

“I’m carrying you upstairs to have a nap.”

“I’ll do so when I get home. Put me down!” She struggled in his arms with all her might. “I don’t want to sleep at your house!”

“Didn’t you just call me an old pervert? I won’t be living up to my title if I don’t do something.”

“I was wrong, Uncle Curtis.”

Chapter 250 Is This Your Ring

Rayna became restless after two days of rest. However, Curtis thought that her ankle was still swollen and made her rest for another three more days.

On Monday, Rayna went to the police station for her class.

The police who had issued her the ticket looked frightened when he saw her. The two of them bowed at one another before Rayna sat down with the other eight offenders for the moral education class for the entire morning.

On the way back, Curtis phoned to tease her about it. “Is the class over?”

“Yes.” Rayna took a deep breath to calm herself. She could not afford to get angry with the man because she still needed to work at Faymon Group. “I will be visiting my mom at the hospital before going to the office.”

“Get me some lunch when you come over.”

“Get your secretary to order your lunch for you!” remarked Rayna petulantly. “I’m not a food delivery worker. Do you plan to eat at two if that’s the time I arrive at the office?”

“Two is fine then.”

Before Rayna could respond, he ended the call abruptly. She was so furious that she did not know what to do.

Rayna brought mushroom soup for her mother. After resting in the hospital for a few days, Linda was looking much better. Since she had nothing to do, she decided to knit a sweater.

Linda whispered, “My regular doctor is quite a catch. He’s twenty-eight this year and about one hundred and eighty centimeters tall. He’s very handsome as well. Just the type of guy that you fancy.”

Rayna rolled her eyes at her mother. “Have I ever told you I prefer handsome men?”

“Isn’t it true?” asked Linda curiously. “Mr. Faymon is quite good-looking, but it’s such a pity…”

“Please just eat your food.” With that, Rayna put the bowl in front of her mother. Daily new chapters upload Only On Alaniniz(dot)com “You should worry about Roxanne and James if you are so free. Stop nagging me.”

Linda said solemnly, “You are the oldest. Therefore, you should set a good example.”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

Just then, someone knocked on the door of the ward. Rayna turned around and saw an elegant-looking lady standing there. She was dressed in a violet dress suit, and her eyes exuded warmth and tenderness.

The woman asked, “Are you Ms. Rayna Garland?”

“Yes, I am.” Rayna then asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

The lady smiled before replying, “I only need five minutes of your time, Ms. Garland. Can we go downstairs for a chat?”

Rayna nodded in agreement.

A minute later, the two women arrived at a beverage store located outside the hospital.

Once the drinks had been served, Rayna told the lady, “Make it quick.”

“My name is Sandy Verlice. My husband runs a profitable company in Jetroina.” The lady then took out a gold-plated name card from her handbag and handed it to Rayna before saying, “Harry Verlice is my nephew.”

Rayna glanced at the name card and smiled. “Oh? So, you’re a relative of Harry? Why are you here? Do you want me to donate my bone marrow to him?”

“No. Harry has already found a match for his bone marrow.” Sandy continued with a perplexed expression, “I would like you to withdraw your case against Elijah. I know you are Elijah’s daughter, and he might have treated you and your mom badly in the past. He has also hurt you because of Harry. Despite that, I hope you can forgive him. He now has Jetroina citizenship. If he has a criminal record here, it will be difficult for him to take over the company when he returns to Jetroina. I hereby apologize to you on his behalf. He didn’t mean to do those bad deeds.”

“No, I won’t withdraw the case,” uttered Rayna coldly. Although Sandy was very sincere, there was no way Rayna would do it. “It’s only right that he suffers the consequences of his actions!”

Sandy stood up and bowed respectfully. “Ms. Garland, please forgive him. I will give you anything you want.”

“You should spend your time and effort in taking care of your nephew.” Rayna stood up as well when she realized it was getting late, and she still needed to get lunch for Curtis. “I’ll pay for the drinks.”

She opened her handbag to take out her purse. Just then, the strap of her bag caught onto the corner of the table. As a result, some things fell out. Something small rolled and stopped at Sandy’s feet.

Sandy picked up the ring.

The ring was exquisitely made with an almost-perfect sapphire embedded in it. One look and anyone could tell it was pricey.

“T-This ring…” Sandy appeared to have difficulties in breathing and caught hold of Rayna. “Is this ring yours? Is it?”

Her grip was hurting Rayna. “Let go of me.”

“Is it yours?” asked Sandy anxiously before she frowned in pain and attempted to retrieve something from her bag.

Unfortunately, before she could even open her bag, an excruciating pain shot through her head, and she fell straight to the ground.

“Hey! Are you okay?” Rayna immediately rushed to get a doctor and a stretcher to get Sandy into the hospital.

According to the doctor, Sandy had fainted because she got too agitated. She should wake up after a while.

“That’s good to know.” Rayna let out a sigh of relief when she knew she would not be accused of being a murderer. “Then, I shall leave her in your good hands. Let me go and pay for her medical fees.”

The doctor, who was looking at the x-ray at the moment, suddenly had a strange look in his eyes when he heard her. “Isn’t she your mother?”

“No, she isn’t. My mother has a fractured bone and is still lying in another ward!” Rayna was feeling a little embarrassed and did not want to explain too much to the doctor. That was why she found an excuse to get away.

Once Rayna left, the doctor muttered to himself, “I was planning on telling you that your mom has a blood clot in her brain and whether you want it to be removed via surgery. Turns out you are not her daughter…”

Forget it. It’s not like I can let a stranger pay for this lady’s surgery.

After Rayna bought lunch and was on her way to Faymon Group, she took out the ring and eyed it in confusion. The emotional outburst from Sandy popped up in her mind.

A thought flashed across Rayna’s mind for a fleeting moment.

“How much were the earrings auctioned for?” Rayna mumbled to herself and wanted very much to send a WhatsApp message to ask James.

She felt that the reason for Sandy’s excitement was due to the value of the ring. After all, most women who adored jewelry would react that way when they saw pieces they liked.

Once Rayna arrived at Faymon Group, she saw some reporters scattered around the entrance and went forward to inquire. It was only then she found out that Curtis was holding a press conference upstairs, and Jasmine was also there too.

Furthermore, the press conference was being broadcast live on the huge screen outside Faymon Group as well as the screen in the lobby.

Jasmine was looking into the camera with a smile. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m only a good friend of Mr. Faymon. As all of you know, Old Mr. Faymon is unwell. In order to cheer him up, we pretended to get married.”

She was clarifying to everyone that the marriage between Curtis and her was a hoax.

Most of the reporters did not buy her story. After all, their wedding was held a month ago with great fanfare. Everyone in the country was aware of their marital union.

However, once Curtis also clarified the matter, the reporters had no choice but to believe them. It would be hard to believe if only one party spoke up. When both parties cleared up the matter in front of the entire country, it had to be real then.

One shrewd reporter questioned Jasmine, “Ms. Sanders, we heard that another man married you on Mr. Faymon’s behalf. Did you fall in love with that man? Is that why you got a divorce on the quiet as Mr. Faymon felt humiliated?”

“I am merely friends with Mr. Faymon. We didn’t get married,” said Jasmine with a polite smile on her face. “If all of you don’t believe us, you may go and check it out for yourselves at City Hall.”

“So, what about the other man that you married? We understand that he’s a friend of Mr. Faymon.”

That was when Curtis stood up and said in a commanding voice, “The marriage between Ms. Sanders and myself is a lie, and we have now clarified this matter. Is that understood?”

His intimidating manner sent chills down the spines of all the reporters, and they nodded.

“We understand.”

If they responded otherwise to Curtis, they might end up losing their jobs.