Ch. 371..380
Chapter 371
The Terblanc family had their own fashion designer who stayed on the east side of the manor. Thus, the housekeeper rode a buggy there to collect the clothes.
The gown’s design was regal and elegant. It had many layers, and the hem of the gown was heavy.
When the housekeeper noticed that Rayna had a slimmer waist, the former handed a corset to her. It stunned Rayna so much that her face turned pale. She refused it profusely and went ou t as quickly as she could after straightening the gown.
My babies would be in trouble if I were to wear it!
Upon walking out of the bedroom, Rayna finally realized that the second floor was huge. The walkway on both sides stretched so far that she was unable to see the end of them.
After stretching her wobbly legs, she took the walkway on her left.
Why do those big shots that have few children stay in such huge houses?
She continued mumbling to herself as she gazed upon the oil paintings hanging on the wall. Other than the amazing collection of Renaissance paintings, she also saw dozens of portraits painted in oil.
At first, there were portraits of two boys, one slightly taller than the other. The portraits by the oil painter were of the two boys either playing with each other or studying. Then, only one of the boys was drawn–a blue–eyed and black– haired boy. The older he got, the more good–looking he became.
Rayna recognized the black–haired and blue–eyed boy–he was Jefferson. It was then that she realized Arnaud was the other boy in several of the paintings portraying the two boys.
“Are you interested in oil paintings, Ms. Garland?” asked Arnaud as he stood opposite her. His sudden appearance and words had interrupted her from looking at the oil paintings.
“I can’t say that it’s my interest. But I think that the painter is quite talented.” After she gave him a side– long glance, she turned to look at the oil paintings again. “Every portrait made a strong impression on me.”
It felt as though Rayna could hear him sniggering in response. Subsequently, he walked toward her an d leaned closer to her. Even though he had a cold and grim gaze, he still managed to maintain the aura of a son coming from a prestigious family.
“I heard that Mr. Faymon went to the hotel to pick his sister up, and he even shot you. At the end of the day, she is still your sister–in– law. Don’t you feel sorry for her? Why aren’t you heading back to comfort her?”
“As there are only the two of us here, you don’t have to put on an act.” Rayna was calm and unperturbe d by his words. “I’m not worried as Mr. Faymon is there to accompany her. I don’t need to go back. Mor eover, I still have a very important thing to do.”
“Such as?”
She met his gaze and smiled. “You’re so interested in playing games. It’s only natural that I want to play them as well.”
Arnaud noticed that she was calm. She looked different than the woman who was provoked and becam e agitated over the phone the other day. Moreover, she sounded like she did not take him seriously. In f act, she acted as though she despised him very much.
His face contorted with anger. Subsequently, he grabbed her shoulders and flung her to the wall.
“Do you think that you can change anything after coming back with the illegitimate child?” While looking at her grimly, he edged closer to her. “I’m the one who set the rules for the game. You have to play acc ording to what I say.”
As he spoke, he felt something cold on his neck. It even left a stinging pain.
Rayna’s right clenched fist was raised. A ring, placed on her ring finger, had a small tiny needle inside. It was directed at his neck. If she were to move slightly, she would be able to pierce it through his skin.
She lifted her head to look at him. “If I hear you calling him an illegitimate son once again, don’t blame me for what I’m going to do next. You know very well that your father favors Jefferson. I, on the other hand, am Jefferson’s girlfri end. Let’s say you pass out, and I drag you into the room. I will then take off all your clothes. What will your father do when he sees us lying on the same bed?” she warned.
Arnaud further tightened his grip on her shoulder. “You are willing to sacrifice yourself, Ms. Garland.”
“I could say the same for you!” With a smile, she added, “As I’m an idiot, I’m no match for you, Mr. Cyrus. You’ve plotted so much in order to take over all Jeffers on’s connections.”
After a slight pause, she continued, “However, as the saying goes, the tables have turned. Now, the game is no longer under your control. The rules have changed.”
He narrowed his eyes grimly. “Don’t you care about your family and your younger sister anymore, Ms. Garland?”
Rayna panicked. However, she quickly recomposed herself and said calmly, “No one will fall for the sa me trick twice. Now that I’m here in Yartran with Jefferson, it’s obvious that I’ve planned everything in a dvance.”
“Are you sure you’re not afraid, Ms. Garland?”
“You can try.” She was still aiming the needle in her ring at his neck as she spoke.
“Belle!”
A woolen carpet covered the walkway. As such, it was normal for one not to make any sound when the y walk on it.
Therefore, Rayna only realized that Jefferson was already on the second floor after he called her name .
Meanwhile, Jefferson’s expression darkened when he saw Arnaud pinned her to the wall. He approached them quickly.
Once he was near, Arnaud quickly released his hand. The next moment, he watched Jefferson pull Ray na behind him. Jefferson looked at Arnaud coldly. It was as though the former wanted to seek justice fr om Arnaud.
“Well, your girlfriend here is impressive. After all, she had been with Mr. Faymon before.” Arnaud gave a faint smile and raised his hand to pat Jefferson on the shoulder. “She is much better than those wom en that require training after you start dating them.”
Jefferson tightened his fist quickly.
Rayna tugged on his hand. As she stared at Arnaud’s retreating back, she said in a low voice, “There’s no need for you to be angry. He’s trying to provoke you so that you will lose your cool”
Jefferson turned around and sized her up carefully. “Did he harass you?”
“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”
He noticed that she was looking rather pale and knew that she had vomited all the food because of her morning sickne ss. Thus, he intended to order the kitchen maid to cook something for her.
However, Rayna refused. She was worried that it might attract Arnaud’s attention..
As she was sleepy, she only chatted with Jefferson for a short while. After that, she went back to the bedroom that the housekeeper had prepared for her. She did not know how long she had been sleeping when she was woken up by someone.
Jefferson was sitting at her bedside. When he noticed that she had awakened, he helped her up. Then, he handed her table next to her bed and said, “I’m worried that you won’t wake up even if I knock on the door. Thus, I to
Rayna rubbed her eyes. She became hungrier the moment she smelled a sour and spicy aroma permea
“Didn’t I tell you not to go to the kitchen?”
“It’s fine. I dismissed the housekeeper from the kitchen and cooked this myself.” Jefferson handed a silv it. Please bear with this.”
She took the bowl and proceeded to eat the food. Once her stomach felt warm and comfortable, she sai
He shook his head. “No, he won’t. His room is at the end of the walkway. After he goes back to his room at night, he usually fact that you’re pregnant after asking you to come to Yartran with me.”
“I’m fine. You have to stop apologizing to me.” Rayna was nonplussed as she did not wish to see him ac my baby and me. If you didn’t stop me that time, I wouldn’t have my child anymore.”
He hummed in response before asking, “Have you taken the labor suppressants?”
“No, I haven’t. I was too sleepy and went to sleep right after I came back.”
He asked her where the labor suppressants were before walking away to pour her a glass of water. Handing her both the pills and the glass of water, he said, “Th
“Okay”
“Do you want to go to the hospital for a check–up? We can see if the children are healthy.”
Rayna hesitated for a short while before shaking her head with determination. “No, I don’t want to. Arnau
Having heard her remark, he did not persuade her anymore.
It was time to take the labor suppressants. He watched her taking them before he took the food tray and
her room.
Perhaps Rayna was too tired and sleepy. Instead of having nightmares like the last few days, she mana
Chapter 372
She heard someone knocking on her door when she exited the bathroom after washing up.
“I’m awake. What’s the matter?” Rayna asked politely.
The housekeeper replied, “Ms. Garland, please have your meal in the dining room, then head to Old Mr. Terblanc’s study. This is an order from Old Mr. Terblanc.”
“All right. I got it.”
Rayna didn’t want to wear the heavy dress yesterday, so she put on the clothes she had worn when she arrived. Upon entering the dining room downstairs, she saw Jefferson had already reached, and he was the only person there.
He walked over and pulled out a chair for her.
After Rayna took a seat, she asked him in an undertone, “It’s just us? Aren’t your dad and Arnaud having their meal?”
He poured her a glass of milk while answering halfheartedly, “My dad received a document before lunch and went upstairs in a rage. A short while later, he summoned Arnaud to his study too.”
“Is that the document you mentioned?”
“Yes.”
“That’s pretty fast.” Nevertheless, the situation was advantageous to them. Rayna added, “The housekeeper told me to go to your dad’s study after I finish my lunch. Will you be going as well?”
After seeing him nodding his head, Rayna grew impatient. “Let’s hurry up and eat, and then we can go and see Arnaud getting punished. This will decide whether we can acquire the right of inheritance.”
Taking in her adorable mien, Jefferson chuckled.
After finishing their lunch, they went to Boniel’s study together. Rayna witnessed Boniel giving Arnaud a hard slap across the latter’s face through the left-ajar door when she arrived at the entrance.
“B*stard! Didn’t I tell you not to meddle in this shady business? Are you turning a deaf ear to my warnings?”
Jefferson knocked on the door. “Dad, can we come in?”
“Come in!”
Upon entering the study, Jefferson and Rayna noticed the documents scattered across the floor. Boniel wore a furious expression, evidently just having vented his anger, while Arnaud stood before his father with his head lowered.
Jefferson picked up all the documents and asked, “Dad, what’s going on?”
“Have a look yourself!” Boniel tossed the file on the table to Jefferson and bellowed, “Your brother is resorting to unscrupulous methods to earn money. He’s even participating in shady business like this!”
Arnaud licked his numb lips and straightened his back. “Dad, things have changed now. The Philier family is also taking part in this business. Do you want to get cast aside by the other clans?”
“Shut your mouth!” Boniel slapped Arnaud again. “I’ve told you this. You can pull any scam or deception when doing business, but you’re forbidden from involving yourselves with this unethical dealing!”
Jefferson pretended to browse through the file before saying to Arnaud, “Arnaud, I know you’re trying to win more people’s support, but you’ve indeed made a mistake by going against Dad’s will in partaking in such business.”
Arnaud turned to look at Jefferson with his cold and malicious gaze. “Do you think I don’t know you’re behind this?”
“Mr. Cyrus, you can spew as much nonsense as you wish, but you can’t simply pin the blame on others.” Rayna waited for the right moment to speak. “You assume Calbert is framing you. Well, I think you tricked Calbert into giving up his right of inheritance.”
“You’re not qualified to speak here!” Arnaud snapped fiercely.
“Cyrus!” Boniel slammed the tabletop forcefully and roared, “She’s your brother’s girlfriend. Why are you shouting at a woman?”
Then, he swept his eyes across Jefferson and Arnaud. “You two are competing against one another more ferociously than those families with over ten male siblings. I’m being utterly shamed by you two!”
Jefferson and Arnaud fell silent.
Boniel placed his hands on his hips and paced around inside the study for a long while before he said to Jefferson, “Your brother’s mistake is unforgivable. I’ll give you another chance to regain the Terblanc family’s right of inheritance.”
Arnaud looked at Boniel. “Dad, you’re too biased toward him!”
Boniel sneered. “I’m being biased? Is his error as severe as yours? Or do you wish me to revoke your right of inheritance and gift the Terblanc family’s assets to someone else?”
Arnaud kept quiet and grimaced.
Jefferson took a step forward. “Dad, I will solve any difficulties to reclaim my right of inheritance.”
Boniel took out a document from the drawer of his desk. Then, he affixed his signature and handed it to Jefferson.
“The Tenth The King’s Party will be held in two months, and members of many families will be participating in the event. As long as everyone on this name list signs this document, I will announce your reclamation of the Terblanc family’s right of inheritance.”
He paused briefly and added, “I’m tired and wish to step down from the leadership position in the group. I’ll carry out a test in the future to assess which of you is more capable of taking over the Terblanc family. Of course, that is provided that you can regain the right of inheritance. Otherwise, I’ll only evaluate your brother since you won’t be qualified to share any part of the Terblanc family’s asset.”
Rayna furrowed her brows. I really don’t know if Boniel is biased toward Jefferson or if he’s trying to make things worse for the latter. After Arnaud becomes aware of this matter, he will undoubtedly devise plans to stop the politicians from signing the document. In this case, Jefferson will face much more obstacles in recovering his right of inheritance.
Jefferson received the document without hesitation and nodded. “Rest assured, Dad. I will accomplish this task.”
“That’s enough. All of you can get out now.”
Annoyed by the sight of his burdensome sons, Boniel chased them out of his study.
When Rayna was leaving the room, she unintentionally noticed the large oil painting hanging on the wall. The woman in the picture was beautiful, and her eyes twinkled kindly. She was none other than Sandy before she was disfigured.
Rayna thought hatefully. If it weren’t for Boniel’s ruthlessness in forcing himself on Sandy, Curtis wouldn’t have lost his parents. Curtis wouldn’t be related to Jefferson, and these bothersome problems wouldn’t have arisen.
Sensing her wobbly gait, Jefferson reached out to support her. “Are you feeling nauseous again?”
“I’m fine.”
Rayna’s heart ached when she met his concerned gaze. I shouldn’t have harbored that kind of thought just now. If Jefferson’s identity had been altered, we wouldn’t have met, and my life would’ve certainly become different. In that case, I wouldn’t have met the love of my life too.
“Jefferson, thank you.” She expressed her heartfelt gratitude. “If I didn’t encounter you in the past, I wouldn’t have met with Julian and all my other friends. Not to mention, all these events have made my life much more interesting and colorful.”
Upon hearing that, Jefferson felt a hint of desolation in his chest. He bore his blue eyes into her. “Me too.”
Still, he was filled with immense regrets because he had severed the possibility of them becoming a couple with his own hands, and there wasn’t any way for him to recover that anymore.
If he had known that time would change everything, he would never let go of her, no matter the price he had to pay.
“That’s enough. Let’s drop this topic.” Rayna pursed her lips as they walked forward side by side. She asked, “Is anyone on the name list who is on good terms with you?”
“There is, but…” He paused briefly while handing her the name list. “Most of the politicians are better acquainted with Arnaud. Aside from family background, networking also plays a critical role in this
circle. When I lost my right of inheritance, those politicians who were friendly with me have probably switched sides to butter Arnaud up.”
Rayna received the name list and browsed through the content. Her body shuddered when she saw the name at the bottom of the page. It’s Jeremy.
The King’s Party was a significant event among the elites of Yartran. Jeremy served Loang and was a well-known figure in the scientific research community. Hence, it wasn’t surprising for the organizer to invite him.
Noticing the frown on her face, Jefferson said, “Don’t worry, Belle. I am still the Terblanc family’s second born son, after all. Perhaps they’ll do me a favor if I pay them a visit.”
She shook her head. “I know you take enzyme inhibitors daily, and your body’s condition is improving. However, the doctor did mention negative emotions and fatigue will rapidly worsen your illness. Therefore, let me handle this.”
“No!” he refused coldly. “You’ve been overexerting yourself for my sake and almost suffered from miscarriage previously. I won’t let you shoulder this task alone this time anymore.”
Chapter 373
Since he insisted, Rayna had no choice but to give in. “All right, then. We’ll split this work in half.”
Jefferson finally smiled when he heard that.
Due to her pregnancy, Rayna got tired and dozed off after two hours of reading through the list of politicians.
By the time she woke up, it was already half past seven in the evening.
Jefferson then knocked on the door with a few sets of casual clothes in hand.
“Thanks.” Rayna was a little surprised by his level of attentiveness. Wow, he brought me these because he knows I don’t like fancy clothes?
While she was unfolding the clothes, she noticed the labor suppressants wrapped inside and glanced at Jefferson in shock. “So soon? Arnaud’s not going to notice, is he?”
“Ringo’s sister is pregnant, so she’s taking labor suppressants too. He had his sister buy these for him. I was worried that that little bottle of labor suppressants wouldn’t be enough,” Jefferson replied with a smile.
“Wait, he has a sister?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
Rayna scratched her head as she mumbled, “I thought he’d be a lone orphan like those bodyguards in movies. You get what I mean, right?”
Jefferson let out a chuckle when he heard that. “You’re really cute, Belle!”
Rayna shot him a fierce glare and protested, “Hey, stop laughing at me! I’m just a little ignorant, that’s all! I didn’t think I’d one day be sitting here in the Terblanc family manor!”
Her rosy red lips curled into a pout, and her relaxed posture gave her an alluring feminine charm.
Before he realized it, Jefferson had leaned in close and gently caressed her cheek. “Let’s get married, Belle.”
If the Terblanc family belongs to me, then I want you to become the lady of this household.
Rayna was so shocked by his sudden proposal that she just froze up. After taking a few seconds to regain her composure, she shoved him off and took a few steps back. “W-We should focus on contacting the politicians on the list so they’ll acknowledge you.”
Just like that, she had changed the topic without giving him an answer.
Although slightly disappointed, Jefferson still maintained a gentle look in his eyes. “Yeah, I know,” he replied with a nod and a smile.
The two of them then headed downstairs for dinner.
As it had already been a few hours, Boniel’s feelings of anger toward Arnaud had subsided. He stopped ignoring Rayna like he did yesterday and even invited them over for a meal.
Arnaud, however, simply shot them a cold glare and continued eating in silence.
For some reason, Boniel seemed to love his youngest son a lot. After getting Jefferson and Rayna to sit at the dining table, he kept talking to Jefferson about life instead of work.
After chatting for quite a bit, Boniel asked Jefferson, “Calbert, you told me you liked Naomi a while back. Did you two get engaged? Does she know about this?”
The look in Jefferson’s eyes turned slightly gloomy as he replied, “I realized we weren’t suitable for each other after we got engaged. I broke up with her after I started dating Belle. We ended our relationship in a peaceful manner.”
Boniel propped his chin up with his palm as he said, “Naomi is quite a smart woman. I suppose it can’t be helped if you two aren’t suitable for each other.”
“I could easily have her come back if you like her that much, Dad. She’s currently working in one of Arnaud’s companies, so she spends more time around him. I think it’d be nice if the two of them dated each other,” Jefferson replied with a smile.
“Naomi is just an employee of mine. You’re the one she likes. I don’t want others badmouthing my brother,” Arnaud said coldly.
“That’s all right. I don’t mind it at all. We’re brothers, after all. Also, I hear Naomi used to like you at first, but you were too cold to her. I think she only got engaged to me in order to spite you. That would explain why she doesn’t really love me that much,” Jefferson replied.
“You dumped her after reconciling your relationship with Rayna. Don’t try to blame me for everything.”
“You’ll know if I’m telling the truth once you check in your office.”
Rayna kept quiet as she observed their interaction from the side.
I used to think that Jefferson couldn’t beat Arnaud, but it seems his words are doing quite a lot of damage. Despite being brothers, they seem to be complete opposites of each other. Jefferson is always nonchalant and calm, whereas Arnaud is tense and moody.
“That’s enough, both of you! You two are always fighting at work! Could you two at least stop fighting outside of work?” Boniel shouted angrily with a frown.
They only started fighting because you mentioned Naomi, though…
“B-Bad news!”
Their tense argument was interrupted by the housekeeper’s panicked screams.
The housekeeper was in such a hurry that she missed a step and rolled down the stairs.
Boniel’s face clouded over as he yelled angrily, “What is wrong with you? Get up and speak clearly!”
The housekeeper quickly scrambled to her feet and bowed as he said in a trembling voice, “I-It’s Martha! She died inside Ms. Garland’s room!”
Jefferson stood up immediately. “What happened?”
“I-I don’t know, Mr. Terblanc! I just told Martha to place the diffuser in Ms. Garland’s bedroom to help improve her sleep. I went looking for Martha when she didn’t come for dinner, only to find her lying on the carpet…” the housekeeper replied anxiously.
Boniel tossed his napkin on the table and got to his feet.
“Let’s go have a look!”
Rayna walked alongside Jefferson as they made their way up the stairs and headed toward her bedroom.
She initially assumed Martha had died after falling down and hitting herself on the head or neck. Upon arriving at the bedroom, however, Rayna nearly screamed when she saw the gruesome sight before them.
Martha was lying on the carpet and dressed in the gown she had worn last night. Her face had turned blue, and she was staring at the door with her eyes wide open.
The skin on the rest of her body had turned black. It was truly a gruesome sight to behold.
“Don’t look.” Jefferson pulled Rayna toward him and pressed her head against his chest.
For a moment there, Rayna’s vision went completely black. It wasn’t until she heard his steady heartbeat that she felt a little better.
Boniel, too, was shocked by what he saw. However, he was quick to regain his composure and asked the housekeeper, “How did this happen to her? Did she have some kind of illness that you were all unaware of?”
“We underwent a medical examination at the end of last year, and all of us were in good health. I have no idea why she ended up like this, Old Mr. Terblanc,” the housekeeper replied.
Jefferson glanced at the gown Martha was wearing and said, “She was poisoned. This is the gown that Belle wore last night. I’m assuming she liked how pretty it looked and wanted to try it on.”
Boniel turned to look at him. “You mean this gown was coated with poison?”
Jefferson nodded.
Boniel’s face clouded over as he yelled furiously, “Unbelievable! How dare a mere housekeeper like her put on her employer’s clothes? Call the family doctor and tell him what happened!”
The housekeeper quickly ran off to make the call.
Boniel and the others then made their way down the stairs shortly after. The tension in the living room was through the roof as everyone sat there in complete silence.
The smile on Arnaud’s face faded slightly when he noticed Jefferson glaring coldly at him.
“Calbert, I wouldn’t attempt to kill Ms. Garland at home even if I did hate her guts. Doing so is pretty much suicidal.”
Chapter 374
“I didn’t say anything about you being the murderer, Arnaud. Why are you getting so nervous, huh?” Jefferson snapped at him angrily.
“I’m not nervous.” Arnaud leaned lazily against the couch as he continued, “I just don’t appreciate you glaring daggers at me like that. You’re looking at me like I’m the murderer.”
Boniel cut them off, “That’s enough! I don’t want to hear another word from you two until the doctor arrives!”
He then turned toward Rayna, who was somewhat pale from fear, and added, “You look terrified. How about I have the housekeeper clean up your bedroom so you can get some rest upstairs?”
Rayna shook her head and politely declined his offer, “Thank you very much, Old Mr. Terblanc, but I’d prefer to stay here with you guys.”
Boniel said nothing further after that.
About ten minutes later, the doctor finally arrived. He was going to greet Boniel upon entering the living room, but Boniel motioned for him to examine the body upstairs first.
The doctor nodded and went upstairs while everyone else continued to wait in the living room.
About five minutes later, the doctor came back downstairs and said with a solemn expression, “The gown was coated with a huge amount of very deadly poison. It enters a person’s body upon contact and spreads rapidly throughout the entire body, resulting in an agonizing death within ten seconds.”
Boniel turned toward Rayna and asked, “Did you wear that gown today?”
“I never wore it again after changing out of it last night. It was already noon by the time I woke up today, so I brushed my teeth and went downstairs for lunch. After that, Calbert and I went to see you in the study. It was three in the afternoon when we returned to the bedroom. I then took a nap and woke up at half past seven. Calbert and I then came downstairs for dinner,” Rayna explained in detail.
Boniel summoned the housekeeper and asked her, “Were you and Martha the ones in charge of cleaning Ms. Garland’s bedroom today?”
“Yes, that’s right. We entered Ms. Garland’s room to clean it shortly after she came out at noon. We did it a second time when she went downstairs for dinner,” the housekeeper replied with her head held low.
“Summon all the housekeepers that have been to the second floor today!” Boniel ordered sternly.
Soon, all eight housekeepers were lined up in front of him.
They were all able to state their reason for being on the second floor, and there were no surveillance cameras on that floor, so no one knew who the murderer was.
Infuriated and frustrated, Boniel glared viciously at the housekeepers as he yelled, “You all sure are bold for trying to take my daughter-in-law’s life in my house!”
Rayna arched an eyebrow in surprise when she heard that.
Huh… I remember him complaining a lot about me yesterday, so why is he suddenly calling me his daughter-in-law now?
The housekeepers panicked and claimed that they were innocent.
However, Boniel said coldly, “All of you claim to be innocent, and yet, you’ve all been to the second floor within that timeframe. Since you’re all suspects, I should just have you all sent to prison. I will not allow anyone to harm my daughter-in-law, and I will do anything it takes to make sure of that!”
“Dad, these housekeepers have been serving our family for eight years. People are going to accuse us of abusing our housekeepers if you send them all to prison,” Arnaud reminded him.
“Arnaud, if I recall, a housekeeper once dirtied your suit jacket by accident. You broke both her legs and fired her on the spot. Doesn’t that count as abuse as well? What happened today is a lot more serious. Someone coated my girlfriend’s gown with a deadly poison. Why are you trying to defend them?” Jefferson asked calmly.
Arnaud turned to look at him as he replied, “I was going to wear that suit to pay my respects to my late mother. That housekeeper had the audacity to insult my mother after dirtying my suit. I caught her in the act, so I had found solid evidence before punishing her. To send all these housekeepers to prison without knowing identifying the murderer will ruin our family reputation.”
He then shifted his gaze toward Rayna as he continued, “Besides, the murderer might not even be a housekeeper. For all we know, someone might have orchestrated this whole incident so she could marry into our family.”
“Watch your tongue, Arnaud! Belle is not as evil as you make her out to be! She only agreed to come home with me after I begged her for a really long time!” Jefferson yelled angrily.
Arnaud flashed him a faint smile as he said, “Yeah, she came back with you to help you become an heir. If that happens, she will automatically become a member of the upper class in Yartran.”
Infuriated, Jefferson was about to lunge at Arnaud, but Rayna stopped him by grabbing his arm.
She was about to say something when Boniel smashed the coffee table in front of them.
“Why must you two fight all the time? What will it take for you two to stop fighting, huh? Have we not embarrassed ourselves enough?” he yelled with a stern look on his face.
Both Jefferson and Arnaud went silent after that.
Rayna waited for a bit to make sure Boniel was done talking before saying, “This incident has put us all in a bad mood. Since we can’t identify the murderer, I think we should just forget about it. Mr. Arnaud is right. To send all these housekeepers to prison without evidence would only ruin the Terblanc family’s reputation. Besides, you could just fire them if you don’t trust them. What do you think of my suggestion, Old Mr. Terblanc?”
“You want to just let this incident slide?” Boniel asked with a frown.
“Yes!” Rayna flashed him a smile as she continued, “I’m perfectly fine, so I’ll just be more careful from now on! I just feel bad for the poor housekeeper who died because of me.”
Since Rayna had decided not to pursue the matter, Boniel waved his hand and said, “All right. I’ll have these housekeepers fired, then. Also, send one hundred thousand to Martha’s family as compensation.”
The housekeepers who were fired quickly packed their belongings and left together with the doctor.
Feeling exhausted after such a stressful incident, Boniel went up to the second floor. On his way up the stairs, he turned toward Arnaud and said, “Come see me in the study, Cyrus. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Coming, Dad,” Arnaud replied as he followed Boniel upstairs.
Fearing that Rayna would be hungry, Jefferson dragged her into the dining hall for a meal. “I’m sorry I couldn’t find the murderer who nearly killed you and your babies.”
Rayna shook her head. “It’s not your fault. That murderer was way too smart.”
I have no enemies here, and this incident happened during my stay in the Terblanc residence, so it must’ve been Arnaud. I can’t believe he’s so eager to kill me that he’d make his move on my second day here. Thank goodness I chose not to wear that gown again because it was too heavy. Otherwise…
Rayna glanced at the stairs and said solemnly, “Arnaud sure is a smart one. He mentioned his late mother the moment you said that. Boniel knows how his mother died, so he must feel guilty about it. I bet he’ll ask Boniel for some money or resources after following him into the study.”
“I should’ve been more careful,” Jefferson mumbled.
I was so focused on exposing Arnaud’s true intentions, but I ended up walking right into his trap instead!
Rayna pursed her lips and comforted him with a smile, “That’s fine. We still have plenty of time to deal with him. Your father may feel guilty about Arnaud’s mother, but you’re the one he loves most. He could’ve torn up the documents you sent and just reprimanded Arnaud in private, but he chose to hit Arnaud in front of you and gave you a shot at becoming the heir. That means he’s taking your side.”
The oil painting in the study was probably the best proof of that.
Jefferson nodded with a determined look in his eyes. “Yes, you’re right. We still have plenty of time.”
Given my condition, I probably wouldn’t last more than a few months. Even so, I’ll be satisfied as long as Rayna remains by my side.
Chapter 375
It wasn’t long before the housekeepers were done preparing Rayna’s new bedroom.
However, Jefferson told them it would not be necessary. He then personally inspected all of Rayna’s belongings before bringing her to his bedroom.
“This isn’t necessary. The new bedroom isn’t far away from yours, so you can still watch over me. There’s no need for you to be so worried,” Rayna protested with an uncomfortable look on her face.
Jefferson ignored her protests and dragged her into his bedroom anyway.
After closing the door behind them, he looked at her and said, “You need to remember that you have two babies in your tummy now, Belle. I promised I’d protect you and your babies, so I will be sure to keep my promise. Don’t worry; my bedroom is big so I can fit a single bed in the walk-in closet. I’ll also try to come home a little later so that I don’t disturb your sleep.”
After setting up a bed near the closet, he retrieved a pillow and blanket and laid them neatly on the bed.
Whatever feelings of awkwardness she had were gone when she saw how much he cared about her.
Feeling refreshed after taking a shower, Rayna continued going through her list of politicians.
Her eyes lit up when she saw Jeremy’s name on the list.
Since Jefferson was in the shower, Rayna looked up Jeremy’s phone number and gave him a call.
She was so nervous that she held her breath while waiting.
About ten seconds later, Jeremy answered the phone, “Hello?”
“Hello, Jeremy. It’s me, Rayna.”
“Oh, hi, Ms. Garland. Long time no see. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Jeremy asked in a gentle voice.
“Did you receive the invitation to The King’s Party?”
Jeremy let out a chuckle. “Yes, I did. Why are you asking me about this, Ms. Garland? Will you be attending it as well?”
Rayna pursed her lips and spilled the beans. “Jefferson’s father handed him a list of names. He will regain the rights to become the heir of the Terblanc family if the people on the list sign the document.”
“Let me guess, my name is on that list as well, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I know that you’re a smart woman, Ms. Garland. You went to Yartran with Jefferson and are trying to help him out so you can avenge Kristie. However, you made a mistake right from the start. None of this would’ve happened if you’d told Curtis the truth sooner and cared for him again,” Jeremy said calmly.
“I’m sorry.” After all the stupid things Rayna had done, that was all she could say in response.
She gently caressed her tummy as she asked, “H-How is he doing?”
“You two have broken up, Ms. Garland. How Curtis is doing is no longer your concern. I did receive the invitation, but I also have a lot of work to do, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend the party,” Jeremy replied.
Rayna had anticipated his response when she made the call, and yet, she still felt upset when she heard it.
Jefferson won’t be able to regain his right to become the heir if he is one signature short.
With that in mind, Rayna said, “I’m sorry for destroying your laboratory, Jeremy. Let me know how much you need, and I’ll pay you accordingly.”
“There’s no need for you to apologize. It should be Arnaud who compensates me for the damages. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about, Ms. Garland? If not, I’ll be hanging up now.” Jeremy sounded like he was in a hurry.
Rayna hesitated for a bit before saying, “Jefferson needs Ixora, but it’s gone. I know you’re very good at this, Jeremy. Will you please save Jefferson? I don’t care if you need to use him as a test subject. I’ll pay you any amount of money you need for this research.”
“You seem to care a lot about your ex-boyfriend, Ms. Garland,” Jeremy commented coldly.
“I owe him this much.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with this one. You’ll have to ask someone else, Ms. Garland,” Jeremy said and hung up the phone immediately after.
The light in Rayna’s eyes faded as she stared at the black screen of her phone.
Jefferson, who had just stepped out of the shower, saw her leaning against the window. “What’s the matter, Belle?”
“I-It’s nothing.” Rayna put her phone away and recomposed herself as she turned to face him. “You guys were talking about Naomi earlier. Is she still working in Arnaud’s company?”
There was a hint of anger in Jefferson’s eyes as he replied, “Arnaud was the one who orchestrated everything when you went looking for Curtis at the club. I saw the video, so I took revenge on Naomi
using the same method. However, Ringo had to take me away because I was feeling unwell. I never saw Naomi ever since.”
“Huh?” Rayna burned bright red when she recalled what happened back then. She felt so embarrassed that she wished she could flog Arnaud to death.
“What a shameless pervert!” she muttered angrily through clenched teeth.
“He was trying to spite me with the video,” Jefferson said. And it sure was effective! The virus spread so rapidly throughout my body that no medication could stop it.
He walked up to Rayna as he continued, “You don’t have to feel bad about it, Belle. I’m not that old- fashioned. I would love you all the same, even if you were once in love with other men. I’m willing to accept you and your past. All I care about is whether you love me or not.”
Feeling uncomfortable from how close he was, Rayna took a step back and said, “L-Let’s stop talking about this. Can I ask you a question?”
“You can ask me as many questions as you like.”
“Well, this one, in particular, is very important. You’ve been keeping Naomi by your side throughout the past few years. Have you two ever slept together?”
Jefferson flashed her a smile when he heard that. “Why do you ask? Does it bother you a lot?”
Rayna’s eyes went wide as she asked, “D-Don’t tell me you slept with her?”
Jefferson was so close to her that she could feel his breath on her cheek. “No, I’m not the least bit interested in her. You’re the only one I seek all my life.”
Rayna breathed a huge sigh of relief. “That’s good to know.”
After taking a moment to regain her composure, she noticed Jefferson leaning in for a kiss and quickly placed her finger on his lips. “There’s something important that I need to tell you, Jefferson. It’s going to be a long conversation, so let’s sit down before I start.”
Jefferson had no choice but to sit down on the couch.
Rayna then pulled up something on her phone as she said, “I wasn’t planning on telling you this at first, but Arnaud knows this as well. Given our current situation, he might try to get at you using this information. I’m telling you about this before he does, so he won’t be able to manipulate your emotions later on.”
The smile on Jefferson’s face faded when he saw her solemn expression. “Is it about me?”
Rayna nodded. “It’s about your birth.”
“Oh, I know that. My mother is married to Kenneth, and her daughter Dorothy is my sister. Dorothy and I are somewhat related by blood, but she’s loyal to Arnaud. I will not show her any mercy if she tries to stop me,” Jefferson said calmly.
“That’s not what I wanted to talk about.”
“What else is there that I don’t know of?”
Rayna felt conflicted when she saw the confused look in his eyes, but she knew she had to tell him. This is to prevent him from being manipulated by Arnaud!
With that in mind, she closed her eyes and handed him the phone. “Y-You have a brother.”
Chapter 376
“I know about that as well.”
Sandy told him all about Boniel’s wicked ways, so Jefferson knew how Boniel forced her to leave her husband and son.
The son that Sandy was pregnant with turned out to be Jefferson’s brother from another father.
However, he had never met that brother of his.
After skimming through the contents on the phone screen, Jefferson froze and tensed up all of a sudden.
After staring worriedly at him for quite some time, Rayna couldn’t stand the tension and called out to him, “Jefferson?”
“No! This can’t be!” Jefferson leaped to his feet and smacked Rayna’s phone to the floor. “This must be Arnaud’s doing! There’s no way he and I are…”
“Calm down, Jefferson.” Rayna ran up to him and grabbed his arm as she continued, “Sandy’s name used to be Xandra. She married Sylvester and gave birth to Curtis.”
“No! No! This can’t be true! You’re lying to me!” Jefferson yelled in disbelief and shoved Rayna off.
He then slumped against the couch with a depressed look on his face.
Rayna sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “I know you don’t want to believe this, but it’s the truth. Curtis is your half-brother.”
“But the two of us have always been so far apart… We don’t even know each other…” Jefferson refused to believe that his half-brother was the one who stole his woman.
He tightly clenched his fists as he continued angrily, “He was married, wasn’t he? Why did he have to go steal someone else’s wife? Why did it have to be Curtis’ mother, of all people?”
“This isn’t your fault, so you shouldn’t stress yourself out over it. Just use your father’s love toward you to your advantage and become the heir of the Terblanc family. Once you do, you’ll be able to do anything you want, including getting your revenge,” Rayna comforted him.
Jefferson looked up at her and asked, “When did you find out about this?”
“It was after you met Sandy. My brother gave me a call and told me about it,” Rayna replied honestly.
“Does he know about this?”
Rayna nodded. “Jefferson, it’s true that you and Mr. Faymon are related by blood, but he knows you’re not at fault, so he won’t hate you for it or anything. I’m telling you this so that you’ll be able to keep your cool if Arnaud uses it against you. I know what I’m doing isn’t fair, so you can scold me or hit me if you want to.”
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly bring myself to hurt you. I know you do this because you care about me. I just don’t like being involved in such a dramatic turn of events, that’s all.”
I would’ve been okay with anyone else. Why did it have to be Curtis?
Rayna pursed her lips and kept quiet.
She took it way worse than Jefferson when she first found out about it.
However, she also knew nothing was going to change that fact. All she could do was prevent Arnaud from pitting him and Curtis against each other.
Rayna knew that Curtis and Jefferson couldn’t care less about Naomi, but she wasn’t expecting Naomi to have returned to Yartran long ago and hidden within the Terblanc residence.
It was already nine at night when Arnaud came out of Boniel’s study.
Judging by the faint smile on his face, it was obvious that he had a pleasant chat with Boniel.
“I’m heading over to Bruce’s, and I’ll need a new suit for an important cocktail reception tomorrow,” he said while retrieving his coat from the housekeeper.
“Sure thing, Mr. Terblanc. Would you like me to send you over?”
“No, I can manage it myself.”
Being a designer hired by the Terblanc family, Bruce was staying in a small bungalow on the west.
Arnaud was able to get there via dome car within eight to nine minutes.
Bruce was instructing his assistant on cutting up some fabric in the living room when Arnaud showed up. He quickly stepped forward to greet Arnaud, but the latter simply waved at him and made his way to the second floor.
He walked to the end of the corridor and knocked five times on the door, which opened up from the inside shortly after.
Naomi was wearing gray-colored casual wear, and her face was pale. Even so, she still looked incredibly beautiful.
Immediately after opening the door, she threw herself at Arnaud and pounded against his chest. “I’m surprised you still remember me! I thought you had forgotten about me!”
“I think about you all the time, so there’s no way I would ever forget you.” Arnaud then pulled her into the room and closed the door behind them as he continued, “But I can’t keep coming here without reason, or people are going to get suspicious.”
Naomi pushed him off angrily. “Don’t give me such excuses!”
Arnaud hugged her from behind and planted kisses on her neck as he whispered, “My heart beats for you, Naomi.”
He then snaked his slightly calloused hands under her shirt and caressed her silky smooth skin. “Do you want it, Sweetheart?”
Unable to resist his seduction, Naomi turned around and kissed him aggressively on the lips.
It wasn’t long before their bodies were intertwined in bed.
Naomi’s hair fell upon his bare chest as she nestled in his embrace. She looked a little tired, with her eyes barely open.
“When did you get here?” Arnaud asked while running his fingers through her hair.
“A week ago. Thank goodness you bribed Bruce into working for you. Otherwise, I’d have nowhere to go!” Naomi replied lazily while resting her chin on his chest.
“Has Jefferson been hunting you down like a dog?”
“Yes, he has. He found out about me being here the moment I arrived. I nearly got killed at the airport!” Naomi replied angrily.
Arnaud narrowed his eyes upon hearing that. “I paid those people lots of money, and yet, they couldn’t even defeat Jefferson?”
Naomi looked up at him as she said, “Oh, you can just replace them later. By the way, I heard Jefferson had Rayna moved into the Terblanc residence.”
Arnaud gave her a light pinch on the cheek. “Oh, come on. I know the poisoned gown was your doing. The entire manor is in chaos because of that incident.”
Naomi simply let out a defiant snort in response. “Hmph! That’s what he gets for returning to the Terblanc family! He’s sick, and yet, he has the audacity to compete against you for the position of the heir. So, I got mad and wanted to teach him a lesson!”
She then got up and asked nervously, “What’s wrong? Did I mess things up?”
Arnaud gave her a light poke on the cheek. “No, you didn’t. On the contrary, I’m very satisfied with what you did. My father stopped pursuing the matter after a housekeeper died. He even gave me a huge amount of money.”
“Why?”
Arnaud then told her everything that had happened in the living room earlier.
Naomi leaned back against his chest and hugged him tightly. “You have me, Cyrus. I’ll always love you and stay by your side. I’ll keep you company and make lots of babies with you. We’ll be very happy together.”
Instead of responding to her words, Arnaud asked, “Did you manage to kick the addiction?”
Chapter 377
Naomi answered with hesitation, “No. I have no idea where Jefferson got it. It’s highly addictive, and when my withdrawal kicks in, I feel even worse than death. That’s why I haven’t been able to quit it.”
“Then why did you come back here?” Cyrus spat coldly and grabbed her hair rather roughly. “Do you know that I hate ugly, stinky women the most?”
Hurriedly, she grabbed his arm and shook her head. “I won’t become a woman like that, Cyrus! Please, believe me. I just missed you so much that I couldn’t help but come back to meet you! Just give me a little more time. I promise I’ll get rid of my addiction! That person has already settled down in Norwal City, so I won’t need to worry about it anymore. I have a lot of time.”
Arnaud’s expression softened when he heard that.
Naomi went into his embrace and said, “I don’t need to worry about what that person does because she’s very fastidious and capable. Where did you find her?”
“She’s a greedy woman. I just needed to look into her and bait her out with money. Remember to use a fake identity when you contact her. Don’t meet her personally. Ask someone else to do it on your behalf instead. This woman is meticulous and avaricious, so it’s possible she may switch sides when completing the mission I gave her.”
“I know. I’ve been asking other people to meet with her.” She paused before continuing with a frown, “I learned a few things Curtis likes after staying by his side for a while, and I’m certain this woman is not his type.”
Looking as though he had a winning strategy, Arnaud grinned. “It doesn’t matter if he likes her or not. As long as she loves money, she’ll come up with a plan.”
Suddenly, Naomi was a little jealous and muttered depressingly, “It seems like she’s your type, and she’s also smart. Are you going to hold her in high regard and abandon me one day?”
Staring at her, he uttered, “You’re my Sweetheart. She can’t be compared to you.”
“I don’t believe you!”
“You still sound quite energetic. I bet you’re not tired yet.” Arnaud smiled and pinned her down before biting her red lips.
After Jeremy concluded his call with Rayna, he rushed to Kristie’s residence with the medicine.
When he arrived at the condominium, he saw Wyatt.
“Wyatt,” he greeted as he stared at his close friend. I don’t know when this happened, but Wyatt has changed. He’s not as carefree as he used to be, and he doesn’t smile as often as before. In fact, he looks a little… gloomy.
In response, Wyatt merely glanced at him before stepping into the elevator.
Jeremy was stunned for a moment before following Wyatt into the elevator.
Then he teased, “Don’t you usually bring Jessica with you wherever you go? Why haven’t I seen her lately?”
“She wanted to help Rayna out, so she went overseas,” Wyatt answered nonchalantly.
“Are you all right, Wyatt?” Sensing Wyatt’s indifferent tone, Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows at him. “It’s like you’ve changed after the birthday. We’re buddies. You know you can tell me anything, right?”
Wyatt took him by his shoulder and grinned slightly. “I’m really fine. As you know, I’ve taken over Lopez Group after my dad died, so I’ve been feeling a little exasperated dealing with so many things.”
Jeremy was always observant, so he was aware his friend was just giving him a perfunctory reply. Taking that as a hint, he stopped asking any more questions.
Soon, the two of them arrived at their desired floor. Jeremy used his key to open the door, stepped into the living room, and saw Curtis keeping Kristie company while feeding her food. As she stared at the tablet in her hand on the couch, she ate anything Curtis put into her mouth.
“I got a week’s worth of medicine here, Curtis.” Jeremy placed the bag of medicine on the coffee table and glanced at Kristie, who was acting like a child. A small part of him couldn’t bear to see her like that. Ever since she woke up, she never cried or caused any trouble. No matter who talked to her, even Curtis, she wouldn’t say anything. Instead, she spent all her time staring at her tablet, whether in her bedroom or the living room. I’ve been here more than a dozen times already, and every time she acted the same way.
“Look, Kristie. I bought you a vinyl album from your favorite singer.” Upon squatting down next to her, he handed the vinyl to her and asked, “Do you want to take a look?”
Kristie merely glanced at him for a second before shaking her head and continued watching a show on her tablet. Her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes were bright. Both signs suggested that she was perfectly fine, but she remained silent.
“Just leave her be if she doesn’t want to talk.” Curtis fed yet another strawberry to her, looking fairly tired.
Clearly, he was quite worried about her.
Wyatt’s heart ached when he saw that, but there was nothing he could do to help.
After returning to Jeremy’s side, he asked in a whisper, “Aren’t you super smart, Jeremy? You need to come up with a plan. We can’t just let Kristie continue to act like an emotionless mute.”
Resignedly, Jeremy shot a glance at him. “Please learn the difference between a researcher and a surgeon! Besides, even a doctor can’t fix her issues. Her subconscious mind is closing herself off from the outside world. She doesn’t want to interact with anyone. The medicine I made can only regulate her emotions and soothe her. It’s not a cure.”
Then he turned to Curtis. “I think you should let James come here, Curtis. You saw how she reacted when I showed her his photo. It’s pretty obvious she wants to meet him—”
“No need!” Curtis rudely cut him off with a grim expression and a cold tone. “I don’t need outsiders to worry about my sister.”
In response, Jeremy zipped his mouth shut. I know how he’s feeling right now. James failed to protect her, which was why this happened. It’s only natural that Curtis doesn’t want to see him.
Both Wyatt and Jeremy stood silently as they watched Curtis feed Kristie a plate of butter strawberries.
Then, Kristie rubbed her eyes drowsily.
It was only after Curtis spoke to her gently that she was willing to leave the couch and allow herself to be taken to her bedroom by him. Hastily, Jeremy opened the medicine bag to grab the injection bottle and syringe.
After Kristie received her shot, she fell asleep fairly quickly. Carefully, Curtis removed the tablet from her hands and tucked her under the blanket.
Jeremy felt pretty awful as he watched from the side. Curtis was already exhausted due to the matter regarding his background. Who could’ve thought something like this would happen to Kristie?
After the two men left the bedroom, Jeremy informed, “Curtis, I’ve been invited to attend a famous party in Yartran. You see, a few hours ago, Ms. Garland called me and told me she wants to help Jefferson
snatch his right to become the Terblanc family’s heir back. However, she needs the signature of the politicians attending that party.” He paused before adding, “I just happen to be on the list.”
The word “Ms. Garland” didn’t elicit any reaction from Curtis. Instead, as the man stepped into the living room, he uttered casually, “I no longer have anything to do with her. You don’t need to consider how I feel.”
Jeremy followed him. “Among the politicians on the guest list that I managed to investigate, they all appeared to have a friendly relationship with Arnaud. Some used to be on Jefferson’s side, but based on the current situation, it’s unlikely they’ll sign the document.”
Chapter 378
“You speak too soon, Jeremy,” Wyatt commented, “Have you forgotten Jefferson has Rayna at his side? Remember how well she handled Faymon Group before? She’ll definitely do all she can to convince those politicians in order to help Jefferson regain the right to become the heir to the Terblanc family.”
Upon throwing a strawberry into his mouth, he continued, “However, it’s thanks to Curtis’ lessons that she’s able to become that powerful. Anyone would be afraid of someone as mighty as her on any side.”
Glaring at him, Jeremy spat, “You should shut your mouth! No one here thinks you’re mute!”
In response, Wyatt shrugged.
Curtis’ countenance remained unchanged as he asked, “When’s the party?”
Jeremy replied, “Two months from now.”
“Arnaud will no doubt be there too to expand his influence.” Then, Curtis’ eyes darkened before he ordered, “Tell James the date and location of the party.”
As though Jeremy had already understood his intentions, he warned, “Yartran is Arnaud’s territory. Not only that, he has a lot of spies and a lot of money to hire retired veterans. If James gets himself captured after you send him there, it’s hard to say if we can extract him safely.”
“He’s going to be fine. After all, he and Theodore graduated from the same military academy,” Wyatt assured. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of all matters related to his overseas trip.”
Furiously, Jeremy argued, “I just don’t want to drag another person into this matter and mess things up even further! What are you going to do if something happens to James? And if you stupidly mention
this in front of Kristie, are you going to take responsibility if she reacts badly to the news?”
“Hey! I’m not stupid!”
“Are you going to tell me you never did anything stupid before?”
“Enough!” Curtis abruptly scowled and interrupted their bickering. “If you two don’t have anything else to do, just go home!”
Jeremy glared at Wyatt before advising, “Curtis, you’ve been taking care of Kristie without appropriate rest for a while now. Let me take care of her for a few days. Besides, you can’t keep ignoring your company.”
“I brought my computer here. I can deal with company matters online. You two should head back.”
Well, since he insists, I don’t think I should keep persuading him, Jeremy thought as he told Curtis to call him if the latter needed his help. Then, he left the condominium with Wyatt.
Wyatt drove to the condominium in his car, so he offered to send Jeremy back home.
When Jeremy entered the vehicle, he noticed the small decorations in the car were gone, including the sticker with the words “Jessie’s personal seat.”
Then, as he thought about Wyatt’s expression when they first met earlier, he realized what had happened.
Jeremy wasn’t in a hurry to leave the car when it arrived at his home. Instead, he turned to Wyatt. “You only had an engagement with Jessica, Wyatt. It’s easy for you two to split up if she doesn’t love you anymore. I know you’re always capable of letting things go. However, if something big really did happen between the two of you, you should leave her amicably. Don’t make things difficult for her.”
The edges of Wyatt’s lips curved upward. “Hey, I’m always sensible when it comes to women. Don’t talk as if I can’t or won’t let her go after breaking up with her. I won’t trouble her, all right?”
Glancing at him, Jeremy sighed. “I hope so.”
Then he left the vehicle.
Wyatt’s smile slowly vanished before he drove to Norwal City’s famous Zenisan Villa. The journey took him twenty minutes.
He navigated into the area familiarly and parked his car in front of an independent mansion.
Then, he arrived in front of the door and pressed the doorbell.
The housekeeper glanced at him when opening the door before swiftly lowering her head and greeting him in a slightly shaky voice. “Mr. Lopez.”
Wyatt had a feeling something bad had occurred and asked coldly, “What happened?”
“It’s Ms. Marsh. She turned the blanket into a rope and used it during her escape attempt. However, the ‘rope’ wasn’t secure, and she broke her leg after falling on the lawn…”
In response to hearing that, he glowered and rudely pushed the housekeeper aside before striding upstairs.
He couldn’t even bother to open the door properly and kicked it open. When he entered the room, he saw Jessica was about to leave the bed. Her right leg was bruised, and her arm had plenty of scrape marks on them.
His kick naturally spooked her.
Before she could see who had stepped into the room, Wyatt dragged her outside by her wrist.
Due to her injured right leg, she was practically hauled out of the room by her arm. He was so forceful that she felt as though her arm was about to come off.
“What are you doing, Wyatt?” The immense pain Jessica experienced caused her to take deep breaths reflexively. She only had the guts to shout but not struggle.
It wasn’t until she arrived in the bedroom on the third floor that she was tossed onto the carpet.
Wyatt grasped her jaw and leaned his cold countenance toward her. “In the future, the housekeepers will stay by your side for the entire day. I wonder if you can still escape when that happens!”
In response, Jessica slapped his hand and grabbed him frenziedly. “We’ve already broken up! You don’t have the right to keep me here!”
He sneered, “What are you going to do about it? You’re trapped here.”
“B*stard!” She was so infuriated that she wanted to scratch him.
However, without hesitation, Wyatt caught Jessica’s hand and snapped it.
As she took in a deep breath in response to the pain, her cheeks paled as well. He ignored her agony and patted her face. “Your uncle and aunt are your only kin still alive in this world, Jessica. You should learn your place.”
Gritting her teeth, Jessica glared at him. “If you want to take revenge, just kill me! Don’t touch them!”
“I can use them to threaten you, so they’re valuable.” As Wyatt spoke, he forcefully pressed her onto the carpet and inclined closer to her. “Of course, I can’t let them go!”
She felt as though she couldn’t recognize the man brimming with hostility in front of her anymore.
Closing her eyes, she muttered, “I wronged you, Wyatt. I know nothing I say will sway you, so I won’t beg you to let me go. I only ask that you let me make a call.”
“So you can contact Rayna?” he speculated.
When she widened her eyes, he knew his guess was correct. She’s still worrying about others instead of showing even a bit of remorse for what she did! It’s like she’s trying to enrage me as much as she can!
“She had arrived in Yartran with Jefferson and is doing very well. You don’t need to contact her!” Wyatt tightened his grip around her neck as if he had lost his soul. “Instead, you should think about how to return my two children!”
Jessica’s heart ached as she gazed at his reddish eyes.
“I—” Just as she tried to speak, he applied even more force to his grip, preventing her from breathing. Since her hands had been dislocated, she couldn’t do anything but suffer with closed eyes.
Surprisingly, Wyatt let go of her in the next second. Before she could take a breather, he kissed her with resentment, making her feel suffocated.
It took a while before Jessica managed to catch her breath. Grimacing, she pleaded, “Please… don’t do this, Wyatt.” His humiliation is making me feel even worse than death.
Her misery and words only intensified his hatred. He was so averse to looking at her that he took off his shirt and threw it on her face.
Jessica’s breathing was getting more difficult in the small and nearly enclosed space. Although, that agony was incomparable to the humiliation he intentionally exacted on her.
As she closed her eyes, her tears streamed down her cheeks and wetted the carpet below her.
After an unknown amount of time had passed, the humiliation was finally over.
She couldn’t move her severely-damaged body as she lay on the carpet, her face still covered by his shirt.
Then, she heard the housekeeper’s voice and Wyatt icily relaying an order. “Make her meals more nutritious. Also, don’t feed her too much. I don’t want her to have enough energy to escape again! If she does attempt to flee next time, break her legs!”
“Understood, Mr. Lopez.”
“Find someone to keep an eye on her, even when she’s in the bathroom or restroom!” His steps sounded further and further away. “Also, remember to give her a checkup regularly. Tell me when she’s in her ovulatory phase.”
His words lingered in Jessica’s ears for a long time.
His indifferent attitude and the humiliation he inflicted on her tore her heart apart while her pain-ridden body had almost turned numb.
Chapter 379
Wyatt was still furious when he left the mansion.
As it was only two in the afternoon, he decided to drive to the company. No employees dared to breathe loudly, much less approached him when they witnessed his hostile demeanor and gloomy countenance.
He took out the rest of his anger in the conference room by yelling at a manager who made a mistake.
The other managers weren’t feeling any better as they listened to his endless shouting silently.
F*ck, man. Mr. Lopez looked so happy on his birthday when he gave everyone wedding favors and said his wife was pregnant. What happened afterward that changed him so drastically? Is it because his wife miscarried? Is that why we’ve become his punching bag as of late? Everyone had their guesses, but no one dared to ask any questions.
Ninety minutes later, the hellish conference was finally over. Everyone was scrambling to leave the conference room as they hoped there wouldn’t be another meeting that week.
Wyatt sat in the conference room alone for a very long time. No one knew what he was thinking.
It wasn’t until the janitor entered the conference room and mentioned work hours were over that he snapped back to reality.
By the time he left the building at a quarter past six, the sky was turning dark.
When Pamela asked him if he was coming back home for dinner, he initially wanted to say yes. However, she then started talking about Jessica. “Is Jessica still not back yet from her business trip?
Maybe you should visit her? Her pregnancy must be giving her a difficult time. You can’t just let her keep doing her job overseas. What if she gets tired?”
Wyatt’s flame of fury burned brightly in his heart again when he heard that. Annoyed, he spat, “She was the one who wanted to go there! There’s nothing I can do about it. Stop paying so much attention to her, Mom. If you have nothing to do, just go to a beauty salon or something!”
“Why are you speaking to me like this?” She paused, then inquired, “Did you have a fight with Jessica?”
“No!”
Lividly, she confronted, “I bet you did. Can’t you be more mature, Wyatt? She’s pregnant. Why are you getting angry at her—”
“I still have things I need to do, Mom. I’ll be ending the call now!” He was getting miffed by the conversation, so he hung up his phone, not wanting to go home anymore.
It was then a friend of his asked him if he was free to visit DM Premium Club for a drink. Wyatt replied to the message before driving to the establishment.
Upon entering a private room in the club, he noticed the people inside were having a lively time.
“You’re here, Wyatt!” His friend immediately stood and greeted him with a smile after spotting him. “I was afraid you won’t have the time to have fun with us anymore now that you’re in charge of Lopez Group!”
Wyatt sat on the couch and gently kicked him. “You already sent me a message, so, of course, I have to come, even if I don’t have the time for it. Otherwise, I bet you lot would ostracize me.”
The group in the room laughed in response.
Those who were in the same social circle as Wyatt were children of affluent families. As everyone drank and chatted with each other, they also exchanged resources and contacts.
Since Wyatt had just taken over Lopez Group and had a good relationship with Curtis, he stood out when compared to the rest of them. It was only natural that his peers were surrounding him. If there were something he wanted, they would hand it to him in hopes of establishing a good relationship with him and getting a share of profits from other projects in the future.
Wyatt felt less awful as he drank and conversed with his friends in an intoxicating atmosphere. The resources he handily obtained also helped lift his mood. Feeling a little tired after drinking for a while, he went to a spot with fewer people around to rest.
As he laid his legs on the soft couch lazily, he removed the phone with a cracked screen from his pocket and unlocked it.
The phone belonged to Jessica.
Gianna’s words and the screenshots made him skeptical. After he imprisoned Jessica in Zenisan Villa, he confiscated her phone and unlocked it easily.
As he read through the planning notes on Jessica’s phone, especially the one involving her desire to cooperate with Gianna to trick him, he felt as though his heart was stabbed by multiple blades.
Still, he could endure those minor emotional wounds.
The deadliest strike to his heart was when he saw Jessica aborting his child in the ward. When he recalled her apathetic expression and uncaring tone, he wanted to strangle her to death.
The more he read her notes, the more he wanted to torment her.
It was then one of the rich kids, Jacob Valentine, who had gone out for a long while, returned to the room and exclaimed, “Hot d*mn, my dad’s here too! After he checked my message, he called me to meet with him. I was wondering why when he told me the daughter of Hausen’s CEO had returned to the country. He wants me to work with Hausen and is pairing me up with that guy’s daughter!”
“Wow, your dad’s setting up a blind date for you?” Someone teased, “That’s nice. You don’t even need to look for anyone.”
“As if!” Jacob rolled his eyes and grumbled, “Everyone knows about the daughter of Hausen’s CEO! The more plastic surgery she got, the uglier she became! Now, she looks like a godd*mn abstract painting!”
His friends laughed at his misfortune without holding back.
Then someone asked, “Did the CEO of Hausen get involved with… that incident?”
“What incident?” The group was intrigued by that person’s question.
“You guys don’t know about the incident that happened in DM Premium Club a few years ago?” That person lowered his voice and resumed, “So, this is what I heard. One night, when the CEO of Hausen had a business talk with other CEOs, he fancied the female assistant the CEO of Stargrasp brought with him. When Hausen’s CEO said he wanted to ‘play’ with her, Stargrasp’s CEO let him without hesitation. In fact, the latter even joined in the fun. It’s not an uncommon thing in their circle, especially when they can just use lots of money to shut everyone involved up. However, to everyone’s surprise, that assistant was quite the fierce one. Not only that, but she also had a miscarriage that night. Unable to bear the anguish, she killed herself.”
“D*mn. Was it that dramatic?” another guy commented as the crowd murmured amongst each other.
“D*mn right.” The guy telling the story shrugged before continuing his tale, unaware that Wyatt had turned his sight to him. “Those who were present that night shut their subordinates’ mouths with money and slandered the assistant’s parents. The two of them followed their daughter into the afterlife in a similar fashion. It’s an old and pretty well-kept secret. The only reason I knew was that I overheard my uncle’s conversation with someone about it.”
As Wyatt continued to use the phone in his hand, he grinned lazily. “Really? I heard Hausen’s CEO is Norwal City’s role model. Everyone in the industry is jealous of him and his wife!”
One of the rich kids snorted. “Some people seem honest on the surface but are absolutely disgusting in the dark. However, Hausen’s CEO has a lot of resources in his name. It’s an undeniable fact that a collaboration with him is profitable.”
“Really? Maybe I’ll meet with him.” Standing up, Wyatt shoved the phone into his pocket. “Considering I was worrying about what Lopez Group should do after I took over, I suppose I have to seize such a fantastic opportunity.”
Someone teased, “I heard you have a wife already, Wyatt. You better be careful. When you talk business with him, don’t accidentally get too involved with him. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a lot of trouble.”
Wyatt’s eyes darkened as he shook his head. “I can’t believe you guys took my joke seriously. If I do have a wife, I’ll be asking you all for a monetary gift right now.”
“See? I told you all he was lying. There’s no way he has a wife. I win the bet, so give me my money.”
“You intentionally asked Wyatt that question, didn’t you?”
“Like h*ll I did! You guys better not be sore losers!”
Wyatt was speechless because he didn’t expect the crowd to make a bet on whether he had a wife or not.
As everyone continued to chat with each other, he alone felt as though his heart had been shot full of holes.
Chapter 380
Jacob brought Wyatt to the private room where his father was discussing business.
As they moseyed to the room, Jacob chatted, “It’s not just Hausen. Stargrasp’s CEO will also be there. If you managed to collaborate with them, remember to give me a small share of the benefits, Wyatt. A little bit is all that I ask.”
As Wyatt bit onto a lit cigarette and put his lighter back into his pocket, he smacked the back of his friend’s head. “I know. I won’t forget about you.”
Jacob snickered. “Thank you! You’re the most generous guy I know, Wyatt!”
When they arrived at the room, he led Wyatt inside.
The room was huge. While the light was dim, they could still see a couple of men sitting on the couch discussing something.
“Dad,” Jacob greeted one of the men and pointed at Wyatt. “I don’t think I need to introduce who Wyatt is to you all.”
Nathaniel Valentine glanced at Wyatt with a smile. “Of course, I know the young and accomplished Mr. Lopez.”
“Compared to you all, I’m still unremarkable,” Wyatt replied humbly. “I haven’t taken over Lopez Group for long, so I still don’t have many resources under my belt. Jacob mentioned you’re discussing business here, so I thought I’d come to learn from you all.”
In response, Nathaniel pretended to be angry. “You shouldn’t say that, you know. You may be young, but you’re outstanding. Since you’re a friend of my son, you can consider me a friend, too. In fact, I
can’t wait to initiate a long-term collaboration with Lopez Group.”
The edges of Wyatt’s lips curved upward slightly. “As long as you’re willing to, we can discuss any form of collaboration.”
As he spoke, he sat on the couch.
Nathaniel proceeded to introduce him to the other men sitting on the couch.
When Wyatt heard their names, he recalled they were the five people Jessica still hadn’t removed from her notes.
Beaming, he shook hands with each of them. This is my lucky day. All five of them are here in the same room.
Hausen’s CEO and the others only had a friendly relationship with Gerald, and they clearly looked down on the young Wyatt. However, because Wyatt had taken over Lopez Group, they still showed him some respect.
Everyone had a relatively wonderful time as they drank and discussed business with each other for more than two hours.
Then Wyatt said he wanted to get some fresh air and went to the restroom outside.
The moment he left the room, he increased his pace until he arrived in the restroom and made a call.
“Why are you calling me in the middle of the night, Mr. Lopez?” Cillian asked.
“Where are you?”
“What else will I do during the night aside from eating and sleeping? I’m at my girlfriend’s place right now.” Puzzled, he asked, “Does Mr. Faymon need me to do something?”
Wyatt lit a cigarette and smoked. “I have a personal matter I need your help with…”
After the call concluded, he returned to the room.
Another hour passed before everyone left, as they already had their fill of drinks for the night, and any businesses they wanted to talk about had pretty much concluded. Wyatt left, too.
The two cars parked at the side of the road were obviously waiting for Hausen’s CEO and the others.
The moment Wyatt noticed which car Hausen’s CEO was heading to, he went ahead and opened the door for the older man with a smile. “I’ve learned a lot from our conversation tonight, Mr. Morales. I hope I’ll have the chance to talk with you again in the future.”
“Haha, sure! I’m friends with your father. If there are any available collaborative projects in the future, I’ll remember to let you know,” Justin Morales replied.
“Thank you.”
After Justin entered the car, Wyatt personally closed the door for the older man. Then he watched the two vehicles leave the club with a darkened look.
“Why are you spacing out, Wyatt?” Jacob approached Wyatt and placed his hand on the latter’s shoulder. “You’re so awesome, man. It’s hard to believe how quickly you were able to get on good terms with Hausen’s CEO and the others. I bet you’ll receive tons of collaboration offers in the future.”
Flicking his cigarette ash away, Wyatt gazed at the empty road and sneered in his heart. If they’re still alive, that is!
After that night, Jessica didn’t smile as often anymore, even though her wrist was reconnected and her body was washed by the housekeeper. She merely stayed in the bedroom quietly, as though she had become a caged bird permanently under a housekeeper’s watch.
Wyatt also never showed up again.
While she was restricted to the third floor, the housekeepers would provide her with anything she wanted, except for a phone. She would eat, sleep, and read a book on time every day.
Occasionally, she would move her drawing board under the sunlight and stare out the window. Then, she would draw the scenery outside for the whole afternoon.
There wasn’t even a clock in the bedroom, so she had no idea how many days had passed.
“Ms. Marsh.” A young male housekeeper knocked on the door and stepped into the room. Then he placed the dining tray on the table. “It’s time for your lunch.”
“Mhm,” Jessica replied.
Just as she placed her brush down and turned around, she noticed the housekeeper today was an ordinary-looking young man. Despite his plain features, he had a fine figure, which increased his attractiveness.
She took an extra glance at him and asked, “I’ve never seen you before. Are you new?”
“My aunt’s sick today, so I’m here to take her place.” The housekeeper thought she disliked him, so he panickily requested, “It’s just for a day. Please don’t tell Mr. Lopez.”
“It’s fine. Your reasons are understandable.” When she thought about Wyatt, her heart ached. As she dined, the housekeeper waited on the sideline.
Her lunch was paltry, so it only took her a while to finish before she returned to her painting.
When she felt thirsty and wanted to ask a housekeeper to pour her a cup of water, she raised her head and noticed the housekeeper was still the same guy.
The male housekeeper informed carefully, “It’s supposed to be my aunt’s shift today. If you’re dissatisfied, I can swap places with another housekeeper.”
“No need.” Jessica didn’t mind a more talkative housekeeper since the others usually just stood at the side silently.
Pointing at the couch, she ordered, “Move the couch over here.”
The male housekeeper did as she asked.
Following that, she requested him to sit on the furniture and made him hold the fresh sunflowers delivered to her room in the morning.
The housekeeper was shocked and tried to stand up, to which she responded by pressing his shoulders so he would sit back down. “Since you’ll be staring at me for the whole day, you may as well be my model. Just sit there with the flowers and don’t move!”
Under Jessica’s order, the male housekeeper sat still and held the sunflowers.
Her brush moved quickly on the drawing board as she studied him.
However, when she glanced at the couch again, it was as though the male housekeeper had transformed into Wyatt.
Instead of sitting properly, he was lazing on the couch with a bouquet of sunflowers in his hands. Then he grinned at her mischievously. “It’s boring if you draw me like this, Babe. How about I remove my clothes for you?”
While her hand was still moving, her soul had left her body.
When she snapped her attention back to the drawing board, she realized she was drawing the man in her imagination, not the one in reality.
The man she painted was in a white shirt and black pants, lying on the couch and holding a bouquet of sunflowers. The only part of the painting still incomplete was the face.
In response, she rubbed her eyes. I asked the male housekeeper to be my model because I wanted to draw him for fun. Why did I draw Wyatt?
The moment the male housekeeper, who still remained in the same posture on the couch, detected Jessica had stopped drawing, he inquired, “Why aren’t you drawing anymore, Ms. Marsh? Is it because you’re done?”
She replied, “No, I just drew it badly. I need to start over.”
After tearing her unfinished painting apart, she took down the canvas and placed a new one.