Ch. 451..460

Chapter 451

Curtis then led Rayna over to a dining table on the side and handed her a menu. “This is a private jet, so you can go ahead and order whatever you like. No one will criticize you even if you puke it all up.”

“Really? I can order whatever I like?” Rayna felt a warm sensation in her heart when she took the menu over.

He’s always looking after me…

The menu didn’t have a lot to choose from, though. There were some desserts, fruit juices, baked dishes, and some soups.

As Rayna was hungry, she ordered everything on the menu and even asked for a yogurt pudding.

“You should only order what you can finish. You can always order the rest of the dishes next time. It’s not like these are precious food,” Curtis reminded her gently.

“Got it,” Rayna mumbled while secretly rubbing her tummy underneath the table.

I’ve got three other mouths to feed, so I have to make sure I’m eating enough!

It wasn’t long before the flight attendants served up the food that Rayna ordered.

There were so many dishes that they almost took up the entire dining table.

As Rayna was starving, she wasted no time wolfing down the food.

“Oh, my goodness! This chicken is amazing! This is the best private jet I’ve ever been on! I’ve never tasted chicken this amazing!” she exclaimed when she felt the tender chicken meat melting in her mouth.

“You could always have this again next time, so try not to eat too much,” Curtis said while pouring her a glass of juice.

“Can’t I just order another serving of this? It’s not a lot!” Rayna protested.

“No.”

Rayna knew he was just worried about her overeating, but she didn’t like how he was going about it, so she rolled her eyes at him in response.

“Oh, by the way, what arrangements did you make for Carl?” she asked after recalling something.

Curtis leaned back against his chair and crossed his legs elegantly as he watched her eat. “I hired a chef to drop by and prepare his meals every day.”

Noticing that she had gotten her mouth all greasy, Curtis grabbed a paper towel and reached out to wipe it for her.

The two of them froze when they realized what was going on.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Rayna was the first to respond. She took the paper towel from him and backed away slightly.

In an attempt to change the topic, she lowered her head and said, “That sounds great. If that chef is able to cook well, then you should just keep her around. Don’t order takeout all the time. It’s not nutritious at all, and Carl needs lots of nutrients now that he’s growing up so fast.”

“All right.” Curtis retracted his hand and massaged his forehead.

We’re no longer together, and yet, I still find myself caring for her and looking after her like I used to.

Curtis still had quite a lot of work to take care of, but he got distracted when Gabriel told him that Glory couldn’t find Rayna a suitable actress. According to Gabriel, Rayna would be filming a short video with another guy.

Gabriel also found out that the director Rayna found was from Newfirm Media. He somehow managed to steal a copy of the script and showed it to Curtis.

Sure enough, Curtis lost his cool when he saw the contents of the script.

He then went straight to Glory and demanded to see the progress of their new product. While Curtis did anger Rayna on purpose inside the conference room, he wasn’t lying about the male actor’s scandal.

When Rayna challenged him to film the video with her, he agreed to it after giving it some thought.

Although Curtis could’ve waited till he was free at night to handle that matter, the thought of Rayna heading over to Summerbank to film an intimate video with another guy drove him crazy.

The look in Curtis’ eyes turned gloomy and he let out a silent sigh as he watched her munch on her food.

Huh… She’ll never learn to appreciate how well I’m treating her.

Rayna was so full and satisfied with the meal that she fell asleep after covering herself with a blanket, much to Curtis’ amusement.

Not only is she a glutton, slow to react, and forgetful, but she also sleeps a lot.

The plane had just landed at Summerbank International Airport when Rayna woke up from her nap.

Not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to herself, Rayna refused to let Curtis carry her. Instead, she asked the flight attendant for an umbrella and used it to stabilize herself as she slowly got off the

plane.

After making their way out of the passage, Rayna spotted the representative from the homestay holding up a sign with their names on it.

As the filming location in Summerbank was near a homestay, Rayna had her assistant look it up. After reading through lots of positive reviews on the homestay, she decided to have the entire film crew stay there.

“Hi, I’m Rayna.” As Rayna walked up to the representative, she realized that the representative was a pregnant woman as there was a slight bump on her tummy.

“You’re Ms. Garland, right? Could you read out your phone number for verification purposes?” the woman asked while retrieving her phone from her handbag.

“Sure. My number is 186…”

After verifying the phone number, the woman broke into a smile and became a lot friendlier.

“My husband made three trips here today. You two are the last guests on the list. He’s busy at the moment, so he had me come pick you two up instead,” the woman said while leading Rayna and Curtis out of the airport.

Rayna flashed her an apologetic smile when she recalled what happened on the plane. “I’m so sorry! We arrived in Summerbank earlier today, but the plane had to turn back due to some minor problem.”

The woman waved at Rayna and said, “That’s all right. I’m just glad you two arrived safely! I only just got here anyway!”

As the three of them made their way to the underground parking lot, Vivi led them toward a Toyota Crown and opened the car door for them.

“You’re pregnant, right? Maybe I should drive instead,” Rayna said when she saw that Vivi’s baby bump was a lot more prominent.

She looks at least five to six months pregnant!

Vivi didn’t seem to mind at all, though. “It’s fine! My baby is a strong one! For your information, I often drive to pick up and transport goods!”

Curtis glanced at Vivi’s tummy and asked in a deep voice, “How long is the drive to the homestay from here?”

“About an hour and forty minutes.”

“In that case, I’ll drive. It’s not good for a pregnant woman to be driving such a long distance. I have my license with me,” Curtis said as he loaded their suitcases into the trunk and made his way toward the driver’s seat.

Vivi was quick to turn his offer down, “No, I think I should drive. You can keep your wife company in the back seat.”

“It’s fine. Just give me the car keys.”

Instead of explaining himself any further, Curtis simply demanded the keys.

Since he had insisted, Vivi had no choice but to hand him the keys. “You two are my guests, so I should be the one looking after you, not the other way round. Thanks… Hmm, I am sorry to trouble you.”

Curtis simply nodded and got into the driver’s seat without another word.

Rayna was feeling a little jealous when she opened the car door and got into the car.

Sure enough, it was because of what Curtis said to Vivi just now.

Being a fellow pregnant woman, I know just how uncomfortable wearing a seat belt with a huge tummy can be. That’s why I wanted to help her out by driving us to the homestay instead. Why did Curtis have to butt in and offer to drive the car? Is he concerned about her just because she’s pregnant? But I’m pregnant too!

Rayna found herself getting jealous whenever Curtis treated another woman well.

“You don’t look so good, Ms. Garland. Are you feeling carsick? I have some medication for that. Would you like some?” Vivi asked when she saw Rayna sitting there with her head held low.

She then retrieved a strip of pills from her handbag and handed it to Rayna.

“Thanks.” Not wanting to decline her act of kindness, Rayna accepted the pills with a smile. Since she wasn’t actually feeling carsick, she put them aside without consuming any of them. “I’ll try resting for a bit and see if it gets better before taking the medication.”

Being a pregnant woman, she had to be extra careful of what she consumed.

Rayna then glanced at Vivi’s tummy and asked, “How far along are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“A little over four months, I guess.”

 

Chapter 452

“What? Are you pregnant with twins?” Rayna exclaimed in shock.

Vivi pursed her lips and smiled. “Yes. I had an examination a while back. The doctor told me that I conceived twins.”

Huh… She only has two babies inside her tummy, and it has gotten so big in just four months! I’ve got three babies inside, and yet, it isn’t even obvious unless I lift my shirt up!

Rayna got a little envious at the thought of that. “That’s nice…”

Although the doctor had explained that it was due to her physique, the fact that her babies were developing slower than others worried her deeply. She was concerned that they would be born with health issues or something.

Thinking that Rayna was envious of her conceiving twins, Vivi said, “I know a way that’ll help you conceive twins easily, Ms. Garland.”

The smile on Rayna’s face was frozen when she heard that. “Huh? No, I’m not—”

Vivi cut her off, “There’s a well behind the homestay. It’s called ‘Twin Well.’ All you have to make a wish to conceive twins sincerely and drink the water from the well. Trust me, it’ll definitely work!”

Err… I’ve already conceived triplets even without the help of that well though.

“I’m not joking, Ms. Garland. It really works like magic! Nine out of ten people who drink from that well have conceived twins! It works on men too, so you can have your husband drink from it if you’re too shy to do so!” Vivi continued.

Rayna shot Curtis a glance before replying, “You’ve gotten the wrong idea. We’re not husband and wife.”

Vivi froze for a few seconds before apologizing, “Oh, I am so sorry! You two look really great together, so I assumed you two were a married couple!”

Rayna flashed her a smile. “It’s okay.”

Curtis had been listening to their conversation from the driver’s seat the whole time.

At first, he found it amusing that Vivi believed in the well having magical powers, especially since they were living in the twenty-first century.

However, the look in his eyes turned slightly gloomy when Rayna explained that they weren’t a married couple.

They finally arrived at the homestay about two hours later.

The homestay that Vivi’s family owned was so huge that it almost looked like a mini castle. On top of having decor that matched Summerbank’s culture, the walkway leading into the main building was also lined with all sorts of flowers on both sides.

The flowers were all in full bloom, filling the air with a faint floral fragrance.

Rayna felt her heart calm down as she gently sniffed at the air around her and looked up at the clear blue sky above.

I sure am glad I chose this homestay! It’s way cozier than a modern hotel!

“I got you two a family-style guest house because I thought you two were a married couple. Fortunately, the other one in front of it is currently vacant, so you can use one each without any extra

charges. We hardly have any guests over since it isn’t the holiday season, so the room would be vacant anyway,” Vivi said apologetically while leading them upstairs.

“Thank you. I like your homestay very much, so I might come here again in the future,” Rayna replied.

“That sounds great! Just let me know in advance if you plan on coming over. I’ll try my best to get you a room with the best view!” Vivi then turned around and glanced at the two of them as she added, “You two look perfect together. Why don’t you two consider giving it a shot?”

“We were once a couple,” Rayna said after a brief pause.

“But we broke up long ago,” Curtis added blandly.

Vivi gasped in shock and didn’t dare say anything further after that.

After entering her guest house, Rayna saw that there were three bedrooms inside a wide living room.

Wow, this place is indeed a little empty. It’d be perfect for a family of four. Still, it has a great view, so I don’t think I’ll be changing to another room.

With that in mind, Rayna began unpacking her clothes and other personal belongings. She had just finished unpacking when her phone rang.

It was a call from Wilson. Apparently, he and the rest of the film crew were in the café downstairs. Wilson asked if Rayna and the male actor could head downstairs so everyone could get to know each other.

“Okay, sure!” Rayna replied.

Wilson and the others still had no idea that the male actor had been replaced.

Rayna knocked on Curtis’ door and told him about Wilson’s request. “It’s fine if you don’t feel like going. We won’t start filming until tomorrow or the day after,” she added after a brief moment of hesitation.

“I’d still have to meet them sooner or later, so I might as well go meet them now,” Curtis replied as he stepped out the door and closed it behind him.

While the two of them headed down the stairs, Curtis asked, “Do I embarrass you or something, Ms. Garland? Why are you always trying to hide me from others?”

Rayna’s expression grew awkward as she recalled what had happened in the past. “N-No, it’s not that. I was just worried that you might be busy with work. That’s all!”

“Well, I’m already here, so work will have to wait anyway,” Curtis replied.

Rayna knew she couldn’t win that argument, so she decided to keep quiet and carry on walking.

Honestly, why am I acting as though I’m hiding a kept man? We broke up long ago!

The café wasn’t huge, so Rayna was able to spot Wilson and the others the moment she entered through the door.

They were all seated at a rectangular table in a corner and happily chatting away.

“Hi, Wilson!” Rayna called out to him as she and Curtis made their way over.

Everyone at the table turned their heads in her direction upon hearing that.

Their eyes went wide with shock when they saw that it was Curtis standing next to her.

“I-Isn’t that Mr. Faymon?”

“Why is he here with Ms. Garland?”

“I heard Glory has collaborations with Faymon Group. Since Mr. Faymon is here, I suppose those rumors are true.”

Rayna was able to hear them even though they were quite far away.

They’re all staring curiously at Curtis even before we reach the table. I can only imagine how shocked they’d be once they find out that he’s replacing the male actor…

Wilson stepped forward to greet her, “Hi, Ms. Garland!”

Despite only being twenty-nine years old, his long beard and tiny eyes made him look like he was in his thirties.

Wilson then held his hand out and greeted Curtis with a smile, “Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Faymon. It is a great honor to be able to meet you in person!”

Curtis simply flashed him a faint smile and briefly shook his hand.

His presence was so strong that he made the warm and friendly atmosphere tense simply by standing there.

All of those at the table were so intimidated that no one dared say a word.

Rayna found their response rather amusing as she, too, used to behave like that when she and Curtis weren’t close.

In fact, she struggled to even construct proper sentences whenever she was around him. However, as they ended up getting intimate and started dating, she got increasingly bolder and no longer feared him.

She loved messing with him just to see his helpless expression as he could never bring himself to punish her.

Rayna was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn’t even hear Wilson calling out to her.

It wasn’t until Wilson patted her on the shoulder that she snapped out of her daze and asked, “I’m sorry, Wilson. What did you say?”

“I was asking you why the actor isn’t here yet.”

“Oh, he won’t be coming anymore.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that, Ms. Garland? Did the deal not go well with his company?” Wilson asked in confusion.

“No, it’s not that. He got involved in a scandal in the past, so I was worried that people might use it to ruin Glory’s reputation,” Rayna explained.

Wilson nodded and asked, “What will you do now, Ms. Garland? Modify the script?”

“We can wait if you need some more time to seek out another actor. I don’t have any other projects on hand, so I’m free anyway,” he added after a brief pause.

Rayna sneered a little when she recalled her assistant’s words and associated them with Wilson’s suggestion.

Wilson complained about Glory for being a small company. He wouldn’t have agreed to work with us if it weren’t for the money. He even insisted on arranging everything according to his own schedule because he didn’t want us to waste his time! Now that Curtis is here, however, he’s suddenly saying that he can wait for me to find a replacement. Bootlickers who curry favor with those in power never fail to disgust me!

 

Chapter 453

Instead of exposing him on the spot, Rayna simply replied with a faint smile, “That would be too time- consuming, Wilson. Glory couldn’t possibly afford to pay for that much of your time.”

Wilson froze for a few seconds before saying, “Oh, you don’t have to pay any additional costs! We’re friends, so it’s only natural for us to help each other out!”

Rayna arched an eyebrow at him and said in a joking tone, “Well, then… I’m glad I have a friend like you, Wilson. I’m just the vice CEO of a small company, so I was worried that you might look down on me!”

There was no way Wilson wouldn’t notice the sarcasm in her tone. “No, not at all! I would love to have a friend like you, Ms. Garland!”

Rayna was about to take a sip of her coffee, but she put it back down out of fear that it would be bad for her babies.

“Glory can’t afford to hire another male actor either. Since we have collaborations with Faymon Group, Mr. Faymon here has decided to lend us a hand,” she said casually.

It took Wilson a few seconds to realize what he had just heard. He then glanced at Curtis and asked hesitantly, “M-Mr. Faymon is going to replace the previous actor?”

“That’s right.”

Everyone at the table gasped in shock after hearing Rayna’s reply.

My goodness! A man of Mr. Faymon’s stature has nothing to do with our industry! Wow, we hardly even see him in business magazines, and yet, he’s going to be working with us here for two weeks?

That was so unbelievable that even Wilson was shocked.

He knew about Glory’s collaboration with Faymon Group, but he was not expecting Curtis to do something like that.

The fact that Curtis was willing to set his work aside to help Rayna out suggested that there was more to their relationship than being business partners.

I didn’t believe the rumors about Mr. Faymon and Ms. Garland dating each other before, but I definitely do now!

Everyone was responding exactly the way Rayna had expected them to. She even noticed some of them typing excitedly on their phones, most likely sharing that information with others.

Thinking that Curtis would surely have noticed what they were doing if she did, Rayna glanced at Curtis and expected him to say something.

However, Curtis was so busy replying to emails that he didn’t even pay attention to what was going on.

Rayna then raised her voice and said, “Although Mr. Faymon is assisting us with this project, he will not be showing himself on camera. As a matter of fact, his participation is confidential information, so please give him your full cooperation. Make sure to edit all the scenes that show his face.”

The look in her eyes turned gloomy when she saw that some of them were still typing away on their phones. Rayna then called up her assistant and said, “Ella, I need you to draft a non-disclosure agreement and have it delivered to me tomorrow by eight in the morning.”

“Understood, Ms. Garland. Please send me the details via WhatsApp.”

As Rayna hung up the phone, she saw that the two people who were typing earlier had put their phones aside. “I’m sorry. In order to ensure that Mr. Faymon’s participation in this project is kept private

and confidential, I will need all of you to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

Nobody dared say another word after hearing that.

Despite appearing to be focused on his emails, Curtis’ lips curled into a faint smile when he heard what Rayna said.

Seeing as the tension had been relieved slightly, Wilson then introduced the crew he had brought with him.

Three of the seven crew members were selected by Rayna herself. They were in charge of costumes, makeup, and props. Their studio had collaborated with Newfirm Media in the past, so they knew Wilson and were on good terms with him.

Seeing as Curtis was still busy replying to emails, they all greeted and shook hands with Rayna instead.

“Is there anything you would like to discuss with us, Ms. Garland? If not, we can start filming tomorrow,” Wilson asked.

“No, that’ll be all.”

Wilson then shifted his gaze toward Curtis, but he didn’t dare ask him anything.

Noticing the look of fear and hesitation in Wilson’s eyes, Rayna spoke on behalf of Curtis. “Mr. Faymon doesn’t have any further requests either, but he is rather busy with work. Please brief us on the schedule for tomorrow so he can arrange his work accordingly.”

Wilson breathed a sigh of relief. “Sure thing!”

As the meeting had come to an end, everyone quickly left the café.

As Rayna got ready to leave, she overheard them discussing among themselves the places to visit during their free time, including the well behind the homestay.

Noticing that Curtis was still sitting there, Rayna asked, “Aren’t you going to head back, Mr. Faymon?”

“I still have a few more emails to reply.”

“Okay.” Fearing that people might take pictures of Curtis while he was busy working and upload them online, Rayna decided to return to her seat and ordered some cake as well as a cup of tea.

She then sat there and snacked away while waiting for him.

After Curtis was done replying to those emails, he looked up and saw Rayna sitting next to him. There were a few empty plates on the table, and Rayna had almost finished eating the last piece of cake.

“You had lots of desserts on the plane, hadn’t you?” he asked with a helpless look on his face.

“No, not really. I just had a few pieces of cake and two puddings. It has been three hours since then. I got hungry a while ago,” Rayna replied as she shoved the final piece of cake into her mouth.

Curtis simply stared at her in silence. This woman sure can eat a lot!

“Oh, by the way, I’ll send you the script right now.” Rayna then pulled out her phone and sent it to him via WhatsApp. “The screenwriter will probably edit it a little, but you should still familiarize yourself with it first.”

Curtis had already read the script long ago, but he pretended to be seeing it for the first time anyway so she wouldn’t get suspicious.

“Did you come up with this whole thing yourself?” he asked after skimming through it.

“Yes, I did.” Rayna nodded as she continued, “I discussed it with them previously. I felt like a mainstream script would not reflect what I want the product to portray. Since this project involves a bet- on agreement, the company’s shares would be affected if the end results aren’t good. I smelled that perfume for a minute, thirty seconds, and immediately after spraying it. It brings out a different feeling each time. That’s how I came up with this plot.”

She then retrieved the perfume from her handbag, sprayed some on a test strip, and waved it a few times before handing it to Curtis.

“Depending on the type of fragrance it exudes at different times, I designed three themes based on the three different time periods. Each time period will last a minute,” Rayna explained while he smelled the perfume.

Curtis agreed with her idea. “So, the entire plot will cover all three themes fairly quickly. That way, the consumers will not get bored watching it. This will really test the director’s filming skills, though.”

Rayna nodded. “I’ve seen Wilson’s productions in the past. He’s very good at this sort of stuff. While there are quite a lot of directors out there who possess such skills, I can only afford to work with Wilson due to Glory’s limited funds.”

“This is a very creative idea. Glory sure made a wise investment this time! This perfume smells great as is, and it will surely bring Glory huge profits if you get the marketing done right. It could even double or triple Glory’s profits this year,” Curtis said with a smile as he continued enjoying the perfume’s faint fragrance.

“Of course! I’ll make sure to keep a close eye on the marketing of this product. Regardless of how good my marketing strategy may be, this perfume’s great smell is what truly sells it. I mean, even someone as picky as you are has taken a liking to it!” Rayna replied.

Curtis arched an eyebrow at her in response. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Ms. Garland. I said it smells good, but I didn’t say I like it.”

“What smell do you like, then? Sandalwood?” Rayna asked in surprise.

 

Chapter 454

She caught a whiff of the faint scent of sandalwood on Stella once, and she didn’t quite like it.

“That’s a bit too strong for me,” Curtis replied.

That was when he realized the fruity scent of the perfume was all he could detect. It had been a long time since he smelled the faint fragrance she usually wore.

“Are you not wearing your perfume today?” he asked in the most casual tone possible.

Rayna took a sip of her tea before replying, “Yeah, I haven’t worn it in a long time. Happy broke the bottle, and the official website says it is obsolete. I stopped wearing it since I couldn’t buy it anymore.”

She then mumbled softly, “Well, I think it was selling really well in Aploth, though. I don’t know why they stopped producing it all of a sudden. I kind of miss it.”

Curtis tensed up when he recalled what he told Gabriel about that perfume.

“Why did you ask about this all of a sudden? Do you like that scent?” Rayna asked.

“Yeah, it’s faint yet pleasant. I think it would make a great gift for female clients. Who would’ve thought they’d stop producing it?” Curtis replied somewhat awkwardly.

Whatever feelings of nervousness Rayna had disappeared when she heard that, and disappointment was all that remained.

Oh… So he only thinks it’s a great gift for female clients, huh? That’s all he thinks about.

“Let’s go,” Curtis said as he got up and grabbed his coat from the chair.

Rayna put the perfume back into her handbag and was about to get the bill for her snack, only to realize the bill was gone.

As she looked up, she saw that Curtis was standing at the counter with her bill in hand.

Rayna quickly ran up to him and said, “I ate the food, so I should be the one to pay for them.”

“I feel bad for making you wait that long for me, so the least I could do is pay for your food,” Curtis replied.

“I only stayed because I didn’t want people taking pictures of you while you were busy working. It could cause both Glory and myself a lot of trouble if word got out about you working with us. I was just playing the role of the lookout man.”

Curtis’ face clouded over, and he felt speechless after hearing that.

Rayna assumed they would be returning to the homestay, but Curtis brought her out of the homestay instead.

“You ate a lot today, so you need to go for a walk to help with digestion,” he said.

“I don’t feel like walking,” Rayna replied and turned around.

Curtis grabbed her by the back of her neck and forced her to go with him.

“You have to. You ate too much on the plane. I saw your tummy get all bloated while you were sleeping,” Curtis said in a calm yet authoritative voice.

Rayna went pale when she heard that.

What? Is my baby bump that obvious? I can’t believe he noticed it!

“Why are you so pale? You look like you’re in pain. Are you feeling bloated?” Curtis asked.

“It’s because you’re hurting my neck! I’ll go for a walk, so please let go of me! It really hurts!” Rayna exclaimed with a frown.

Curtis felt a little guilty when he saw the red marks he had left on her neck.

“I’ll buy you some ointment for it.”

“Forget it. It’ll go away on its own. Just don’t pinch me like that ever again!” Rayna replied in frustration.

Curtis felt so awkward that he quickly looked the other way to avoid eye contact.

He had noticed her tummy sticking out a little while she was asleep on the plane. Thinking her tummy was bloated due to her overeating, he decided to take her out for a walk.

Because the homestay was located in the countryside, it had very beautiful scenery all around it.

After walking for a few hundred meters, they arrived at a street lined with shops selling snacks and souvenirs.

Each of those shops had decor that reflected the culture in Summerbank. As it was not the holiday season, the place looked incredibly peaceful and calming with very few people on the street.

Rayna felt really comfortable when she felt the cool wind on her face while walking alongside Curtis on the street.

She would enter the shops that looked interesting whenever she passed them by.

In one of the shops, she stumbled upon a pair of handmade daisy earrings and decided to buy them.

Rayna had just whipped out her phone when the owner said, “We only accept cash here.”

“Then what’s this QR code doing here?” Rayna asked while pointing at the QR code on the glass cabinet.

“We only accept cash for accessories. Everything else can be paid via the QR code.”

Rayna could barely believe her ears.

Why is there a need to separate the payment methods? I don’t have any cash on me right now!

She then turned toward Curtis and asked, “Do you have any cash on you?”

Curtis felt his heart soften up when he saw how much she liked the earrings. “No. I’ll see if I can exchange some,” he replied and left the shop.

Rayna felt a warm sensation in her heart when she watched him leave.

She then continued browsing the items in the shop while waiting for Curtis to return.

Suddenly, a young couple entered the shop and began browsing the handmade accessories.

The girl’s eyes lit up when she noticed the earrings in Rayna’s hand. “Do you have any more of those?” she asked the owner.

“They’re handmade, so this is the only pair.”

“Ah, that’s a shame.” The girl then pleaded with Rayna, “Excuse me, miss. Would you mind picking something else? I’ll buy this from you for a higher price!”

“She hasn’t purchased the earrings. I could sell them to you for double the price if you’d like!” the shop owner said before Rayna could even respond.

“Hey! That’s not very nice! I saw them first! Besides, my friend is on his way to get the cash!” Rayna reasoned with the shop owner while keeping her cool.

“But you haven’t paid for them, so they still belong to me. I can sell them however I like!”

The woman asked the shop owner how much the earrings cost.

She had her boyfriend buy them even though the shop owner charged them three hundred and twenty- eight, which was double the original price.

Since the couple had already bought the earrings, Rayna had no choice but to hand them over.

Feeling disgusted by the shop owner’s actions, she stormed out of the shop and bumped into Curtis outside the door.

“Did you pay for the earrings via QR code?” he asked.

“No. Someone else bought them.” Rayna turned around and shot the shop owner a furious glare as she continued, “This shop owner sold them to that couple over there because they were willing to pay a higher price. What a disgusting way to conduct business!”

Curtis glanced at the young couple who had just stepped out of the shop and noticed that the woman was wearing the earrings.

He was about to go talk to her when Rayna grabbed his arm and said, “Forget it. It’s just a pair of handmade earrings. There are plenty of souvenir shops on the street, so I’m sure we’ll find more like them. Besides, I don’t like buying used goods.”

“All right, then. Let’s continue looking.”

The look in Curtis’ eyes turned gloomy as he glanced at the shop’s name while leaving.

Rayna searched all the souvenir shops down the street, but she couldn’t find any more daisy earrings.

Naturally, she wasn’t too happy about it.

Those earrings were the only items that she wanted, and yet, she wasn’t able to get them.

As Summerbank had longer daylight hours, the sun was just setting when they returned to the homestay at seven.

Vivi and her husband had also just returned at the same time.

“My husband hunted a few wild rabbits in the mountains this morning. Would you two like to join us for dinner, Ms. Garland?” she asked after introducing her husband.

Rayna waved at her and said, “No, thanks. We’ll have dinner outside instead.”

“Come on, don’t say that! Mr. Faymon has driven for two hours today! Think of this meal as my way of expressing gratitude!” Vivi said with a warm smile as she walked up to Rayna and held her hand.

 

Chapter 455

Rayna sighed inwardly. She’s thanking Curtis, yet I also get to enjoy a free dinner.

Vivi’s grandmother was preparing dinner. When she saw Vivi bringing guests home, she welcomed Curtis and Rayna with open arms.

As she was a local and rarely went out, her Chanaean wasn’t fluent.

Vivi’s grandmother and her husband went outside to hunt wild rabbits. Vivi accompanied the couple, telling them the fun places to visit at Summerbank and which delicacies to try out.

Rayna and Vivi hit it off as they conversed.

Rayna asked Vivi, “I caught whiffs of perfume on your body. Do you use perfume frequently?”

“Yes. I’m quite a fan of perfume, and I even bought a few types from well-known brands. However, my husband says he likes this one, so I seldom use the other brands,” Vivi replied.

Rayna took out a bottle of tester perfume and sprayed some on Vivi’s wrist. “Try this.”

Vivi wiped the back of her ear with her wrist and took a whiff. Then, she exclaimed in slight surprise, “This is quite nice. What brand is this?”

“This is our company’s new product. It’s not on the market yet. We are here to film the promotional video for this perfume,” Rayna chirped while handing the bottle to her. “I’ll gift you this if you like it.”

“Thank you. This smell so great.” Vivi received the bottle of tester perfume and said firmly, “This fragrance will certainly sell like hotcakes. I’ll help you to promote it when they are marketed.”

“Okay. Thank you, then.” Rayna nodded with a smile.

As she took sips of her coffee, she caught sight of Curtis using his phone to handle his work from the corner of her eyes. He’s so busy. I should’ve come up with an excuse not to go out later to let him handle his work inside the room with peace.

Shortly after, dinner was ready.

Taking in the sight of the rabbit dish, Rayna felt her appetite diminishing.

After she tried to eat a spoonful, she realized Vivi’s mother-in-law’s cooking skill was superb. Subsequently, she no longer rejected the dish.

After eating two plates of spaghetti, she still felt insatiable and wanted to have more.

Curtis, face darkened, stopped her. “Don’t you feel full after having two plates of spaghetti?”

“I’m not. I can still eat more.”

He was worried she might be stuffed but didn’t feel it was appropriate to comment blatantly. So, he said, “We’ll be shooting tomorrow. People often look more corpulent under the camera. If you eat as you please now, the filming may not progress as smoothly tomorrow.”

Interestingly, he successfully intimidated her using that method.

She glanced at the plate of rabbit dish but ultimately steeled her resolution and averted her gaze. She put down her plate and said, “Never mind. I’m full.”

Vivi was amused by their interaction. “Mr. Faymon, you care a lot about Ms. Garland. Since you’re getting along so well, why did you two broke up? Are you sure you don’t want to try getting back together?”

Curtis uttered casually, “I’m just afraid she will impede the filming process.”

Rayna lowered her head and ate some apples in silence.

After finishing their meal, Curtis mentioned he was going out to purchase a pair of new slippers because he couldn’t get used to wearing the ones provided by the homestay.

Vivi led Rayna to stroll around the neighborhood. They chatted as they walked, and Vivi even plucked some soothing flowers for Rayna to put on her bedside table as the flower was said to aid one in sleeping better.

Suddenly, the babies kicked her, prompting Rayna to frown.

“What’s the matter?” Vivi asked.

The two were standing beneath the streetlamp. Despite how quickly Rayna retracted her arm, Vivi, sharp-eyed, still managed to notice Rayna’s slightly bulging stomach when the latter placed her hand there.

Upon glancing at Rayna’s facial expression, Vivi widened her eyes as realization dawned on her. “Y- You…”

“It’s nothing. I’m just too full from eating too much,” Rayna said sheepishly.

“Will something kick your stomach if you eat too much? It’s a baby kicking you, isn’t it?”

Vivi was not a fool. She uttered as clarity washed over her, “No wonder you were so shocked and even asked me how many months am I pregnant when we were inside the car earlier. I see now. That’s because you’re also with child.”

Sensing she couldn’t keep up the pretense, Rayna had no choice but to nod. “I’m indeed pregnant, but you cannot tell others. I’m afraid they will be so cautious around me if they know I’m with child. This may slow down the filming progress.”

Vivi was curious. “I can’t tell Mr. Faymon too? He’s not the father of this child?”

Rayna didn’t respond.

Vivi imagined the scenario and asked Rayna in an undertone, “Are you pregnant with another man’s child and wish to get back with Mr. Faymon but was afraid to let him know about the child, so you don’t want to tell him?”

Rayna was rendered speechless by Vivi’s imagination.

Fearing Vivi might accidentally let slip of her pregnancy, Rayna could only play along and grunted in response. “The child is not his, but I don’t plan to get back together with him. I’ll raise the baby on my own.” She will flip if I tell her that I am carrying triplets.

“In my opinion, Mr. Faymon cares a great deal about you,” Vivi muttered. Then, she gossiped, “Why did you break up with the child’s father? Did you two not get along well?”

“Forget it.”

“What is his background? Why aren’t you willing to let him know about your pregnancy?”

Rayna felt helpless, being bombarded by the volley of questions. She replied halfheartedly, “He’s quite well off, but I’m afraid he will compete for the child’s custody with me, so I didn’t tell him about my pregnancy.”

“Oh,” Vivi murmured sensibly.

Rayna was fearful Vivi might probe further, so she said she was getting tired and dragged Vivi back to the homestay. On their way back, she repeatedly reminded Vivi to keep that information to herself.

When Rayna went upstairs, she didn’t see any lights coming out from the door seam of his room. He doesn’t seem to be inside his room.

She checked the time on his phone. It’s already past ten o’clock at night. Isn’t there a supermarket nearby the homestay? Did he go to the supermarket in the city to buy his slippers when there’s a supermarket in the neighborhood?

Rayna grumbled inwardly as she unlocked the door and entered her room. Curtis is so picky. The slippers provided by the homestay are quite comfortable, yet he chose to go outside to buy a pair of new slippers in the middle of the night.

At eight o’clock in the morning, Rayna went to the restaurant to have her breakfast. She coincidentally ran into Wilson and the others there.

Wilson informed her they had borrowed two cars from the homestay to load their filming equipment and would depart to the shooting location at nine o’clock.

Rayna grunted in response. She was about to text Curtis on WhatsApp to update him on the schedule when she heard someone say, “Mr. Faymon.” She looked up and noticed Curtis was also at the restaurant.

Curtis, who was tall and gave off an extraordinary vibe, was dressed in a casual grey outfit. However, he didn’t seem to have rested well because there were dark circles under his eyes.

Rayna thought. Did he work late into the night yesterday?

When he walked up to her and took a seat to have his breakfast, Rayna said, “Wilson borrowed two cars from Vivi. We’ll tag along with them to the filming location at nine o’clock.”

“Okay.”

She glanced at him and couldn’t help but ask, “Did you work until late night yesterday? Your face looks a little pale. Should I tell Wilson to go in the afternoon instead?”

“That’s alright,” he refused. “I’m fine. We’ll finish filming earlier. Then, I’ll come back to get some rest.”

Hearing that, Rayna fell silent.

Soon, the waiter served the pasta Curtis ordered.

She handed him the seasonings. When he reached out to receive the condiments, she noticed cuts on his hand as if he had injured himself.

She contemplated for a long while but didn’t question him about that ultimately. After finishing her breakfast, she went upstairs to get changed.

Coincidentally, the housekeeper exited Rayna’s room while pushing a cart.

“Ms. Garland, I’ve placed the item on the bedside table,” the housekeeper greeted Rayna.

Rayna thanked the housekeeper, assuming the latter was talking about the after-meal fruits.

When she entered her bedroom, she didn’t see any fruits. Instead, there was a box on her bedside table.

She stretched out her hand to open it.

A pair of small daisy earrings was affixed to a piece of black velvet. It seemed to be the pair of earrings she saw at the store last night, which the storeowner sold at a high price to another couple.

Upon closer examination, Rayna noticed the craftsmanship of the earrings was less delicate, and some of the petals were even lopsided.

The pair of daisy earrings were different from the one she saw yesterday as this pair appeared like a novice’s work.

 

Chapter 456

Why did the housekeeper give me these?

After a few seconds, Rayna recalled the fact that only she and Curtis went out shopping yesterday. She hadn’t told anyone about the earrings too. Only the two of them knew about it.

Then, these earrings…

In the morning when they were having breakfast in the dining room, the image of the wounds on Curtis’ hand popped up in her mind. At the sight of the daisy earrings with crooked petals, a warm feeling coursed through her heart.

So he wasn’t out to buy slippers yesterday. He was only back so late yesterday because he was making the earrings.

Facing the mirror, Rayna brushed her hair aside and put on the pair of earrings.

She traced her fingers through the crooked white petals, and her lips curled into a smile. The exasperation that she was feeling dissipated into thin air.

Despite losing a pair of earrings, Rayna received another invaluable and handmade pair.

Fearing that others might notice something, Rayna changed into loose clothing. She even put on a piece of shawl and happily headed out to meet the others at the homestay.

“Ms. Garland,” Wilson greeted Rayna when she arrived at the homestay. He passed her the agreement and said, “We’ve signed the non-disclosure agreement sent over by Glory.”

After the incident yesterday, Wilson’s attitude toward Rayna improved a lot.

Rayna skimmed through the agreement and chucked it into her bag. “Right! Is everyone here? So, which car am I in?”

“Ms. Garland, you’re going to be in the same van as the screenwriter. Right, Mr. Faymon said he’s driving,” Wilson replied.

Curtis is driving? Doesn’t anybody else know how to drive? Why did they let him drive?

She looked around and noticed that Curtis had opened the driver-side door and was heading inside.

Rayna didn’t think it was right to mention anything about it and got inside the van.

In the van, other than Curtis, who was the driver, all the other team members, such as the screenwriter and stylist, were all women. At first, all of them seemed rather out of place and dared not speak in front of Curtis.

However, seeing that Curtis was focused on driving and said nothing, they started to relax and chatted with each other.

The screenwriter noticed that Rayna’s earrings were quite unique and couldn’t help but spare the earrings a few glances. “Ms. Garland, did you just buy those handmade earrings? They look so good.”

Rayna smiled and said, “No, they are a gift from a friend.”

“I think your friend made them,” the stylist chimed in. Upon a closer look, she teased, “The petals of the daisy earrings are a little crooked. It seems like your friend is an amateur.”

“Yes, he is,” Rayna muttered in a cheery tone. “Still, I really like the earrings.”

“How I envy you, Ms. Garland. You’ve got a friend who makes you jewelry. I don’t have any friend like that,” the screenwriter lamented. Noticing that Rayna was in a good mood, she decided to pry into the

matter a little more.

“Ms. Garland, is that friend of yours a man or a woman?”

The stylist edged closer and said, “I’m also curious. I think that a woman will be more meticulous and won’t produce such amateurish work. I think they look like… a man’s work!”

Rayna’s smile stiffened a little. She didn’t expect them to be so nosy.

She stole a glance at Curtis in the front. Rayna cleared her throat in an attempt to change the subject. “Have you amended the script? Let me have a look.”

The screenwriter decided against probing further and immediately took out the script for Rayna.

Curtis peeked at Rayna through the rearview mirror.

She was engrossed in a discussion with the screenwriter. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, revealing the daisy earrings with little crooked white petals.

Curtis felt a little embarrassed when he thought about how much he struggled to look for the materials to make those earrings.

It was beyond his imagination that such a little pair of earrings was actually that difficult to make.

He adhered closely to the video instruction and labored for three hours to make them. Despite checking multiple times, the petals still came out crooked.

However, not only did Rayna not think less of his flawed earrings, but she actually liked them and put them on. Hence, he felt that his hours of work were worthwhile.

After an hour, the van arrived at the filming location at Summerbank.

It had an excellent view.

Coincidentally, it was not traveling season. Besides, Wilson had communicated with the person in charge of the location and booked the place beforehand, no tourists would enter and disrupt their filming.

The crew started to set up their respective tents and equipment after getting out of the van.

Rayna wanted to help, but she was afraid that her good intention might backfire and result in more work for the others, as well as inadvertently hurting her babies. Hence, she took out her phone to check her emails.

While waiting for others to finish setting up, she tried to look as busy as possible.

After the tent was set up, Rayna went to do her makeup when the stylist called her.

Styling for period dramas was more complicated with both makeup and hair involved.

Rayna’s bottom was hurting from her sitting with her back straight the whole time while she was styling her hair and doing her makeup. Feeling drowsy, her eyes were half-closed.

She didn’t know how much time passed when the stylist’s voice rang beside her ears. “Mr. Faymon, you’re done changing into your costume? Just a moment, please. Ms. Garland is almost done.”

“Take your time. I’m not in a rush,” Curtis replied in a low voice.

His baritone voice made Rayna’s ears tingle.

She opened her eyes and peeked at him through the mirror in front of her. Curtis was wearing a dark blue robe with intricate floral embroidery that complemented his slender figure. His downcast eyes made him appear cold and impassive.

His regal aura was akin to a prince. Even if he was just standing there, it was a pleasing sight to behold.

Rayna couldn’t take her eyes off him.

The stylist called out Rayna’s name. She tapped Rayna on her shoulders when the latter was in a daze and did not respond to her calls. She teased, “Ms. Garland, I know that Mr. Faymon looks very dashing in his costume, but you don’t need to ogle at him like that. You guys are going to film together later.”

Embarrassed, Rayna’s face flushed beet red. She hastily got up from her chair and stammered, “I-I’m going to get changed.”

“The clothes are on the rack. You can just take them,” the stylist said.

Curtis instinctively wanted to help Rayna out when he noticed her almost bumping into the clothes rack.

He heaved a sigh of relief when Rayna managed to steady herself. Eyes crinkling into a smile, he wondered whatever happened to Rayna, as she had become more and more groggy after getting back to the country.

Rayna was afraid that her protruding belly might make it difficult for her to fit into her costume. However, she soon realized that her concern was unnecessary. Her costume actually fit her perfectly, and the loose outer robe also concealed her belly very nicely.

When she came out of the changing room, Rayna noticed that the stylist was done with Curtis as well.

He didn’t need to put on any makeup, as he wouldn’t have to show his face. The stylist put a headpiece on Curtis. It had the same color as the emerald embroidered on Curtis’ robe. The whole ensemble made Curtis cut a dash.

The stylist couldn’t help but praise Curtis as well. “Mr. Faymon, you look so handsome in ancient costume!”

Rayna dared not linger further, especially after the stylist teased her. She scurried out of the tent.

Meanwhile, Wilson had already set up the filming site and cameras.

When both Rayna and Curtis came over, Wilson took the script from the screenwriter and said, “The two of you don’t actually have many lines. Most of the storytelling is conveyed through the male and female leads eyes. Understood?”

As the director, he tried to give Rayna a lead. “Your character meets the male lead in the first life. The two of you don’t know each other very well. So, there has to be curiosity in your eyes, as well as a hint of shyness, like a teenage girl.”

Rayna was stumped. “Since I don’t know him very well, how do I play the part of a shy teenage girl?”

Wilson patiently explained, “Because both your parents arranged your marriage, and you heard about his reputation from others, and he is good for nothing. You refuse to marry him because of that. However, there was nothing you can do about it.”

 

Chapter 457

“You assumed that the male lead is a guest when you see him in your house and is very curious about his identity. When you notice his elegant and gentle mannerisms and think about the man you are going to marry, you start developing feelings for the male lead. You cannot help but wonder how nice it would be if you could marry him instead. Is it clearer now?”

Rayna finally understood after the director explained the plot to her in layman’s terms.

Alas!

She had flipped through the script on the way there and was secretly glad that there was not much dialogue for her part. To her surprise, it was much harder to act out a part without any lines.

The director proceeded to explain to them the specific positions that they should be standing at different times.

After the man was done with his briefing, he ushered Rayna onto the set and took his position behind the camera.

Wilson focused the camera on Rayna and zoomed into her face. When he saw the woman’s slightly chubby cheeks, he furrowed his brows and said, “Ms. Garland, you have to control your diet for the next few days. Your face is a little chubby, and it wouldn’t look good on screen.”

A blush of embarrassment spread across Rayna’s cheeks when she heard that.

It was a fact that she had put on some weight lately. However, the nutrients were all absorbed by her babies. It would make sense for her belly and thighs to have gotten larger, but she did not think that the weight would go to her face.

“Does my face really look that fat on screen?” Rayna asked softly.

“Yes, very.” Wilson nodded and elaborated honestly, “It looks almost as round as a whole cake.”

Feeling awkward, Rayna started to explain herself. “Well, it’s true that I have gained some weight recently, but I only weigh a hundred and fifteen pounds.”

“That’s too heavy. Usually, female actresses with your height wouldn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds.”

Rayna was at a loss for words.

Just when she was on the verge of a mental breakdown, Curtis spoke placidly. “With the camera zooming in so much on the face, no matter how slim an actress is, she would still look fat on screen. Since Ms. Garland is not a professional actress, there’s no need to be so hard on her. This is a promotional video for a perfume, and the focus should be on the product. Why don’t you just shoot her side profile and eyes?”

Rayna chimed in at once, “Yup. Just shoot my side profile. Looking at the camera directly makes me nervous.”

After a moment of contemplation, Wilson nodded and agreed reluctantly. “Okay then. We can try shooting her side profile and see how it goes. Ms. Garland, if that doesn’t work, you should try to eat less to ensure that you can fit into the gowns.”

Gowns?

Rayna suddenly remembered that they had to go to Summerbank Film Company to film the next scene.

It was a retro scene that required her to wear two different gowns!

Everyone would be able to see my baby bump if I have to wear those tight-fitting gowns!

Oh, gosh! What should I do?

As thoughts started racing through Rayna’s mind, Wilson’s voice suddenly rang in her ear. “Ms. Garland, please get into your position.”

The woman had no choice but to compose herself and take her position.

Even though Rayna and Curtis were both amateurs in acting, they were people of status. As such, Wilson did not dare to shout at them like he usually did with C-list actors and actresses. Throughout the entire filming process, the director was especially respectful and polite to them.

As it was Rayna’s first acting experience, although she had someone to guide her through every step along the way, it was still very difficult for her to get into the role.

It took more than ten reshoots for her to find the way.

`After an entire day of filming, out of the dozens of footage that the crew had recorded, there were only ten seconds that Wilson was satisfied with. The director told everyone to pack up and go home after instructing them to arrive at the set on time the next day to carry on with the filming.

As Wilson had been teaching Rayna various acting techniques and telling her things to take note of, the woman barely had any rest and was exhausted by the end of the day.

On the way back, she fell asleep on the screenwriter’s shoulders.

Upon reaching the homestay, the screenwriter tapped on Rayna’s arm gently and tried to wake her up. However, Rayna was unaroused and remained in a deep slumber. “What should I do? I’m unable to wake Ms. Garland up. Should I leave her to continue sleeping in the car?”

“The air circulation in the car isn’t good.” Curtis strode over and said. His gaze dimmed slightly before he continued, “I’ll send her back.”

The screenwriter got out of the car at once and stood next to the stylist.

The two of them exchanged glances as they watched Curtis carry Rayna out of the car and head into the homestay.

They were stunned for a moment before snapping back to their senses. “Don’t you think the way Mr. Faymon treats Ms. Garland is way too good? I heard that Mr. Faymon has no interest in women. It definitely doesn’t seem that way to me!” the screenwriter started gossiping.

“I think they used to date before.” The stylist paused to think for a moment before making a speculation. “Do you think Ms. Garland is the reason Mr. Faymon came all the way here to film?”

“That’s possible!” the screenwriter agreed at once before continuing, “Do you remember when you asked Ms. Garland this morning if her earrings were gifted to her by a male or female friend, and she sounded like she was trying to hide something? I suspect that it could be a gift from Mr. Faymon.”

After hearing that, the stylist gasped and replied, “Are you sure? Mr. Faymon is rich enough to afford the best jewelry in the world. Why would he make such an ugly pair of earrings and give them to Ms. Garland?”

The screenwriter snorted and replied, “What do you know? A handmade gift is always more meaningful than one that is purchased. Can’t you tell how much Ms. Garland cherishes that pair of earrings? She kept them so carefully when she had to change into that pair of agate earrings just now as if she was worried that she would lose them.”

The stylist replied enviously, “Ms. Garland is so lucky to have such a handsome and rich boyfriend. She must have been a saint in her past life to have such good fortune!”

“Don’t say that. Ms. Garland is not too bad herself.”

The two of them continued chatting while walking toward the restaurant.

Suddenly, the stylist seemed to have recalled something and said in a strange tone, “Just now, when Ms. Garland was changing, I noticed that her belly was protruding. I think she is… pregnant.”

“That’s impossible!” The screenwriter dismissed that thought straight away and said, “I’m sure it looked like that because Ms. Garland was bloated from eating too much. Who could the father of the kids be if she were really pregnant? If it was Mr. Faymon and he knew about it, there was no way he would have allowed her to participate in the filming.”

After pondering for a moment, the stylist felt that that explanation did make sense.

After all, a bloated belly could resemble a pregnant one.

Filming was at a national tourist attraction for the next few days and lasted from morning to night.

Rayna had also found momentum and was thoroughly engaged in her performance.

The director’s job was much easier with both the male and female leads in their best forms. He joked, “Ms. Garland, the look in your eyes is so genuine. If we didn’t know better, we would have thought that you were really in love with Mr. Faymon!”

Rayna started to panic when she heard that. However, she quickly composed herself and replied with a smile, “You were the one who told me that I have to convey my feelings for the male lead through my eyes. I am just making sure I do my best so that we won’t have to waste time reshooting.”

Wilson laughed heartily when he heard that. “That’s right! Ms. Garland, you’re such an apt student!”

Seeing that the director did not ask further, Rayna heaved a sigh of relief and took over her thermos flask from the screenwriter.

Just as she was about to open the lid and take a sip of water, she felt someone staring at her from behind. However, when she turned around, she did not see anyone there.

Some distance away, a tall figure was removing his makeup with the help of a stylist. It seemed like the man had barely noticed her.

After a whole day of rest, everyone was prepared to head to Summerbank Film Company to film the retro scene.

As Rayna was worried that her pregnancy would be exposed once she wore the gowns, she suggested to Wilson that she should wear a vintage-inspired empire waist wedding dress instead, which would be more fitting for the scene.

Wilson called for a meeting with the screenwriter and stylist to talk about that.

After discussing, everyone agreed that Rayna’s suggestion was not bad and decided to make some changes to the script accordingly.

Rayna took the opportunity to suggest doing away with gowns entirely as modern clothing had already started making its appearance during that era. The stylist gave it some thought and agreed to get the assistants to bring some new clothes over.

Finally, Rayna did not have to worry about having to wear those gowns.

Meanwhile, after Vivi got to know about Rayna’s pregnancy, she would visit Rayna at the homestay whenever she was there and bring her fruits, smoothies or supplements.

As it was not appropriate for Rayna to reject the woman’s kindness, she accepted all those gifts and gave Vivi a set of high-end cosmetic products in return.

The two of them were having an enjoyable conversation.

Vivi had stopped asking about the identity of the babies’ father. Instead, she asked, “Ms. Garland, how many babies are there in your stomach?”

“Three.”

“Wow! It’s very rare to have triplets!” Vivi exclaimed in astonishment. “Their father must have really strong genes! Does he have a lot of siblings too?”

 

Chapter 458

“No. He’s the only son,” replied Rayna as her face flushed.

She didn’t anticipate she would be so lucky to have a triplet with Curtis, who was an only son.

“He has such great genes!” Still, Vivi sighed worryingly. “If you don’t tell him about this, will you be able to raise three kids on your own? How do you plan to fill in the kids’ household registers in the future?”

“I’m not poor…” Rayna was amused.

“Why don’t you let Mr. Faymon know about this?” Vivi leaned closer and whispered, “After you two get back together, you can give birth to more children. Isn’t that all right?”

Rayna’s eyebrow twitched as she hurriedly refused, “We’ll never get back together. Besides, being pregnant is exhausting. I suffered so much when I became pregnant initially. I can’t wait to get this load off me, so why would I want to give birth to more children?”

Vivi chirped, “Believe me. You will want to give birth to more babies after your first delivery. I plan to conceive two more kids after this twin reaches one or two years old. My mom said she’s willing to help me care for all my children regardless of how many I give birth to.”

Rayna chuckled. “Are you addicted to giving birth?”

“It’s all because of how much my husband loves me, so I’m willing to conceive as many of his children as he wishes. Besides, the household will be livelier if more kids are in the family. My husband is also the only son.”

“How I envy you.” Rayna was genuinely jealous of the happy couple.

She reached out to touch her bulging stomach. The lights in her eyes dimmed as she was reminded of her conversation with Curtis the other night and his demeanor.

She was also aware that children should grow up in their parent’s company. Since Curtis rejected her, she gave up on telling him about the triplets because she was afraid she would have to give the children up if he knew about them.

However, since their arrival at Summerbank, how he treated her made her feel at a loss.

Why is he so nice to me if he doesn’t like or accept me? Why does he care for me and send me gifts?

She couldn’t fathom his train of thought.

“Oh? Is Mr. Faymon back?” When Vivi looked downstairs, she noticed Curtis was back, so she greeted him, “What delicious food did you go out to buy?”

He glanced at the two women on the balcony and replied nonchalantly, “Fruits.”

Vivi asked curiously, “There are fruits in the dining room. Why did you go out and buy?”

“There isn’t any fruit of my preference.”

“What fruits did you buy, Mr. Faymon? Bring them upstairs, and let us have a taste.”

He grunted in response.

Rayna couldn’t stop herself from shifting her gaze downstairs. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him glancing at her. She hastily retracted her hand, which was placed on her stomach, and looked away.

Coincidentally, he noticed her slightly bulging stomach in the few seconds when she removed her hands. The corner of his lips twitched as he was reminded of the two plates of spaghetti and fruits she

had eaten earlier in the afternoon. I told her not to eat so much. Look at that. She’s too full now and is sitting there, lazy to move around.

After going upstairs, Curtis knocked on Rayna’s door.

Vivi went to open the door. She was surprised to see Curtis outside the room. “Oh my. I can’t believe you really brought the fruits upstairs.”

“It’s just fruits.” He handed her the shopping bag. “The weather is hot and dry. You two should eat more fruits.” He added after a brief pause, “There’s also some yogurt inside. Let Ms. Garland drink two bottles of that.”

After being momentarily stunned, Vivi shook with laughter. “Okay. I’ll make sure she drinks the yogurt.”

Curtis was stumped and baffled by her laughing fit.

After closing the door, Vivi searched the shopping bag and found common fruits like pears and apples.

The pack of yogurt drinks appeared significantly eye-catching among the bag of fruits.

“Here. Mr. Faymon bought these.” Vivi handed the yogurt to Rayna on the balcony while continuing to laugh hysterically. “He’s under the assumption that you’re too full from overeating, so he purposely went out to buy yogurt for you.”

With her face reddened in embarrassment, Rayna muttered, “I have to eat more since I’m carrying three children. I’m afraid they’ll starve if I eat less. Still, is my stomach that obvious?”

Vivi said, “It’s not if you wear loose-fitting clothes. Your stomach is not that big, considering you’re pregnant with a triplet, but you don’t have to worry. When you’re five or six months into your pregnancy, your stomach will be so big you can hardly walk.”

Rayna was relieved after hearing that.

She was afraid Curtis would notice her bulging stomach if it were too evident. Things would become too troublesome if that happened.

Staring at the yogurt in her hand and thinking about how Curtis deliberately went out to purchase her the drinks, Rayna felt exasperated and simultaneously had the urge to laugh.

The costumes were sent over the next day. After everyone packed their belongings, they drove to Summerbank Film Company.

Almost twenty different film crews were shooting at Summerbank Film Company daily. Bystanders and actors were everywhere, and there were a lot of tourists there on holiday. In short, the place was bustling.

After everyone registered themselves, they drove the cars into the film company. Upon arriving at their desired filming location, they began unloading their equipment, building the changing rooms, and setting up the scene.

Rayna sized up her surroundings.

Although the whole place was constructed using wood and cement, she inexplicably and magically felt she had traveled back to that period.

There weren’t many scenes involving the retro period and the most important was a wedding scene.

Wilson arranged for someone to gather the actors and actresses. Then, the stylist hastily gave Rayna a makeover. As the makeup for the wedding makeup required a lot of time to put on, the stylist even called the screenwriter to help out with preening Rayna’s hair.

Rayna was nervous, looking at the red wedding outfit she was wearing.

Although the storyline was her brainchild, she never anticipated the main characters of the wedding would be Curtis and her.

Even though they were merely acting in a play, she couldn’t stop her palms from turning sweaty as she pondered on what they were about to do.

After over an hour of hard work, they were finally done with Rayna’s makeup.

After the stylist finished the final touchup, Rayna got to her feet.

“What’s the matter, Ms. Garland?”

“I need to go to the restroom.”

The stylist was stunned. “Didn’t you go to the restroom earlier, Ms. Garland? Why are you frequenting the toilet?”

Even Rayna felt self-conscious, listening to that.

She also realized she had been going to the restroom too frequently since she became pregnant.

“I can’t help it because I drank too much water.” Fearing she would raise the stylist’s suspicion, Rayna quickly pointed at the water glass on the table, came up with a convincing lie, and hastily left.

The stylist shouted behind her, “Ah! Be careful with the headdresses, Ms. Garland! It’s very expensive, so don’t drop it.”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

On her way back from the restroom, Rayna ran into a few kids, who were dressed in retro costumes, frolicking.

They seemed to have come from another set to play there.

Rayna noticed an adorable, short little girl around three to four years old dressed in a pink dress. Her face was cute and rosy.

She grabbed the hem of a little boy’s clothes and called out to him in a childish voice. “Nelson, let me have another lollipop!”

“No. We said we’ll split it evenly, and you’ve already finished the three lollipops that belonged to you.”

“But I want to eat more. Please, Nelson. Let me have one more. I’m your cute little sister.”

“No!”

The little boy, Nelson, mercilessly prised his little sister’s hand away from his clothes and ran away with his friends.

The little girl, Flora, scampered toward her brother while crying out, “Nelson, wait for me!”

In the end, she ended up tripping over her legs because she was too fast when she ran.

Rayna’s heart clenched when she saw Flora was about to fall. She trotted over, wishing to help the little girl. However, right when she got moving, a tall figure showed up and firmly grabbed hold of Flora.

Still feeling shocked, Flora patted her chest and looked up at Curtis.

“Thank you, mister.”

He curled his thin lips and uttered in a calm and deep voice, “You’re welcome.”

Chapter 459

Rayna also breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the man beside her.

Curtis was donning a suit that accentuated his tall and majestic figure. He looked as elegant and composed as usual.

No matter what he wore, he would look handsome, proving once more that he was no lesser than any model.

She stared at him blankly as she watched him squat down to talk to the child respectfully. He queried Flora on why she ran so quickly in a gentle tone.

Flora pursed her lips and said aggrievedly, “Because my brother doesn’t want to let me have a lollipop, so he ran away.”

“How mean. Your brother doesn’t treasure you.”

“That’s right…”

Rayna watched Curtis chat with Flora, and her lips instinctively curled into a faint smile. An image of Curtis playing with a few children in a garden appeared in her mind.

As Curtis’ son used a water gun to shoot at Curtis playfully, the latter did not retaliate. He would also willingly allow his daughter to ride on his back with a doting and helpless expression.

When the children started arguing, he had no choice but to stop the fight. His head ached from comforting one child after another.

What a loving and heartwarming scene!

After Curtis finished talking with Flora, he held her hand and was about to send the latter back when he raised his head and noticed Rayna. She was standing in the middle of the road in a wedding dress, accentuating her fair-skinned.

Her eyes were twinkling, and a smile donned her face. Curtis was unable to take his eyes off her.

A hint of surprise flashed across his eyes—he was astounded.

I didn’t know she would look this gorgeous wearing a wedding dress.

He couldn’t help but want to hide her from everyone.

Flora noticed Curtis had stopped in his tracks and curiously looked toward where he was looking at.

When she saw Rayna, she shouted, “Wow! So pretty!”

Her childish voice jolted the two back into reality.

Rayna looked away and replied calmly, “I just came back from the restroom.”

“Okay. Let me send Flora back.” Curtis tried to suppress his throbbing heart. He could not help but stare at her with his dark eyes. “You look beautiful today.”

Flora glanced at Rayna’s dress and turned to look at Curtis’ suit. She came to a realization, and her eyes widened. “Are you guys getting married?”

“Yes…” Rayna hesitated before adding, “We’re acting.”

Curtis’ expression darkened. “Flora, let me send you back.”

“Okay!”

They were about to leave when Flora’s brother came running toward them.

“Why are you holding onto my sister’s hand?” Nelson ran over and dragged Flora behind him. He stared at Curtis warily.

Flora answered in a piping voice, “Nelson, he’s not a bad person! He said he was going to send me back!”

Nelson scolded her, “Would someone tell you if he’s a bad person?”

“But he’s so handsome!”

“The more handsome someone is, the easier it is to trick children!” Nelson scolded. He stuffed a lollipop into Flora’s hands and walked off with her. “Let’s go back!”

“You didn’t even eat it! Is it all for me?”

Nelson scoffed. “I’m just worried I might get cavities from eating it! If you get cavities and turn ugly, I’ll be delighted!”

“You’re so nice!”

Rayna watched the two children leave while holding hands. She cast a glance at Curtis, who had a darkened expression, and teased, “Luckily, they didn’t bring their parents over and accuse you of kidnapping the child.”

That remark had Curtis feeling very much helpless. “I really wanted to send her back home.”

Rayna continued to tease him, “Was it not because Flora is an adorable child and you wanted to experience being a father? I notice you’re rather reluctant to let go of her hand.”

Curtis replied in a deep voice, “It’s not that. I just wanted to help her because I was worried she might get lost. It’s too much effort to take care of a child. I’d rather work.”

Rayna felt as if the most fragile part of her heart was hit by a sledgehammer forcefully when she heard Curtis’ words. She was so upset she felt dizzy.

So he doesn’t like children…

At the same time, Rayna felt relieved that she hadn’t told Curtis about her pregnancy.

Curtis furrowed his brows when he noticed Rayna’s pale face. He was about to ask her about it when Rayna turned around and left quickly.

He froze momentarily before following behind her.

They returned to the film crew one after another. Wilson had already set up the filming site, and the extras were present.

When Wilson called them over, he described the scene to them and demonstrated to Rayna how he wanted her to act it out.

After teaching them two times, he ushered them to take their positions.

Rayna was still in a daze because of Curtis’ words. She let the stylish place the wedding veil on her and slowly walked into the main hall as someone supported her arm.

She saw Curtis in the middle of the hall through her wedding veil. He was composed and dignified. It was as if she could only see him in the room.

He was extremely handsome and charming. It was easy for women to fall in love with him.

Rayna was supported and sent over to Curtis. They looked good in the red wedding attire.

It was as if they were meant for each other at this moment.

The emcee who was hosting the wedding reception started reciting the vows.

As Rayna listened to the vows, she glanced at the man beside her from the corner of her eyes. She felt as if they were not acting but really getting married at that moment.

Wilson instructed, “Okay. Let’s adjust the positions. The male protagonist shall kiss the female protagonist now. You can utilize the camera angle for the kiss scene.”

After they adjusted positions, Curtis leaned toward Rayna.

Rayna watched Curtis slowly coming closer to her. She instinctively grabbed her wedding dress tightly as her heart thumped wildly. She found it impossible to breathe properly because of him.

Soon, the distance between them was almost nonexistent. Curtis lowered his head to kiss her.

He placed a light kiss on her lips through the thin wedding veil.

I-Isn’t he going to use the camera angles for the kiss scene?

Rayna was confused. However, she closed her eyes and didn’t say anything upon smelling his scent.

She had already told herself many times to maintain a distance from him. Nevertheless, she would constantly see him and think about him all night.

She thought she had let everything go. However, her mind was filled with him now.

No one expected Curtis to really kiss Rayna. Everyone was stunned and they held their breath. They were afraid of disturbing them.

The filming site was eerily silent.

After a while, Wilson coughed loudly and said, “This scene is perfect!”

Rayna regained her senses and distanced herself away from Curtis. She turned around and bit her lip. She could still hear his lingering warmth on her lips, and her face flushed crimson.

There weren’t many scenes involving the retro period. Rayna and Curtis were in their best condition, so there weren’t many reshoots. Thus, they completed all their scenes in two days.

They returned to their homestay to rest as they prepared to shoot the final modern scene two days after.

After Curtis kissed her, Rayna noticed that the film crew was looking at her differently. Intrigue and curiosity brimmed in their eyes.

When Curtis came in during mealtime, everyone kept casting glances at Rayna and him. They wanted to ask Rayna and Curtis about their relationship, making Rayna feel very awkward.

She didn’t expect Curtis to really kiss her in front of the entire film crew.

However, she was even immersed in it.

“Are you not filming today?” Vivi suddenly appeared with a plate of mango. “I heard Mr. Faymon and you really share a kiss during filming. Is that true?”

Rayna glanced at her and uttered in exasperation, “Can you not bring this up?”

“Okay, okay. I won’t bring this up.” Vivi passed the plate to her. “It’s mango. They taste sweet and sour at the same time. Try it. They’re delicious.”

 

Chapter 460

“I’ve never seen anyone eating mango with chili. What kind of recipe is this?”

Vivi rolled her eyes at her and replied, “It’s our local delicacy. Do you know just how many people want to eat it but can’t?”

Rayna picked up a piece of mango with a fork and dipped it into the chili.

Surprisingly, it was quite good.

Vivi had wanted to chat with Rayna. However, before they could sit down, she received a call from her husband.

After taking the call, Vivi told Rayna that she was going to pick up some goods with her husband and left in haste.

Rayna lay back against a swing chair and basked in the sunlight as she enjoyed the mangos.

Without her realizing it, Rayna finished a big plate of mangos.

“Ms. Garland, enjoying the sun, are we?” A stylist brought a lunch box over and teased, “Mr. Faymon noticed you didn’t have lunch in the dining room just now. He asked me to send you some duck stew.”

Rayna shifted uneasily. “I’m not a morning person. You could have just asked someone to send lunch to my room.”

As a matter of fact, she hadn’t joined them because she couldn’t stand them gesticulating about her and Curtis.

The stylist mumbled, “Mr. Faymon was so worried about you and kept asking us why you weren’t there. Tsk tsk!”

“Put it here. I’ll eat it later,” Rayna said awkwardly.

“All right. I’ll set it down here. Anyway, I’ll get going now.”

Rayna finally felt more comfortable after the stylist left.

She glanced at the lunch box placed on the table and was tempted to eat the duck stew.

However, she had a lot for lunch, not to mention the huge plate of mangos. Hence, she was quite stuffed.

Rayna greeted Vivi’s mother-in-law when the latter walked past her.

“Mdm. Myers, did you just come back?”

“Yes. Vivi wants to eat mangos. There’s none left. So I went out to buy two boxes of them,” Claire replied. Then, she opened the box and gave Rayna a handful.

“Thank you, Mdm. Myers,” Rayna said with a smile.

Then, she recalled the fact that duck stew was quite nutritious and handed the lunch box to Claire. “This is duck stew. Please pass it to Vivi.”

“You have it. I’m going to make Vivi some tomorrow,” Claire replied.

“I’m really full now. You can give it to her,” Rayna said. Then, she pushed the lunch box to Claire and added, “I’ve put on a lot of weight. I’m afraid that the directors are going to give me the stink eye if I don’t watch my diet.”

Claire knew that there was no refusing her and accepted the lunch box. “All right, then. Please bring Mr. Faymon over for dinner later.”

“It’s all right. You don’t have to do this.”

After chatting for a bit, Rayna finally talked Claire out of having them over for dinner. She couldn’t help but envy Vivi’s luck. Not only did her husband cherish her, but her mother-in-law was really kind to her as well.

Then, she recalled how dejected Xandra looked when she was talking to her the other day.

Xandra said that Curtis was cold and indifferent toward her after knowing the truth. Ever since she moved to the Faymon residence, Curtis never went over. He would only begrudgingly go home when summoned by Alfred.

Rayna didn’t think that Xandra was wrong, and she wished he would talk things out with her.

However, she did not speak her mind.

It was not her place to lecture Curtis, after all.

Rayna stayed in the garden for some time. The air felt hot and humid, with dark clouds looming in the sky. It seemed like it was going to rain. So, she went back into the house.

She bumped right into Curtis when she was heading upstairs.

Curtis went upstairs with her and asked nonchalantly, “How’s the duck stew?”

He was afraid that she didn’t have lunch and asked the kitchen to prepare the duck stew for her. However, since it was inappropriate for him to personally send it over, he asked someone else to help him instead.

Rayna felt odd telling him she’d given away the duck stew because she was stuffed. Thus, she merely hummed in acknowledgment.

When she reached the door, she took out a few mangos from the bag and shoved them to Curtis. “Vivi’s mother-in-law gave me this. I can’t finish it all on my own.”

Then, she hastily opened the door and headed inside.

Curtis looked at the mangos and chuckled.

It seems like she’s really overstuffed these days. Otherwise, she would have finished everything, leaving nothing for me.