Ch. 581..590

Chapter 581

“Yes.”

Curtis called the risk control department through the internal line. “Tell Emerald Clocklore to come to see me at my office.”

Gabriel remained fixed in his spot, anxiously awaiting until Curtis finished his phone call. After Curtis set the phone down, Gabriel cautiously asked, “Mr. Faymon, what happened?”

“Jefferson took Rayna away.”

Curtis tapped his fingers on his desk restlessly.

Without bothering to see Gabriel’s response, he questioned, “Did you notice anything unusual about Jefferson when you delivered some files to him the day before yesterday?”

“No. Mr. Hamilton acted the same as usual,” Gabriel answered. Something occurred to him as he added, “But Mr. Faymon, I saw the morning news reporting that Glory has a new CEO.”

Curtis’ expression turned as black as thunder. He slammed his fist onto the desk in anger and growled, “He doesn’t care about the bet he made with his father anymore. All he wants is to take Rayna away with him!”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Faymon. I had no idea I’d sleep that soundly last night,” Gabriel said apologetically. He wasn’t usually a sound sleeper.

He might have been unwell last night, as he felt drowsy and slept until the following morning.

This morning, he immediately called Curtis once he noticed the missed calls.

Stella stated that she did not realize his phone was turned off. Otherwise, she would have helped him turn it on and charge the battery.

Gabriel pulled out his phone and said, “I’ll call Air Traffic Bureau—”

“After Jefferson took Rayna with him last night, I informed all the necessary places,” Curtis cut in. “They didn’t find anything.”

“Then how did Mr. Hamilton leave with Mrs. Faymon?” Gabriel was confused. “Could they still be in Norwal City?”

Curtis replied grimly, “Norwal City is my turf. Jefferson wouldn’t be so foolish to stay here.”

Right then, someone knocked at the door.

Knowing it was most probably Emerald outside, Curtis ordered Gabriel to continue looking into the matter before dismissing him.

When Gabriel walked out, Emerald entered the office.

“Mr. Faymon, you asked to see me?”

Curtis gazed upward and scanned her appearance. She was dressed in a sharp business suit, giving her a youthful but professional air. Her stance was distinctive, with legs slightly apart. This posture seemed to come naturally to her as a result of past training.

“How many people did Jefferson plant in Faymon Group?” Curtis asked. “Anyone in the upper management level?”

Emerald replied, “No, I’m the only one.”

Curtis rose to his feet and walked past the table to stand in front of her. Looming over her intimidatingly, he demanded, “Where did he take her?”

“I don’t know.” Even someone trained like Emerald couldn’t help but retreat in the face of Curtis’ imposing presence.

“Think about it carefully before answering me.” Curtis didn’t hurt her, merely added calmly, “Norwal City isn’t Jefferson’s turf. Whether or not you get to leave the city in the future isn’t up to him.”

Unfazed, Emerald told him, “Mr. Faymon, I don’t know where they are. Even if I do, I won’t tell you anything. Ms. Garland will only be happy with Mr. Hamilton.”

“Rayna is my wife,” Curtis snapped, doing his best to tamp down his frustration. “She’s pregnant and shouldn’t be traveling around.”

Emerald chuckled. “Back when Ms. Garland was taken to the police station, she was also pregnant. I heard that she called you several times. Why didn’t you answer her calls, Mr. Faymon?”

“I was overseas back then. My phone wasn’t with me.” Curtis admitted that he was at fault back then.

“To put it simply, you don’t care for Ms. Garland enough,” Emerald said frankly. “Mr. Hamilton transferred me to Norwal City so I could protect Ms. Garland covertly. He told me that she is extremely important to him, so we must be willing to risk our lives to ensure her safety.”

After a pause, she added, “Back then, if I hadn’t snuck into the police station, Ms. Garland’s death would’ve been an unsolved mystery.”

“It was you.”

Curtis knew that someone had helped Rayna when she was locked up at the police station.

He had guessed that it was Jefferson’s subordinate, but it didn’t occur to him that it was Emerald.

“Thanks for protecting her,” Curtis thanked Emerald sincerely. “It was an oversight on my end for not arranging for someone to protect her. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about her.”

On the contrary, he cared about Rayna more than anyone else.

Emerald shook her head. “You don’t have to thank me. I was merely protecting our future Mrs. Hamilton. Mr. Faymon, you can easily find someone else like Ms. Garland, so I hope you can give up on her.”

Unlike Ringo, who had dedicated the past decade of his life to working for Jefferson, Emerald had only been employed by him for a short period of time. Nonetheless, Jefferson’s subordinates were aware of the hardships he had gone through and sympathized with him.

No matter where he wanted to hide Rayna, they would do their best to help him achieve his goal.

“Why don’t you say that to your employer?” Curtis retorted, his gaze glinting icily.

“Ms. Garland belongs to Mr. Hamilton,” Emerald replied. “Besides, Mr. Hamilton promised to deliver the children to the Faymon family once Ms. Garland gives birth to them—”

“I want the babies and Rayna!” Curtis interjected frostily. “He might have had a miserable childhood, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to pity him!”

Curtis had to take deep breaths to tamp down his anxiety. “When he was young, his father adored him immensely. I, however, watched my father commit suicide right in front of my eyes!”

It took me a long time to convince myself that Jefferson was also a victim and that we should both take a step back instead of pursuing the matter. I can tolerate anything, but I can’t let him take my wife away from me!

Before Emerald could reply, Curtis pinned her with a withering look. “Once you contact Mr. Hamilton, tell him that our deal is off. He has gone too far this time, and I won’t hold back when we see each other again!”

Fear gripped Emerald’s throat as she took in Curtis’ fury. She desperately hoped that Jefferson and Rayna would stay clear of him, and he wouldn’t be able to track them down.

Rayna had no idea how long she slept. When she woke up, she was already in an unfamiliar room.

Feeling disoriented, she massaged her temples and sat up in bed. She recalled bumping into Jefferson at the night bazaar. Jefferson told her he had found Jessica, so she left with him. However, she drifted off to sleep in the car.

Where am I?

Rayna glanced around and soon spotted a sandy beach outside the window.

The sun was setting, so it was a gorgeous view.

Rayna gaped in disbelief. She only regained her senses at the sight of the vast sea beyond the sand. Without hesitation, she headed for the door.

Pushing the door open, she stepped out and trembled at the cooling sensation beneath her feet.

When she looked down, her jaw dropped open in shock.

The corridor provided a glimpse into an underwater world where countless varieties of fish glided around in blissful harmony.

Even octopuses could be seen meandering among the vibrant schools of fish. She wondered what remarkable material created the corridor that housed such a mesmerizing underwater world.

Shocked senseless, Rayna took two steps back.

Her eyes widened in awe as she stared at the ceiling, which also depicted an underwater world vividly. She covered her mouth, unable to contain her astonishment.

“Belle, you’re up!” Jefferson emerged from the other end of the corridor.

“W-What is going on?” Rayna pointed at the fish swimming beneath him. “Are we at an aquarium?”

“No.” Jefferson flashed a smile.

He came over to her and pulled her out of the room to walk along the corridor. “Back when you wanted to visit the aquarium, I didn’t bring you there. I’ve now relocated it so you can enjoy the view every day.”

“I can’t believe you remembered that. It happened so long ago,” Rayna commented in amusement. Carefully, she followed him along the corridor and down the stairs. “Where are we? Where is Jessie?”

Jefferson escorted her to the dining room and presented her with a bowl of soup. “We’re now at a place you’ve always dreamed of visiting,” he declared.

 

 

Chapter 582

“A place I want to go to…” Rayna stared at him in confusion when she registered his question. “Nardor?”

“Mm.” Jefferson smiled and nodded. After knocking the egg against the table, he slowly peeled the shell. “I said I was going to buy an island for you to enjoy yourself there.”

Rayna blinked.

It was then she realized what was amiss.

“So we’re the only ones on the island? Did you do something to the car last night?” Rayna rubbed her temples as she tried her best to recall what had happened the night before. “I remember feeling sleepy after smelling the faint scent of violets.”

Jefferson did not answer her as he continued peeling the hard-boiled eggs.

Noticing that, Rayna found her heart sinking. Still, she clung to the last bit of hope in her. “Were you… lying to me about Jessie too?”

“Eat first.” Jefferson put the peeled egg onto her plate. “We’ll talk once you’re done eating.”

“Tell me!”

At her insistence, Jefferson pushed his glasses higher and whispered, “Sorry, Belle.”

“You’re too much! How could you lie to me about Jessie?” Rayna could not maintain her cool at all. “So you were lying about telling Curtis, weren’t you? You just wanted to avoid him and take me here, right?”

“Yes,” he answered reluctantly.

“Why—” Rayna wanted to lose her temper, but she could not because she owed the man. “I told you I’ll leave with you after giving birth to the children. Jefferson, you didn’t need to do this.”

Jefferson curled his lips. When he spoke again, his voice was tinged with loneliness. “Belle, haven’t you realized? You’ve been biased toward Curtis. When you give birth to the babies, you’ll still stay by his side. Why would you still think about me by then?”

Rayna froze. She could not find the words to refute that.

“I can wait forever, but I can’t stand watching you with another man.” Jefferson took her hand and held her hand to his cheek. “Belle, I’m a living human. I get jealous too.”

Rayna continued staring at him in silence.

When he started kissing the back of her hand with his cold lips, she couldn’t help shuddering.

“Belle, you’re the only one I have.”

“Jefferson, I’m not the only one by your side.” Rayna could not bring herself to be cruel to him. As she reached out to ruffle his hair, she said, “You have your father, Mr. Faymon, and Ms. Sandy. We all love you.”

Jefferson chuckled and lifted his head to look at her. “You don’t know what she said to me when I sent her off from the hospital that day, do you?”

“What did she say?”

Jefferson took out his phone and played an audio recording for her.

A few seconds later, Sandy’s voice came out of the speakers.

Rayna could not understand what he was doing at first, but once she listened to the entirety of Sandy’s conversation with Jefferson, she slowly covered her mouth with her hand as tears sprang to her eyes.

She had thought Sandy was friendlier to Jefferson because Sandy had started accepting him as her son.

Yet the reality was not what it seemed to be.

Before Rayna could recompose herself, Jefferson muttered, “Belle, I’m dying.”

“What?” Rayna cried out in a panic. “Didn’t you take the med? Why—”

Jefferson shook his head. “I didn’t. I’ve been keeping the med instead.”

“I asked Mr. York about it. He told me he had done a checkup for you.” Rayna’s hand was shaking. “He said you were doing fine and could live for more than thirty years.”

“I asked him to tell you all that.” Jefferson smiled and held her trembling hands. “I was scared that you wouldn’t want me, so I didn’t take it. I was thinking about how pointless it would be to live that long if you didn’t want me.”

“No. I’ll always be by your side,” Rayna promised. “Did you bring the med with you? Take it now!”

“It’s gone.”

Rayna’s eyes widened. “What do you mean, it’s gone?”

Jefferson stopped hiding it from her. “After Selena died, Curtis and I figured that Mr. Nicholson would not let the matter go so easily. However, he’s a man of connections, so he wouldn’t be easy to deal with. Theodore was still in a coma. He did not have any relevant strings to pull, and neither did I. We could only seek help from others, but you know how hefty the price would be to seek help from othersnoveldrama

for something like this.” Jefferson picked up the bowl and brought a spoon of soup to her lips. “Drink some while I continue telling you about it, okay?”

When Rayna lowered her head, her tears fell into the bowl.

“Don’t cry.” Jefferson wiped her tears away and continued feeding her the soup. “We went to Mr. Winton, and Mr. Winton asked for the ivory chess set. But that’s an item in the museum, so Curtis gave Aoba Project to Mr. Winton’s son instead.”

Rayna stiffened. “Aoba Project… was with Curtis?”

“I only found out about that later on,” Jefferson said. “He said it was a gift for you. Belle, I’m such a failure, right? I couldn’t even give you anything decent.”

Rayna shook her head and quickly lifted her arm. “You did. This pink diamond is a good example. I like it very—”

It was then she noticed that there was nothing on her finger.

“Curtis was the one who ordered the pink diamond. He wanted to give it to you, and in the end, he was the one who paid for it too.” Jefferson used a tissue to wipe the soup from the corners of her lips. “He… is such a sly man.”

Rayna’s mouth went dry, but she still asked, “Then what happened?”

Jefferson gave her a small smile before continuing, “That gift isn’t enough if we wanted to get rid of Mr. Nicholson’s men for good. So, I later went to Mr. Winton and gave him that medicine.”

“Why are you so dumb?” Rayna snapped at him as tears rolled down her cheeks. “We’ll go to Mr. Winton right now. We’ll beg him to give us the medicine back. He can have anything he—”

“Money and power don’t matter to someone of his position.” Jefferson wiped her tears away. “But that medicine, which can prolong his life for a few more years, is what he’ll want.”

Rayna wailed, “You can’t do this! You promised me… You promised me you’ll do your best to keep living…”

“Don’t cry. Don’t cry.” Rayna’s bloodshot eyes pained him, and he kissed the end of her eyes. “Everything’s fine as long as you’re fine. I didn’t lose here, and neither did Curtis win.”

“We’ll go to Mr. York now,” Rayna choked out, begging. “Let’s go back, okay? I’m sure Mr. York can find a way to deal with this. I won’t leave you.”

Jefferson shook his head. “The bad cells are spreading fast. There’s nothing he can do too.”

“Please… Please don’t do this to me…” Rayna’s teardrops fell onto the man’s arm. “If I didn’t go out with Carl, we wouldn’t have bumped into Selena…”

When Rayna saw Noel’s fall from grace, she guessed that Curtis and Jefferson were behind it.

But she never knew that they had paid such a huge price for it.

“She wanted to kill you. Even if you didn’t head out at that time, she would’ve still targeted you the next time you went out,” Jefferson said. “Honestly, both Curtis and I feel more at ease after her death.”

Jefferson’s warm thumb caressed her cheek. “I know I don’t have long to live. I wish to compensate for everything I couldn’t give you back then—to bring you to places you like. I’ve hired men to build a mansion on this island according to your preferences because I hope that you’ll be happy here. This place is warm, and it’s a good place for you to stay before giving birth to the babies.”

 

 

Chapter 583

Jefferson wiped her tears away and breathed, “Belle, we’ll stay here, okay? Keep me company here.”

Rayna parted her lips to say something as she looked at the man’s gentle gaze, but when she thought about the price he had paid and the limited lifespan he had, she found herself at a loss for words. All she could do was let her tears fall in silence.

Lifting her hand, she placed it on top of Jefferson’s and nodded. As she forced her tears to stop, she said, “Okay. I’ll stay here with you.”

Hearing that made Jefferson’s eyes light up.

Other than not allowing Rayna to use her phone, Jefferson did everything she wanted.

Every day, a helicopter would send fresh food over. Jefferson would make different kinds of dishes every day, fearing that she would be sick of a specific cuisine. Sometimes, he would even get his men to send food from other cooks.

When the weather was fine, he would put on a sunhat for Rayna, and they would take a stroll by the beach. Sometimes, he would take the camera and dive into the ocean to capture the beauty of the underwater world for her to see. He would also catch a lobster for their meals.

Every two weeks, two obstetricians would come via helicopter to give Rayna and her babies a checkup.

At night, Jefferson would stay by Rayna’s side. Before she slept, he would play the piano for her and tuck her in.

Rayna almost lost track of the time in the peaceful days on the island.

However, sometimes, when she looked at Jefferson’s side profile, the face of another man would form in her head. She would wonder whether he was looking for her after her long disappearance and whether she was doing the right thing.

There were times when Rayna was frustrated too. She would think about persuading Jefferson into taking her back by promising him she would never leave him.

Nonetheless, every time she thought about the things he had done for her, she would feel terrible, and she would not be able to raise the topic at all.

She owed him too much, and she did not know how she could even start repaying him.

Rayna missed Curtis, and Curtis missed her too.

He had done everything he could to look for her. He even found Jefferson’s man, who was in Norwal City, and interrogated the man. Yet, nothing he did brought him closer to finding out Jefferson’s whereabouts.

Not only was Curtis worried about something happening to the pregnant Rayna, but he was also busy with the company’s matters.

He would get exhausted sometimes, and that added to his frustrations. A minor mistake from one of his employees in the meeting would make him lose his temper. In no time, his employees became extra cautious around him whenever they spoke and made sure to study his expressions the entire time.

Just as Curtis came back to the CEO’s office, the person he hired to look into the matter called and told him that he still could not find any leads.

In his fury, Curtis nearly threw his phone.

Still, he managed to hold himself back and massaged the bridge of his nose in an attempt to lighten the frustration he felt. But in his mind, he cursed at how useless the people were to not be able to find any clues as to how two adults had left Norwal City and where they had gone to.

After cursing at them, he cursed at himself. He was the one who had let down his guard and gave Jefferson the opportunity to do that. Those people were useless, but he was even more useless than them to have not found Rayna by then.

Right then, someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Curtis said coldly. He tugged on his tie to take in a deeper breath as more and more frustration piled up in his eyes.

The one who came in was James.

“Kristie said Carl’s the only one at my sister’s place and that she can’t find her. You were ignoring her too, so she asked me to come and take a look at you.” James walked over and put the lunch box on the table.

When James took in Curtis’ expression, he paled and asked, “Did something happen to Rayna again?”

“She should be safe, but she’s missing right now.” Curtis sighed and decided to be honest with James. “I went out for a meal with Rayna over a month ago, but before I realize it, Jefferson has brought her away.”

James had been traveling around with Kristie for a month, and he had only come back a few days ago. He had no idea Rayna was missing.

He frowned and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“You’re not James Griffith right now. There are many things you can’t do.” Curtis knew what James was thinking about. “If you make a move, Arnaud will find out that you’re still alive, and all our efforts will be for naught.”

Curtis had done everything he could to fake James’ death in hopes of shifting Arnaud’s attention away from Kristie.

With one less person to worry about, he would have an easier time dealing with Arnaud.

James mulled over it for a while. “Your long search for her has been fruitless until now, so that means Jefferson has hidden my sister somewhere obscure. He definitely won’t bring her back to Yartran, and neither will he take her to another country. The more people are around, the more surveillance cameras there will be, and the easier they will be found. Moreover, Rayna’s pregnant. He’ll surely find a good place for her to rest so that she doesn’t tire herself out.”

James’ words cleared Curtis’ mind up.

“It’ll be easy to rest on an island, and it’ll be hard for anyone to find them there,” Curtis analyzed, fidgeting with the paper in front of him. “He’ll surely find an island with nice weather…”

Curtis immediately made a call and said, “Look for islands with warm but not hot weather that are suitable for holidays around the globe. Put more focus on the islands that were purchased in the recent three months and inform me the moment you find them.”

Curtis was much less nervous once he had a lead. “Thank you. If not for your reminder, I might still be searching for her in the wrong way.”

“It’s nothing. She’s my sister. I’m worried about her too,” James replied. “Mr. Faymon, you’ve changed a lot.”

“In what way?”

“Here. You’ve grown a heart now.” James pointed at his heart before a smile appeared on his face. “I can finally see that you love my sister and are worried about her.”

Curtis froze, but a laugh soon escaped him. “I’ve always been worried about her. It’s just that I never said anything about it.”

“That’s why I said you’ve changed. Feelings don’t work in the corporate world. You have to hide everything you do. Everyone thought you didn’t care about her, and she thought you didn’t care about her too.”

Curtis thought about the way he had lived with Rayna in the past and about the way he had interacted with her a month ago. Realization of what was different between the two time periods struck him, and he chuckled.

“You’re more than a decade younger than me, but you know this better than I do. I can’t believe you had to educate me on this.”

“I didn’t. You were the one who learned it yourself.” James shrugged, not daring to take the credit. “All I did was give you a few pointers. All right, I’m going back now. Tell me if you receive any news about her.”

Pointing at the lunch box, he then said, “Remember to have your lunch. Kristie made the steak, so I won’t say a thing if all you do is test the taste of it.”

Curtis knew what James was talking about, and he laughed.

Whether or not the steak was even biteable was a question when Kristie’s cooking was involved.

Right as James left, Curtis’ phone rang again.

This time, it was Jeremy, who sounded grim. “Curtis, Boniel died, and Sandy is injured.”

“He’s dead?” Curtis furrowed his brows. He had been preoccupied with looking for Rayna lately, so he paid little attention to everything else. “When did he come to Norwal City?”

“Three days ago, I think.”

When Curtis noticed that he did not have many things left to do, he ended the call and drove to the hospital.

The moment he stepped into the ward, he saw Sandy on the hospital bed. Jeremy was beside her, bandaging her arm. It seemed that she had injured it.

“Curtis?” Sandy seemed taken aback to see Curtis. “Why are you here?”

“I told him about it.” Jeremy straightened up and put the scissors back into the tray. “Curtis should have the right to know that you’re hurt.”

 

 

 

Chapter 584

Curtis walked over to Sandy and asked, “Are you feeling hurt anywhere?”

Although it had been long since Sandy had returned, Curtis had been indifferent to her and wouldn’t call her Mom. His sudden care caught her by surprise.

Sandy replied, “No. It’s just a minor scratch on my arm. The one who got shot—”

She stopped abruptly as her face turned pale.

“Curtis, you should stay here with Mrs. Verlice.” Jeremy knew Curtis had something to ask Sandy, so he quickly left the ward with the cart.

Curtis walked over to the table, poured Sandy a glass of warm water, pulled a chair, and sat down next to the bed.

“How did you run into him?” Curtis asked calmly.

After holding the glass of water in her hands quietly for a while, Sandy stated, “I went to help at Linda’s shop this morning. After I received a call from the housekeeper in the afternoon, I was heading home when I met him unexpectedly at the mall.”

Sandy was told that Alfred refused to eat and thought he was feeling unwell. That was why she rushed home to check on him. That was when she bumped into Boniel at the revolving door and dropped her phone.

When she was about to crouch down, Boniel picked up the phone before her and returned it to her.

“Thank you.” Sandy flashed a faint smile, and her face turned pale instantly when she raised her head and saw Boniel. Her body hit the glass door after she stumbled backward.

Although Boniel was middle-aged, he appeared tall and charming. He had blond hair and mesmerizing blue eyes.

When he met Sandy’s eyes, he was taken aback, and his eyes widened. “Xandra…”

The man almost lost his voice, his eyes ablaze.

“I’m not her! You’ve got the wrong person!” Sandy pushed Boniel, who was approaching her, away before leaving in a mess with her head dropped low.

At the stairwell outside of the mall, she lost her balance and almost slipped and fell.

Boniel, who had followed her, quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Staring at her, he said, “I can’t believe you’re still alive. I saw your dead body with my own eyes.”

“Let go of me!” The color drained from Sandy’s face as she struggled to break free. “You’ve mistaken me for someone else!”

“There’s no way I’ve got the wrong person,” stated Boniel confidently. Cupping her cheeks and moving his fingers to brush her eyes, he continued, “You look different now, but I will never get to see those same old eyes again.”

Sandy’s body trembled, and she couldn’t keep a clear mind. “Let go, or I will call the police.”

“You’ve been trying so hard to hide from me. I thought you were dead.” Pulling her closer into his arms, Boniel added, “I dreamt of you every night for the past decades.”

“You deserve to go to hell!” Sandy finally broke down as she hit him. “You’ve ruined my entire life. I wish you were dead!”

Boniel did not let go of Sandy no matter how hard she hit or bit him.

There were many passersby. Most of them only saw Boniel and Sandy hugging each other but were unaware of someone on the rooftop who had aimed a silencer gun at Boniel.

Disregarding Sandy’s struggle, Boniel cupped her face and planted a kiss.

He muttered, “It’s my fault. I promise not to do it again. Please come back with me, Xandra. I’ve raised our son to be a fine young man. He’s as smart as you. I’m sure you will adore him.”

“He’s not my son. Let me go!” Sandy struggled more and gave him several slaps with her free hand in anger. “How dare you even think of taking me with you? Are you even human?”

Despite her assault, Boniel didn’t get mad at all. Seeing her struggling hard, he didn’t care. He held her tighter and forcefully dragged her to the car at the roadside.

“I can’t stand dreaming of you day after day, yet I can’t touch you. You’re mine. I must take you with me.”

Sandy yelled, “Boniel, we’re not in Yartran. You’re going way out of line!”

“As long as I want to take you with me, no one can stop me.”

“Go to hell!” Sandy screamed hysterically and began punching him.

Boniel paused in his tracks before he threw Sandy to the ground hard.

As Sandy’s arm hit the stairwell, a big scratch stretched across her skin. The pain made her lose consciousness for two seconds.

Then, Sandy heard a faint swoosh and saw something enter Boniel’s body.

When she opened her eyes, she heard the same sound again and clearly saw a bullet coming from a distance and penetrating through Boniel’s back. His body trembled several times as he shielded her.

As she watched the blood staining his back and smelled the sharp tang of it, her limbs froze.

Her lips quivered, and she couldn’t speak a word out of fear.

Boniel lifted his arm and glanced at her pale face. His body swayed, and he was about to collapse to the ground.

“You’re all right. Thank God. I love you…” His voice grew softer as he spoke.

Boniel lay in her arms. With his heavy body pressing against hers, she could hardly breathe.

“Xandra…” Boniel leaned closer to her lips as his breathing weakened. “I love our child… and gave my everything to him… You must love him… Please…”

After a few seconds, Sandy heard nothing more.

Her mind went blank. She didn’t expect someone who had been haunting her like a nightmare to lose his life just like that.

He died in her arms, and she could still feel the warmth on his face.

Sandy only regained her senses when a scream rang out in her ears. She quickly grabbed her bag and searched for her phone.

With a low voice, Sandy told Curtis everything that had happened at the mall.

Curtis maintained an indifferent look as he crossed his arms.

After Sandy revealed that Boniel had been shot twice, Curtis could guess the mastermind was Arnaud. He didn’t expect Arnaud would be so cruel as to hire an assassin to kill Boniel.

“Rest well. Leave the matter to me.” Curtis stood up.

When he was about to leave, Sandy called after him and said hesitantly, “Linda said it had been a month since Rayna last visited her. She couldn’t reach her too. Where is she?”

“I don’t know, but Jefferson took her.” Curtis was most concerned about Rayna right now.

“What?” His answer took Sandy by surprise. Seeing the anxious look on Curtis’ face, Sandy knew he was not kidding. Something came into her mind and she said, “I-I have no idea he would dare to take Rayna away.”

Curtis felt something was wrong. He glanced at Sandy and asked, “What did you say to him?”

“When I visited Rayna at the hospital that day, I met him by coincidence,” stated Sandy, pursing her lips. A guilty look hung on her face. “I talked to him in a café and asked him to leave Norwal City.”

Sandy soon finished her words. Curtis’ face grew darker by the second.

He didn’t expect it was Sandy who made Jefferson take Rayna away.

“Curtis, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said that to him.” Sandy was afraid that Rayna would feel troubled if Jefferson stayed in Norwal City, so she decided to talk to him.

“I will find her. You should rest well.” Curtis didn’t blame Sandy and quickly left the ward.

Meanwhile, Jeremy and Wyatt were talking in the hallway.

When Wyatt saw Curtis, he said, “Curtis, I’ve checked the surveillance camera footage from the mall and saw a sniper on the rooftop. He’s a retired soldier from the special forces and often accepts private deals on the black market. After he murdered Boniel, he took a cruise ship and escaped the country.”

 

 

Chapter 585

Curtis asked, “Have you found out who he met in secret?”

Wyatt shook his head. “He’s really cunning. All this while, he hid in places without surveillance cameras, preventing us from discovering anything. I can’t believe how cruel he is to be capable of killing his own father.”

“I heard Boniel favors Jefferson and discriminates against Arnaud.” Jeremy elaborated, “Even though Boniel signed a bet with the brothers, he was secretly helping Jefferson out. Arnaud probably found out and killed him for it.”

Wyatt stroked his chin. “Arnaud’s maternal family is very powerful. Even if Boniel left a will, they would definitely be able to secure the Terblanc family for him.”

“The person Arnaud planted in Norwal City is really sharp too. He was able to analyze the situation accurately.” With a grim look in his eyes, Curtis tapped his fingers on his pants. “Obviously, I’m not going to let him take over the Terblanc family.”

“What do you plan to do?” Wyatt leaned languidly against the wall.

Lowering his head in thought, Curtis replied, “I don’t see a role for you now. Instead, I’ll get someone to spread the news of Boniel’s death. If he does have a will, it will be disclosed when the time comes.”

Holding his chin with his hand, Wyatt let out a chuckle. “By spreading the news of Boniel’s death, your real objective is to see whether Jefferson attends the funeral. Isn’t that the case, Curtis?”

“You’re getting more annoying by the day.” Curtis threw him an icy glance.

Jeremy, who was on a call with his back facing them, finally turned around and exclaimed, “Curtis, I’m told that Theodore is awake!”

“F*ck, really?” Wyatt stood at attention. “Are you going over to see him? I’ll come with you.”

“I’d rather you not. There’s nothing you can help with anyway.” Jeremy patted him on the shoulders. “You had better keep an eye on your company instead.”

Curtis added, “I’ll get Gabriel to assign Shadow to you. Give me a call if you need anything.”

“Sure!”

As Jeremy still had work to do in the hospital, Curtis and Wyatt left first, leaving Gabriel to pick the former up later.

After stepping out of the hospital, Curtis received a call from Emma. “Curtis, are you free? I would like to speak to you about something.”

“Can’t you do it over the phone?”

“I’m afraid it’s too sensitive to do so. It won’t take you more than a few minutes,” Emma replied.

“Send me the address.”

Thereafter, Curtis took his leave from Wyatt before driving off.

Watching the car disappear, Wyatt let out a sigh. “This could’ve all been communicated through WhatsApp. Coming to the hospital was a waste of time.”

He now had to go back after barely spending half an hour there.

After having a busy few days at the office, Wyatt didn’t feel like returning. Hence, he decided to take a leisurely drive with no destination in mind.

Meanwhile, dark clouds had gathered amidst the intensifying humidity in the air. The sky looked as if it was about to rain anytime.

With one hand smoking a cigarette and the other resting on the car window, Wyatt watched the street vendors go about their busy lives. Some were putting up umbrellas, while others began to pack up their wares.

All of a sudden, a painting vendor came into his sight.

The man’s stall had more than ten paintings on display. In the center was an oil painting of sunflowers that was especially mesmerizing.

Catching his breath, Wyatt slammed on the brakes with no regard for the traffic. Frantically unbuckling his seat belt, he sprinted up to the painting vendor and stared intently at the sunflower painting.

“Hey, mister, are you looking to buy a painting?” The painter was in the midst of packing up when he noticed Wyatt’s presence. Thus, he approached the latter and asked, “You seem to be unable to take your eyes off the sunflower painting. Are you interested in it?”

Wyatt picked up the painting and continued staring at it for a long time. Eventually, he asked the vendor, “Where did you get it from?”

“Huh?”

“Did a lady sell it to you?” Grabbing the painter’s arms, Wyatt lost control of his emotions. “Does she look gorgeous and is pregnant? Do you know where she is?”

“No, no…” Given a shock by Wyatt’s response, the painter stuttered, “I-I painted it myself. If you like it, I’ll sell it to you cheap.”

As if someone had poured cold water on him, Wyatt instantly regained his senses. “You painted it?”

“Yes, I drew all the paintings you see here.” Pointing at his stall, the painter elaborated, “Oil paintings, watercolors… I can paint anything. In fact, I can produce more than ten copies of this sunflower painting.”

When Wyatt took another look at the painting, he realized the strokes were totally different from Jessica’s.

What am I doing?

Just as he questioned himself, he stabbed his burning cigarette into the painting and tore it apart in a fit of rage.

The painter was taken aback by the turn of events. “Hey, hey, mister! If you’re not buying it—”

Before the painter could finish, Wyatt took out all the cash he had and stuffed them into the painter’s hands. Only then did he turn and leave.

The painter was utterly stunned as he stared at the wad of cash in his hands.

Slamming the door shut upon returning to his car, Wyatt threaded his hand through his hair and wondered what had gotten into him. A few seconds later, he smashed his fist against the steering wheel as his chest heaved.

Why am I feeling so anxious? She almost killed me, and yet, I miss her?

Leaning back against the seat to catch his breath, Wyatt regained his composure before driving away.

As he stared at the painting stall through the rearview mirror, he viciously hoped that Jessica was dead. Otherwise, he wasn’t going to let her off the hook.

Meanwhile, Curtis arrived at the restaurant Emma suggested ten minutes later.

The moment he entered, he picked her out from where she was at the window seat and walked over. “Mrs. Xavier.”

The formal way he addressed her brought an awkward expression to her face. Nonetheless, she invited him to sit and handed him the menu.

Wearing an indifferent expression, Curtis put it aside. “I’m busy, so just spit it out.”

After pouring a glass of lemonade for him, Emma asked hesitantly, “How is Carl?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Curtis said in a deep voice. “If this is what you want to talk about, I’ll be taking my leave.”

Emma stopped him at once. “Curtis, it’s about something else.”

When Curtis returned to his seat, Emma continued, “My initial intention was to call Ms. Garland, but I couldn’t get through her phone. When I recalled your relationship with her, that’s when I decided to meet with you.”

Curtis’ brows furrowed. “What do you want with her?”

“I went to see her in the hospital previously to tell her that I was manipulated and used by someone else.” Emma was filled with remorse as she brought the matter up. “Three days ago, I invited that woman out…”

Pausing, Emma showed Curtis the picture on her phone. “When I couldn’t reach Ms. Garland, I secretly took photos of that woman when she was in the middle of a massage. However, I only got her side profile.”

Holding the phone, Curtis recognized the person in the picture immediately. “Stella Zink.”

“That’s her. Do you know her?” Emma asked.

“She’s a member of senior management in my company.” After he put down the phone, Curtis gave Emma a solemn look. “Was she the one who instructed you to have Jasmine knocked down?”

Emma nodded. “I didn’t order her to be killed. All I wanted was to teach her a lesson. It must be Stella who said something to the driver. Despite her young age, she’s wicked to the core.”

Curtis continued to stare at the picture in silence.

Although Stella used to go to school with Gabriel, Curtis never trusted her the day she set foot in Faymon Group. From her attempts to gain publicity through him, Curtis felt vindicated that he had recognized how ambitious she was from the very beginning.

 

 

Chapter 586

Why did Stella harm Jasmine when there was no bad blood between them?

Curtis’ eyes narrowed when it dawned upon him that through her relationship with Gabriel, Stella was able to gain access to Faymon Group’s secrets. Moreover, Jefferson had mentioned before that Arnaud had a spy in Faymon Group’s senior management.

Having someone capable here must be how Arnaud achieved so much without being in Norwal City.

“Curtis?” Faced with Curtis’ silence, Emma couldn’t resist asking, “Do you want me to have her captured?”

“Not yet. I still need to clarify a few things.” If Stella was behind the incident at Summerbank that got Rayna arrested, Curtis was not going to let her off easily.

He still needed to find out what her real objective was given that she was still biding her time in Faymon Group.

After handing Emma’s phone back to her, Curtis instructed, “Don’t tell anyone about this and pretend that we never met. If she seeks you out, try to avoid raising her suspicion.”

Emma nodded. “I understand. Curtis… How is Theodore?”

“I’m just as clueless as you are.” Curtis glanced at his watch as he got up. “Anyway, that’s all for now. I still need to be at the office.”

Nevertheless, Emma stopped him. “I wish to see Carl and maybe chat a little with him. Is that all right?”

Curtis turned and left without answering.

Emma’s eyes brimmed with remorse as she watched his leaving silhouette. She knew the mistake was no one else’s but her own. The fact that her son and his wife were now in a coma was all her fault.

Recently, Curtis wasn’t the only one that was busy, as Gabriel had a lot on his plate too.

Curtis was beginning to feel upset that the mole who disrupted Faymon Group’s Project C plans with Ocean International had yet to be uncovered. This, on top of other matters, led Gabriel to feel swamped by his responsibilities.

Hence, he was desperate for Rayna to be found.

Otherwise, he felt compelled to quit as Curtis’ current state of mind was driving him up a wall.

It was Stella’s birthday that day, and Gabriel wanted to celebrate it with her. Hence, he made the excuse that he was busy and left work early. Instead, he went to get a cake and gift, planning to give her a surprise when she came home.

As getting both items took less time than he expected, he was already home by five.

After storing the cake in the fridge and preparing the ingredients for dinner, he started decorating the living room.

With his head all covered in sweat, he received a call from Tilly requesting two documents the moment he was done.

When he went into his room to get his laptop, Gabriel realized that it wasn’t charged as the adapter was faulty. He had not noticed it after plugging in his laptop the night before.

As a result, Gabriel turned on Stella’s laptop instead, planning to inform her about it later.

Even though it was password-protected, he entered Stella’s phone password and successfully unlocked it on the first try.

The laptop logged in to WhatsApp automatically the moment it loaded.

In an attempt to log out, Gabriel accidentally clicked on one of the messages. Just as he was about to close the window, his hand froze when he caught a glimpse of the message: Boniel is dead.

Inside the chat window with a contact named S, Stella expressed her relief that Jefferson had taken her advice and left Norwal City with Rayna, which had enabled the plan to proceed so smoothly. Gabriel was consequently stunned by what he saw.

It was Stella who advised Jefferson to leave Norwal City with Rayna?

Even though Gabriel was aware that going through someone else’s WhatsApp was wrong, he still couldn’t believe Stella was capable of such a vile act. Thus, he checked through the chat, hoping to find something to indicate that it was all a misunderstanding.

After going through the chat log, Gabriel could guess from the way the opposing party was instructing Stella that it was Arnaud. Stella turned out to be the mole that the latter had planted in Faymon Group.

Moreover, she was also responsible for helping Gianna from behind the scenes. It was she who had Jessica kidnapped and blinded. The latter was just lucky to have subsequently escaped.

Also, Gianna wasn’t the one who informed Jessica about the death of her uncle and aunt. Instead, it was Stella who hired someone to make the call.

It was also Stella who contacted Vivi and ordered her to send the perfume to Egret Scents. She had come up with the plan for Vivi to accuse Rayna of the attempted murder of the pregnant lady, leading to the latter’s arrest.

Furthermore, the attempt on Rayna’s life in prison was also arranged by Stella.

“Oh my God…” The shocking chat log sent Gabriel’s world crashing down on him.

He couldn’t fathom how Stella could be so vicious underneath that sweet and gentle facade.

I can understand the enmity with Rayna, but Jessica has done nothing to her, so why is she helping Gianna and targeting Jessica too?

Gabriel’s hand quivered while holding onto the mouse. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t calm himself down.

Thereafter, he clicked into the document folder to see what else Stella had done.

There were a few invalid documents titled Aoba Project, Ocean International and Faymon Group’s partnership, and a few more commercial documents related to Faymon Group.

After spending so much time investigating, Gabriel was shocked to learn that the perpetrator was someone who shared his bed.

He had also inadvertently become her accomplice.

With his hands threaded through his hair, the devastated Gabriel sat down in a daze.

Scenes of Stella going through the documents on his computer and sending them to Arnaud while he was asleep flashed across his mind.

Corporate espionage is a crime punishable by death. Why did she do something like that? Am I a pawn of hers too? If it wasn’t for the WhatsApp chat log, I would never have known.

Soon, Gabriel could hear the faint sound of footsteps from outside.

He swiftly turned off the computer and put it back in the bedroom. After that, he returned to the living room and sat down just as the door was opened.

“Did you do this?” Stella was stunned by the sight of flowers and ribbons decorating the living room. She then broke into a smile and asked, “What’s with the beautiful decorations? Is today a special occasion?”

The sight of her reminded Gabriel of the chat log, a thought that weighed down on his heart.

Worried that Stella would suspect something, he forced himself to eke out a smile. “Have you forgotten? It’s your birthday today.”

“It has indeed slipped my mind as it has been a long time since I celebrated it.”

Upon entering the living room, Stella threw her arms around Gabriel and gave him a kiss. “I didn’t expect you to surprise me on my birthday. Thank you.”

Gabriel gulped. “As long as it makes you happy.”

“I am. Everything is beautiful.” As Stella gave him another kiss, she noticed the computer on the coffee table. “Do you still have work to do?”

“It’s nothing. The adapter was spoilt. I’ll deal with it in the office tomorrow.” Gabriel folded his laptop. “Anyway, I’m going to cook now.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Stella released her hug and flashed a faint smile at him. “After dinner, I have a surprise for you too.”

While he was cooking, Gabriel’s mind was distracted as he kept thinking about the chat log.

Having developed feelings for Stella, he couldn’t bear to see her go to prison in the event he exposed her crimes.

Finally, he made a decisive decision after deliberating on the matter.

He would pretend that he never saw the chat log and find an opportunity to break up with Stella. Thereafter, he would send her overseas and figure out how to clean up her mess.

For dinner, Gabriel prepared a scrumptious feast and even opened a bottle of wine.

After they had finished, he brought out the cake and sang her a birthday song. Finally, he presented her with the gift he had bought.

When Stella unwrapped the box and saw the limited edition bag she had had her eye on, her face lit up in delight. On impulse, she leaned over and gave him a kiss.

Before putting the bag away, she said to Gabriel, “Close your eyes and wait for me here.”

“All right.”

Gabriel did as he was told.

When Stella told him to open them, he was greeted by the sight of a pregnancy test kit.

There were two lines on it, one deeply colored, the other fainter.

The stunned look on his face elicited a smile from her. “I’m pregnant.”

 

Chapter 587

Two weeks later, Theodore returned to the country and headed straight to the Xavier residence.

Theodore’s father, Barnaby Xavier, had a few days off and came home last night. He was currently having breakfast with Emma.

Emma was pressuring Barnaby to go to Xyperia, much to his fury.

“He’s unconscious. What good would it do for me to be there?” Barnaby snapped angrily. “You, on the other hand, shouldn’t have done that. I know you dislike Jasmine, but she won’t be marrying into the Xavier family. Why would you hire someone to kill her?”

Initially, Barnaby couldn’t be bothered by who Theodore was dating.

Theodore would ultimately have to marry a daughter of a military official, so Barnaby kept silent even though Emma had used his name to make arrangements for Selena to travel to Xyperia.

Rage seared through Barnaby when he recalled how Theodore approached him in a disrespectful manner after Jasmine got into trouble. Livid that Theodore disrespected him and Emma, he blew his top and shouted at Theodore in an enraged tone.

Alas…

Despite his fiery disposition, Barnaby was overcome with worry for his unconscious son’s wellbeing.

“I wasn’t in my right mind,” Emma explained as she wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. Overwhelmed by regret, she continued, “I wouldn’t have done that if I knew the child by Jasmine’s side belonged to Theodore.”

“That’s enough!” Barnaby cut in impatiently, frustrated by her sobbing. “What use is there to regret now? I’ll get someone to arrange a plane for me to fly to Xyperia this afternoon. How is that child doing?”

Emma took a deep breath and hung her head. “I met him once at the hospital, but he was hostile to me. Despite his cold demeanor, however, I can tell he is intelligent, and his personality is reminiscent of Theodore’s.”

“Talk to Curtis and convince him to let us bring that child back home,” Barnaby ordered. “If our son remains in a coma, the child will be the Xavier family’s only bloodline. We can’t let him stay alone outside.”

Emma said nothing.

She had to be cautious when speaking with Curtis, so she didn’t have the nerve to inquire if they could bring Carl back to the Xavier family.

Besides, she had a hunch Carl wouldn’t want to come and live with them.

“I’ll find a time to talk to Curtis,” Emma finally relented with a sigh.

She had no choice but to give it a try.

They were having breakfast when they vaguely heard the housekeeper talking.

“Mr. Xavier, you’re back! Your father and mother are having breakfast. I’ll get the kitchen to prepare yours as well—”

“No need for that!”

Emma thought her ears were playing tricks on her when she heard that frosty voice.

She jolted up excitedly from her seat when Theodore entered the living room and came into her view.

“T-Theodore?” Emma stuttered. “You’re awake?”

Theodore strode over to them, his expression stone cold.

Emma pushed away her chair and hurried over to him as tears brimmed in her eyes. “When did you regain consciousness? Why didn’t you ask someone to inform your dad and me? Do you feel unwell?”

She reached out to touch Theodore, but he roughly grabbed her hand and pushed her away, causing her to stumble backward.

“What are you doing?” Barnaby slammed his fork on the table in anger. “She’s your mother! How could you hurt her instead of greeting her?”

“I’m fine, Barnaby. Our son is finally back home, so don’t yell at him.” After regaining her balance, Emma quickly ordered the kitchen to prepare another serving of breakfast. Softly, she told Theodore, “Theodore, take a seat. Let’s have breakfast together.”

Without a word, Theodore came forward a few paces to stand in front of Barnaby, covering the latter in his frosty judgment.

A few seconds of silence later, he pulled out a black and heavy item from the back of his waist and placed it right beside Barnaby.

Parting his lips, he said flintily, “Here’s the gun. You two either commit suicide, or I’ll ask someone to send you to the countryside so you can spend the rest of your retirement lives there.”

Barnaby was taken aback by Theodore’s demands, but he quickly regained his composure and hollered, “Theodore, are you crazy?”

Rage surged through Barnaby as he grabbed the gun from the table, loaded it, and pointed it at Theodore.

Barnaby was astonished when Theodore suddenly produced another gun, loading it with only one hand before pointing it at his head.

“Theodore, no!” Emma rushed over and tried to push down the gun in Barnaby’s hand. She pleaded, “It’s my fault. Your father has nothing to do with it.”

Theodore’s hand didn’t move an inch. He ignored Emma’s plea and said, “Three minutes.”

“Let me go!” Barnaby hissed angrily as he tried to push Emma away. “Let’s see if he has the guts to kill me…”

Theodore adjusted his gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet grazed Barnaby’s face and lodged into the wall behind him.

The loud crack caused the help to scurry out of the dining room in a haste.

The bullet that grazed Barnaby’s cheek left behind a bloody trail.

Emma nearly screamed in shock. She wrapped her hands around Barnaby tightly to stop him from getting up. She gazed sadly at her heartless child while tears ran down her face.

“Your dad and I will move to the countryside. We will never come to Norwal City ever again,” she choked out in distress. “Theodore, I’m sorry for hurting you and Jasmine. I won’t ask for your forgiveness, but please don’t disown us.”

Barnaby growled, “Why did you say that? We worked hard to bring him up and don’t owe him anything!”

“That’s enough, Barnaby,” Emma cut in. “You’ve worked hard for a long time, so you must be tired. It’s time for you to retire. Head to the base later and hand the reins to Theodore.”

“I worked hard to get where I am today. Why should I hand everything to him? How dare he shoot me?”

Emma wiped her tears away and said gently, “He’s your only son. Who else can you hand your position to? Theodore only wants us to move to the countryside, so the Xavier family will be fine.”

Her response caused a ball of frustration to manifest in Barnaby’s chest, but he couldn’t bring himself to hit her. Furious, he exclaimed, “You ruined everything!”

Right then, two men clad in suits entered the living room.

Theodore commanded coldly, “Old Mr. Xavier is heading to the base. Give him a ride there and bring the stuff back to me.”

“Got it.”

The men went to Barnaby. Their attitude was polite, but it was obvious they were wary of him. “Old Mr. Xavier, if you’re done, we’ll give you a ride there.”

A deep line appeared between Barnaby’s brows. He was about to unleash his wrath when Emma grabbed his arm and shot him a pleading look.

In the end, he gave Theodore a glare and rose to his feet.

Before leaving, Barnaby warned, “Don’t you dare lay a hand on your mom. Even if you’re my son, I can disown you!”

After Barnaby left with the men, Emma trudged over to Theodore carefully.

She hesitated for a few moments before saying, “It was all my fault, so stop blaming the Xavier family. Don’t destroy our family’s reputation.”

Theodore responded coolly, “If you lead a peaceful life in the countryside, nothing will happen to the Xavier family.”

“Remember to use the connections your dad left for you. I…” Emma trailed off, not knowing what to say. She wiped her tears away with a handkerchief and added, “Please apologize to Ms. Sanders on my behalf.”

“She doesn’t need your apology.” Theodore’s face was devoid of expression. “She will never respect you or call you ‘Mom’.”

Emma couldn’t stop tears from streaming down her cheeks after hearing his words.

She had no idea her actions would lead to the destruction of her family.

Without a word, Theodore went outside and waited in his car.

Around an hour later, Theodore’s subordinates brought Barnaby back along with a box of documents that was delivered to his car. He then told his driver to head to Kristie’s house.

James opened the door, not at all surprised to see him. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

 

 

 

Chapter 588

“I’m not hungry,” Theodore responded as he left the box at the entrance.

Inside, he saw Kristie playing games with Carl in the living room. The heartwarming sight rekindled his previously dead heart and made it beat once again.

“Carl.”

Carl looked up and widened his eyes at the sight of Theodore. Leaping up like a spring, the boy ran over and exclaimed, “Daddy!”

Theodore lifted Carl off the ground and was surprised to find him heavier than before. A smile spread across Theodore’s face, which had been cold moments prior. “You’ve put on some weight and grown a bit taller,” he commented.

“Of course! I trained hard every day, wanting to be as tall as you!” Carl revealed in delight. He was elated to see his father alive and well after six months of being apart from each other.

As Theodore was alone, he asked, “Where is Mommy?”

Hearing that, Theodore stiffened and brought him to the living room. In a gentle voice, he explained, “Your mother is still unconscious. Don’t you worry, though. Jeremy is capable, so she’ll be back soon.”

Carl pouted in disappointment. “Yeah. Mr. Jeremy told me she won’t wake up so soon as she was seriously injured.” He quickly perked up and chirped, “It’s fine. You’re back, so I can wait a bit more!”

Theodore ruffled his hair. “I didn’t protect you and your mother well.”

“That’s not true.” Carl shook his head. “You’re amazing. You’ve always been my idol! I know some things are out of your control. Oh, Daddy. I made sandwiches today. You must try some!”

Carl jumped off the couch and retrieved one of the sandwiches he made from the refrigerator, offering it to Theodore.

Kristie leaned over and whispered, “Theodore, I wouldn’t recommend eating that.”

“Is it not delicious?” Theodore noticed that the sandwich looked delicious, so he took one bite. “My son made it…”

He started coughing violently in the next second.

Opening the sandwich, he discovered that it was full of mustard sauce!

Kristie shrugged, her expression betraying her delight. “I did warn you, but you insisted on eating it.”

“Why did you put so much mustard sauce?” Theodore slapped his son’s head. “I just woke up. Do you want me to end up in the hospital again?”

Carl touched the back of his head and giggled. “I wanted to put some sauce, but too much came out. Mustard sauce isn’t cheap, so we shouldn’t let any of it go to waste. You’ll finish it, right, Daddy?”

Theodore couldn’t bring himself to disappoint Carl.

The taste might be intense and spicy, yet the sandwich was not very large. He gobbled it down in a few mouthfuls.

“Mr. Xavier, you’re a great father.” James came over with a glass of water for him. “Does Mr. Faymon know that you’re back?”

Theodore replied, “I informed him that I was on my way here earlier, so he’ll be here soon. However…”

He gave James the once-over and frowned. “Who are you? Are you Kristie’s new bodyguard?”

“No, he isn’t my bodyguard. He’s my boyfriend!” Kristie hopped over to cling to James’ arm.

“Are you joking?” Theodore gave James another look as his lips twitched. “He’s older than me! Besides, I remember your boyfriend’s name is James, right?”

Before he had gone to Xyperia, Kristie had told him that she was seeing Rayna’s younger brother.

“I don’t know where he is, so I’ve broken up with him!” Kristie waved her hands and muttered in displeasure, “Love isn’t about age. How could you criticize my boyfriend?”

Carl interjected, “Mr. Samson is old. I think that’s a problem, too.”

“Brat, scram!” Kristie punched him playfully.

Theodore couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity when he saw the middle-aged man’s composure. He pondered where he had seen him before.

I know almost everyone who works for Curtis, but I’ve never seen this man before.

Theodore was wondering who the man was when the doorbell rang.

Curtis and Wyatt had arrived.

“Theodore!” Wyatt walked over and punched him jokingly. “Does it hurt?”

Theodore gave him a kick. “You’re getting more annoying by the day!”

Theodore informed Curtis and Wyatt that Jeremy was proposing a different treatment plan for Jasmine, so she would have to remain there. Since he had already recovered, Theodore returned first.

He finished the glass of water and told Carl to refill it for him.

“I went to the Xavier residence after landing. My dad has already signed the documents. Curtis, you’ll have to hire someone else to work at Norham. I will no longer be there.”

“You are in the military and made a start, so things will be easier for us,” Wyatt assured him. “I’m busy at my company as I don’t have any trusted aides yet. I can’t head to Norham.”

Curtis shot him an amused look. “Are you that scared that I’ll send you there?”

Wyatt leaned into the couch and responded lazily, “You’ve never asked for my opinion previously when you decided to send me somewhere. It’s time I speak up for myself for the sake of my dignity.”

“Seriously?” Kristie mocked. “When have you ever had dignity?”

Wyatt was speechless.

The rest burst out laughing at their exchange, and the tension in the air slowly relaxed.

“Mr. Curtis, Mr. Wyatt, have some sandwiches!” Carl handed them each a sandwich adorably. “I made these myself. You’re in luck today!”

Wyatt pinched his cheek. “You never greet me like this. What’s going on today? Why are you so nice to me?”

“I remember greeting you every time I see you, Mr. Wyatt!” Carl protested, tilting his head. He shoved the sandwich into Wyatt’s hand and added, “I made this myself. You’ll finish it, right?”

Theodore didn’t expose his trick and coughed. “Kristie, bring Carl to his room and play with him there.”

“He can leave, but not me. I want to listen, too!”

James patted her back and whispered in her ear, “Go. I’ll bring you out to have fun tonight.”

Hearing that, Kristie dragged Carl into the room reluctantly.

Less than ten seconds after the door closed behind them, they started fighting and tossing stuff around.

“They often fight,” James explained calmly, as he was used to their antics. “It happens almost daily. It’s fine, so you can continue with your talk. I’ll go brew some coffee for you.”

“Theodore, that won’t do,” Wyatt protested on behalf of Kristie. “Carl might still be a kid, but he shouldn’t hit a girl. That’s not gentlemanly at all. You need to discipline him well.”

Theodore jerked his chin up a fraction, his face devoid of expression. “Eat the sandwich.”

“It’s just a sandwich. What’s so special about it?” Wyatt muttered under his breath as he took a huge bite of it. At once, the mustard caused him to choke. His face contorted in horror as he reached out for the nearest dustbin.

Curtis kicked the dustbin away.

Confused, Wyatt looked at Curtis.

“My son made it personally, so finish it.” Theodore placed the water in front of Wyatt and cracked his knuckles. The menacing sound sent rivulets of ice down Wyatt’s spine, so he quickly swallowed the remnants of the sandwich in his mouth.

Wyatt gulped down some water before feeling much better. “D*mn it! You’re so evil, Theodore!”

Theodore stopped teasing him and put on a serious look. “Jeremy told me what happened in Norwal City. I’ve instructed my men to search for the island based on your specifications. I’ll keep you informed if there are any developments.”

Curtis’ gaze turned dark, but he nodded and said, “Thanks, Theodore.”

 

 

 

Chapter 589

There were many islands in the world with optimal temperatures all year long. Not knowing where Jefferson went, they could only investigate all islands. It was a difficult task, so there was still no news.

“I should be the one thanking you,” said Theodore. “You spent the past few months traveling around for Jasmine and me. Otherwise, you could’ve dealt with the matter between you and Rayna earlier. Thanks, Curtis.”

Wyatt protested, “Hey, don’t just thank Curtis. I worked hard, too! My efforts are as much as Curtis’. Why am I being overlooked?”

Hearing that, Theodore chuckled and gave him a fist bump. “Thank you.”

James brought them a few cups of coffee.

The coffee was aromatic and rich, but Curtis stared at the cup without taking it up. He couldn’t help but wonder about Rayna. Two months have passed since then. Her belly must’ve grown in size.

That thought made him feel so uneasy that he propped his forehead on his palm.

A while later, Curtis said, “One week ago, I went to Yartran to attend Boniel’s funeral. The Terblanc family members were all there except for Jefferson.”

The Terblanc family had a long and illustrious history in Yartran. They were involved in a variety of industries, gaining a well-deserved reputation for excellence and success. The family’s legacy was one of distinction and honor.

The death of Boniel, who was the director of Terblanc Group, had spread all over the world. It was impossible that Jefferson had no idea about his death, so the only possibility was that Jefferson

deliberately chose not to attend his funeral.

Theodore asked, “Did Boniel leave a will?”

Curtis revealed, “Yes. The lawyer read Boniel’s will in front of the Terblanc family. Jefferson will inherit Boniel’s assets, including Terblanc Group. Jefferson’s absence led Arnaud to declare temporary control, stating that Jefferson was recuperating abroad. However, Boniel had the support of some Terblanc Group shareholders, who now back Jefferson. As a result, even if Arnaud temporarily takes control, he will not have actual power because some shares are locked and cannot be transferred to him.”

Curtis had brought his men with him to Yartran for Boniel’s funeral out of fear that Arnaud might cause unrest if the will left all of Boniel’s assets to Jefferson.

To his surprise, Boniel had already made the arrangements for Jefferson. Arnaud could never gain full control of Terblanc Group.

“So Boniel favored Jefferson and left everything to him, huh?” Wyatt caressed his chin thoughtfully. “If I were in Arnaud’s shoes, I’d feel uneasy seeing my father give more preference to another son over me.”

Curtis thought over it and said darkly, “Arnaud fought with Jefferson for years but has gotten nothing for his efforts. I believe he won’t give up and will plan something soon.”

“For Arnaud to obtain Terblanc Group, he will require Jefferson to draft a letter surrendering his inheritance from Boniel voluntarily.” Knowing what he meant, Theodore frowned. “He’ll do his best to find Jefferson.”

Wyatt suddenly asked, “Arnaud hates Jefferson. Will he kill Jefferson after getting the letter?”

Curtis shot him a menacing look.

“Don’t glare at me, Curtis. That is highly possible.” Wyatt’s tone was serious. “Arnaud has planted many spies beside Jefferson, so he’ll definitely find him faster than us.”

James knew it was time for him to take action. “I’ll keep an eye on Arnaud’s men to see if there are any traces of Rayna. My sister is pregnant with triplets, so her pregnancy poses a greater risk than a typical one.”

“No wonder I found you familiar.” Theodore finally realized who he was. “Why do you look like this?”

“He faked his death after killing Naomi and ate a pill James gave him,” Wyatt explained. “After getting a new identity, he returned and has remained by Kristie’s side ever since.”

Theodore regarded James and commented, “I thought Kristie purposely found someone like you as an act of spite.”

James touched his face silently.

Is my face that ugly? Why does everyone hate it?

Curtis’ anxiety merely increased after he heard James’ words. However, he could only remind James to be careful as he couldn’t stop James from helping out.

Right after that, his phone rang.

It was Tilly, sounding tense. “Mr. Faymon, we have a problem. Immediately after you left the company, Mr. Tylinski held a press conference claiming responsibility for leaking Faymon Group’s collaboration with Ocean International and other partnership documents. We tried to intervene, but the police have taken him away.”

“What a fool!” Curtis’ expression turned grim.

He did not expect that Gabriel, who had worked for him for years, would act so impulsively.

It was obvious Gabriel was taking the blame for someone else.

Tilly added, “The media blew up the matter swiftly. The PR department is already on it, but the share prices are dropping continuously. When will you return?”

Curtis ordered curtly, “Tell the PR department to deal with it. I’m not going back as I’m going to the police station later.”

“Got it.”

After the call ended, Wyatt arched a brow and asked, “Did something happen at the company?”

“No.” Curtis sent Stella’s photo to Wyatt. Calmly, he instructed, “Investigate this woman’s background. Find out everything about her and whether she had plastic surgery.”

Wyatt pulled out his phone to see who it was. He was surprised to realize that the pretty woman was someone he knew.

“Isn’t this Stella Zink? She works at your company.”

Suddenly, Wyatt fell silent and enlarged the photo to observe her delicate brows. Perhaps Stella’s brow bones were uneven, making it impossible to balance her eyebrows.

Previously, Wyatt spent almost a month torturing Gianna, who eventually divulged that the woman who assisted her was attractive. However, nobody could recall what she looked like, except that her brow bones were uneven, resulting in imbalanced eyebrows.

That was the only clue Gianna gave, so it was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Wyatt used his connections to find every woman who Gianna came into contact with. He presented her with photos, but she confirmed that none of them was the woman who assisted her.

“Curtis!” Wyatt turned over his shoulder to ask Curtis a question, but the latter was already gone. He glanced at Stella’s photo and dismissed his suspicion.

Stella and I have no bad blood between us, and she doesn’t know Jessica, so it’s unlikely that she would have helped Gianna out of kindness. I don’t think Stella is that capable, either.

Curtis drove all the way to the police station. He talked to the police to request to meet Gabriel in the police cell.

He was brought to the cell Gabriel was locked in. Through the metal door, he saw Gabriel hugging his knees on the bed, seemingly deep in thought.

Curtis came to a stop outside the door. “Gabriel Tylinski.”

Gabriel looked up and saw Curtis standing outside. It took him a while to regain his senses before he got up from the bed.

“Mr. Faymon.” Gabriel’s lips trembled.

Curtis stared at him. “You’ve been working for me for several years, so I know you well. I don’t believe you would have leaked Faymon Group’s confidential information. Do you know something I don’t?”

Gabriel remained silent.

Curtis took two steps forward, coming closer to him. In an imposing manner, he demanded, “Do you know Stella was the one who instigated Mrs. Xavier to kill Jasmine?”

Gabriel’s silence indicated that Curtis’ suspicions were correct. A cold smile nudged his lips as he added, “You know she’s the one behind everything. Why didn’t you tell me but took the blame for her instead?”

 

 

Chapter 590

“No, this has nothing to do with her.” Gabriel finally spoke, though he didn’t have the nerve to look at Curtis. “I’ve been unhappy with how you’ve treated me for years, Curtis. I just didn’t mention how I feel! Why can I only be your assistant when I’m so talented? Not to mention you berate me all the time. I sold some of Faymon Group’s secrets to other companies because I can’t stand seeing the company operate so smoothly.”

Curtis replied plainly, “Do you know how severe your crime is?”

“I’ll only be spending a few years in prison.” Not only did Gabriel shrug, but he also smiled. “Do you know the money I made selling those secrets was multiple times higher than my annual salary? A few years in prison is worth it for the money I got.”

“I’ll give you one more chance, Gabriel. Tell me everything, and I’ll let this slide.”

“There’s nothing more for me to say. I admit to my doing.”

The two men entered a silent stalemate that lasted for a few minutes.

Since he insists on admitting to his crime, I won’t waste my time talking to him any further. When Curtis’ train of thought ended there, he turned around and left. “Then you’ll pay the price for your actions.”

A bitter smile formed on Gabriel’s countenance as he watched his former employer leave the interrogation room. I’m sorry for disappointing you, Mr. Faymon, but I can’t let Stella go to prison now that she’s pregnant.

Due to Gabriel admitting his crime in front of the reporters, Faymon Group’s shares continued to drop. Only a few days after that scandal, another one popped up.

The CEO of an e-commerce company under Faymon Group, who only occupied the position for less than four years, was revealed to be cheating on his wife. Even worse, he had a two-year-old daughter with his mistress. He abused his wife and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about what happened.

Those two scandals caused Faymon Group’s shares to drop at a frighteningly fast rate.

Even after Faymon Group publicly announced they had dealt with the CEO and Gabriel, the situation still didn’t turn around.

While all that was happening, someone bought up to several hundred million worth of Faymon Group’s shares.

Tilly sensed something fishy was going on and immediately told Curtis about it. “Should we contact the Securities Regulatory Commission and tell them to restrict that buyer’s ability to purchase more of our company’s shares? “

As Curtis read through that mysterious buyer’s purchase records of Faymon Group’s shares, his expression appeared composed, as though it wasn’t a serious issue at all.

“No need.” Then he shut down his computer. “If he wants to buy it, let him buy it. Have the shareholders arrived yet?”

“Almost all of them have,” Tilly informed.

Curtis put on his suit and stepped out of his office with Tilly.

For the past few years, Faymon Group had been doing exceptionally well financially. Because of that, the shareholders were very happy with the company’s performance. However, they started to panic after the two scandals appeared one after another in the span of a few days.

After all, they would only earn even more profits if Faymon Group was doing well.

The moment Curtis stepped into the conference room, the shareholders began talking about the recent events and indirectly blaming him for the company’s losses. Some even said he wasn’t a human for hiring Gabriel as an assistant.

Instead of getting angry, Curtis sat calmly. Once it was time, he started the meeting.

Near the end of the meeting, someone entered the conference room.

Stella, who was brought into the room by Tilly, spoke politely. “You were asking for me, Mr. Faymon?”

“Yes. Sit.” Curtis pointed at a spot near him.

The shareholders were confused as to why he invited her.

As they gazed at him with confusion, he asked Tilly to show everyone a document. “Due to Ms. Zink’s excellent performance, I’m making an exception and promoting her to the board of directors. Additionally, I’m transferring a little over two percent of the shares to her. Thus, she’s one of Faymon Group’s shareholders from today onward.”

Some of the shareholders’ expressions shifted drastically.

They, at most, only had a little over three percent of the shares. It was why they were unhappy Curtis took out two percent of his own shares and gave them to Stella.

Curtis swept his gaze past the crowd. “What do you all think?”

Half of Faymon Group’s shares were in his possession. Hence, he had an absolute say in all company matters. Even if the shareholders combined their shares, they still wouldn’t have enough to impeach him.

Everyone was very unhappy with Curtis’ decision. However, they had no choice but to support it.

Curtis led a round of applause and handed the document to Stella. “Congratulations.”

Stella was still dumbfounded by that sudden turn of events. Why did he transfer his shares to me and make me a shareholder? I wish I could tell what he’s thinking from his expression, but he just looks composed.

After a moment of hesitation, she accepted the document from him and grinned. “Thank you for placing your trust in me, Mr. Faymon. I’ll do my best and won’t let you down.”

The edges of Curtis’ lips curved slightly upward. “I believe in you, Ms. Zink.”

Meanwhile, Rayna had no idea what was going on in Norwal City. She was still on an island in Nardor.

As the months went by, her abdomen swelled. At that point, it looked like a watermelon on the verge of falling to the ground. Because of that, she had difficulty moving around.

Jefferson paid a lot more attention to her care as time passed. Unless she wanted to stroll on the beach, he would keep her company in the house. Additionally, he had to call for a doctor more and more frequently.

The fact that Rayna was carrying triplets, thus having a harder time protecting the babies compared to the average pregnant woman, was something he was aware of. It was why he never stopped being careful around her.

After Jefferson had lunch and exchanged a few words with Rayna, he abruptly coughed violently. In response, he covered his mouth with his hand. Moments later, he saw blood on his palm.

She hurriedly grabbed the enzyme inhibitors and water for him.

Seeing his pale countenance made her panic. Then she proposed softly, “Let’s head back and look for Mr. York, Jefferson. Your condition worries me…”

As she spoke, she choked.

Half a month ago, Jefferson, who was well up until that point, started coughing violently. Every time it happened, he would sound as though he was going to cough his lungs out. It was the same scenario like the time they went to Frosa to look for a cure.

“Your company has been a source of joy for me.” Afraid that the smell of blood would discomfort her, he physically distanced himself from her. “I will watch you give birth to your children.”

Rayna wasn’t sure what to say as she covered her mouth.

For the past two months, she had been feeling very exasperated. While she was staying in a serene place, it wasn’t what she wanted. Many times, she wanted to take her frustration out on Jefferson. However, she would always ignore that impulse when she thought of the sacrifices he had made for her.

She wasn’t going to abandon a man on his deathbed, and she couldn’t bear watching him die either.

Due to a lack of appetite, Rayna went to sleep early.

After an unknown amount of time passed, someone patted her cheek and woke her up forcefully. “It’s time for us to go, Belle.”

“Where to?” Rayna asked with confusion as she was helped up by Jefferson.

Carefully, he took her down the stairs. “Your pregnancy’s about to reach its end, which worries me. Also, some medical equipment can’t be shipped here. Hence, I’m thinking of moving you to a place where a doctor can examine you at any time.”

She didn’t oppose his idea as he escorted her out of the building.

In the distance, on the beach, a helicopter was waiting for them. Jefferson helped her board the vehicle before saying, “I need to grab something from the house.”

After he left, Rayna caressed her belly, wondering where he would bring her to. I wonder if the place he mentioned is located in a city. Will Curtis find me in that case?

When she saw the phone the pilot placed on the passenger seat, she came up with an idea.

Using Anglandurn, she spoke. “You should head inside the house and help him grab his things. There are a lot of them.”