Ch. 401..410

Chapter 401

With a cold look in his eyes, Curtis closed the door and returned to the bedroom.

The bed was in a mess, and Rayna was sleeping soundly with the blanket wrapped tightly around her body. Curtis arched an eyebrow as he picked her up and carried her into the bathroom.

After being submerged in the bathtub for a bit, Rayna slowly opened her eyes and stared at him.

“Hey, Curtis…” she mumbled and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a kiss on the neck while nuzzling against his chest.

Curtis felt his heart soften up a little, but he pried her off and said coldly, “Bathe yourself!”

Rayna pressed her head firmly against his chest as she bragged, “Oh, come on! Do it for me! I got a perfect victory in the billiard room earlier! Aren’t you going to compliment me?”

While she spoke, she lifted her head and gazed at him glassy-eyed, arousing pity.

“Give me your hand,” Curtis said with an expressionless look on his face.

“Okay.” Rayna pouted as she let go of him and held out her arm. It was so thin and pale that it looked like it would snap if Curtis wasn’t careful with it.

Curtis’ face clouded over when he saw how skinny she was. Is Jefferson not feeding her right? Why is she so skinny?

Rayna simply sat there in complete silence while Curtis gave her a bath.

He was surprised that she was so well-behaved, but it wasn’t until he looked up at her face that he realized she had fallen asleep. Rayna looked rather innocent as she slept with her head tilted forward.

Curtis could only let out a helpless sigh as he continued bathing her. After that, he wrapped her up in a towel and carried her back into the bedroom.

He had just set her down on the bed when he heard a faint ringing coming from Rayna’s handbag.

He opened the handbag and retrieved her phone, which was still ringing and vibrating. However, the look on his face turned gloomy when he saw Jefferson’s name on the caller ID.

I can’t believe I came all the way here just to make myself suffer!

With that in mind, Curtis put on his coat and glanced at Rayna, who was fast asleep. He then placed a wad of cash on the nightstand and left the room.

It was already the next morning by the time Rayna woke up.

She sat upright in bed and tried to recall what happened last night.

Hmm… The bed feels cold, so Curtis must have left long ago. I wonder if he even slept here at all… Oh, no! Marcus hasn’t signed the document! I can’t believe I forgot about that!

Rayna then quickly jumped out of bed and searched for her dress, only to find out that it had been destroyed.

On a chair next to it was a set of clothes comprising a dark blue dress and a bra.

Haha! Not bad! At least he was kind enough to get me new clothes!

Rayna pursed her lips and smiled as she hurriedly got dressed. As she reached for her phone on the nightstand, she noticed the wad of cash that Curtis had left her.

Eight hundred and eighty-eight, huh? This reminds me of the first time we met at the Intercontinental… I left him exactly eight hundred and eighty-eight the next morning before running off.

While picking up the cash, Rayna saw that there was a note attached to it that read: Thank you for your services last night, Ms. Garland. Here’s your reward.

Rayna’s smile was frozen in place when she finished reading the note.

What the f*ck, Curtis? You’re freaking thirty! Why are you still so petty? No, I don’t have time to be thinking about this. I have more important things to do right now!

With that in mind, Rayna grabbed her stuff and called Jefferson while leaving the room.

“Belle?”

“Sorry, I think I might have botched the job. I was planning to keep an eye on Marcus last night, but I got so tired that I booked myself a room and went to bed. I slept right through your call, and it was already morning by the time I woke up. I’ll go see you and talk to your father,” Rayna said apologetically.

Jefferson breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m just glad you’re all right. Where are you right now?”

“I’m on my way to the hotel lobby.”

“I just came back to grab my stuff from the hotel. I’ll meet you in the lobby, then.”

“Sure thing! I’ll be there in a minute!”

While combing her hair and staring at her own reflection in the elevator’s mirror, Rayna noticed that her lips were dry and chapped from their aggressive kissing last night. She cursed inwardly at Curtis as she applied some lip balm to moisturize them.

Rayna saw Jefferson waiting in the lounge the moment she arrived at the lobby.

“Your father didn’t scold you, did he?” she asked while making her way over.

Jefferson stood up and eyed her from head to toe. The smile on his face faded slightly when he saw her chapped lips and the red marks on her neck.

Rayna told me that she saw Curtis yesterday. I didn’t believe her at first, but I saw him too afterward. Judging by the way she looks, the two of them probably spent the night together. To think that I was worried about her being all by herself… It wasn’t easy getting her to come back to me. Is she going to return to Curtis’ side?

Jefferson clenched his fist behind his back at the thought of that.

Rayna got nervous when she received no response from him. “Jefferson, did you really get into trouble with your father? I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault! I messed everything up because I went to bed!”

Having regained his composure, Jefferson shook his head and replied, “No. A lot of stuff happened last night.”

“What happened?” Rayna asked with a frown.

“It’s not convenient for us to talk here,” Jefferson said as he glanced at the elevator door that had just opened and saw a few men stepping out of it.

He then walked up to Rayna and put his coat over her shoulder. “Here, keep this on. It’s cold outside. We’ll talk when we get back.”

“Okay.”

Oblivious to the men behind them, Rayna followed Jefferson out of the hotel lobby.

Jeremy clicked his tongue in disapproval and said, “I don’t even know what to say about Ms. Garland anymore. Jefferson dropped by the hotel multiple times last night looking for her while she was with Mr.

Faymon. And now, she’s casually leaving the hotel with Jefferson like nothing happened last night.”

“Ms. Garland only accepted Mr. Hamilton’s coat because she was feeling a little cold. She doesn’t have any romantic feelings for him. Don’t you see that there’s a gap between them?” Gabriel replied.

Those words had barely left his mouth when Rayna tripped and fell forward.

Jefferson reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder to hold her steady. He never let go of her shoulder after that, and Rayna didn’t seem to mind it either.

Gabriel fell silent when he saw that.

Jeremy flashed him a sarcastic smile and asked, “Well? Still think there’s a gap between them?”

Curtis maintained a neutral expression as he carried on walking. “I’ll be heading back now. You and Jeremy stay here and let me know if you find him.”

The corner of Jeremy’s lips twitched slightly, and his face fell. “You’re doing this to me on purpose, aren’t you, Curtis?”

“Feel free to think of it however you like.”

As Jefferson let Rayna into the car first and sat next to her, she didn’t see Curtis leaving the hotel and entering the black Bentley behind them.

“So, what happened last night?” she asked after Jefferson closed the car door.

“Arnaud was shot through the window when he went to use the restroom.”

Rayna gasped in shock. “Are you serious? There were so many guests at the hotel last night! There were also people from the royal family, so security must’ve been really tight! Who could possibly be brave enough to attack Arnaud in public like that?”

“I don’t know, but the sniper was highly skilled. Upon conducting an investigation, Ringo found out that the sniper had been hiding on the tall observation deck opposite the hotel. On top of that, the floor was completely clean,” Jefferson replied.

Rayna grabbed Jefferson by the arm and exclaimed anxiously, “It must’ve been James! He knows what happened to Kristie, so he must’ve been trying to avenge her! Did James get caught?”

 

Chapter 402

“No, don’t worry. I figured it must’ve been your brother, so I had Ringo keep an eye on him to ensure his safety,” Jefferson reassured her.

“Please let me know if you manage to find him. This is all my fault. I was so useless that I couldn’t even keep Kristie safe,” Rayna said with a guilty look on her face.

She was so afraid of James hating her that she didn’t dare call him after that.

Seeing her so upset reminded Jefferson of his phone call with Ringo. He had told Ringo to let Arnaud’s men follow Kristie, which led to that horrific incident.

If anything, it was his greed that led to Kristie’s tragedy.

Suppressing his feelings of guilt, Jefferson said, “I’ll be sure to contact you as soon as I find him. Now, try to relax. Stressing yourself out is bad for the babies.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I can’t let myself get too worked up. It’s bad for my babies.” Rayna then took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before continuing, “How is Arnaud now?”

“The bullet was coated with a nasty poison. He had his right arm amputated after being rushed to the hospital last night,” Jefferson said with a hint of glee in his voice.

The look in Rayna’s eyes grew cold as she let out a chuckle. “Haha! I can’t wait to see him eat with his left hand when he has nothing left!”

“Oh, this reminds me… Marcus came to see me last night. He signed the document,” Jefferson said while handing her a folder.

Rayna took it over and skimmed through it. “Really? I was so worried about it this morning. I was afraid you won’t get the inheritance right. Why was he willing to sign it, though?”

As she glanced at Jeremy’s signature, she saw that it looked a little different from the one she had someone forge.

That was when she thought of Curtis and realized what happened.

It must’ve been Curtis! I know he has the power to pull it off, and he’s probably the only one who would help me in secret like this.

At the thought of his love for her, she felt a lump in her throat.

Rayna rubbed her teary eyes and exclaimed with a chuckle, “You’ve collected all the signatures you need, so you should have no issues passing this test!”

“Yeah.” Jefferson felt slightly bitter when he saw the bright smile on her face.

He tightened his grip on the newspaper that Ringo had given him a while ago.

After hesitating for a bit, he handed it to Rayna and said, “Here, you should take a look at this paper.”

“What is it? Don’t tell me it’s the news of Arnaud being shot—” Rayna asked, only to pause mid- sentence when she saw the picture and news article.

Jefferson leaned in close and pointed at the picture of a man and a woman who were leaning intimately against each other. “This woman is Stella Zink. She’s the newly-appointed general manager of Faymon Group’s Department of Regulators.”

“Didn’t the Department of Regulators get disbanded? Jessie told me about this over the phone. After breaking up with me, Curtis had the Department of Regulators disbanded and all of its staff transferred

to other departments.”

Rayna was so worked up that she didn’t even realize how hard she was gripping the newspaper.

“Perhaps Curtis thinks this woman is excellent and capable enough to manage that department. I heard Curtis has been taking good care of Stella ever since she joined the company. Not only did he have her accompany him when discussing business with others, but he also let her deal with some of the important business partners by herself. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that she is the second most powerful person in Faymon Group, with Curtis being the first. None of this would’ve mattered if their relationship was strictly professional, but those two have been rather intimate with each other. You’ve been with Curtis, so you should know how he’s always keeping you hidden from public view to avoid drawing unwanted attention. Well, he did none of that when he went out with Stella. He just let the journalists snap away at them without a care in the world,” Jefferson replied while carefully observing her reaction.

Rayna was so fixated on the newspaper article that she didn’t even pay attention to what he said.

Curtis found himself a new girlfriend? If he doesn’t love me, then why did he come all this way just to help me out? Why would he make love to me last night? Does he really think of me as a prostitute or something?

For some reason, Rayna began to panic at the thought of that. She couldn’t help but wonder if Stella would move in with Curtis.

As she didn’t have breakfast that morning, sitting in a car with poor air circulation made her nauseous all of a sudden.

She quickly held a hand over her mouth when she felt something coming up her throat.

“What’s wrong? Are you going to puke again?” Jefferson asked while handing her a trash can.

Rayna quickly grabbed hold of it and vomited into the trash can.

The car was instantly filled with a sour stench, but Jefferson didn’t mind it one bit. All he did was roll the windows down a little before handing her a bottle of water.

“Thanks.” Rayna felt a lot better after drinking some water.

Noticing the stench, she asked with an awkward expression, “Do you want to roll the windows all the way down?”

“It’s cold in the morning, and you’re not dressed warmly enough. I don’t want you catching a cold.” Jefferson handed her two paper towels as he asked, “How are you feeling? Any better?”

“Yeah, much better.”

Jefferson shot her a glance as he asked in a gentle voice, “I saw Curtis at the party last night. Did he contact you?”

Still feeling jealous after thinking of the wad of cash and the newspaper article, Rayna didn’t want to talk about him at all. “No, he didn’t.”

Jefferson knew she was lying, but he chose not to expose her. Instead, he simply leaned in close and said, “You saw the news article, Belle. It’s obvious that he no longer has feelings for you after the breakup. He may be a successful businessman, but he probably won’t make a good father. He is okay with having children with any woman in the world, including Stella. I don’t think he’ll treat your kids right.”

Rayna lowered her head. “I haven’t told him that I’m pregnant.”

I wanted to tell him about it last night, but I was too tired and fell asleep. I always thought he taught me all those stuff out of love. I thought I held a special place in his heart, but I was wrong. Apparently, he can train another woman to help him out just the same. It hurts so much… I feel tempted to go confront him about this, but we’ve already broken up, so I’m in no position to do so…

“Don’t cry.” Jefferson reached out to wipe her tears off her face. It pained him to see the woman he loved crying, but the fact that she still loved Curtis also angered him deeply. “Belle, I want you to love yourself a little more. Stop thinking about him. I could be your source of support if you need one. I’m willing to give you everything I have.”

Had I not screwed things up, Rayna would’ve been mine long ago! She would never have met Julian and Curtis at all!

“I’m not thinking about him. I don’t know why, but I tend to get emotional easily since I became pregnant,” Rayna replied in a hoarse voice, refusing to admit her feelings.

She then tried to change the topic by asking, “How much longer until we reach the manor? I’m a little hungry. Huh? This doesn’t look like the road we usually take. Where are we going?”

Jefferson shot her a helpless look as he replied, “You’re almost four months into your pregnancy, and yet, you’ve never gotten an examination to see if your babies are developing well. Arnaud is still in the hospital, so his men don’t have time to worry about us right now. This is a perfect opportunity for us to get you an examination. I’m taking you to a private hospital owned by Ringo’s brother-in-law.”

 

Chapter 403

“I listen to their heartbeat every day. They seem fine to me,” Rayna mumbled while rubbing her tummy. Despite her calm expression, she couldn’t stop thinking about the news article.

Rayna had been wondering what she would do about the babies if Curtis didn’t want them anymore. She didn’t know where to deliver the babies and get them registered.

“That simply won’t do. Remember, you’ve got two babies inside your tummy. It’s better to get them checked out at a hospital,” Jefferson said.

Rayna nodded. “All right. I suppose it’s a good thing I haven’t had breakfast, then. That way, I could have my blood sample taken too. Otherwise, this whole trip to the hospital would’ve been for nothing.”

“I had Ringo prepare some food for you. He should be arriving at the hospital right after you finish the examination.” Jefferson realized that Rayna’s hands were icy-cold when he unintentionally touched them.

He then wrapped the coat tighter around her shoulders and held her hands to warm them up.

Rayna didn’t know what to say in response to his caring gestures.

Jefferson is a really nice guy, but he’s not the right one for me. Even if we were to turn back time to the point where Jefferson and I were still dating, our relationship would still end in a breakup. I might be his ideal type, but he’s not my ideal type. The man I love would guide me at work and give me space to grow and develop myself. He would praise my accomplishments and encourage me instead of pampering me and treating me like a bird in a cage.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the private hospital.

Ringo’s brother-in-law was a tall man with dark skin and worked as a surgeon at the hospital.

He brought them over to the obstetrics and gynecology department and handed Rayna over to the female doctor.

Jefferson waited outside to give Rayna some privacy during the examination.

The female doctor had Rayna lie down on the bed and put on a pair of latex gloves. “Have you done any blood sugar tests or ultrasounds after getting pregnant?” she asked softly.

“No, but I do have a B-scan ultrasound device at home. I’ve been monitoring their heartbeat on a daily basis. Everything seems to be normal so far,” Rayna replied as she rolled up her dress to reveal her tummy.

The doctor glanced at her tummy and asked, “When was the last time you had your period?”

“It would come a little later at times, so I don’t really remember,” Rayna said and gave the doctor a rough estimate.

“It has been about sixteen weeks, but the bump on your tummy isn’t obvious yet. What do you usually eat?” the doctor asked after performing a quick calculation in her head.

“I’ve been going with a rather bland diet for the first two months. I couldn’t even eat fish until my morning sickness started subsiding. After that, I started including some seafood in my diet. I went for an examination once after I got pregnant. The doctor told me I was pregnant with twins,” Rayna replied, glancing at her tummy.

“Twins, huh? Lucky you! They say there aren’t many kids over at the Terblanc residence, so things are going to get lively once these babies are born,” the doctor exclaimed with a smile.

Rayna simply kept quiet when she heard that.

After examining Rayna’s abdominal circumference and fundal height, the doctor commented, “There’s no edema, which is a good thing. However, your diet is part of the reason your baby bump isn’t obvious even though you are sixteen weeks into your pregnancy.”

She then removed her gloves and asked, “Would you have time for a 4D ultrasound scan?”

Rayna nodded. “Yes, please.”

“We’re going to the ultrasound room for a 4D ultrasound scan,” the doctor told Jefferson when she saw him in the hallway.

After following them to the ultrasound room, Jefferson said, “How about I go in with you? It’s your first time getting an examination like this, so you might get nervous. Besides, I’d like to have a look at the babies too.”

Rayna pursed her lips in response.

She was about to reject his request when the door to the ultrasound room opened. The tummy of the woman who stepped out was so big that it looked like the shirt would rip at any moment.

Rayna tensed up when she saw that. “All right, but I’m wearing a dress today…”

“I’ll wait till the doctor is done preparing everything before entering,” Jefferson reassured her.

Rayna then nervously entered the ultrasound room with the same doctor from earlier. “He wants to come in and keep me company. Could you help cover me up with a blanket?”

“No problem! It would be good to let him see the ultrasound image as well,” the doctor replied while fetching Rayna a blanket.

After setting everything up, the doctor opened the door and let Jefferson in.

Rayna shuddered a little when she felt the icy-cool gel on her tummy.

She closed her eyes out of nervousness, only to hear the doctor exclaim in shock, “Oh, my goodness!”

Rayna’s eyes shot open immediately. She turned to look at the doctor and asked anxiously, “W-What’s wrong? Is there an issue with my babies?”

“You’re actually pregnant with triplets, not twins!”

“What?” Rayna got confused.

Jefferson, too, was stunned by what he heard. “She was one month into her pregnancy when she got her first examination, though. Why didn’t the doctor find out about the triplets at the time?” he asked after a brief pause.

“That’s a little too early. I’m guessing the fetal poles have yet to develop at the time. Look, these two babies are facing sideways, but the one in the middle is facing the front. All three of them look very healthy. The one facing the front looks a lot like you!” the doctor said while looking at Rayna, who was still in a state of confusion.

I’ve never gotten pregnant before, and even I know it’s hard to conceive twins! Who would’ve thought I’d end up conceiving triplets instead?

Rayna was freaking out so much that she stuttered as she asked, “T-T-Triplets? W-Why is my tummy still so flat, then? Are the babies okay? C-Could you please examine them again to make sure they’re fine?”

“Don’t worry; all three of the babies are healthy even though they’re not getting enough nutrients. Do make sure to avoid seafood, though,” The doctor replied with a smile.

Rayna breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that. “Got it…”

Jefferson simply stood there in silence as he listened to the conversation between Rayna and the doctor. Although he maintained a gentle smile on his face, he was feeling incredibly bitter and jealous of Curtis. That guy sure is lucky! Not only does he have a woman who loves him so much, but he also managed to get her pregnant with triplets!

It was already noon by the time Rayna completed all the examinations.

As she had been starving since morning, she wolfed down the food that Jefferson brought her.

“Oh, my goodness! I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse!” she exclaimed, feeling so much better after eating.

Jefferson blew on the hot soup to cool it down before feeding it to her. “We’re in no rush, so you can slow down a little. Since you’re pregnant with triplets, you’re going to be in for a hard time when your tummy starts getting bigger.”

“In that case, I’ll stay at home to take care of the babies two months in advance!” Rayna mumbled while munching on the food. The bright smile on her face reminded him of the time they first met in school.

It was at that moment that I lost myself in her bright yet gentle smile… I doubt there’s another girl out there with such a beautiful smile. She’s like a beam of light that pulled me out of the darkness…

“Jefferson, are you listening to me? Jefferson?”

It wasn’t until she called out to him a second time that Jefferson snapped out of his dazed state. “Yes? What is it?”

“It’ll cost a lot of money to raise these kids. Could you treat me like one of your employees and provide me with a monthly allowance?” Rayna asked with an awkward look on her face.

Fearing he would be unhappy with her request, she quickly added, “I just need enough money to pay for the baby formula and the living expenses.”

Jefferson was shocked. “You mean, you’re not going to tell him?”

Rayna tried to feign nonchalance by saying with a smile, “We already broke up, so there’s no reason for me to tell him. Besides, if I approach him with my babies, he might think I’m trying to rip him off.”

 

Chapter 404

With a gentle look in his eyes, Jefferson caressed her cheek and said, “I will respect your decision no matter what you choose to do. Also, you’re currently married into the Terblanc family, so why would you need a monthly allowance?”

“You’re right. I am helping you out with your work, so I’m not a freeloader. If your father ever gives me jewelry and stuff, I’ll keep them and sell them off when they’re high in demand.”

Jefferson let out a faint chuckle. “Sure thing.”

After lunch, Jefferson kept Rayna company as she went for a walk around the hospital. The two of them then headed over to the mall as Rayna needed to buy some loose-fitting clothes.

It was already five in the evening by the time they returned to the manor.

“Is my father home?” Jefferson asked the housekeeper when he didn’t see Boniel’s shoes at the door.

“Old Mr. Terblanc called earlier this afternoon. He said he wouldn’t be coming home today because he needs to keep Mr. Montail company at the hospital. He wants you and Ms. Rayna to look after the manor while he’s gone,” the housekeeper replied with her head held low.

Jefferson nodded. “Got it.”

“Would you two like to have dinner? The chef prepared some Chanaean dishes today,” the housekeeper asked.

Although Rayna had eaten before coming home, she felt hungry after hearing what the housekeeper said. “Yes, please. Tell the chef to prepare Mr. Montail and Old Mr. Terblanc’s favorite dishes and have them delivered to the hospital.”

“Understood.”

Jefferson waited until the housekeeper had left before asking, “Didn’t you just have two hamburgers, four drumsticks, and a bowl of mushroom soup? How are you hungry so soon?”

“It’s not me who’s hungry. It’s them. I’ve got three mouths to feed, remember?” Rayna replied with an awkward smile.

The two of them were sitting in the living room while waiting for dinner to be served.

“Arnaud may have lost an arm, but he gained something out of it. Just look at how worried your father is. He’s even staying over at the hospital just to keep him company! I bet Arnaud would put up a pitiful act once he wakes up. That way, he’d be able to ask your father for more money or something,” Rayna said to Jefferson while munching on some juicy grapes.

“It’s fine! As you said, my father loves me the most. He secretly makes sure that I receive my share of whatever he gives Arnaud. Besides, Arnaud isn’t the only one who can put up a pitiful act!” Jefferson replied with a chuckle.

Rayna let out a sigh. “I’m just really worried about James.”

Putting Arnaud’s men aside, Boniel would surely pursue this matter now that his son had been severely injured.

“Don’t you know what your brother is capable of? I’ll have Ringo continue searching for him,” Jefferson reassured her.

Rayna nodded, seemingly trying to comfort herself. “Yeah, you’re right. He must’ve had everything planned out ahead of time. I bet he’ll be on the plane home a few days later!”

She then handed Jefferson a plate of oranges and continued, “Could you help me peel these oranges? My nails are too short.”

“You’ve just finished a plate of grapes, though. Are you sure you’ll have room for dinner?” Jefferson asked.

“Of course I will! My stomach is still empty here!”

Rayna was a lot more careful after finding out that she was pregnant with triplets. She even had to keep it a secret from the housekeepers just to be on the safe side.

As Boniel had been looking after Arnaud in the hospital throughout the next few days, most of the housekeepers were on leave. Rayna then used that opportunity to go for a walk in the garden with Jefferson.

One day, Rayna noticed some plants that had yet to flower.

“What do you have planted here? Why haven’t these plants flowered?” she asked curiously.

Jefferson shot her a meaningful glance. “You’re the one who planted them. Don’t you remember?”

“But I haven’t done any gardening after moving here…” That was when Rayna recalled something and stared wide-eyed at him in shock. Jefferson simply nodded in response.

“You moved the green roses from Frosa all the way here? That must’ve been a lot of work! You could just plant new ones here if you liked them that much!” Rayna exclaimed with a smile.

Jefferson shook his head and replied seriously, “We planted those green roses together and watched them grow. It simply wouldn’t be the same if I planted new ones here.”

Rayna didn’t know what else to say in response to that. “Oh, all right. You’ve already moved them here anyway.”

Jefferson pointed at a patch of soil and asked, “Do you like baby’s-breath? The soil over there has been loosened up, so all we have to do is buy the seeds and plant them. They’ll grow really quickly once the weather gets warmer.”

“Don’t just plant flowers! Plant some citrus trees or something. They can keep mosquitoes out, and we can eat the fruits when they ripen! Isn’t that so much better?” Rayna exclaimed excitedly.

“Sure thing. I’ll have the housekeeper buy the seeds tomorrow,” Jefferson replied with a smile.

I’ll get you anything you like.

The two of them spent the afternoon lazing around in the garden having tea and snacks.

Rayna seemed to have a craving for oranges and kept eating them uncontrollably.

Fearing that she would get an upset stomach, Jefferson had the housekeepers hide the rest of the oranges and tell Rayna that they had run out.

While making their way back to the main building, they saw a car pull up in the open-air parking lot.

“Isn’t that the car your father often uses?” Rayna asked when she saw the license plate.

Jefferson nodded and replied with an expressionless look on his face, “I’m guessing he brought Arnaud home.”

“Since we’ve already bumped into them, we might as well go say hi,” Rayna suggested.

Boniel and Arnaud had just stepped out of the car when the two of them made their way over.

“What are you two doing here?” Boniel asked in surprise.

“Calbert and I were just on our way back from the garden when he saw your car pull up. He said he wanted to come say hi,” Rayna replied with a faint smile.

She then shifted her gaze toward Arnaud, who was wearing a beige dress shirt and black dress pants. The right sleeve of his shirt was empty, but that didn’t stop him from maintaining a graceful smile on his face.

Heh… I knew it! Boniel must’ve given Arnaud plenty of things in secret while taking care of him in the hospital!

Jefferson frowned slightly in displeasure but stepped forward to greet them anyway.

“Welcome home, Dad, Arnaud.”

Boniel nodded. “Come on, let’s head inside.”

The four of them then got into the buggy with Jefferson at the wheel and the rest in the back seat.

There was a vicious glint in Arnaud’s eyes as he stared at Rayna from the seat across hers.

“Calbert told me what happened at the party, Mr. Montail. We wanted to go visit you at the hospital, but we didn’t want to disturb you while you were recovering. How are you doing?” she asked while meeting his gaze.

Arnaud flashed her a faint smile as he replied, “I’m doing fine, of course! There are plenty of housekeepers in the manor to look after me, so I don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“That may be true, but you do own a company. I’m sure you’d have to drop by your office every now and then, right? I have a friend who sells prosthetics. Apparently, he has somehow obtained top-secret

technology from Dartan. The prosthetics he produces are almost like the real thing. I could give him a call if you’d like,” Rayna said in a soft voice.

Arnaud’s face clouded over when he heard that.

How dare she insult me in front of everyone?

He clenched his teeth and replied with a vicious look in his eyes, “Much appreciated, Ms. Garland! I’ll be sure to return the favor someday!”

Chapter 405

Rayna grinned. “Don’t mention it. After all, we’re a family.”

Arnaud responded with a sneer.

“Winona is right. We’re a family.”

Rayna froze for a moment when Boniel called her Winona, the pseudonym she used in Yartran. Arnaud’s expression darkened as well.

She made the remark merely to poke fun at Arnaud but did not expect Boniel to step in to defend her.

The way Boniel looked at her was also not as aloof as before. “I heard Marcus initially didn’t want to sign the document, but you managed to persuade him in just a couple of hours. From this, I can tell you’re an intelligent person. You’re a good match for my son.”

She paused for a while before responding, “Thank you, Old Mr. Terblanc.”

Boniel nodded. He then turned to Jefferson and said, “Calbert, call the pastor to see if he’s available. Let’s have your marriage registered.”

“L-Let’s not rush into things, Old Mr. Terblanc!” Rayna was shocked by the suggestion. “At this point, I want to help Calbert build his career. We can talk about the other matters in the future.”

Boniel expressed his dismay. “Is Calbert not good enough for you?”

Rayna gave him a faint smile, behaving as calmly as possible. “Calbert has just obtained the succession rights to the Terblanc family, so he has a lot on his plate. I don’t want to burden him with more things.”

She had only agreed to pretend to be Jefferson’s girlfriend to take Arnaud down. Once Jefferson recovered from his illness, she would still leave the country.

“Dad, we shouldn’t force Winona if that’s her wish.” Arnaud stepped in to help Rayna out. “They have gone through a lot to be together. You don’t want to scare her off, do you?”

Rayna knew the mind game he was playing. He’s trying to tarnish my image.

After rolling her eyes inwardly, she said, “Old Mr. Terblanc, Calbert and I have gone through thick and thin to get back together, and that’s why we cherish every moment we spend with each other. I like Calbert, and I respect you. I wish I could join this family, but I know I’m not qualified. Everything I do is not only for Calbert but also for myself. I will marry him once I feel I’m worthy of becoming a part of the Terblanc family.”

Boniel went deep in thought after hearing her words.

He suddenly remembered the woman he had dreamed of every night and how her eyes sparkled. No darkness could extinguish the light and hope in the windows to her soul.

Unfortunately, she passed away. Her death had quashed his passion and dashed all his hope and dreams.

Feeling a tinge of sorrow, Boniel muttered, “You two are very much alike. Both of you are smart, and your eyes sparkle with hope…”

Rayna knitted her brows as she knew he was talking about Sandy.

Instantly, the atmosphere grew tense.

Upon hearing that, Jefferson clutched the steering wheel. A few seconds later, he loosened his grip and parked the car in front of the house.

Arnaud got off the vehicle and said to Boniel, “Dad, we’ve arrived. You can come down now.”

“All right.”

Boniel got down the car after Rayna, but instead of walking away, he waved his hand, gesturing for Jefferson to go over.

Boniel patted Jefferson’s shoulder and said affectionately, “Come, let’s go in together. I have a big announcement to make tonight.”

Jefferson’s body stiffened instantly.

After meeting Rayna’s gaze, he regained his composure and bobbed his head in response.

Upon noticing Boniel and Arnaud had returned, the kitchen crew immediately prepared a meal for four.

Boniel invited them to the living hall. He then called the butler over and whispered into his ears.

After the butler left, he picked up a cup of coffee and took a sip while sitting on the couch with his legs crossed.

Boniel was so quiet that Rayna and the others dared not utter a word.

Since Rayna was pregnant, her back started aching after she sat motionlessly for nearly eight minutes. She cautiously grabbed a pillow and placed it behind her to ease her discomfort.

Inching closer, she whispered into Jefferson’s ear, “Do you know what’s on your dad’s mind?”

“I guess he wants to talk about the companies’ matter,” Jefferson answered softly, “the last time he invited Arnaud and me over for a chat, he gave us the start-up capital for our companies.”

Disdain swept across Rayna’s face. “Your dad must have given him a lot of money in the past, and he still wants to give him more? Why do I feel he treats Arnaud much better than before?”

“We’ll see.” Jefferson flashed her a warm smile and gave her a peeled grape.

Rayna took over the fruit and stuffed it into her mouth.

While enjoying the sweet fruit, she stared at the man and asked, “Will we have oranges tonight? I crave oranges.”

Her question rendered Jefferson speechless. Her obsession with oranges during her pregnancy is too much. What if the children she gives birth to also look like oranges?

After sitting quietly in the living room for half an hour, they heard a doorbell. Two visitors in suits entered the house with a briefcase in their hands, looking professional.

“Mr. Boniel.” The two lawyers walked over and greeted him.

After shaking hands with them, Boniel invited them to sit down. He then introduced the lawyers to Rayna. “They’re here to witness the important announcement I’m about to make.”

After learning that the two men were the top lawyers in Yartran, Rayna knew the announcement was a big deal. She straightened her back and paid close attention to what he was about to say.

Boniel took another sip of the coffee and said calmly, “For years, I’ve burned a candle at both ends. It’s time for me to pass the baton to my successor because I’m exhausted. I wish to retire in three years.”

The look in Jefferson’s and Arnaud’s eyes changed subtly, but their expressions remained calm.

“Cyrus, Calbert, I want to sign a bet-on agreement with you,” Boniel said slowly while tapping his thigh. “I’ll assign two lower-middle market companies in any part of the world to you and award each of you

one billion worth of start-up capital. You’ll be given three years to grow the company. Once the company’s market value reaches at least half of or exceeds the market value of the Terblanc family business, the person will inherit the corporation. I will still allow the other person to manage his assets and continue running the business.”

After a pause, Boniel continued, “But if both of you fail, I’ll retract all your companies and assets. If need be, I might give you another challenge. Do you dare to sign this bet-on agreement?”

Arnaud smiled and said, “Dad, everything we own today came from you. I’ll be more than willing to take this opportunity to test my capability, even though I might risk losing everything.”

“Great.” Boniel turned to Jefferson and asked, “How about you, Calbert?”

“Great minds think alike.” Jefferson adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. Despite his gentle expression, there was ruthlessness and determination in his eyes. “I’ll go all out as I don’t want to live with regrets.”

“As expected of my sons! You’re both brave and adventurous. I’m so proud of you!” Boniel nodded approvingly before instructing the lawyers to present them with the agreements.

“Go through the documents and sign the papers if you agree with the terms and conditions. You’ll be given a company and a specific amount of start-up capital,” he added.

Arnaud and Jefferson dropped their signatures on the bet-on agreements, with Rayna and the two lawyers witnessing the signing.

 

Chapter 406

After the lawyers checked the document, they kept one copy and gave them the other copy.

Boniel then received a blue enamel jewelry box from the butler after the formalities were settled.

“Winona.” Boniel called out to Rayna. Then, he handed the jewelry box to her. “I haven’t given you anything even after you’ve been staying here for so long, so I’m gifting this jewelry set to you.”

Rayna thought the jewelry box looked a little familiar. I think I’ve seen this in an auction catalog previously. This seems to be an expensive item.

If the box itself was already pricey, the jewelry pieces inside would be worth even more.

Still, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to refuse his gift since he gave it to her in front of so many people. Therefore, she had no choice but to accept it.

“Thank you, Old Mr. Terblanc.”

Boniel flashed a faint smile. “We’re family, so you don’t have to be so formal with me.”

Jefferson, who was sitting beside her, glanced at the jewelry box. His gaze darkened, but he didn’t say a word.

Soon, the two lawyers picked up their briefcases and left.

As if he was certain he would be the ultimate winner of the bet-on agreement, Arnaud wore a cunning grin the whole time. During the meal, the man even told Jefferson to let him know if he needed any help.

Rayna couldn’t stand looking at his pretentious demeanor. Dissatisfaction churned within her, preventing her from enjoying the food.

After they were finally done with dinner, Rayna and Jefferson went upstairs together. Rayna immediately asked him after the door was shut, “Which companies did your dad assign to you? Since he cares so much about you, I don’t suppose he entrusted you with companies at Fandar?”

“No, that’s not the case.”

“Where is it, then?” she probed further. Noticing his slightly grim expression, Rayna felt very nervous as well. “Is it companies at Zaewora? That area is relatively fine because the investors there are loaded.”

Jefferson handed the document to her and forced a smile. “One of the companies is at Chanaea’s capital, while the other is at Jetroina’s Dellmoor.”

In actuality, he regretted his decision right after reading the content. He wanted to exchange companies with Arnaud so badly because Chanaea was Rayna’s hometown.

Rayna quickly browsed through the pages after receiving the document. Then, she analyzed the circumstances. “Aploth’s economy thrives most among all regions and is also heavily involved in export trades. The Terblanc family’s business has yet to expand to Aploth, so they haven’t explored the market there. The companies your dad assigned to you are all located in the most economically developed cities. The business will grow exponentially if you manage the companies with well-planned strategies and attract more investors. Jefferson, your dad is paving the way for you. As long as you can establish and expand the market at Aploth, even if Arnaud acquires the Terblanc family after three years, he won’t earn as much as you.”

In contrast to Rayna, who seemed rather excited, Jefferson wore a long face with a slightly gloomy look in his eyes.

Naturally, he could figure out Boniel’s intention, but…

He gazed at her and said, “I will devise a plan and send some of the best elites there. Belle, you’ve been pushing yourself too hard for my sake. I hope you can stay in the manor and get plenty of rest.”

She shook her head in refusal. “This manor is not ours. Arnaud will come back here occasionally. Not to mention, he’s a meticulous and sharp person. If we stay together for too long, he will undoubtedly sense something is off.”

Jefferson moved closer to her and responded anxiously, “I’ve purchased a few other properties at various locations. You can follow me to check out the houses and pick whichever you want to stay—”

Rayna interjected him, “Jefferson, I wish to assist you. Three years is not considered long. It’ll be easy if Arnaud wishes to arrange spies in your companies. You need someone trustworthy to help you manage the companies at Aploth.”

“There are many people I can trust. Ringo can also head over there.” Jefferson pressed his forehead against her hand. “I just don’t want you to overtire yourself while you’re pregnant. I…”

Rayna knew the thoughts passing through his mind. She pursed her lips. “We’ve already broken up. I’ve also said I will take care of the babies independently. I only called my mom twice after leaving for so long. I kind of miss her.”

“If Ms. Linda is willing, I can arrange for her to stay here.”

“My mom enjoys light cooking and lives her days managing her store. She won’t be used to the monotonous lifestyle here.” She caressed his short hair and chirped, “Aren’t you going as well? So, what are you afraid of?”

Jefferson was momentarily stumped.

Of course I’m afraid. I know she’s still in love with Curtis. I might’ve caused a misunderstanding between them and prompted them to break up, but I know she still misses him all the time.

Upon returning to Chanaea, Rayna would undoubtedly have frequent interactions with Curtis at work, so Jefferson was worried his doings might be exposed and Rayna would despise him for what he did.

After taking a deep breath, Jefferson said to her, “I’ll go back to Chanaea with you. Once there are people to help me out there, and the companies are on track, we’ll come back together.”

Before Rayna could refuse, he added, “Belle, you are pregnant with triplets. I hope you can give birth to the babies in a conducive environment. Considering your expected delivery date, Yartran’s weather wouldn’t be too cold even though it’s winter.”

He held her hands and felt the warmth of her palms. His blue eyes shone with a hint of tenderness. “Belle, what do you think of my suggestion?”

“You have a point.” She didn’t doubt his intention and nodded in agreement. “We’ll see how it goes. After dealing with all the company matters, we’ll return here together.”

Only then did he flash a faint smile in relief. “Okay.”

A week later, Rayna and Jefferson finished packing their belongings and headed to the airport to prepare for their return to Chanaea.

They rested inside the VIP room while waiting for the departure time.

When they were about to board the plane, a flight attendant hurried over and halted Jefferson. “Mr. Hamilton, I’m terribly sorry, but your travel visa to Chanaea has expired, so you cannot board the plane.”

“How is that possible?” Jefferson took out his passport and noticed his travel visa had indeed expired. His face darkened at once. “Why didn’t you all discover this earlier?”

The flight attendant immediately apologized, “We are very sorry. This is our negligence. You will have to renew your travel visa. Otherwise, even if you board the plane, you will only get stuck at the interchange airport.”

Jefferson frowned.

No matter how efficiently his subordinates handled that issue, he had to wait at least two days before receiving the new passport.

“I got it.” He sent the flight attendant away and took out his phone while saying to Rayna, “I’ll ask Ringo to prepare a private plane. We’ll take the private plane to Chanaea.”

“That’s too troublesome, not to mention we need to contact the air traffic control. Besides, Ringo is also busy at the moment.” She placed her hand on his. “It only takes a few days to renew the travel visa. I’ll go back first. You can catch up with me after you’re done.”

“No. I’ll be worried if you go back alone.”

She smiled. “I’m a translator. Are you afraid I’ll get lost at the interchange airport? It’s decided then. I’ll go back first, and you can come to look for me after you renew your travel visa.”

Jefferson could only nod reluctantly as he couldn’t convince her otherwise.

When sending her to board the plane, he repeatedly reminded her that it was fine even if she lost her belongings and the top priority was to take care of herself. He also told her to call him once she arrived at the interchange airport.

His reaction amused Rayna, and she finally managed to pull her hand out from his grasp after a long while of convincing him she would be all right.

Rayna bought the first-class cabin tickets, so her seat was spacious, and the environment was quiet. The stewardess’ service was also excellent. By the time she woke up from her nap, she was already close to reaching the interchange airport.

Upon arriving at the interchange airport, she contacted Jefferson to update her whereabouts. After waiting for over an hour, she boarded the plane again and took the flight heading toward Chanaea.

At ten o’clock in the morning the following day, the plane landed at Norwal City Airport.

The trip back to Norwal City after a few months of being away invoked a sense of familiarity within Rayna, as if she were returning to her hometown.

 

Chapter 407

After taking her luggage, she gave Jefferson a call as she headed out.

While she was busy tidying her luggage, she accidentally bumped into a passerby next to her, causing the latter’s passport and sunglasses to fall all over the floor. Even Rayna’s phone dropped as well.

“I’m sorry.”

Rayna quickly bent over to pick the things up and give them to her.

“Thank you.” The person reached out to take them, and her soft voice was euphonious and natural, sounding pleasing to the ear.

When Rayna looked up with a smile, a slender, fetching woman in a smart-looking suit with her hair draped over her shoulders, came into view.

The minute Rayna saw the woman’s face clearly, her smile froze as she stood there stupefied.

The woman was Stella Zink, the manager of Faymon Group’s Department of Regulators.

“Ms. Garland?” Stella also recognized Rayna and quickly held her hand out to the latter. “When I first arrived at Faymon Group, I often heard the department employees mentioning you as the former manager.”

“Hello.” Rayna politely shook hands with her while wearing a faint and distant smile. “I’ve been away from Faymon Group for a long time. I had been abroad and was too busy to watch the news. May I know who you are?”

“Oh, so you had been abroad. I’m Stella Zink, the new manager of Faymon Group’s Department of Regulators.” Stella’s bright smile remained on her face.

Rayna let go of her hand and held the handle of her suitcase. “Congratulations. Faymon Group is an excellent company. I believe it’ll give you what you want and develop your talents.”

Stella quirked the corner of her rosy lips. “Thank you. But I still need to learn more from you, Ms. Garland. You’re my senior.”

The color of her lipstick accentuated the fairness of her skin, making her look all the more attractive.

Stella continued, “I heard you were once a translator before you were transferred from Faymon Group’s translation department to the newly established Department of Regulators. You were decisive and assertive and cleared the entire Faymon Group from the top to bottom. A smart and beautiful woman like you is a role model for all of us in the industry.”

A polite smile remained plastered on Rayna’s face as she replied, “I’m not that great. They overpraised me.”

Stella kept going on with her compliments. “Regardless of their praises, you’re still an amazing senior, Ms. Garland. Being able to jump from the translation industry to another industry with such excellent performance is not something everyone can do.”

Rayna went silent for a moment before asking with a smile, “Ms. Zink, may I know your age?”

Not expecting Rayna to ask that question, Stella was stunned for about a dozen seconds before answering, “Twenty-eight.”

“Oh, so you’re three years older than me.” Rayna seemed to be thinking about something before she smiled again. “My performance in Faymon Group last year was indeed unmatched. It’s right for you to

regard me as your senior and hold me in high esteem.”

Needless to say, Stella detected the sarcasm in Rayna’s voice. Her face darkened for a split second, but she soon regained her composure and said, “Ms. Garland, can I add you on WhatsApp? We can have a cup of coffee together when you’re free.”

“Sure!” Rayna gracefully took out her phone, tapped the screen, and took a look. “Oh, I don’t have WhatsApp installed on my phone. I’ll add you after I download it when I get back home. Ms. Zink, I’ll be taking my leave now.”

Without waiting for Stella’s reply, Rayna strode out with her luggage, clearly not interested in adding Stella’s number.

While Rayna walked out, she recalled the few minutes she shared with Stella.

That woman is not to be underestimated. She seems to speak politely, but she is full of sarcasm. Besides, she is beautiful, smart, elegant, and dignified.

Just the thought of Stella made Rayna so disgusted that she felt nauseous.

Huh, that jerk is not bad. He manages to get such a sharp-witted woman to work for him!

Unexpectedly, her babies kicked her in the stomach, causing her to wince in pain.

“Stop kicking. Behave yourselves!” Rayna rolled her eyes and berated the little ones in her womb in a low voice, “If you kick me again, I won’t eat when I go back. I’m going to starve you all!”

“Ms. Garland?”

While Rayna was brooding, she suddenly heard someone calling her name, and when she looked up, she saw Gabriel, whom she hadn’t seen for a long time, trotting toward her.

Rayna had a good impression of Gabriel, so she greeted him smilingly, “Mr. Tylinski, we haven’t seen each other for a few months, and you’re still as dashing as ever!”

Gabriel scratched his head bashfully at the compliment. “You too, Ms. Garland.”

As he said that, he looked behind her.

Upon seeing that, Rayna also turned around to have a look before asking him curiously, “What are you looking at?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just looking around.” Gabriel suppressed the urge to report his findings to his employer immediately. “Ms. Garland, are you going to stay in Norwal City for long this time?”

Rayna chuckled. “This is my hometown. Where would I be if not here? By the way, why are you here?”

Did Curtis go abroad and will be returning home today? Is that why Gabriel is here to pick him up?

Gabriel burst Rayna’s bubble as he answered beamingly, “My classmate is coming here today for a business trip. I’m here to pick her up.”

“Classmate? The one who studied at Salinsburgh University?” Rayna recalled that classmate of Gabriel’s and immediately shot him a look of disdain. “It’s been a few months. Are you two still not together?”

“Nope.”

After a few seconds of silence, Rayna couldn’t help but ask, “Is it because she doesn’t like you at all? Don’t fall in one-sided love, Mr. Tylinski. It’s stupid. There are plenty of good-looking ladies at Faymon Group.”

Gabriel scratched his nose awkwardly and explained on the woman’s behalf, “No, it’s because both of us are quite busy. Every weekend, we dine out and watch movies. Our relationship’s progressing just fine.”

The corner of Rayna’s lips twitched as she chuckled dryly in response.

Didn’t he gain any experience from the blind dates he went on in the past? He’s so goofy!

“Okay, you wait for your classmate, then. Goodbye.” Rayna waved her hand and bade him farewell.

“Ms. Garland, let me send you back.”

“It’s okay. I’ll go and hail a taxi.”

Gabriel ignored Rayna’s reply as he forcefully snatched her suitcase from her and placed it in the trunk. “Ms. Garland, don’t think of me as your enemy after breaking up with Mr. Faymon.”

“No, of course not.” Troubled, Rayna massaged her temples and relented, “Fine. Thank you, then.”

Gabriel broke into a grin. “Don’t mention it.”

After that, he checked his watch again and said, “She should have gotten off the plane already. Why hasn’t she come out yet? Ms. Garland, you can wait inside the car. I’ll go in and have a look, lest she gets lost.”

Rayna looked at him speechlessly.

There is only one exit to the parking lot. Is his classmate dumb or something?

After getting in the car, Rayna happened to glance out the window and saw Gabriel talking to a woman standing before him. He then proceeded to take the woman’s suitcase.

Luckily, his classmate didn’t get lost. As soon as Gabriel moved aside, however, Rayna’s eyes widened in shock when she found out that the woman he was talking to was Stella, whom she had just met in the hall.

What the f*ck? Mr. Tylinski’s classmate is Stella Zink?

Before Rayna could get out of the car to take her luggage, Gabriel had brought Stella over, opened the rear car door, and warmly introduced Stella to Rayna, “Ms. Garland, this is—”

“I know her. I bumped into her just now in the hall, and she recognized me too. We chatted a little,” Rayna interrupted, curling the corners of her lips into an awkward smile.

“Oh, really?” Gabriel glanced at Stella. “You and Ms. Garland already know each other?”

A glint flashed across Stella’s eyes as she nodded with a faint smile. “Yes, I really admire Ms. Garland and was thinking of adding her on WhatsApp. I didn’t expect you to be friends with her.”

Chapter 408

“What a happy coincidence!”

Gabriel was oblivious to the tension between the two women. He asked Stella to get into the car, then helped to load her suitcase.

Rayna scooted over to make room for Stella.

Shooting a glance at the elegant Stella, she said, “My apologies for catching a ride back with the two of you.”

Stella smoothed her long hair as she replied with a smile, “Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind at all. Had I known you were friends with Gab, I could’ve walked out with you just now.”

Gab?

That cheesy nickname was too much for Rayna, and a shudder of disgust ran through her body. Then, she lowered her head and texted Jefferson to let him know she had arrived safely.

Her call had been interrupted when her phone fell to the floor earlier, and she had not gotten a chance to call him again.

Getting the hint that Rayna did not wish to be disturbed, Stella knew better than to continue talking to the former.

After Gabriel got into the driver’s seat, Stella asked in a concerned tone, “I heard it has been raining in Norwal City since last Monday. You didn’t catch a cold, did you?”

“Nope. I’m as fit as a fiddle,” he said while reaching for a thermos flask on the car seat and passing it to her. “Here’s some Earl Grey tea I brewed an hour ago.”

She took the thermos flask. “Why, thank you!”

As soon as she unscrewed the lid, the tea’s sweet fragrance quickly wafted in the air.

Rayna found the smell a little nauseating and shifted further away, but to her dismay, Stella poured a cup of tea and held it out to her. “Would you like to try some, Ms. Garland?”

Concealing her discomfort, Rayna pushed the cup away. “None for me, thanks.”

Stella merely shrugged and did not insist.

As Rayna fiddled with her phone, she heard Gabriel and Stella chatting away. They talked about where they would have dinner that night and their plans for horseback riding at a ranch during the weekend.

The corners of Rayna’s mouth twitched as she listened to their conversation. I don’t know whether to say that Mr. Tylinski is a veritable simp or that Stella is remarkable for having the ability to appease two men at once.

When the car pulled into Rayna’s residential area, she opened the car door immediately and climbed out.

Gabriel also got down to help her with her suitcase.

Feeling a little better after breathing in some fresh air, Rayna pulled Gabriel aside. “Let’s have a quick chat, Mr. Tylinski. Your schoolmate is smart and beautiful. The only thing is that she’s… kind of a fake.”

“What do you mean?” he asked curiously.

After a brief silence, she held her forehead in disbelief and explained softly, “I mean she’s a cunning and manipulative b*tch. She seduces others left, right, and center. Oh, by the way, how is her relationship with… Mr. Faymon?”

I don’t believe what I read in the papers. I’d rather listen to what Gabriel has to say. After all, he has worked for Curtis for a long time.

“Pretty good.” Although he answered with a smile, there was a glum look in his eyes. “You know how Mr. Faymon is. He likes to groom talented people. Otherwise, he wouldn’t continue to retain the Department of Regulators.”

Rayna’s heart sank.

That’s true indeed. Women with exceptional abilities are everywhere, and any one of them could take my place.

Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, she said, “For someone as intelligent as Stella, there’s no way she wouldn’t know how you feel. She won’t date you, yet she doesn’t decline to have dinner with you and still hangs out with you.”

“Nothing is going on between her and Mr. Faymon.”

Gabriel’s response left her somewhat speechless. “If that’s true, how did they wind up in the entertainment news? You’re a nice person, Mr. Tylinski. You don’t have to eat out of the hand of someone like her. Is it fun to be treated as a fallback guy?”

“Maybe someone happened to take that photo when she was away on a business trip with Mr. Faymon,” he said, still defending Stella.

While she was at a loss for what to say, he flashed her a bright smile and added, “Even if she does have feelings for Mr. Faymon, I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, he’s handsome and rich. Any woman would fall for him.”

“So, you’re okay with being the fallback guy?”

“This situation isn’t anything like that. It’s just unrequited love,” Gabriel corrected her. “As long as she and Mr. Faymon aren’t dating, it isn’t a crime for me to invite her for dinner and hang out with her.”

Rayna was silent.

Without waiting for her to gather her thoughts, he looked at her and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Ms. Garland, you shouldn’t criticize Stella. You’re quite similar to her.”

Upon hearing that, she stared at him in disbelief.

“I heard from Cillian about how Mr. Faymon went to Hallsbay the other day and searched for you frantically. He has treated you well, yet you left with Jefferson just like that and even broke up with him.”

Rayna was so furious that she felt the urge to pummel the man. “That’s different! Jefferson is ill, so I took him abroad to find him a cure. What’s more, Jefferson and I were never a couple, nor were we in an ambiguous relationship. I rejected him without hesitation. Have you ever seen any rumors of a scandal between us in the media?”

“Well, no. However, everyone knows you’re dating,” Gabriel responded stubbornly. “I attended a party at Yartran with Mr. Faymon some time ago, and we found out about your relationship with Jefferson after only speaking to a few guests.”

“We were only pretending to be a couple to outsiders. We’re not in a relationship! Why would I return to Chanaea if I was really dating him?” she uttered through clenched teeth.

“So, why did you return to Chanaea, Ms. Garland?”

Her gaze flitted toward Stella, who was in the car. Seeing that the latter was browsing through her phone and wasn’t paying attention to them, she finally said, “Boniel Terblanc said he’s planning to retire after three years…”

She proceeded to tell Gabriel her purpose for returning to the country.

After that, she shot him a glare. “You’re not allowed to say I’m a b*tch like her. I’m nothing like your schoolmate who has a close relationship with Mr. Faymon while still leading you on.”

“Ah, so that explains it,” he remarked, finally seeing the light. “Then, you—”

“I’ve given up. Mr. Faymon can fall for whoever he wants. We won’t get back together,” she interrupted his sentence, knowing what he was about to ask. Grabbing her suitcase, she walked off with a glacial expression.

The mere thought of how merciless Curtis was the other day infuriated her.

Even if I did something wrong, why couldn’t we sit down and talk it out in a civilized manner? Instead, he tossed me some money after sleeping with me and went gallivanting around with other women unscrupulously! Well, whatever it is, I’m not going to be so foolish as to birth him three children. It’s not like I can’t raise them myself.

Gabriel watched her enter the condominium, then scratched his head in confusion. I thought Mr. Faymon went looking for Ms. Garland at the party. Didn’t they talk things through?

At that moment, Stella rolled down the car window and asked, “Are you done talking to Ms. Garland?”

“Ah, yes. I’m coming,” he replied, quickly getting back into the car. “Shall I send you home or…”

“Let’s go to the office. I still have a few things to attend to.” Brushing back her hair, she added in an offhand manner, “The others in my department mentioned that Mr. Faymon hasn’t been in the best mood recently. Did something happen when you guys went to Yartran?”

He smiled. “It’s nothing. It was just a business trip, and our discussions fell through. That’s all.”

“Oh, I see,” she responded while nodding. Then, she leaned forward, moving closer to the driver’s seat. “Gab, I know you and Ms. Garland are friends, but she has already broken up with Mr. Faymon and is no longer working in the company. Hence, I hope you can cease contact with her in the future. You’re aware of what happened between them. I don’t want Mr. Faymon to end up resenting you, too, thus causing you to lose your job.”

Gabriel could not help asking, “That won’t happen, will it? It was just a breakup. It’s not like they became enemies.”

Besides, if Mr. Faymon didn’t care about Ms. Garland, he wouldn’t have traveled all the way to Yartran just to help her. I saw how busy Jeremy was that night, and I listened to him complaining all night.

Stella patted his shoulder and said, “Have you seen couples who remain friends after breaking up? I’m only saying this for your own good. Losing her as a friend isn’t actually much of a loss for you.”

 

Chapter 409

After a while, Gabriel nodded. “You’re right. I should keep my distance from Ms. Garland. Mr. Faymon’s temper has worsened, so if he sees me chatting with Ms. Garland and gets reminded of their past relationship, he might take his anger out on me. I, for one, know how bad that can be.”

“I’m glad you understand,” Stella replied with a chuckle. “By the way, I bought two scarves when I returned from Radford. Remember to bring them to your mother.”

“You’re already busy enough with work, though. Why did you still take the trouble to buy her scarves?” Gabriel said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“Well, the designs are pretty, and I think Mrs. Tylinski will like them.”

“All right. I’ll transfer the money to you later,” Gabriel said, only to be met with utter silence. “Hmm… Why have you stopped talking?”

Just as he pulled up to a red light and turned his head around, Stella, who had been waiting behind his seat, suddenly leaned in and kissed him.

“There’s no need to transfer anything,” Stella said, grinning impishly as she touched her lips. “I’ve already received the payment.”

Stunned, Gabriel hurriedly turned his gaze back to the road, his ears all flushed from the unexpected kiss.

Meanwhile, Rayna had been ringing the condominium’s doorbell to no avail when a sudden realization hit her. Ah! Silly me! Since Jessica’s pregnant, Wyatt must’ve taken her home to care for her. Why should she be here?

Unfortunately, Jessica hadn’t left her keys behind, so Rayna quickly headed to the property management office to get a set of spare keys.

Upon entering the seemingly neat and clean condominium, she was shocked to find a thick layer of dust on the floor.

Wow. It looks like Jessica hasn’t been here in a long time… I need to clean this place up, but I don’t think it’d be advisable to do any strenuous activity while pregnant.

With that thought in mind, Rayna whipped out her phone and wasted no time hiring a cleaning service. After pushing her luggage into the bedroom, she made a couple of calls to Jessica, only to find out that the latter’s phone was off.

She proceeded to call Wyatt instead, but oddly enough, all the calls went unanswered.

Argh! Even if he’s accompanying Jessie, he wouldn’t have tossed his phone aside, would he?

Of course, Rayna knew nothing about what had happened between Wyatt and Jessica in the past two months. In her mind, Jessica must’ve gone to stay in the Lopez residence and was being pampered by both Wyatt and Pamela.

Since it was impossible to get through to either of them, Rayna eventually gave up and decided to look for Wyatt the next day.

After tidying up the place a little and leaving instructions for the cleaner who had just arrived, she changed her shoes and headed out.

Rayna knew Kristie resided in the same building, and she remembered the unit number, too. What she didn’t know, however, was if the latter still lived there.

It didn’t take long before Rayna found Kristie’s unit, but alas, she was hesitant to ring the doorbell for some reason.

Just then, the door suddenly opened, making her jump.

Needless to say, the woman on the other side of the door was just as startled. “W-Who are you?”

“Are you the new resident of this unit?”

Seeing how guarded and tight-lipped the woman was, Rayna added, “I’m looking for Kristie Winton. Is she still living here?”

“What’s your relationship with Ms. Winton?”

“I…” Rayna mumbled, not quite knowing what to say.

The woman’s face instantly clouded over with anger. “You reporters are so annoying! Why must you show up every day to harass Ms. Winton? I’ll have to inform Mr. Faymon and let him teach you guys a lesson! Leave this instance!”

The next second, Rayna staggered backward as the woman shoved her away. Thankfully, she reacted fast enough to hold onto the wall and keep herself from falling.

Seconds later, Rayna heaved a sigh.

I shouldn’t have come to look for Kristie. Who knows? She might not even want to see me…

All of a sudden, a soft, gentle voice rang out. “Mdm. Lovett, why are you still here?”

Following the pitter-patter of slippers on the floor, a head poked out from behind the woman at the door.

“I’m leaving in a bit. Go back inside, Ms. Winton. There’s nothing to see here,” the woman replied while closing the door. Alas, it was all too late. Kristie had already seen Rayna standing outside, and her eyes lit up immediately.

“Rayna!”

Upon seeing Kristie being her usual lively self, Rayna held back happy tears and smiled. “Hi, Kristie. It’s been a while.”

Without further ado, Kristie darted past Larissa and jumped into Rayna’s arms, almost knocking the latter over as she did.

“Rayna, where have you been for the past few months?” Kristie asked, looking somewhat unhappy. “Why didn’t you call me?”

As she thought of all the missed calls, Rayna felt tears welling up in her eyes and patted her friend’s head. “I was away for work.”

“For so long? And to think you even went radio silent on me,” Kristie grumbled before pulling Rayna into the condominium. “Come on, Rayna. Let’s talk inside! You can throw the trash later, Mdm. Lovett. Help us cut some fruit first, will you?”

Soon, Kristie had sat Rayna down on the couch and began flooding her with questions.

Rayna answered every question patiently, but she also quickly realized that something was amiss.

“Kristie, do you miss James?” she carefully asked while handing a slice of fruit to her friend.

To her surprise, the latter merely looked at her with curiosity. “Who’s James?”

When Rayna didn’t reply, Kristie tugged at her arm. “What’s wrong, Rayna? Why aren’t you saying anything? Who on earth is James, anyway? Why do you want to know if I miss him?”

Rayna’s breath hitched as she stared at Kristie.

Oh, my goodness. She genuinely has no idea! I can’t believe she even asked me who James is…

Just then, Larissa brought the drinks over and accidentally spilled some juice onto Rayna.

“Ms. Winton, I’ll take Ms. Garland to the bathroom to clean up,” Larissa said before giving Rayna a pointed look.

Of course, the latter quickly went along with it and followed her to the bathroom.

Once the two women were alone, Larissa finally spoke up. “I’m sorry, Ms. Garland. I just wanted to talk to you in private.”

“Go on,” Rayna replied with a smile.

“It was only two months ago when Mr. Faymon sent me here to take care of Ms. Winton. She may look all bubbly on the outside, but the truth is, she refuses to speak with anyone but Mr. Faymon. I had taken care of her for more than a month before she finally acknowledged and talked to me. You, Ms. Garland, are the third person Ms. Winton has spoken to. She was even the one to take the initiative.”

Rayna suppressed the uneasiness creeping up on her and asked, “Can you tell me what happened to Kristie?”

Sadly, Larissa shook her head. “I’m not sure, either. All I know is Ms. Winton doesn’t like talking to other people. Also, please refrain from mentioning James in front of her. Mr. Faymon has instructed me

to throw out anyone who talks about James and ban them from returning. Even Mr. York, who comes by to deliver medicine, will not be spared.”

Upon hearing that, Rayna closed her eyes.

Oh, how my heart hurts. I thought everything was all right when I saw Kristie in such high spirits. Alas, who knew…

Just as Rayna was about to say something else, Kristie’s voice gently wafted through the bathroom door. “Curt, why are you here?”

Huh? Curtis has dropped by?

“Ah, that’s Mr. Faymon!” Larissa exclaimed as she opened the door. “Do you know him, Ms. Garland? Would you like to go out and say hi?”

Rayna placed a hand against the door and smiled. “I’ll be out in a bit.”

“Okay. I shall take my leave first.”

Once Larissa was out of sight, Rayna plopped herself down on the toilet bowl and sighed. She was so upset and guilty that she couldn’t muster up the courage to face Kristie again.

 

Chapter 410

Try as she might, Rayna couldn’t stop blaming herself. My first mistake was not picking up Jessica’s call. Otherwise, I’d have known Kristie sneaked out to look for me. My second mistake was putting the phone on silent mode and missing Kristie’s call. If I had answered and picked her up from the airport, none of this would’ve happened! Even James had avenged Kristie by marching off to Yartran alone and breaking Arnaud’s arm. I, on the other hand, have done nothing! I’m such a useless sister!

Before Rayna knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. She covered her mouth as she sobbed and didn’t hear the footsteps approaching until a pair of legs appeared in front of her.

The next second, Rayna felt herself getting lifted and dragged outside.

She struggled to keep up with Curtis’ pace, and when she almost fell, her hand went instinctively to her stomach.

“Slow down. The baby—” Rayna muttered, only to stop herself midway.

Curtis suddenly released his grip on the woman and turned to glare at her. “Who told you to come here?”

“I wanted to see Kristie,” Rayna replied as she slowly moved her hand away.

“Well, you’ve seen her.”

Having tried her best to compose herself, Rayna gingerly raised her head and met Curtis’ gaze. “I’m sorry… What did you do to Kristie? Why doesn’t she remember James?”

“Why do you care?” the man scoffed. “Are you going to berate me if I did do something?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Rayna retorted as she clenched and unclenched her fists nervously. “You know how much James loves her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have—”

“I don’t. I only know they’ve broken up and no longer have anything to do with each other,” Curtis interrupted coldly. “Please leave here this instance.”

“Curtis Faymon!” Rayna said through gritted teeth.

I don’t get it… Why has he become so cold and unfeeling after that night? That said, I must admit I was the one who messed everything up. All I can do now is try pleading with him…

“It wasn’t easy for James and Kristie to be together, so why must you break them up? Is that what Kristie wants? Besides, James isn’t at fault here. He has always taken good care of Kristie. If someone has to shoulder the blame, it’d be me. It’s my fault for not finding out earlier that Kristie had gone to look for me—”

“It’s indeed your fault, Rayna! To make matters worse, this isn’t the first time you’ve done something so stupid!” Curtis thundered, his eyes burning holes through the downcast woman in front of him.

Whenever he thought about the video or how she had abandoned him to leave with another man, he’d undoubtedly lose any wise restraint and calm reasonableness. In all honesty, he wanted nothing more than to strangle her to death.

“Not only are you presumptuous and gullible, but you also don’t think before you act! What’s the point of apologizing only after something’s happened? Huh?”

It was the first time Rayna had seen Curtis so angry, and his unadulterated rage sent chills down her spine.

With him inching toward her, she had no choice but to back away until her waist hit the sharp edge of a cabinet, causing her to wince in pain.

Even after taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down, Rayna still didn’t have the guts to look Curtis in the eye. “You’re right about me. I’m useless, and this has all been my fault. I only hope you don’t make things difficult for them.”

“Rayna, do you know what Kristie was like when I brought her home?” Curtis asked. “She behaved like a child and would either spend her time sleeping or watching cartoons. She didn’t even bother interacting with anyone else. I spent a lot of time with her, yet I never could get through to her. In the end, I got Jeremy to invite a few friends over to read her stories, hoping that’d be a good distraction to help her forget the traumatic experience.”

Rayna lowered her head even more. “I-I’m sorry…”

“You dote on your brother, and I dote on Kristie. I’ve known her since she was a teen, and she’s like a sister to me. If she forgets about James, she can start anew and work toward a happier life. She might meet someone better, perhaps someone who loves her more than James.”

“What about James, then?”

“I haven’t even settled the score with him after everything that has happened, yet you dare ask me that?” Curtis said brusquely as he grabbed Rayna’s chin. “Listen up, then. If he ever shows up here, I can’t guarantee I won’t do anything to him. Who knows? You might end up having to identify his body the next day.”

Furious, Rayna balled her fists tight. She wanted to lash out at the man, but at the same time, she didn’t know what to say. Eventually, she gave up and slowly unclenched her fists.

“Yes, you dote on Kristie. Nothing you do is wrong,” she muttered before swatting Curtis’ hand away and striding off in a huff.

Right there and then, her waist began aching again, and she couldn’t help but massage the sore spot.

Curtis remained in his spot as he watched her rub her back. Even though it didn’t take long for him to notice the sharp edge of the cabinet, he chose not to say a word.

As soon as Kristie saw Rayna back in the living room, she instantly clung to the latter. “Curt also went into the bathroom earlier, didn’t he? What were you guys doing inside? Were you…”

Upon hearing that, Rayna almost choked. My, my. Kristie sure is observant, huh?

“Oh, it’s nothing. He just needed to use the bathroom, too,” she said while gently ruffling Kristie’s hair. “I’m going off first. I’ll drop by another time to see you.”

Alas, Kristie refused to let go of Rayna’s arm. “Please don’t! You’re finally back after so long, and I was looking forward to your company. I want to taste your cooking, Rayna!”

“Be good. Let Mdm. Lovett cook for you,” Rayna coaxed. I’m sure Curtis will blow his top if I don’t leave soon…

“Mdm. Lovett’s cooking isn’t as good as yours,” Kristie whined, her soft, pleading eyes fixed on Rayna. “Just one meal, please? I can always wait at your place if you think I’m in the way.”

Before Rayna could reply, Larissa jumped in to help her. “Let’s not put Ms. Garland in a spot, Ms. Winton. You know how busy she is with work. How about I order some dishes from Good Times Restaurant instead?”

Kristie shook her head. “No. I want Rayna’s home-cooked food.”

As luck would have it, she saw Curtis entering the living room and immediately ran toward him. “Curtis, Rayna whips up the most amazing dishes! You want to try her food too, don’t you? Can you plead with her to cook for me?”

Stunned, Rayna turned around and made a beeline for the door.

Just as she was about to leave, Curtis’ voice rang out. “Rayna isn’t a professional chef. Let Mdm. Lovett cook for you.”

“You’ve tried her food before, haven’t you? It’s really delicious.”

“No. I haven’t,” Curtis replied. “She merely ordered from Good Times Restaurant and replated the food. Tell you what. I’ll get lunch from the restaurant, and you can try it yourself.”

“Is that true?” Kristie asked, looking somewhat skeptical.

Needless to say, Rayna was riled up. D*mn it! That annoying man ought to be fed to the sharks!

Without further ado, she walked back to Kristie with her phone in hand. “What would you like to eat, Kristie? I’ll buy the ingredients and cook for you.”

“Really? Oh, my goodness! There’s so much I want to eat…”

“Don’t worry. I can cook whatever you like,” Rayna said while shooting a dirty look at Curtis. “In fact, I’ll prepare both lunch and dinner for you. I may not be a professional chef, but at the very least, I don’t put sugar in my food like some idiots!”

Naturally, Curtis was rendered speechless.