Ch. 491..500

Chapter 491

Her voice was shaky, and she could not even speak properly.

Realizing something was off, Rayna instantly rushed off to look for a doctor, yelling, “Doctor! Doctor!”

That nurse noticed that something was amiss too, and she quietly sneaked off.

Soon, a few doctors swarmed into the room and began administering emergency treatment for Oliver.

In the meantime, Rayna and Kristie waited outside.

Rayna was trembling, and she could not recompose herself.

He’s Jessie’s only family. What am I going to tell Jessie if anything happens to him?

A few minutes later, the doctor stopped trying to resuscitate Oliver.

With her keen hearing, Rayna heard the doctor asking the nurse to note down the time of death, and her knees went weak. She collapsed against Kristie and could only blankly watch as the doctor walked toward her.

The doctor said something to Rayna, but none of his words entered her mind. He had a look of pity on his face, and after shaking his head, he left.

Shortly after, the only ones left in the room were Rayna, Kristie, and the lifeless Oliver.

Rayna was in a daze for a long time. As she held onto Kristie’s arm tightly, she squeezed out, “What did the doctor just say?”

“Rayna…”

“Is Mr. Marsh resting?” Rayna asked. “He’ll be fine by tomorrow, right?”

Kristie quietly said, “The doctor said sorry and that they’ve tried their best.”

At that, Rayna pursed her lips and grabbed Kristie’s arm tightly.

When she blinked, the tears in her eyes rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

“How am I going to tell Jessie about this?” she finally choked out before bawling. “She has helped me so much, but I couldn’t even keep her only family safe… I’m so useless…”

She had not been able to keep her brother safe—she had let him die in a foreign land.

How long had it only been since then? Now, she failed to take care of her good friend’s family.

“This is all my fault. This is all my fault!” Rayna cried out as she sprawled on Kristie. “I’m too stupid! If only I asked Jessie to leave the country faster. This wouldn’t have happened!”

It was her fault. She was the one who had befriended Vivi and gave her the new product to sample.

It was her fault. She was the one who had given the spiked soup to Vivi, causing her to lose her twins, and hence sought revenge against her.

It was all her fault.

Everything happened because of her.

Rayna’s bawling sent Kristie into a panic, and the latter kept consoling her, “Rayna, this isn’t your fault. It was that nurse. Mr. Marsh was agitated, and that’s why he…”

Rayna mumbled under her breath, “I should have packed and left when I came back from Summerbank. Why did I stay? Why am I so useless?”

“Rayna, don’t be like this…” Even Kristie was on the verge of crying at the sight of Rayna’s desolation.

Right as she took out her phone to call Curtis, someone called.

Kristie picked up the call. “Hello?”

“Hello, I’m Ms. Garland’s assistant, Ella,” said the person on the other end of the line. “Ms. Garland said she isn’t coming to the office today and to call this number if anything happens. May I know if she is around?”

Kristie guessed that Rayna was unable to take the call in that state, so she said, “Is something the matter?”

“Here’s the thing. Ms. Garland said she couldn’t find her phone yesterday, but I found it in the bathroom. I was wondering if Ms. Garland wants to use it right away. If she wants it now, I can send it to her. She has over a dozen missed calls.”

“Please send it to the hospital, then.”

After ending the call, Kristie called Curtis.

However, his phone was still switched off.

Kristie was enraged by that, thinking, If Curt was my boyfriend, I would’ve broken up with him a hundred times by now. What’s the point of having you if she can’t reach you when she’s in need of someone?

Kristie then helped Rayna to the chair. Looking at her devastated expression, Kristie could only console her, “Don’t blame yourself for this, Rayna. This really isn’t your fault. You should calm down for your babies’ sake, too.”

As Rayna caressed her stomach, she let out a bitter laugh. “I really wished I wasn’t pregnant.”

She had suffered too much for her children.

If Jefferson hadn’t gone to the hospital to stop me, and if I had successfully aborted the children, maybe all of these might not have happened.

Nothing Kristie did could console Rayna, and all she could do was panic.

She filled a glass of water for Rayna, but Rayna did not want it. Hence, she could only keep her company and hoped that she would feel better soon.

Not long after, Ella arrived.

Unsurprisingly, she was startled by the sight of Rayna.

Not daring to ask any questions, Ella handed the phone to Rayna and said, “Ms. Garland, here’s your phone. I found it in the bathroom.”

“Okay,” Rayna muttered as she took it.

She had calmed down after the long bout of crying. After all, she had other things to settle.

“Please help me deal with some matters.” Rayna glanced at the man on the bed before turning away. “Please help me settle this man and his wife’s funeral…”

After that, she buried her head in her hands and began crying again, unable to continue.

Ella understood what she wanted. In a soft voice, she replied, “Of course, Ms. Garland. I know what to do. Please go back and rest.”

Kristie then helped Rayna to her feet. “Rayna, let me send you back.”

After giving her instructions to Ella, Rayna forcibly mustered some strength in her to leave the place with Kristie.

As she unlocked her phone, she said to Kristie, “There’s something else I need to deal with, so head back first, Kristie.”

“Are you going to meet Wyatt?” Kristie guessed what Rayna wanted to do, so in a firm tone, she uttered, “No. You’re pregnant, and it’s dangerous for you to go there alone. I’ll come with you.”

“I can go there myself,” Rayna said. When she finally unlocked her phone, she realized all the missed calls were from Ringo.

She returned the call.

After stepping out of the elevator, Kristie continued to follow Rayna, determined to tag along.

Once Rayna’s call to Ringo went through, Rayna hoarsely asked, “Why did you call me so many times?”

“Ms. Garland, what happened to you?”

“I’m fine.”

Ringo was then silent for a few seconds before saying, “Ms. Garland, Mr. Hamilton has previously created a will stating that every asset he has will be yours if anything happens to him—”

“What do you mean?” Rayna cut him off, nearly dropping her phone from the shock. “Why are you talking about this right now? Where’s Jefferson? Where is he?”

There was nothing but silence.

“I’m talking to you!” Rayna bellowed. “Where is he?”

“Mr. Hamilton met up with Arnaud, intending to retrieve your brother’s body. He has agreed to give up two companies for the deal, and Arnaud has told him to return to Yartran to bring your brother back himself.” Ringo’s voice was getting softer and softer with every word. “On his way back, Mr. Hamilton’s private jet went missing.”

Ringo’s words struck Rayna like a sledgehammer.

Shakily, she asked, “Isn’t the jet supposed to be flying in the standard route? How can it just disappear? Did you look for it?”

Ringo answered, “Someone did something to the flight route, and Arnaud’s men were onboard the plane. I… have looked everywhere I could, but I couldn’t find Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton said that…”

“He will be fine! Nothing will happen to him!” Rayna roared.

Then, she shut her eyes tightly and repeated to herself to calm down.

Nevertheless, she still trembled as she said, “Bring some men with you to keep looking for him. Search through the areas of the flight route. I’ll also get someone to help you out. He’ll be fine.”

“Ms. Garland…”

Rayna did not want to listen to what he was going to say next, so she promptly ended the call. Hunching over, she found tears escaping her eyes and falling to the ground again.

Too many things had happened that day, and she was getting crushed under the weight.

Keeping a hand on Rayna, Kristie squeezed out, “Rayna…”

“I’m fine.” Rayna stood back up and roughly wiped away her tears. “I can’t cry. Crying is the most pointless thing to do. I have many other things to work on. I can’t fall now.”

 

Chapter 492

Kristie hummed in agreement. “Rayna, you have me by your side.”

The two of them then left the hospital.

Right as they departed from the building, two women emerged from behind the lobby’s pillars.

One of the women wore heavy makeup, but still, with a closer look, one could see the crisscrossed scars. Moreover, she was in a black wheelchair—evidently, she had mobility issues.

“It looks like Rayna’s on pretty good terms with Jessica.” Stella, who was watching Rayna leave, chuckled. “She’s been crying on her way down here. Her eyes are swollen.”

Gianna scoffed. “There’s no such thing as true friendship. Everyone’s only after whatever could benefit them.”

Stella then leaned down and placed a hand on Gianna’s shoulder. “Ms. Gianna, you’re ruthless. You should have been merciless back then. Why would you torment the old couple?”

“Jessica’s no fool; she won’t believe anything only after hearing a word or two,” Gianna said with a sneer. “She’ll only believe that Wyatt has killed her family if she hears it from her good friend.”

At that, Gianna gripped her thighs hard.

However, she had already lost the sense of her legs, and she had even lost her calves. She would not be able to feel any pain there.

Back then, Wyatt had chopped off one of her hands and thrown it in the dump site. Then, it was both her legs.

The nightmares that plagued her would never leave her.

With hatred burning bright in her eyes, Gianna snarled, “The only thing I regret is not being able to catch Jessica. Otherwise, I would’ve made her experience the humiliation I had to go through before throwing her at Wyatt’s feet.”

“That will be enough,” Stella said. “Wyatt’s not an easy man to deal with. Doing too much will expose us, and if he tracks us down, we’ll be doomed.”

Gianna then asked, “Why are you helping me? What do you want from me?”

Stella curled her lips as a dark look appeared in her eyes. “That’s because I pity you, Ms. Gianna, for losing your legs. I’d like to help you. You don’t need to thank me, however. I just don’t like the sight of Rayna.”

“Then why aren’t you going up against her?”

“How boring will that be?” Stella put on her sunglasses and started pushing Gianna out of the hospital. “I simply enjoy the lonely look she has on her face as her friends and family leave her. I despise her, honestly. How can she have such good luck? She met a good teacher, and she climbed up the social ladder despite being a translator, and she even has such a good friend.”

Stella knew that Curtis had left the country to settle certain matters and would not be able to return in time. That was why she decided to strike at Rayna now. As long as Rayna was on trial, she was bound to fail. Then, she could kiss her good name and her company’s reputation goodbye.

Stella had made plans for everything—she had ensured that no one in the country would be able to help Rayna.

Yet, the one thing she never expected was for Jessica to negotiate with Vivi and succeed in getting Vivi to withdraw the lawsuit.

Jessica had ruined her plan.

Therefore, when Stella found out that Gianna was going to target Jessica’s uncle, she contacted Gianna to join her.

As Stella spoke, the smile on her lips slowly disappeared. “No ordinary person can have good luck like hers. Say, why should she have such great luck?”

“Man proposes, God disposes,” Gianna said. “One’s good luck will run out eventually.”

Stella nodded in agreement. “Yes, one’s good luck will run out eventually.”

Rayna’s luck must be coming to an end now.

After exiting the hospital, Stella brought Gianna up into the car before telling her that they would be cutting contact. Then, she ambled down the path as she studied the skyscrapers and busy traffic around her.

Faymon Group’s towering building entered her mind, as well as the handsome amount shown in Faymon Group’s majestic annual report. Ambition lit up in her eyes.

What’s the point of fighting for a man? Once I’m all the way to the top, I’ll be stepping on a pedestal made of gold. I can have any man I want by then.

Right then, Stella’s phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and smiled before picking it up.

“Hello?”

The person on the other end of the line said something.

“You’re coming back tomorrow? Do you want me to pick you up?” Stella asked, her smile widening.

As it turned out, Gabriel was coming back.

That meant that Curtis was on his way back too.

Rayna brought Kristie to Lopez Group to look for Wyatt.

At the start, Wyatt’s assistant told them that Wyatt had gone overseas for a business trip and that he did not know when Wyatt was coming back.

After Kristie pulled down her mask to snap at him did the assistant finally confess that Wyatt was still in the country. However, he did not know where Wyatt was.

Rayna and Kristie then went to Zenisan Villa to look for him, but the place was completely empty.

“Kristie, do you know what other properties he owns?” The rush from one place to another was making Rayna sweat buckets. She carelessly pushed away the strands of hair sticking on her face and anxiously urged, “Do check that out.”

Yet, Kristie had already pulled all the strings she could to find out Wyatt’s whereabouts when she was in the car.

“Calm down, Rayna. They haven’t answered me yet.” Kristie passed a piece of tissue to Rayna and reassured her, “Jessica should be fine. It’s already noon. Why don’t I take you to lunch first?”

Rayna shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

She was telling the truth about her not being hungry. All she wanted to do at the moment was find Wyatt.

Kristie then took out some snacks from her bag and shoved them into Rayna’s mouth. “Your babies are hungry even if you’re not. I know you’re worried about Jessica, but you can’t rush things.”

Left without a choice, Rayna swallowed the biscuits with difficulty before taking a few sips of the mineral water.

After a while, Kristie received a message on her phone. “They found it! Wyatt has a house at Regal Gardens.”

Rayna instantly drove there.

Regal Gardens had tight security, but luckily, it was one of Faymon Group’s properties. Kristie contacted someone and managed to summon the person in charge of the area to lead them in personally.

After locating the correct house, Rayna rapidly rang the doorbell.

Soon, someone came to open the door.

“W-Who are you?” the housekeeper cried out, startled by the sight of Rayna and the others.

Before the housekeeper could close the door again, Rayna aggressively shoved her aside and stormed in.

“Hey, hey!” The housekeeper tried to stop Rayna, but Kristie grabbed her arm.

As Rayna scoured through the place, she yelled, “Jessie!”

Wyatt’s house only had one floor, but it was over than two hundred square feet. The structure of the house was complicated, and every time Rayna saw a door, she would turn its knob to try to open it. Yet, she still could not find Jessica.

All of a sudden, Rayna’s stomach began cramping, and the pain stopped her in her tracks. She hunched over, and soon, cold sweat began beading all over her forehead.

“Nana?”

Rayna thought she heard Jessica calling out for her, so she forced herself to continue forward and open the door to the bedroom on her right.

I can’t turn the knob. It must be locked.

Jessica’s voice came from the inside again. “Is that Nana? Why are you here?”

“It’s me.”

Upon hearing that Jessica sounded normal and fine, Rayna let out a sigh of relief.

Then, noticing that the lock was a normal lock, she began surveying the area before spotting a tall stool by the wall. Picking it up, she then said to Jessica, “Stay away from the door. I’m about to break it.”

“Okay.”

The stool was heavy, but somehow Rayna managed to summon enough strength to lift it and smash it against the lock.

She did it again and again.

It took her four hits before she smashed the lock.

The door then opened from the inside, and Jessica stepped out of the room. She looked pale but somewhat alert.

“Nana!” Jessica lunged over to hug Rayna tightly as feelings of surprise and delight washed over her. She nearly cried. “I’m so glad that you’re fine. I was terrified that Vivi would go back on her words after getting the money.”

“You’re the one who has it the hardest.” The thought of the two bodies in the hospital turned Rayna gloomy. She did not know what she was going to say to Jessica. In a hoarse voice, she whispered, “We can’t stay here. Let’s go first.”

 

Chapter 493

The housekeeper rushed forward when she noticed Rayna trying to bring Jessica away.

Alas, she could not win one against three. Instead, Kristie tied the housekeeper up and left her in the living room.

After leaving Regal Gardens, Rayna drove straight to the airport. She said to Kristie, “You’ve got loads of connections, Kristie. Get in touch with someone at the airport and have them put Jessie on a plane out of the country.”

“Go abroad?” Jessica stiffened in shock before sputtering, “I can’t leave the country. Uncle Oliver is still in the hospital. Wyatt might target him if he can’t find me.”

Rayna tightened her grip on the steering wheel and mustered a smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Mr. Marsh.”

“Rayna, where should the flight go?” asked Kristie.

“Yartran.”

That was Jefferson’s turf, and Wyatt would never be able to find Jessica there.

Meanwhile, Kristie quickly found help by using her connections as “Mr. Faymon’s younger sister.”

Once they reached the airport, Kristie led Rayna and Jessica through the staff entrance and straight to the pilot who would ensure Jessica’s safe arrival in Yartran.

Jessica dragged her feet, reluctant to leave. She clasped Rayna’s hand and said, “What will happen to you when I leave? Wyatt—”

“Don’t worry, he can’t do anything to me,” Rayna interjected while wiping the tears from the corner of Jessica’s eyes. She added, “Wait for a bit once you land in Yartran. Ringo will send someone to escort you.”

Then, she continued more quietly, “I’m sorry. I’m too useless. I even need you to help me.”

I must protect Jessica at all costs since I didn’t manage to save her family.

Thankfully, Jessica hugged Rayna and replied, “Okay. I’ll listen to you. I’ll leave. Please take care of my uncle and the others.”

Rayna nodded.

She watched as Jessica boarded the plane.

The tension in her heart only dissolved when the plane left the runway. Then, she left with Kristie.

Kristie watched Rayna’s profile closely and could not help but ask, “Uncle Oliver is, erm… why didn’t you tell Jessica the truth, Rayna?”

Suddenly, Rayna was overwhelmed with exhaustion.

She massaged her temples and answered, “Jessica’s pregnant. I’m not sure she can handle the truth. We need to buy all the time we can.”

Kristie’s heart ached for Jessica’s situation. She sighed and muttered, “I didn’t think Wyatt was so… brutal.”

He even harmed Jessica’s family.

Rayna began tottering on her legs, drawing Kristie’s concern.

“Are you okay, Rayna?” Kristie rushed forward to support Rayna. In her haste, she dropped her hat, revealing her signature jet-black hair and bright eyes.

Several pedestrians glanced over curiously.

Some even walked up to her and stared intently at her. One of them asked hesitantly, “Are you Kristie Winton?”

Kristie picked up her hat and wore it securely before attempting to lead Rayna away.

“Oh my God, you really are Kristie Winton!” exclaimed the earlier onlooker in glee. “I’m a huge fan! Could you give me an autograph? Why did you stop acting?”

Hearing the avid fan’s exclamations, other pedestrians murmured excitedly and swarmed Kristie for autographs. “Kristie Winton?”

“No way! Why is she here?”

Rayna and Kristie were surrounded in under a minute.

“I’m not Kristie Winton. Please leave me alone!” Kristie yelled anxiously when she noticed Rayna’s paling complexion. She shoved some onlookers away and pleaded, “Please let us go!”

The crowd was deaf to her pleas. Some of the overzealous fans even tried to rip Kristie’s face mask off.

The environment grew more and more suffocating.

Already overwhelmed with fatigue, Rayna promptly blacked out under the lack of oxygen and slumped into Kristie.

“Rayna!” Kristie panicked and tried her best to hold Rayna up. At the same time, she scolded the onlookers fiercely, “Give me some room! I’m calling the police if you continue to block my path!”

Just then, a pair of powerful arms began pushing the crowd apart.

A massive figure stepped into the circle.

It was a tanned, middle-aged man. He immediately swept Rayna into his arms and said to Kristie, “Hold on to my arm. Let’s go.”

Kristie’s heart jolted as she met the man’s gaze. She wondered if she had met him before.

She was frozen in thought for several seconds. When she noticed the man pushing through the crowd with Rayna in his arms, she snapped out of her trance and grabbed his arm.

As they walked swiftly away from the crowd, the man asked Kristie, “Where’s the car? And the keys?”

“Huh?” Kristie stared at him and asked in shock, “How do you know we drove here? Who are you?”

She did not remember coming across the man’s information.

Also…

Kristie’s gaze moved upward, landing on a long, gruesome scar over the man’s neck.

Did that injury harm his vocal cords? Is that why his voice sounds so hoarse?

“The name’s Samson. Mr. Faymon sent me here.” He turned around and noticed Kristie’s fans had almost caught up to them. “You’ll be swarmed if you don’t get into the car now.”

Kristie realized the urgency of the situation and hurriedly led him to the car.

Once everyone was seated, Samson started the car and sped off.

Kristie pulled off her hat and mask and fanned herself furiously. She grumbled, “These fans are crazy! I haven’t filmed anything in ages. I thought they would’ve moved on to someone else by now.”

Samson glanced at her through the rearview mirror and commented, “You look thinner. Haven’t you been eating?”

“I’m kind of bored of Mrs. Verlice’s cooking. I haven’t had much appetite,” muttered Kristie in response.

She belatedly realized something was off and glared at Samson. “Why do you care if I lost weight? Just drive us to the hospital. That’s enough chit-chat!”

Samson chuckled while Kristie pursed her red lips in displeasure.

Urgh, he’s so annoying!

Soon enough, Samson parked the car outside the hospital. He carried Rayna to the emergency department.

A doctor examined Rayna and concluded that she had fainted from exhaustion. Kristie was relieved when the doctor said Rayna would be right as rain after some rest.

She bombarded Samson with questions, “Were you always working for Curt? Where is he? Why is his phone switched off?”

“Mr. Faymon is attending to urgent matters, so his phone has been switched off for quite some time. He’ll return to the country tomorrow,” explained Samson.

Kristie scrunched her brows and mumbled, “He can’t simply cut himself off from everyone else, even if he’s handling urgent matters. I can’t reach him at all! I think Curt should just throw himself into his work and remain lonely for life!”

“You should head back. I’ll keep an eye on Ms. Garland.”

“I’m staying, and that’s final. Rayna really tired herself out today.” Kristie’s stomach grumbled in protest, and she said to Samson, “Get me something to eat.”

“Sure. I’ll head out now.” As he spoke, he took out a ring and handed it to Kristie.

Flustered, Kristie stumbled backward and eyed the ring warily. “W-What are you doing?”

It was pretty ugly and nothing she would ever choose for herself.

She continued, “Aren’t you aware of your age, Mister? I’m only in my twenties. Are you seriously trying to propose to me with a broken ring?”

Samson’s lips twitched with amusement. He seized her hand and forcefully placed the ring on her fourth finger.

Kristie shrieked, “You old man! You’re crazy! Pervert! Get it off! Ah! I’ll tell Curt about this and get him to fire you!”

Her high-pitched squealing brought a frown to Samson’s face. He drawled, “You think too highly of yourself. No one’s trying to propose to you. Stay in the ward. If there’s any danger, tap the ring. Got it?”

“The ring has a GPS tracker?”

“Yup.”

Kristie calmed down considerably after his explanation. Embarrassment was palpable in her features, though she still rolled her eyes at him and complained, “Why didn’t you say so earlier? You psycho!”

“Oh? Did you give me a chance to do that?” retorted Samson.

Chapter 494

Seeing him talking back to her, Kristie frowned with annoyance and chased him out.

Before leaving, Samson reached out and touched her waist briefly just as she was caught off guard. Immediately, his frown deepened. “You’re too skinny. You’re all bones.”

With that, he left while Kristie remained standing there in a daze.

Did that old dude actually touch me?

Recalling she was still in the corridor outside the wards, Kristie suppressed her urge to scream and glared daggers in Samson’s direction. How I wish I can kill him by just staring at him.

In the end, Kristie went back to the ward to keep Rayna company while mindlessly playing a mobile game on her phone.

After a long time, the door to the ward was kicked open.

Shocked, Kr

istie instantly got to her feet the moment she saw Wyatt entering with a scowl on his face.

“Wyatt…”

“You call me so affectionately, yet you sided with an outsider by bringing Rayna to look for her at my place?” Wyatt grabbed Kristie’s arm tightly, his gaze terrifying.

“Ow! Ow!” The pain brought tears to Kristie’s eyes, and she wailed, “How is this called siding with an outsider? You know what you did!”

Wyatt hissed through gritted teeth, “Where did you take her to?”

“I don’t know!”

Wyatt was so furious that he called out her full name, “Kristie Winton! Don’t make me hit you!”

His blood was boiling with anger.

He never expected Rayna would take Jessica away when he was out settling some matters. After all, he had just captured the latter. On top of that, Kristie was the one who assisted them.

“Go on, then! Hit me!” Kristie moved her face closer, casting him a disappointed gaze. “Wyatt, look at what has become of you now. You’re emotionally unstable and vicious. What other things can you not do? You’ll definitely torture Jessica if she stays with you.”

Hearing that, Wyatt pulled her toward him and growled coldly, “What I’ve become is none of your business. You have no right to interfere with our matters. I want to torture her!”

Kristie scolded, “Rayna’s right. You’re a jerk. I won’t tell you where Jessica went, even if I knew. So, just give up already. You’re not good enough for her.”

Wyatt’s gaze darkened, and he raised his arm.

Just then, a figure approached and grabbed Wyatt’s arm, restraining the latter’s movements.

Wyatt’s expression grew colder when he noticed the interrupter was a middle-aged man. “Let her go! I’m here to protect Ms. Winton under Mr. Faymon’s orders. Hit her and I’ll make sure you’ll end up in the operating room,” warned Samson as he gripped the former’s hand and glared daggers at him.

A sneer spread over Wyatt’s face while he used the other hand to loosen his tie. “Are you threatening me?”

“Enough! Don’t fight! We’re in a ward, for goodness’ sake. What if you accidentally hurt Rayna?” Kristie grabbed Samson’s arm for fear that they might start fighting.

She then whispered to Samson, “Wyatt’s extremely ruthless when it comes to fighting others. You’re no match for him. Just apologize, okay?”

“Are you worried I might lose?”

“I’m not because I know you will,” said Kristie. She then turned to Wyatt and said submissively, “Let’s talk outside, Wyatt. I’ll tell you where she went.”

Rayna’s settled everything, anyway. Wyatt won’t be able to find her, even if he went there.

Only then did the hostile aura around Wyatt reduce a little.

Just as he was about to take Kristie out of the room, his phone rang. His expression grew colder when he saw who the caller was.

Though feeling reluctant, he still answered it. “Hello, Rafael.”

With that, he fell into a long silence.

After listening to what the caller had to say, Wyatt frowned, looking quite furious. Nonetheless, he only said, “I understand. I’ll go there now.”

He then hung up and shot Kristie a glare before leaving.

Kristie was befuddled by his sudden departure. She could not help but mutter to herself, “Huh? Didn’t he say he wanted to find out Jessica’s whereabouts? Why did he leave?”

Samson locked the ward door and opened the takeout container for lunch. Immediately, a delicious aroma permeated the room.

“That smells good!” Kristie was attracted by the aroma. When she saw Samson opening the covers, her eyes lit up at the sight of the dishes, and her stomach growled louder.

“Finish them,” said Samson while handing her a fork.

“Why should I? I’m a picky person, you know?” Kristie scoffed, taking the fork from his hand.

In fact, Kristie could only eat a few mouthfuls no matter how much effort Larissa put into her cooking.

Despite that, Kristie’s eyes lit up the moment she had a piece of meat from the container. “Where did you get this? It’s not bad.”

“I can get it for you again if you want to eat it next time.”

“Hmph! Who says I’m asking you to buy it? I’m not letting you come with me next time. You are a shameless person. How dare you touch my waist just now. Don’t you think I’m letting you off the hook just because you bought me a meal!” Kristie glared at him.

Samson could not help but chuckle at how angry she looked.

It only made Kristie turn around in anger.

Ugh! This is so annoying! Curt’s taste is so horrible. How could she find such an old man for me? Is he worried younger men will fall for my beauty?

In the meantime, Samson stayed in the ward with her the entire afternoon.

Around four o’clock in the afternoon, he seemed to have received an urgent message. Hence, he informed Kristie he had something to settle, telling her to tab on the ring if she was in danger.

When he left, Kristie got even more bored, so she called Carl over to take care of Rayna with her.

It was not until five o’clock in the morning did Rayna woke up.

Seeing Kristie and Carl sound asleep on another bed, Rayna figured they had been staying by her side the entire night. Thus, she went over to tuck them in before quietly leaving the ward.

While she drove to the company, she called Ringo.

The moment the call was connected, she asked anxiously, “How did it go? Did you find him?”

“No.” Ringo sounded tired. However, he still pulled himself together and said, “My men have picked Ms. Marsh up.”

The news made Rayna anxious.

How could they not manage to find such a huge plane?

Even so, Rayna forced a reply, “I see. Please take good care of her. Don’t forget to contact me if there’s any news.”

“I know.”

Rayna arrived at the office around six o’clock in the morning.

The entire building was empty at that hour and only the guard on duty was there. He greeted Rayna when he saw her.

Upon reaching the office, Rayna got herself some snacks and went aside to give Cillian a call.

She had no idea who else to turn to for help in Norwal City apart from Cillian, James’ best friend.

Unfortunately, Cillian’s phone was turned off.

In the end, she had no choice but to call Roxanne. “Roxanne, do you know where Cillian went?”

“Beats me. He hasn’t contacted me for more than two weeks. I think he mentioned something about dealing with something urgent. Are you not able to reach him?” Roxanne murmured sleepily.

“Yep. It’s okay. You continue sleeping, then.” Rayna sighed.

With the phone in her hand, Rayna sat on the chair and scrolled through her contact list. Sadly, there was no one she could call.

After an indefinite amount of time, the office door was opened.

“Ms. Garland, why are you here so early? Is everything okay?” Ella was shocked to see Rayna in the office.

Seeing it was Ella, Rayna recollected herself and asked, “Is everything at the hospital settled?”

Ella nodded while answering, “Mr. Marsh’s and Ms. Yarbrough’s bodies have been cremated. Their ashes are placed in the memorial hall. Ms. Garland, you look pale. Would you like to go back and get some rest?”

Forcing a smile, Rayna said, “I’m fine. Please make sure to keep an eye on the promotion of the new product.”

At that, Ella answered briefly and put down some documents on the table before leaving the office.

Meanwhile, Rayna remained in her seat for some time, scrolling through her contact list until she saw Jasper’s name.

After much hesitation, she dialed his number.

 

Chapter 495

Thankfully, Jasper’s phone was not turned off, and he had just arrived at his company.

Therefore, Rayna drove straight to Snyder Group.

As soon as she met Jasper, she said, “Mr. Snyder, the private plane my friend was in disappeared because of a problem with the route. Can you please use your resources to locate it?”

“Ms. Garland, I can lend you money, but I really can’t help you with this. You’ll need to contact the air traffic.” Jasper sighed helplessly.

Hearing that, Rayna lowered her gaze, looking at a loss. “I don’t know anyone there.”

Kristie, on the other hand, knew someone there, but that person did not have much authority and would not be able to find anything.

“Do you know anyone there?” asked Rayna, clutching her hands so tightly that her knuckles almost turned white. “I’ll be eternally grateful to that person if he can locate my friend.”

Jasper scratched his chin and pondered for some time. Finally, he raised his brow and said, “Well, I do know someone.”

“Who?”

“You know him, too. I’m sure anything can be found with his help.”

The subtle smile on Rayna’s face froze because she knew who Jasper was referring to. Right then, a bitter smile formed on her lips. “He should still be abroad. His phone had been turned off the entire time back then.”

“According to a reliable source, Mr. Faymon is returning today. Why don’t you try calling him?” asked Jasper with a smile.

Rayna merely pursed her lips and said nothing.

Curtis was very clear with his rejection last time. Why should I look for him only to get myself disappointed again? I came here looking for Jasper because I had no other alternative.

Reading her mind, Jasper advised, “You two have broken up but I am sure you can still be friends. If you don’t want to get Mr. Faymon’s help, why don’t you ask Wyatt? These two are the only ones in Norwal City who can help you now.”

Rayna scoffed, “Wyatt? I’d be worried about him killing my friend rather than failing to locate the plane. I’d rather use everything I have than get his help.”

Jasper figured there must be a bigger story he did not know about when he saw how great Rayna’s hatred was for Wyatt.

“Do you mind telling me what happened?”

“Since you can’t help me, I shall take my leave now.” Rayna hurriedly got up and scurried out of the room.

Seeing that, Jasper pulled out his phone and sent a text.

Truth was, getting the Air Traffic Bureau to investigate the matter was a piece of cake.

However, the thought of Rayna’s relationship with Curtis and how anxious she looked gave Jasper the idea that the matter was not as simple as he thought. Hence, he felt that he should not get involved.

After leaving Snyder Group, Rayna scrolled through her contact list again, only to find there was no one else who could help her except for the two men Jasper mentioned.

Right then, Kristie called and asked Rayna anxiously about her whereabouts. Only when she found out the latter was at the office did she feel relieved. “I’ve gone back with Carl. Should I pick you up later tonight? By the way, please be careful if that mister picks you up later. He’s a pervert. I can’t believe he dares to simply touch me when he’s already so old.”

“Which mister?”

Kristie sounded utterly displeased. “That man who sent you to the hospital when you fainted at the airport last night. He says Curt sent him to protect me. Ugh. Curt is unbelievable. He should’ve gotten someone younger instead—”

However, Rayna had no time to hear her complaints. She only said with exhaustion, “You don’t have to pick me up tonight. I can drive home.”

With that, Kristie hung up, for she knew Rayna was busy.

Having no one else to call, Rayna gritted her teeth and called Gabriel.

The call connected almost instantly, and Gabriel said, “Hello, Ms. Garland. What’s the matter?”

Pursing her lips, Rayna asked, “Is Mr. Faymon back?”

“He’s back, but…” Gabriel paused momentarily before continuing softly, “Mr. Faymon might not want to see you.”

Rayna smiled ruefully in response.

He’s the one who wronged me and not picking up my calls. Why does it sound like I’m in the wrong instead?

“Even if it’s a business matter?”

Gabriel sighed. “I’m sorry, Ms. Garland. I really can’t help you with this.”

“All right.” Rayna did not want to put Gabriel in a tight spot, so she hung up after exchanging a few more words with him.

Instead, she went straight to Curtis’ residence.

Since he’s returned to the country, he has to sleep somewhere. I’ll definitely see him when he returns home.

Upon arriving at the residence, Rayna waited in the car, occasionally replying to Ella’s texts when they appeared on her phone.

The wait lasted until nighttime.

Rayna could feel the humidity in the air when she rolled down the windows.

It’s probably going to rain soon.

Having sat in the car for too long, Rayna felt her neck aching.

Just as she was getting out to exercise her muscles, she spotted Curtis’ car that just arrived and parked in front of the mansion’s entrance.

With that, she mustered her courage and marched over.

Meanwhile, Curtis, who had just gotten out of the car, spotted Rayna walking over the moment he straightened himself.

Her suit was slightly wrinkled, and there was a slight bump on her belly, which could not be seen unless observed closely.

On top of that, her hair was casually tied up, revealing her pale face and eyes that had dimmed.

Curtis’ pupils shrank when he saw how haggard she looked, but his cold expression returned instantly.

“Are you looking for me, Ms. Garland?”

“Something happened to Jefferson’s private plane,” said Rayna in a low voice, her tone laced with pleading. “Can you get your men to look for it?”

Curtis felt as if the blood in his body stopped flowing.

He cast Rayna an icy glare and mocked, “Don’t you think you’re thinking a little too highly of yourself? How could you shamelessly come looking for me and ask me to look for your child’s father?”

Ignoring his insults, Rayna hung her head, imploring, “I’m begging you, Mr. Faymon. I’ll give you anything you want as long as you’re willing to help—”

“What do you have? Hm?” Curtis leaned over and gripped her chin with his cold fingers.

At the same time, his eyes glinted with hostility.

He scoffed, “Did you think you got everything you have now with your own efforts?”

Rayna said nothing in response.

Meanwhile, Curtis glared at her with a fiery gaze while tightly gripping her dainty chin. “Without me, you would’ve been taken advantage of by people in this industry countless times. I never imagined the person I taught would actually betray me.”

Rayna’s chin hurt from his grip, and the corners of her lips ached.

She uttered with difficulty, “You can insult me however you want. All I ask is for you to help me with this. After all, he’s your—”

“He has nothing to do with me!” Curtis interrupted, his tone almost heartless. “I can’t help you with this, Ms. Garland. I’m busy. Look for someone else.”

With that, he released her and headed upstairs, leaving Rayna shouting at the back, “Curtis, just this once, please?”

Alas, Curtis did not seem to hear her and had arrived at the entrance.

“I’m not leaving if you’re not helping,” Rayna hissed, standing there stubbornly.

Curtis was swiping the keycard at the door when he heard that. Turning around, he shot her a cold glare and snapped, “Do whatever you want!”

The thought of Jefferson, whose situation was unknown, made her knees go weak, and she knelt on the ground. Her voice sounded more hoarse as she pleaded, “I’m begging you, Curtis. Please help me this once.”

Curtis’ expression darkened when he saw her kneeling for another man.

Hence, he stepped into the house and shut the door with no hesitation.

Seeing that, Rayna hung her head low, and her tears fell onto the ground, wetting the ground. “I never wanted to be indebted to him. Why aren’t you willing to help me?”

She could repay Curtis with the babies, but she also owed Jefferson. She had no idea how she was going to repay them.

Soon, the driver drove off, leaving Rayna stubbornly kneeling before Curtis’ door and looking like a forlorn figure.

 

Chapter 496

A while later, thunder rumbled in the sky, and it started to rain heavily.

Rayna was completely drenched.

She remained kneeling in front of the door as if the owner of the house would miraculously open the door if she continued to stare at it.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded, and Rayna could see a figure approaching from the corner of her eye.

“Ms. Garland, it’s raining so heavily. You are going to fall sick if you continue kneeling here,” Wendella, who was holding an umbrella, said in a pitiful tone as she looked at Rayna. “Do you need my help?”

Wendella?

Rayna took a glance at the woman before lowering her head again.

She clenched her fists tightly as she felt like she had been stabbed in the heart.

“That won’t be necessary.”

Without asking further questions, Wendella left after hearing that and walked up the stairs.

Rayna tried not to let her thoughts wander and feign nonchalance, but when she heard the sound of woman’s high heels clicking as she walked, she could not help but look up.

She saw Wendella closing her umbrella before pressing the doorbell.

Please don’t open!

Rayna was clenching her fists so hard that her nails dug into her flesh, but she did not seem to feel any pain. Although her vision was blurred due to the rain, she could see a tall silhouette opening the door and standing in front of Wendella.

When Curtis saw Wendella, he frowned. After saying a few words to her, he opened the door wider for her to enter.

Rayna watched as Wendella stepped into the house. The man did not take a single glance in her direction before he closed the door heartlessly. A chill ran down Rayna’s spine. At that moment, all she could feel was the cold wind blowing mercilessly against her.

She was on the verge of collapsing as she pressed her lips together and tasted the salty rainwater.

“Why am I so silly…”

After Wendella entered the house, she noticed a pair of a woman’s slippers near the entrance, and her gaze darkened. However, her expression went back to normal very quickly.

When she was about to bend down and remove her high heels, Curtis said, “There’s no need to take off your shoes. Just come in.” Taking a pause, he shot a glance at her and continued placidly, “There are no rules that you have to follow here.”

Wendella froze for a moment before humming in response.

She walked into the house barefooted and saw Curtis brewing coffee. Staring at his broad shoulders and tall figure, the woman felt her heart skip a beat.

Who wouldn’t fall for a powerful, talented and mature man like him?

Wendella quickly shook off her inappropriate thoughts and approached Curtis. Leaning against the bar counter, she asked, “Why are you back so soon? I thought you needed some time to settle Mr. Xavier’s

matters.”

“My company needs me.”

“I can help you, Curtis.” Wendella fixed her scorching gaze on the man’s slender finders.

Curtis let out a slight chuckle before rejecting the woman’s offer. “It’s a waste of talent for you to work for me. With your abilities, you have a very bright future ahead of you.”

Wendella replied calmly, “A capable person would be able to succeed anywhere she goes. I don’t really care much about the company I work for. What’s important to me is that I get to help the person I like.”

Without replying, Curtis turned around and passed her a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

“Thank you,” Wendella said impassively and took over the coffee mug. Then, she brought the cup to her nose and sniffed the aroma of the coffee before saying, “Are these arabica beans? The coffee tastes really smooth.”

The man lowered his eyes and glanced at his own cup of coffee.

Rayna had bought a few different varieties of coffee beans when she came over to use the coffee machine previously.

Curtis felt a flicker of frustration when he was reminded of the stubborn woman who was still out there kneeling in the rain. “Yup. Drink more if you like it. Since you’re here, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Wendella’s heart did a double somersault when she noticed the man’s cold expression.

After the two of them sat down in the living room, Curtis took out a document and handed it to Wendella.

“Pass this to your father.”

“Curtis, what’s the meaning of this?” Wendella could roughly guess what was written on the document, and her smile froze. “Are you tossing me aside now that everything is settled?”

When Curtis heard that, a faint sneer appeared on his face, and without sparing a thought for the woman’s feelings, he said curtly, “Ms. Sainz, please don’t behave like one of those lovelorn women. We both know that we are just getting what we need from each other. Even though it was reported by the media that you have to return to the country to get married, you know very well what the real reason behind your resignation was. I only agreed to let you make use of me because of my business relationship with your father.”

Resentment festered in Wendella when she heard that.

It turned out that Curtis knew everything all along but chose not to expose her. He was only nice to her because there was something he needed from her.

How about the woman who’s outside in the rain right now? Does she mean anything to him?

What a joke!

How can she be better than me?

Wendella took a deep breath and placed the coffee cup on the table gracefully before saying, “Of course, I know. Although we are currently just putting up an act, I would like to turn it into reality.”

Fixing her gaze on Curtis, she continued, “Curtis, I want you to marry me.”

The man frowned.

Wendella knew what he was going to say next and quickly continued, “Norwal City’s military is controlled by the Xaviers, Nicholsons and Youngs. Given that you don’t have any connections in the military, it’s impossible for you to bring down the Xavier family. Marrying me would only benefit you since my father would be your father if you become my husband.”

The woman walked over to Curtis and sat on his lap before saying, “My father dotes on me a lot. He will give me anything I want.”

Curtis did not put up any resistance when the woman pushed him against the couch although he kept a cold expression on his face.

“Is that so?”

“Of course.” Wendella traced her fingers along the man’s face and moved toward the buttons of his shirt. “As you know, my father knows a lot of people. After we get married, his network of connections would be yours too.”

The woman unbuttoned Curtis’ shirt slowly, as if she was teasing him.

Wendella was deeply attracted to Curtis. She admired everything about him, including his looks, character, and intellect.

With her superior family background, if she could marry a man like him, she would definitely become the envy of everyone.

“Marry me, Curtis.” Wendella pressed her body against Curtis’ and said in an alluring voice. Her warm breaths landed on his face as she continued, “You would be able to do anything you want if you marry me. Everyone would think twice before going against you.”

Even though the woman was sitting on top of him and trying to arouse him, Curtis remained unmoved.

“Ms. Sainz, are you done?” the man said, a sneer forming on his lips.

Wendella froze for a moment before she felt pain in her arms.

The next second, she was being flung to the ground.

Curtis got up from the couch and buttoned his shirt with one hand. Looking down at Wendella, who was lying on the carpet, he said, “Ms. Sainz, you are too good for me. You should find someone else who’s more suitable for you.”

“Curtis Faymon!” Wendella did not expect herself to suffer such humiliation and was on the verge of breaking down.

She had never been treated with such disrespect in her life.

She looked at the man and threatened, “Curtis, if you refuse to marry me, I will ask my father to stop his collaboration with you immediately. You know what will happen to Theodore if that happens. You can start making preparation for his funeral.”

“Go ahead and try. I’m quite curious to know what your father’s choice would be between you and his future,” Curtis replied coldly. “I’m not sure if your family would be able to bear the consequences if your father dares to breach the contract.”

Wendella gave a mirthless laugh before saying, “If you’re so capable, you wouldn’t have needed help to save Theodore.”

“I’m not capable, but I have a lot of money.” Curtis picked up the woman’s bag from the couch and threw it at her. “No one would say no to money. It’s just a matter of how much I am offering.”

Wendella immediately understood what the man meant.

He was not relying entirely on her father and had prepared backup plans.

It was finally clear to her why he was unfazed by her threats!

Just then, Lucky ran over and barked twice at Curtis before dashing toward the door.

Chapter 497

“What are you doing? It’s raining heavily out there! Do you want me to walk you in the rain?” Curtis exclaimed with a look of displeasure on his face.

Seeing as he was still standing there, Lucky ran up to him, bit on his pant leg, and dragged him toward the door.

This dog sure is getting more and more brazen!

Curtis tried his best to tamp down his anger as he followed Lucky out of the house.

He had assumed that Lucky wanted to go out for a walk because it had gotten bored at home. Curtis figured he would get Wendella to leave as well while he was at it.

Upon opening the door, however, he saw Rayna shivering while kneeling in the rain.

The look on his face changed instantly, and he ran up to her as quickly as he could.

Why would she do something like this? I know she’s stubborn and all, but she is pregnant, so I figured she’d leave when it started raining. That was why I chose to ignore her. Who would’ve thought she’d continue kneeling in the rain?

With a gloomy look on his face, Curtis was about to scold Rayna when a man rushed to her side.

He held an umbrella over her head and helped her to her feet. “Why are you doing this, Ms. Garland? Please get up!”

Rayna grabbed his arm and asked anxiously, “Ringo? What are you doing here? Where’s Jefferson? Did you manage to find the plane?”

Ringo draped his coat over her shoulders as he said, “Yes, and Mr. Hamilton is fine. Now, put this coat on before you catch a cold. Keep in mind that you’re pregnant with three babies.”

“Really? Take me to him right now!” Rayna exclaimed desperately.

Having found out that Jefferson was still alive, Rayna left in such a hurry that she didn’t even notice Curtis standing at the door.

Curtis just stood there and watched as Ringo’s car disappeared into the distance. The look of anger in his eyes was slowly replaced by an icy-cold gaze.

I can’t believe I actually got mad and worried about her!

As Rayna had been kneeling in the rain for too long, she was still a little dizzy even after changing into a fresh set of clothes.

However, she couldn’t care less about that and rushed to the hospital with Ringo.

Ringo filled her in on the details regarding the plane’s location along the way.

Fortunately, Jefferson managed to bail with a parachute moments before impact, so he was mostly fine.

Even so, Rayna gasped in shock when she entered his ward and saw the state he was in. Jefferson was dressed in a hospital gown and had one of his legs in a cast. His handsome face, too, was covered in cuts.

On the table next to the bed was a box wrapped in a white cloth.

Rayna felt her heart ache when she saw the box and figured out what was inside.

She then slowly made her way into the ward, sat down beside the bed, and gently held Jefferson’s hand.

Realizing how cold his hand was, Rayna held it against her cheek to warm it up.

For some reason, the sight of his pale face caused her tears to start falling.

“Thank you for everything.”

Jefferson’s finger twitched slightly as he slowly opened his eyes.

He broke into a faint smile when he saw her sitting next to him. “Are you crying because of me?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

Rayna teared up even more as she pursed her lips and nodded in response.

“Why are you so silly? Why did you go there?” she exclaimed.

“Come on, don’t cry. It’ll make you look ugly.” Jefferson wiped her tears with his fingers as she continued, “I know you’re upset about what happened to your brother. There’s no way I could just sit by and do nothing.”

Rayna broke down in tears when she heard that.

He risked his life returning to Yartran to deal with Arnaud, all so he could bring James’ ashes back. What did I ever do to deserve such love from him?

“Oh, Jefferson…” Rayna hugged him tightly and sobbed, “I’m so sorry! Does it hurt?”

Jefferson patted her on the back and said, “It doesn’t hurt, so you can stop crying now. It’s bad for your babies.”

With tears in her eyes, Rayna asked, “Do you still like me?”

Jefferson shook his head. “No, I don’t like you.” He gently caressed her cheek as he continued, “I love you. I have always loved you, and I always will, no matter what.”

“Am I really worth it?”

“To love someone is to go all-out for them. You can’t give it a value,” Jefferson replied.

Hearing those words made Rayna tear up and start sobbing again.

She held his face with both hands and kissed him on his pale lips. “Let’s get married once you’re all better, Jefferson.”

“What? Really?” Jefferson was so shocked that he couldn’t believe his ears.

Rayna gave him another kiss as she replied, “Yes, that’s right. I want to marry you because you still love me. As for the kids… I could have my mom look after them for me if you don’t like them. I’ll follow you wherever you want to go.”

Jefferson’s eyes lit up when he heard that, and his voice got a little more energetic as well. “You don’t have to do that, Belle. I can love them just as much as I love you.”

Rayna was so touched that her tears started falling again. “All right.”

“Give me another kiss, Belle.”

Rayna leaned in close and gave him yet another kiss on the lips.

Jefferson’s eyes were filled with joy as he held her hand up to his lips and kissed it. “This whole thing feels like a dream. I bet I’m the luckiest guy in the world right now!”

“The luckiest guy in the world shouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed,” Rayna replied with a smile.

While she was happy that Jefferson was still alive, there was a hint of sadness deep within her heart.

Not only does Curtis not love me, but he also keeps hurting me over and over. Jefferson, on the other hand, only has eyes for me and showers me with love. Why didn’t I pick Jefferson sooner? Honestly, I’m really tired… It’s time I stop being so stubborn about this.

Rayna then asked Jefferson if he was hungry and had Ringo buy some soup. After that, she fed him while telling him all about her new product in Norwal City.

She was halfway through her story when she felt a dull ache in her stomach, which was accompanied by a slight giddiness.

Noticing that something was off about her, Jefferson asked, “What’s wrong, Belle? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m fine…” Those words had barely left Rayna’s mouth when she passed out.

Jefferson panicked and had Ringo summon a doctor immediately.

A general practitioner came over and gave Rayna a quick examination. He was going to write it off as being due to lack of sleep and a mild fever, but Jefferson told him that Rayna was pregnant.

The general practitioner then summoned a gynecologist to perform a more detailed examination.

The gynecologist happened to be the one who examined Rayna at Kristie’s house the other day.

Upon entering the ward, she glanced at Jefferson and wondered what was his relationship with Rayna.

After completing the examination, the gynecologist turned toward Jefferson and asked with a frown, “May I know how you are related to her?”

Jefferson glanced at Rayna, who was still unconscious, as he replied, “I’m her fiancé. How are her babies doing?”

Oh, so he’s the father.

With that in mind, the gynecologist let out a sigh and said, “You two are still young, so she’ll still have plenty of opportunities to conceive in the future. Just make sure to nurse her back to health and spend more time with her.”

The look on Jefferson’s face turned gloomy instantly. “What’s wrong?”

The gynecologist replied solemnly, “She’s pregnant with triplets, and yet, I can barely hear their heartbeat. I realized they weren’t doing very well when I examined her the other day. Her fever and emotional distress are only making things worse. As such, their chances of survival are incredibly slim. For the sake of her health, I would suggest removing them surgically. Choosing not to do so could result in infertility.”

Jefferson gasped in shock. He had a really hard time coming to terms with what the gynecologist said.

He had noticed that her tummy wasn’t big even though she was pregnant for five months, so he knew something was wrong.

Jefferson waited for the gynecologist to leave before summoning Ringo. “Use all available connections to identify and locate the best doctors in Yartran, including those who serve the royal family. Have them all come here as soon as possible.”

Chapter 498

Ringo reminded softly, “Mr. Hamilton, the doctor said just now that the child—”

“The doctor meant that the chances of survival are slim, but she hasn’t miscarried yet.” Jefferson interrupted him, closing his eyes. “I’m aware of my own condition, so I know I don’t have much time left. I guess I’m not destined to have children. Nevertheless, I don’t want her to be with me anymore because I don’t want her to spend the rest of her life alone. I did all that not for Curtis’ sake but for the child’s sake. I love her and I don’t want her to be lonely.”

Life would be hard for someone who didn’t have anyone they could care for and depend on.

The last thing he wanted was for the woman he loved to experience the loneliness he felt in the first half of his life.

Ringo understood his employer’s intentions, so he remained silent.

He then utilized his connections and quickly got in contact with experienced gynecologists in Yartran.

One of the gynecologists was close to Jeremy and told him about what had happened.

Jeremy immediately stopped whatever he was doing and called Curtis.

“Curtis, are Rayna’s babies really Jefferson’s?”

“If you want to know, you can go and ask her!” Curtis replied coldly. He was in an extremely bad mood.

He was already frustrated enough with what happened last night, yet Jeremy had to call him and mention Rayna.

Jeremy said with a sigh, “Jefferson is such a lucky man. I heard Rayna’s having triplets. However, I heard she has a high chance of miscarriage. Jefferson got so worried that he even invited the royal doctors of Yartran to take care of her.”

Upon hearing that, Curtis, who was about to hang up the call, paused in his tracks.

“Is her situation very serious?”

Jeremy replied, “I guess so. I heard the probability of the babies surviving is minuscule. The doctor who examined her suggested that she undergoes surgery as quickly as possible. My friend also went to take a look and told me it’s highly plausible that Rayna is going to miscarry.”

A pause later, he lamented, “Jefferson is rather unlucky. As if it isn’t bad enough that his days are numbered, his hard-earned triplets might die before him.”

Curtis sneered coldly. “He has everything, and even if he does die, he’ll die without regrets. I can’t believe he and I were brought together by a woman even though we nearly spent our entire lives in two different worlds!”

Fate is really messed up!

Jeremy smiled. “If you despise him so much, why don’t you take over the Terblanc family? He must want to live, right? The drug was successfully developed, so you can use it as a bargaining chip.”

“There’s no need for that!”

Jeremy sighed. “I’d like to test the drug on him to see if I can earn myself a reputation.”

Curtis was rendered speechless.

Jeremy teased, “Say, Curtis, his kids should call you ‘uncle,’ right?”

Curtis did not reply to that.

He hung up the call with a grim expression before blocking Jeremy.

There were many matters to settle at work, so Curtis did not have the time to think about other things. He was busy with work the whole day and only returned home from the office at around nine o’clock.

As he advanced the stairs, he turned back to take a look and suddenly recalled Rayna kneeling stubbornly in the rain, pleading for his help.

Filled with frustration, Curtis swiped the keycard at the door and entered the building.

Lucky came prancing over, wagging its tail.

“I’m too busy to play.” Curtis waved the dog away indifferently.

He had ordered Gabriel to take Lucky away, but the dog was still staying at his place.

Curtis brewed himself a coffee. Just as he turned around, Lucky appeared in front of him.

It had a blue silk scarf in its mouth, wagging its tail at him fervently.

“Where did you get this?” Curtis took the blue silk scarf and realized it was the one Rayna wore when he saw the design.

Rayna had taken it with her, but it appeared at his place for some reason.

He gazed at the silk scarf for a long while before casting a glance at the coffee in his right hand, sighing deeply.

What did I do to deserve this? I must have owed her in my past life, so I must pay it back to her in this life.

Curtis unblocked Jeremy and called him. He instructed, “Jeremy, contact the best doctors you know and ask them to take a look at Rayna. Make sure they do their best to save her babies.”

“They won’t help just because you ask them to. You know, it’s about the price.”

Curtis massaged his temples. “I know. Send them there to take a look. I’ll owe them this time.”

Jeremy clicked his tongue. “Whoa, you’d do that for Ms. Garland? Is it for her sake? Or is it because you want to hear her children calling you ‘uncle?’“

Curtis replied coldly, “Jeremy, shut your trap! One day you’d be of no use to me, and I’ll make you watch as I cut your tongue off and roast it on the grill!”

Jeremy did not dare to tease Curtis anymore and scurried off to carry out the latter’s instructions.

Since Rayna woke up, there would be at least four doctors visiting her ward every day.

None of them were there for Jefferson.

They were all gynecologists. All of them would ask her questions about her pregnancy and do a thorough checkup on her body.

That made Rayna nervous, and she asked them if there were any problems with her pregnancy.

Jefferson comforted her, “They are fine. It’s just that it’s laborious for you to carry triplets, so I specially arranged for a few top-notch gynecologists to check on you every day.”

“Is that so?” Rayna relaxed upon hearing that, for she knew Jefferson wouldn’t lie to her.

After a few days, another gynecologist visited her.

That gynecologist reminded Rayna of Jeremy as they exuded similar auras. They seemed more like researchers instead of regular doctors.

He left right after doing a checkup on Rayna.

The following day, he came back with some medicine and said that he had to inject it into Rayna’s stomach.

Initially, Rayna panicked, but she nervously revealed her stomach for the gynecologist to inject the drug under Jefferson’s encouragement.

After the injection, the gynecologist said to Rayna, “This injection needs to be done for one whole week. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Rayna felt extremely uncomfortable after the first injection. Her chest felt stuffy, and she tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Jefferson, who was also a patient, had to coax her to sleep.

After six consecutive days of getting the injection, Rayna’s babies began moving frequently in her womb again.

It was as if they were fighting in her womb, tormenting her.

When the gynecologist came to give her the last injection, Rayna told him about her condition truthfully when he asked her about it.

Upon hearing that, a smile spread across the gynecologist’s face. “The babies are very healthy. Ms. Garland, you have to make sure you rest well. Don’t get too emotional, or you’ll affect the babies. Do you understand?”

“I understand. Thank you.” Rayna nodded.

“It’s nothing.”

After the gynecologist left the ward, Ringo walked over to him. “Thank you for everything. I have sent you the money. Let me send you off.”

The gynecologist rejected him. “That’s okay. The remuneration is lucrative enough. I’ll take a taxi to the airport.”

Ringo did not insist after the gynecologist turned him down.

He left the hospital and hailed a taxi at the side of the road. After he got into the taxi, he took out his phone and called a number.

“How is she?”

The gynecologist answered proudly, “Of course she’s fine since I’ve been in charge of her. The babies are very healthy. I’m a genius, right?”

Jeremy chided him with a smile, “That’s enough. Stop boasting. You didn’t even develop the drug! You received money from both parties and even got Curtis to owe you a favor. You’re so lucky.”

The gynecologist replied modestly, “Nah, it’s nothing much. It’s not even enough for research. I’m intrigued, though. That woman isn’t pregnant with Curtis’ children. Why does he care so much?”

Curtis is even willing to owe me a favor for that woman’s sake. How weird. I guess I really am lucky.

Chapter 499

After a while, Jeremy casually drawled, “You’ll understand when you get a girlfriend in the future. But judging from your character, you may not be able to find one even after I’m married.”

The gynecologist rolled his eyes and did not reply.

After the injection, Rayna packed her stuff and prepared to leave.

She said to Jefferson, “You should stay for a while more since your leg has not fully recovered yet. I must return to the office to supervise the new product launch and clear some work backlog.”

During her time at the hospital, she had delegated the company’s matters to Ella.

Though she knew Ella was capable of handling most matters in her absence, she could not help but worry.

“Why don’t you wait for Ringo to come back and have him send you to the office?” Jefferson knew he could not dissuade her from going to work, so he reminded gently, “Don’t immerse yourself in work all day. Do remember to get some rest.”

Rayna chuckled. “I know.”

All along, she had been reminding herself not to overexert while working. However, too many things happened recently, causing her to be under such high pressure that she was unable to rest properly.

Suddenly, Rayna felt a few kicks in her stomach, prompting her to frown.

Jefferson took note of her grimace and was immediately concerned. “What’s wrong, Belle? Are you feeling unwell?”

Rayna pointed at her stomach and explained resignedly, “I’m all right. After the injections, they’ve become active again. It’s like they’re playing soccer in my stomach.”

Jefferson relaxed in response.

He reached out to touch Rayna’s baby bump.

It’s such a wonder that she’s nurturing three lives in there.

Jefferson queried, “May I see your tummy? I haven’t touched them ever since you got pregnant.”

Rayna was a bit shocked by his request, and her heart soon melted when she saw the hopeful look on his face.

“Okay.” She lifted her top.

Whenever the gynecologist came to give Rayna the injections for the past few days, Jefferson would purposely turn away, for fear that she’d feel awkward.

That was his first time seeing Rayna’s baby bump up close.

The bump looked bigger than he expected without any clothes covering it.

Finally, he could not resist the urge and stretched out his hand to touch her protruding belly.

Jefferson’s heart ached when he saw the faint stretch marks on her belly.

Pregnancy must be an exhausting and painful journey for women. Look what it does to a woman’s body.

Something moved under Jefferson’s finger, startling him.

He noticed something moving around in Rayna’s belly, pushing and squeezing about. It seemed to be having so much fun.

Jefferson found it incredulous and asked Rayna, “Are they playing inside?”

“Yep.” Rayna smiled lightly. “It feels like they’re fighting inside, right?”

Jefferson nodded while fixing her gaze on her belly.

It was amazing to think that a woman’s belly could carry three babies.

He took Rayna’s hand and kissed it, his eyes filled with determination and gentleness. “Belle, I know it’s been tough on you. I promise to give you and the babies the best life possible. I’ll protect you at all costs.”

He would not allow his beloved woman to cry for another man anymore. Jefferson swore to himself that he would keep Rayna by his side and protect her.

Tears welled up in Rayna’s eyes as she smiled in response.

At that moment, Ringo entered the ward.

He felt a little awkward seeing this scene and cleared his throat. “Mr. Hamilton, shall I come back later?”

“It’s all right. You came just in time,” Rayna replied, hastily pulling down her top. Her face was blushing with shyness. “Please send me back.”

“Please wait for me outside, Ms. Garland. I have something to say to Mr. Hamilton.”

“Okay.”

After waiting for Rayna to leave the ward, Ringo walked briskly to Jefferson’s side and whispered, “Ms. Marsh is missing.”

“Didn’t you arrange the accommodation for her?” Jefferson furrowed his brows. “How did she go missing?”

Ringo explained, “My men did arrange a place for Ms. Marsh to stay and even sent a housekeeper there to take care of her. However, I received a call informing me that the housekeeper was murdered, and Ms. Marsh was nowhere to be found.”

Jefferson could roughly guess what might have happened after hearing Ringo’s remark. His face darkened. “How many people have Arnaud planted in Norwal City? Investigate Belle’s friends thoroughly!”

Ringo’s expression turned grim too. “I received information that he has a trusted aide who managed to infiltrate into Faymon Group’s senior management. After Dorothy’s death, that aide has been feeding him information. He’s pretty impressive.”

Jefferson replied coldly, “It’s none of my business if he wants to mess with Faymon Group. I don’t care how many moles he wants to plant in Faymon Group. My only fear is they may be targeting Belle too.”

In fact, he hoped from the bottom of his heart that Faymon Group would collapse and Curtis would end up losing everything.

He was just as outstanding as Curtis, but in the end, he lost to him in terms of family background, career, and even relationships.

Ringo knew what he should do and asked, “Should we tell Ms. Garland that Ms. Marsh is missing?”

“We’re getting married. You should change the way you address her.”

Mr. Hamilton and Ms. Garland are getting married? Ringo was dumbfounded for a brief moment before he rectified quickly, “I mean, should we tell Mrs. Hamilton?”

Jefferson’s expression eased. After considering for a while, he said, “Don’t tell her. I don’t want to worry her. Send more people to search for Jessica. Yartran is only that big. Arnaud can’t hide her forever.”

“Understood. I’ll get down to it after sending Mrs. Hamilton back.”

In another city on the other side of the globe, where the time difference was more than ten hours, it was midnight in Yartran.

The entertainment centers were brightly lit and still bustling with people.

A group of young men stepped out of one of the entertainment centers named Blacks, chatting and laughing. Their faces were slightly flushed, and it seemed like they had enjoyed themselves.

“You just arrived, and you’re going to return tomorrow?” asked one of the young men.

“Well, the purpose of my trip was to discuss business. Now that it’s done, of course, I have to go back,” Jacob replied, taking a cigarette from his friend. “I’m not like you all, rich and free-spirited.”

“Oh, please! Drop the act!”

“Everyone knows you’re good buddies with Wyatt. You’re always following him everywhere, enjoying all the good stuff!”

“That’s right. You just closed a f*cking deal worth five hundred million, and you still dare to act poor in front of us!”

“Can you please have some shame?”

Jacob smiled while nodding. “Yes, it’s all thanks to you all that I was able to close the deal. I won’t forget to treat you guys to a meal when you return.”

“Sure! We’ll not forget what you said!”

Jacob waved his hand dismissively. “All right, let’s go home. I need to get some sleep and catch an early flight tomorrow!”

Jacob finally sent his friends away after much effort.

While waiting for his driver to pick him up, he stood in a corner, smoking. All of a sudden, a woman’s scream startled him.

He turned around and saw a few foreign guys pulling a dark-haired woman against her will.

“Let go of me! Help! Help me!”

The woman was petite in size, looking helpless and weak in the face of all those men. She struggled with all her might and shouted hoarsely at the top of her voice, trying to free herself from the men.

This particular district in Yartran was known to be chaotic. It was common for such things to happen every now and then.

Jacob did not want to get into unnecessary trouble, so he retracted his gaze and continued smoking.

“Get your hands off me! Don’t touch me! Help!”

The last noise Jacob heard was the woman’s scream before silence ensued. He guessed the woman was probably knocked out.

Sure enough, as he turned his head around again, he saw that the woman had lost consciousness. Blood could be seen on the corner of her lips.

A blonde-haired man picked her up and chatted with his companions, smiling.

Jacob didn’t know what got into him, but it was probably because the woman looked to be the same race as him that he cursed inwardly, threw the cigarette away, and strode toward them.

 

Chapter 500

Determined to stop the men from carrying the woman into the car, Jacob quickened his pace. “Hey! What are you guys doing?”

One of the foreigners instantly threw him a contemptuous glance. “It’s none of your d*mn business! Be smart and stay in your lane.”

Instead of fighting fire with fire, Jacob tamped down his anger and took out all the cash he had in his wallet.

“I know you guys are just looking for a good time!” he said as he handed over a thick wad of Anglandurn currency notes. “The money I have here is enough for you to party all week, and it’d be yours if you give me the woman. That’s not a bad trade, is it?”

Upon grabbing the money and realizing how much there was, the foreigner quickly shot a look at his friend, prompting the latter to push the woman into Jacob’s arms.

Jacob hastily caught her, only to be taken aback when he found out how cold to the touch her skin was.

When he looked back up again, the foreigners had already sped away in their car.

“What a bunch of sc*mbags! They won’t even let a poor, helpless woman off!” Jacob scolded.

That’s also why I love conducting business overseas. I feel no guilt in making money off these dregs of society!

As soon as his driver arrived, Jacob carried the woman into the car and gave the order to go to the hospital.

Having seen how grubby and disheveled the woman was, he had to admit he was disgusted.

Despite that, he covered her with his coat out of pity and decided to leave after ensuring she was given the necessary medical attention.

“Thank goodness I got a tidy sum from a successful contract negotiation. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered to rescue her!” Jacob muttered to himself. “There’s just no way I can recoup this loss.”

After arriving at the hospital’s emergency department, one of the doctors immediately gave the woman a checkup. Upon peeling away the latter’s clothes, however, everyone was stunned to see the terrifying clusters of welts and bruises all over her body.

Naturally, the doctor’s first instinct was to turn and glance at Jacob.

“It wasn’t me!” Jacob hurriedly explained in Anglandurn as he put his hands up. “I saw her getting bullied and merely helped her out. Please don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not an abuser!”

Gosh… Domestic abuse is a grave offense in this country. If the doctor reported it to the police, I might end up in jail!

Now that Jacob knew the woman was in such a dire situation, he no longer dared to leave. After all, he couldn’t risk having the hospital go after him if something went wrong.

He ended up waiting outside the ward begrudgingly, only to feel his frustration building as smoking wasn’t allowed on the premises.

After about an hour, the doctor finally came out and approached Jacob. “Well, she needs to be hospitalized, so make sure to pay the bill later. By the way, she’s also pregnant. I’ll help her as much as I can and give her the best medicine.”

Needless to say, Jacob was stunned. “What the f*ck? I’m not even her boyfriend! Why should I pay for her?”

“In that case, get one of her friends here to pay the fees before you leave.”

“How the h*ll would I know who her friends are?”

“Take her away with you, then!” the doctor retorted before walking off in a huff.

For a moment, Jacob was rendered speechless.

The hospitals back home are so much better. Even if there’s no one to pay the bills, they’d still do their best to help the patients. Foreign hospitals, on the contrary, are just heartless, money-grubbing establishments! Argh! At this point, I’m ready to up and leave. It’s not like I’m running a charity… Haven’t I done enough when I spent money to send the woman to the hospital? Why should I also pay for her treatment and hospital stay?

Despite his anger, Jacob sighed at the thought of the woman’s sorry plight and eventually withdrew money from the nearest ATM.

Thankfully, once he had paid and arranged for the woman’s hospitalization, the doctors wasted no time giving her the proper treatment.

Jacob, too, had decided against leaving and stayed in the ward.

When this woman wakes up, I’ll get her to call her friends over and pay me back for the hospital bill!

Unfortunately, the woman remained unconscious even after a long, arduous wait, so Jacob had no choice but to cancel his flight ticket for a refund the following morning.

Less than an hour later, his phone rang.

As soon as he answered it, a woman shouted from the other end, “Where the h*ll have you gone to fool around this time? Do you not want to come home?”

“Mom, must you always keep tabs on me?” Jacob grumbled. “Besides, I’m not fooling around! I’m on a business trip, and I’m too busy to go back.”

“Business? My foot! You only know how to eat, drink, and be merry!”

Jacob rubbed his temples and sighed. “Whatever. I’ll always be a useless fool to you, anyway.”

“All you need to do is carry on the family name,” said Jacob’s mother, Hazel bluntly. “Hurry back home now. I’ve already made the necessary arrangements. Once your future wife is pregnant, I’ll leave you be, and you can go wherever you like!”

“Give me a break, Mom! Why don’t you go on a trip if you’re bored? The women you’ve introduced to me are all so ugly…”

“Their families are filthy rich, though!” Hazel snapped. “What? Do you think you stand a chance with those who are both rich and beautiful?”

When Jacob didn’t reply, Hazel added, “Find a wife yourself if you hate my picks that much! Once you do that, I’ll get your father to invest in your company!”

“I—”

“Do me a favor and learn from Wyatt!” Hazel interrupted. “He may be playful, but he’s also a business whiz. Furthermore, I spoke to his mother a while back, and she said her daughter-in-law’s due date is in a few months. You, on the other hand, have achieved nothing! Even I feel ashamed to be your mother!”

Jacob’s eyes instantly widened. “Wait a minute… When did Wyatt get a wife? Why haven’t I heard anything?”

“Hmph! He’s probably enjoying his married life. Why would he bother telling you? Listen carefully. If I don’t see you back home, you can forget about setting up your company!”

“I’m your son, for goodness’ sake! Must you be so ruthless?” Jacob protested. “Hello? Mom, did you hear me?”

After being met with a bout of silence, Jacob looked at his phone.

What the h*ll? She hung up on me!

He pulled his hair in frustration, wishing he could take a cold shower to calm himself down. “Wyatt Lopez, that b*stard… Why didn’t he tell me he’s married? Does he know how much trouble he’s gotten me into? F*ck!”

The next second, Jacob heard a sound from the bed and quickly turned to look. To his delight, the woman was starting to stir and trying to open her eyes.

With that, he kept his phone and strode toward her.

“Well, d*mn. You’re finally awake after making me wait an entire night!” Jacob fumed. “What’s your friend’s number? I’ll call her over right now!”

Unfortunately, the woman seemed unaware of her surroundings, and her confusion quickly turned to fear. She glanced around, trying desperately to jog her memory, but the pain all over her body kept making her wince.

“W-Where am I?”

Irked by the woman’s accusatory tone, Jacob’s frown deepened. “Oh, come on. Are you faking amnesia? Some men almost dragged you off with them last night. I was the one who saved you and sent you to the hospital. On top of the twenty thousand I gave them to buy you from them, there’s also the bill I paid for your hospital stay and treatment… Everything adds up to more than thirty thousand, but I’ll round it down to thirty thousand!”

Upon hearing that, the woman heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. Just get your friend here to pay me back,” Jacob urged. “I’m in a hurry to head home.”

The woman began uttering some numbers but stopped after a while, much to Jacob’s annoyance.

“Hey, go on. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten something as simple as a phone number…”

When he noticed the woman staring at the chair instead of him, he waved a hand in front of her.

“Look at me, miss. I’m not that scary, am I? All right. How about this? Your friend only has to pay me twenty-five thousand, okay?”

Without blinking an eye, the woman spoke up again, her voice soft and hoarse. “I can’t see.”