Ch. 571..580

Chapter 571

He silently took in Sandy’s gentle demeanor as she chatted with Rayna. He yearned for her love, but when he thought about the aggressive way she had acted back at the restaurant, he looked away and out of the window while clenching his fists.

He knew Sandy did not want to acknowledge who he was. She was only pleasant because Rayna was around.

He knew that because she had never once spared a glance at him from the very second she entered the room.

After a while of chatting with Rayna, Sandy thought it was late and time to leave.

“Rest well, Rayna. I’ll come and visit you again if I’m free tomorrow.” Then, when she saw Rayna’s protruding stomach, she gasped. “Did your stomach grow larger?”

“Mm-hmm. The babies are getting bigger very quickly.”

“It must be tough on you.” Sandy held Rayna’s hand before rising to her feet.

However, instead of hastily leaving the room, Sandy looked at Jefferson, who was by the windowsill, and said, “Rayna needs to rest, so I doubt she’ll need any company now. Why don’t you send me off instead?”

Rayna blinked in surprise, but she came back to her senses a second later. “Yes, I’m a little tired, and I’d like to take a nap. Jefferson, send Ms. Sandy off, will you?”

Rayna would be delighted if the relationship between Jefferson and Sandy improved.

Like Rayna, Jefferson was not expecting Sandy to say that to him. He was taken aback for a second, but he soon bobbed his head in agreement and said something to Rayna before leaving with Sandy.

The two of them walked down the corridor and headed toward the elevator.

The gentle expression on Sandy’s face was gone. What replaced it was a look of indifference. “Let’s find a place and take a seat.”

Jefferson answered, “Okay.”

After exiting the hospital, Jefferson surveyed his surroundings before leading Sandy to the café beside the hospital.

Once they found a table and sat down, he asked politely, “What would you like to drink?”

“A cup of lemon water. Thank you,” Sandy said to the server instead.

Her actions made it awkward for Jefferson, but he only adjusted his glasses in silence.

After putting her bag aside, Sandy started, “Rayna was the one who told me that you weren’t at fault, and she also told me not to hate you when I see you in the future. I’m only doing this because of her.”

Disappointment bloomed in Jefferson’s chest when he heard that, and his heart ached.

I see. She still doesn’t want to accept me. She’s only pleasant with me because Rayna talked to her.

Jefferson swallowed. “If you don’t want to see me, why did you invite me here?”

Right then, the server brought a cup of coffee and a glass of lemon water to them.

Sandy lifted her glass and sipped on her lemon water. There were no expressions on her face, and her tone was downright frigid.

“You know that Rayna’s stomach will get bigger as time passes. She needs someone to take care of her, and you know whose children she’s pregnant with. It’s difficult to avoid fights in life between a couple, but things will work out well in the end.” Sandy lifted her head to look at him. “Leave Norwal City. The further you go, the better.”

Jefferson tightened his grip on the cup at that, and he did not even notice the burning sensation in his palm.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly started laughing.

“I was the one who was about to marry Belle, and Curtis was the one who sabotaged my wedding. If someone is the homewrecker here, it’s none other than Curtis, who’s trying to separate me and Belle. Why should I leave Norwal City? I know you hate me, and it’s fine even if you don’t acknowledge me as your son. It doesn’t matter to me…” He paused and gripped his cup. “But you can’t be this selfish.”

I’m not the one in the wrong. Why must I be the one who gives up now?

Sandy sneered and said without reservation, “I’m not being selfish. It’s because there’s no chance between you and Rayna. I don’t want to see you pestering my daughter-in-law forever!”

Jefferson asked, “Am I such a revolting person to you?”

“You can think whatever you like,” Sandy muttered in a graceful tone.

Yet, Jefferson could not help but think of her as merely an apathetic woman.

Sandy opened her bag to take out a document before handing it to Jefferson. “I know you don’t need money, but this is a gift from me. You can choose not to take it.”

“If you leave Norwal City—if you stay far away from Rayna and Curtis—I’ll acknowledge that you’re my son, and I’ll let you call me your mother.”

A mocking smile formed on Jefferson’s lips. “You really can bring yourself to do anything, huh?”

Knowing what he meant, Sandy frowned.

By then, she was already running out of patience. In a grimmer voice, she said, “Regardless of everything, Curtis is your brother. Are you going to take your brother’s woman away from him?”

Jefferson fell silent.

Sandy took her bag and stood up. “I’ve said everything I wanted to say. Think about this carefully. I hope you won’t be as enraging as your father.”

Jefferson remained still in the same position even after Sandy was long gone.

The patrons in the café came and went, and the coffee in the cup before him had turned cold. Finally, Jefferson flipped the pages of the contract and started reading it expressionlessly.

At the end of it, he curled his lips and started laughing. The more he laughed, the louder he was.

Even the neighboring patrons could not help but turn their heads toward him.

Slowly, Jefferson hunched over to curl into himself and stopped moving.

“I don’t blame you for being biased toward him…” he mumbled, the pain is audible in his voice. “But I have nothing else left. She’s the last ray of light in my life, so why can’t you just let me be with her…”

Without that ray of light, my life is in complete darkness. How am I supposed to keep living?

Jefferson continued to sit in the café until the sun went down. Only after he received a call did he pay the bill and leave.

When he walked out of the café, someone came in.

The two of them bumped into each other, and the newcomer—a woman—recognized Jefferson first. She smiled and said, “Mr. Hamilton? What a coincidence.”

The young woman was in a black suit, and the suit made her look tall and smart.

Jefferson only needed a glance at her to realize who she was. She was the new manager of the Department of Regulators, and she had once used Curtis to make herself more popular.

Jefferson had never interacted with Stella, nor was he interested in getting to know her better.

Nevertheless, she had greeted him, so, for courtesy’s sake, Jefferson nodded his head at her.

Right as he was about to step out, Stella said, “Mr. Hamilton, I still remember everything about your wedding with Ms. Garland. It was such a romantic thing to have a wedding in the church. I was watching the live broadcast and waiting for you to exchange your rings, but who knew that…” She sighed as if lamenting about the moment. “How terrible it is for that to have happened.”

Jefferson clenched his fists but revealed none of what he felt on his face. With a polite but cold smile, he said, “Don’t worry about it. Our relationship is still fine, and I can give her another wedding like that.”

“I always hear from others about how you dote on Ms. Garland. Hearing your response makes me sure that they were right.” Stella curled her red lips. “Honestly, I think Ms. Garland and you are a match made in heaven.”

In a deliberately nonchalant tone, she continued, “I heard from the people within the industry about how Ms. Garland is pregnant with Mr. Faymon’s children. I’m always afraid that Ms. Garland will get back together with Mr. Faymon and give up on you because of the kids.”

Jefferson did not reply to that.

“Mr. Hamilton, you should learn to be more selfish if you like Ms. Garland.” Stella walked past Jefferson, seemingly about to enter the café. “If you’re too magnanimous, you may end up with nothing.”

Before Stella could push the glass door open, Jefferson grasped her wrist.

Stella inhaled sharply when the pang of pain traveled up her arm from her wrist.

 

 

 

Chapter 572

Jefferson took two steps back, his usually gentle gaze turning sharp and piercing. He pinned his eyes on Stella. “No matter how much gossip you hear, Ms. Zink, remember where you are and who you’re working for. Don’t simply run your mouth.”

Adjusting his glasses, his voice was mild but tinged with a hint of forcefulness. “Faymon Group’s PR department isn’t for show, and I’m no easy prey either.”

Stella’s expression changed slightly, but she immediately replied with a chuckle, “I heard that from someone else. Since I happened to run into you today, Mr. Hamilton, I brought it up casually.”

“Sometimes, a casual comment might only lead to disaster. What do you think, Ms. Zink?” Jefferson shot her a sidelong glance.

Stella went silent, stunned for a moment at the man’s blatant jibe.

By the time she snapped back to her senses, he had already brushed past her.

She turned around and glowered at his back, her hands slowly balling into fists.

He loves Rayna beyond words, so he can’t possibly be unaffected by my remark earlier. Why was he still calm and unruffled? Could it be that he was feigning indifference before me? But if so, he’s overly good at it.

Afraid that he would discern her motive, she quickly retracted her gaze. Pushing open the door, she entered the coffee shop. All the while, she inwardly wondered whether Jefferson was truly unperturbed by those news reports or merely feigning nonchalance.

Boniel is coming to Norwal City soon. For the plan to proceed smoothly, I must sever Curtis and Jefferson’s relationship. As a matter of fact, it’d be even better if I can get them to turn on each other. If my words today hadn’t worked on the latter, I’ve got to figure out another way.

Meanwhile, Rayna had stayed in the hospital for over two weeks. With sufficient time to recuperate, her gunshot wound had healed ages ago.

Not even a scar remained, what with her having used the salve from Jeremy’s laboratory.

She noticed that Jefferson stopped coming over to visit her after the day Sandy came to the hospital to meet him and ask him to walk her out.

Worried that Sandy had said something hurtful to him when he saw her out, Rayna pestered him about his absence through WhatsApp. Nonetheless, Jefferson merely claimed that he was busy with work and had no time to drop by.

As she had been keeping an eye on the company and the development within the industry, she knew that they were preparing a new product and were indeed swamped. Hence, she didn’t fret anymore.

She had been eating well while hospitalized, thus gaining quite a lot of weight. The most substantial change was the size of her belly.

In the past, she could still conceal her pregnancy if she wore loose clothing, but after recuperating for two weeks, her belly swelled by the day, ending up like a watermelon. Verily, she was terrified that her stomach might explode.

Early in the morning, Rayna woke up to pack. That was the day Jeremy said she could be discharged from the hospital.

There wasn’t much to put away, merely some clothes and skincare products.

She only bent for a while as she packed, but her stomach felt so heavy that it felt like it was going to fall to the ground.

Propping a hand at the back of her waist, she had just straightened and planned to phone Kristie when a hand shot out from beside her and snagged the small bag in front of her.

“Is this all? Here, I’ll help you.” Curtis placed a hand at her waist, his voice low and deep.

Rayna turned, only to see that the man, who had never once visited her since she was admitted to the hospital, had finally put in an appearance. He looked exceedingly cool in a suit, but he had dark circles under his eyes and seemed dead on his feet.

“Have you not been resting well recently? What have you been doing?” As she was overly concerned for his well-being, Rayna momentarily forgot that he was acting too intimate with her while placing his palm on her waist. They walked out of the hospital room together.

Smiling, Curtis answered airily, “It’s time for the semi-annual report, so it’s rather busy at the office. Why…”

He proceeded to turn and study her intently. “You’re mad that I was so wrapped up in work that I didn’t come and visit you at the hospital?”

Abruptly realizing that she had shown him too much concern, Rayna put on a cold expression and scoffed, “I don’t need you to visit me! I just thought that Mr. Nicholson had been making things difficult for Faymon Group and was afraid that I’d be his next target.”

“That won’t happen. He has too much on his plate to make trouble for Faymon Group.” Curtis’ voice was placid, but the look in his eyes was chilly.

Her pupils constricting, Rayna stopped in her tracks. “C-Curtis…”

Panic inundated her, and she grabbed the man’s sleeve. She couldn’t even speak properly anymore. “Don’t tell me that was why you were so busy previously? Are you sick of living? Don’t fight with him.”

“Don’t stammer when you talk, or the kids might follow your example.” Curtis gathered her into his arms. He couldn’t help kneading the flesh that felt soft and supple under his palm.

Rayna instantly sensed what he was doing and smacked him hard.

Despite the pain, Curtis didn’t drop his hold on her. He traversed the corridor with her to take the elevator. Flashing her a faint smile, he assured, “I’ve still got to support my wife and kids, so I naturally cherish my life. Be good, and don’t overthink things.”

Unable to push his hand away, Rayna had no choice but to give up. With a dark expression, she demanded, “You didn’t do anything bad?”

“No.”

Pursing her lips, Rayna urged softly, “Just forget it, Curtis. Selena is already dead. If Mr. Nicholson were to pursue the matter, apologize and compensate him. Don’t blow things out of proportion.”

She wasn’t a forgiving person, but she was aware of Noel’s immense power and connections.

Selena was right. A businessman with no connections in the military and political arenas was inferior to others.

As such, Rayna didn’t want the matter to take a turn for the worse.

Curtis glanced at her out of the corner of his eye while walking and grunted in acquiescence. “I’m a law-abiding citizen.”

In response, Rayna rolled her eyes at him.

A law-abiding citizen, my foot! What law-abiding citizen would have a gun at home?

Rayna wore a cap and a mask for fear that there would be reporters when they left the hospital. She even tried putting some distance between her and Curtis.

However, Curtis took her hand. “It’ll be fine even if you don’t wear a mask. No one would dare snap your picture.”

From the time Rayna was hospitalized, he had instructed Gabriel to keep a close eye on things at the hospital. If any reporter were to sneak into the inpatient department and seek her out, Faymon Group would take over the entire media industry.

Fortunately, the media heeded his warning and didn’t lie in wait around the hospital.

Rayna said nothing. When they reached the car, she made to pull open the passenger door, but Curtis stopped her from doing so and swung open the rear car door instead.

“It isn’t safe in front, so sit in the back.”

A frown promptly marred Rayna’s countenance. “It’s only a ten-minute drive to my condominium. I trust in your driving skills.”

“No way. Sit in the back. Even though my driving skills are superb, there might be instances of a sudden brake. Listen to me.” Curtis sounded authoritative, leaving no room for negotiation.

Words eluded Rayna.

His fastidiousness drove her crazy, but at the same time, that thoughtful gesture of his also had a wealth of warmth suffusing her. Muttering unintelligibly, she ultimately climbed into the backseat.

After settling in the car, she noticed a box of fruits on the seat beside her. She could faintly smell the aroma of oranges.

Lifting the cover on top, she was greeted by the sight of a box of fresh oranges.

Curtis got into the car as well. As he fastened his seatbelt, he stole a peek at the backseat via the rearview mirror. “An employee from the orchard delivered it to my car this morning. It just so happens that I’m driving you back to the condominium, so I brought this along for you.”

Taking an orange out of the box, Rayna started peeling it. “I can’t finish everything. Let’s give Kristie some later.”

“Keep them. If you can’t finish them, throw the remainder away. She can go get herself some oranges if she wants to,” Curtis countered.

That wasn’t the first time Rayna perceived how biased he was toward her, but she still couldn’t help blushing. While peeling the orange, she ventured, “Is there any news about Jessie?”

Curtis didn’t answer her right away.

A few seconds passed before he admitted, “The flow of water at the port is rapid. Perhaps she has been rescued someplace else, but we haven’t found her.”

 

 

 

Chapter 573

As soon as Rayna heard Curtis’ reply, disappointment showed on her face. She went silent, staring down at the orange in her hand.

After all, she knew all too well that the man was merely consoling her.

Upon seeing her all downcast through the rearview mirror, Curtis frowned. Unwilling to see her crestfallen, he was just about to speak when his phone beside the gear selector rang.

He was driving and had no way of picking up the phone. Therefore, he connected the call to the car’s Bluetooth system before answering it.

“What is it?”

On the other end of the phone, Gabriel reported, “Mr. Faymon, Gianna has been found and escorted back to Norwal City, so I instantly called you. Do you want to meet her, Mr. Faymon?”

The sound from the Bluetooth system was loud, so Rayna heard it as well.

She was stupefied at first. When she registered the meaning of those words, she lunged forward and raised her voice. “Where is she?”

Swiftly reducing the speed of the car, Curtis glanced back over his shoulder and shot her an admonishing look. Nonetheless, he couldn’t bring himself to remonstrate her. “He can hear you just fine. Why did you launch yourself forward? Sit properly.”

Intimidated by the warning look in his eyes, Rayna had no choice but to move back begrudgingly. Craning her neck, she continued asking, “Speak up, Mr. Tylinski. Where is she? We’ll go over right away.”

“Oh, Mr. Faymon, I didn’t know you’re currently with Mrs. Faymon.” Gabriel gathered his wits and divulged at once, “We’re at Mr. Lopez’s clubhouse, Mrs. Faymon.”

Rayna’s heart skipped a beat. Gritting her teeth, she barked, “Why are you calling me Mrs. Faymon? You’ve lost your mind, Mr. Tylinski—”

Before she could finish her tirade, Curtis had already hung up the phone.

Rayna said nothing further.

When the car arrived at the clubhouse, she eagerly swung open the door and alighted no sooner had the vehicle come to a stop.

Leaving Curtis behind her, she hurried up the stairs and entered the clubhouse. The moment she spotted a server, she asked, “Which room is Mr. Tylinski in? Quick, bring me there!”

She was so agitated that the server jumped in fright.

By then, Curtis had already caught up to her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he surreptitiously pulled her into his embrace so that she could lean against him if she got tired. “Calm down first. She won’t be able to escape when she’s already been captured.”

“Shut up!” Rayna shot him a glare before she repeated her question and compelled the server to bring her there.

Having been brought to the private room, she caught sight of Gabriel the instant she stepped in. The latter was speaking to a man. There was also another woman in a wheelchair, bound tightly with ropes.

The disheveled woman in the wheelchair jerked her head up and swung her gaze at the door.

“I thought Wyatt had arrived. Unexpectedly, it’s you.” Training her eyes on Rayna, Gianna flashed her a baleful smile. Her face and lips were deathly pale, her contorted face frightful.

Rayna shook off Curtis’ hand and stalked over to the woman with a grim expression. Lifting her hand, she slapped Gianna hard across the face.

Her palm landed crisply on Gianna’s cheeks seven or eight times successively, alternating between both sides.

She exerted all her strength without an ounce of mercy. Gianna’s head rocked from side to side, and blood oozed out the corner of her mouth.

Despite the excruciating pain, she didn’t even make a single peep. She raised her head again and eyed Rayna, grinning sinisterly.

The force of the slaps had turned Rayna’s palm numb.

Fisting and loosening her fingers to dispel the feeling, she questioned Gianna icily, “Was it you who orchestrated the deaths of Jessica’s uncle and aunt before framing it on Wyatt?”

“Yes!” Gianna admitted openly before cackling like a maniac. “I was truly overjoyed to see Jessica and Wyatt hating each other! It was downright gratifying!”

Hearing that, Rayna snapped and again slapped her twice.

Gianna leaned backward and almost tumbled over.

Taking two strides forward, Rayna stepped on the wheelchair’s footrest to stop the wheelchair from turning over. “If you’ve got a grudge against Wyatt, you could’ve just taken revenge on him.”

Subsequently, she grasped the woman’s chin hard and demanded menacingly, “Why did you make a move against Jessie?”

“It’s all on Wyatt for loving her! If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state!” Gianna sneered, meeting Rayna’s gaze with deep-seated hatred blazing in her eyes.

Rayna lowered her head. It wasn’t until she had scrutinized the woman for some time that she noticed Gianna’s skirt was flat and the bottom bare. Her right sleeve was also empty. In a flash, understanding dawned upon her.

“Wyatt only did this to you because you did something to deserve it. You’ve only got yourself to blame,” she commented evenly.

“He provoked me first! I thought he really had feelings for me, but it turned out that he was merely using me to put on a show for Jessica!” Gianna shrieked, animosity deluging her at the recollection of the past.

She gritted her teeth so hard that blood trickled out the corner of her mouth, hissing, “He was utterly ruthless, severing my hand and crippling my legs before leaving me at the dumping ground. He ruined everything.”

At that precise moment, Gabriel interjected, “Don’t take everyone for fools. Mr. Lopez’s assistant told me that you kept picking on Ms. Marsh after moving into the mansion. When Ms. Marsh ran a fever, you refused to call a doctor for her but abandoned her to fend for herself. Furthermore, you put contraceptive pills into her milk.”

Sweeping a gaze over her, he continued, “If you felt that Mr. Lopez was using you, you could’ve just left. Instead, you tyrannized his woman while taking his money. Serves you right for ending up in such a pathetic state!”

As Gianna swayed slightly, she cackled crazily. “Yes, I deserved it! But then, I’m ecstatic to see Wyatt in even worse shape than me! Jessica was a total fool. If the knife had pierced his heart, he would’ve died! Haha… If that happens, I’ll definitely pay my respects to him at his funeral!”

Rayna had previously discussed the matter with Curtis, surmising that someone must be helping Gianna behind the scenes. After seeing the news that went viral on the internet, especially, she was all the more convinced that the mastermind was incredibly powerful.

Having listened to Gianna’s remark then, she realized that the person pulling Gianna’s strings had been keeping tabs on Wyatt and Jessica all along. In fact, the mastermind might have even disguised himself or herself as a housekeeper.

Rayna regained her composure and leaned toward Gianna. “You’re a model with no power or influence, so you don’t have the capability to orchestrate all this. Who exactly is helping you?”

“Indeed, someone is helping me. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to take my revenge. But why should I tell you her identity when I owe her a debt of gratitude?” Gianna tilted her head and regarded Rayna provocatively.

Rayna’s eyes were fixated on her. “Are you not afraid of death?”

As though having heard the greatest joke of the century, Gianna burst into raucous laughter. “Haha, death? Considering my present condition, I no longer care about that!”

“Do you also no longer care about your family?”

Gianna’s pale lips turned up in a smirk, and she threw a look at the indifferent man behind Rayna.

“I recognize the man behind you. Besides, I know you’re capable of locating my family and tracing back my ancestry. Hah! I’m not afraid! Go ahead and do whatever you wish. Just kill my parents or my

relatives. I don’t care! Haha… Why should I still concern myself about them when I’m going to die myself?”

Throwing her head back, she crowed uproariously, her laughter eerie. She appeared as though she feared nothing.

Such fury consumed Rayna that her hands shook, and she once again slapped Gianna hard several times.

Gianna’s face was all swollen, her features no longer discernible. She licked her blood-stained teeth before lamenting in regret, “I thought I would see Wyatt. How disappointing!”

“Oh, are you that eager to see me?” As a languid voice rang out, someone stepped into the private room.

Wyatt strolled in and stopped before Gianna.

At the sight of him, Rayna’s brows knitted together. She wanted to say something, but Curtis pulled her away.

Wyatt stood right in front of Gianna with a smile tugging on the corners of his lips. “If I don’t come and see you, I’ll disappoint you.”

 

 

Chapter 574

When Gianna saw Wyatt, her eyes radiated intense enmity. She drawled in a soft tone, “How was the feeling of being stabbed by your woman, Wyatt?”

In response, Wyatt shrugged. “It was quite painful. Unfortunately, your plan fell through. I’m still alive.”

Gianna eyeballed him for a long while before she started cackling again. “Yeah, what a downright disappointment! If I were mobile, I would’ve definitely rushed over at that time and stabbed you twice more!”

“On the whole, that was exceedingly impressive of you. You bribed my housekeepers again, huh? How did you end up getting beaten so badly? It must hurt greatly, doesn’t it?” Wyatt brushed his fingers against her swollen cheek.

Lifting his head, he ordered Gabriel, “Go and get some ice cubes. I’ll help my darling Gianna apply a cold compress.”

Immediately, Gabriel was struck dumb.

After being dazed for several seconds, he obeyed the order and went out to get some ice cubes.

At Wyatt’s attitude, Rayna’s temper spiked, and she asked Curtis in a low voice, “What is he doing? Why did he instruct Mr. Tylinski to get some ice cubes for that woman? He must have lost his mind!”

Curtis peeled the orange into slices for her, coaxing placidly, “Just watch the show.”

Thus, Rayna fell silent.

Gabriel returned with a bucket of ice cubes. Wrapping a few cubes of ice in gauze, he handed the cold compress to Wyatt.

Wyatt proceeded to apply the cold compress to Gianna’s swollen cheek, his movements gentle.

If someone with no knowledge of the situation were to come across that scene, the person would certainly assume that the man was taking care of his injured woman.

The instant the ice came into contact with her face, the pain made Gianna flinch.

She then sneered, “Since I’m already in such a condition, just kill me if you wish to do so. There’s no need to do such a pointless thing!”

“Shh! Don’t say such a thing.” Placing a finger against her lips, Wyatt riposted with a low chuckle, “How could I possibly kill you when I can’t wait to love you? I’ll never do that.”

Too disgusted to watch, Gabriel averted his gaze.

Wyatt leaned down and placed the cold compress against Gianna’s face, his voice airy. “Was it you who killed my kids?”

Lost in the man’s tenderness, Gianna suddenly snickered coldly upon hearing that question.

“Yes, it was me. On top of that…” Lifting her head to meet his gaze, she enunciated vengefully, “I purposely didn’t call an ambulance for Jessica and watched as a puddle of blood formed under her skirt. Ouch! It must have been indescribably painful.”

Thereafter, she shook her head and lamented, “Twins are rare. What a pity! But aren’t you the most foolish of all? I merely uttered a few words, and you believed me and thought she wanted to abort the babies. Haha…”

Surprisingly, Wyatt wasn’t at all incensed. The smile stayed on his face, and his movements were still as gentle as ever.

“Are you mad? If so, kill me!” Seeing that his expression remained unchanged, Gianna continued provoking him, lambasting, “How d*mn useless of you, Wyatt! It was me who killed your kids, yet you’re not even attempting to take my life!”

She studied him closely before giggling creepily. “I forgot that you still had a kid. Alas, you couldn’t meet him because I was the one who pushed Jessica into the sea.”

That revelation took Rayna aback, and her eyes gradually widened.

Meanwhile, Gianna narrated softly, “I saw her running back, so I gave her a hard shove, watching as she fell into the sea. She died with your child. Don’t you feel distressed?”

“D*mn you!” Rayna screeched, her eyes red-rimmed. The urge to charge over and hit Gianna gripped her.

Holding her in his arms, Curtis consoled her.

“How amazing of you, darling! Even when in a wheelchair, you could still do such a thing.” Wyatt chortled, gliding his fingers down her cheek.

Grasping hold of her chin, he exerted force.

With a snap, Gianna’s jaw was dislocated. The agony almost caused tears to escape her eyes.

Grabbing a handful of ice cubes from the ice bucket, Wyatt unhurriedly stuffed them into her opened mouth.

Ice cubes were solid, and Gianna couldn’t swallow them. All she could do was slowly move her throat.

As the ice cubes slid down her throat, the biting cold had her shudder violently.

It was as though Wyatt couldn’t see the ice cubes crammed in her mouth. He grabbed another handful from the ice bucket and shoved them into her mouth.

Gianna’s cheeks bulged, her mouth stuffed to the gills. The bone-deep iciness made her shiver incessantly.

When the man did the same for the third time, her entire mouth was filled to overflowing.

Due to the sheer amount of ice cubes, Gianna couldn’t even swallow, and many fell out of her mouth.

Upon seeing that, Wyatt again took another handful of ice cubes and stuffed them into her mouth. He covered her mouth with his palm, wedging countless ice cubes in.

Then, he yanked off the expensive blue-striped tie between his shirt and tied it around her mouth.

Gianna was forced to tilt her head back, the cold making her quiver uncontrollably.

Innumerable ice cubes were stuck in her mouth, and she couldn’t swallow them. Some slid down her throat, but they ended up lodged midway. She had difficulty breathing, and her eyes rolled back into her head.

The entire private room was suffocating with only the sounds of breathing audible.

Gianna’s survival instincts kicked in, and she swallowed the entire mouthful of ice cubes. Drenched in sweat, she looked like she had just been fished out of the water.

By then, her face had paled even further. She forced herself to open her eyes, glowering at Wyatt with hatred blazing in her eyes.

When Wyatt removed the tie and freed her mouth, Gianna gasped for breath, her voice indistinct. “Let me die… Kill me…”

Sniggering lowly, Wyatt repeated his series of actions earlier. He crammed her mouth with ice cubes until she was suffocating before leisurely sealing it off with his tie.

At the sight of her shivering all over, seemingly in intense agony, Wyatt brushed his fingers across her icy cheek.

The warmth from the tips of his fingers felt like the gentle caress of a lover.

Leaning close to Gianna, he murmured, “It’s a pity if you die since you’re so beautiful, darling. I can’t bear to see you depart this world. I like to see you alive.”

His eyes that danced with merriment had Gianna’s pupils expand as she shuddered.

Wyatt didn’t continue tormenting her. After saying that, he straightened and ordered Gabriel to keep her there.

Led out of the private room by Curtis with an arm around her waist, Rayna reluctantly followed.

The mere recollection of everything Gianna said flooded her with the desire to kill the woman. Her eyes still red-rimmed, she asked Wyatt, “How are you planning to deal with her? And aren’t you going to question her about the identity of the mastermind helping her?”

“It doesn’t matter. I just want to keep her alive,” Wyatt drawled with a shrug.

Rayna watched the entire scene earlier.

Surmising the method the man would be using against Gianna, she shuddered. She pressed her lips into a thin line and remarked, “Jessie is still missing.”

Wyatt merely hummed in acknowledgment before quirking his brow. “I reckon she must be dead ages ago after falling into the sea.”

Snapping her head up, Rayna gritted her teeth at his blithe attitude. “What did you just say? Repeat that if you dare!”

Wyatt raked a hand through his hair, replying with an indifferent smile, “I was merely speaking the truth. But then, I’ve broken up with her. As such, that has nothing to do with me.”

“Nonsense! Do you think I don’t know that you tricked her into marrying you?” Rayna rebutted furiously.

However, Wyatt remained insouciant. “She was a novelty, so I toyed with her for a bit. If she’s alive, we can get a divorce when she returns. If she’s dead…”

He shrugged, wearing a nonchalant expression on his face. “A marriage is automatically dissolved when one’s spouse has gone missing for three years.”

Rayna was so livid that she shook with rage.

She couldn’t figure out the man’s game.

If he doesn’t love Jessica, why would he dupe her into marrying him and use such a cruel method against Gianna, who had just been found? But on the other hand, if he does love her, how could he utter such callous words and be so unfeeling to the point that he wishes for her death?

Disregarding her musings, Wyatt yawned. His eyes drooped, and he looked very much sleepy. “I hadn’t had much sleep since I only went back to the office the day before and had a ton of work to handle. Curtis, I’m going upstairs to sleep, so see yourselves out.”

Curtis stared at him intently. In the end, he grunted softly in acquiescence.

 

 

Chapter 575

Ignoring Rayna, Wyatt left as soon as he received a response from Curtis.

Rayna wore a grim expression on her face, bogged down with despondency.

She then left the clubhouse with Curtis. After climbing into the car, she was silent for a while before questioning out of the blue, “Back then, did I make the wrong decision in not sending Jessie away timely after learning the truth?”

If I’d known that things would end up like this between Wyatt and Jessica, I would’ve advised her to go to another city after Gerald’s death. Away from Wyatt, she would have no burden to shoulder and would’ve definitely lived happily. She wouldn’t have died.

Aware of her thoughts, Curtis asserted while driving, “You didn’t do anything wrong, Mrs. Faymon. Don’t overthink things. Even if you had sent her away at that time, you can’t predict how her life would’ve been.”

Rayna listened to him seriously. When she registered what she had just heard, her expression darkened. Her voice was tinged with a hint of irritation as she snapped, “Please show me some respect, Mr. Faymon. Can’t you address me by my name?”

“Nope. Calling you by your name makes us seem distant. Choose one between Mrs. Faymon and Darling. Otherwise, I’ll pick for you.” Curtis glanced at her through the rearview mirror, a faint smile hovering over his lips.

At once, Rayna retorted, “Is there any use asking me when you’ve already picked?”

Chuckling lowly, Curtis hummed in affirmation. “Got it, Mrs. Faymon.”

Belatedly realizing that she had been tricked, Rayna saw red to the point that she couldn’t even hold the orange steady.

She hurled the orange peel at the man, hissing through gritted teeth, “I’ve never seen someone as shameless as you, Mr. Faymon!”

“It’s okay. You’ve now seen one, Mrs. Faymon.”

Rayna was rendered utterly speechless.

Upon arriving at the condominium, Rayna made to alight from the car, but Curtis had already circled around and opened the car door for her.

Deliberately pretending not to see it, she climbed out of the car straight away without thanking him.

The instant she saw the man carrying the box of oranges out of the car, she was afraid that he would make an excuse to enter her house later. She hurriedly suggested, “Why don’t you return to the office, Mr. Faymon? They need you there. Just put the oranges on the ground. I’ll have my brother come and transport them.”

“It’s just a box of oranges. I’ll take it upstairs for you.” Carrying the box with one hand, he locked the car.

When he glanced over his shoulder to see Rayna standing there motionlessly, his gaze darkened a shade. “Why, are you hiding a man in your house? Is that why you don’t want me to follow you upstairs, Mrs. Faymon?”

“Nonsense! I’m presently pregnant, so how could I possibly… You’re simply depraved!” Rayna castigated.

Nodding, Curtis arched a brow and declared, “Since you’ve got no man in your house, let’s go.”

“Even so, I can’t allow a stranger into my house.” Having learned from previous experiences and being cognizant of how shameless the man had gotten recently, Rayna was afraid that he would refuse to leave after gaining entry into her house. For that reason, she turned him down with a chilly expression on her face.

As she stood rooted to the spot, Curtis automatically walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist.

His arm was exceedingly long, and he seized the opportunity to caress her stomach.

Propelling her along, he chortled lowly. “I’m not a stranger but the babies’ father.”

“The babies are yours, but I’m not!” Her face flushing in annoyance, Rayna wanted to slap his hand away, but she was worried that she would cause him to drop the box of oranges by doing so.

Instead of arguing with her, Curtis said with a gentle voice, “Okay, sure. Whatever you say, Mrs. Faymon. I’ll leave after delivering the oranges to your house and seeing my dog. It’ll only take five minutes.”

Since he had said as much, it would be unreasonable of Rayna to continue kicking up a fuss. Hence, she said nothing further, entering the condominium building with him while wearing a dark expression.

As soon as Rayna opened the door, Lucky sprinted to the entrance, its tail wagging away. It rubbed his head against her calf. A few seconds later, Happy raced over as well.

However, Happy didn’t approach Rayna. When it saw Curtis, it tilted its body and fell onto the man’s slippers.

Right then, Rayna was playing with Lucky. Fortunately, Kristie came over every day and took Lucky out for a walk while I was hospitalized. Otherwise, it would’ve been depressed after being locked up in the

house for two weeks.

When she turned and saw Happy lying on Curtis’ slippers, she was instantly annoyed. “Why is it so clingy with you when it’s my cat? Hadn’t I been feeding it usually? What an ingrate!”

“It’s unnecessary to be jealous over such a thing. Isn’t my dog clingy with you?” Smiling, Curtis swept his gaze over Lucky.

The moment Rayna turned her gaze back to Lucky, who was rubbing against her, she suddenly felt much better.

Although Curtis once reared Happy for a time, he was still averse to furry pets. Worse still, Happy was in the phase of changing fur then. Cat fur littered his slippers, and the sight made his temples throb.

If it weren’t for Rayna’s presence beside him, he would’ve tossed the cat into the bedroom and locked it up.

Rayna’s waist ached after she stood for a while. She went over to the couch and lay down, sending Kristie a WhatsApp message as she wanted to go to her place for lunch.

Unexpectedly, Kristie sent her a request for a video call directly.

When she pressed the answer button, Kristie appeared on the screen, appearing to be on a cruise ship. “Rayna, I’ve gone out to have fun with my boyfriend. Why don’t you give Mdm. Lovett a call and have her come and cook for you?”

“Huh?” Rayna was stunned to hear that. In the next heartbeat, she asked, “Who’s your boyfriend? And where did you both go?”

“You know him.” Sticking out her tongue, Kristie hooked her finger at the side, motioning a man over as she elaborated, “I’ve been cooped up at home for too long. I was bored, so I borrowed a cruise ship

from Curt to circle the whole country!”

The middle-aged man on the screen flashed Rayna a helpless smile. “Ms. Garland.”

Speech eluded Rayna.

Her vision went black, and she almost passed out.

Struggling to get up from the couch, she jerked her head to the side and cast her gaze at Curtis, who was doing something or other in the kitchen. “Curtis, do you know that Kristie has gone out for a vacation?”

“Yeah. Do you also want to go?” Curtis didn’t even bother to look at her, his voice calm and unruffled.

That isn’t the point!

Rolling her eyes at him, Rayna massaged her throbbing temples.

Despite knowing that James’ countenance only looked aged because of the drug, she still couldn’t get used to it after so long.

She pondered how she should breach the subject, stammering, “Kristie… w-why do you like him?”

Nestled in James’ embrace, Kristie studied his face and replied beamingly, “I just like him. Although he’s a bit old, he makes a good match for me in all other aspects besides age.”

“What about that boyfriend of yours, then?”

“I’ve never seen him anyway, so let’s regard it as us having broken up. Furthermore, I don’t like him,” Kristie answered.

Rayna was promptly at a loss for words.

She took a look at the “middle-aged” version of James, not quite knowing what to say. Subsequently, she heaved a long sigh.

After leaving some advice for Kristie, she hung up the phone.

Curtis had washed some fruits. He carried them to the living room and sat down on the couch adjacent to hers. “How did it go?”

“Couldn’t you tell when I placed the call on loudspeaker? I initially planned on going over to Kristie’s place to eat these few days, but I can’t do that anymore,” Rayna huffed, snagging a few black grapes from the fruit plater.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll cook.”

Recalling that Curtis’ cooking skills were only mediocre, Rayna didn’t dare hedge her bets. She sighed while eating the black grapes. “Say, how did Kristie fall for James, considering his current look?”

Abruptly lifting her head, she pinned her ebony eyes on the man.

Mistakenly assuming that she took an interest in the apple in his hand, he cut a slice and handed it to her.

“I don’t want your apple!” Leaning against the couch’s armrest, Rayna closed the distance between them and ventured, “How about you introduce the hypnotist who sealed Kristie’s memories to me?”

Curtis quirked a brow, not quite grasping her intention. “What do you want with him?”

 

 

Chapter 576

“To hypnotize me too, of course. If I forget you, I won’t have so many worries anymore,” Rayna answered without a second thought.

Instantly, the air became thick with tension.

She realized she should not have said that and regretted it immediately. Just as she was about to try and cover it up, she felt a warm palm pin the back of her head, and his thin lips captured hers in a kiss.

He parted her lips and deepened the kiss, embracing her fiercely.

Although her body shrank away from him instinctively, he held her firmly in his arms.

She pressed her hands against his chest, practically gasping for air.

When he thought she had received sufficient punishment, he released her lips. He gazed at her darkly, and it frightened her to the point that she swallowed the barrage of angry words she had been ready to utter. She bit her lip, feeling a little scared.

“Are you going to say things like that again? Hmm?” Curtis asked.

Despite shooting him a glare, she was so afraid that she quickly shook her head and softened her tone. “No, not anymore.”

She felt somewhat annoyed that he still made no move to let her go even after a few seconds had ticked by. Using the fact that she was pregnant as an excuse, she said firmly, “Give me some room. You’re crushing my stomach, and it’s very uncomfortable.”

He loosened his embrace immediately, and his gaze flitted to her belly. “Is it still uncomfortable?”

“Yes!” Observing that her tactic had worked, she grew bolder and jabbed a finger at him. “I wasn’t being serious. Why did you have to get so fierce? Does bullying a pregnant woman give you a sense of satisfaction?”

Massaging her waist, she went to lie on the couch and pretended to groan as though she were in severe discomfort. That made Curtis’ anger vanished immediately, and he even tried coaxing her in a tender tone.

He placed the apple he had peeled on a plate, then grabbed a tissue to wipe his hands. “What do you feel like having for lunch?”

“Ice cream!”

He looked up at her and pretended not to have heard what she said. “Roast beef?”

“I said ice cream,” she repeated.

I seldom eat anything cold since getting pregnant, much less things like ice cream. However, I’ve been feeling hot all over, so I want some ice cream to satisfy my craving.

The more she thought about it, the stronger her craving became. She got up from the couch and asked, “I recall that Carl bought a lot previously. Is there any left?”

Her eyes lit up when she pulled the freezer drawer open and spotted that there were still several bars of ice cream inside.

Just as she was about to reach for them, a figure stopped her and unceremoniously closed the refrigerator door.

The towering figure completely blocked her path to the refrigerator.

Rayna rolled her eyes at Curtis and tried to push him aside. “What’s wrong with you? I don’t want any lunch. Just eating ice cream is enough.”

However, no matter how she pushed and shoved, he did not move an inch.

“You can’t eat ice cream or any cold dishes. Be good and have more apples and grapes. I’ll make roast beef this afternoon. You’ll love it,” Curtis said coaxingly.

Somewhat irritated, she paced back and forth in front of the refrigerator, trying to find an opportunity to open the door. Alas, her efforts were to no avail.

“Your cooking sucks, so I’m sure it won’t taste nice,” she retorted, attempting to provoke him.

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time you complained about my cooking. If you don’t fancy eating my cooking, I can order lunch from Good Times Restaurant or ask Mdm. Lovett to whip something up,” he replied, unaffected by her remark.

Rayna gazed at him pleadingly and raised a finger. “Can I have just one, pretty please?”

Nonetheless, he was now adamant when it came to such matters. “No. Do you want roast beef or not?”

She made no response.

“I’ll take your silence as a ‘yes,’ then,” he said, deciding it on his own.

He called to arrange for someone to deliver the ingredients he would need to the apartment, then dialed Good Times Restaurant’s number and ordered some soup.

After a stalemate of ten minutes, Rayna glared at him when she realized he was not going to give in. She returned to the living room and ate the fruit glumly as she went through her work emails.

Meanwhile, Curtis phoned to hire a cleaner to come by in two hours to clean the apartment.

Upon hearing that, Rayna got up from the couch. Deliberately wanting to make things difficult for him, she said, “I’m planning to take a nap later. What if the cleaner comes and makes so much noise that I can’t sleep? If you think the apartment needs cleaning, I’ll do it myself.”

As she spoke, she rolled back her long, chiffon sleeves to start cleaning.

“All right. I won’t ask the cleaner to come,” Curtis said while stopping her. He glanced at the dusty balcony helplessly. “Since the food hasn’t arrived, I’ll clean up the place.”

She shook her head and protested, “That won’t do. How could I possibly let you do it? You’d better ask the cleaner to come, then.”

“It’s better for me to do it lest the cleaner arrives late and disrupts your nap.”

“Well, all right, then,” she agreed slowly with a crafty look in her eyes. “If you insist.”

Needless to say, Curtis was fully aware she did that to get revenge on him for not letting her have ice cream, and he could only smile helplessly.

Rayna settled into a comfortable position on the couch. When she looked outside from time to time, she would see Curtis cleaning the balcony in his work attire, spraying the floor with water from the water pipe. Meanwhile, Lucky jumped about happily beside him.

She snickered under her breath, finally feeling less upset.

Then, she waited for a few minutes. When the time was right, she got up from the couch and headed straight toward the door. “The clothes I bought have arrived. I’m going downstairs to collect the package.”

He turned around immediately and made to take off the rubber gloves he was wearing to clean. “I’ll go.”

“That’s all right. I can go on my own. It’s only a few pieces of clothing,” she replied, having already slipped on her shoes and opened the door.

She stepped outside and pretended to walk calmly.

Once she got in the elevator, she pressed the button for the first floor. She stared at the floor numbers flashing on the display panel, wishing the elevator would descend quicker. The shop isn’t too far from here. I can eat my ice cream while walking, and by the time I get back, I’ll have finished it. Later, I’ll sneak back into the apartment. Curtis will be busy cleaning, so he won’t notice whether or not I went to collect the package.

Thinking that she had come up with a comprehensive plan that was absolutely perfect, she could not suppress a giggle and praised herself softly, “Rayna, you’re simply too clever!”

After exiting the condominium, she walked along a path and arrived at the shop three minutes later.

The freezer was full of different types and flavors of ice creams, and she gazed at them eagerly.

She chose an ice cream sandwich. After paying for it, she was too impatient to wait any longer and quickly took a bite.

The combination of the coldness and sweetness made her feel much better, and she hummed to herself happily.

As soon as she turned around, however, she discovered that the man who was supposed to be cleaning the house was standing a hundred meters away from her with a stern expression.

Rayna was so startled that she could not think straight. She swiftly hid the ice cream behind her and flashed him a sheepish smile. “Well… You see… I was passing by this place while on my way to collect the package. It was the ice cream that ran into my hand.”

Curtis strode over to stand in front of her, then stretched out his hand and said, “Give it to me.”

“Um, there’s no need for that, right?” She shuffled backward as she tried to refuse and negotiate. “Look outside. With such scorching hot weather, the ice cream is melting so quickly that it doesn’t even feel cold when I eat it…”

His expression hardened even further, and he showed signs that he was about to lose his temper. “Give me the ice cream.”

She stared at him wordlessly.

Seeing that she refused to hand the ice cream to him, he reached over to grab it from her.

She turned around in a panic, opened her mouth, and bit off more than half of the ice cream. Then, she handed him the rest.

Her mouth was so full of freezing-cold ice cream that she started shivering. Despite that, she still wanted to eat it.

No sooner did she think she had gotten away with her clever trick than he kissed her and used his tongue to swipe the ice cream out of her mouth.

Rayna was dumbfounded. She ran her tongue over her cold mouth, which no longer had anything sweet in it, and glared at the person in front of her who was responsible for that.

After swallowing the mouthful of ice cream, Curtis even frowned and said, “It’s too cold and sweet. What’s so nice about it?”

“Curtis Faymon…” she uttered, her lips trembling from anger. Staring greedily at the remaining ice cream in his hand, she lunged toward him. “Give it to me. I’ll have just one bite, okay?”

He raised his hand high, not allowing her to reach it. “No way. Look at how big of a bite you took just now. If I didn’t eat it for you, you’d have a stomachache later this afternoon.”

 

 

Chapter 577

Rayna blushed a little when she recalled Curtis’ intimate action.

Since she couldn’t reach the ice cream, she held Curtis’ arm and uttered coyly, “Just one bite, okay? I promise I just want a taste of it. I’m being honest!”

Curtis kept mum.

“Mr. Faymon, please have mercy. Please…”

Curtis was at a loss for words. However, his heart softened when he saw how pitiful she looked as she stared at the ice cream in his hand. “Just a small bite, okay?” he asked.

Rayna nodded vigorously. “Just a small bite! You have my word!”

Curtis lowered his arm and held the ice cream next to her mouth.

Seeing that, Rayna quickly held Curtis’ wrist tightly and opened her mouth as wide as she could. However, he gently held the back of her neck and reminded her, “Mrs. Faymon, please remember what you said. Otherwise, I’ll stop showing you mercy.”

In the end, Rayna had no choice but to only take a small bite of the ice cream.

“Good girl.” Curtis was pleased. After that, he finished the rest of the ice cream before her eyes.

Infuriated, Rayna rolled her eyes at him and strode off.

Curtis chased after her to walk by her side so that she wouldn’t trip and fall. “Slow down. You’re going to make yourself feel uncomfortable by walking so quickly.”

Rayna’s expression turned grim, and she ignored him. This man is so annoying! Not only did he stop me from eating ice cream, but he also finished it before my eyes! That’s so inhumane!

Noticing the look on her face, Curtis knew she was angry. In a helpless tone, he said, “Ice cream is too cold for you. Besides, you haven’t eaten anything this morning. It’s not good to eat ice cream on an empty stomach. I’ll buy another one for you tomorrow.”

“That’s not necessary!” Rayna let out a cold snort.

“Even if I’m not around, you’re still not allowed to eat ice cream.” Curtis knew what Rayna had on her mind. “I’ll get Carl to watch you. He wouldn’t dare to collude with you.”

“You!” Rayna glared at him and gritted her teeth. “Why must you be so cruel? I’m already six months pregnant, yet I can’t even eat ice cream. Are they really so fragile?”

“I didn’t say you weren’t allowed to have any. It’s just that you shouldn’t eat it on an empty stomach. Don’t misunderstand me,” Curtis explained patiently.

“You just don’t want to let me eat ice cream!” Rayna grumbled.

Rayna shoved him aside and distanced herself from him. With a cold expression, she grumbled, “I’m going to name our daughter ‘Ice Cream!’ That way, she’s going to remind me to eat ice cream every day. Let’s see how you are going to stop me then!”

“Are you sure we’ll have a girl?” Curtis caught up to her and asked, “What if they all end up being boys?”

“What are you on about, Curtis?” Rayna got annoyed and punched him. “I’ve already gone for the checkup, and I’m going to have two girls! How would they suddenly change into boys?”

Curtis let out a soft chuckle. “You reminded me I’ll have to take you to a checkup next week.”

“I don’t need you to bring me! I’ll go on my own!”

“All right. Sure. You’ll go on your own.” Curtis didn’t want to argue with her because he didn’t want her mood to get affected too much. Hence, he changed the topic by asking, “I bought watermelon! Would you like to eat it directly or drink its juice?”

Rayna turned away to ignore him.

Seeing that, Curtis didn’t get angry. Instead, he approached her to wrap his arm around her waist so that she could walk more comfortably. Just like that, the two of them went into the condominium together.

Somewhere far away, Jefferson was watching them enter the condominium quietly. At that moment, his expression was frighteningly calm.

Next to him, Emerald uttered hesitatingly, “Mr. Hamilton, I’m sure Ms. Garland still has feelings for you. It’s just that she’s pregnant with Mr. Faymon’s kids, so she can’t cut ties with him.”

Before that, Ringo wasn’t in Norwal City, so Emerald accompanied Jefferson to the hospital to fetch Rayna. However, they were told that Rayna had been discharged long ago.

Mr. Hamilton had just gone to the supermarket to buy groceries. Since he was going to cook for Ms. Garland, I thought I would get to mooch a free meal too! Who would’ve known that we would see Ms. Garland and Mr. Faymon together?

Jefferson only responded a long while later when he flashed a faint smile and said, “I know.”

He then gave the groceries to Emerald. “Since Mr. Faymon is keeping Belle company, I guess I’ll stay out of their way. Bring these cooking ingredients home, okay? It would be a waste to throw them away.”

Emerald took the ingredients from him and asked cautiously, “Shouldn’t we send these to Ms. Garland?”

“Mr. Faymon is going to make lunch for her. Go home, okay? I have property here in this residential area.” Jefferson shook his head.

Hearing that, Emerald had no choice but to leave with the groceries.

Jefferson remained standing there as he stared at the condominium with his blue eyes. At the same time, he was clenching his fists. How could I not mind? I’m willing to wait a lifetime for her affection. However, it hurts to see her getting close to another man.

Upon arriving home, Curtis brought the ingredients to the kitchen while Rayna went to rest on the couch.

As she drank her watermelon juice, she read the news.

With the advancements in information technology, news traveled fast. Although some news could be covered up rather quickly, it wouldn’t stop people from discussing them.

Rayna was sick of the news in the entertainment industry, so she scrolled downward. The moment she did that, she saw a few news articles that caught her by surprise. She then quickly sat up on the couch and read the articles intently. Mr. Nicholson was sacked for corruption, and several other corrupt officials were implicated in a case involving fifty billion!

Rayna covered her mouth with her hand in shock at the number. The politicians had to serve years in prison for embezzling millions. Considering Mr. Nicholson’s position, he might be imprisoned for life!

Little did Rayna know that the next news article was going to shock her even more.

The person behind the Aoba Project that she and Jefferson had been looking for turned out to be a telecommunication company called Yanks Corporation. The day before, the director and president of Yanks Corporation personally revealed the plan to the media.

Not only could a breakthrough in the telecommunication industry improve the living quality of people all around the world, but it could also increase a country’s GDP. Hence, it could decide the strength of the country.

Rayna looked through the article a few times before bringing her phone to Curtis.

“Did you know about this?” Rayna showed Curtis the news article. With a surprised expression, she said, “I was looking for the person behind the project for so long. Who would’ve thought that it could be Yanks Corporation?”

Curtis had personally handed Aoba Project out, but Rayna wasn’t aware of that.

Curtis glanced at the article and pretended to be in shock. “Is that true? I didn’t know about it.”

“You’ve always taken part in profitable projects, no? How could you have missed out on this?” Rayna let out a sigh and added, “Initially, I wanted to have a discussion with their boss behind closed doors. Now, everyone knows about the project, and the country will surely take part in it. Once they do that, there’s nothing we can do to make money out of it.”

“It’s just a telecommunication technology project, though.” Despite Curtis’ words, he actually felt disappointed. It’s such a shame. Mr. Winton wanted the ivory chess set, which was the museum’s prized item, and nothing else. Since I couldn’t get my hands on that, I had to give something of mine away.

“What?” Rayna was infuriated by Curtis’ calmness. However, she quickly remembered the astronomical net worth he had, and the anger drained out of her. I bet he has gotten numerous mega projects like

this before.

Not wanting to start an argument, she waved her hands in the air and uttered softly, “Mr. Nicholson has been sacked.”

“Yes. I know.” Curtis’ tone was still as calm as ever. He then glanced at the time and noticed that his roast beef was almost done. After cutting a slice, he blew on it and delivered it toward Rayna’s mouth. “Have a taste.”

Rayna was feeling hungry from the smell, so she subconsciously opened her mouth to eat the morsel of meat.

“How is it?” Curtis asked.

 

 

Chapter 578

“It’s not spicy enough.” Rayna smacked her lips. “Why are you asking me whether the beef tastes good when I’m talking about the incident with Mr. Nicholson?” She was speechless at his attempt to change the topic.

Curtis took a slice of beef and tried it himself. “That’s enough. Your stomach can’t handle anything too spicy.”

“Curtis, did you do it?” Rayna smacked him in the arm.

“How is it possible for me to counter Mr. Nicholson when Theodore is still unconscious?” Curtis smiled unaffectedly. “What goes around comes around. He’ll have to account for his sins eventually.”

His words echoed Rayna’s thoughts.

It would be implausible for Curtis to hurt Noel without Theodore’s connections, as the latter was still unconscious in Xyperia.

She became suspicious about what Curtis and Jefferson were up to when they were so busy that they never replied to her WhatsApp messages previously.

Rayna was jerked free from her musings when Curtis swatted her bottom.

“Why don’t you get the plates and cutlery ready for our meal?”

“You—” Rayna was so astonished that she felt like her bum was on fire. “Don’t be surprised when I sue you for sexual harassment!”

“Are you planning to sue the father of your children?” Curtis smirked.

Rayna cursed him under her breath and opened the cupboard to retrieve the plates and cutlery from the cabinet grudgingly.

Besides the roast beef, Curtis had also prepared a salad and lentil soup. It was a veritable feast.

The beef was roasted to perfection, and Rayna devoured all of it.

Curtis was very pleased with her appetite, and his lips curled into a smile. “Has my culinary skills improved?”

It was evident that his cooking had improved by leaps and bounds from the taste of the beef.

Nonetheless, Rayna had no desire to praise him and decided to nitpick instead. “Everything from the ingredients to seasoning was already laid out for you. You merely had to follow the steps given. Even a dog could do it!”

“I chose the cut of beef and marinated it myself.” Curtis corrected her. “Even the salad was made from scratch.”

“What?” Rayna was flabbergasted as she looked up at him. “No wonder it took you more than an hour to prepare it!”

Curtis served her a slice of roast. “I made sure to choose a rib-eye as it’s your favorite. How do you find it?”

“I thought it was—” Rayna’s voice was muffled as she chewed.

She had been in such a hurry to speak that she choked on her food.

Rayna downed half a glass of lemonade before Curtis could react.

He smoothed her back. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” Rayna pulled back from his proximity. “Let’s continue eating.”

Curtis went back to his seat after ensuring that Rayna was all right. Much to her astonishment, he finished the remaining lemonade in her glass before pouring himself another.

Her face flushed as she groused, “Can’t you drink from your own glass instead of mine?”

Curtis sat down and reached for a glass of watermelon juice. “This was supposed to be yours while the lemonade was mine.”

“No matter. This isn’t the first time this has happened to me. I’m already used to it,” Curtis continued.

Rayna recalled their second meeting. They’d been discussing business at a club when she’d accidentally drank his red wine. She immediately straightened herself to hide her growing embarrassment and patted her pregnant belly.

“Would you find fault with me for drinking your lemonade when I’m carrying your children?”

Curtis was tickled by her poor attempt at appearing indignant. “Whatever you say, Mrs. Faymon.”

He was fond of this petulant side of Rayna that was not afraid of being herself in front of him. It gave him a sense of comfort as this meant that she still cared for him.

It was already three in the afternoon by the time they finished eating.

Rayna began feeling drowsy after the meal and had the mind to usher Curtis out so that she could take a nap. Curtis, however, told her he’d sent a message to Carl and that he would leave only after his return.

The sky was already dark by the time she woke up from her nap at six in the evening.

Once Rayna finished washing up, she considered bringing Carl out for pizza as it had been a while since she’d had it herself, and she wanted to order ice cream.

“Why are you still here?” She was confused at the sight of Curtis alone in the living room.

Curtis darted a glance at her as he continued on with his work and replied placidly, “Carl called me saying he’ll be staying over at Jeremy’s. I worry for your safety if you were to be left alone at home.”

“I have a dog and cat to keep me company.” Rayna pointed at the two pets lounging next to Curtis’ feet.

“They’re incapable of taking care of you since they aren’t human.”

Rayna gave him a resentful look as she had run out of ideas to make him leave. She trudged to the farthest corner of the living room away from him and reached for a tangerine on the fruit platter.

The living room was pin-drop silent except for the tapping sound of Curtis typing on his laptop’s keyboard.

Curtis finished up his work half an hour later. He shut his laptop and massaged his aching forehead, lifting his gaze to the sight of Rayna lazing on the couch.

It was exactly what a family living harmoniously looked like.

Curtis washed his hands before taking a seat beside her. He took hold of the leftover tangerine. “You should only eat half of this as you’ve eaten plenty of fruits today.”

“Why are you stopping me from eating when I’m hungry?” Rayna was annoyed by his overbearingness. “Can’t you just go home? I want some time for myself.”

Curtis gave her half of the tangerine while he kept the other half for himself.

“What would you like to eat tonight?” Curtis feigned ignorance. “Spaghetti or noodle soup?”

Rayna rested her chin on an arm while she ate her tangerine. “Neither.”

“What else do you want then?”

“I don’t feel like eating anything at all!” Rayna scowled as she stared at her protruding belly. “I’ll become unhealthily overweight at this rate if I continue eating! Look how hideous I am now!”

“Don’t worry. We’ll grow chubby together and go on a diet to lose weight in the future.” Curtis stretched his hand to wipe the residue on the side of her lips. “Let’s have duck skewers then. We can explore the area afterward.”

Rayna perked up at that and eyed him dubiously. “You’re not pulling my leg, are you? Duck skewers? What about crayfish?”

Curtis considered for several moments before nodding. “Yes, but in moderation.”

“Let’s go, then!” Rayna sprung up from the couch as she urged Curtis, “There’s a popular stall in a night bazaar that has a really long waiting list for crayfish at around eight to nine at night.”

“All right.” Curtis set his phone to silent mode and retrieved a shawl from the clothing rack.

He did not wish to be disturbed by work-related matters.

They drove to the bazaar and reached there a little after eight. There were huge crowds in front of the stalls as it happened to be a Friday.

Curtis parked his car and held Rayna’s hand as they made their way to the bazaar.

He rarely frequented such places as his meals were usually either prepared by Gabriel or were eaten at fine-dining restaurants courtesy of the dinner parties he attended. Nonetheless, he didn’t mind

accompanying Rayna and was at ease.

His tall stature and magnetic aura attracted the attention of many despite the fact he was dressed in casual clothes.

Rayna couldn’t care less about Curtis’ ability to turn heads and was fixated on looking for food to dispel her hunger.

She immediately pulled Curtis along with her once she caught sight of a vacant seat at one of the stalls.

“I’ll wait for you here while you buy the duck skewers.” Rayna excitedly flipped through the menu the moment she settled down at the table.

 

 

Chapter 579

“Can’t they deliver it over?” Curtis frowned and glanced around the place.

He was worried about leaving Rayna alone there. It’s so crowded here, and the floor’s slippery. What if she trips and falls?

“It’s just in front, about a hundred meters away at the crossroad. You can do it yourself.” While fixing her eyes on the food menu, Rayna waved her hand, gesturing for Curtis to get moving. “I’ll wait for you here. I’m old enough; I can’t possibly go missing.”

“Excuse me!” Rayna could not be bothered about him anymore and called the owner to order some food. “Can I get a serving of garlic butter crayfish, and also…”

When she looked up after ordering the food, she found that Curtis was still standing by the table. That inevitably left her both amused and exasperated. “Go on ahead. I really can’t possibly go missing, can I? Or how about I go instead? You can help me deshell the crayfish while you wait for me here?”

Having said that, she prepared to rise to her feet.

“I’ll go.” Curtis pushed Rayna back onto her seat and seized the opportunity to pinch her cheek affectionately. “Don’t go anywhere. The floor is slippery. Wait for me to return if there’s anything you need, understand?”

Despite the crowd around them, Curtis did not seem to be affected. On the other hand, Rayna was embarrassed by what he did and quickly smacked his hand away.

“Hurry up and go!”

After watching the man leave, Rayna immediately grasped the owner’s arm and ordered a can of Sprite.

As soon as her drink order came, she poured it into her glass and took two small sips.

Oh my gosh! It tastes amazing!

Nonetheless, Rayna did not dare drink too much of it as she was scared that Curtis would reprimand her when he returned. She only drank a small glass, then took out her phone and opened her WhatsApp.

Rayna: Are you there yet?

Curtis: Yeah. There’s a long line, so I’ll have to wait for about ten minutes.

The man also sent a photo along to show her the situation.

From the photo, there were roughly about nine people in front of Curtis. It did not take Rayna much difficulty to visualize the grim look on the man’s face, and she could not help but burst into laughter.

Rayna: There’s only a handful of people in front of you. It’ll be your turn soon. Keep in mind that you’re the one who said you wanted to treat me to duck skewers!

Curtis: You didn’t order any iced drinks, did you?

A sense of guilt rose within Rayna as she threw a glance at the can of Sprite on the table.

Rayna: I didn’t. That’s all for now. I’ll wait for you to be back with the duck skewers.

After exiting the app, Rayna logged in to check her email. Seeing the empty mailbox, she instinctively knitted her brows together.

She had received a good number of company emails during her stay in the hospital previously. However, for some reason, she had received way lesser emails in the past two days.

I wonder if Jefferson has specifically informed the rest not to disturb me out of worry that I won’t get enough rest.

Just then, the light shining in her direction was covered by a towering figure that appeared before her.

“Oh? You’re back already?” Rayna thought Curtis had returned with the duck skewers. Yet, when she raised her head to see the man before her, she was instantly stunned. “Jefferson…”

Jefferson adjusted his glasses and shot her a gentle look. “Mr. Faymon told me he’s having a meal with you here and asked me to come over.”

Rayna did not respond.

What could Curtis and Jefferson have talked about while I was in the hospital? How did the two of them become so close all of a sudden?

Faced with the man, Rayna could not help but feel somewhat remorseful.

She had promised Jefferson she would not have anything to do with Curtis. Yet, she allowed Curtis to stay by her side all this while.

“Have a seat.” Rayna tried her best to lighten the mood and poured Jefferson a glass of water. “What do you want to eat?”

Jefferson merely shook his head. “I came to look for you because I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Jessica has been found.”

“R-Really?” Rayna stared at him in surprise. The overwhelming excitement made her stumble over her words. “She and the child are all fine?”

“Yeah.” Jefferson smiled. “They’re all safe. I’ll take you to visit her.”

Not doubting his words in the least, Rayna grabbed her bag and urged, “Let’s go now! I want to see her right away.”

Jefferson stood up and walked over to help her up.

His eyes darkened at the sight of her protruding stomach. Despite so, he still advised with a gentle tone, “The floor is slippery. Be careful.”

Then, Rayna followed Jefferson to the parking lot, and they got into his car.

The driver turned around and flashed a smile at Rayna. “It’s been a while, Ms. Garland. How have you been?”

“Emerald.” It turned out that Rayna recognized the driver as she was the woman who had helped her at the police station previously. At once, Rayna broke into a bright smile. “Why are you driving? Isn’t Ringo in Norwal City?”

“He’s in Jetroina. I stayed here to help Mr. Hamilton.”

Rayna nodded in acknowledgment. Then, she pulled out her phone from her bag, seemingly recalling something. “I should send him a text to inform him about it.”

She thought she should tell Curtis about her departure in case he thought she had gone to roam around when he returned after buying the duck skewers.

“Don’t worry. I already told Mr. Faymon about it.” Jefferson grabbed the phone from her hand and kept it for her. “Mr. Faymon knows the address. He’ll head over to meet us later.”

“All right.” Rayna’s mind was preoccupied with Jessica, so she did not spare too much thought about the errors Jefferson made in his words.

Soon, the vehicle left the parking lot.

In the car, the temperature was optimal, and there was a faint scent of violets. Soon, Rayna yawned as she felt a little sleepy.

Jefferson grabbed a blanket and draped it over Rayna’s body. “Get some sleep if you’re tired. I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

Rayna nodded and leaned her head on one side. It did not take too long before she fell asleep.

A short moment later, Jefferson reached out, pulled her into his embrace, and patted her cheek lightly.

“Belle?”

He called a few times to make sure that Rayna was deep asleep. An icy glint flashed across his eyes at that.

Jefferson asked Emerald, “Has the car reached yet?”

“Yes. It arrived long ago and is waiting there.”

The car sped down the road for several more minutes before it slowed down and pulled over by the roadside.

On the same stretch of road, there was also a black Bentley.

Upon realizing that a car had come right up behind him, the driver of the Bentley immediately stepped out and walked to the back to help open the door.

After that, Jefferson lifted Rayna into his arms and exited his car.

Even though Rayna had a big pregnant belly, Jefferson could still carry her effortlessly and walk steadily.

Walking up to the Bentley, he got in and carefully placed Rayna onto the back passenger seats.

It was then Jefferson noticed the rings on Rayna’s finger. Without hesitation, he took them off and sat down beside her.

He handed the rings to Emerald and placidly uttered, “Send them back.”

“Got it.” As Emerald received the rings, she looked at the sound-asleep Rayna in the car. It seemed like she had something to say, but she ultimately swallowed her words and said, “Have a safe trip, Mr. Hamilton.”

“Mm-hmm.”

With that, the Bentley—with Jefferson and Rayna on board—swiftly departed from the scene. At the same time, Emerald also drove back with the rings.

Meanwhile, Curtis was still in the queue to buy duck skewers and had no idea what had happened.

He looked at the watch on his wrist, then shifted his gaze to the line of people in front of him.

I’ve queued for about seven minutes, but there are still seven people in front of me. Did they buy a lot? Or is it that the staff are slow and inefficient?

Annoyance began to grow within Curtis following the long wait. At the thought of Rayna being alone at the food stall, the man decided to send her a text message.

Nonetheless, there was no reply after over a minute.

Curtis’ brows snapped together. He reckoned that something was not right and immediately gave Rayna a call.

He placed his phone by his ear and waited for Rayna to answer the call. But before she did, he heard a commotion in front of him. He raised his head, only to find that someone had cut the queue.

It turned out that the one who stirred the commotion was an arrogant young man. The customer behind him began arguing with him because of his inconsiderate behavior.

However, the young man was unreasonable and insisted that the crowd should let him go first since he was starving. Without a doubt, the customer behind was unhappy about it. The argument grew increasingly heated, and eventually, a fight broke out between them.

Worried they might get caught in the crossfire, the subsequent customers in queue quickly stepped backward. Consequently, they bumped into Curtis, who had been standing at the back.

In an instant, the whole place erupted into chaos.

The fight was only getting fiercer. It soon escalated to the point where the two wrecked the store, causing all the duck skewers on the rack to drop on the floor.

The owner and her staff were, too, startled by what happened and frantically retreated into the kitchen.

Curtis’ phone call to Rayna did not go through even after a long time. Upon witnessing the chaotic scene of the two customers fighting till they smashed the store, the restless and frustrated man hung up the phone, strode over with a grim expression, and grabbed the young man.

 

 

 

Chapter 580

Curtis delivered a punch to the young man’s face, sending him into a daze. He then pushed the man to the ground and summoned the authorities.

When the call connected, Curtis told the police his address and added icily, “Send someone here. There is a man kicking up a fuss here, and he’s caused massive damage to a shop.”

“No, please don’t do this to me!” The young man blanched in horror when he realized Curtis had called the police. Ignoring his wounds, he crawled over to Curtis and flung his arms around Curtis’ legs. “Someone offered me money to do this. I got caught up in the moment and agreed to do it. Please don’t turn me in, as a criminal record would ruin my life!” he pleaded.

Curtis looked down at him and narrowed his eyes. “Someone paid you to do this?”

The young man vigorously nodded and disclosed, “The person said he was envious of how renowned this duck skewer stall was. He handed me one hundred thousand dollars and asked me to stir up a ruckus here to ensure they are forced to close for the night.”

“This is the only duck skewer stall around the area. It has no rival who is jealous of its business!” Curtis snapped coldly. “Even if someone wants to cause a ruckus, he’ll do that when there aren’t that many witnesses around. Why would he ask you to do it in front of so many peo—”

Suddenly, something occurred to Curtis. His face fell as he shook off the young man and hurried back to their table.

D*mn it! I should’ve gone back when Rayna’s phone was unreachable earlier!

Curtis’ heart clenched in anxiety as he ran into the eatery he and Rayna went in just now. He found the table they occupied earlier, but it was empty. At once, he felt his stomach sink.

There was a can of Sprite and a menu on the table. Placed on top of the menu were two rings.

One was a pink diamond ring, while the other had a GPS tracker inside.

Curtis retrieved both rings and observed them closely. His breathing quickened as anxiety overwhelmed his heart.

Running over to the counter, he asked the lady owner, “Where was the pregnant lady who sat at that table earlier?”

“Oh, a man around your height showed up earlier and took her away.” Rayna was the only pregnant lady in the shop, and Jefferson was strikingly handsome. Thus, the lady owner remembered them well.

Curtis asked, “Did he have blue eyes and wore a pair of glasses?”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s quite a handsome man.”

It was Jefferson!

“Do you know where they went after leaving your shop?”

The lady owner thought over his question and shook her head. “I was busy and didn’t notice that.”

Knowing that was all the information she had, Curtis paid for the drink and left her shop.

He went around the shop to ask the customers whether they saw a man taking a pregnant lady away.

One customer who happened to notice them told him they went to the open-air parking lot.

Curtis’ car was also parked there. He knew there weren’t any surveillance cameras there safe for only one at the exit.

Tamping down his anger, he called Jefferson.

“Sorry. The number you have dialed does not exist.”

Curtis’ heart sank in despair. Jefferson must’ve set eyes on us the moment we came out of the residential area. He got someone to stall me in front of the duck skewer shop to get the chance to take Rayna away. I thought we came to a deal, but in the end, he turned against me!

Curtis took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down before calling Wyatt. “Help me check the surveillance cameras around the night bazaar between…”

As he waited for Wyatt’s update, he didn’t sit back to catch his breath. Instead, he reached out to the Air Traffic Bureau, the high-speed railway station, and the port at Norwal City, sending them Jefferson’s and Rayna’s photos and instructing them to keep a close watch on the two.

Ten minutes later, Wyatt’s call came in. “Curtis, according to the time you provided, I found four cars leaving the night bazaar. The drivers were visible, but not the passengers.”

Curtis closed his eyes and ordered, “Send me the photos of the drivers, then find out where they went.”

“I’ve sent it to your WhatsApp.” After a pause, Wyatt asked, “What happened?”

“Jefferson took Rayna away.”

A few seconds later, Wyatt chuckled and teased, “Is he that interested in taking care of your children?”

“Wyatt, I’m not in the mood to joke around.” Curtis was filled with anxiety at Rayna’s disappearance. His voice was grim as he added, “Send me their routes once you get them.”

Wyatt felt a chill go down his back. Without hesitation, he got to work.

Curtis regarded the photos of the four drivers carefully. The photos were blurry as they were captured by the surveillance cameras. However, their features were clear enough for him to make out that one of them was a female.

Curtis felt like he had seen the female driver before, but he could not remember where.

Hmm, she seems to be an employee at Faymon Group.

There were many employees at Faymon Group, and Curtis was a busy man. He couldn’t have met them all before.

However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before. He called Gabriel to see if the latter could confirm his suspicions.

Gabriel usually kept his phone switched on twenty-four-seven, but to Curtis’ surprise, his phone was currently switched off.

Curtis rarely contacted Gabriel at night or interfered in the latter’s private life. However, he was pissed off to learn that Gabriel’s phone was switched off at such a critical moment when he needed his assistant’s help.

He was about to get someone to find out where Gabriel was when his phone buzzed, signaling that he had received a text.

Curtis tapped into it. His expression immediately turned dark once he read it.

Unknown number: Belle’s with me. After she gives birth, I’ll ask someone to deliver the babies back to the Faymon family.

Curtis immediately tried calling the number, but it was already turned off. He sent the number to Wyatt to trace the phone’s location. Upon arriving at the spot Wyatt discovered, Curtis found the phone

discarded in a trash can by the road.

“F*ck it!” Curtis cursed as he threw the phone onto the ground. It smashed into pieces upon impact.

Jefferson knows Norwal City is my turf, so he won’t stay here. He’ll definitely bring Rayna overseas. Alas, I’ve missed the golden time of twenty minutes!

Curtis knew it was pointless to regret now. He called various places and reminded them to keep their guard up. Despite knowing the odds of success were slim, Curtis still held onto a sliver of hope by driving to Jefferson’s residences in Norwal City, scouring every corner in a desperate attempt to find Rayna.

Curtis’ efforts that night were in vain.

He would occasionally receive calls from the Air Traffic Bureau and the port, informing him that they were staying vigilant, but there was still no sign of Rayna and Jefferson.

Curtis sat in his car and wondered how Jefferson would bring Rayna out of Norwal City.

He was deep in thought when Gabriel’s phone call arrived.

“Mr. Faymon, I felt unwell last night and didn’t realize I slept so soundly. My phone also switched off as it ran out of battery,” Gabriel reported once the call connected. “I’m at the company now.”

Curtis massaged his brows and ordered calmly, “I’ll send you a photo. Tell me if the person works at Faymon Group.”

“Sure. Mr. Faymon, why is your voice hoarse? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” All Curtis wanted was to find Rayna now. He didn’t have time to get mad or waste time talking to someone else.

After giving his order, he cut the line and drove to the company.

At dawn, Wyatt sent him the driving routes of the four drivers. He checked them out and found nothing suspicious.

However, the familiar-looking female driver caught Curtis’ attention.

While her going to the night bazaar could be brushed off as a coincidence, what was strange was that she stopped at an intersection for a few minutes on the way back. There were no surveillance cameras there either, so he had no idea what she had been doing there.

Curtis soon arrived at work. Less than two minutes after he entered the CEO’s office, Gabriel knocked on the door and came in.

“Mr. Faymon.” Gabriel placed an employee’s personal file on the table and glanced at Curtis’ grim expression. “The woman’s name is Emerald Clocklore. She works in the risk control department.”

Curtis opened the file and glanced at Emerald’s date of employment. His gaze darkened as he asked, “Did she come to work today?”