Ch. 321..330
Chapter 321
Rayna said with a smile, “You and she are meant for each other.”
“If only that’s how it works. But love can’t be forced, right?” Gabriel felt insecure. “Besides, she’s always surrounded by so many outstanding men. I can never outshine them.”
“Are you saying you’re not outstanding?” Rayna’s jaw dropped. “You graduated from the prestigious Sal insburgh University and are working as an assistant in Faymon Group. You could have relocated to Nor ham and earned several million a year if you wanted. You’re a kind man too.”
“Is this how you think of me, Mrs. Faymon?” Gabriel could not help but feel shy after hearing all the prai ses. “So what should I do if I were to pursue her? Any advice?”
Rayna’s eyes brightened. She immediately gave him some ideas. “First, you must get to know her taste and preference. You mustn’t be overly enthusiastic, as this behavior might turn her off.”
Gabriel took out a notebook and jotted down everything she said.
“Once you’ve gotten to know her better, you can ask her which country she likes the most. When you’re on leave, take her on an overseas trip and surprise her. Don’t attempt to kiss her yet even if you’ve made good progress. Find a romantic place she’ll like and ask for permission before giving her a gentle peck on the lips.”
Feeling thirsty after giving Gabriel all the advice, Rayna picked up a glass of water and took a big sip. “Got it?”
“Got it,” Gabriel said while noting everything down. He handed the plate of apples to Rayna. “You’re so knowledgeable, Mrs. Faymon. I’m glad I’ve asked you for your advice!”
“So you allow me to eat apples now? I thought you had to obey that fellow’s command,” Rayna asked.
Gabriel grinned, trying to get in her good books. “Feel free to enjoy the apples since Mr. Faymon is not around. Are there any other fruits you’d like to eat, Mrs. Faymon? I’ll get them for you.”
Rayna responded with a chuckle. It’s either he appreciates my advice or he’s an outright opportunist!
“Get me some grapes, then.”
“Sure thing!” Gabriel then went to the kitchen to rinse some grapes.
Rayna lolled on the couch and put another slice of apple into her mouth. What a way to waste my life a way!
Suddenly, the phone on the coffee table rang. She glanced at the screen and noticed a call from an unk nown number. A cold call?
Rayna eventually decided to answer it just in case one of her business associates called her with a new number. “Hi, this is Rayna speaking.”
“Ms. Garland, Ringo here.”
Rayna froze for a moment upon recognizing his voice. What does Jefferson’s bodyguard want from me ?
After glancing at Gabriel, who was still busy rinsing the grapes in the kitchen, Rayna lowered her voice and asked, “How can I help you?”
Ringo replied, “Mr. Hamilton is missing.”
Rayna was taken aback by the news. “How did you lose him? Aren’t you always by his side?”
“He said he wanted to meet…” Ringo hesitated for a moment as frustration kicked in. “I waited for him a t the hotel lobby, but about half an hour later, I found out he had sneaked out of the building from the ba ck door.”
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“Go look for him, then! Why did you call me? There’s nothing I can do anyway.” Rayna felt annoyed. “I haven’t met him for some time.”
Ringo instantly sounded aloof. “Ms. Garland, how could you be so heartless?”
“Me? Heartless?” Rayna was appalled upon hearing his accusation. “How else am I supposed to respo nd when I have no idea where he is? I’ll go over to the hotel now, and we’ll look for him together. I’ll be t here in a minute.”
“Never mind, Ms. Garland. Sorry for disturbing you!”
The fury in his voice still reverberated in Rayna’s ears even after he had hung up on her. Ringo called t o tell me Jefferson’s missing, but I haven’t seen him for a long time. How could he call me heartless wh en I have no idea where he is?
Upon recalling the conversation earlier, Rayna knitted her brows and mumbled, “Did he say Jefferson wanted to meet someone? Why did he not tell me who the person is?”
Meanwhile, Jefferson hailed a cab after coming out of the hotel from the back and gave the driver an a ddress.
While heading to the destination, they passed by a florist. Jefferson suddenly instructed the driver to st op the
car.
After getting out of the cab and walking to the florist, he saw a bucket of freshly harvested camellia that seemed to have arrived at the store not long ago. The flowers looked delicate and gave out a faint but pleasant floral scent.
Jefferson remembered his mother loved camellia. He also recalled how his father was a big fan of cam ellia paintings.
A store assistant walked over and greeted him, “How can I help you, Sir?”
“I want a bouquet of camellia.” He then chose a few stalks of flowers in the bucket and handed them to the storekeeper. “Keep the packaging simple.”
“All right, Sir. Please wait a moment.”
A minute later, the store assistant handed the bouquet of camellia to Jefferson.
“Thank you,” Jefferson said with a smile. After paying for the camellia, he returned to the cab. Througho ut the ride to Cucina Restaurant, he handled the bouquet with care.
Jefferson picked a table near the window and gently placed the bouquet on top of it. Excitement surged in him as he glanced at his wristwatch. I wonder how my mother will react when we meet.
Despite growing up without a mother, he had never felt lonely. His father had taken good care of him, a nd he had always told him that his mother missed him and loved him very much.
As he grew older, his father had given him eighteen letters, claiming they were from his mother. He felt l oved because he could sense her presence in the letters.
Now that Jefferson had found out his mother was alive, he would do anything to meet her and show her the man he had grown up to be..
As he was still deep in thought, he heard a waiter greeting someone. “Welcome!”
He tilted his head, turned his attention to the restaurant entrance, and saw a woman in a dark purple su it. She was in good shape and had a fair and smooth complexion, like a woman in her mid–thirties.
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Jefferson’s mother had gone under the knife to alter her appearance, but she still had the same eyes as
The woman looked exactly like the photo he had in his hands.
Jefferson felt a surge of warmth in his heart as if he had rediscovered something precious he had lost for a long time.
While fixing his eyes on the woman, he slowly stood up.
The woman quickened her pace and walked toward him. She stood by the table and gave him an icy gla that her knuckles turned pale.
Jefferson got up from his seat. “Nice-”
When he was about to pull the chair for her and invite her to sit, Sandy gritted her teeth and interrupted him, “You do have his eyes!”
“Dad said I have your eyes…”
“They’re absolutely disgusting!” Sandy inched closer and gave him a murderous look. “You b*stard. Do y life?”
That word pricked him like a needle. B*stard?
He clenched his fists and lowered his voice. “I’m your son, and Dad didn’t cause the car accident. He-”
“You’re not my son. You’re a b*stard. That’s who you are!” Sandy once again cut in. Her shoulders were
Jefferson had no idea why she hated his father. Is it because of the fire incident?
Jefferson lowered his eyes. “I know life hasn’t been easy for you, and I’m sorry you have to go through that, but Dad misses you a lot. He would even cry when he talked about you.”
After grabbing the bouquet of camellia from the table, he carefully gave it to Sandy, hoping the flowers would please her. “I brought you your favorite camellia…”
Sandy’s expression turned grim. She brushed the flowers aside. “I hate camellia!”
The bouquet fell, and its white flower petals scattered all over the floor.
Chapter 322
Jefferson glanced at the flower petals strewn all over the floor, his lips twitching. “Dad said you like cam ellias the most…”
That’s why for decades, he likes them too. But why…
“Only your father would be fond of such dirty flowers!” Sandy uttered in abhorrence. The hatred within h er intensified when he saw that Jefferson appeared oblivious to certain matters. “What did your father t ell you about me?”
Her frostiness and cruelness sent a throbbing pain through his heart. Balling his hands into fists, he ans wered in a low voice, “He said you’re the prettiest woman he has ever met. He adores you and wishes he could give you the whole world.”
“Hahaha! Trust a despicable man like him to talk of a rapacious act with such awe– inspiring righteousness.” Smiling plaintively, Sandy approached Jefferson and fixed him with a sinister gaze.
“Everything your father said was a lie! He was the one who took a fancy to me at the banquet, forcibly tied me up, a nd dragged me back with him. I told him I had a husband and child, but he turned a deaf ear and impris oned me by his side.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, her body shaking like a leaf. “I pleaded with your father repeatedly, telling him I’d do anything if he let me go and that I wouldn’t go to the police. However, he refused. He used my husband and child to threaten me. I was to marry him. Otherwise, he’d kill them. I thought that if I di d what he wanted, he’d release me after getting tired of toying with me. Alas…”
She paused and glared at him balefully before continuing angrily, “I got pregnant! I was so careful and never expected to get pregnant with you! Do you know how badly I wanted to get rid of you? I wished I could drain my body clean of blood. The thought of carrying the child of a man like that filled me with disgust. I would’ve rather died.”
I was utterly overwhelmed with feelings of hostility. I wanted nothing more than to die together with the baby. However, that man had already found out about my plan. He was delighted after learning that I w as with child and assigned ten servants to watch over me. There was no way I could’ve committed suicide!
Every word she said pierced Jefferson’s heart like a dagger, riddling it with wounds, and his tall figure b egan to sway.
He stumbled two steps backward, the joy he had felt in anticipation of seeing his mother vanishing without a trace. In fact, he wished he hadn’t come here to meet her.
Swallowing hard, he said, “Those letters you gave me…”
The letters had been the motivation that pushed him to embrace life with passion.
Sandy sneered. She was cruel and merciless as she said, “I had the urge to kill you before giving birth t o you, and when I saw your eyes after you were born, I wanted to strangle you even more. So, how cou ld I have written letters to you? You’ve lived in a dream weaved by your father ever since you were little. I’m telling you, I have a husband and a child. I love them. Although you came from my womb, you’re still nothing but a b*stard!”
Jefferson’s heart sank as though something had collapsed inside it with a thud.
I was born into a prominent family and had everything I wanted. I thought I was better than ninety perce nt of the other children. However, all that was merely a result of a dream my father created and my self–righteous imagination. I’m way worse off than a beggar!
Suddenly, he broke into a smile while wearing a sad and lonely expression. “So, it turns out it was all a dream… I’m nothing.”
“If it weren’t for your father, how could I have been torn from my husband and son? If not for him, I wouldn’t have gotten into an accident that was all a set– up and ended up in such a miserable state!”
I was completely innocent! All I wanted was to protect my husband and son and live together happily. After a man took m e for his own by force and I was rescued from a fire that mangled my face, I fell into the clutches of ano ther evil man. He had someone perform plastic surgery on me, then molded me, who had suffered me mory loss, into someone else. I wound up marrying him, living with him, and even giving him children! Had I not learned from the doctor that a blood clot in my brain caused nerve compression and the loss of my previous memories, I might’ve forgotten about my little family and lived the rest of my life in ignorance!
Sandy’s body trembled with anger as she thought of that. The more she looked at Jefferson, the more s he loathed him and wanted him dead,
Inadvertently, she caught sight of the silver knife on the table. The cold blade glinted slightly under the sunlight shining through the window.
Consumed with hatred, she grabbed the knife without hesitation and stabbed it at his heart. He neither moved nor tried to snatch it from her.
The small steak knife did not look sharp, but the tip of the blade was incredibly keen.
The knife pierced through Jefferson’s white shirt and into his flesh, and he let out a low grunt from the p ain. A few droplets of warm, crimson blood splattered onto Sandy’s face.
Her hands did not tremble at all. Looking cold and ruthless, she pulled the knife out and stabbed him ag ain, doing it several times.
When the other customers in the restaurant noticed what was happening, they cried out in alarm and s cattered off in different directions. The waiters stood rooted to their spots in hesitation upon seeing how unhinged Sandy looked, not daring to approach.
The excruciating pain that spread from his heart eventually eclipsed that of the knife stabbing into him. He could only see Sandy, her face covered in blood, glaring at him with utter disgust.
Finally, her movements stopped. Perhaps she had vented all the bitterness in her heart.
She flung the knife onto the floor and stared at the pale and bloodied Jefferson. Enunciating every word slowly, she said, “You’re a b*stard who isn’t worthy of parental love. I won’t admit I gave birth to you. In fact, I wish you’d drop dead right this instance.”
With that, she turned and left.
It was as though he were a pile of stinking garbage that would make her feel sick if she so much as glanced at him again.
“She doesn’t like camellias and didn’t write those letters…” he murmured as he rested his hands on the table to support himself. He started becoming unsteady on his feet, and his eyes were slightly unfocus ed and dim.
His faith had come crashing down around him.
“She detests Dad and me… She thinks I’m an illegitimate child…” he continued muttering, his voice slo wly growing softer. “She has a husband and a son…”
Although the sun outside the window shone on him, his entire body felt cold. It was as though he were t urning into ice.
Even his heart seemed to freeze over, unable to beat again.
Jefferson’s arms shook as he coughed violently. Suddenly, a metallic taste filled his mouth, and he spra yed a
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mouthful of blood all over the table. His brain seemed to bum and throb, and he was in agony
Failing to steady himself against the table, he tiled backward and fell over, crashing onto the grey– tiled floor However, he did not feel a thing. A fog seemed to cloud his VISION
So, it turns out it was all a dream.
Meanwhile, ever since Rayna answered Ringo’s call and learned that not seem to put the matter out of h
erson had gone missing she could
When we parted ways at Hallsbay I sensed something was amiss with Jefferson Later I could not help fe
She tossed and turned while lying in bed that night unable to fall
After mulling over the matter for some time, she was still worried. She felt for her phone and dialed Jeffe
Did he terminate his number?
Rayna hesitated for a moment before deciding to call Ringo. Before she could do so, she received an in
It was Curtis.
She swiped to answer the call and said dully, “You jerk. As if it isn’t enough that you sent Mr. Tylnski to k
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Chapter 323
On the other end of the call, Curtis chuckled. “We’ve only been apart for a short while, yet you’ve alrea dy. stopped addressing me as casually?”
“No. I think it’s more suitable to call you a jerk!”
“I’m calling you to check on your cold. It sounds like you’re recovering well. Your hyponasal voice is gone.” Curtis‘ voice was deep and slightly hoarse. “I’m missing you a little.”
Rayna blushed to the tip of her ears and snorted. “There are so many busty ladies in the clubs at Saint nam. Aren’t you indulging yourself in the sight of those pretty ladies when you go in there to discuss bu siness with others? I’m surprised you still remember me.”
“We didn’t go to a club. Our discussion took place at Histon Hotel. Just over ten of us and two female tr anslators,” he explained solemnly before laughing quietly. “Are you mad at me for not bringing you with me?”
“I didn’t say that. I’m enjoying the time of my life at home.”
“It’s not chilly here, but the air is humid because it’s the rainy season, so the weather here can easily w orsen your cold. I’ll bring you here on vacation when we’re free next time.”
Rayna questioned him warily, “Did you do anything wrong, jerk? Why else are you so concerned about me all of a sudden? This is so unlike you.”
Curtis felt helpless. “You’re my wife. Shouldn’t I care for you?”
“I haven’t married you yet!”
“You’ve already accepted the betrothal gift, so how is that any different?”
Unable to win him during an argument, she rolled on her bed a couple of times before deciding to skip over that topic. “When are you coming back?”
“Next Tuesday.”
The return date was two days earlier than the one week Gabriel had informed her.
She grunted in response while fiddling with her hair. “Let Jessie stay for a few more days. Mr. Lopez’s funeral just passed, and Lopez Group is in a mess now. Wyatt needs to be there to take charge. He’ll be exhausted and requires some one to stay by his side and comfort him. Besides, if you suddenly send Jessie abroad, that will raise Wy att’s suspicion too.”
Instead of assenting, Curtis merely said, “Jeremy is back, right? He can be there to support Wyatt.”
“How is that the same?” Rayna raised her tone, planning to talk some sense into him. “If you’re upset, who would you prefer to have by your side? Me, Theodore, or Jeremy?”
Curtis was stumped.
Despite his silence, she knew what would be his choice. She snorted and chirped, “See? If even you pr efer to have me around, Wyatt must feel this way too. You can let Jessie leave after Lopez Group stabil izes. Besides, she won’t hurt Wyatt, so why can’t you be more lenient?”
He sighed. “Mrs. Faymon, you’re too eloquent. Fine. I’ll let them break up in peace after the state of aff airs at Lopez Group becomes stable. Will that suffice?”
Rayna giggled. “Look at that. Isn’t it great when you do some good deeds occasionally? Don’t you feel happy now?”
“What’s there to be happy about when I’m currently staying in a foreign country?” His voice turned a few notes
deeper as he spoke. “How I wish I could ditch all my work here and return to your side to embrace you now.”
Face flushing crimson, Rayna pouted. “Quit flirting with girls like a womanizer and go to sleep. By the way, can you survey if there’s any fun present you can buy for your nephew? I’ve be en swamped handling Mr. Lopez’s funeral lately and haven’t visited Carl. Let’s meet with him when you’ re back.”
Curtis asked, “Has Jasmine informed Theodore?”
“I think so,” she guessed. “They reconciled when we went on a holiday at Jetroina. I don’t suppose Jas mine will prank Theodore and keep him in the dark regarding Carl’s identity.”
“We can’t be sure. If Theodore knows he has a son, he won’t remain so unexcited. Perhaps he will want to be with his son at all times.”
Rayna agreed with him after contemplating briefly. “I’ll ask Jasmine again regarding this.”
“Mrs. Faymon.”
“What’s the matter?”
Curtis sighed and uttered in slight resignation, “I’m not getting any younger.”
She fathomed the message he was implying. Her ears, sticking to the phone, flushed instantaneously, and her palms turned sweaty. “Let’s talk about this when you’re back. I’m very sleepy, so I’ll hang up no
w.”
With that, she hastily ended the call.
She lay on the bed, mulling over Curtis‘ words. Her heart continued to palpitate, and her cheeks remained feverish. He mentioned that in Japan too.
Rayna knew he wasn’t getting any younger. Besides, she was quite fond of children. At that stage in their relationship, everything was in pl ace now. She wouldn’t refuse if he wanted to have a child with her.
Rayna caressed her flat tummy through her pajamas, recalling if they used contraception the last time they did it at the r esort. Then, she realized she didn’t have much recollection because Curtis had prepared all those thing s. This is so embarrassing!
She rolled over and saw the crystal palace on the floor shining brightly inside the dark room.
That was the first gift Curtis had given her.
At the thought of that man, Rayna pursed her lips and smiled while muttering, “We’ll try to conceive a c hild once he’s back.”
After remaining home for two days, Rayna had almost recuperated from her cold.
Because of Lopez Group’s predicament, Jessica had been staying at Wyatt’s place for the past few day s. Instead, Gabriel had been visiting her persistently every morning, exhibiting an earnest attitude at wo rk.
Rayna relayed Curtis‘ message to Gabriel and used a folder to smack the latter. “Have you bore that in your mind? Don’t go harassing Jessie during this period. Isn’t it more enjoyable to walk your dog when
you’re free?”
The assistant replied with a sullen face, “Mr. Faymon is doing all the good deeds while I’m tasked with all the unpleasant responsibilities. Am I here to shoulder all the blames? It’s not as if I have a lot of free time, constantly yearning to send Ms. Marsh abroad” I’m just following Mr. Faymon’s orders!
While she peeled off pistachio shells and chewed on the nuts, Rayna gossiped, “How are things progre ssing with your schoolmate?”
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“Quite well. We went to have a meal together last night.” Gabriel was immediately invigorated. “I select ed the restaurant according to her preference and even bought her a bouquet of hyacinth.”
“That’s great.” She glanced at him and complimented, “Not bad. Your actions aren’t too aggressive or distasteful. I thought you would buy her red roses.”
He scratched his nose. “I ordered a bouquet of ninety– nine red roses initially. Then, I saw a picture of her holding a stalk of hyacinth in a flower garden on her Instagram, so I guessed she likes hyacinths and qu
Rayna didn’t respond.
“Last night, when I sent her home, she told me the food was nice and asked me if I was still thinking of her.”
She uttered firmly, “She agreed to your dinner invitation, accepted your flowers, and even let you send h
A sad and helpless look spread across Gabriel’s face. “I wanted to tell her yes and asked her if she was free. Unexpectedly, her phone r
Rayna had the urge to laugh yet didn’t dare to do so.
In the end, she patted his shoulder, “It’s fine. Maybe her parents contacted her. Believe me. She must be time.”
As she spoke, Rayna removed the coat and scarf from the rack and put them on. “I’m going to visit my m
Gabriel was caught in a tight spot. “Mrs. Faymon, I don’t think that’s appropriate. Mr. Faymon is so perceptive. I’m afraid-”
“He may be smart, but you’re not a fool either.” Rayna pushed him out of the room and locked the door behind her. “That’s enou brewed wine.”
Gabriel’s determination wavered.
He had tasted the wine Linda brewed, and it was superb.
In the end, he conceded and followed Rayna out of the condominium. “Can I request a set of grilled pork as well?”
“Get lost.”
Gabriel fell silent for a while before taking out his phone and approaching her again. He uttered excitedly
Rayna’s face darkened.
Why do I feel like Mr. Tylinski has become a love–struck fool after reuniting with his first love? The old Mr. Tylinski was more likable.
Rayna arrived at Linda’s shop at around eleven.
Chapter 324
By then, the self–brewed wine and side dishes were almost sold out. There weren’t any customers in the shop, so the cleaner was cleaning the glass cabinets.
Rayna approached the cleaner and voiced, “Mdm. White, where’s my mom?”
“Hi, Rayna!” Lorna White stood up and pointed toward the inside of the shop helplessly. “After I arrived this morning, your mom wasn’t feeling well. I told her I could bring her to the hospital, but she didn’t wa nt to go. She said she would feel better after taking a rest. You should check on her. Things could get ugly if she ends up getting sick.”
“Thank you”
Rayna rushed into the storage room and saw Linda sitting against the wall. Rayna quickly helped Linda up and asked, “Mom, you look so pale. Why didn’t you go to the hospital?”
“I just have a headache. I’ll be all right after taking a rest.” Linda waved dismissively.
Rayna held Linda’s arms and realized how cold her limbs were. Her expression darkened immediately, and she dragged Linda out of the storage room. “A headache? Your limbs are frozen! Come! I’m sending you to the hospital!”
“That’s not necessary. It’s not anything serious…”
“By the time it becomes something serious, it would be too late! Stop talking now. Otherwise, I’m going to have to scold you.” When Rayna and Linda were on their way out, Rayna told Lorna to lock up. After that, Rayna and Linda left for the hospital.
In the car, Rayna called the specialist beforehand. Hence, Linda was able to get treated right when the y arrived at the hospital around ten minutes later.
The specialist gave Linda a check– up and found that she hadn’t had enough sleep, so she was weak. The specialist gave her a prescriptio n, and she would be fine.
Upon hearing that, Rayna breathed a sigh of relief.
While helping Linda out of the specialist’s office, Rayna uttered with a cold expression, “Mom, I gave you the shop so that you can kill time. Stop working so hard, will you? You don’t need to worry about the three of us.”
Knowing that she was at fault for the matter, Linda uttered softly, “I just wanted to make some money to help you guys out.”
“Roxanne is more than capable of supporting herself, so she doesn’t need your help. Also, I’m making money on my own. If you don’t take care of your health, I’m going to close down the shop!” Rayna said.
“All right. Fine. I’ll take care of myself from now on.” Linda liked the shop a lot, so when she heard Rayna was threatening to close it down, Linda dared not say another word to defend herself. “From now on, I’ll make less food and rest in the afternoon. Ar e you happy now?”
Rayna’s expression eased up when she heard that
The two of them were taking the elevator to go downstairs. When the doors to the elevator opened, a doctor and a few nurses were exiting the elevator.
The doctor walked past Rayna, but he suddenly halted in his tracks Upon turning his head to look at Ra yna, the doctor said, “Hey! Didn’t you send an unconscious female patient here the last time around?”
Rayna gazed at him for a while and found him familiar She only remembered who he was after a while. “I
remember you! You’re Dr. Walker. Back then, I was the one who sent the unconscious patient here.”
I knew it! The doctor said, “It’s really you.”
“Do you need me for something?” Rayna asked.
“Yes. Wait here.”
The doctor told Rayna to wait before dashing toward his office.
Rayna was worried that Linda could get tired from standing, so she told Linda to find a seat downstairs and wait for her.
Before Linda left, she was contemplating saying something to Rayna. Upon some hesitation, she leane d toward Rayna and whispered, “Honey, Dr. Walker seems okay, but isn’t he in his thirties already? He’ s older than Curtis. Don’t promise him anything, okay? Besides, being a doctor is dangerous. I think Cu rtis suits you better.”
Rayna was rather speechless upon hearing that. “That’s nonsense. The doctor isn’t making a move on me.”
“What? Does he have a photographic memory? He sees countless patients every day, no? How could he possibly remember you?”
“That’s enough. Go and sit in the lobby on the first floor.”
After getting rid of Linda, Rayna stood there and waited for a few minutes before she saw the doctor ru shing toward her with a box in his hands.
“This is something the patient left behind.” Kenny Walker passed the box to Rayna. “At that time, there wasn’t a single contact person in the patient’s file. Hence, we couldn’t get in touch with you. I’ve been k eeping this box until now.”
Feeling conflicted, Rayna answered, “I don’t have her number. In fact, I don’t even know her well.”
“You don’t know her?” Kenny froze momentarily and glanced at the box in his hands. “What should I do , then? This item is too valuable. If I keep it, I don’t think I can be responsible for it.”
“What did she leave behind?”
Kenny pulled Rayna to the side. Having ensured no one was around, he opened the box and said, “It’s a necklace. The moment I saw that gemstone, I knew the necklace could easily be worth a fortune. He nce, I got a box from the nurse to store it.”
Inside the box was a sapphire necklace. It looked exquisitely crafted, and the gemstone was sparkling under the light.
Rayna was astounded when she saw the necklace. Why do I feel like I’ve seen this necklace and the s apphire with such a high purity? Where have I seen this before?
After racking her brain for a bit, the sapphire ring suddenly came to Rayna’s mind. She quickly opened her bag and took out the ring to put it side by side with the necklace.
The pieces of jewelry were of the same design, and they obviously came in a set.
“Your ring definitely came in a set with the necklace!” Kenny wasn’t pleased. “You guys are friends, righ t? You’re messing with me!”
“T– The necklace…” Rayna’s hands were trembling as she stared at both pieces of jewelry. A realization ca me to her mind, but she couldn’t believe it. Could this be a coincidence? Perhaps the woman’s husban d bought the
necklace from an auction and gave it to her. Yes! Her husband, Kenneth, owns a famous company in Je out the ring as I was talking to Sandy, she got emotional when she saw the sapphire ring. Why was she
Kenny didn’t notice the change of expression on Rayna’s face. Since he had things to attend to, he gave the necklace to Rayna and said, “Since you guys are friends, you should return the necklace to her.”
Before leaving, Kenny remembered something, so he added, “By the way, I got the nurse to give that wo X–ray. We found a blood clot in her brain, and it’s damaging her nerves.”
Rayna’s pupils constricted. “A blood clot?”
“Yes. It’s a small one, but it’s damaging the nerves. That’s something serious. It could cause her to lose her memories. In serious cases, it could even prove fatal.
With that, Kenny left in a hurry.
Rayna stood rooted to the spot for a long time, and the doctor’s words rang in her head repeatedly. Whe
Rayna was feeling restless when she looked at the necklace. The moment the elevator doors opened, she got out of there as fast as she could. Before she could reach Linda, her phone rang.
As she was sprinting forward, she picked up the phone. “What is it, James?”
“Rayna, I found something,” James answered.
Rayna froze in her tracks and asked softly, “What did you find?”
“Maybe I should go to you. It’s not something I should say over the phone.” James was hesitant to speak. In a solemn tone, he added, “I’ve just gotten
“No.”
Rayna pursed her lips. She was feeling anxious, and something in her told her not to question James fu
“Rayna, you should brace yourself.”
“Okay”
James kept silent for a few seconds before saying, “I’ve just received this information. I found out that X
Chapter 325
Thud! Rayna’s phone fell to the ground.
Rayna froze in shock. What I thought was a possibility turned out to be the truth! I’m so angry now, but t here’s nothing I can do about it.
Her mind then went blank, and she didn’t know what to do next.
At the same time, her limbs went cold as she stood motionless for quite a while. After that, she took a deep breath and composed herself before picking up the phone. At that point, the phone call was still ongoing.
She placed the phone by her ear and uttered calmly, “Keep going. I’m listening.”
“I looked into an old housekeeper that used to work for the Terblanc family, and she said Xandra wasn’t happy after getting married to Boniel. It was almost as if Boniel just wanted to force her to stay with him. Eventually, Xandra gave birth to a child. When she was out one day, her car suddenly exploded. E veryone said she was dead, but she actually escaped from the fire.” James paused before continuing, “Kenneth rescued Xandra and brought her back to Jetr oina. I found out that Kenneth had then spent an enormous amount of money at a private beauty salon in Jetroina…”
Right then, Rayna finally had a grasp of the situation. “Since she has a blood clot in her brain, she most probably lost her memory. Kenneth change d her surname and married her, right?”
Sandy remembered the set of jewelry she received from her husband back then, so she grew emotiona l when she saw the sapphire ring.
James hummed in response and breathed, “She gave birth to a daughter when she was with Kenneth. Her daughter’s name is Naomi G ardner. She and Mr. Faymon are half–siblings of the same mother but different fathers. Also-”
“This is ridiculous and unthinkable!” Rayna interrupted. While gradually squatting down, she voiced, “How could this be?”
She had thought about the relationship between Curtis and Jefferson before, but she didn’t expect thin gs to turn out this way.
All of a sudden, Rayna felt horrible, and she couldn’t help but sob. Her voice even turned hoarse when she said, “I regret it so much. I shouldn’t have asked you to look into this matter.”
Indeed, things took a shocking turn.
“This information is kept well– hidden, and I had to jump through hoops to loops to get my hands on it. Now that I have all the informat ion, I can burn them, and everything’s going to be all right. We’re the only ones who have knowledge of it, Rayna.”
“Sandy knows it as well, Rayna breathed.
“She went to look for Mom a few times. The blood clot in her brain must’ve been removed, and she had regained her memory” Rayna added. No wonder. When Sandy gave me the talisman that day, she had a petty look in her eyes.
“Will she tell others?” James asked.
“I don’t think so,” Rayna answered flatly.
Sandy regained her memory and knew that Curtis was her son. However, she didn’t dare to find either t he Faymon family or Curtis. Instead, she could only look for Rayna and observe from a distance.
“In that case, everything should be fine.” In a deep voice, James said, “I’ll destroy the information. I kne w you wouldn’t be able to take it, and I shouldn’t have told you. I’m sorry, Rayna.”
Rayna stared at the tiles she was standing on and answered, “I was the one who told you to investigate the matter. If anything, I’ m at fault. Once you destroy the information, everything’s going to be fine.”
James hummed in response. “Rayna, nothing changes. Mr. Faymon is still Mr. Faymon. Although he’s r elated to them by blood, they’re nothing but strangers to each other.”
“I understand. Bye.”
Rayna was shivering when she hung up the phone. Right then, tears were streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. As she cried silently, a pool of tears quickly formed on the tiles beneath her feet.
She was feeling so terrible that she could barely breathe. At that moment, she wanted nothing more tha n to forget all the things she had just learned. The two of them never interacted with each other, and yet , they’re brothers. How could that be?
“Rayna.”
Rayna vaguely heard someone calling her name repeatedly. As the voice became clearer, she raised h er head and saw Linda and Jessica walking toward her.
Rayna quickly wiped away her tears and stood up..
Linda knew Rayna had been crying, so she asked worriedly. “Why are you crying, Honey?”
“I’m fine.” Rayna forced a smile and looked at Jessica before asking, “Why are you here?”
It seemed like Jessica had gotten there in a hurry because she was still panting. Besides, her expressi on was grim. “I called you, but your phone was engaged. Hence, I called Ms. Linda and came to the ho spital to look for you. Rayna, I have something to tell you.”
“I’ve already taken my prescription, and I’m feeling fine. I’ll go home first, so you girls can talk,” Linda s aid.
“I’ll wait for the taxi with you,” Rayna offered.
“That won’t be necessary. It’s just a few hundred meters away, and I’m not that old yet.” Linda patted R ayna’s hand and left without giving Rayna a chance to talk.
Rayna then brought Jessica to a quiet corner in the lobby.
Having cried just moments ago, Rayna felt her nose was still stuffy when she asked in her hoarse voice, “Why were you in such a hurry to find me? What’s up?”
Jessica glanced at her and stayed silent for a few seconds. “Are you not curious about something? Wh en I was staying with you, you didn’t know Mr. Faymon well, and you didn’t even know Wyatt. Do you k now why I approached you?”
Rayna’s heart raced, and her palms started sweating when she saw how hesitant Jessica was when the
“Does this have anything to do with Jefferson?” Rayna asked.
Jessica hummed and lowered her head. “Back then, after my sister and my parents died, I was at my wi
“I see. You’re working for Jefferson,” Rayna mumbled. I found it weird too. Why did Jessica stay with me
“I’m sorry, Rayna. I’m willing to let you scold me and beat me up for betraying your trust. However, I nee
The information Rayna had received within the past hour had been overwhelming.
However, she endured it and asked coldly, “What are you trying to say?”
“Jefferson has a bodyguard, Ringo. I got some information from him, and it’s about you and Jefferson. Did you know why Jefferson overreacted back then?” Jessica paused and continued, “That was because Cyrus found out Jefferson cared about you, and Cyrus wanted to kill you.”
Rayna’s expression changed slightly.
“In fact, Cyrus wanted to destroy everything Jefferson liked. Back then, Jefferson didn’t get the Terblanc
“Why didn’t he tell me?” Rayna’s voice was hoarse, and her eyes were teary. “Why did he have to take everything upon him
Jessica shook her head. “That’s not it. He just didn’t want you to get worried and get scared. He wanted
Rayna stared at Jessica and asked, “What?” She felt her limbs going weak, and she could barely stand.
“Not only did he come to Norwal City to see you, but he was also looking for Ixora, that plant that could regenerate cells in human bodies. Ixora could help him. plants. A few times, he got so agitated that he vomited blood and fainted. The doctor told him to rest so that he could live for another year. However
Chapter 326
Chapter 326 Despicable Man
“Stop talking! That’s enough!” Rayna clutched her heart. It’s hurting so badly. It’s as if I just got stabbed in the heart. I can’t take it anymore… Those truths and that man’s feelings for me… He’s so foolish! We’ve already broken up. Why did he have to do all those things? Why did he have to come and find me?
Even though no tears were shed, she was choking up when she said, “Why did you have to come here? Why did you have to tell me all of this? Why did you guys have to expose me to all these cruel truths on the same day? I don’t want to know! I don’t want to know about anything!” She squatted down and hugged her own knees. How I wish I hadn’t known Jefferson when I was studying abroad, hadn’t joined Faymon Group after coming back to the country, hadn’t married Julian, hadn’t gotten cheated on by Julian, and hadn’t known Curtis!
Instead of uttering another word, Jessica merely squatted down and accompanied Rayna in silence.
With her shoulders trembling, Rayna buried her head between her knees. After a long while, she raised her gaze toward Jessica and asked spitefully and weakly at the same time, “Where is he now?”
“That’s the reason I came to look for you.” Jessica closed her eyes and said solemnly, “Cyrus gave Jefferson a document and told Jefferson that his mother is still alive. Cyrus wants Jefferson to give up on the Terblanc family’s inheritance. Jefferson’s mother married Kenneth, so that makes Dorothy Jefferson’s sibling. Jefferson came to Norwal City to find Sandy, but she ended up stabbing him a dozen times.”
Upon hearing that, Rayna almost ran out of breath. While clutching Jessica’s shirt tightly, Rayna asked, “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know,” Jessica answered. “He called Ringo and told him to get the police to turn a blind eye. After that, he has been unreachable. Ringo summoned all the help he could get and searched for Jefferson for two days. They still can’t locate him. In the end, Ringo could only ask me to look for you. He said you would surely know.”
“So when Ringo called me that day, Jefferson had already gone to see Sandy.” Rayna’s lips trembled when she said, “That selfish Boniel kept Sandy to himself by force. Of course, Sandy hates Jefferson. So… S-So… Where is he now? Where could he be?”
Rayna burst into tears and grabbed Jessica’s arm tightly. “With the state of his body, where could he have gone? Tell me…” Although Rayna was asking Jessica, she was also asking herself the same question.
Eyes reddened, Jessica comforted Rayna by saying, “He’s going to be fine. You know how much he likes you. Besides, he said he’s not done preparing your gift. He won’t abandon you.”
“I want to look for him. Wherever he is, I must find him!” Rayna anxiously pushed Jessica aside and wanted to stand up. However, her legs had gone numb because she had been squatting for a long time. daily new chapters upload only on alaniniz(dot)com Hence, she almost ended up falling to the ground.
Jessica wanted to hold Rayna, but the latter shoved her aside and staggered out of the hospital.
Rayna hailed a taxi and got into the car. For some reason, she was crying uncontrollably. Her tears then dripped down and drenched the screen of her phone.
She kept calling Jefferson, but she couldn’t get through to him.
She even called Ringo, but no one picked up the phone. It was also possible that Ringo just didn’t want to answer her phone call.
When she arrived outside Jefferson’s office, Rayna rushed out of the car and ran inside. She recklessly bumped into a few people along the way and got coffee spilled on her body.
In tears, she arrived at the reception and asked, “Your CEO… I-Is Jefferson here?”
The receptionist jumped in alarm and stammered, “M-Mr. Hamilton hasn’t been here for a long time, but the vice CEO is here. Do you want me to make an appointment for you?”
He’s not here. That’s right. Why would he be here? Rayna dashed out of the building and got back into the taxi again. She racked her brain to figure out where Jefferson had visited upon arriving in Norwal City. She then told the taxi driver to drive to wherever she thought Jefferson could be.
Rayna searched for him till night fell. By then, she had cried out all her tears, and her feet were bleeding due to the friction with her high heels. Where is he? With the state he’s in, where could he have gone?
Rayna gazed at the surrounding high-rise buildings in a daze. There was a lot of traffic, and all passers-by seemed to be in a hurry. Some of them were smiling, while some looked sad. Yet, she didn’t see the person she was looking for.
As she stood there, she swept a glance at her surroundings. Soon, the noises she heard gradually toned down. In the end, she heard nothing but silence.
Right then, she managed to calm herself down. What’s Jefferson’s brother’s name again? Is it Cyrus Terblanc? Did he find out that Sandy had escaped from the fire and was rescued by Kenneth? Did he know Jefferson and Dorothy are siblings? Is that why he sent Dorothy to Jefferson? Is he looking forward to watching the siblings kill each other? Since he’s so well-informed, does he know that Sandy has a family of her own? Does he know Curtis is Sandy’s son? Does he know that?
Countless questions were surfacing in Rayna’s mind. That man, Cyrus Terblanc, he’s frightening. That man is a devil! He likes to scheme against others. Surely, he knows about everything. He hates Jefferson, but he refuses to end Jefferson’s life. Instead, he told Jefferson the truth bit by bit and tortured Jefferson to death!
All of a sudden, a man popped up in Rayna’s head. That blue-eyed blonde man with an impeccable smile and haughty gaze. On the day of the tender, that man, Arnaud, suddenly came to flirt with me in fluent Chanaean. When I was leaving, he told me he had a present for me. What present? Wait! I remember something! After I left the tender event, I found out Mom had fallen down, so I went to the library to check the surveillance footage. At that time, someone logged in to my WhatsApp. Soon after that, something happened to Curtis at the club. Curtis told me he came to me after receiving my text. Stephanie said Jefferson told her to do that, but Jefferson wouldn’t do something like that. Could it be? Could that be Arnaud’s present to me?
After Rayna cleared the doubts in her mind and connected the dots, a realization dawned upon her, and she was flabbergasted. So Arnaud, the man who spoke fluent Chanaean is actually Jefferson’s brother, Cyrus Terblanc! He arrived in Norwal City a long time ago, and he deliberately went to the tender event to talk to me. After saying what he had to say, he just sat back and enjoyed the show. Who is the show for, though?
The scene of Curtis dismantling the surveillance cameras came to Rayna’s mind. She was breathing heavily and clenching her fists so hard that she dug her nails into her palms. Even so, she didn’t feel any pain. The show was for Jefferson. I’m going to kill Cyrus! That man is despicable, wicked, and vicious!
Chapter 327
Chapter 327 Where Would He Be
Rayna took a deep breath and told herself to hang in there.
She removed her heels which were almost glued to the back of her feet. The pain of pulling the heels away from her flesh made her frown deeply, but she remained silent and pursed her lips.
She had been searching for Jefferson high and low in Norwal City for a few hours, but he was still nowhere to be found.
Where would he be?
At that moment, a young man walked past Rayna and felt sympathetic for her upon seeing her wretched state. He gave her a pack of wet tissue and said, “I don’t know what happened, but please take it if you need it.”
Hearing his words, Rayna felt a hint of dryness on the skin of her face and remembered putting on makeup in the morning before going out. But, after crying for a day, her makeup had smudged.
She took the wet tissue and replied in a hoarse voice, “Thanks.”
Seeing the bunch of green roses the man was holding, Rayna was lost in her thoughts. The roses gave out a faint floral scent.
“What a lovely bunch of green roses.”
“Yes, they are. However, they are hard to come by. The green roses in Norwal City are from Hallsbay.” Although the man was complaining, he sounded joyful. “My girlfriend loves green roses. I bought a bunch of them online because today’s her birthday. It took me a day to receive them.”
Rayna’s eyes constricted. “Are there plenty of green roses in Hallsbay?”
The young man replied in confusion, “Don’t you know that? The earth at Hallsbay is moist, making them the perfect breeding ground for such delicate flowers. The day when green roses bloom in Hallsbay is celebrated as the local’s Valentine’s Day.”
Valentine’s Day?
Rayna remembered running into a young couple at the subway the last time she went to Hallsbay with Jefferson.
The young couple told her there was a festive occasion in Hallsbay that day. Moreover, the girl gave her a pink candy and asked Jefferson to get a green rose himself.
So it was the local’s Valentine’s Day of Hallsbay that day.
Rayna began breathing heavily and probed, “How much do you know about Valentine’s Day? Can you tell me the details?”
“On that day, a boy will take a green rose and ask the girl, ‘May I?’ If the girl says yes, it means she’s willing to date the boy, and she will give her milk candy to him. It is the same for a girl to use a milk candy and ask a boy the same question. This festival matches thousands of couples and makes it to the local news annually,” the man answered.
That’s why Jefferson looked overjoyed when he got the pink milk candy from me. He knows all along. That foolish man! How can he be so silly? He’s only deceiving himself!
Rayna cursed furiously deep down. She covered her mouth tightly, not wanting others to view her as a laughingstock. Yet, tears still rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably as her shoulders shook.
Hallsbay! Hallsbay!
She suddenly remembered Jefferson bringing her to a manor at Hallsbay. At that time, he told her that he had bought the manor and wanted to live there.
Will he be at the manor?
The man panicked after seeing Rayna bursting into tears all of a sudden. “Hey… Are you all right? I don’t mean to bring up unhappy memories of yours. Sorry.”
“I’m fine. Thank you.” She wiped away her tears and thanked him wholeheartedly.
If she did not notice the green roses in his hands, it would take her forever to remember she had been to Hallsbay.
After expressing her gratitude, she hailed a taxi and headed to the airport.
On the way there, she gave Gabriel a phone call. “Mr. Tylinski, call the airline companies and ask if they can provide me with a private flight. I will depart once I reach the airport.”
“What?” Gabriel was taken by surprise. “Where are you going, Mrs. Faymon?”
“I have something to do. Please help me contact them. I’m counting on you, Mr. Tylinski.” Rayna grabbed her phone tightly and pleaded, “I don’t care how much it will cost.”
Gabriel realized it was a serious matter and hurriedly answered, “I will contact them now. Are you looking for a domestic or international flight?”
“A domestic flight. I’m going to Hallsbay.”
“Hold on.”
Upon reaching the airport, she received a call from Gabriel telling her that her flight had been arranged.
She then sped to the boarding counter of the airline company Gabriel mentioned and told the staff her name. Soon, they led her to the apron, where she got on a small aircraft.
Late at night, they finally arrived at Hallsbay Airport.
When the taxi left the airport’s parking lot, Rayna noticed it was raining in Hallsbay, and the air was chilly and moist. The rain droplets made the car windows blurry.
She took out her phone and searched for the street names in her memories. Not long after, she found the answer she wanted.
After half an hour, the taxi arrived at the destination. Rayna got out and looked at the manor illuminated by the streetlights. The garden that used to grow camellias was now bare, and the whole place was enveloped in a bleak atmosphere.
How did it end up like this? What happened?
Without thinking twice, she rushed into the manor under the heavy rain. By the time she reached the building, she was completely soaked.
Just when she wondered if she should ring the doorbell, she discovered the door was not locked and could be pushed open easily. A hint of coldness greeted her instantly, giving her the chills. Though her fingers were trembling due to the cold, she still entered the manor.
It was pitch-black and eerie inside, and no one would want to linger there one second more than one needed to.
Rayna turned on her phone’s flashlight and shone the light at every corner of the room. “Jefferson,” she shouted.
However, only her breathing and footsteps could be heard.
“You are here, aren’t you? Let me see you, Jefferson.” Her voice choked. “I’m sorry… Can you come out so we can meet?”
She scoured the house for traces of Jefferson, but she still could not find him.
After a whole day of searching, she was already exhausted, and she still could not find him despite traveling all the way here. Perhaps he has closed off himself in a closed-up space, reluctant to be seen.
Exiting the house, she suddenly remembered an attic behind the manor. Without any hesitation, she rushed to the back of the estate and saw a flight of spiral staircases being washed by the rain.
Walking up the stairs while grabbing the handrail, she pushed open the door that appeared before her lightly.
The flashlight of her phone illuminated the attic. It was not spacious, and Rayna could vaguely see a figure on the bed beside the floor-to-ceiling window.
Enduring the urge to cry, she entered the room with light steps and approached the bed.
Jefferson sat with his back facing the door, curling into a ball. The bandages around his body were stained red with blood, and a metallic scent of blood lingered in the air.
He’s fine, and his breathing is stable.
After ensuring his safety, she sat beside the bed and held his hand, which was icy cold. “Sorry, I’m late… Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Jefferson remained silent. In the attic, only the sound of their breathing could be heard.
Tears welled up in Rayna’s eyes as she sobbed, “Please, talk to me… I’m worried sick.”
She was on the brink of losing her mind after searching for him for the whole day.
After a long wait, Jefferson finally spoke in a deep voice. “My mother’s not dead. I’ve met her… She looked at me with hatred and cursed me for being alive. Camellia was never her favorite, and she had never written to me. It was all a dream my father had made up. She hated me and wished for my death.”
His flat and lifeless tone was oppressive. “Tell me. Why should I live? Isn’t it better for me to die?”
Tears streamed down Rayna’s face as she opened her arms wide to hug him. “No, it’s not. She gave you life, but you are the one who decides your fate. You live only for yourself.”
Chapter 328
Chapter 328 It Was Me First
“I lived for myself,” he mumbled, the desolation in his voice audible. “But I… I don’t have anything anymore. Everything’s just an illusion.”
My father’s words were an illusion, the letters were an illusion, and my mother’s gentleness was an illusion.
Those illusions had accompanied him for over twenty years, and they were what supported him to keep living. Those illusions were his courage, but now, he had lost everything. He was standing in the dark all alone.
No one needed him anymore.
“You do. You still have me.” His tone ached Rayna’s heart. “I’m not an illusion. I’m always by your side. Touch me if you don’t believe my words.”
She then grabbed his hands and placed them on her cheeks. The coldness of his skin made tears spring to her eyes.
Jefferson finally relaxed and turned around.
Even with the dim lights, Rayna could no longer find the light in his blue eyes. It seemed as if he had died on the inside.
She trembled as she held the man’s hand, and she parted her lips a few times before stammering, “Jefferson, don’t do this… Say something… Say anything… Don’t do this…”
She was frightened to see him like that.
He was young, and he should be full of life. He should be prideful and not have soulless eyes.
It was still raining heavily outside, and the raindrops pattered against the window rhythmically. The icy, humid air seeped into the attic through the half-opened door.
Rayna’s tearful and melancholic face was reflected in Jefferson’s eyes, and he stared at her for a long while.
The silence in the attic was deafening.
After what seemed like forever, the man gently moved his hand on Rayna’s face and whispered, “I was the one who met you first, and I was the one to fall for you first, so why did you end up falling for someone else?”
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Rayna did not know what else to say but to keep repeating those three words. As she held his hands tightly, she said, “I’m right here. I won’t be going anywhere anymore.”
Rayna could see that he had not changed his bandages for a long time and that he had a deathly pallor. She did not know what would happen to him if she did not change his bandages and reapply his medication.
Maybe he never thought of leaving after coming here.
The thought of that tightened Rayna’s throat.
As she unlocked her phone, she softly said, “I’ll get the doctor to come and treat your wound. Didn’t you say that you have a gift for me? I’m looking forward to receiving that gift.”
“Do you still need it?”
“I do,” she answered. “I love every gift you gave to me, and I’ve kept them all properly. I love camellia, so give me more of them, okay?”
Even though he knew she was probably lying, he could not help but accept her words as they were.
“Okay.”
Rayna then contacted Hallsbay’s best doctor and informed him about the patient’s current condition and address. She also told him to come in an hour’s time and that she would pay any price he wanted.
After ending the call, she continued coaxing Jefferson. She told him that the attic was too cold, so she draped the coat over their heads and led him into the house before turning on the lights and the heater.
Jefferson stayed seated on the couch in silence, and his eyes lowered the entire time.
Forty minutes later, the doctor came. Fearing that he would not be able to handle the situation alone, he brought a nurse with him.
After entering the house, the doctor did a checkup for Jefferson. His expression turned grim as he said, “The wound has bled again, and it’s sticking with the gauze. I’m afraid it’ll be a little difficult to remove the bandage.”
A nervous look crept upon Rayna’s face at that. “Is it very bad?”
“No,” the doctor answered. By then, he had already worn his glove and had instructed the nurse to prepare the medication. “But it’ll hurt, and he’ll have to bear with the pain for a while.”
Rayna then reached out to hold Jefferson’s hand before muttering, “It’ll hurt a little, so bear with it for a while, okay? I’ll be right by your side, and if it hurts too much, you can bite my arm.”
Jefferson shook his head. “I can’t bring myself to do that.”
The doctor took a sterilized pair of scissors and slowly cut away the bandages around Jefferson’s body.
When the gauze fell, Rayna saw the innermost layer sticking to the wound. It had turned into a dark shade of red, and it looked dirty. It was a frightening sight.
In the next second, a cold hand covered her eyes.
“Don’t look.”
Rayna’s heart lurched painfully, but she tamped down the pain and hummed in response.
Although she could not see anything, she knew it had to hurt when the doctor separated the gauze from the wound, for Jefferson’s arms were shaking, and his repressed groans had traveled into her ears.
After what seemed like forever, the hand covering Rayna’s eyes moved away. It was then she saw that Jefferson had new bandages, and the doctor was packing up.
After writing the medical report, the doctor passed the paper to Rayna.
“I’ve brought some medication according to the symptoms you’ve told me, but his condition is more severe than what you’ve described. Get these medications from the pharmacy tomorrow. Remember to change his gauze and check his wound every day, and make sure he takes his meds on time. He’ll be on a liquid diet for the month, and he has to stay away from spicy food, tobacco, and alcohol.”
“Thank you.”
The doctor was detailed in his explanation, and Rayna did not have any questions to ask. After paying the doctor, she escorted him and the nurse out of the house.
Filling a glass of warm water, she then passed the glass and the medicine to Jefferson. “Get a good sleep after taking your meds.”
Jefferson silently took the medicine.
Rayna then helped him to the bedroom. Right as she was about to turn on the lights, Jefferson placed a hand on her hand and said, “I don’t like the light.”
“Okay, I won’t turn them on, then.”
There was light filtering through the windows, and Rayna could see all the pieces of furniture in the room. Thus, without needing to turn on the lights, she navigated him to the bed and tucked him in.
Jefferson was almost entirely hidden in the shadows. Only his blue eyes remained visible as he gazed at her.
In a hoarse voice, he asked, “Will you be here too?”
Rayna was about to tell him that she was going to rest in the living room, but when her eyes met his, her heart ached again. Hence, she lay beside him, their bodies separated by the blanket. “Mhm. I’ll be here. I won’t leave.”
It was only then Jefferson closed his eyes.
Rayna closed her eyes, too, but she never slept.
After hearing the steady breathing beside her, she opened her eyes again and turned to look at Jefferson’s side profile. She felt terrible for him.
If only he had told me all of these back then. We wouldn’t have missed each other.
Alas, there was no turning back.
Rayna did not sleep well that night. When she woke, it was dawn.
It seemed like Jefferson was exhausted recently, for he was still deep in his sleep. After a glance at him, she tiptoed out of the bedroom and ordered some food and insulating items online.
After tidying up the messy living room, the food she ordered arrived.
While Rayna made oatmeal, she called Ringo.
Indeed, her heart ached for Jefferson, but that was all. She had done everything she could the night before, and she was going to leave the reset to the people around Jefferson.
This time, the call went through just after one ring.
Rayna was the first to speak. “I found Jefferson. He’s at the manor he bought in Hallsbay. Do you know the address? He’s fine now, so come over.”
“Thank you,” Ringo said, sounding tired. It sounded like he had been looking for Jefferson for a long time, and he was relieved to hear her tell him Jefferson was fine.
Nevertheless, Ringo told Rayna he could not make the trip. “Ms. Garland, I’m sure you know better than me what Mr. Hamilton needs right now.”
Rayna tightened her grip on her phone.
She knew that, and that was why she called Ringo.
What would she make of Curtis if she continued to take care of Jefferson like this?
Chapter 329
Chapter 329 Let Us Break Up
Right as Rayna was about to reject him, her phone vibrated. It was the sign of an incoming call.
Realizing Curtis was calling her, she told Ringo she had to pick up another call and ended her call with him.
Curtis’ deep voice crawled into her ear the moment she picked up the call. “I’ll be arriving at Norwal City Airport at ten in the morning. Will you be able to come back in time at noon? If you can’t, we’ll have dinner together instead.”
He found out from Gabriel that she was at Hallsbay, but he did not ask her why she was there for.
“Curtis…” Rayna sniffed. The truth had broken the dam of sorrow in her heart, and she did not know how she was going to word what she had found out to Curtis.
Ever since they made up with each other, they promised to share everything and not have any lies between them.
But should he know about that? He shouldn’t. Not even Jefferson should know about those matters.
Noticing how strange she sounded, Curtis softened his tone and said, “What’s the matter? Are you in trouble in Hallsbay? Do you want me to go there and bring you back?”
She did not answer him immediately; she only lowered her head and bit down hard on her lip as her eyes teared up.
How am I supposed to tell him this?
Right then, a pair of hands carefully embraced Rayna from the back before a head rested on the back of her neck.
The man’s voice was barely a whisper—it was more like a cry of a wounded animal. “Please… Please don’t leave me alone… I have nothing left now…”
Rayna remained frozen in her spot, but her tears rushed down her cheeks and landed on the dressing table.
Her eyes drifted toward the hand she propped against the table. There, a ring was on her ring finger.
The memories of her many encounters with Curtis until they became a couple, as well as the memories of him putting the ring on her finger on the cruise ship played again and again in her mind.
Without a doubt, she loved Curtis very much.
However…
Rayna pushed away her emotions and calmly said, “Curtis, let’s break up.”
“Rayna, do you know what you’re saying?” Curtis’ tone turned frigid immediately. It seemed like he was furious, and it also seemed like he was anxious. “Where are you in Hallsbay? I’ll come to you now.”
“I said, let’s break up,” Rayna repeated. “I’m sick of you. We’re not a match, and you’re not my type.”
However, Curtis only asked again, “Where are you in Hallsbay?”
“I’ll get Jessica to give you the ring and the present back. Let’s end this.”
With that, she quickly hung up on him, her tears flowing out of her eyes uncontrollably.
If Curtis finds out about the truth, he’s going to kill Jefferson. But Jefferson helped me out at my most difficult times. I resent what he has done, but I can’t sit on my hands either. Arnaud knew everything that had happened. daily new chapters upload only on alaniniz(dot)com He only wanted to reveal a little of the truth and watch us destroy each other. The only thing I can do now is to break up with Curtis to stop his nefarious plan from succeeding.
Jefferson pulled her over to him. When he saw the tears rolling down her face, he wiped the teardrops away with his thumb. It seemed like his determination was wavering, for he said, “If you love him that much and want to go back to his side…”
It was breaking his heart for him to see her in such pain.
As Rayna looked at the bandages on his chest, she forced a smile onto her face. “I don’t want to. I’ve already broken up with him. Go and sit in the living room. I’ll make breakfast for you.”
A light entered Jefferson’s eyes at that. He nodded and headed to the living room.
After recomposing herself, she swiftly prepared breakfast.
At the same time, she called Jessica and told her to send the gifts back to Gabriel. She also told Jessica to ask where Jeremy’s lab was at if that was possible, for she could not go back anymore.
In a low voice, Jessica asked, “What about Mr. Faymon?”
I’ve broken up with him,” Rayna told her in a flat tone. “Everything is Boniel Terblanc’s fault. Curtis is innocent, and so is Jefferson. I don’t want to see them trying to kill each other.”
“I think I’ve done wrong… I shouldn’t have done this to you by telling you about those things.”
“You were spying on me for Jefferson, and you betrayed the trust I had for you. However, telling me these things earlier has helped me avoid a war. You don’t owe me anything anymore.”
“Nana…” Jessica sounded like she was crying.
“If you feel bad for me, help me,” Rayna pleaded. “Jefferson shouldn’t only have three months left to live. If he dies, I’ll go mad.”
She had already wronged one man’s life, and she could not go through that again.
Jessica’s sobbing stopped. “If that’s what you want to do, then go ahead. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
Rayna then called James.
She knew the kind of person Curtis was; he would definitely send his men to find out where she was in Hallsbay. Thus, she asked James to help her buy a few hours’ time and told him about the meeting between Jefferson and Sandy.
When James heard that she had broken up with Curtis, he was silent for a while. Then, he said he would help her out and try not to let Curtis find out about her location.
Rayna was afraid that James alone would not be powerful enough to stop Curtis, and she knew how loyal Gabriel was to Curtis. After a while of contemplation, she called Cillian.
“Rayna, what’s up?” Cillian enthusiastically greeted.
“Are you still in Tyrandas?”
“Oh, I’m not. I’m at Yeringham,” Cillian said. “I’ve already settled that matter. Mr. Faymon sent me here to Yeringham to deal with other things, and wow, Yeringham is boring!”
A moment of hesitation later, Rayna asked, “Will you do something for me?”
“Rayna, don’t be such a stranger! We’re going to be a family soon,” Cillian loudly proclaimed. “There are many things I’d do for you!”
“I need you to keep these things a secret from Mr. Faymon and your cousin.”
“Huh?”
Rayna went on, “I’m afraid that my brother won’t have enough people to do these things, so I was thinking of asking you to help him out. But you must not tell Mr. Faymon about it, and you have to lie to him if he asks you anything about it. Can you still help me out?”
Cillian then tentatively asked, “Rayna, did you have a fight with Mr. Faymon?”
“It’s not a fight. We broke up.”
Cillian turned speechless at that.
“That’s… a little tough. I work for Mr. Faymon, and my cousin is his assistant. We both earn a living working under him. This will be equivalent to a betrayal…”
In a quieter voice, Rayna said, “I know this puts you in a difficult spot, but James will get rid of the contract for you. I’ll pay you whatever Mr. Faymon pays you, so you’ll be working for me from now on.”
Cillian then asked, “Rayna, can I know what you want to do?”
“Save someone.” Rayna’s heart skipped a beat again when she thought about what she had to do and what she wanted to do. “I don’t want Mr. Faymon to track me down, so I need your help.”
After a pause, she added, “Do you plan to get engaged with Roxanne?”
Cillian realized what Rayna was talking about. After hesitating for a while, he said, “Rayna, let’s not talk about money. Just get James to deal with my contract.”
“Thank you. I’ll handle your wedding with Roxanne when the time comes.”
“It’s too early to talk about marriage. She’s thinking of filming for another one or two years,” Cillian replied, flustered. “Go and deal with your matters, Rayna. I’ll contact James later.”
“Thank you.”
After Rayna ended the call, Curtis darkened his expression.
He had figured out that there was something up with Rayna during their earlier call. He could guess that she had to have encountered something to tell him that she wanted a breakup.
Chapter 330
Chapter 330 Do Not Terrorize Me Like This
The plane had already taken off at that instant, so the signal had been automatically cut off. Having no way of contacting Gabriel, Curtis could only give up.
Two hours later, the plane landed at Norwal City Airport. As soon as he exited the airport lobby and caught sight of Gabriel, who was there to pick him up, he went straight over and questioned, “Was there anything amiss with Rayna when she went to Hallsbay last night?”
While opening the car door for the man to get into the car, Gabriel quickly answered, “Mrs. Faymon looked exceedingly anxious and had seemingly cried, but she wouldn’t tell me anything, merely asking me to contact an airline to charter a plane.”
Out of worry, he told Curtis about Rayna’s trip to Hallsbay.
Judging from his expression, something must be wrong.
He stole a few glances at the man before he finally couldn’t help querying, “What happened, Mr. Faymon?”
“She broke up with me. Have someone investigate where exactly in Hallsbay she is right now. Also, prepare a plane, for I’m going to Hallsbay,” Curtis ordered with a dark expression on his face without getting into the car.
Meanwhile, Gabriel was still stupefied by the man’s earliest utterance. “Mrs. Faymon… broke up with you? Why?”
“Would I still be standing here if I f*cking knew why? Did you hear what I said earlier?” Curtis’ temper spiked.
“Yes! I’ll have someone investigate her location immediately!” Giving his back to the man, Gabriel started making the call. At the same time, he took out his other phone from the car and chartered a private plane.
A few minutes later, he reported, “I’ve gotten her location. Cillian has returned from Yeringham, so I’ll have him fly you to Hallsbay.”
That had a frown marring Curtis’ countenance. “Why is he back?”
Rubbing his face, Gabriel replied awkwardly, “He said there’s nothing in Yeringham, and it’s too much of a torment for him to stay there.”
“Never mind! Tell him to make it fast!” Impatience and anxiety swamped Curtis.
If it weren’t for the fact that he was still exhausted to the core from the grueling meeting, he would simply fly himself over to Hallsbay.
The two of them went to the apron to wait. Soon, the private plane arrived.
“Mr. Faymon, Gabriel,” Cillian greeted the two men, feeling a tad guilty before them, especially Curtis.
After all, he was under the latter’s employ, but he ended up switching sides midway to work for Rayna.
He initially wanted to make up an excuse and decline when he received the call from Gabriel to accompany Curtis to Hallsbay. However, James urged him to agree, claiming it would allow them to keep tabs on the man’s movements.
Is James not at all afraid that I’d give the game away?
Gabriel turned around, only to notice Cillian spacing out. Smacking the latter on the head, he barked, “Stop daydreaming! Didn’t you see that Mr. Faymon has already boarded the plane? How are you
going to pilot the plane in such a state?”
Not daring to gainsay him, Cillian merely rubbed his aching head and climbed onto the plane swiftly.
The plane had auto-pilot and headed to Hallsbay according to the flight plan. Even as Cillian sat in the front, he could sense a wealth of chilliness permeating the small cabin.
The temperature dropped significantly.
Giving a cough, he broke the silence by venturing, “Why are you going to Hallsbay, Mr. Faymon?”
All he got in response from Curtis were two words—”Shut up.”
Cillian promptly fell silent.
In no time, the private plane arrived in Hallsbay and landed on a helipad on the top floor of a particular hotel.
The instant Cillian glimpsed the name of the hotel, he recognized it as one of the fake locations prepared by James.
Even back when he returned to Norwal City to look for James, the latter had already infiltrated Faymon Group’s intelligence team’s system, thereby aware of their every move. That aside, the man used the loophole to provide them with fake information and locations.
At that thought of the man’s incredible skills, goosebumps rose all over Cillian.
He silently reminded himself, Of all people, I can’t ever offend him. He’s really too terrifying!
Since it was a fake location, the receptionist indicated that there wasn’t any woman named “Rayna Garland” staying in the hotel for the past few days when Curtis put the question to her.
With a grim expression on his face, Curtis phoned Gabriel.
A few minutes later, he went with Cillian to the newly-investigated location in search of Rayna.
But still, he didn’t find her.
Subsequently, the entire process repeated itself all over again.
They went to three hotels consecutively, but all the receptionists denied having heard of Rayna’s name or seen her. Some hotels even supplied them with surveillance footage.
By then, Curtis’ face had darkened frightfully, turning as black as thunder. Nonetheless, he had also discerned something off with it all.
Beside him, Cillian was overwhelmed with unease.
Crap! What should I do now? He ended up empty-handed after all three trips, and he’s currently looking all ominous. Will he suspect me? And was there any flaw with my acting skills?
While his heart was lodged in his throat, Curtis unexpectedly walked over to him. The sense of oppression was so great that Cillian broke into a cold sweat and teetered on the verge of lifting his hands in surrender, his legs trembling violently.
F*ck! Did James destroy my contract with Faymon Group?
“M-Mr. Faymon… just ask me whatever questions you have. Don’t terrorize me like this,” he stammered, unable to hold himself together as Curtis was truly too petrifying then.
“Lend me your phone. Mine is running out of battery and won’t last the time needed for me to make a call,” Curtis growled impatiently.
Phew! It turned out that he wants to borrow my phone!
Breathing a sigh of relief, Cillian hastily took out his phone and handed it to the man. “You should’ve said that earlier, Mr. Faymon. You scared me so badly that I almost peed my pants. Here, use it however long you want.”
At that, Curtis frowned and commented disdainfully, “Why are you so cowardly when you’re working for me? How embarrassing!”
Struck speechless, Cillian silently hung his head and stood at the side.
He could vaguely hear the man seemingly giving someone a call and ordering the person to investigate something.
Upon hearing Curtis addressing the other person as Wyatt, he jumped in fright.
Godd*mn it! Isn’t that his buddy, Wyatt Lopez? He’s also an expert in computers. Even the police ask him for help sometimes when their intelligence system is inadequate. Is James his match?
Sweat dotted his forehead. When the man had ended the call, he made to retrieve his phone.
Alas, Curtis asserted, “Lend it to me for a while. I’m waiting for news. I’ll compensate you when we go back. What’s the matter? Do you need it urgently?”
“N-Not at all.” Cillian retracted his hand, giving up on the notion of alerting James about the matter.
He was afraid that he would get caught by Curtis before he could even send the information out.
Thus, he could only pray that James’ computer skills were above Wyatt’s.
After receiving the text message from Wyatt, Curtis whirled around and headed out. Cillian trailed behind him.
The two of them took a taxi to a manor in the suburbs. No sooner had they entered the house than Cillian faintly picked up the coppery scent of blood. The space was warm, so it seemed that the people living there had only left a while ago.
Could it be that Rayna was here previously?
He sneaked a look at Curtis before hanging his head, saying nothing.
Curtis picked up the scarf on the couch, convinced that the location was right.
He was certain Rayna had been there, for the scarf was one she had been wearing ever since returning from Jetroina.
Also scenting the coppery smell of blood that had yet to dissipate, he grew all the more anxious. Worried that something had happened to her, he went to look for the doctor and nurse they had tracked down together with Cillian.
When he arrived at General Hospital, he found the doctor and showed him Rayna’s picture.
It wasn’t until after ascertaining his identity did the doctor tell him about Rayna giving him a call last night, whereupon he went to a manor with his nurse and treated a man’s wounds.
Curtis’ pupils constricted, and he confirmed, “A man who was wounded?”
“Yes. He seemed to have been stabbed a dozen times and was severely wounded. He didn’t want the lady to see his wounds and even covered her eyes with his hand,” the doctor elaborated, casting his mind back to the events that transpired.
“What was his name?”
“Jefferson Hamilton, if I’m not mistaken. But judging from his features and azure eyes, I reckon he’s of mixed blood,” the doctor answered, missing the change in Curtis’ expression.
In an effort to validate the accuracy of the information, Curtis found a photo and showed it to the doctor. “Was this him?”
Studying the photo, the doctor stated firmly, “Yes, it was him!”
At that precise moment, Wyatt also called with the news that the manor was Jefferson’s property which was bought some time ago.
Curtis’ gaze darkened frightfully, and his aura turned exceedingly terrifying.