Ch. 591..600

Chapter 591

The pilot leaped out of the helicopter without suspecting Rayna’s motives at all.

Once the pilot had entered the house, she stood and grabbed the phone from the passenger seat as fast as she could.

It was likely the phone was only used for calls because it wasn’t protected by a password.

After Rayna recalled Curtis’ number with much effort, she dialed it on the phone.

Sadly, before the call could connect, she saw Jefferson carrying a few bags of stuff out of the house with the pilot. Panicked, she hurriedly ended the call and deleted its record.

Then she tossed the phone back into the passenger seat. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth when she saw the phone land safely on the seat after bouncing twice.

Just as Rayna sat back down, Jefferson arrived.

“What’s the matter, Belle?” he asked worriedly when he saw sweat on her forehead. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Shaking her head, she assured, “It’s nothing. I’m just feeling a little hot.”

The night’s pretty cool, though. Then again, she is pregnant. It’s only natural that she occasionally feels hot. Then, he loaded the bags onto the helicopter without saying a word.

After he secured Rayna’s seatbelt, he gave the pilot permission to take off.

“Sleep.” Jefferson covered her body with a blanket before placing his hand on her shoulder and letting her lean on him. “Our new home is quite far away. It’ll take us a few hours of air travel before arriving.

I’ll wake you up when we’re there.”

A few hours? I wonder where it is. As her train of thought ended, she leaned in his embrace. “Mhm.”

It only took a while before she fell asleep because she was really sleepy.

When she woke up again, she stared out the window and saw rows of tightly packed black dots at the bottom. It seems like we’ve arrived in a city.

The helicopter gradually reduced its altitude as it soared across the city. It was then Rayna saw the flag of the country and its famous landmark. It took only a few moments before she realized she had been brought to Pillere.

The helicopter eventually arrived at a mansion halfway up the mountain and descended on the landing pad.

After the helicopter stopped moving, Jefferson patted Rayna. “We’ve arrived, Belle.”

She pretended to have just woken up, yawned, and was carried down the vehicle by him.

The housekeepers and butler had been waiting for them outside of the house. It was pretty cold there, so the moment Rayna arrived, the butler promptly put a thick coat on her.

Jefferson helped her wear it.

“This mansion may be small, but it has everything, and the environment is nice,” he informed as he helped her amble into the building. “Do you like it, Belle?”

In response, she nodded. “I do, but it doesn’t look like a place doctors can frequently visit.”

“I hired a medical team here. They’re living in the same place as we are.” He smiled. “They’ll take care of you until you give birth.”

Based on what he was saying, she speculated that the island had been discovered by Curtis. I bet he moved me here in the middle of the night because he learned ahead of time that Curtis knew where we were.

She couldn’t help but glance at the pilot, who was leaving in the helicopter already. I hope Curtis will manage to track the call I made earlier and find me here.

When Jefferson saw Rayna looking back, he asked, “What’s the matter, Belle?”

“It’s nothing.” She shifted her line of sight away, pursed her lips, and smiled. “I was wondering if the pilot has other matters to attend to, considering he seems to be in a rush to leave after sending us here.”

“He does have something to take care of, but it’s nothing urgent. It’s his choice to go. Let’s head inside first.”

“Okay.”

The entire mansion, including its interior, was designed in a beautiful gothic style.

After they entered the building, Jefferson brought Rayna upstairs.

Her bedroom was nearly a hundred square meters big, while the room next to it was the delivery room. The doctors Jefferson hired had already brought all relevant medical equipment to the mansion to ensure she would have a safe delivery.

The medical team, housekeepers, and butler lived on the first floor. Meanwhile, only Jefferson and Rayna occupied the second floor.

The doctors could only enter the second floor when Rayna needed an examination.

She didn’t feel anything in particular while staying on the island with Jefferson for the past few months. After she moved into the mansion, however, she felt as though she was living in a palace because she was surrounded by eight or nine housekeepers every day. It was an experience she wasn’t used to.

Also, Jefferson stopped meddling with her meals after she moved there. Instead, he let the medical team handle it. Although, he was still paying close attention to the ingredients. Even the fruits she ate had to be freshly handpicked from the orchard.

When Rayna learned that, she was so surprised she wasn’t sure what to say. In fact, she felt a little afraid of eating them.

“You don’t need to be so meticulous that you don’t want any fruits that are sent here two hours late,” she said, amused. “Maybe the delivery truck encountered an issue on the way here. It’s not like it’ll be inedible. I’m not that particular.”

“Some fruits taste worse after leaving the plant for a certain amount of time.” Jefferson carefully peeled an orange before letting her eat it.

Also, despite what Rayna said, he insisted on doing things his way. “While I don’t want their fruits, I still paid for them.”

That rendered her speechless.

As time passed and the seasons changed, winter arrived at Pillere.

Rayna remained healthy under the care of Jefferson and the people he hired.

Her abdomen continued to swell, though she didn’t really grow fatter. As a result, she needed more help to move around compared to before.

Even though she waited patiently, Curtis never came. Maybe Jefferson’s a lot more cautious than I thought. He could’ve told the pilot to change his phone and number after leaving the mansion, considering it’s just a communication device. It’s not costly to do so.

During her last maternity examination, the doctor said it was only a matter of days before she gave birth. However, because the babies were very healthy and their heads were quite big in addition to them being triplets, the doctor said she was unlikely to have a smooth delivery.

The housekeepers in the mansion started getting busy near Christmas Eve. It wasn’t because of the holiday, it was because they were preparing for Rayna’s delivery.

The doctors were all ready, and the housekeepers had prepared everything they needed to care for the newborns.

When Rayna saw a decorative ornament in the shape of Santa Claus’ head hanging above the door while having her meal, she asked the housekeepers about it and learned that it was already Christmas Eve. In one corner of the living room, a Christmas tree was placed and decorated with presents making the atmosphere a little festive.

She thought it was definitely going to snow around Christmas, but when she stared out the window in a hurry, she noticed there was no snow.

Disappointed, she muttered, “I thought it was snowing.” I remember celebrating Christmas and its eve with Curtis in Jetroina last year. On that day, we stayed at a resort at night. Curtis complained there wasn’t enough snow and even asked people to make an artificial snowfall. Even though it was only a year ago, that memory feels so distant. Back then, all of us were happy. Yet, happiness left us in a blink of an eye.

Jefferson approached her, held her hand, and said, “It’s not very cold this year, so there’s no snow. Since tomorrow is Christmas, maybe there’ll be a miracle, and you’ll get to see snow when you wake

up the next morning. “

“Hopefully,” she replied.

Due to the doctor’s recommendation, Jefferson had been sleeping in Rayna’s room for the past few days. He set up and slept on a bed next to hers so he could help her at a moment’s notice.

Before they slumbered, he asked, “Do you want anything for Christmas, Belle?”

“I’m not lacking anything, although…” Rayna thought about it and answered softly, “I wish Jessie and my babies will be fine, and I hope you’ll live a long life. That’s what I want the most.”

 

 

Chapter 592

In the darkness, Rayna heard Jefferson’s usual warm voice. “Santa Claus will definitely grant your wish.”

She knew he was just comforting her and closed her eyes.

Sometime after she fell asleep, she felt herself sweating profusely and was eventually woken up by her rising body heat. Then, she felt the pain coming from her slightly wet lower body.

With some effort, she reached out to touch her crotch and felt hot liquid flowing out of her. “Jefferson! I think my water just broke. Call the doctor…”

Jefferson instantly woke up and headed to the next room to call for the doctors.

For the past few days, the doctors had been staying up at night preparing for that very moment. Upon receiving their orders, they changed into surgical gowns in the sterile room. Then, they transferred Rayna to the delivery room and asked Jefferson to stay outside.

Five doctors monitored her condition very closely and carefully throughout the entire process. “Prepare for operation!”

Jefferson anxiously paced back and forth outside of the delivery room.

When he recalled the agony he saw on Rayna’s pale countenance, he felt his heart clench and his breathing stop.

Even though he didn’t believe in any gods or religion, he still prayed to any higher power for Rayna’s safety.

The butler spoke in a small voice. “Calm down, Mr. Hamilton. There are five doctors inside the room taking care of her. She’ll be fine. Besides, she’ll need your company after the delivery is over. You mustn’t lose your cool.”

In response, Jefferson took in a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. “I’m not losing my cool. I’m just afraid. Even with cesarean section, it’s not easy for a woman to give birth to her babies. I’m worried about my Belle.”

Then, he asked, “Are five doctors enough? Should I invite a few more here?”

“That’s enough, Mr. Hamilton,” the butler said. “Bringing more doctors here isn’t going to help with the situation. Drink some water and compose yourself.”

Jefferson grabbed a glass of water from the butler and emptied it in one go. Still, he paced back and forth in front of the delivery room. Occasionally, he would anxiously press his ear on the door to listen to the sound inside.

For an hour, he stood in front of the room.

After a long wait, the door to the delivery room was finally opened. Then, a nurse pushed a trolley out.

Without delay, Jefferson rushed over to the trolley and saw three newborn babies wrapped in a blanket lying on it. Their eyes hadn’t opened yet.

The nurse assured, “All three children are safe, Mr. Hamilton. One boy and two girls.”

He only took two glances at the children before he shifted his sight to the delivery room. However, he didn’t see what he wanted to. “How’s my wife doing?”

Smiling, the nurse replied, “The doctors are stitching up her wound. There is no need to worry.”

Jefferson’s worries were finally laid to rest when he learned Rayna was doing fine.

Just as he smiled and was about to let the nurse bring the babies into their room, he heard a gunshot coming from the living room.

Before he could react to the situation, he heard another gunshot, and the butler next to him fell to the ground.

Jefferson saw a man in a stealth outfit ascending the stairs with a gun and murderous intent.

He immediately pushed the nurse and the trolley back into the delivery room. Then, as he rolled across the floor, a bullet exploded on the spot he was previously standing.

Rapidly, he pulled out a small tranquilizer gun from his pocket and aimed it at the man’s forehead.

Just as the man pulled the trigger, a tranquilizer dart struck his forehead, and he collapsed to the ground.

The bullet hit the wall.

If I didn’t move away quickly enough, I would’ve been dead! Jefferson panted twice before hastily bolting out of the room. He asked the doctors inside to block the door as he grabbed the assailant’s gun.

When he realized only one bullet was left in the magazine, he dismantled the firearm to prevent the assailant’s companion from picking it up. Then he dashed into his room, opened his wardrobe, and pulled out a box sitting at the very bottom. He opened the box and started assembling a gun with the components inside.

Because his hands were shaking, the process was pretty slow.

I didn’t tell many people I transferred Rayna to a new location. Heck, I even did it after midnight so no one would notice. I can’t believe Arnaud still found me, even though this is a pretty secluded location. Just as his train of thought ended, he finished assembling his weapon.

When he heard myriad footsteps outside the room, he paid very close attention to the sounds. I think there are five people outside. There’s also a very faint “crack” sound… Wait, something’s being thrown to the ground. Crap, it’s a smoke grenade!

Jefferson removed the gun from his waist and pulled the trigger. A layer of sweat formed on his forehead as he sneaked up behind the obstacles.

Indeed, two smoke grenades were lobbed into the bedroom.

Two seconds later, thick white smoke spread across the room, which was followed by the footsteps of someone stepping in.

After Jefferson determined the direction of the footsteps, he saw a black figure in the smoke and pulled the trigger.

His target went down as expected, but he immediately received a spray of bullets from another combatant.

As fast as he was, he was still hit in the arm when he changed position. Pain instantly traveled throughout his entire body.

There was only one foe left in the room. After his comrade died, he decided to shoot at an arc in front of him instead of searching for Jefferson since the bedroom wasn’t that big.

As he reloaded his gun, Jefferson pounced toward him.

Then, Jefferson heard a loud bang and the screams of the doctors coming from the next room. It would appear the door to the delivery room had been smashed open.

He was, of course, worried. However, his opponent was no ordinary person.

The man was nearly one hundred and ninety centimeters tall, and he beat Jefferson so badly, which disoriented the latter.

“Save me!” The shrieking coming from the other room was getting louder.

When Jefferson thought about Rayna and her children, he mustered enough strength to shove his opponent away, grabbed his gun, and fired a round into the man’s chest.

The assailant’s hand fell to the ground. A few drops of his blood splattered on Jefferson’s face.

Jefferson panted twice before rushing out of the room without delay and noticed the smoke outside had mostly dissipated. The moment he saw someone, he raised his gun.

A man was standing on the windowsill and putting on a safety rope with a baby in his hand.

When he saw Jefferson, he grabbed the safety rope and jumped.

Jefferson fired two shots and missed both. He cursed, then opted to ignore the man because he was worried there might still be enemies in the delivery room.

Inside the room, three men were preparing to grab the last two babies. A doctor pleaded for them to leave at least one baby behind because he was worried Rayna wouldn’t survive the mental shock.

Just as one of the assailants was about to fire, they heard a gunshot, which was followed by the sound of their comrade, who was holding a baby, falling to the ground.

The doctor charged forward and managed to grab the baby in the nick of time.

When the combatant standing next to the operating table saw that abrupt turn of events, he aimed his gun at Rayna’s forehead. As a result, Jefferson didn’t have the guts to pull the trigger and could only glare at his enemy.

“Throw your gun away, Mr. Terblanc,” the man commanded. “Otherwise, I’ll kill her.”

Without hesitation, Jefferson removed the magazine and threw the gun away.

The enemy immediately shot his left leg.

Groaning in pain, Jefferson promptly kneeled on one knee.

The man proceeded to order his companion. “Mr. Cyrus said he should be brought back if he’s not dead.”

Since the situation was in the assailants’ favor, the man’s companion put the baby in his arm aside and attempted to cuff Jefferson.

Jefferson heaved slightly as he calmed himself down. How can I kill them while keeping Rayna safe?

The man was still pressing the tip of his gun on Rayna’s forehead, though he seemed slightly relaxed as he stared at Jefferson.

Out of nowhere, a bullet silently entered the man’s forehead and blew his brain apart. With widened eyes, the man toppled over.

When the man’s companion noticed something was wrong, he turned back and saw Jefferson twisting his hands fiercely.

Then Jefferson kicked him in the abdomen, dropping him to the ground, and pinned the guy’s neck with his knee.

 

 

Chapter 593

With a crack, the assailant’s neck was crushed, and he stopped breathing.

Meanwhile, Jefferson’s gunshot wound on his leg was bleeding even more profusely because of that strenuous takedown.

His limbs had become so weak that he couldn’t get up. Then, he saw Curtis walking into the room.

Curtis ignored him and approached the operating table in a hurry. When he saw the dying Rayna, his heart ached so terribly that he couldn’t speak.

Still, he leaned closer to her and said, “Open your eyes and look at me, Rayna.”

Rayna had almost fallen into a coma because she was very emotionally impacted by the kidnapping of her child right after her operation.

With great effort, she opened her eyes. When she saw Curtis’ familiar face, she grabbed his hand and stuttered, “M-My baby… Taken… T-They took m-my baby…”

“I know. I’ll find the baby.” Curtis touched her cheek, which was so cold that it upset him. “Just wait a few more moments. Jeremy’s coming with friends.”

“I-I’ve been waiting for you f-for so long…” Rayna’s breathing was getting erratic.

“I’m sorry for letting you suffer.”

Her lips moved as her breathing quickened before she passed out and let go of his sleeve.

“Rayna!” Curtis patted her cheeks with anxiousness.

The doctor, who was still alive, examined her and informed him, “No good! She’s going into shock!”

It was then Jeremy and his friends arrived.

Jeremy’s expression turned grim when he saw how Rayna was doing. He spoke to his friends, asked the doctor to stay, and chased Curtis as well as the injured Jefferson out.

Curtis grabbed Jeremy’s hand tremblingly. “I’m counting on you, Jeremy.”

“Just have faith in me.” Then Jeremy pushed him aside, entered the delivery room, and closed the door which was still functioning.

Despite smashing his fist on the nearby wall twice, Curtis still couldn’t calm down.

After he discovered Jefferson was hiding Rayna on the island, he immediately rushed over there.

However, when he arrived, the island was already empty. Then he remembered receiving a call from a foreign number a few hours ago. Immediately, he asked people to track the number’s activities and found out a call had been made with it on the island.

He speculated Rayna was the one who called him. Hence, he followed the coordinates of the number and phone. However, he didn’t expect Jefferson’s subordinate to be smart enough to ditch the phone and SIM card after leaving the island.

Sometime after that, James discovered what Arnaud was up to. Thus, Curtis swiftly headed to the mansion. Guessing that Rayna was about to give birth, he brought Jeremy along.

When Curtis saw how Rayna was doing, he was grateful for his decision to bring Jeremy with him.

Then, as Curtis glanced at Jefferson, he suddenly became enraged. He grabbed Jefferson’s clothes, pinned the latter on the ground, and started punching him.

“Don’t you know Arnaud has been watching you? Why did you take her away?” Gritting his teeth, he wished he could just shoot Jefferson in the head. “You almost killed her!”

His punches almost sent Jefferson into a coma.

In response, Jefferson spat out two mouthfuls of blood and continued to allow Curtis to beat him up. “I didn’t expect him to find me.”

Curtis exclaimed coldly, “Of course, you didn’t know how many spies he planted at your side! He will find you, even if he has to comb through the entire planet to do so after Boniel’s will left Terblanc Group and everything to you!”

“I know you want to kill me, but now is not the time.” Jefferson coughed fiercely. “Arnaud’s men kidnapped one of the babies. I need to get them back from him.”

He wheezed twice and continued, “There’s no doubt he kidnapped the baby because he wants me to renounce my inheritance, and I will. He won’t hurt the baby before I do it.”

Scowling, Curtis punched him again. “I should’ve killed you earlier!”

Jefferson’s head tilted to the side as even more blood dripped down from the edge of his mouth.

Then, Curtis stood and exclaimed coldly at the doctors on standby downstairs. “Remove the bullets in his body and inject him with P90 analgesic! I want him to be capable of moving freely for the next twenty-four hours!”

One of the doctors carefully informed, “His leg may be crippled if the wound on it is left untreated for too long, Mr. Faymon.”

“Then so be it!” Curtis glowered at the doctor frigidly. “Do it!”

The P90 analgesic was still in its developmental phase. Hence, it couldn’t be used in conjunction with an anesthetic. Otherwise, a deadly poison would be formed. Therefore, when the doctors removed the bullet from Jefferson’s leg on Curtis’ order, they didn’t use an anesthetic. As a result, Jefferson was put through so much pain that his face was covered in cold sweat.

Curtis proceeded to call James and asked him to track Arnaud down.

Before James replied, Jefferson received a message from Arnaud: Meet me at Sunset Estate. Come alone, or I’ll kill the baby.

Jefferson was able to move roughly five minutes after he received the analgesic injection.

Then, he hid a tracker in his hair and told Curtis he would be heading to Sunset Estate first. Once he arrived, Curtis would wait for a while before following the tracker. After that, they would improvise according to how the situation unfolded.

He glanced at the delivery room and whispered to Curtis. “Is Belle going to be okay inside?”

In response, Curtis sneered, “My men are more capable than yours.”

That rendered Jefferson speechless.

After he left the mansion, he realized it was almost morning though the sky was still dark.

It was snowing pretty heavily. As a result, the ground was covered in a thick layer of snow.

As he strode out of the building, he allowed the snowflakes to land on his face and hair. He even tried to grab one, though it quickly melted in his palm. I told the butler last night to create an artificial snowfall if it doesn’t snow today. That way, when Rayna wakes up and looks out the window, she’ll be able to see snow. It’s certainly a surprise that it’s snowing so heavily today.

Jefferson followed the GPS and sped toward Sunset Estate in his car.

When his vehicle arrived in front of the metal gate, he left the car and pushed the gate open.

The entire estate was blanketed in snow.

He had no idea where Arnaud was watching him. Also, he didn’t see anyone on his way into the building.

When he arrived at the entrance, the door was already opened.

“Mr. Terblanc.” The butler who opened the door was someone Jefferson knew. He was the butler of the Terblanc residence and one of Arnaud’s men.

I didn’t expect he would follow Arnaud here. As Jefferson thought, he stepped into the building and strode past a long corridor. Then, in the distance, he saw Arnaud having breakfast at the dining table.

“It’s been a while, Calbert.” Arnaud smiled and spoke elegantly. “Come sit with me. It’s been a while since we had breakfast together.”

Upon approaching him, Jefferson asked without sitting, “Where’s the baby?”

Seeing that Jefferson wouldn’t play along, Arnaud put his utensils down, rested his chin on his crossed fingers, and flashed a half-smile. “How impolite. Is that how you treat your older brother?”

“I know you want Terblanc Group.” Jefferson stared at him calmly. “I’ll prepare a document to renounce my inheritance. Give me the baby.”

Arnaud scoffed lightly, “You didn’t attend Father’s funeral. How did you know he left a will? Did he tell you about it before he wrote it?”

“He was your father, too. I can’t believe you tricked him to Norwal City and ordered a hit on him.”

“If he were my father, why did he never look at me?” Arnaud slammed his hand on the table and pointed at Jefferson furiously. “You’re the only son he sees and recognizes!”

 

 

Chapter 594

“Since we were young, Dad has favored you and given you everything good. But each time I asked for his help, he’d retort that I was great and should figure it out on my own! Isn’t my mother his rightful wife? Aren’t I his son too?” Arnaud’s tone became harsher as he thought of his father’s bias. “But he doesn’t love my mother or me!”

As a child, Arnaud frequently witnessed his father bringing a woman to the manor and lavishing her with love. He was met with silent tears when he asked his mother about the woman’s identity.

No matter how obnoxious the woman was, including hurling objects at his father, his love for her only grew stronger. His father no longer cared about Arnaud or his mother as time passed.

When the woman got pregnant, Arnaud had never seen his father happier. He was told he would be getting a brother soon and innocently agreed to look after his sibling.

One day, his mother ended her life.

It was then that Arnaud realized what a fool he had been. Xandra and Jefferson were always his father’s favorite, while he and his mother were treated like trash.

Arnaud took a deep breath and glared at Jefferson. “I’ve always thought of how I could end your life for the past twenty years, but I realized that giving you a quick instant death was the easy way out. I’m going to slowly torture you by drugging you. You’ll soon plead in vain to be spared a horrible death!”

When Boniel and Sandy met in Norwal City, Arnaud had planned to send Stella to silence the latter. However, he decided to call off the plan as he was wary of Curtis’ influence in the city.

Moreover, Sandy and Kenneth were still legally married. Arnaud was worried that Kenneth, who was in Jetroina, would interfere with his business when he found out his wife was dead.

Jefferson ignored Arnaud’s displeasure and repeated his demands. “I’m willing to give up everything. Just return the child—”

The man hunched over, clutching at his chest. His face winced in pain as he tried to cover his mouth and suppress the cough.

When Arnaud noticed the pool of blood on Jefferson’s palm, he sneered, “I heard Jeremy successfully developed the cure, but you gave the pill away for a woman!”

“You must have many spies in Norwal City to know such intel,” Jefferson said coldly. With each breath, he could feel his strength waning, but he refused to show weakness. He wiped the blood off his palm and continued, “Is the contract prepared? If it’s not ready, hand me a pen and paper and I’ll write the agreement.”

Arnaud locked his gaze on the man before turning to his butler and whispering to him.

After receiving his instructions, the butler nodded and left the room.

Arnaud sat at the dining table and continued eating his breakfast without saying another word. Five minutes later, he placed his cutleries on the table and wiped his mouth clean.

Arnaud handed Jefferson the contract that the butler had returned with. He dissed, “You aren’t the biological father of her child. Are you certain you want to give up everything Father worked so hard to provide for you?”

Jefferson replied flatly, “Even if I accept the inheritance, there’s no way in hell you’re letting me off the hook.” He flipped to the last page of the contract and signed without reading through the content.

“I want to see the child,” he insisted. He knew Arnaud would not harm the child until his goal was met. He was concerned, however, that the newborn child might have been frightened by the rough

treatment. Jefferson vowed that if anything bad happened to the child, he would not let Arnaud off.

Arnaud smirked at Jefferson’s foolishness and turned to head upstairs.

Jefferson followed his brother and noticed two burly men standing guard in front of the bedroom. He knew well that Arnaud would not readily return the child. Given his current state, he had no chance of defeating Arnaud, let alone the powerful men. His only hope of surviving was to wait for Curtis to arrive.

After Jefferson and Arnaud entered the room, one of the burly men did as well.

There was a baby cradle placed by the window. Arnaud walked over and took the baby out, gently rocking it for a few moments as the infant’s cries filled the air.

Jefferson heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the baby was safe and sound. He clutched the contract and said, “Hand over the baby.”

“She’s so adorable. I’m reluctant to part ways with her. Shall I raise her so she can get rid of Rayna and Curtis for me?” Arnaud said, playing with the infant.

Jefferson’s mouth twitched as he struggled to keep his cool. “She’s Curtis’ daughter, Arnaud. He’ll hunt you down if you dare steal her away.”

Arnaud grabbed the baby’s neck all of a sudden. “Why do you like to sabotage other people’s relationships, just like your mother?”

The baby’s cries grew louder and more frantic by the second.

Jefferson’s heart sank as he saw the baby’s face scrunched up in distress. He had to exercise every ounce of restraint to keep from lunging at his foe.

“She’s just a child. Leave her alone.” Jefferson threw the contract near Arnaud’s feet and raised his hands. He slowly approached the man and continued, “I’ve given you the contract. Give me the child.”

However, the man’s grasp on the baby’s neck remained firm. “Are you angry? I find it hard to believe that you could be so easily threatened with a newborn child,” he scoffed and gave Jefferson a scornful look.

“I can let her go.” Arnaud tightened his grip around the baby’s neck. “Kneel and beg for my forgiveness. Once I’m satisfied, both of you can leave.”

As the baby’s cries grew more intense, Jefferson had no choice but to abide by Arnaud’s instructions. He clenched his jaw and sank to his knees, grudgingly prostrating himself before the man.

Arnaud let out a boisterous laugh and glared at Jefferson. “Your face reminds me of the evil woman who caused my mother’s death. I wish I could murder all of you!”

Jefferson bowed once more. This time, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by violent bouts of cough. He did not even have time to clean the blood from his mouth.

“Please return the child to me,” the man pleaded.

“Okay. She’s yours.” Arnaud smirked and threw the baby out of the window. “I never said I’d pass it to your hands.”

Jefferson immediately struggled to his feet and stumbled to the window, determined to get hold of the baby. He did not care about his safety as he leaped out of the window.

Finally, the baby was in his embrace.

Even though the ground was covered in thick layers of snow, the impact of falling from the second to the first level was still enormous. Despite successfully saving the child, Jefferson was left with a broken leg.

The chilly snow on his face caused him to cough uncontrollably.

He trudged through deep snow, bowed his head against the wind and sleet, and wrapped the baby in his jacket to keep her warm.

Because of his broken leg, he lost his balance and fell into the snow several times.

Cough! Cough!

Blood was oozing from his mouth and nose, seeping into the pristine white snow.

Arnaud walked out of the house, looking at Jefferson haughtily.

For the first time, he had won the fight against his brother.

 

 

Chapter 595

Arnaud took the gun handed to him by his subordinate and slowly loaded the magazine with bullets. “Jefferson, I’ll give you twenty seconds to walk out of the manor. If you don’t manage to walk out…”

He pointed the gun at Jefferson, who was lying on the snow. Arnaud muttered gracefully, “One, two, three…”

Jefferson coughed while he struggled in the snow. He finally stood up after trying several times and mustered all his strength to drag his broken leg out of the manor.

However, the manor gate was a huge distance away from him. Jefferson would not make it out with twenty seconds unless he ran.

Jefferson desperately tried to run to the gate, but it was futile.

“Seventeen, eighteen…” Arnaud continued to count from behind him.

“Twenty.”

When Arnaud was done counting, Jefferson was still a hundred meters away from the manor gate.

Arnaud felt deeply amused watching Jefferson, who was like a rat in the snow. He pointed the gun at Jefferson’s back and pulled the trigger without mercy.

Jefferson’s body stiffened. Staggering, he was close to toppling to the ground.

A few seconds later, a second gunshot was fired. Another bullet was fired into the left side of Jefferson’s back.

The immense pain was almost unbearable for Jefferson. Nonetheless, he still vigilantly protected the child in his arms from being injured even when he fell. The blood that flowed from his body soaked the snow red.

Arnaud put away his gun and looked at the red splotch in the distance. He felt immense pleasure well up within him.

He’s finally dead!

Arnaud’s attention was on the outside of the window, and he was oblivious that someone had quietly crept into the bedroom.

He soon saw his almost two-meter-tall subordinate’s throat being slit by Curtis with a piece of glass when he turned his head from the sound.

Arnaud’s face darkened upon seeing Curtis. He loaded his pistol and pointed it at Curtis.

Curtis pounced on him before he could pull the trigger. He soon got hold of Arnaud’s left hand.

“I remember that your right arm is broken.” Curtis’ face was grim, and he looked downright murderous. He grabbed Arnaud’s prosthetic right arm fiercely.

“Ah!” Arnaud’s face twitched violently from the pain.

The prosthetic arm he bought felt almost exactly like a real arm. However, it required implanting the connectors into his flesh.

The pain from Curtis’ pull was comparable to being shot as the connector was yanked straight out of his flesh.

The butler, who had heard the commotion, rushed into the room just when Curtis was about to finish off Arnaud. Curtis was shot precisely in his right shoulder the moment he was distracted.

Arnaud took the opportunity to push Curtis away. He picked up the gun on the floor and quickly loaded the magazine with one hand. As Arnaud got up, he felt that something had been stuffed into his trouser pocket. Immediately after, Arnaud was pushed violently, causing him to slam to the ground.

Curtis then leaped toward the window.

Arnaud noticed that his trouser pocket was bulging from a round object. Even though he knew what it was, his response was slow. He did not remove and throw the object away right away.

At that moment, his mind was somewhat blank. A woman’s face slowly started to appear in his mind.

My dad had never loved me growing up. Yet, that woman said she loved me dearly and was eager to be used by me. She promised to bear me many children, but she died.

Arnaud barely felt any pain in his final moments.

What have I been fighting for all these decades? Is this what I wanted after I sacrificed everything? I hope that I will become an average person in my next life and also run into that woman named Dorothy again.

A car drove through the snow and stopped at the manor’s entrance.

Rayna did not care that she had just given birth or that she had stitches. She hurriedly pushed open the car door and ran inside the manor. A loud, deafening noise came from the manor. Soon, thick smoke emerged from within.

She saw the dark stain of blood when looking in the direction of the iron gate. Her pupils constricted when she spotted Jefferson’s clothes. Rayna pushed the door open and stumbled along the way while

rushing to him.

As she let out a scream of despair, her voice quivered. “Jefferson!”

She leaped to Jefferson before she could run up to him, and she found him covered in blood.

It was snowing heavily. Rayna tried to brush away all the snow on his face but was unsuccessful.

“It’s okay. Mr. York is here too.” As Rayna spoke, she took off her outerwear. She tried to stop Jefferson’s bleeding as her hands trembled the entire time.

The two shots had fatally wounded Jefferson, and he only managed to keep himself alive until now because of his strong determination.

Jefferson’s breathing was strained as he leaned in Rayna’s arms. He managed a smile as he slowly tugged away his coat to reveal the child underneath it.

Rayna broke down in tears when she saw the child. She wept, bobbing her head in response. Kissing him, she uttered, “I don’t blame you. I know it wasn’t intentional. Thank you for protecting her.”

Jeremy and his friend hurried over with their medical kit. Their faces fell when they saw Jefferson’s condition.

Rayna handed Jefferson over to him. She muttered with a pleading tone, “Please.”

In addition to suffering fatal wounds, the poison in Jefferson had reached the lethal stage. It was already impossible for Jeremy and his friend to save him, no matter how incredible they were.

The snow was getting heavier, and it did not seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Jeremy treated him with all the medical supplies, including the latest medications, but it was futile. Jefferson’s face grew increasingly pale. His breathing grew weaker, and his hands were getting colder.

Jeremy’s friend held his hand and gave him an apologetic look. He handed Jeremy a syringe.

Jeremy took a deep breath and took it. He lowered his head and whispered, “Jefferson, I tried my best. I’ll give you an injection if you still have something to say to Ms. Garland. Blink twice if you agree.”

Although Jefferson’s consciousness was slipping, he heard Jeremy’s words. Hence, he blinked twice.

Jeremy undid Jefferson’s clothes and gave him an injection into his heart.

After everything was done, Jeremy got up and stated, “Rayna, his condition has improved, and he wants to talk to you.”

Rayna handed the child to Jeremy. She then knelt down and caressed Jefferson’s face. “Are you okay? We’ll take you to the hospital when the ambulance gets here. You’ll be fine.”

The medicine quickly took effect after being administered.

Jefferson felt some strength returning to his body as a result. He widened his eyes to look at the woman in front of him as if he was imprinting her into his mind.

He knew this medicine gave him a surge of strength that could give him two more minutes.

“I’m sorry. I nearly killed you and the baby because of my selfishness.” Jefferson was finally able to raise his hand. He felt her warmth as he held her hand, which made him yearn for more.

Rayna pressed his hand on her face and shook her head frantically. “No. I know how good you’re to me.”

“Belle, I love you.” This was Jefferson’s final confession.

He already knew he would not live long after giving the medicine away back then. Yet, now that he was on the brink of death, Jefferson was reluctant to die and yearned to live.

I know there will be someone who will take care of Belle, but I can never be able to rest easy since that person isn’t me.

Jefferson’s eyes were very gentle as he gazed at the woman. He uttered softly, “After I die, you can bury my ashes in your garden to grow the flowers you love. This way, I can be with you forever.”

Rayna’s smile froze, and she tightened her grip immediately. “How can I simply bury someone’s ashes in a garden? D-Didn’t you say you were going to plant my favorite flowers with me?”

She began to choke on her words in sadness. As she shut her eyes, tears began flowing out of them. “You have to take care of my children and me and give the best to them. How can you just leave? Mr. York can definitely save you…”

 

 

Chapter 596

“Mr. York is also an ordinary man, so don’t make things difficult for him.” Jefferson smiled faintly. The lights in his eyes gradually dimmed as his voice softened. “I won’t be able to live much longer even without suffering these two gunshots.”

“I beg you…” Rayna’s hot tears dripped onto the back of his hand. “Please don’t be so cruel…”

“Be good. Stop crying.” Jefferson wiped away her tears with much difficulty. “I won’t leave. I’ll always stay by your side.”

She didn’t say a word.

Jefferson felt weak all over and extremely sleepy. He realized it was about time for him to go.

He mustered the last of his energy to look up at Jeremy, who was standing behind Rayna. At the sight of the child in Jeremy’s arms, Jefferson flashed a contented smile.

He uttered softly, “Xareni Hamilton. Will you let Reni take my family name?”

Rayna nodded. “Okay. I’ll name her Xareni Hamilton.”

“Thank you…” Regardless of how unwilling he was to leave, Jefferson took a final glance at Rayna before slowly shutting his eyes.

When he closed his eyes, he saw a man chasing after a streak of light in the dark. That man stretched out his hand, and just as he was about to reach the beam of light, it disappeared.

Ultimately, he failed to grab hold of the light, and his world remained pitch-black.

Rayna’s lips shuddered as she witnessed Jefferson’s hands falling to the snowy ground. “Jefferson? Jefferson?”

No matter how many times she called his name, he wouldn’t respond. He lay peacefully in her embrace as if he was sound asleep.

Rayna lowered her head and bawled. She held him tightly while resting her forehead against his shoulder.

Curtis slowly walked over. His lips twitched when he saw Rayna kneeling on the ground, crying her eyes out, and Jefferson lying in her arms. Guilt surged within him at that instant.

He had thought he was quick enough to arrive. Unexpectedly, he was still too late.

Jeremy’s friend noticed the bloodstain on Curtis’ right shoulder and wanted to help him bandage the wound. However, Curtis shook his head to stop him. He crouched next to Rayna and held her shoulders without interrupting her.

After crying for a long time, she gazed up at Curtis with a sorrowful look. “He’s dead. He wanted me to bury his ash in the garden and plant my favorite flowers there.”

“Okay.” Curtis placed his coat around her and wiped away the snowflakes on her head. “Let’s go back.”

Rayna was engaged in strenuous activity and experienced grief right after giving birth, causing her wound to rupture. She stayed in a hospital in Pillere and was taken care of by Jeremy and his friend.

The child who was taken away by Arnaud was healthy and well, aside from the bruises on her neck. Jeremy deliberately monitored her condition for one week before letting the nanny care for her.

Curtis asked his subordinate to cremate Jefferson’s body and stayed in Pillere to keep Rayna company.

Rayna appeared fine for the first few days after the incident. However, after she had a nightmare one night, she became taciturn upon waking up and seemed constantly dazed as if she lived in her own world.

Jeremy was worried she might have contracted postpartum depression. He advised Curtis to stay by her side at all times and prescribed her medicine as needed.

Curtis was more concerned than anyone else about Rayna’s condition. He would ask the nanny to bring the children over and spent plenty of time accompanying her with their kids. He even brought her out to shop for their babies’ clothes.

After Rayna’s condition showed some slight improvements, Curtis brought her back to Norwal City.

James and Kristie kept Rayna company all the time. Even Roxanne, who was staying abroad, returned. Linda’s heart ached for her daughter. She would prepare daily meals for Rayna.

While feeding Rayna soup, Linda uttered gently, “Belle, you have to eat something. I’m saddened by how skinny you’ve become.”

Rayna shook her head and reached out to hug her mother.

She sobbed, “Mom, he’s dead. I owe him so much, and there’s no way for me to repay him…”

Linda caressed Rayna’s head. “Silly girl. There wouldn’t be love between you two if you could repay him for everything he did for you. I know you’re feeling sorrowful, but that is all the more reason for you to survive better. Don’t keep him worrying about you even after he’s gone. There are times we will feel utterly powerless when living in this world. You’re worried about him, but you should also realize your children and husband are still waiting for you to pull yourself together. Sandy and Old Mr. Faymon are also worried sick about you, but Sandy doesn’t dare to come here. You’re also aware of Old Mr. Faymon’s poor health. You’re only in your twenties. Do you want to be illness-ridden like him at such a

young age? Curtis has been in distress, keeping you company and not getting quality sleep for many days.” Linda patted Rayna’s back. “He has done a lot of things for you. You shouldn’t let him down further.”

Hugging her mother, Rayna wept uncontrollably.

Perhaps Linda managed to talk some sense into Rayna. Subsequently, Rayna smiled when she saw the others. She stepped forward to hug Curtis and kissed him. “I’m sorry for making you worry about me.”

Curtis stroked her face in relief. “I’m glad that you’re fine.”

Two weeks later, he brought her to the mansion in Northville.

He led her into the spacious mansion and told her it would be their future home. After that, he arranged for their children, the nanny, and the housekeepers to stay in the house as well.

He ordered the gardener to remove the roses and tulips planted in the garden and plow the ground.

Curtis handed a small urn to Rayna. “He was the second son of the Terblanc family, so half of his ashes were sent back to his family. The other half is in here.”

Despite how light the urn was, Rayna felt it weighed a ton in her hands.

She pursed her lips as tears streamed down her cheeks in silence.

Curtis wiped away her tears and said, “We’ll bury the urn here and plant your favorite flowers.”

She nodded.

They buried the urn in the deepest part of the garden before spreading camellia and green rose seeds all over the garden.

The garden would be filled with blossoming camellias and green roses a few months later.

There was still no news about Jessica, and Jasmine had yet to regain consciousness. Rayna didn’t want to get married to Curtis under such circumstances. She didn’t let him announce news about them to the public. Even their welcome baby party was done in a low-profiled manner.

The three kids’ welcome baby party was held at the Faymon residence. Only the Faymon family’s close friends and kin and friends of Curtis and Rayna were invited.

Curtis and Rayna had three children. Their eldest son, Yosef, and second daughter, Yelena, shared Curtis’ family name, Faymon. Strangely, their youngest daughter was called Xareni Hamilton. Everyone was curious about the reason behind it, but no one dared to raise the question.

Rayna was entertaining the guests when she saw a familiar figure among the crowd. She hurriedly excused herself and advanced toward that person.

“Ringo.” Rayna came to a halt before Ringo.

A faint smile spread across Ringo’s usually expressionless face when he noticed Rayna was doing well after glancing at her. “I was perturbed when I heard about your poor health previously. Now that I know you’re in the pink of health, I can finally rest assured.”

Rayna grinned. Still, a hint of sadness crept into her heart. “I’m very sorry—”

He interjected, “Ms. Garland, I’m here to see the children today. May I see that child?”

Rayna collected herself and nodded. “Sure.”

She went and brought over the child personally. The baby, wrapped in the thin blanket, had large round eyes and adorable pink cheeks.

Ringo took a few more looks at the child before asking, “What’s her name?”

Rayna answered, “Her name is Xareni Hamilton.”

“Xareni Hamilton…” Ringo instantaneously fathomed the significance behind the name. He was momentarily stumped as he gazed intently at the child Jefferson had protected with his life. Mr. Hamilton did nothing wrong for falling in love with a woman. His only mistake was being too devoted.

He placed an emerald pendant in the baby’s arms. “Mr. Hamilton prepared gifts for the three children, but I wish to give this present to this child in person. I sincerely hope she’ll live a happy life in the future.”

 

 

Chapter 597

Once the nanny had left with the baby, Rayna walked Ringo to the corner, where the latter promptly handed her a document envelope. “My reason for coming today isn’t just to give the kid her present. It’s also to give you this, Ms. Garland.”

With that, Rayna took out the sheets of paper from the envelope and glanced through them, only to suddenly freeze in her tracks.

“When Mr. Hamilton was stuck in Yartran while waiting for his visa application, Old Mr. Terblanc visited him. He told Mr. Hamilton that he had already made the will and paved the road for him,” Ringo explained. “As soon as Mr. Hamilton moved you to Pillere, he called me over and gave me the will for safekeeping. I was told to pass it to you only after his death. His lawyer has a copy of it too.”

Rayna found herself at a loss for words as she trembled.

“Ms. Garland, Mr. Cyrus Terblanc is also dead. If Terblanc Group were to fall into other people’s hands, it’d undoubtedly be cleaned out within half a year. That’s why Mr. Hamilton wanted to give it to you. He knew he could trust you,” Ringo added.

After a bout of silence, Rayna finally suppressed her grief and slid the documents back into the envelope. “Rest assured that I’ll protect what’s his. What about you? Where will you go from here?”

“I’ll go wherever life takes me. I’ve served Mr. Hamilton for so long that his death still feels surreal.”

“Stay here, then,” Rayna said, smiling as she glanced at her baby in the nanny’s arms. “After all, I’ve found a new boss for you and Emerald. The kid may be difficult to handle now, but it’d be better once she gets older. Would you like that?”

Upon hearing that, Ringo curled his lips into a smile. “Well, she’s also a Hamilton. I’d love nothing more than to accept your offer.”

It’d feel like I’m working for Mr. Hamilton again.

With no time to waste, Rayna immediately followed Ringo to Yartran after throwing a welcome baby party for Xareni.

Since Rayna and Jefferson weren’t married, it was no surprise that everyone in Terblanc Group was upset about the content of the will. Even the shareholders were against the arrangement and tried buying out her shares.

Now that Jefferson was out of the picture, the ownership battle between Arnaud, Rayna, and the rest of the Terblanc Group dragged on for two months. Curtis wanted to go over to help, but Rayna stopped him, leaving him with no choice but to send James in his stead.

After sixty-eight days of back-and-forth and having survived more than a dozen assassinations, Rayna finally got the other Terblanc Group members to throw in the towel. She made them sign an agreement, which allowed her to execute Jefferson’s will and officially take over the company.

With all that settled, Rayna left Ringo to oversee Terblanc Group while she returned home with James.

Needless to say, Curtis jumped at the chance to pick them up.

Upon stepping out of the airport, Rayna’s gaze instantly fell on the tall, handsome man standing by his car.

Despite dressing simply in a black coat and sunglasses, he still managed to attract several admiring glances from female passers-by.

Rayna quickly walked up to hug Curtis and wrapped a scarf around his neck. “I hate that you’ll always look this good because you don’t have to give birth. You’re attracting so much unwanted attention!”

Curtis burst out laughing and kissed Rayna. However, he felt his heart ache when he saw how tired she was. “It’s been hard on you.”

“If you love me, you should pray for me to age slowly,” Rayna muttered as she stepped into the car. “Make it so that people might mistake me for your daughter when we’re out together.”

After joining her in the backseat, Curtis playfully pinched her cheeks. “Aren’t you afraid your two daughters would get upset if they hear that?”

“Are you kidding? I’d be more than happy to be their sister!” Rayna exclaimed before kicking off her heels and resting her feet on him. “I’ve been wearing heels for the past two months to make myself look confident and poised. I don’t even think I can feel my legs anymore. Rub my feet for me.”

“Sure,” Curtis instantly replied, giving Rayna a foot massage as he instructed James to drive slower.

James glanced at his sister through the rearview mirror and huffed, “She’s only pretending, Curtis! Can’t you tell? You should’ve seen how she fought with the others at the office. Judging by the speed she was moving around, there’s no way her feet were aching.”

The next second, Rayna angrily picked up a cushion and threw it at James. “Can’t I act coy around my husband? What’s it to you? Follow up with Jeremy about the medicine if you have nothing better to do. You’re getting on my nerves!”

With that, James frowned and remained silent for the rest of the journey.

“By the way, how are the kids? I’ve been away from them for more than two months. Will they not recognize me anymore?” Rayna asked.

“I’m sure they won’t recognize you, but they’ll warm up to you once you’ve spent more time with them,” Curtis reassured as he gently placed a cushion behind his wife. “I’ll take you to the hospital tomorrow when you’ve rested enough.”

“Hospital? What for?”

“Jasmine woke up a month after you left for Yartran. She has since been transferred to the hospital in Norwal City.”

Rayna gasped in disbelief. “Really? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Have you forgotten how busy you were in Yartran? Besides, with Jeremy and Theodore at the hospital, what do we have to worry about?”

Rayna punched him lightly and turned to James. “Forget about going home. Let’s head to the hospital first. Otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Soon, the three of them arrived at the hospital.

Since Theodore was busy with work, he couldn’t be at the hospital daily. Thankfully, Carl could, and Rayna caught him practicing Anglandurn with Jasmine when she walked into the ward.

Meanwhile, Jasmine sat in bed in her hospital gown, looking rosy-cheeked and happy.

Upon seeing Jasmine in the pink of health, Rayna heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. “Hello, Jasmine.”

“Rayna!” Jasmine said excitedly as she held the woman’s hand. “You’ve been through so much, yet you still took such good care of Carl. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Don’t mention it. Carl’s a good boy.”

Carl hastily dragged a chair over and offered it to Rayna. “Please have a seat, my future mother-in- law.”

Naturally, that stunned both Rayna and Jasmine.

The latter was the first to snap out of her daze as she blushed with embarrassment and lightly smacked her son. “My goodness! What was that about? Has Rayna even promised to let you marry her daughter?”

“Yes. I’ve already discussed it with Ms. Rayna even before my wife was born,” Carl asserted. “Isn’t that right, Ms. Rayna?”

Not knowing how to react, Rayna ruffled the boy’s hair. “Yes, but Yellie’s too young. Can you talk about this when she’s older? You’d seem desperate if you keep bringing this up now.”

“Your words aren’t very reassuring, Ms. Rayna!” Carl grumbled before turning to his mother. “Mommy, do you have any precious gifts like a necklace or bracelet? I want to give them to Yellie first and solidify our marriage. Otherwise, Ms. Rayna might toss me aside if she finds a better son-in-law in the future!”

The two women couldn’t help but exchange glances.

“Jasmine, are you sure you brought the right baby home?” Rayna asked. “No matter how I look, Carl’s personality is worlds apart from yours or Theodore’s.”

Jasmine hesitated for a moment before replying, “I don’t think so… Carl looks exactly like Theodore when he was young.”

“Hmm… Aren’t there also many kids who resemble celebrities when they were young?”

“Oh, that’s true.”

Knowing his mother and Rayna were making fun of him, Carl sulked and left the ward to look for Jeremy.

Argh! I’m sure I’ll be able to find someone who can give me something good!

After seeing the boy run out of the ward, Jasmine and Rayna burst into laughter.

The latter then grabbed an apple and began peeling it. “I heard Theodore sent his parents to the countryside as soon as he returned. He has even taken over Old Mr. Xavier’s duties and responsibilities, hasn’t he?”

“I don’t want him to, though. The work’s too exhausting,” Jasmine muttered, sighing as she recalled what Theodore had told her when she woke up. “Once he officially takes over the job, I might only get to see him twice a year. That said, I know the expansion has to go on.”

Rayna handed a slice of apple to Jasmine and pursed her lips. “Mrs. Xavier said she was merely acting on someone else’s advice when she ordered the attack on you. It was never her intention to kill you. I even asked her who the instigator was, but in the end…”

 

 

Chapter 598

However, Jefferson tricked her into leaving with him when she went out with Curtis, and she ended up being gone for months.

Jasmine paused and stared at Rayna as she asked, “Did Curtis not tell you about all that?”

Rayna froze. “Tell me about what?”

Jasmine then told her that Stella was Mathias’ illegitimate daughter and that Arnaud had planted her in Faymon Group’s senior management. She had been spying on them and reporting her findings back to Arnaud.

Stella was also the one behind the duck stew incident in Summerbank. On top of that, she also taught Vivi to mail the perfume sample to Egret Scents, helped Gianna get revenge on Wyatt by driving a wedge between Wyatt and Jessica, and instigated Emma to take Jasmine out.

Despite working for Arnaud, Stella was greedy and wanted even more money. She then used her relationship with Gabriel to obtain Faymon Group’s top secret documents so she could sell them off. She even tried to liquidate the company’s assets.

“However, Stella got pregnant, so Gabriel took the fall for her and went to prison. Curtis decided to lay a little trap for Stella by giving her two percent of Faymon Group’s shares. Little did she know, he was actually baiting her into cashing them out. When she obtained two billion in cash and was preparing to make a run for it, Curtis had his men capture her.”

Rayna was so shocked by the revelation that she just froze up completely.

She did not expect a beautiful woman like Stella to be so cruel and heartless. “I can’t believe she managed to pull all of that off by herself… I can understand her working for Arnaud because she has a

grudge against me, but why would she help Gianna and Mrs. Xavier?”

“She’s Mr. Ziegler’s illegitimate daughter, so you can imagine the kind of life she has been living before this. Her desperate need for money is fueled by her feelings of insecurity and envy toward those who live happy lives. She needs everyone around her to suffer so she can feel better about herself,” Jasmine said with a sneer.

Rayna tightened her grip on the knife and wished she could plunge it into Stella’s throat. “Where is she now?”

“Mr. Tylinski has been working for Curtis for many years. Not wanting to lose such a talented assistant, Curtis ordered his men to keep an eye on Stella. Once she gives birth to her baby, he will decide on her punishment.”

Rayna nodded in agreement after hearing that.

Stella has done a lot of horrible things, but her baby is innocent and should be spared. Who knows? Mr. Tylinski might be able to raise that child to be just as talented as he is!

As Rayna had been working really hard for over two months in Yartran, she was in desperate need of a break. After chatting for about an hour, Curtis knocked on the door and asked to bring her home.

On the way back, Rayna had a disappointed look on her face as she looked out the window and said, “Jasmine has regained consciousness, and yet, we still haven’t heard from Jessie. Her baby is almost due.”

Curtis held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Just because she isn’t in Norwal City doesn’t mean she’s having it rough. I think a certain someone is even more worried about her. I bet he’s losing sleep every night just thinking of her.”

Rayna’s expression turned gloomy the moment she heard that. “Nonsense! He’s having lots of fun every day! He even showed up at Glory and slapped me across the face! Can you believe that?”

“I beat him up for you, didn’t I? He spent three whole days in a hospital bed, remember?” Curtis comforted her with a chuckle.

Curtis didn’t know about Wyatt hitting Rayna until Kristie told him about it. Even though Wyatt didn’t do so on purpose, Curtis still confronted him and beat him up anyway.

He loved Rayna so much that he would never let anyone lay a finger on her, not even his mother.

Rayna shot him a glare and said, “You did, but I’m still mad at him! You know what? I think you should stay away from him. I don’t want you becoming abusive like him!”

“Come on, it’s not that serious—”

Rayna narrowed her eyes. “Do you want your wife and kids or not? Oh, that’s right, I haven’t married you, so I can easily marry someone else!”

Curtis quickly pulled her into his embrace. “You’ll never see him again.”

“That’s more like it,” Rayna said with a smile.

Upon arriving home, Rayna was surprised to see that Kristie and Linda had come over.

Kristie wasn’t able to knit clothes for the babies like Linda, so she bought them electronic baby cradles instead.

“Just so you know, these cradles are custom-made and cost about a hundred thousand each! What do you think of my gift, Rayna?” she asked with a smile while clinging to Rayna’s arm.

“It’s great, but…” Rayna paused and stared at her for a few seconds before continuing, “What do you want from Curtis this time?”

Kristie whispered hesitantly in her ear, “My household registry.”

Despite not being a Faymon, Kristie had been registered as Curtis’ sister under the Faymon family’s household registry. Even so, she had never gotten her hands on her own household registry.

“What do you want it for?” Rayna asked while receiving the cup of coffee that the housekeeper brought her.

“To get married.”

Rayna was so shocked that she choked on the coffee and spilled some on her shirt collar.

“W-Who are you marrying? Samson?” she stammered anxiously as she wiped the coffee off her shirt collar.

Kristie nodded and said excitedly, “I’ve already bought the wedding gown. I want to have kids too!”

She then held Rayna’s hand and shook it as she pleaded with a pout, “Come on, Rayna… Pretty please! I just need you to steal my household registry and secretly give it to me. I’ll return it as soon as I’m done using it. Curt won’t find out! Well? Say something, Rayna! What, you don’t love me anymore?”

“I do, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you out.” Rayna pulled her hand back and tried to change the topic by saying, “We’ll go shopping after lunch, okay?”

Kristie’s heart sank when she heard that. “Rayna, are you siding with Curt? I know Samson is older than me by a few years, but there’s nothing wrong with that, both morally and legally! Why can’t I marry him?”

“That’s not the problem here. It’s…” Unsure of what to say, Rayna had Curtis come over and excused herself to help Linda in the kitchen.

Curtis stared at Kristie with an eyebrow arched. “What is it?”

Fearing that Curtis would react even more strongly than Rayna, Kristie decided not to tell him about her request. “I-It’s nothing! Ah, I think the babies are crying! I’ll go check it out!”

Curtis fell speechless and watched as she took off frantically.

After lunch, Rayna asked Kristie if she would like to go shopping together. Noticing the menacing look in Curtis’ eyes, Kristie turned her invitation down and quickly left with James.

On the drive home, Kristie propped her chin up with one hand and let out a sigh. “Curt and Rayna don’t love me anymore. Life is so depressing…”

James shot her a glance from the driver’s seat. “What happened this time?”

Kristie was about to tell him about her conversation with Rayna earlier but held herself back after giving it some thought. “Forget it. You wouldn’t be able to help me out even if I told you,” She replied with a wave.

Their conversation was interrupted when James’ phone started ringing all of a sudden.

Upon seeing Jeremy’s name on the caller ID, James put on his earphones and answered the call, “What’s up, Jeremy?”

“Have you taken your medication?” Jeremy asked.

“I took it an hour ago, but I haven’t noticed any effects so far,” James replied.

Jeremy flipped through some documents and said after a few seconds, “It was formulated based on the original prescription, so it’ll take about eight hours for you to notice its effects. Let me know if you experience any discomfort.”

“Got it.”

“What were you and Jeremy talking about? Why won’t you let me listen in on the conversation?” Kristie asked the moment he hung up the phone.

 

 

Chapter 599

“It was nothing. He just wanted to know if I was free to help him out with something,” James replied indifferently.

Kristie grabbed his arm and exclaimed with a frown, “Well, you’re not free because you need to keep me company! Jeremy has lots of friends, so why does he keep coming to you for help? Besides, you’ve only just returned from a long trip overseas! Don’t you miss me at all? Don’t you want to stay and cuddle with me?”

James held her hand and flashed her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry; I turned him down. So, what would you like to eat when we get back?”

“Mango pudding!”

“I thought you said you wanted to go on a diet? Shouldn’t you lay off the desserts? They’re quite fattening, you know?”

Kristie pinched him on the arm and said angrily, “I know I talked about going on a diet, but you should never tell me what I can or cannot eat! That’s highly disrespectful!”

“All right, all right, I’m sorry.” James decided to keep quiet to avoid offending her any further.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Kristie said, “I’m so jealous of Rayna! She has a handsome husband and three adorable babies! Her life is practically perfect!”

“Yes, those babies are indeed adorable.”

Kristie then turned around and eyed him from head to toe with a deep frown, only to break into a smile seconds later.

James let out a chuckle when he saw that. “What’s on your mind? What’s with that sudden change in facial expression?”

“Hmph! I’m not telling you!” Kristie replied with a mischievous snort.

She was actually wondering what she would do if their children turned out ugly like him, but then she figured they would probably inherit her good looks anyway.

Wrapping her arms around his, Kristie said, “Make sure to treat me well and spoil me like a princess, okay? I’m the only woman out there who’ll accept a man like you.”

James held her hand up to his mouth and gave it a kiss as he replied, “You have always been my princess, and you always will be. I will spoil you for the rest of our lives.”

Kristie was so caught off guard that she didn’t know what to say in response.

After taking a moment to think about what he said, she got angry and asked, “Wait, are you saying you’re spoiling some other woman in your next life?”

When she didn’t get a response from him, Kristie continued with a pout, “So that’s what you plan on doing! Good thing you’re not as handsome as Curt, then. Otherwise, you’d probably have a ton of wives!”

James looked out the window and brought the car to a halt all of a sudden. Then, without warning, he unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over to give Kristie a passionate kiss that lasted a few minutes.

He gently caressed her blushing cheeks and whispered, “I’ll love you in every life I live, so don’t you worry.”

“Okay…” Kristie nodded shyly.

Noticing that the car was parked in a secluded spot in the underground parking lot, she wrapped her arms around James and nuzzled against his chest.

She then pinned him against his seat and asked, “Want to give it a go?”

James froze for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. “I heard you’ve spent quite a lot of time shopping with Ms. Garland today. After that, you headed over to Curtis’ place to play with the kids. Aren’t you tired?”

“I wasn’t the one carrying the shopping bags, so I’m not tired at all!” Kristie shot him a fierce glare as she continued, “Why are you turning me down? Have you been seeing other women while you were abroad?”

“What are you thinking?”

“You’ve been gone for over two months! I can’t help but get a little worried, you know?” Kristie mumbled with a pout while unbuttoning his shirt.

James grabbed her hands and said, “Hey, cut it out. We can do this after we enter the house.”

“Oh, come on! Just this once! Don’t you find this fun and exciting? This parking spot is pretty secluded, so it’s perfectly safe!” Kristie exclaimed excitedly.

James was speechless at how persistent and sudden her amorous advances were.

The next morning, Kristie was woken up by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

Kristie tried burying her head underneath her pillow, but the sound was so loud that she could still hear it. Eventually, she had no choice but to throw on a T-shirt and open the door.

“Don’t you have a key, Mdm. Lovett?” she asked while still half-asleep.

As Larissa had been looking after her for the past two months, it was only natural for Kristie to assume it was her at the door.

It wasn’t until Kristie rubbed her eyes and saw the person clearly that she realized it was a tall, young man holding something in his hands.

Kristie froze for a few seconds and asked in confusion, “Who are you? Do you have the wrong house or something?”

“Put some slippers on. The floor is really cold in the morning. I forgot to bring my keys when I left the house today,” James said as he placed a pair of slippers next to her before carrying the groceries into the kitchen.

Having finally come to her senses, Kristie turned around and followed him into the kitchen. “Hey! How could you just barge into someone else’s house without asking for permission? Who are you?”

“James Griffith.”

“Huh? James Griffith? Who are—” Kristie mumbled, only to gasp in shock when she recalled who James was.

Isn’t that my ex-boyfriend whom I dumped?

Thinking James had come to confront her for dumping him, Kristie rushed back to her bedroom. “Oh no… This is bad! My ex-boyfriend is back! He looks pretty tough. Do you think you can beat him? Maybe we should pack our stuff and go on a long vacation…” she mumbled anxiously while packing her bags.

When she didn’t get a response, she turned around and saw that the bed was empty.

Huh? Wait a minute… Don’t tell me he abandoned me and ran off on his own!

Kristie was snapped out of her train of thought when James knocked on the door. Leaning against the doorframe, he asked, “What would you like for breakfast?”

“Y-You don’t need to make me breakfast! I’ve already broken up with you! I-It may have been one- sided, but it counts too! Besides, I have a boyfriend now!” Kristie stammered.

James shook his head and let out a helpless chuckle in response. “Where’s your boyfriend, then?”

“He probably went out to buy me breakfast or something! You should go before he comes back! He’ll beat you up if he sees you! Just so you know, he’s really good at fighting!” Kristie replied.

Noticing that he was holding back his laughter, Kristie threw her clothes into her suitcase and yelled angrily, “You don’t believe me? Fine! I’ll give him a call right now and tell him to come beat you up!”

She then pulled out her phone and dialed a number, only to hear a familiar ringtone coming from near the door.

As Kristie looked up, she saw the man waving a phone at her.

Her eyes went wide with shock as she asked, “What have you done to my boyfriend? Did you kill him?”

“Aaah! Give me back my boyfriend! I’ll kill you if you dare hurt him!” Kristie screamed as she lunged at him and clawed at his face.

James frowned as he brushed her off and said, “I’m both Samson and James. You only have one boyfriend, and that person is me. Do you understand?”

“You killed him and stole his identity?” Kristie screamed at the top of her lungs.

“What are you even…” Realizing that it was pointless to argue, he put his voice-changer on and said, “I was helping Jeremy test out some medication, and it altered my appearance.”

Kristie was instantly rendered speechless.

 

 

 

Chapter 600

Seeing Kristie gaping at him, James said, “Why don’t I get the medicine from Jeremy again and consume it before you? Then, you’ll be able to see Samson again a few hours later.”

Kristie didn’t respond.

She finally understood what he was saying around ten minutes later.

She followed him from the bedroom to the kitchen and looked at him as he cooked. Kristie couldn’t help but feel surreal, staring at his muscular arms and chiseled facial features.

Sprawling on the table, she asked him again, “So, this is your original appearance?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you have to change into that look, then? Why didn’t you tell me? I thought you were two different people!”

“Jeremy forbade me from divulging that information.”

“Is Jeremy your god? I’m your girlfriend. How could you keep me in the dark?” Kristie felt depressed for a short while. Suddenly, she stuck her hand into his shirt and groped his body, thinking how great the sensation was.

Her eyes shone. “Wow. Your muscles are more well-defined. This is awesome!”

“Stop touching me.” James couldn’t endure such temptation so early in the morning, so he brushed her hand aside.

However, less than two seconds later, she approached him again and touched him all over.

“You’re better looking in this form, after all.” Kristie no longer felt guilty after knowing the two men she fancied were the same person. She whispered, “Now that you’ve become younger, are there any other aspects of you that improved too?”

After being with her for so long, James could fathom the meaning behind her peculiar questions almost instantaneously.

He turned around and regarded her with a cynical smile. “Are you saying that I haven’t been satisfying you previously?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

He swept her up in his arms and strode toward the bedroom. “We don’t have to go anywhere today anyway, so we’ll have dinner instead when we’re done.”

Kristie was rendered speechless.

Upon returning to the country, Rayna was swamped as before.

Curtis was in charge of handling Faymon Group and its subsidiaries while she managed Glory and Sanders Group. Her schedule was jam-packed almost every day as she had to attend endless meetings while monitoring the progress of a few projects.

Fortunately, the situation at Yartran had stabilized, and Ringo’s presence at Terblanc Group reassured her.

Rayna didn’t have to worry about her three children either, as their nanny and housekeeper took care of them.

Whenever Curtis and Rayna could take a break, they would personally care for their kids and bring them out for an excursion.

Curtis’ heart ached whenever he saw how tired she was. He wanted to bring her on vacation, but she wasn’t in the mood to go on holiday.

One day, Jasmine called Rayna and asked the latter to visit her at the hospital.

When Rayna arrived at the hospital and entered the ward, she noticed a woman sitting beside the bed with her back facing the door. That woman had long hair, and her huge pregnancy bump bulged beneath her clothes. It was apparent that she was close to her due date.

“Rayna.” Jasmine flashed a mysterious smile at Rayna. “Look who’s here.”

Still oblivious to that woman’s identity, Rayna placed the fruit basket on the cabinet and asked cheerily, “Is this your friend?”

Jasmine grinned without saying a word.

The pregnant woman sitting in the chair stood up and turned around to face Rayna. Her facial features were arranged into a warm and gentle smile. “Nana.”

Rayna stared at her in a daze and remained stunned for a long while.

A few minutes later, she finally blinked and reached out to hug the pregnant woman while choking out her words, “You didn’t even call me once in the past few months. How could you be so mean!”

“That’s enough. What’s there to cry about?” Rayna’s reaction prompted Jessica to be on the verge of tears as well. Jessica patted Rayna’s back and said, “I know you’re very busy, so I didn’t want to disturb you. Besides, I’m fine.”

“Still, that is not an excuse for you to keep me worrying.” Rayna helped her to get seated.

Rayna could finally relax and rest assured after feeling worried and losing sleep for a few months.

She crouched down to stroke Jessica’s stomach while smiling dazzlingly. “Are you carrying a boy or a girl?”

“He’s a boy.” Jessica tucked her hair behind her ear and uttered in resignation, “He was so annoying for always kicking me a few months ago and making a ruckus inside my stomach.”

A disappointed look spread across Rayna’s face. “If you were pregnant with a baby girl, I planned to arrange a childhood marriage between my son, Yosef, and your daughter. But that’s all right. He can spend more time playing with Reni in the future.”

Jasmine couldn’t help but pipe up, “You should forget that idea. Judging by Wyatt’s personality, I think…”

The three women fell silent at the same time, then burst out laughing simultaneously.

Jessica caressed her stomach and said helplessly, “I can only try my best, but there’s nothing much I can do if the boy’s character doesn’t resemble mine.”

Jasmine teased, “In that case, there’s really nothing you can do. A child’s personality usually takes after their father.”

Rayna glanced at her and smirked. “That’s enough from you. I don’t think Carl is much better. He’s always staring at Yellie. Has he never seen a girl before?”

Jasmine admitted defeat by raising her hands. “Let’s not speak further of this and change to another topic of discussion. I’m still quite fond of acquiring this daughter-in-law.”

Jessica giggled while covering her mouth.

They chatted inside the ward for the entire morning. Rayna also spared some time to contact Jeremy and asked him to come over.

Jeremy was shocked when he arrived at the hospital and saw Jessica. However, he quickly recollected himself and recommended one of his friends in the obstetrics and gynecology department to examine Jessica’s condition. Rayna waited for her outside the consultation room.

Staring at the consultation room with his arms crossed, Jeremy sighed. “All these guys are getting married and having kids. Even Wyatt is lucky enough to be blessed with a new family. Why am I still single?”

“You’re so busy, so I’m certain you don’t have time to look for a girlfriend.” Rayna was reminded of someone as she smiled. “I have a friend with a work-life balance that may be compatible with yours. Why don’t you try to hit her up?”

Jeremy was momentarily dazed before chirping, “Since when did you establish a matchmaking business?”

“I just don’t want you to still be single when we get married. That’ll be too pathetic.” Rayna took out her phone. “I’ve already sent her contact details to you, but I think she’ll be quite occupied lately.”

Jeremy trusted Rayna’s judgment. He knew he couldn’t be focused on his work all the time, so he accepted her kind gesture.

She kept her phone and asked casually, “How’s Stella?”

Realizing Rayna was informed of that matter, Jeremy decided to come clean. “She’s restless and always thinking of ways to escape, so she’s being kept under watch. She’s pregnant with a baby girl, and the fetal development is well.”

“Mr. Tylinski should be delighted.” Rayna sighed. “Let me know when she’s delivering the baby.”

Jeremy nodded.

It was already past four o’clock in the afternoon when Jessica was done undergoing the thorough prenatal care checkup.

The obstetrician said Jessica’s due date had arrived and hoped she could be hospitalized immediately. As her pelvis was sufficiently wide, and she was in good physical condition, Jessica could just wait for the right time to deliver the baby in the hospital.

Rayna arranged for Jessica to be admitted to the hospital, but the latter didn’t stay. “My due date is here, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be giving birth in these two days. I want to meet with Wyatt.”

“Why do you need to meet with him? I reckon he’s fooling around somewhere!” Rayna had yet to forgive Wyatt for what he did. She uttered coldly, “You should stay in the hospital and wait for the baby to be born!”

Jessica held Rayna’s hand and smiled. “Nana! Let bygones be bygones. I’m fine, aren’t I? Even if I don’t go there, he’ll come here eventually.”

Rayna kept quiet.

Jessica promised her, “After meeting with him, I’ll ask him to send me back to the hospital tomorrow and wait for the baby to be born. Don’t worry.”

Rayna was still furious, but she couldn’t convince Jessica otherwise. In the end, she sent the latter to the club.

The time was around six o’clock in the evening, and the day had yet to turn dark, so there weren’t many customers at the club. Jessica asked the manager about Wyatt’s whereabouts, and after she was informed that he wasn’t there, she told the manager to book a private room for her.

Jessica had been traveling the whole day and had just returned to Norwal City, so she felt exhausted as her body couldn’t handle that much strenuous activity.