Ch. 261..270

Chapter 261 You Are Avoiding Me

Carl quickly unwrapped his gift. He discovered a vast number of ship-related parts inside when he opened the lid. Meanwhile, a dark wool scarf rested inside the compartment of the gift box.

“It’s SS3 Aircraft Carrier!” Carl eagerly grabbed the box and kissed it over and over. “Daddy knows me well!”

“You haven’t even assembled them yet. How did you find out about the model? You’re incredible!” Rayna then mused silently, Fortunately, the model is not overly large. If not, I’ll have a hard time bringing it over.

Carl immediately wrapped the wool scarf around his neck and repeatedly stroked it with his tiny hand. “I adore Daddy’s presents! I’d be happier if he could return home soon!”

You may not believe me, but your father is currently in the same city as you.

Carl then chatted with Rayna while putting the ship model together. He knew exactly where to put the parts with a single touch. He even told her about various countries’ aircraft carriers and fighter jets.

“Your little brain has a lot of information,” Rayna complimented Carl. She then prompted intentionally, “Tell me, if I give birth to a simple-minded little princess, will you like her?”

Carl shook his head and replied with certainty, “That won’t happen. Ms. Rayna’s child will be intelligent!”

“Aww… You’re so cute!” Rayna smiled and pinched the boy’s face. “If I ever have a daughter, I promise to let you marry her.”

“It’s a deal, then!”

“What deal are you two talking about?” asked Jasmine, who had just returned, with a smile. She handed her trench coat to the housekeeper and greeted Rayna after entering the living room.

Carl replied excitedly, “Ms. Rayna promised she would let me marry her daughter if she ever had one.”

Hearing such, Jasmine turned to look at Rayna. “Do you and Mr. Faymon have any good news to share?”

“No.” Rayna shook her hand while redness crept up her cheeks. “I’m just playing with him. Your son is too cute.”

“Mommy, look at the presents Daddy got me!” Carl pointed to the aircraft carrier he had just begun to build. The joy on his face was genuine. “Daddy had Ms. Rayna bring me these. I love the present very much. He gave me a scarf too!”

“I think the present is awesome too!” Jasmine curled her lips into a faint smile. She then patted her son’s head and said, “Go play by yourself. I want to have a chat with Ms. Rayna.”

“Okay.” Carl got the housekeeper’s help to move the box to another room and continued to assemble the ship model.

Rayna and Jasmine, on the other hand, went to the couch and sat there.

After receiving a cup of fruit tea from Jasmine, Rayna said, “Mr. Xavier came to me in the afternoon and asked me to pass the present to Carl. He is very fond of the child.”

“He’s the child’s birth father, after all. He definitely would have some feeling toward the child when they met.”

Rayna asked, “What’s your plan? Are you going to keep hiding the truth from him? I noticed that the little guy longed to meet his father.”

“His temper is terrible. He couldn’t even communicate with me properly,” said Jasmine helplessly. Jasmine tried to talk to Theodore about Carl on several occasions, but he always irritated her, stopping her from doing it.

Rayna joined in with agreement. “He indeed has a terrible temper. Only you can tolerate that.”

“How about you and Mr. Faymon?” asked Jasmine with a smile. “Mr. Faymon is well-known for his aversion to women. Ms. Garland, you are the first woman to break such a rule.”

Rayna stammered, “Y-You’re exaggerating! He’s usually very busy. That is why he had no time to look for women.”

“Oh. Does that mean Mr. Faymon only has time whenever you’re around?”

“I’m the guest that came to bring your son presents. You shouldn’t make fun of me.” Rayna then added with cold fury, “I might stop coming here again in the future.”

“Okay. I’ll stop talking about Mr. Faymon.”

Since they were close to each other, like old friends, they didn’t feel awkward when teasing each other.

Jasmine wanted to keep Rayna for dinner, but the latter was still full from lunch. Hence, she left after chatting with Jasmine for a while longer.

The moment she exited the house, she received a call from Curtis.

Curtis asked, “Are you not at the condominium? I’ve rung the bell for a long time, but no one answered the door.”

“Huh? I-I’m at the supermarket buying some stuff!” said Rayna while hurrying out of the residential area. “You’ve been resting the entire day, Mr. Faymon. Don’t you need to work at night? Why are you

looking for me?”

“I’m here to give you some stuff,” answered Curtis. He then asked if she was at the supermarket downstairs. He wanted to meet her there.

Rayna needed at least twenty minutes to arrive home from Jasmine’s place. Hence, she couldn’t tell him she was at the supermarket. She lied to Curtis by telling him she was at a supermarket far from home and she had done buying the things she needed and was rushing home now.

Hearing such, Curtis replied casually, “Okay. I’ll wait for you to return.”

“That won’t be necessary. Why don’t you place it at the door? The night is quite cold. You should go home.”

“I prefer to hand you it personally.”

“It’s okay. There are surveillance cameras at the condominium. It’s safe to leave it there.”

“Rayna,” Curtis called out her name. “Do you want to avoid me? Is that why you’ve tried to get rid of me?” His tone of voice smacked of peril.

Rayna quickly diverted his attention when she heard this. “I’m not. I worried that you might get irritated by the wait. Since you insist, do wait for me. I’m already in the taxi. I’ll be home soon!”

After hanging up the phone, she informed the driver to bring her to a supermarket.

Rayna boarded the taxi again after hurriedly purchasing some groceries and paying for them at the self-service checkout. She then drove for another half hour before arriving at her home. Curtis was leaning against her door when she arrived upstairs.

“The driver took the incorrect route. We were forced to take a longer route,” complained Rayna on purpose. However, she didn’t dare to meet Theodore’s gaze while retrieving the keys and opening the door, worried he might notice her lies.

Upon entering the house and putting down the shopping bags, she asked, “What do you want to give me, Curtis?”

Curtis took a few glances at the shopping bags behind her and relaxed the furrows on his forehead. He then took a ring from his pocket and handed it to her.

“I had it customized. There’s a tracker inside. The usage is similar to your brother’s ring, but this one has an additional feature.

Rayna took a closer look at the ring and confusingly asked, “I don’t see anything on it. Though it’s prettier.”

Curtis put on the ring on her ring finger and pressed on the protruding flower with his finger. A one- millimeter-long thin needle then extended out of the ring.

“How am I supposed to stab someone with such a short needle?” Rayna found such a design to be exceptionally useless. She complained, “I bet I’ll be beaten to the ground before I could even hurt someone with it.”

Curtis resignedly explained, “When you prick someone’s skin with it, a special drug on the needle causes them to pass out in ten seconds. You can, however, only use it once.”

“If so, then it’s quite useful.” Rayna was happy with such a feature. She pressed the needle out again after retracting it with Curtis’ help. “This is good stuff, Curtis. I like it.”

It cost hundreds of thousands. Of course, it is good stuff, Curtis thought.

“Will it hurt when I use it to prick someone?” Rayna asked curiously. Curtis couldn’t help but take a few steps back as she looked at him eagerly, wanting to use him as the subject of her experiment.

Curtis assisted her in retracting the needle and responded, “No. When a person is pricked with such a thin needle, they will feel as if they have been bitten by an ant. They wouldn’t know what had happened to them when they passed out.”

“As if they have been bitten by an ant…” Rayna repeated his words and thought of something.

Rayna wore a solemn expression and said to Curtis, “I ran into Mr. Ziegler when I attended the cocktail reception hosted by Faymon Group. He talked to me for a while. He then patted my shoulder, and I felt an ant had bitten me where he touched. I didn’t feel any pain, but I soon began to have difficulty breathing, as if I were suffocating.”

 

Chapter 262 Doing You A Favor

Curtis’ gaze turned dark as he listened to those words. “I asked Wyatt to check the surveillance footage and saw Mr. Ziegler walking past you. He even smiled and said something to you. I didn’t expect him to pull off such a trick.”

“He was only reminding me to be careful.” Speaking of which, Rayna was inundated with fear upon recalling the scene on that fateful day. “Had I not gone to chat with Mr. Xavier, I would’ve been…”

A wave of guilt washed over Curtis on that note. The man caressed the woman’s dainty cheek and apologized, “Sorry. It was my negligence.”

Rayna shook her head instead. “No, I’m the one who should’ve been more careful. Besides, you’re the organizer of the cocktail reception of Faymon Group, so if you had been giving ear to me all the time, you’d only be opening up avenues of gossip.”

“But I worry about your safety. It’d be best to also let Wyatt give you a hand on this matter.”

“No way. You guys shouldn’t intervene,” refuted Rayna, wearing a grim visage. “You should know better than anyone how paranoid Mr. Ziegler is. If Wyatt were to step in now, I bet he’ll notice it and flee. Plus, don’t you underestimate my little brother. He’s really something, I must say. Just let us handle it ourselves. We’ll be fine. If you really want to offer your help, maybe you could secretly freeze all his assets and prevent him from going abroad.”

Arching a brow, Curtis flashed a faint grin. “There’s someone watching at the customs, so he won’t be able to leave this country.”

Then came an astonishment on Rayna’s face. “You’ve even arranged for that already?”

“I’ve long laid the trap,” said Curtis nonchalantly, brushing his fingers across her cheek. “However, since my girlfriend is so capable of taking matters into her own hands, I ought to show her some respect.”

“Hey!” Glaring at Curtis, Rayna mumbled in dissatisfaction, “Who are you calling your girlfriend? What a thick-skinned guy!”

“Don’t you see me as your boyfriend, Ms. Garland?”

“Of course, not!”

Curtis grunted in return while falling into deep thought. “So, Ms. Garland, do you remember bringing me to the amusement park, forcing me to change clothes, kissing me, and catching a movie with me? What were you trying to tell me?”

Rayna was bereft of speech then and there. “T-That… I was…”

“I know you have a thing for me, Ms. Garland.” Curtis curled his thin lips upward and chuckled softly. “But you’re too shy to say it. It’s okay, though. I can feel it.”

“No, I don’t!” came Rayna’s retort, her gaze flickered. Daily new chapters upload Only On Alaniniz(dot)com “What a cosmic level of narcissism you must possess.”

“Oh, really?” The man sidled up to her and leaned his face toward hers. His scent enveloped her tightly like vines. “Don’t you ever feel entranced? Not even when we locked our lips?”

“N-No. Not at all…”

“Hmm?”

Rayna could not seem to resist his charm. The burning passion inside her continued to rage throughout her whole body. All she could do was shove that man off with all her might. “Thanks for making the delivery. Off you go!”

Nevertheless, Curtis refused to budge an inch. “You haven’t given me an answer, Ms. Garland.”

“I have no answer!” chided Rayna petulantly.

Seeing Curtis not leaving, she had no choice but to let him be. Following that, she stormed toward the shopping bag to begin removing the items and categorizing them.

Considering that there was a myriad of stuff in the bag, Rayna accidentally dropped a small box on the floor while she was taking the things out. Thud!

Curtis simply peeked at the small box. The second he caught sight of the label on it, his gaze darkened as he walked over to pick it up. Immediately afterward, his face fell altogether.

“Ms. Garland, care to explain what this is?” His tone reeked of naught but an eerie frostiness.

“Huh? What is it?” Confused, Rayna looked up at him. As her gaze landed on the label printed on that small box, her face flushed bright red. “Uh… I-I…” she stammered.

“What?”

The man’s ice-cold tone only served to send a shiver down her spine. “I must’ve mistaken it as a packet of gum when I threw it into the cart,” murmured Rayna in fear.

“You had been outside for several hours, Ms. Garland, so I don’t see why you’d be in such a hurry to buy something.”

Rayna bit her lip and remained silent.

Alas, Curtis felt his blood boiling upon witnessing her bearing. His mien became as cold as the winter as he tossed that so-called box of gum at Rayna’s feet and stated, “Save your excuses, Ms. Garland.” With that said, he turned around and walked off.

“Curtis!” Rayna trotted a little to catch up to that man, tugging at his hand forcefully and not letting him go. “I really mistook it. I swear! To be honest, I was sending a gift over to someone, and when I received your call, I lied about being at the supermarket so that you wouldn’t overthink things. I simply grabbed whatever I could find on the shelf without noticing what was in my hand.”

“A gift? For whom?”

“J-Just a friend…”

“Let go of your hands.” Curtis’ tone turned chilly once more.

“It’s for Jasmine! I got her a present.” Afraid that the man might leave in a huff, Rayna was compelled to spill the half-truth. “Didn’t she recently acquire Sanders Group? I naturally had to ingratiate myself with her. If you don’t believe me, I can get her on the phone right now!”

As she spoke, she hastily fished out her phone to dial Jasmine’s number before putting the phone on speaker.

The instant the call went through, Rayna piped up, “Jasmine, I brought you a gift two hours ago, did I?”

A chortle escaped from Jasmine’s mouth. “What’s the matter? Is Mr. Faymon checking on you? He’s so strict with you.”

“No, he’s not with me!” responded Rayna as she sneaked a glance at the man before adding calmly, “I’m just a bit forgetful about what I did earlier today, so I’m calling you to confirm it.”

“Yes, you did bring me a present right here at my house two hours ago.” Jasmine did not plan to expose Rayna. Instead, the former went on, “Oh! You even left your hat on my couch. Should I help you send it back to Sanders Group?”

After hearing those words, Rayna breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s fine. I’ll get it from you the next time I visit.”

“Sure. I also wanted to talk to you about that Mr. Larson.” Jasmine then giggled over the phone and continued, “You’re still young, so don’t get stuck with Mr. Faymon alone. It’s not worth putting all your eggs in one basket.”

Curtis’ countenance was as grim as death when he listened to that statement.

“Hello? Hey, I can’t hear you… I might be having a poor reception. Bye!” With lightning speed, Rayna hung up the phone. What a wicked person! She obviously knows Curtis is listening, yet she still spouts that nonsense on purpose. That woman owes me big time!

Rayna could already feel an air of bone-piercing coldness exuding from the man beside her. The next second, she vowed with her trembling fingers, “She’s setting me up. I don’t even know who the heck Mr. Larson is! For real!”

Curtis side-eyed her with a half-smile.

“You’ve got to believe me, Mr. Faymon.” Rayna tugged at Curtis’ sleeve and waggled it continuously, singing his praises, “You’re the most dashing guy I’ve ever met. Also, you have very deep pockets! You’ll always hold a prestigious spot in my heart. No one in the whole universe can ever hold a candle to you!”

“What else?”

After pondering for a bit, Rayna voiced, “You’re also chivalrous and big-hearted!”

“Uh-huh. Go on.”

“You have a sexy eight-pack and an impeccable figure?” Rayna ventured. “I really can’t think of any more words to say…”

Curtis heaved a sigh. “I guess so. I must be getting so old already.”

“No, no, no! You’re not old at all!” Rayna continued to compliment him, “Mr. Faymon, don’t you know you look just like a twenty-year-old? If anyone dares to call you old, I’ll beat them to a pulp!”

The man kept his lips buttoned.

Looking at him remaining unfazed with an icy demeanor, Rayna smashed her lips against his and clasped his hand. “I like who you are right now, Mr. Faymon. Brighten up a little, will you? Pretty please?”

Only then did Curtis’ mood become better. He lowered his head and looked at the woman. “What did you say just now? I couldn’t quite hear you.”

“I said you’re such a jerk!” fumed Rayna as she pounded hard on his chest.

Curtis laughed quietly at that. “I’ll be staying here tonight.”

“Don’t you have your own home?”

“I’m doing you a favor.” It was as clear as day what the man was insinuating when he added, “It’d be such a pity if we didn’t put that thing you bought to good use.”

Rayna followed his line of sight and saw the small box lying on the floor, thus blurting out, “I took that on the spur of the moment. How can you be sure that it fits?”

Uh-oh! I must be crazy to let those words slip out of my mouth! To her dismay, Curtis was already staring at her with a teasing smirk playing about his lips. At that very juncture, she wanted nothing more than to blow up on the spot.

Blushing, Rayna hurled a fierce punch at the man while hissing through gritted teeth, “You’re too much, Curtis!”

“You said it yourself.”

“Zip it!”

 

Chapter 263 Am I Not More Interesting

No matter how Rayna tried to chase Curtis away, he refused to budge. She had just told him that Jessica would be coming back that night, but in the next second, she received a call from the latter saying that she would be staying at Wyatt’s place and not returning.

That undoubtedly rendered Rayna speechless.

Right then, the kitten strolled out of Rayna’s room. The feline was rolling around, then rubbed itself against Curtis and finally resting beside his feet, seemingly a sign that it liked the man a lot.

The veins on Curtis’ forehead throbbed. “Rayna, get that cat away from me.”

“No way!” Rayna snorted. She then deliberately shifted the footbath pail next to him. “You can leave if you find it unbearable to stay, Mr. Faymon. I’ll open the door for you.”

“Forget it. I can still bear with it.”

Rayna rolled her eyes at him and threw an orange over. “Peel me an orange.”

“I just ate one. It’s too sour.” Curtis put the orange back in the basket. “One minute.”

“For what?”

Rayna wanted to probe when the doorbell rang. Curtis stood up and headed to open the door.

“Mr. Faymon, these are the fruits you requested. They’re freshly plucked from the orchard.”

After thanking the delivery man, Curtis carried the large cooler box into the house. The sweet scent of fresh fruits filled the room as he opened the lid.

Rayna was stunned by that sight. “You can even do this?”

“Of course. These are all plucked from the orchards Faymon Group acquired.” Curtis picked up an orange to peel as he casually explained the situation that appeared typical to him. “They send these freshly harvested fruits to the Faymon residence every morning.”

After peeling the orange, he carefully removed the white pith on the fruit and peeled it into segments. When Rayna tried a segment of orange, she was so overwhelmed that she could only curse to express the emotions she felt inside her.

“This is so delicious!”

Curtis chuckled lightly. “Those fruit farmers are all from some research institutes. They specialize in the research and cultivation of high-quality fruits. Only the Faymon family and the companies in important collaborations with Faymon Group get to enjoy these fruits.”

Rayna was at a loss for words upon hearing that. It took her a great deal to swallow that segment of orange in her mouth before she blurted out, “The life of the wealthy is so da*n good!”

Curtis laughed. “I can get the fruit picker to send you some fresh fruits daily.”

“Really?”

“But how are you going to reward me, Ms. Garland?”

Rayna fumed, “I’ve slogged my guts out for Faymon Group. Isn’t that enough?”

“That’s Faymon Group’s matter. They’ll compensate you with an annual salary of one million,” Curtis retorted. “But I have to fork out money to buy you fruits, Ms. Garland. You should reward me for that.”

“You—” Unable to find words to refute the man, Rayna glared at him furiously. “You’re truly a capitalist!”

Curtis rubbed his chin and came up with an idea. “How about this? You can send me a message every day complimenting me that I’m the most handsome man and that you like me the most. In return, I’ll fork out money to buy you fruits.”

Noticing the kitten beside the man’s feet, Rayna broke into a wide grin and beckoned to him. “All right, Mr. Faymon. Come over here. I have something to tell you.”

“You can’t possibly have a tapping device in this living room, right?”

“Just come here!” Rayna purposely put on a whiny tone. “I’m embarrassed to say it out loud.”

Even though Curtis suspected something afoul, he gulped and walked over as he could not resist seeing her do alluring actions like biting her lips. At the same time, the kitten got up and trailed behind.

Before Curtis could react, Rayna swiftly grabbed the feline into her embrace.

The next second, Curtis’ body froze.

“Look, Mr. Faymon. Happy loves you so much.” Rayna ignored the man’s darkened expression and smiled gloatingly. “You like Happy too, right?”

“Are you having fun, Ms. Garland?” Curtis fixed his deep gaze on her.

His intimidating manner sent chills down Rayna’s spine, and she quickly put the kitten down after flashing him a sheepish smile. But as soon as she did so, the man scooped her into his arms. “Since you’re done with the footbath, let me carry you in.”

Rayna struggled to break free from the man’s grip. “I’m not done yet!”

“Fifteen minutes is enough.”

After entering the room, Curtis threw her on the bed. He was emanating a domineering aura from head to toe as he pressed his body against hers and uttered in a deep voice, “You can have as much fun as you want. I have plenty of time.”

“I don’t like that…” Faced with the man before her, Rayna could barely resist him. “Go to sleep first, Mr. Faymon. I still have work to finish.”

“Am I not any more interesting than work?”

What followed was an utter silence.

Lifting into a smirk, Curtis pulled Rayna’s hand to touch his Adam’s apple suggestively. Rayna was so mesmerized by the man’s pleasant scent that she almost gave in to him.

Just then, a vague ringtone rang out from the living room. That instantly dragged Rayna back to her senses.

“I’ll go and answer the phone!” She mustered all her strength to push Curtis away, rolled off the bed, opened the door, and ran out of the room in deft and quick movements. Within five seconds, she picked up the phone in the living room.

“Hello?”

“Boohoo! Ms. Garland!” Upon hearing Rayna’s voice, Jordan, on the other end of the line, burst into tears. “You have finally answered my call.”

Rayna comforted, “Stop crying. What’s wrong?”

“Y-Your car exploded…”

“Exploded?” Rayna cried out in shock. “Are you all right, then? Where are you now?”

Despite throwing Jordan a barrage of questions, Rayna did not get a response from the former. Bringing the phone into her sight, she realized the call had ended long ago.

Thinking of how Jordan was probably not in a good shape, Rayna grew anxious and hurriedly contacted Wyatt as she returned to her room to get changed.

When Curtis saw the panic-looking Rayna, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“The car I lent Jordan exploded.” While waiting for Wyatt to answer the phone, she explained the situation to Curtis. “She only said a few words before the call got cut off. Something must’ve happened to her.”

“You’re calling Wyatt?”

“Yes. I want him to help me track down Jordan’s location.”

“He’s too slow. I’ll get someone else to do it.” Curtis grabbed his phone and quickly made a call. Without wasting any time, he instructed the call recipient to track Jordan’s location as he hastily followed Rayna out.

About two and a half hours later, Rayna and Curtis arrived at the hospital where Jordan was admitted.

“Ms. Garland? Mr. Faymon? How did you manage to find your way here?” Jordan, who had a bandage on her forehead while lying in a hospital bed, immediately struggled to sit up upon seeing Rayna and Curtis’ arrival.

Rayna strode over to help her up. “Are you okay?”

Jordan nodded. “I’m sorry, Ms. Garland. My phone ran out of battery earlier, and I couldn’t find a charger.”

“Where’s your boyfriend? Is he fine?”

“He’s all right. He got hit by something heavy on his back and suffered a fracture. He’s resting in another room right now.” There was a hint of fear in Jordan’s eyes as she recounted the accident. “It’s lucky we weren’t in the car when the explosion happened.”

Jordan recollected how she felt like vomiting while she and her boyfriend were on their way in the car. She attributed her indigestion to the greasy food she had eaten earlier that day. Subsequently, she asked her boyfriend to pull up so she could get out and look for a place to throw up. Her boyfriend grabbed a bottle of water and followed her out of the car too.

In less than twenty seconds after they got out of the car, they heard a loud boom in the air—the vehicle exploded. Jordan’s boyfriend, with his first instincts, quickly pounced on Jordan to shield her from the impact but was unfortunately hit by a heavy object that was sent flying from the blast on his back.

“It was horrifying,” Jordan explained. “If I didn’t get out of the car because I wanted to throw up, we would have continued with our journey. I bet our bodies would’ve turned into nothing with that explosion.”

“I’m sorry, Jordan.” Rayna felt her blood run cold, and the fear she was experiencing was made apparent through her quivering voice. “It’s my fault for not checking before lending you the car. I’m very sorry.”

Jordan waved her hand in dismissal. “Don’t say that, Ms. Garland. Aren’t my boyfriend and I fine right now? On the other hand, if you didn’t lend us the car, it would’ve been great trouble for us to return home.”

 

Chapter 264 Secret In The Pearl Earrings

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s really fine, Ms. Garland. You’re going to make me feel bad if you keep doing this.”

Although Jordan repeatedly told Rayna not to worry about it, the latter couldn’t help but feel bothered. After all, she was the one who had lent them the car that almost cost them their lives.

Curtis called over a secretary to help handle the admission procedures for Jordan and her boyfriend. The company would shoulder their medical fees, and Jordan was given a two-week leave and a year’s worth of salary as compensation.

After arranging everything, he led Rayna away.

On their way back, Rayna’s brows were still furrowed. Noticing that, Curtis took her hand and comforted her, “The police are already investigating the site. They will find out the cause soon.”

“I take that car for maintenance regularly, so it shouldn’t be the car’s problem,” Rayna said.

Curtis’ eyes darkened at that.

As a well-known car brand, BC had very few cases of spontaneous combustions. Even if there were, it wouldn’t be as severe as the incident earlier, where nothing was left from the explosion.

When they arrived home, Curtis received the investigation report.

Based on the ruins on site, the police speculated that a detonator had been installed at the bottom of the vehicle. Once the car was started, the detonator would explode after a set amount of time.

“It must be Mr. Ziegler who ordered someone to do that. He even got my mom into an accident. There’s nothing else he can’t do!” Rayna said coldly as chills ran down her spine.

She figured that the car had been tampered with on the day her license was suspended. They must have messed with the car after Wyatt helped me park it in the underground parking lot of the residential area, but they did not expect me to not drive after all since that day. If Jordan and her boyfriend hadn’t gotten out of the car because of her upset stomach, things would have been disastrous.

“It seems that the person backing him is very powerful. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to do these things so openly,” Curtis sneered, his eyes glinting murderously. He was clearly incensed.

Rayna hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and reminded him, “Don’t be reckless. Let’s not go against him before we get any evidence, or we might end up on the losing end.”

“Have you ever seen me being scared of anyone?”

“Curtis!”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you.” Curtis pulled her close and pressed his lips against her forehead. “I have solid evidence that he embezzled the company’s funds two years ago. Although it’s not a big amount, it’s enough to get him a few months of jail time. You can look into him thoroughly in the coming months. Okay?”

Rayna leaned against his shoulder and murmured, “I’m so useless, right? It’s been so long, yet I still haven’t found anything.”

“You’re not. It’s supposed to be the police and the detectives’ job. You’re already doing very well. If you’re going to put it that way, does that mean I’m more useless, then? I haven’t found anything as well.”

“Curtis.”

“Yeah?”

Rayna wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her head against his chest. As she took in his pleasant scent, she felt safe. “It’s so nice to be rich.”

Curtis burst into laughter at her words. “You’re such an unpredictable woman. I thought you were going to compliment me.”

“You’re rich, so it’s the same thing,” Rayna mumbled.

“I like hearing that.” Seeing that it was getting late, Curtis carried her to the room. “Let’s go to bed.”

When Rayna heard his ambiguous words, she remembered the moment they had shared before getting interrupted by the phone call. Immediately, a blush crept across her face. She wrapped herself in the blanket and waited nervously while Curtis removed his clothes and switched off the lights.

He proceeded to lie on the other side of the bed and stayed still.

Caught off guard by his behavior, Rayna couldn’t help but ask, “You’re going to sleep… already?”

“Why?” Curtis turned around. At the sight of her expression, he realized something and curled his lips up into a playful smirk. “The size you got is indeed too small. It won’t fit me.”

“Go to hell!” In her frustration, Rayna sent him a kick.

Curtis grabbed her foot swiftly. In a deep and seductive voice, he said, “I was worried you’d be too tired since you still have work tomorrow, so I told you to go to bed. If you keep seducing me, don’t blame me for what I’m about to do.”

Pulling the blanket over her face, Rayna grumbled, “Fine, I’m going to sleep. Let me go.”

Curtis released her foot, but he pulled her into his arms the next second. Through her thin camisole, she could feel his heart beating.

“Let’s sleep.” His voice sounded from above her head.

Rayna circled her arms around his waist and soon fell asleep soundly in his warm embrace.

While Curtis sent Mathias to jail on charges of embezzling Faymon Group’s funds, Rayna was at her wits’ end.

She had yet to dig up anything even after so long.

Curtis would visit her from time to time, and he felt heartbroken whenever he saw how anxious she was. “Mr. Ziegler must have found something since he said that. Think about it carefully. What did Julian give you?”

“He really didn’t give me anything.” Rayna rubbed her forehead. “Do you think he placed it somewhere and left me some hints?”

Suddenly, Curtis reached out and touched the pearl earrings she was wearing.

“This was a gift from him, wasn’t it?”

“Don’t overthink. I just wear them often because I find them pretty,” Rayna hurriedly explained for fear that he would be jealous. “I know what you’re thinking, but I don’t think you can hide anything in something so small.”

“You never know.” Curtis gave it a thought. “I’ll crack them open. If we find nothing, I’ll tell the secretary to have them fixed at the jewelry shop.”

This is the only thing Julian gifted me. What if there really is something hidden in it?

At that thought, Rayna removed her earrings.

Curtis cracked the pearls with a hammer, but to their disappointment, they found nothing.

Feeling pained, Rayna took out a small plastic bag to keep the pieces. Just then, the sunlight shone on the pearl fragments, and it seemed that there was some sort of pattern on their rough surface.

“Wait, I think there’s something on it.” Curtis held the pearl against the light and took a closer look. It was then that he discovered the pattern of a soccer ball on it. As it was a tiny sign carved by a machine, it was unnoticeable unless one inspected it carefully. He quickly picked up another piece and examined it. This time, the letters CT were engraved on it.

“It says CT. This one has a soccer pattern. Do you know what they mean?” Curtis asked Rayna.

Rayna fell into deep thought. All of a sudden, she lifted her head and exclaimed, “Julian also liked soccer. He often watched soccer games. I used to accompany him sometimes. Could CT stand for Camp Triumph Stadium?”

“That’s possible. Let’s go there and check it out,” Curtis said decisively.

Without wasting any time, they hurried toward Camp Triumph Stadium.

Rayna still remembered the seat Julian always sat in whenever he came here for soccer games. She headed straight to that spot and found a piece of paper beneath the chair.

A familiar address was written on it—it was where she and Julian had held their wedding.

When they got to that place, they didn’t even have to search further as a middle-aged janitor at the entrance called out to Rayna and gave her an envelope.

“I remember that you and Mr. Julian Faymon held your wedding here one and a half years ago. A few months ago, Mr. Faymon came looking for me and gave me a huge amount of money. He asked me to keep working here and wait for you to come so I can give you this envelope. You’re finally here.”

Rayna took the letter. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Rayna tore the envelope open and found a black flash drive and a letter inside. When she unfolded the piece of paper, Julian’s familiar handwriting came into sight.

When she finished reading its contents, she clasped her hand over her mouth to suppress her urge to cry.

Chapter 265 I Like Mister Xavier A Lot

After Julian began working under Chester, he found out by chance that the latter was linked to Mathias. They also had close connections to some government officials, which allowed them to make quite a fortune.

Julian could have stayed out of the matter, but he had chosen to pretend to help Mathias. As he did that, he collected evidence of Mathias laundering money and transacting with government officials. Everything was saved in the flash drive, including a list of names.

Aside from that, Julian had also left behind a message for Rayna.

He wrote: I know I cannot turn back time and undo my mistakes. I mustered my courage to do this not for the sake of Faymon Group. I’m not that great of a person, after all. Rayna, I hope you live a good life. I know Uncle Curtis has been wanting to take Mr. Ziegler down. He now owes me one for all the evidence I collected. He won’t dare to mistreat you.

Rayna’s eyes stung with tears, and she could barely hold the paper with her trembling hands. Wrapping his arm around her, Curtis lent her his shoulder to lean on.

He glanced at the letter quickly, and it was only after a while that he finally spoke. “Let’s go home first, all right?”

They planned to check the contents of the flash drive after going home, but Curtis got a phone call from Wyatt on their way back. Apparently, the police had freed Mathias. The latter headed for the pier right upon release, and it seemed that he was planning to leave the country on a ship.

Curtis sneered, “Looks like there are lots of people helping him. I want to see who is that bold to let him on their ship!”

He gave Theodore a call.

Although it had been quite a long time since Theodore had been discharged from the army, the Xavier family used its extensive network and sent a group of people to the pier to capture Mathias. Meanwhile, Rayna plugged the flash drive into her laptop so she could send some evidence to Theodore and make his job easier.

The contents of the documents were shocking.

Those people were so intricately related to each other that a domino effect would occur if anything happened to just one of them. If she revealed the documents in her hands to the public, the entire Norwal City would surely be in an uproar.

Rayna told Curtis about the contents in the flash drive and exclaimed, “No wonder you couldn’t do anything to him. If you hadn’t known about Sienna’s scheme and played along with her to reorganize Faymon Group, the company would surely become Mr. Ziegler’s in less than a year considering all those connections he has.”

“Those people only want money, so they will never help him and stain their reputation. We’re lucky they didn’t help him. Otherwise, things will be even more troublesome,” said Curtis seriously.

“What do we do now?”

“Send the evidence of Mr. Ziegler’s involvement in money laundering to Theodore. As for the list of names and the other documents, let’s destroy them. Throw the laptop afterward. Theodore will handle the rest.”

“Do we really have to delete everything? What if—”

“Yes, delete them. They will only serve as a ticking time bomb if we keep them. Our only target is Mr. Ziegler.”

Rayna was a newbie when it came to sensitive matters like this. Trusting that Curtis would deal with everything properly, she made a copy of the documents related to Mathias and deleted the rest.

Next, she destroyed the flash drive and the laptop.

The people Theodore had asked helped from soon arrived at the pier. Without much effort, they found Mathias and arrested him.

A few days after the files were submitted to the judge, Mathias stood trial for charges of corruption. As it involved a huge sum of money and even firearms trafficking, he was sentenced to fifty years of imprisonment.

The press was naturally eager to publish such a major piece of news, but the Public Relations Department of Faymon Group was quick to act and got in touch with them. Since no media companies dared to report the incident, it did not cause any stir at all.

After sending Mathias to jail, Rayna finally felt at ease.

She bought a bouquet of flowers and visited the Faymon family cemetery.

“I brought you a jersey signed by your favorite soccer player,” she said while placing the flowers and a jersey before Julian’s tombstone. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the man in the photograph.

“Thank you, Julian. Thank you for your sacrifices and for taking care of me.”

Curtis stood behind her without a word, his trench coat fluttering in the cold wind. Gazing at the tombstone solemnly, he said a quiet thanks in his heart.

He had never liked Julian. The latter was an unambitious young man who liked to play around. Curtis had always thought he was incapable of doing big things, but in the end, he was braver than anyone else.

If it weren’t for Julian’s flash drive, it would have taken Curtis much longer to take Mathias down.

“Rayna, I have to tell you something,” Curtis began. “Jefferson used Julian. He was the one who told Julian about Jason’s severed arm. Julian knew Chester would definitely target you, so he called Jefferson and offered to join hands. Jefferson could have asked anyone else to save you, but he arranged for Julian to go. He killed Julian indirectly.”

Curtis had thought that Chester wouldn’t dare to act recklessly after Jason’s incident, but to his surprise, Chester had been crazy enough to work with Jefferson and even harm Rayna.

I was too focused on Faymon Group’s matters at that time. If I had paid more attention, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened.

“People always say women are cruel, but I think men are even more terrifying when they decide to be ruthless,” Rayna remarked as she stroked Julian’s photo. “They can bear to sacrifice everything for their own interests.”

Jefferson was one of those people. Although he was gentle and calm on the outside, he was a heartless man. Just because of his jealousy, he could take a person’s life as if it was nothing.

Sometimes, I feel tempted to ask Jefferson what is it about me that makes him so obsessed with me. I also don’t get why Julian cares so much about me when we’re already divorced. Is he an idiot?

As Rayna was lost in her thoughts, Curtis walked over and draped his coat over her. “I was too careless.”

He had no idea back then.

If he had known that he would like her this much one day, he would have protected her earlier on with all his might.

“Mr. Faymon, do you like me?” Rayna asked.

“Do you need me to prove it?”

“That’s good to hear.” Rayna adjusted his tie and said in a gentle voice, “I heard that you’ve never dated before, so I guess I have no choice but to teach you.”

A bad feeling rose within Curtis when he saw Rayna’s smirk.

“How are you going to teach me?”

“First, do not provoke women because they hold grudges. Second, stop going to me all the time when we’re in the office, or I’ll leak your nudes,” she said with a bright smile.

Curtis was rendered speechless.

“Mr. Faymon, courting someone isn’t as easy as you think. I also want you to experience how it feels like to be rejected.”

Curtis felt helpless. “Didn’t I apologize already? As for Julian’s death, Jefferson should be the one to apologize. The Faymon family will take care of Julian’s mother. Isn’t that more than enough?”

“You played me like I’m a fool. Do you think an apology will suffice?” Rayna snapped and yanked his coat off her, throwing it at him. “Forget it if you don’t want to court me. There are tons of men out there waiting for me to pick them!”

The temperature around Curtis dropped as his eyes darkened. “Who would dare to court you?”

“Mr. Xavier,” Rayna boasted. “He’s so handsome and manly! His mother loves me, too. If I marry him, I won’t have to worry about getting into conflicts with my mother-in-law. To be honest, I like Mr. Xavier a lot. I would love to hear others calling me Mrs. Xavier.”

“Rayna, are you trying to provoke me?”

Rayna shrugged and flashed him an innocent smile. “No. Oh, I should give Mr. Xavier a call and ask him if he’s free. I’m craving Jetroinian food for lunch. I’ll ask him to eat with me.”

With a grim expression, Curtis grabbed her face and sealed her lips with his.

It was only when he felt Rayna running out of breath that he let her go. In a swift motion, he carried her by the legs and threw her over his shoulder before striding toward the exit.

“What are you doing? Let me down!” Rayna yelped as she punched his back.

“I’m going to eat lunch with you.”

“Pfft! I don’t want to eat with you. I’m going to look for another man. Put me down!”

Curtis gave her buttocks a light slap. “Stop fooling around. I’m going to bring you straight home if you bring up other men again,” he warned, jealousy evident in his voice.

Instantly, Rayna’s face turned as red as a tomato. “You’re such a pervert!”

Chapter 266

Chapter 266 Speaks With A Forked Tongue

Soon, Saturday arrived.

Rayna had quite a few evening gowns in her closet, so she was planning to wear one of those to attend the banquet. When she was getting ready, Johnny Haeg, a secretary at Faymon Group, arrived with two huge boxes.

One of the boxes was for Rayna, while the other one was for Jessica.

In a helpless tone, Johnny said, “When I was collecting the gowns from the shop, I bumped into Mr. Lopez. Mr. Lopez told me to bring this here for Ms. Jessica. He has already gone to the hotel with Mr. Faymon.”

“I’m not interested in attending cocktail receptions…” Jessica muttered while opening the box. Once she caught a glimpse of the gown, she changed her tone instantly. “I shouldn’t keep sitting at home! I should go out!”

Rayna was amused.

Upon putting on the gowns, Jessica and Rayna left the house together. When they were getting their hair done at the salon, Jessica glanced at her phone and gasped before saying to Rayna, “Do you know what I’ve just found out?”

“What?” Rayna asked.

“We’re wearing designer gowns that are only supposed to launch in spring next year during the fashion show!” Jessica exclaimed. “I’ve never worn something that hasn’t been launched yet! This is so cool!”

“It’s so nice to be rich, isn’t it?”

Rayna would occasionally splurge on herself and buy high-end gowns. However, she didn’t wear them often, so she never thought she would need to spend so much money on gowns that weren’t launched yet.

She fiddled with the ring on her ring finger and thought about something. Ever since I started mixing around with Curtis, my mindset has gradually changed. Besides, I’m also meeting different people. People such as Theodore, Wyatt, Jasmine, and Mr. Chambers are all the elites of the social circle. They’re different from the people from the high society Jefferson introduced me to. Those people from the high society made me feel uneasy. On the other hand, hanging out with Theodore and the rest is a walk in the park. I never needed to do anything to blend in. In other words, they don’t make me feel inferior. Over the past year, Curtis has really given me a lot of things.

“What’s on your mind, Nana?” Jessica caught Rayna smiling. “Look at you! You look like you’ve skipped winter and landed in spring all of a sudden.”

Rayna flashed a faint smile and answered, “It’s nothing. I suddenly realized how nice Mr. Faymon is.”

Feeling shunned, Jessica grumbled, “You’re a woman who speaks with a forked tongue! Before this, I asked if you were into Mr. Faymon, and you said no. Now, you’re saying you like him. Oh, women are so fickle-minded.”

Rayna simply ignored her.

At half-past seven in the evening, the two of them went to Intercontinental by car.

Sanders Group was holding a cocktail reception to celebrate the change of management, and they had invited a bunch of people from the industry. However, Sanders Group kept it on the down low, so there weren’t any reporters at the entrance.

The hotel staff led Rayna and Jessica into the ballroom. The venue was packed, bustling with noise and excitement.

Rayna swept her gaze across the ballroom and didn’t see Curtis around. She saw Wyatt instead. Wyatt was conversing politely with others. When a lady went up to him to greet him, he was wise enough to keep a distance.

“I haven’t seen him in a while, and he has already turned into a decent man!” Rayna turned toward Jessica. “Indeed, you’ve done a good job. You managed to turn a playboy into a loyal man.”

Jessica nodded triumphantly. “That’s right! I told you I’m good at assessing a person’s character!”

“But you told me you thought Wyatt was a flirt by nature, and one should always stay away from him,” Rayna retorted.

“Did I say that?”

“Yes.”

As the two of them were bickering, Wyatt spotted them and walked up to them. He pulled Jessica into his embrace and kissed her without worrying about the crowd.

He even rubbed his cheek against hers after kissing her. In a loving tone, he said, “Babe! Although it has only been a few hours since I last saw you, I felt as though it has been a decade! I’ve missed you so dearly!”

“Can you please shut up?” Rayna rubbed her arms because those words sent goosebumps all over her body. “You’re so disgusting!”

Wyatt clicked his tongue. “Well, how would you know how to appreciate those words? After all, you’re still single!”

“Hey! Watch your mouth!” Jessica smacked him.

Seeing that, Rayna felt a hint of warmth in her heart. My friend is so protective of me.

The next moment, she heard Jessica whispering to Wyatt, “Are you stupid? You can say all you want, but don’t let Nana hear you. What if you anger Mr. Faymon and he sends you to Norham? You’re such an idiot!”

“You’re right, Babe. We’ll talk about her in private next time.” Wyatt nodded.

Rayna was rendered speechless. I hate this couple!

After fooling around, Wyatt brought the ladies to a private room in the ballroom. Curtis and the rest didn’t like being in a crowd, so they were all hanging out in the private room.

The private room was enormous. There was a miniature stage in there, and it was well-equipped.

Curtis and the rest were playing cards at the table. Although it was supposed to be a leisure activity, the atmosphere was tense. It was as though they were in a casino instead of a private room.

“That’s enough. The guests are here.” Jeremy glanced at the entrance before showing his hand.

Jeremy had nothing, and he complained, “I’m so unlucky!”

“Are you guys playing cards?” Wyatt approached them excitedly and saw Jeremy’s cards on the table. He then said with disgust, “You suck, Jeremy! What’s the stake?”

Jeremy shrugged and took a sip of wine. “Planet Cruise.”

“Are you talking about the majestic Planet Cruise?” Jessica asked curiously.

“That’s right. I bought it not long ago.” Jeremy heaved a sigh. “If I had known I had such bad luck, I wouldn’t have used it as a wager.”

Jessica gasped in shock. “I heard that a ticket to Planet Cruise is worth tens of thousands! I was still saving up to buy a ticket. Who would’ve known that you guys are using it as a wager?”

Wyatt said obsequiously, “Don’t worry, Babe. I’ll bring you there next time!”

“I love you so much, Wyatt!” Jessica hugged him and kissed him.

Curtis and Theodore spared them a disdainful glance.

Curtis sneered, “Wyatt, forget about it. If I win, I’m going to ask the staff to blacklist you guys. I’ll ask them to keep an eye out for you!”

“I’ll do the same,” Theodore chimed in.

“You guys are too much!” Wyatt was dissatisfied. “I know you guys are just jealous because I have a girlfriend. That’s why you guys are ostracizing me. Must you guys be so unsentimental?”

“Buzz off!”

Wyatt immediately held Jessica and said aggrievedly, “Babe, they’re bullying me.”

Jeremy was having none of it, and he was on the verge of kicking Wyatt out. “That’s enough. Theodore and Curtis, you guys should show your hands. I need to know who the new owner of Planet Cruise is.”

Theodore flipped his cards.

Jeremy looked at the cards and smiled. “That’s straight! You’re lucky, Theodore. What about you, Curtis?”

Curtis wanted to show his hand, but he noticed how intrigued Rayna looked when she was standing next to him. He pulled her into his embrace and said, “Flip the last card.”

“What card is it?” Rayna asked.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen it,” Curtis replied truthfully.

Wyatt was gloating from within. “Curtis can either have a straight flush or something worse than Jeremy!”

“In that case, I shouldn’t do it.” Rayna retracted her hand. “My luck hasn’t been great.”

Curtis chuckled and placed her hand on the card. They were standing so close to each other that they could hear each other’s heartbeat. “It’s okay. Jeremy’s cruise ship is at stake. It’s not like we have anything to lose.”

Upon hearing that, Rayna held her breath and flipped the card.

Everyone looked over.

Chapter 267 Tyrannical

“Straight flush!” Wyatt clapped and cheered.

Jeremy took a better look at the cards and laughed. “Curtis, you’re always so lucky!”

“I didn’t flip the card, and I didn’t peek before this.” Curtis grabbed Rayna’s hand and placed it next to his lips. “This is your third present. Do you like it?”

Rayna struggled and tried to pull her hand back. “Are you insane? Everyone’s watching!”

“Let them.”

Rayna forcefully retracted her hand and saw everyone staring at her. She cleared her throat and said, “Something’s wrong with Mr. Faymon today. Please ignore him.”

“He’s just horny!” Wyatt laughed mischievously.

“Are you feeling all right, Wyatt?” Curtis looked at him and flashed a half-smile. “We need men in Norham. Do you want to join Mr. Tylinski?”

“Oh, I have a bad memory. What did I say?” Wyatt pretended to be oblivious.

Hearing that, the others were amused.

After having a few drinks, Wyatt began to feel restless. He switched on the music and the lights on the stage, then hopped onto the stage and started dancing.

“You’re so handsome, Wyatt!” Jessica yelled, waving her hands in the air. “Take off your clothes! Take off your clothes! I want to watch a strip dance!”

“Babe, I only show my naked body to you.”

“Nonsense! Get naked! Everyone knows each other here. What’s there to be afraid of? Show Nana your body as well! Let’s see if yours is better than Mr. Faymon’s!”

Rayna choked on her wine and slapped Jessica’s forehead. “What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?”

“I’m just having fun!” Jessica pouted.

Rayna was at a loss for words. What the f*ck? How is this fun?

Jeremy was sitting near the LED screen display. When he saw how excited Jessica was, he changed the music and dimmed the lighting. A seductive voice of a female rang out from the speakers all of a sudden.

Wyatt grew excited. He took off his jacket before throwing it on Jessica.

“More!” Jessica cheered.

“Do you want to see more, Babe?”

“Yes! Quickly!”

Wyatt grinned and swayed along with the music.

He was a tall and muscular man, so when he danced, he looked sexy rather than awkward.

His exquisite facial features were alluring under the flickering lights. While narrowing his captivating eyes, he played with his tie.

After that, he slowly undid his buttons.

Rayna couldn’t take her eyes off him.

Upon forcing a gulp of wine down her throat, she said to Curtis, “Mr. Lopez’s body and eyes are irresistible! He can easily make a hundred thousand by dancing in the club for one night!”

Curtis’ eyes darkened, and he asked grumpily, “Are you enjoying what you see?”

“Yeah. He’s so hot!” Rayna’s eyes were on Wyatt when she answered Curtis. “Oh… His collarbones are to die for. Hey! Undo your buttons! Quick!”

Curtis had enough of it. He covered her eyes with his hand and pulled her into his embrace. He glared at Wyatt and fumed, “Wyatt, if you want to continue, do it in the ballroom!”

Curtis’ insidious tone sent a shiver down Wyatt’s spine.

“I was just trying to get the mood going!” Wyatt didn’t dare to continue his performance because he was afraid of crossing Curtis. With a playful smile on his face, he dragged Jessica to the stage. “Let’s dance, Babe.”

He then turned toward Jeremy and shouted, “Jeremy, change the song!”

Jeremy rolled his eyes at him in response.

“Why are you covering my eyes?” Rayna pulled Curtis’ hand away angrily. Only then did she notice the striptease was over. Wyatt had brought Jessica onto the stage, and the music had been changed.

Feeling disappointed, she looked daggers at Curtis. “Is it wrong for me to watch someone dance? You’re too much!”

“Well, it’s wrong to me.”

“You’re so tyrannical!”

Curtis raised his brows. “Yes, I am. What’s wrong with that?”

Rayna knew she couldn’t get the better of Curtis, so she turned around and ignored him. He leaned toward her and uttered in a helpless tone, “You were looking at another man. How can I not get angry?”

“I was just feasting my eyes.”

“That’s still not right. Wait until we get home,” he whispered into her ear.

“What’s happening when we get home?”

“I’ll dance for you. I can dance for you all night.”

Rayna blushed when she heard those words. She pretended not to have any idea what he was talking about and drank her wine. When she was drinking, she was practically hiding her tiny face in the wine glass. Curtis couldn’t help but laugh when he saw that.

Right then, Jeremy yelled at them, “Curtis! This is a nice song. Why don’t you guys come up and dance?”

Not only was Curtis bored with sitting, but he was also annoyed when he saw Wyatt and Jessica’s public display of affection.

He helped Rayna remove her heels and pulled her toward the stage.

Rayna glanced at the people under the stage and said awkwardly, “It’s not nice to leave Mr. York and Mr. Xavier down there, is it?”

“Do you want to sit there and watch someone else flaunt their love for each other?”

“No…”

Jeremy brought his glass of wine and walked toward Theodore.

Theodore shot Jeremy a cold glance as if he didn’t want Jeremy to approach him. “Go away.”

“Theodore, it’s so lonely to drink alone.” Jeremy smiled and sat next to Theodore before clinking his glass with the latter’s. “I’ll accompany you.”

Theodore kept mum and downed a whole glass of wine. After that, he stared coldly at the couples on the stage, seemingly in deep thought.

“Are you jealous of them, Theodore? If you don’t mind—”

“Jeremy.” In a deep voice laced with murderous intent, Theodore asked, “Can you please shut your mouth?”

Jeremy shrugged fearlessly and sighed. “What? You never even said a word when Wyatt misbehaved. I saw how lonely you were, so I thought I could offer you a dance.”

Theodore didn’t even bother to respond to Jeremy.

When Jeremy was filling up Theodore’s glass, he noticed Theodore was still wearing a ring. “Theodore, your fake marriage with Ms. Sanders has already gone on for so long. Why haven’t you taken off the ring?” he teased.

“The ring is too small. It’s stuck.”

“I knew it! I have something that can help.” Jeremy took out a small bottle from his pocket and smiled. “I can help you remove the ring, Theodore.”

Suddenly, someone pushed the door to the private room open, and a gorgeous figure was seen walking in.

“It’s so lively here!” Jasmine glanced at the people on the stage.

Although Sanders Group was the host that evening, Jasmine wasn’t dressed lavishly.

With the help of the light from the outside, one could vaguely see her light yellow gown. Her gown had a tight waist design to showcase her slim figure. Besides, her long and tidy hair was just over her shoulders.

She looked incredibly graceful and elegant.

“You look so pretty today, Ms. Sanders!” Jeremy praised. “Are you done attending to your guests?”

“Yes. You guys are my guests too. I was free, so I thought I should come over,” Jasmine replied.

Jeremy glanced at the man next to him and saw that he was sitting still with a cold expression on his face. Jeremy put his glass aside, stood up, and offered, “Ms. Sanders, would you like to dance?”

“Sure.” Jasmine tidied her hair to show her delicate earlobes and took off her high heels. Then she placed her hand on Jeremy’s before going onto the stage.

 

Chapter 268 Jealous

Theodore’s eyes darkened as he took in Jasmine’s enchanting figure, and the faint scent of the perfume that wafted from her caused his heart rate to spike inexplicably.

Isn’t it just a dance? Why is she smiling so happily?

Jeremy was courteous. He kept his fist lightly on Jasmine’s waist as he glanced at the man below the stage. “I thought you were actually interested in me because you agreed so quickly.”

“I’d be interested if you don’t already have a girlfriend,” Jasmine joked.

Jeremy shook his head regretfully. “Unfortunately, you’re off limits. If I actually try to do something, I fear I will find myself lying in a coffin tomorrow.”

“Surely you’re exaggerating!”

“No, I’m not,” Jeremy replied sternly. “By the way, congratulations on your acquisition of Sanders Group.”

Jasmine smiled. “I should treat you to a meal for your help.”

“How courteous of you, Ms. Sanders.”

“We’re going to be a family eventually, so it’s the least I can do,” Jasmine said. “Moreover, there’s a lot that Sanders Group and your company can work on together. Obviously, I should build a good rapport with you.”

“You think too highly of me. I’m merely a shareholder and not in charge of the company.” Jeremy shook his head. “I only manage the medical research and don’t have a head for running the business like

Theodore.”

Jasmine was startled.

That was unexpected. I thought Jeremy was a businessman!

When Jeremy saw Theodore’s face growing more thunderous below the stage, he purposely moved closer to Jasmine. “Ms. Sanders, are you interested in hearing a story?”

“Go on.”

Jeremy began, “I have a friend who hails from a prominent family. His father is a famous commander, and he had a strict upbringing. He, too, joined the army and eventually met a girl there.”

Jasmine’s breath hitched. “What happened after that?”

“The time he had to serve in the army was far too long. He wanted to be discharged and get married. He even prepared a wedding ring! His father chewed him out when he found out about it. You see, my friend was close to being promoted. Obviously, his father refused to let him do as he wished. They had a big row over it. When his father failed to persuade him, he was given a condition. If he got promoted and remained in the army for three more years, he would be allowed to marry the girl. Unfortunately for him, his mother also found out about it.”

Jeremy could feel Jasmine’s grip on his shoulder tighten.

After a brief pause, he continued, “His mother wasn’t too pleased with the girl’s family background and thought that she was not fit to be accepted into their prestigious family. Daily new chapters upload Only On Alaniniz(dot)com She went to meet the girl and convinced her to leave her son by giving her a sum of ten million. The girl accepted the bribe and broke up with my friend via a letter. It left him greatly

shocked that their relationship was worth less than that ten million. After that incident, he was discharged from the army and went overseas.”

“She lied to me.” Jasmine’s expression darkened as rage engulfed her. “I wrote a letter to Theodore, but it wasn’t to break up with him. She swapped my letter!”

That time when Jasmine encountered Theodore at the hospital, she had assumed that he was displeased and hated her for acting on her own without discussing matters with him.

She had not expected it to be because of the swapped letter that led him to think that she had heartlessly broken up with him.

“So the letter was tampered with,” Jeremy murmured.

I thought it strange when I heard Theodore recount the incident. Something felt off. It turns out someone was meddling in his affairs.

Jeremy grinned. “Ms. Sanders, I never said that it was Theodore’s story. Why are you so angry?”

“Thank you. You’re very kind,” Jasmine said. “Perhaps I would have never found out about this if you hadn’t told me. I’ll be taking my leave now. There’s something I need to take care of.”

With that, Jasmine turned to leave. Due to her haste, she accidentally trod on the hem of her dress and stumbled off the stage. Before Jeremy could reach out to catch her, a figure had rushed over.

Theodore gripped Jasmine’s waist securely and put her down. At the same time, he discreetly pushed away Jeremy’s outstretched hand with a cold expression.

Jeremy merely shrugged in response.

I didn’t even do anything! Do you have to get jealous over something like this?

It took Jasmine a long moment to return to her senses. She took in Theodore’s cold look and leaned in, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you. I need to go take care of something.”

Jasmine wriggled out of his embrace and exited the room with her high heels in her hand. Stunned, Theodore stood rooted to the spot.

Her kiss had been soft, and he felt as if his cheek still carried a hint of her scent.

A kiss of gratitude? If I wasn’t the person who caught her just now but Jeremy instead, would she kiss him too?

Theodore’s face clouded over.

“Theodore, she already left. Why are you still in a daze?” Jeremy teased as he squatted down at the corner of the stage.

Theodore turned around to glare at him, a look of irritation in his sharp eyes.

Jeremy felt a chill run down his back and gulped. Before he could say anything else, Theodore announced, “JH Technologies lacks funds, so they can no longer pay your research center one hundred million.”

“Theodore—”

“I will give you one million from my personal account instead. Consider it a donation.”

Jeremy was rendered speechless. What? A hundred million and a million is a huge difference.

Meanwhile, Jasmine weaved through the crowd in her high heels and sped past them elegantly.

“Is Mrs. Xavier here?” she asked the usher as she reached the entrance.

“Not yet.”

Just as the staff member uttered the words, a middle-aged woman clad in a vivid purple gown entered the banquet hall. Wearing a regal expression, the woman carried herself elegantly.

Jasmine strode forward with a smile. “Mrs. Xavier.”

“Oh, if it isn’t Ms. Sanders.” Emma smiled warmly, but the look she gave Jasmine was arrogant. “I must say, you’re a talented girl to be able to climb up from the status of an illegitimate child.”

“You’re far too kind,” Jasmine replied calmly. “This way, please.”

Emma grunted in acquiescence.

Once inside the banquet hall, Jasmine brought a glass of champagne to Emma.

Emma spotted many familiar faces in the crowd. Secretly, she marveled at Jasmine’s extensive connections. The latter was able to win the support of many entrepreneurs when taking over Sanders Group.

Taking a sip of champagne, Emma murmured, “Ms. Sanders, you’re truly talented. However, I’m afraid that I’m quite an old-fashioned person. I believe that no matter how successful a person becomes, they cannot change their origins. Even if you’ve gotten your hands on Sanders Group, you’re just an illegitimate child.” Emma eyed Jasmine, her expression full of contempt. “You’re filthy to the core. No matter what you do, you’re not fit for my son.”

Jasmine gripped the wine glass, but her expression did not betray her ire. “You’re right. The Xavier family is a prestigious family. How dare anyone try to defile it!”

After a moment, she continued, “Instead of me marrying into the Xavier family, what if your son chooses to leave the Xavier family instead?”

Emma’s expression immediately darkened. “He would never!”

“I’m sure you know him better than I do.” Jasmine walked closer to Emma. “Mrs. Xavier, you’re quite a wicked person. I agreed to accept your money and leave, but still, you sent someone to intercept my letter and changed its contents. You caused the rift between Theodore and me for so many years.”

Surprised by Jasmine’s words, Emma exclaimed carelessly, “So what if I did? Since you took the money, you had no right to write to him!”

 

Chapter 269 Lack Of Upbringing

Jasmine could barely keep herself calm. “I’ve never met a mother as wicked as you.”

“You would have done the same if you were in my place,” Emma said. “I would not be nitpicking if you came from a better family. However, take a good look at the difference between your own background and the Xavier family. The Xavier family will become the laughingstock of Norwal City if I allow you to marry into our family!”

“I applaud you for being callous enough to manipulate your own son’s future.” Jasmine suppressed the anger she felt in her heart. She could not afford to be seen fighting with Emma in front of so many prominent figures.

“I would not have done so if you had been more obedient.” Emma snorted. “You promised to have no contact with my son after accepting the money, yet you immediately turned around and wrote him a letter, informing him of our deal and telling him that you would wait for him no matter how long it takes. I wasn’t about to sit idly and let the matter slide. Are you telling me I should have waited for him to be discharged in three years and marry you? Well, I certainly did not expect Theodore to give up on his promotion and run overseas because of you.”

Jasmine quirked her lips. “You probably don’t know this, but we’re already married.”

“What do you mean?”

Jasmine lifted her right hand and showed off her ring finger. “I forgot. You don’t know about it because you weren’t invited. I was going to marry Curtis in order to obtain Sanders Group’s shares. However, he ran away on the day of the wedding, so I married Theodore instead. Your son was the one who put the ring on my finger.”

“You’re lying!” Emma raged. “Do you think you can deceive me by wearing a ring?”

“I’m not lying. If you don’t believe me, you can check with the Faymon and the Sanders family.” Before she departed, Jasmine leaned in close to Emma’s ear and whispered, “Also, I prepared a surprise for you. I hope you’ll look forward to it.”

Emma felt as if she was going to have a heart attack as she watched Jasmine saunter away.

Despicable illegitimate wench! Why must she continue clinging to my son? How dare she speak to me in that manner? Her lack of upbringing shows even after she’s gotten her hands on Sanders Group.

The waiter, who was passing by, spotted Emma’s empty glass and inquired, “Madam, would you like another glass?”

“No!” Emma refused coldly.

Just as the baffled waiter turned around to leave, she called out to him. “Wait!”

She placed her empty glass on the tray and grabbed a fresh glass of champagne.

The waiter was rendered speechless. She’s crazy!

Meanwhile, inside the private room, Rayna had just received a WhatsApp message from Carl informing her that he was here.

Thinking that the boy must be bored all by himself, Rayna wanted to keep him company. Daily new chapters upload Only On Alaniniz(dot)com Because of that, she had been interrogated by a wary Curtis and it had taken her some time to escape. He acts as if I’m trying to hook up with other men!

Rayna exited the room and glanced around before spotting a boy sitting in a corner. He was clad in a black suit and looked very handsome. She immediately knew who he was when she spotted the face

mask.

She went over, laughing as she asked, “Where do you hail from, little prince?”

“Ms. Rayna!” Carl shouted happily as he sprang up from the couch. “Don’t tell Mommy I snuck out. She’s going to give me an earful for this.”

“You little rascal, how could you sneak out behind your mommy’s back so frequently?” Rayna pinched his nose. “Are you hungry?”

Indeed, now that she mentioned it, Carl realized that he was slightly hungry.

Since the banquet hall was crowded and Rayna was afraid that Carl would be spotted, she snuck him out to the gorgeous sky garden with a fountain.

As soon as the waiter left after taking their orders, Carl turned on his charm and flattered Rayna. “You look so pretty today! I’d totally marry you if I could.”

Rayna laughed in response. “No can do. Our ages are too far apart.”

“You’re too pretty. It makes me want to keep you all for myself,” Carl uttered seriously. “I’ll grow up fast. No one will find out if we don’t tell them my age.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet.” Rayna could not resist pinching his face, sighing as she thought of Theodore’s icy demeanor. “Fortunately, you’re not like your daddy. He’s such a cold man.”

Curtis refuted, “No, he’s not! Mommy says Daddy is the kindest and most handsome man in the world!”

Rayna smiled faintly. Of course she would think that.

Not long after they finished their meal, Carl broke the silence. “Ms. Rayna, can you help me contact Daddy’s friend?”

“What’s the matter?”

“I want Daddy to come home as soon as possible.” Cupping his face with his hands, Carl wore a longing expression. “He sends presents home often, so I’m okay with not seeing him. But it’s really hard on Mommy. She must be exhausted from taking care of me and from work. I hope Daddy will come home to be with Mommy and share her burden. I know she misses him very much.”

Rayna did not know what to say. In the end, she settled for patting his head. “Why, aren’t you a good boy?”

Carl shrugged. “Mommy is already having such a hard time. I don’t want to add to her troubles. I hope I can grow up and work in Daddy’s stead as soon as possible so he can spend time with Mommy.”

“You should take your time growing up,” Rayna teased. “I don’t even know when I’ll get married. Don’t you want to marry my kid?”

“You’re right. Mommy is obviously important, but marrying is important too. You need to marry as soon as possible!”

Rayna joked, “What if I marry the man who looks a lot like you?”

“You can’t!” Carl furrowed his brows. “What if your baby resembles me? People will misunderstand!”

“Are you afraid that people will misunderstand, or are you worried that I’d marry that man?”

After giving the matter some thought, Carl said slowly, “I think you and Mr. Faymon suit each other better. The other man isn’t a good fit.”

“What do you mean by that? Am I not pretty enough?”

“I think you don’t meet his standards.”

“Wow, that’s harsh.” Rayna leaned forward and pinched his face while pretending to be angry. “I’ll stop bringing you presents from your daddy.”

“Stop pinching me! What if you disfigure me and your child no longer finds me attractive in the future?”

“In that case, I’ll look for someone more handsome.”

“No, you can’t!”

The two of them bickered playfully, oblivious to the person who had just walked in.

It wasn’t until a shadow fell on them that Rayna looked up to see Emma standing by their table.

“Mrs. Xavier,” Rayna greeted the latter as she got to her feet. She took advantage of Emma’s attention of herself and discreetly signaled to Carl to put on his mask. “What can I do for you?”

By the time Emma turned to look at Carl, the face mask was already in place.

Glancing at the boy, Emma chided Rayna, “Ms. Garland, you should watch your behavior. If you act so intimately with someone else’s child, they could be mistaken for your own and tarnish your reputation.”

“To be honest, it doesn’t matter to me. My name has been dragged through the mud countless times anyway,” Rayna replied lazily, completely unconcerned. “Let the media write whatever they want.”

“You!” Emma screeched in exasperation.

She had already been slighted by Jasmine at the banquet hall, and now she had to endure the same treatment here. Does no one respect me?

 

Chapter 270

Chapter 270 Distortion Of Truth

Rayna tried asking Emma to leave in an indirect manner. “Mrs. Xavier, if there’s nothing else, do you mind letting us continue to have our meal? The mushroom soup doesn’t taste good when it’s cold.”

“Marry my son.”

“Hm?” Rayna’s expression froze as she asked her in disbelief, “What did you say?”

Emma glanced at her contemptuously and said, “Despite your lowly background, I can still accept you. You’ll benefit from marrying my son and I convince myself to become your mother-in-law.”

Rayna was astounded.

After joining the Hatchair Group and eventually returning to Faymon Group, she significantly widened her connections and interacted with many elites of the society, including some haughty rich women. Still, she had never seen someone like Emma.

Oh my… Does she think it is everyone’s most earnest desire to marry into the Xavier family?

“I don’t think that’s necessary because I’m not good enough for the Xavier family.” Rayna kept a smile on her face. If it weren’t for Curtis and Theodore’s relationship, she would’ve given Emma the attitude and left.

Emma didn’t anticipate Rayna would refuse her. Her face turned a few shades darker in response.

She uttered more assertively, “Ms. Garland, I suggest you think this through. You won’t have to contribute the dowry if you marry into my family. I will even sponsor you to establish your own company.”

Rayna continued to smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Xavier, but that’s not needed.”

“You may raise your conditions,” Emma chimed in. She had to satisfy Rayna to the best of her ability. I’d rather Rayna become a part of our family than that mistress’ daughter!

“I don’t have any conditions. I have things to do, so I’ll be going now.”

Sensing Emma’s determination to pester her and reluctance to leave, Rayna held Carl’s hand and decided to move elsewhere. However, before they could take a few steps ahead, Emma halted them again.

Persistent and forceful, Emma even stopped trying to negotiate with Rayna. “You must marry my son!”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

“I photocopied the agreement you made with my son. Even if you disagree, everyone will think you and my son are getting married once I expose the agreement to the public.”

Rayna was at the limit of her patience. “Ms. Xavier, don’t you find yourself revolting? You went through your son’s belongings without permission and are using them to threaten me.”

“He’s my son, so I have the right to look through his belongings.” Emma did not think she had done anything wrong. “Have the wedding with my son next month. I’ll help you contact the designers for your wedding dress and the ring.”

“Thanks but no thanks.”

Emma fixated her piercing gaze on Rayna. “I know you fancy Faymon Group’s Mr. Faymon. How do you figure he will react when he knows about the agreement’s content?”

Rayna’s face turned grim instantaneously. “You’d better don’t cross the line!”

“There will be room for discussion as long as you marry my son. I don’t mind if you two only stay together for a month after registering for the marriage certificate. I’ll even compensate you for your effort.”

“I suppose you’re afraid of Ms. Sanders?” Rayna was well aware of Emma’s scheme after being badgered by the latter for so long. “You’re afraid she would rekindle a relationship with your son, so you came looking for me.”

Emma admitted readily. “That’s right. I indeed dislike that mistress’ daughter. Even if she acquires Sanders Group, her background is still tainted. She’s not worthy of my son.”

“Anyone who becomes your daughter-in-law in the future will be so unfortunate.”

Emma bellowed, “Rayna, mind your manners! I’ve been kind enough to put up with your ill behavior for so long. Do you think you’re the only viable candidate for my son?”

Rayna sneered. “I am friends with Ms. Sanders and am not interested in doing something as despicable as that. Do what you want with the agreement. I’m not bothered!”

She was planning on informing Curtis about that matter anyway.

Holding Carl’s hand, she strode off. However, Emma immediately clung to her again. This time, Carl couldn’t stand idly by anymore. He swatted Emma’s hand away and uttered sternly in his childish voice, “Hey, you’re so self-righteous, wanting everyone to do as you say. It’s such a tragedy to be your son.”

“How dare you speak to me like that!” Emma glared at Carl. The boy was still young, but he appeared exceptional in a suit. His face was partially hidden behind a face mask, but his imposing aura couldn’t be concealed.

Looking at his eyes, Emma felt a sense of familiarity. He seems to resemble someone.

Carl said, “You are the one acting overbearingly. I’m just reciprocating your unpleasant conduct.”

Emma’s wrath intensified as she listened to him. Taking in his familiar gaze, she was so infuriated that she lunged forward in an attempt to take off Carl’s face mask, but Rayna reacted quicker by shielding him behind her back.

Rayna piped up, “Please show some respect to others, Mrs. Xavier.”

“Why does he need to wear a face mask when he’s here?” Emma glanced at Carl, standing behind Rayna, and snorted. “Could the rumors be true? Is this your illegitimate child?”

“He’s my friend’s child.”

“I’ve seen both your friends in the newspaper, but do you have to be so secretive about the child? Besides, you are the one who keeps him company all the time. Any outsider who sees this will assume you’re his mother. If you aren’t feeling guilty, take off his face mask and let me have a look.”

“He’s not acquainted with you, so there’s really no need for that,” Rayna responded coldly. She didn’t want to dwell further on that matter with Emma and wanted to leave, but the latter was reluctant to let her go.

Noticing Rayna being bullied, Carl dashed out from behind her and forcefully pushed Emma. Emma, wearing high heels, lost her balance and fell backward into the fountain, causing water to splash everywhere.

He snarled, “Don’t you go overboard!”

The water feature was quite deep, so Rayna was worried Emma might be hurt. Hence, she had no choice but to move forward to help Emma up. The latter swatted Rayna’s hand away and scolded

loudly, “Ms. Garland, is this how you treat an elderly when all I did was talk to you in a civilized manner?”

The banquet hall was right next door. Emma’s roar immediately attracted the attention of those inside the hall, prompting them to walk over and check out the commotion.

Exasperated, Carl wanted to step forward to refute her remark, but Rayna hid him behind her and said to Emma, “Get up. I’ll take you to get changed. I don’t suppose you want everyone to see your pathetic state?”

To her surprise, Emma uttered, “How dare you say that after you pushed me?”

Rayna was at a loss for words. I thought only women in their twenties or thirties were pretentious and shameless. Unexpectedly, these qualities are shared across all age groups!

She took a deep breath to suppress her burning rage, planning to apologize to Emma for now. She reckoned it would be best to avoid alarming the guests. After all, Jasmine was the host that day, so Rayna didn’t want to do anything to embarrass Jasmine.

“What’s going on?”

When Rayna was about to speak, Theodore pushed the door open and entered.

“You’re right on time, Theodore.” Emma pointed at Rayna furiously. “This young lady is too disrespectful toward the elders. I wanted to have a nice chat with her, but she pushed me into the fountain!”

At that moment, Rayna finally understood why Emma didn’t want her help to get up. She’s waiting for her son to arrive so she can pretend to be aggrieved.

“Why don’t you come out first.” Theodore walked over and helped Emma to get out of the fountain.

Emma snorted and glanced at Rayna. “Ms. Garland, I am sincere in having a discussion with you. Perhaps you should take a good look in the mirror to see how arrogant and insolent you are. You even mentioned I’m not worthy of becoming your mother-in-law.”

“Cut the act, Mrs. Xavier. Aren’t you getting tired of keeping up with the pretense?” Rayna sneered. “You are afraid Ms. Sanders and your son will become a couple again, so you forced me to marry your son. When I refused, you got mad.”

Emma’s countenance remained unchanged. “Ms. Garland, it’s not good for you to tell so many lies. My son doesn’t like her, so what do I have to fear? I know you like my son, so I intend to give you a chance.”

“I wouldn’t dare to have a mother-in-law like you!”

Emma said, “You’re spouting all versions of the story. Are you saying that I jumped into the fountain on my own?”

Rayna’s delicate facial features were arranged into a frosty expression.