Ch. 61..70

Chapter 61 Assassination

“Have the other lookout men not arrived yet?”

“No. From what I heard, they had some issues with their flight route, so they will only arrive at night,” James replied before realizing Curtis was carrying a suitcase. “Are you staying with me, Mr. Faymon?”

Oh, dear, I sure hope not. I’d rather stay with the other lookouts…

Curtis promptly placed the suitcase on the table but didn’t open it. “I just got this from my friend and came to pass it to you. We might have to make some changes to your mission.”

“Does it have to do with the amount of money?”

Even though they were discussing a serious matter, Curtis couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “Why are you so fixated on money? You don’t seem poor to me.”

“Oh, but I am. My sister just got divorced, so I need to support her,” James replied with a shrug. In any case, I bet there’s something good in that suitcase. How I wish I could open it! As long as there’s money on the table, feel free to speak your mind, Mr. Faymon.”

“What does your sister do?”

Upon hearing that, James gave Curtis a guarded look. “That’s a private matter, Mr. Faymon. In all honesty, I hate everyone with the last name Faymon. I wouldn’t be talking to you if it weren’t for the money.”

Alarm bells started ringing in Curtis’ head. However, since James wasn’t keen on elaborating, he decided not to probe further. “The friend I’ve brought along is an important person. Nothing must happen to her. I’d like you to be her security detail throughout our hotel stay. If there are any problems,

take care of them immediately. Gabriel has created new identities for all of you. The hotel staff won’t give anything away, either.”

James nodded. “Okay. How much will we be paid?”

After Curtis rattled off an amount, James managed to keep his cool even though he was shocked beyond belief. “Don’t worry, Mr. Faymon. I’ll make sure to keep all of you safe.”

Later that evening, at half past seven, Gabriel finally brought the four other men to the Machika Park Hotel and introduced them to James.

Out of the group, Cillian and another man had graduated from the same school as James, so it didn’t take long for them to get acquainted with one another.

Shortly after, Gabriel grabbed his luggage and went looking for Rayna.

Since he was still busy with work, Curtis had no choice but to let Gabriel accompany Rayna to the restaurant for dinner.

As they entered the restaurant, James and the rest had just finished their meals and were leaving from the side door. Rayna caught sight of the olive-skinned man in the group and frowned.

Huh? Why does that person look so much like James?

“What’s the matter, Ms. Garland?” Gabriel asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Rayna hastily replied. I spoke with James on the phone only a few hours ago, and he said he was in school. He couldn’t possibly have come all the way here, could he? Besides, if it’s really him, I’m sure he knows he’ll get a good scolding from me!

After dinner, Gabriel had planned on taking Rayna out for a walk to relieve her boredom when Curtis called. Having received his orders, he packed some food instead and made a beeline to Curtis’ room with Rayna.

As it turned out, Curtis was still hard at work, with lips so parched that one could tell he hadn’t drunk any water.

“Take a break first, Mr. Faymon,” Gabriel urged as he placed the food on the table. “I know you’re busy, but you have to eat.”

“All right. Give me a moment.”

Three minutes later, Curtis finally closed his laptop and joined the duo.

“If you’re free at night, help me translate this,” he said while handing a piece of paper to Rayna.

Filled with lines and lines of words, the tattered paper was undoubtedly a sight to behold.

Curious as always, Rayna quickly took a closer look at it. The characters had faded over time, and it was a language she hadn’t seen in a while, but she could still tell that they were Uronian words.

“Are you in a hurry, Mr. Faymon?” she asked. “The words here are very messy, so I’ll need quite a bit of time to translate them.”

“Can you recognize them all?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

As soon as he heard that, Curtis looked visibly relieved. “There’s no hurry. You can take your time with the translation. Just let me know once you’re done.”

“In that case, I shall take my leave first, Mr. Faymon.”

With that, Rayna hurriedly returned to her room with the sheet of paper. After grabbing a notepad and pen, she took a long soak in her bath and began translating.

It had been three years since she had read any Uronian text, and to make matters worse, the words on the paper were an utter mess. All she could do was translate the words individually before piecing them together to form sentences.

Alas, even after what seemed like an eternity, Rayna only managed to translate a dozen or so words.

“Wait a minute… That looks like an address,” she muttered to herself as she reached for her phone and fired up the search engine. At that moment, however, the bathroom suddenly plunged into darkness, leaving Rayna wide-eyed and speechless.

Just then, the sound of footsteps rang out from outside.

Rayna instantly stiffened, unable to shake off the feeling of impending doom. Afraid that the screen light might give her location away, she hastily turned off her phone and crept out of the bathtub.

There are surveillance cameras everywhere along the hotel corridors, aren’t there? How did this person still manage to sneak in?

As Rayna cowered in the corner with a towel over her, she urgently searched for Gabriel’s number and put a call through. At the same time, the footsteps also seemed to be inching closer to the bathroom, much to her horror.

Thanks to a glass window in the bathroom that offered some illumination, Rayna’s vision slowly adjusted till she could vaguely make out everything around her that someone was turning the doorknob.

Even though the call had gone through, she was so scared to make any noise that she merely turned down the volume and placed the phone on the floor with the towel.

The next second, the bathroom door opened, and a dark figure stepped in. All Rayna could feel was the menacing aura that turned her blood cold, forcing her to stay frozen in her spot.

Oh my goodness. That guy looks massive! He could probably choke me to death with one hand. How am I supposed to escape? Damn it. It’s all Roxanne’s fault! If she hadn’t stolen the cufflink, none of this would happen! I can’t believe I’ve been thrown into a situation that’s straight out of a television drama!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Needless to say, Rayna’s heart was pounding. She could see the dark figure looking around the bathroom seemingly searching for her.

Oh, dear. He’s at least six feet tall. That’s big!

As soon as the intruder turned his head away, Rayna decided to take action. She threw an object at him and ran toward the light coming from outside.

Thanks to the undrawn curtains on the balcony, the entire room was brightly lit by the moonlight.

Rayna managed to dodge the room furniture and stumbled toward the door. Alas, she was about to reach for the handle when someone grabbed her by the hair and held her in a chokehold.

The more she felt herself suffocating, the more she struggled. However, the man was so tall that she couldn’t even hit his face. Worst of all, she couldn’t pry his tight grip off, either.

Help!

Overwhelmed with fear and despair, Rayna felt like a fish that had been washed ashore and left to die. Slowly but surely, her consciousness started to fade.

Suddenly, someone kicked the room door, prompting the intruder to tighten his hold around Rayna’s neck. The next second, another kick sent the door flying open.

As the light illuminated the room, Curtis saw the intruder choking Rayna. The latter, however, had stopped struggling.

In that instant, his heart almost jumped out of his chest.

Without further ado, Curtis dashed into the room and landed a powerful kick to the man’s head. Everything happened so fast that the latter couldn’t block the attack, and his vision went black for a few seconds.

Using that opportunity, Curtis quickly grabbed Rayna’s arm and pulled her into his arms.

Before the intruder could react, Curtis kicked him again, this time with even more force. Then, as the man stumbled backward, Curtis ran out of the room with Rayna, only to bump into Gabriel.

“I’m sure he won’t come out of the room. He’ll escape through the window instead. Call Gray Wolf!” Curtis ordered while putting Rayna on the floor.

Upon checking her pulse and realizing her breathing was getting weaker by the second, he jumped right into providing first aid.

Gabriel, on the other hand, hurriedly took out his phone.

Chapter 62 Sniping

Nearly a minute later, Rayna’s breathing was still weak, and the vivid red strangulation mark on her neck was a ghastly sight. Curtis’ expression grew grimmer, and he could no longer maintain his composure.

Gabriel happened to still be in the room when Rayna called. He answered the call and murmured about how Rayna was silent.

Curtis felt something was wrong and took the phone from Gabriel. He heard something fall and instantly realized something was amiss. Immediately, he rushed to kick open Rayna’s door.

“Rayna, wake up!” Curtis patted her pale and cold cheek, which made his fingers tremble.

He did not want something bad to happen to her just because she was helping him with work.

Curtis patted Rayna’s cheek continuously. Just then, Rayna violently coughed once. Although she did not open her eyes, her breathing gradually returned to normal.

Curtis finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, James learned from Gabriel’s call about the assassination of Rayna. He was greatly surprised because he did not expect the assailant to enter the room so boldly.

Gabriel also told him that the assailant had used the balcony to escape when he entered Rayna’s room. He had rushed over, only to catch a glimpse of the assailant’s clothes and height, which was taller than average.

James ordered two people to guard the front and back entrances of the hotel. Another person was to check the emergency stairs while he and Cillian carried the equipment to the rooftop. They quickly

assembled the pieces and equipped their rifles with silencers.

“How about we wait for a while first?” Cillian scratched the back of his head. “The street is packed. What if we shoot someone else if the assailant blends into the crowd?”

“That’s not possible.” James’ tone was firm, and he bent down after finding a suitable spot. “I won’t be able to face anyone if he escapes.”

Confused, Cillian questioned, “What do the assailant’s life and death have to do with you not being able to face anyone?”

It has a lot to do with me! This is the job that pays me the highest since graduation. I also assured Mr. Faymon that I wouldn’t let this guy slip past me. If the assailant really escapes, I won’t be able to face Mr. Faymon.

James could not be bothered to explain this to Cillian as he did not have that time. He used the lens of his rifle to observe the situation downstairs.

Cillian leaned nearer to James. He was still rambling about how the assailant would not be able to escape. Yet, in the next instant, a figure walked out from the corner of the hotel.

He was a tall man that matched Gabriel’s description in terms of both appearance and attire.

“He must have used the pipes since he didn’t go through the front and back doors,” Cillian stated. His expression grew more serious when he saw the assailant blending into the crowd.

James saw that as well through the lens of his rifle.

The man seemed prepared for a sniper ambush, as he used a woman holding a child to obstruct their line of sight. There was a cold smirk on his face, and he was confident he would get out of this situation alive.

James chuckled coldly as well, which made Cillian’s hair stand on end.

“Let’s not—” Before Cillian could finish his words, he saw James’ shoulders shake due to the strong recoil of his rifle.

In just two seconds, the tall man collapsed to the ground. The people beside him were startled as blood began staining his clothes.

“Did you get him?” Cillian’s gaze fell on James, and his jaw dropped. “We both can snipe and come from the same school. Why do I feel that the difference between us is so huge?”

I would never dare to snipe when there are so many people near my target for fear of hitting someone else. However, he managed to eliminate someone with a single shot without fear.

“You’re just terrible,” James responded. He swiftly disassembled the weapon and placed the pieces in his leather case.

Cillian was rendered speechless.

When they were heading downstairs, James’ phone rang.

I shouldn’t have turned on my data roaming. James was annoyed when he saw the caller ID. The calls came in persistently after he rejected them twice, prompting him to answer the call in irritation.

“How dare you hang up on me, Gray Wolf?” Kristie screamed. “You even hang up on me twice! You ought to know your place. I’m your master!”

James answered icily, “Ms. Winton, my employer is Mr. Tylinski. I’ve been given the task of protecting you. Besides, I’ve told you that I will be following Mr. Faymon’s orders in these coming days.”

“How long are you going to take? I’m dying of hunger!” Kristie complained. “Why do you have to go when Curt has so many people? You’re clearly my bodyguard.”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, ask them. I’ll die of hunger if you don’t come back.”

“You can order takeaway.” James’ response was succinct. Since he was not her personal chef, he felt irritated about having to cook meals for her. “Ms. Winton, you can die of hunger if you refuse to eat.”

Kristie shrieked, “What? You b*stard! How dare you ask me to starve to death? I’m going to complain to Curt and ask for you to be replaced!”

“Why, thank you, then, Ms. Winton.” With that, he hung up.

Cillian piped up, “Is she that little princess from Mr. Faymon’s company?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow! You’re truly a man. We don’t even dare to upset her for fear of being assigned to be her bodyguard. You’re brave to talk to her like that!” Cillian patted James’ back.

“What’s there to fear when she’s not the one paying my salary? Her princess syndrome causes her to believe that everyone must obey her instructions. She must be insane.”

Having spent a long time with Kristie, James felt that he could tolerate Roxanne.

It doesn’t matter if she complains about me to Mr. Faymon. I can make at least seven figures on my trip this time, and I will no longer need to be her bodyguard.

They went down from the rooftop to Curtis’ place. At that moment, Curtis and Gabriel were standing in the living room. A doctor and nurse closed the door behind them, having just exited the bedroom.

“Mr. Faymon, the condition of the young lady has stabilized. She’s fine now. However, she seems to be in shock and needs to take medication and good rest for a few days.”

Curtis nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Soon after the doctor and nurse left the room, James and Cillian entered.

“Mr. Faymon, it was a mistake on my part for the assailant to injure her. I will accept any punishment.” James stood straight, exuding quite the presence despite his young age.

“I don’t blame you. I didn’t anticipate it either. Where’s the assailant?” Curtis asked.

“I shot him down.”

Curtis looked better when he learned that James had killed the assailant.

It’s better for that man to die than to escape.

“Mr. Faymon, Gray Wolf is really amazing. I graduated earlier than him, but I’m not as skilled as him. He dared to fire his rifle when there was a crowd and even hit the bullseye.”

“I selected him from a bunch of people, so of course he’s competent. Gray Wolf was ranked in the top five in the entire school. Did you slack through your school days?” Gabriel mocked as he pushed up his glasses.

Cillian was purple with rage. “Gabriel, you’ve gone too far. Even though I’m not as talented as Gray Wolf, I put a lot of effort into getting admitted to the school. I was ranked in the hundreds.”

“What’s there to be proud of when your ranking is in the hundreds?” The look on Gabriel’s face was one of disdain.

Cillian was at a loss for words.

 

Chapter 63 Because I Trust You

“You did pretty well this time,” Curtis praised benevolently. “You guys must be tired, so go home and get some rest. Have someone else take over your shifts.”

“I’ll stay here and watch over her, Mr. Faymon.” James chose not to leave. “She got hurt because I was negligent, and I fear there might still be other accomplices hiding around inside the hotel.”

Curtis’ eyes flashed briefly at that, but he quickly responded, “You’ve already taken the guy down, so there’s no need to feel guilty anymore. Go on home. I can manage on my own for now, but I’ll be needing your help quite a bit in the next few days to come.”

Seeing how insistent the man was, James had no choice but to leave with Cillian.

The room fell into silence right after they exited.

Curtis stood there pondering over something before picking up his phone from the table, walking to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and dialing a number.

The call went through almost immediately.

“What can I help you with, Curtis?” A woman’s gentle, soothing voice rang out from across the line.

“Sorry to bother you at this hour.” Curtis gazed out the window and at the view with a blank expression. “My dad said he hadn’t seen you for a long time. Are you still in Saintnam, Aunt Sienna?”

“That’s right. I’ve been rather busy,” Sienna answered. “I might have to be here for one or two months.”

“You sure are working hard. Will you be back for our huge family gathering?”

“We’ll see about that. I’ll try to make it.”

“Okay. Let me know if you do come back. I’ll pick you up myself.”

Sienna chuckled. “You’re being too courteous, Curtis! We’re family, are we not? I know you have so much to do at Faymon Group. There’s no way I’d let such a busy man like you come and get me.”

The man curled his lips frostily, albeit still sounding warm. “It’s precise because we’re family that I have to fetch you personally. Besides, you’re my aunt and also my dad’s favorite sister.”

“Okay, then. I’ll talk to you when the time comes.”

“Sure. Well, then, I shan’t bother you anymore.”

The call lasted only five minutes. Curtis stared out the window while clutching his phone.

Gabriel stood nearby silently. It was as though no one was there.

After about ten minutes, Curtis turned to him expressionlessly. “What is my aunt doing in Saintnam?”

Gabriel adjusted his glasses. “It has something to do with a collaboration with Imperial Corporation. Also, she’s withdrawn two hundred and thirty million to invest in Jade Group, the current biggest enterprise in Saintnam. She’s now the second-largest shareholder.”

“Jade Group owns the biggest tobacco company in the world. They also sell these things in secret. The profits are huge, so she’s pretty smart to have chosen them.” Curtis raised an eyebrow and sneered. “But both her companies in Spaunia and Boguia have already shut down, and her ex-lover ran away with two hundred million. Where did she get the funds to invest in Jade Group?”

“You may have been too busy to hear that Mr. Jared’s getting a promotion,” Gabriel said. “There are some people trying to butter him up by sending him gifts and cash, but he never accepted anything from them. They gave all that money to Ms. Sienna instead.”

Curtis snorted upon hearing that. “My aunt may seem intelligent, but she’s clearly not the brightest bulb around, huh? Doesn’t she realize that playing dirty with me will only make things difficult for her son?”

“Ms. Sienna’s always been reckless with money, so she must have become desperate after running out of it and losing her lover.” Gabriel had a helpless expression on his face too. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gathered all that intel from her informants and asked her foster son’s wife to talk to Ms. Garland. Besides, look at how worked up she got when the negotiations fell through.”

Curtis tapped a finger against his thigh. “Send a few men from Lostaria to Saintnam. Talk to them beforehand and have them secretly get Sienna to withdraw her capital. If they refuse, do whatever needs to be done. Theodore doesn’t involve himself in the military, but he has lots of connections. Let him know about this, so he can get people to make sure Jared doesn’t get promoted for the next five years. In fact, it’d be best if they could relocate him to the western region.”

The man glanced at the bedroom with hostility before continuing, “One billion’s too much for her to handle, and she’s going to have to pay the price for trying to hurt what’s mine.”

“Understood,” Gabriel replied eagerly.

All this while, Curtis would turn a blind eye to all the antics Sienna had been up to just because they were family. This time, however, she had evidently crossed the line.

Gabriel couldn’t help but fawn over how handsome his boss was now.

Rayna felt an intense pain in her throat and on her neck when she woke up.

She scanned her surroundings. The windows indicated it was daytime, and the bedroom was about the same size as the suite she lived in, but this wasn’t her room. There was also someone else inside here apart from her.

Curtis was dressed in a set of cotton pajamas as he sat cross-legged on a chair. He looked particularly elegant, sleeping with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

I’m still alive?

Rayna tried to sit up but didn’t have the strength. With much effort, she lifted her hair to touch her neck, only to inhale sharply and grit her teeth in pain as her fingers came into contact with her skin.

Yup. I’m alive.

Being the light sleeper he was, Curtis opened his eyes as soon as he heard Rayna gasp. He got up, walked toward the bed, and helped her out, placing a pillow behind her waist for support.

“Are you all right, Ms. Garland?” he asked after pouring her a glass of water.

Rayna wanted to say that her neck hurt, but the words wouldn’t come out. She could only point to her neck and glare at the man while snatching the glass from him.

The reason someone had broken into her suite was obvious; it definitely had something to do with the collaboration project.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Garland. I was negligent.” Curtis dragged the chair over and sat down next to the bed. He truly felt guilty over Rayna having nearly been assassinated.

Rayna continued to gnash her teeth and rummage around.

After locating her phone, she typed on it furiously and showed him the screen: I was nearly killed, Mr. Faymon! Do you think just saying sorry is going to cut it?

“You’re right, Ms. Garland. An apology certainly isn’t enough,” the man said before taking out a document he had long prepared. It was the contract he had gotten Roxanne to sign back then.

“This is the original copy, Ms. Garland. Feel free to keep it or destroy it. Not only that, but I’ll promise you three things. I’ll compensate you as much as I can, whether it’s about money, your job position, or your accommodation.”

Rayna glanced at him dubiously and took the document.

It really is the contract Roxanne signed. Seeing this made her think about all the situations Curtis had created. I wouldn’t have come to Tyrandas if it weren’t for him, and I certainly wouldn’t have nearly died either!

With that in mind, the woman ripped every page of the documents into shreds. She felt relieved after doing so. However, turning to Curtis, he noticed how calm he appeared.

I just destroyed the document. Isn’t he nervous?

She typed on her phone again: I just tore up the contract, Mr. Faymon. Aren’t you worried I’d find a chance to run back home instead of helping you with the project negotiations?

The man glanced at her screen and curled his lips. “Nope,” he answered confidently.

 

Chapter 64 Schrodinger

Rayna was speechless.

After throwing her a glance, Curtis continued, “I believe you’re not the disloyal type of person. That said, I can’t stop you if you insist on leaving. Take this as a token of my apology.” Curtis placed a thick wad of cash on the bedside table. “It’s not a lot, but there’s eight thousand and eight there, which is enough for you to purchase a flight ticket.”

Rayna was stunned by the sight of the money. It wasn’t until more than ten seconds had passed that she regained her senses. Cheeks burning, she trembled to the extent of almost dropping the glass in her hand.

This is too much! After that outrageous night, I left eight hundred and eighty-eight for him. And now, he is leaving me tenfold the amount just to remind me of that fateful night. What a jerk!

“Ms. Garland, your glass is empty.” Curtis was amused to see Rayna bring the empty glass to her lips. He took it from her hand and poured her some water.

Rayna bit her lip in exasperation.

I shouldn’t have thrown myself into Uncle Curtis’ arms. Now I’m trapped.

After handing the glass back to Rayna, Curtis—pretending to be concerned—asked, “Ms. Garland, you look terrible. Are you not feeling well? Do you need me to get the doctor?”

Rayna took a deep breath to suppress the frustration in her heart. She began typing on her phone before showing it to him: I’m fine. Thank you for your concern. I’ll help you finish the negotiations before going back home.

“What a shame. I was planning to get Mr. Tylinski to accompany you back.” Curtis’ lips curled into a smile. “But since you insist, I appreciate the passion you have for your work.”

Rayna thought, And there I was, thinking about how gentle Uncle Curtis was when he spoiled Kristie to the extent of being envious of her. It’s clear to me now that he’s actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Due to how busy he was, Curtis gave Gabriel a call after Rayna had awoken. He then returned to his work, concentrating on the computer in front of him.

Rayna didn’t disturb him.

Around ten in the morning, Gabriel arrived with a bag of supplements together with a doctor.

As Rayna allowed the doctor to examine her, she learned from his interaction with Gabriel that she had been unconscious for the entire day and had only awoken in the morning. Curtis had stayed by her side the whole time. Because of the grievous injury to her neck and voice box, she couldn’t speak for the time being and needed to be treated with medication.

When Rayna glanced at Curtis at his desk, she saw him in his usual cotton outfit. Despite the exhaustion on his face, his focus on his work was unwavering.

Just a while ago, she had been wondering why Curtis was sleeping on the chair beside her when she woke up. It turned out that he had been watching over her the entire time she was out.

After the doctor was gone, Rayna typed on her phone and showed it to Gabriel: Mr. Tylinski, was the intruder that night someone related to the collaboration?

Gabriel nodded. Now that they were in Tyrandas, he didn’t see the need to hide the truth from her. Leaning toward her, he whispered, “Do you still remember running into Astrid at Grasim Hotel?”

His words shocked Rayna.

She wrote: You saw us?

“I was coincidentally walking my clients out. Although you were married to Mr. Julian back then, you barely knew Shawn and his wife. So why did Astrid come to see you out of nowhere?

“Ms. Garland, I’m sure you’re well aware that Shawn is Ms. Sienna’s adopted son even though she doesn’t recognize him as such. All this while, Shawn has been trying to please her to earn her acknowledgment so that he is eligible to inherit Old Mr. Faymon’s assets.”

Rayna had known the purpose of Astrid’s visit when the latter went to see her back then. In that instant, Rayna linked the assassination to the encounter.

With a grim look on her face, she typed: Ms. Sienna knew that I know Uronian and wanted me to help her negotiate the deal, but I rejected her in the end. I never expected her to be this ruthless.

No wonder Astrid warned me not to help Curtis after I turned Ms. Sienna down. Otherwise, my life would be in danger. It turns out that Ms. Sienna wants to eliminate me for refusing her.

Sienna’s style was similar to that of Jefferson. Whatever they couldn’t obtain for themselves, they would make sure to destroy it so that no one else could have them.

Gabriel replied, “Ms. Sienna might not work in Faymon Group, but she has planted her spies in there. That must be how she found out about your knowledge of Uronian.”

Rayna pursed her lips.

I knew it! My gut feeling back then was right. This was nothing but trouble from the get-go. It’s all my sister’s fault for being stupid and greedy.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Garland. This incident will never be repeated,” Gabriel reassured. “We have brought skilled snipers to protect you round the clock. They killed the intruder who fled after attacking you.”

Given that the people Rayna usually interacted with were on the right side of the law, she was stunned by Gabriel’s words. She typed: Isn’t it against the law to kill someone?”

Gabriel adjusted his spectacles. “We have all sorts of licenses, so it isn’t illegal. Besides, the opposing party would be asking for trouble if they were to raise this with the authorities.”

Wiping away her sweat, Rayna decided to keep her distance from Curtis once the partnership had been negotiated.

As a good citizen, the last thing she wanted was to get into trouble.

Cognizant that Rayna was bored, Gabriel stayed back to chat with her. Occasionally, he would also help Curtis with his documents.

Gabriel told Rayna that his Ragdoll cat was pregnant and would be giving birth to some kittens. When he asked her if she wanted one, Rayna agreed without hesitation.

She had always liked furry pets. It was just that after getting married, she had been too busy to keep them. Now that she was divorced and Jessica was her only companion at home, she figured having a cat would cheer the place up.

When Rayna learned that his cat was named Elizabeth, she laughed till her sides ached. She typed: You’re a genius at naming pets. What should I call the one that I’m going to adopt?

After pondering briefly, Gabriel replied, “If it’s a male, call it Schrödinger. The name itself is music to my ears. Unfortunately, my cat is a female, so I couldn’t call it that.”

Rayna: If Schrödinger gets wind of it, he will turn in his grave.

“It’s just a name. If he fancies it, he can name his cat after me too.”

When Curtis heard how loudly they were bantering, he gave them the side-eye. The sight of them sharing hearty laughter elicited a furrow from his brows.

How annoying.

“Gabriel,” Curtis called out in a solemn tone, “Ms. Garland has just woken up and needs rest. If you have nothing better to do, clear my mailbox for me.”

“Yes, Mr. Faymon.” Now that Curtis had put his foot down, Gabriel didn’t dare continue the idle chatter. Without a moment’s delay, he whipped out his laptop and got to work.

With boredom setting in again, Rayna shot Curtis a glare as she took a big frustrated bite of the apple she was holding.

You didn’t mind ordering me around, so what’s the big deal about letting your subordinate chat with me? This is an obvious case of double standards!

 

Chapter 65 Accidentally Pulling Down His Pants

Upon noticing the intruder that night, Rayna—under desperate circumstances—had hidden the translated address in the pocket of her bathrobe. She sent Gabriel to the room to retrieve it.

Soon, Gabriel returned with the paper containing her translation in his hand.

Despite Rayna’s inability to stand, her arms were capable of moving freely. Sprawled on the desk in front of her, she finished translating the Uronian words and wrote them on the paper in front of her.

When the results clearly showed an address, she whipped out her phone to do a quick search. The place was extremely remote, albeit trackable by satellite.

“Mr. Faymon, here’s the translation.” Rayna handed Curtis the paper when he came over. “However, it’s located someplace secluded. It’s more than a hundred kilometers from the city center.”

I wonder what an isolated place like that could have that’s worth a billion…

Curtis studied the paper in silence.

“Give them a call, and tell them to be prepared.” A long while later, he finally handed the paper to Gabriel. “We’ll set off once Ms. Garland has fully recovered.”

Rayna pouted at his words.

I hope to recover as soon as possible too. Not being able to speak is such a pain.

In the afternoon, Gabriel went out for work, leaving Rayna and Curtis alone in the room. One was busy with work, while the other was playing with her phone and eating.

Silence reigned in the room until Rayna felt that her bladder was full.

I need to pee.

Feeling awkward, she tried to get out of bed but was hindered by her unresponsive legs. I was strangled, so why are my legs affected?

“What is it?” Exhausted from work, Curtis was massaging his forehead when he caught a glimpse of Rayna, who was struggling to get out of bed. A thought popped into his head, and he asked, “Are you trying to go to the bathroom?”

Rayna felt even more embarrassed.

Curtis walked over to her and carried her in his arms before she had the chance to react.

Her cheeks burning and legs dangling in the air, Rayna had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck. Her inability to voice her protest increased the awkwardness and panic she felt.

Sensing her inhibition, Curtis said, “It’s fine. I don’t mind. You were hurt under my watch. I should take responsibility. Anyway, this is no big deal.”

Rayna was speechless.

Uncle Curtis, you may not mind, but I do!

After carrying Rayna into the bathroom, Curtis brought her the wooden coat stand, which she could use to support herself. By the time he closed the door attentively behind him, Rayna’s face was flaming red.

All of a sudden, the urge to pee was gone.

Nevertheless, she finally succeeded in easing herself after attempting for a long while. Even though she had the support of her walking stick, walking to wash her hands felt as if she was trudging through mud. It took such a heavy toll on her that her entire head was covered in sweat.

Consequently, she gave up on making her own way out and resigned herself to being carried.

After staggering two steps forward, Rayna lost her balance while opening the door, causing her body to be thrown forward. Meanwhile, Curtis, who was on the phone, didn’t expect her to come out so suddenly.

Before he could catch her in time, Rayna fell forward and grabbed his cotton pants, pulling them down to expose his underwear.

Curtis couldn’t help but gasp.

Despite landing on the luxurious carpet, Rayna felt an excruciating pain shooting through her chest and elbows. While she was in agony, she realized she was holding tightly onto something.

Just as she wondered why the walking stick felt so soft, she noticed a pair of pants pulled down to someone’s ankle. The pair of muscular calves right in front of her eyes caused her to freeze instantly.

This belongs to…

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she looked up daringly and was greeted by a pair of long legs that led to a pair of black underwear hanging by the hips. The bump in the middle of it couldn’t be more obvious.

The silence that ensued was broken by a crack of the door that heralded Gabriel’s entry. He reported, “Mr. Faymon, Old Mr. Faymon couldn’t get through to your phone and wants you to—”

Gabriel stopped mid-sentence as the scene in the bathroom came into his view. Stopping in his tracks, he instantly realized the inappropriateness of his presence.

“I’m sorry.” A few seconds later, he cordially shut the door behind him.

No sooner had Rayna regained her senses than she released her grip as if she was dropping a hot potato. Gesturing for Curtis to pull up his pants, she—cheeks blushing hard—averted her gaze to look awkwardly at the motifs of the carpet.

At that moment, she desperately wished for the ground to swallow her whole.

“Ms. Garland, I’ve never seen someone as dumb as you are.” With his phone sandwiched between his ear and shoulder, Curtis pulled his pants back up, covering his long legs and underwear.

After she had repeated a mistake similar to what had happened in his home, he began to have serious doubts about her mental capacity.

“Who? Is it Rayna?” Due to how quiet the room was, Kristie’s voice could be heard from the phone even though it wasn’t on speaker.

“Curt, what did Rayna do to you? Did she throw herself into your arms… God! I knew she was a vixen all along! Curt, of all the people by your side, why did you have to take her on your trip… Curt, you’re not allowed to like her. I forbid it! Do you hear me?”

Temper flaring, Kristie rattled on like a machine gun, causing everyone’s ears to ring. She couldn’t help giving Rayna an earful through her gritted teeth.

“She didn’t do anything to me. She just fell down by accident.” The sullen look on Curtis’ face was a testament to the irritation he felt. “You should go back to filming. There are still things I need to take care of.”

“Curt, you don’t care about me anymore. You have barely spoken to me and now you want to end the call.” Feeling aggrieved, Kristie was on the brink of tears. “After you took Gray Wolf with you, there’s no

one to cook and wait on me. How do you expect me to continue filming when I’m in such a bad mood? Just the thought of Rayna by your side makes me feel worse!”

“I need Gray Wolf here. Once he’s done, I’ll send him back.”

“How long more will it take?”

“A week at most.” Curtis rubbed his forehead, his patience wearing thin. “All right now. If you feel like eating anything, get the assistant to buy it. I need to go back to work.”

Knowing Curtis’ temper, Kristie knew when not to cross the line. She said aggrievedly, “In that case, you have to promise me not to let her take advantage of you, including touching your hand.”

“Fine. I’m hanging up now.”

By the time Curtis ended the call, Rayna had gotten back to her feet with the help of her walking stick. Her lips were twitching as she had overheard the entire conversation.

The fear of Kristie tearing her apart upon her return began creeping into her slowly.

“Can you walk?” After the earlier incident, Curtis, too, was inhibited by his embarrassment. Suppressing the urge to carry her back to bed, he ended up asking her about it first.

Rayna responded with a nod. Nonetheless, despite her best efforts, she could hardly move a step. Unable to tolerate the sight any longer, Curtis rang up one of the female staff to help her.

Soon, Gabriel returned to the room.

His gaze would still shift between Rayna and Curtis. Embarrassed by the suspicious look he was giving her, Rayna pulled him aside.

She typed: Mr. Tylinski, don’t let your imagination run wild. While coming out of the bathroom, I slipped and fell on Mr. Faymon, causing the embarrassing scene earlier.

“Mm-hmm. I’m not overthinking anything.” Despite expressing his understanding, Gabriel snuck Curtis a glance. “That said, you should consider him. After all, he’s good-looking, rich, and coveted by half of Norwal City’s women.”

His words brought a grim expression upon Rayna’s face.

What’s Mr. Tylinski trying to say? I was just clarifying the earlier situation. Besides, Julian and I just got divorced. If Curtis and I were to have a relationship, the Faymon family would probably kill me.

 

Chapter 66 Binoculars

Rayna took medicine on time every day, and soon, her body gradually recovered. She could now get out of bed and walk normally.

She had hurt her vocal cords when the opponent struck her neck, so it would take a long time before she fully recovered. Rayna wasn’t in a hurry, anyway. She thought it was good enough as long as she could go to the bathroom by herself.

Over the past few days, she had hardly been out of the suite, and neither had Curtis. Their food was delivered by the hotel waiter. During the day, Curtis would ask Rayna to help when he was doing his work.

At night, the two shared a bedroom. Rayna slept on the bed while Curtis slept on the chair, guarding the former closely.

Rayna was the one who felt the most awkward.

Whenever she was with Curtis during this time, she couldn’t help but recall the scene where he took off his pants that day. It was too embarrassing. She had mentioned that she wanted to go back to her room, but Curtis said it was not safe.

When Rayna finally finished going through the documents, she looked up and looked out the full-length window. The sun had already set.

She counted and realized that she had been in this room for five days since she had woken up!

Behind the desk next to her, the man was still busy with his work. His long cotton sleeves were rolled up to reveal his strong arms. He was concentrating on the document in his hand, looking composed.

Rayna propped her chin on her palm while staring at Curtis.

She had to admit that Curtis was really an outstanding man. He was excellent in every respect, whether it was his appearance or his talent. It was said that Curtis graduated with a double degree. He was, for sure, an overachiever.

Among the affluent CEOs she had come into contact with, all of them were either over fifty or sixty years old or had a potbelly. It was rare to meet someone like Curtis, who was shrewd, capable, and talented.

How can such a good man’s marriage be so miserable?

Rayna was dumbfounded when she thought back to Jessica’s analysis of Curtis. A man like Curtis should be the one who was picky about women. There was no way he was lacking a candidate to marry.

The orange sunset glow came in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and shrouded the man. Rayna stared at his side profile in a daze, and slowly, the handsome face overlapped with another face in her memory.

Startled, she immediately straightened up her body. The figure in her mind disappeared as if everything was her illusion.

“What’s wrong?” Seemingly disturbed by Rayna’s actions, Curtis turned his head to look over.

Uncle Curtis, y-your face…

Rayna pointed at him and was just about to say that they looked alike when her thought was cut off and she suddenly forgot who she was thinking of a moment ago. Besides, her vocal cords were not healed yet, so she couldn’t mutter a sound at all.

Curtis reached out to touch his face and asked with a frown, “Is there something on my face?”

Rayna shook her head. She hit her head and tried her best to think, but she just couldn’t remember. The way she hit her head was hilarious in Curtis’ eyes.

“Ms. Garland, stop hitting your head already.” Seeing that it was time to eat, Curtis closed the lid of the laptop and stood up. He looked at Rayna and said slyly, “You’re already not smart enough.”

Rayna was lost for words.

Displeased, she walked up to Curtis while typing: Uncle Curtis, please be more careful next time when you speak. After all, you still need to rely on me, someone who is not that smart, for the negotiations.

“Ms. Garland, I’m not even thirty yet, and the title you put on me makes me sound like I’m older.” In the past, he could tolerate Rayna addressing him as Uncle Curtis, but now, it made him feel older than he was.

Curtis picked up the coat on the chair casually and glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “Get dressed. I’ll take you downstairs to the restaurant for dinner today.”

Rayna had been indoors for the past few days. She valued comfort and basically wore pajamas all the time. She was in her blooming twenties, and Curtis couldn’t help but be enchanted by her rosy cheeks.

Enchanted by her rosy cheeks?

Curtis quickly walked away. He rubbed his temples and thought that he must be overthinking.

Compared to Kristie’s, Rayna’s looks were not superior. It was just that her temperament was extraordinary. It was probably because the two of them had spent so much time together recently that he found Rayna attractive.

Rayna hadn’t gone out for many days. When she heard Curtis say that they would have dinner at the restaurant tonight, she didn’t bother to argue with him anymore and hurried back to her room to change. Then she followed him out.

Tyrandas was celebrating a local festival that day.

The hotel offered them a thirty percent discount for today’s and tomorrow’s stays. The huge swimming pool at the back of the hotel was also open today. There was a path leading directly from the restaurant to the swimming pool. Many guests chose to go swimming after eating in the restaurant, and the usual quiet restaurant was filled with many people.

Rayna was sitting in a position where she could see the huge swimming pool in the distance. That was the largest swimming pool she had ever seen in the hotels she had stayed in. It is so luxurious! Wow, they even have a swimming float!

Rayna watched the tourists below having fun, her whole face almost plastered to the glass. She wanted so much to go down to play. After watching for a while, she turned back to look at Curtis.

After the thrilling assassination that night, Curtis had stayed by her side at all times. She didn’t dare to go out as well, but it was rare to come across such a luxurious swimming pool. She really wanted to play.

It should be fine, right?

After Curtis replied to the WhatsApp message of a certain boss, Rayna immediately showed him her phone with a message that read: Mr. Faymon, the swimming pool below is open. I want to go play, can I?

Curtis looked out the glass, and indeed, there was a swimming pool not far away. However, the place was packed and filled with people who were no different from those tourists playing with water guns on the beach. He frowned.

“Ms. Garland, there are a lot of people and the place is full of bacteria,” Curtis said. He didn’t like crowds. “You can swim in the swimming pool in the suite.”

Rayna was rendered speechless.

Curtis was quite a clean freak.

Rayna typed: Mr. Faymon, we’re constantly in contact with bacteria. They are everywhere. You can find them in the air we breathe and on the armrest we hold every day. Humans have a strong immune system; we won’t get infected by a few bacteria. Besides, what’s the matter if I just go for a swim? I won’t even have any real contact with others.

“If you really insist, then go.” He realized he had been treating Rayna badly since they came to Tyrandas. Seeing that Rayna wanted to go to the swimming pool so much, he eventually said, “I’ll let Gabriel follow you.”

Rayna typed quickly: It’s okay. There are surveillance cameras everywhere and lifeguards around the swimming pool. No one would dare to do anything. Mr. Faymon, I think it’s better for Mr. Tylinski to accompany you instead.

Curtis’ eyebrows twitched at the multiple mentions of “Mr. Faymon.” He suddenly felt a little unsettled. It was better and easier on his ears if she called him Uncle Curtis, but she had divorced Julian. It seemed inappropriate for her to address him as Uncle Curtis.

Curtis wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words that came to his lips. “Up to you.”

Rayna was overjoyed.

Not expecting she would have the chance to go for a swim, she had only brought a few sets of casual clothes. She planned to buy a swimsuit when she arrived at the swimming pool. Unexpectedly, she received a swimsuit of a top brand and a pair of swimming goggles from the hotel because she was their VIP customer.

Fortunately, Uncle Curtis is willing to spend money to book a luxury suite.

In the restaurant, Curtis sat tight and did not leave. After the waiter cleared the table, Gabriel came to report about work.

“Find me a pair of binoculars,” Curtis piped up.

“What?” Gabriel looked at Curtis, who was reading the document with his head lowered, and hesitated for a moment. “Mr. Faymon, we don’t use binoculars for blurred vision. What you need is a pair of reading glasses.”

 

Chapter 67 Kiss Her

Curtis raised his head and stared at Gabriel with a grim expression. “I notice that you like to pick fights with me lately.”

Upon hearing such, Gabriel stopped talking and left without hesitation.

Gabriel was efficient in his work. Three minutes later, he returned with a pair of small-sized binoculars and handed it to Curtis.

Curtis pointed the binoculars at the window, where he could see the massive pool opposite his location. There were many people at the pool. He could see a lot of half-naked bodies and different types of swimsuits through the binoculars.

After searching among the crowd for some time, he finally saw the slim figure he was looking for.

The woman wore a tight, white swimsuit over her slender body and tied her hair in a casual bun. She was playing water volleyball with some people, and when she jumped out of the water, her flawless body was on display for all to see.

Curtis moved the binoculars to look at her surroundings and noticed all the men were staring at Rayna. Their plans to get her attention were written all over their faces too. It was clear that the moment the ball hit the water, those men would fight to get ahold of it like simps.

This woman is not pretty at all. Her beauty is no match with Kristie’s. Why are all the men attracted to her?

“So, this is why you wanted the binoculars, Mr. Faymon!” Gabriel noticed the massive pool below them too. At first, Gabriel thought something was wrong with Curtis’ eyes, but it now appeared he was mistaken.

Gabriel then looked around the restaurant. In the face of the crowds and surveillance cameras around them, he suggested in a low voice, “Do you want me to take you to the pool, Mr. Faymon? I don’t believe you can see anything from where you are now.”

Though Gabriel had no idea why his boss had suddenly developed an interest in women and was peeping at them, he thought that would be the best option.

Curtis kept his binoculars away and shot Gabriel a frosty look. “Ms. Garland is having fun at the pool alone, and I want to check on her. What do you think I’m doing?”

Realization dawn upon Gabriel after hearing that.

No wonder I didn’t see Rayna anywhere. I thought she had returned to her room after her meal. It turns out that she is at the pool!

“I wasn’t implying anything, Mr. Faymon.” After adjusting his spectacles with a straight face, Gabriel handed his boss a document and changed the subject. “This document needs your review.”

Curtis took the document from him and casually ordered, “Get Cillian and Gray Wolf to check on her. There are too many people at the pool.”

Gabriel hummed an acknowledgment.

Rayna had a wonderful time at the pool. She met with a few peers, one of whom was a personal translator for a senior Frosa politician, and he had filled her in on a wealth of professional information.

As the crowd around the pool lessened, Rayna figured it was getting late, not to mention that her fingers were pruney. She climbed out of the pool through the ladder and took the towel the server handed her to wipe her body dry.

As the poolside had an elevator that brought the guests directly to their rooms, Rayna planned to return to her room with merely the towel wrapped around her after retrieving her clothes. When she was on her way to the elevator, she heard a familiar voice vaguely.

Rayna turned her head around and saw two men talking to each other. One of them had dark skin and bore a resemblance to James when she saw the side of his face.

This is not possible. Why would James, that little brat, be here?

Rayna rushed over when she saw the two men enter an elevator, wanting to confirm her suspicion. However, because she wasn’t looking where she was going, she ran into a man who was walking in the opposite direction. Her phone and clothes had dropped to the floor, and she was on the verge of toppling.

The man reached out and pulled her to her feet with his slender yet chilly hand. He had a modest watch around his wrist, and Rayna immediately recognized it as Curtis’.

Just as she expected, she met Curtis’ expressionless eyes when she raised her head. The man flashed a half-hearted smile.

It was an awkward situation for Rayna. She immediately let go of the shirt she was grabbing then and crouched down to collect her items. When she got up, she accidentally bumped into Curtis again.

Instantly, the air around them froze.

“Mister, are you going to kiss her?” Suddenly, a chestnut-colored hair boy around the age of four to five appeared out of nowhere and was staring at Curtis and Rayna with excitement written all over his face.

The little boy looked at Rayna and shockingly said in fluent Anglandurn, “Do kiss her, mister. Look at her. Her cheeks are as red as big apples.”

That made Rayna even more embarrassed.

Where does this cheeky child come from?

When Rayna found her phone in the pile of clothes and was about to type down an explanation to the boy, the child suddenly ran toward her and stuffed something into her hand.

“Miss, if you’re going to remarry, please don’t pick someone so old.”

With that, the boy fled the scene. Rayna was dumbstruck, not knowing how to respond to it. She checked her palm and saw a pink toy ring. Meanwhile, she sensed a chilly presence next to her.

Curtis had one of his hands shoved into his pants pocket and pursed his lips while watching the little boy jogging away from them. He also exuded a menacing aura, signaling to everyone that he was upset.

When Rayna recalled what the boy said before he left, she couldn’t help wanting to laugh, but she managed to hold it back. Even so, she couldn’t help checking his expression out.

Curtis is almost thirty now. I guess it is normal for kids to call him an old man.

Rayna got into the elevator with Curtis. The atmosphere inside was quiet and dull. She handed her phone to Curtis after typing: Why do you come down here, Mr. Faymon? I thought you hated crowded places.

After glancing through the content on the phone, Curtis looked at her from the corner of his eyes. “I had just finished my work and decided to take a look around. Ms. Garland, please wear a proper swimsuit next time. This is too provocative.”

Curtis didn’t expect to see so many people enjoy water volleyball. There were too many men around her. He initially planned to get Cillian and Gray Wolf to escort her back to her room, but he changed his

mind, worrying that the two men would be too rude to her.

Rayna subconsciously checked her clothing. I’m wearing ordinary white one-piece swimwear. What is so provocative about this?

Regardless, she merely nodded and said nothing.

Anyway, once we’re done with the collaboration, we won’t see each other anymore. I can wear anything I want. I can even book a room at a hotel and run around the suite naked. I doubt Uncle Curtis can stop me from doing that.

Probably because Rayna could walk now, Curtis allowed Rayna to move back to her original room when they arrived at their floor. Rayna couldn’t wish for anything better. She quickly packed her stuff and moved to her room.

This time, two giant bodyguards were stationed in front of her room, and one of them looked familiar.

Rayna got into her room for a moment and came back outside to take a closer look at Cillian.

The latter met Rayna before. Noticing that she was checking him out, he put on a wide grin. “Ms. Garland.”

That’s right! That’s the voice I heard!

Rayna remembered him as the man who spoke to the other man who looked like James at the pool. She typed on her phone and handed it to Cillian: Who was the man by your side at the pool?

“Oh, he’s Gray Wolf,” replied Cillian. “He’s our leader too.”

Curtis generally handed James assignments because of his intelligence and first-class snipper skill. Hence, even though their team was newly formed, the members already deemed him the leader.

Gray Wolf?

Rayna figured it was a code name. She typed down a question and handed it to Cillian. The message read: What is his real name?

“I don’t know.” Cillian scratched his head. “In our line of work, we generally address each other with code names. Besides, we don’t ask them about their private lives. Why don’t you ask Mr. Faymon about him, Ms. Garland?”

Rayna nodded at him and returned to her room.

Ever since she arrived at Tyrandas, she had bumped into the man who looked like James twice.

Is it possible to have two people looking identical? When I called him last time, he told me he was at school. So, there’s no way he’s in Tyrandas now. Moreover, those two men are bodyguards. If my idiot brother is here, he is one of them too. That’s impossible!

Though James was a naughty boy in her eyes, he was a perfect student who knew nothing about fighting and guns. Hence, Rayna found it hard to believe that he was a bodyguard.

Rayna dismissed the thought and headed into the bathroom for a shower. After putting on a bathrobe and exiting the bathroom, the doorbell rang. She opened the door and saw a server with a cart.

Chapter 68 All Females Look The Same

Rayna looked at the cart in confusion.

When did I order supper?

“Ms. Garland, this was prepared by that gentleman.” After the attendant entered the room, he placed the scrumptious dish and two medicine boxes on the table.

“Ms. Garland, this is to be administered to the wound. You are to use it in the morning and at night. This other one is to be consumed orally. He brought it back from Dartan to treat your vocal cords.”

The attendant was worried that Rayna did not understand him and unboxed the medicine. He squeezed it onto his hand to demonstrate to her. Then, he gently repeated which medicine was to be consumed or applied externally.

Rayna nodded and thanked the attendant by typing on her phone before sending him off.

She returned to look at the medicine on the table. Only Uncle Curtis knows I’m injured, so the attendant must have been referring to him, right?

Rayna pursed her lips and felt something warm seep into her heart.

The attendant left Rayna’s room. A tall man with young but icy facial features approached him in the corridor. He was wearing a black beanie and a leather jacket.

“Wait a moment.” James stopped in front of the attendant. His expression darkened as he used Anglandurn to ask, “Where’s the attendant who has been delivering food here previously?”

“He took leave due to family matters,” the attendant answered. A bead of sweat slid down his cheek due to James’ questioning. “The manager told me to replace him.”

The attendant felt slightly uneasy.

An Aplothian man had come to find him in the evening and gave him two thousand in Anglandurn currency and two boxes of medicine. He gave the attendant instructions to bring them to this room at night. The attendant was tempted by the money and accepted it.

“Is that so?” James played with the black wolf-shaped lighter with his fingers, making clinking sounds.

The attendant felt stressed by his light-hearted statement.

As the attendant debated whether to tell James the truth, Cillian slung his arm around James’ shoulder and patted it. He grinned. “Stop scaring him, James. He’s only delivering food. I saw it with my own eyes.”

He shot the attendant a look, and the latter immediately scurried off with the cart.

James turned around to look at the attendant’s retreating figure.

Cillian was perplexed upon seeing James’ actions. “It’s fine! I tried all the food already!”

“There’s only food?”

Cillian thought about it and suddenly recalled the medicine. “Oh, there are also two boxes of medicine, but I already inspected them. Don’t be so paranoid! We have such a strong defense. There’s no way there would be any incidents.”

James pushed Cillian’s hand away and leaned against the wall, saying, “We can only be more vigilant. We cannot let down our guards, as they did it right under our nose the last time.”

He felt frustrated upon thinking of that incident, as he always thought of himself as more exceptional than others. He never expected that the person Curtis brought would still get hurt under his watch.

James asked, “I heard her vocal cords are injured. Is she getting better?”

Cillian grinned. “No, when she spoke to me earlier, she was still typing on her phone. Ms. Garland asked for your name. Do you think she fell in love with you? She’s rather pretty. If you guys get together, it’s a great deal for you!”

“I don’t care about whether she is pretty or not.” James pursed his lips. Besides the two women back at home, every woman was the same to him, even Kristie.

“She’s gorgeous. You didn’t see her when she was in the pool just now?”

“No, I didn’t. Also, I’m not interested,” James replied flatly.

He only knew she was wearing a white one-piece swimsuit. Kristie had flooded him with calls before he had a chance to glance at Rayna. In addition, Cillian was keeping an eye on her, so he was not worried.

Then, they left after getting a message came from Curtis.

“Tsk, tsk. You’re wasting her good intentions,” Cillian lamented. He felt Rayna was interested in James, or she would not have asked for his real name.

He suddenly thought of something and chuckled. “James, when you talked about the two women back home, are you saying you have two older sisters? Are they pretty?”

James hummed in acknowledgment.

“T-Then, introduce them to me! I want a girlfriend,” Cillian said enthusiastically. Since James was younger than him, his two older sisters should be around his age.

“Sure.” James did not hesitate and shared Roxanne’s contact with Cillian. He smiled sinisterly. “However, she’s a celebrity now. It’s up to you whether you can succeed in making her your girlfriend.”

He could not wait for Roxanne to marry.

“Wow! She’s beautiful!” Cillian’s eyes widened at the sight of Roxanne’s profile picture. “James, don’t you have another sister? Why don’t you share her contact with me too?”

James’ expression darkened, and he bellowed, “Get lost!”

Upon seeing James’ cold expression, Cillian decided not to press him further. He quickly typed an introduction message to Roxanne and carefully took a picture of himself to use as his profile picture.

He was not picky about girlfriends because he had been single his entire life.

Roxanne did not reply to him for a long time. Cillian entertained himself with his phone, as he did not know whether it was due to her busy schedule. He got bored of it soon and decided to converse with James.

“James.”

“Yes.”

Cillian could not help but question, “Why are you so in need of money?” He knew James would do anything if Curtis gave the latter money.

James’ reply was short and succinct. “I’m poor.”

This rendered Cillian speechless.

He sized James up and enquired, “But, you don’t look like you’re poor. Also, you can get employed after your graduation. I remember there’s a specific rule regarding this in your school. You face the risk of being expelled if something happens during your work while you are still in school. Are you not afraid of that?”

Cillian had graduated from the school James was studying in and knew there were many strict rules. Also, if a student was expelled from their school, they could not start over from scratch. They would have to switch industries entirely.

Although James could earn a lot of money working for the rich, it would not be worth it if he got expelled.

“There are no rules in my eyes. Money is more important. They won’t expel me even if the school finds out about it.” James lowered his head as he played with his lighter.

Cillian widened his eyes. “What? Is a top student like you that confident?”

James grinned and glanced at him. “Yes, but I guess you have never got a taste of being in the top five in school.”

“James, are you insinuating I have poor grades?” Cillian pretended to weep.

Of course, he had gotten into the top five. His grades were not that bad!

“As I was poor before, I’ll do anything not to go through those times again. I want to protect my family members, too,” James said with a cold expression and kept his lighter.

James’ father’s business failed when his mother was still pregnant with James. His father viewed his mother as a liability and changed his nationality to marry a rich Jetroinan woman.

His family became the laughingstock of their neighbors. He became even more inferior when he went to school and got ridiculed by his classmates.

When he entered middle school, he started to give up on himself. He did not care about anything until Rayna came running to him with a wooden stick as his classmates beat him up in the alley.

 

Chapter 69 A Suspicious Call

James remembered how he stood behind Rayna’s back as she protected him. Even though Rayna was petite and not much taller than him, she could summon a surprising amount of energy from God-knew- where and hit the boys again and again.

“You’re wrong! He still has me, her sister, to protect him! I’ll report you to the school when I get there tomorrow! I want you to apologize to my younger brother! Mark my words! If you dare to bully him again, I’ll break your legs!”

Nevertheless, some of the boys were not afraid of Rayna. Being cheeky, they taunted, “He looks weak. That’s why we hit him. What are you going to do about it?” At that, Rayna hit them again with the stick until they shut up.

After teaching them a lesson, Rayna held James’ hand and walked back home without a word. Back home, she cleaned and dressed his wounds and mended his torn clothes. She didn’t say anything like “You’re a failure” the whole time.

James’ eyes started to get a little red. He remembered how Linda would cry all day after the divorce, and the weight of caring for the whole family rested on Rayna. Despite that, she studied and worked at the same time without a single complaint.

It was at that moment James had an epiphany. He swore that he would wholeheartedly protect his sister. From that moment on, he studied hard and trained his body.

In front of Rayna, he would be a good boy and an outstanding student. Behind her back, he would learn all kinds of martial arts and study really hard to be admitted to that school, all just to protect his family.

Because Rayna once said she wanted to buy a big house, he would work hard to earn money, hoping that he could give her a surprise one day.

His sister had sacrificed too much for the family. She deserved better.

“James, I’m envious.” Cillian sighed ruefully. “I’m an only child, but my parents were the kind who will leave their kids to fend for themselves. So, I was always on my own until high school. Fortunately, my cousin helped me after graduation, or else I would be a total mess now.”

Then, Cillian cheekily added, “James, does your mom need any godsons? Am I eligible?”

“Get lost!”

The room’s soundproofing was excellent, as Rayna was oblivious to the banter outside. She would have never thought that her dutiful younger brother, who was supposed to study in school, was next door, separated by a thin wall.

Following the waiter’s instructions, Rayna applied the medicinal cream to her neck. It felt cold and refreshing. Then, she swallowed the capsule-like pill. It tasted like mint but wasn’t bitter.

She felt no noticeable effects after using the cream, but the pill was different. Not long after she swallowed it, her throat felt much better, as it was not as dry as before.

Then, Rayna went through some emails. When she looked up at the time, it was almost midnight.

Shutting her laptop, she was about to sleep when a call came in.

It was an unknown local phone number.

Who’s the nut-job calling at midnight? Who’s the—” Rayna muttered. Before she could finish saying her thoughts aloud, she realized that her vocal cords had recovered. I can speak now?

Skeptically, she cleared her throat and tried to say something.

Wow, my vocal cords felt fine, and I sound better than before. Is it really possible for the medication to take effect this fast?

At that moment, her phone was still ringing. As she listened to the persistent ringing, Rayna accepted the call. “Hello, who’s this?”

“Darling, it’s me.”

At Julian’s voice, goosebumps broke out of her skin. Memories of what she saw not long ago rushed in. Her heart trembled, and it hurt as if countless needles pricked it.

To escape from Jefferson, she married Julian when she returned to the country. He treated her well when they were just married, so she liked him back, too.

“Mr. Faymon, we are divorced,” Rayna calmly said. She remembered how well he treated her during their marriage and also his true colors before the divorce.

“Dar— Rayna, I was wrong. I’ve thought it through.” Afraid of angering her, Julian changed his way of talking and became submissive. “I just want to say I’m sorry. I should have comforted you and supported you since you have that illness. I shouldn’t have cheated on you. I-I gave in to a moment of weakness and messed up. I didn’t know we would end up like this.”

Although his apology sounded sincere enough, Rayna had a weird look on her face.

She knew Julian well after being with him for a year. He was a male chauvinist and narcissist through and through. He would never apologize, even if he did something wrong. Otherwise, he would not have treated her like that during the divorce.

But now, Julian was behaving submissively to her, apologizing and asking for her forgiveness. What made him do that?

“Julian, I don’t know what you are up to, but I want nothing to do with you after our divorce.” Rayna did not want to argue with him anymore. “And I don’t need your apology, either.”

Julian made a mistake, but she also made a mistake afterward. Now, they were even.

“Rayna, are you not going to forgive me?” Julian was sorrowful. “We were husband and wife for one year. Doesn’t our relationship mean anything to you? I still love you.”

Rayna would believe him if he said these when they were married. However, she only felt disgusted when she heard those phony words from him. She thought he had lost his mind.

“I found it! I found it!”

Before Rayna could say anything, an excited voice came from the phone. It seemed like someone had found something.

Rayna asked, “Who’s talking?”

“Oh, it’s someone behind me. I’m currently outside,” Julian answered, but Rayna could feel something was wrong with his tone. “Unlike Norwal City, Horington is a bustling city,” Julian added.

“Rayna, when you return to Norwal City, let’s meet and talk. You know, I still love you. Well, that’s it for now. Excuse me while I tend to some matters. Bye-bye!”

Right after he said that, the call ended.

Looking at her phone, Rayna had a solemn expression on her face. She felt something was not right. Then, a realization struck her. She had only told Edith she would be on a business trip. How did Julian

know she wasn’t in Norwal City?

Moreover, someone had said they had found something on the phone. What was that?

That one phone call kept Rayna wide awake. She recalled the events that happened to her. Firstly, Sienna approached her for a job offer. Secondly, she survived an assassination attempt in Tyrandas. Now, Julian, who divorced her some time ago, had come and looked for her.

Weirdly enough, all of them were Faymons, so Rayna couldn’t help but suspect they were somehow connected.

Without hesitation, Rayna told Curtis everything she had heard from Julian, especially the part where she heard someone had found something on the phone. She didn’t want to be killed and her dead body found in Tyrandas just for a job.

Curtis’ reply was fast. He said: When Julian was talking to you, someone was tracking your location through the phone call. It’s best you move to my room, Ms. Garland. It’s safer.

Go to his room?

Even though Rayna knew Curtis was saying that out of concern for her, she couldn’t help her face from reddening. She slapped her cheeks and admonished herself. He’s not that kind of person! Don’t think of him like that. This is Uncle Curtis, after all. I need to control myself.

Nevertheless, Rayna declined Curtis’ help and told him that someone was guarding the door for her. After replying to the text, she walked past the living room and opened the door. Outside, Cillian was happily playing a game on his phone with a lollipop in his mouth.

As he saw Rayna out of her room, Cillian stopped playing and said, “It’s already twelve, Ms. Garland. Are you not going to sleep?”

“Are you the only one here?” Rayna asked him instead as she looked around. Ever since she returned from the swimming pool, she saw only Cillian outside. “Are you okay doing this by yourself?” she added.

“M-Ms. Garland, you can talk now?”

Rayna nodded and smiled. “I have to thank my employer for that. The medication he gave me was very effective.”

“Really?” Cillian touched his hair. No wonder a waiter came over at night to pass the medicine to her. It’s good stuff. He continued, “Actually, Gray Wolf and I are on duty today, but he’s currently away taking a call.”

As Cillian was reminded of James’ exasperated look while he took the call, the former wanted to laugh.

It seemed like Kristie wanted to obtain some certificate that required her to take an Advanced Mathematics exam. Initially, she looked for Curtis, but Curtis told her to solve it on her own. Therefore, she had no choice but to come crying to James for help.

No matter how many times James rejected her calls, Kristie kept calling him. Moreover, she would call Cillian if James switched off his phone. Not even Cillian could not bear her. In the end, James went out with a scowl.

At that moment, Cillian sympathized with him.

After Rayna acknowledged Cillian’s answer, she brought two chairs and a few bags of chips to the latter. “I know it’s kind of hard standing here all day, so these are for you two. I’ll be counting on you.”

“Thank you, Ms. Garland.” Cillian was a little surprised by her generosity and took another look at her.

Although Rayna was not as pretty as Kristie, who appeared on big screens, the former was elegant and had a pleasant personality. To top it off, she was competent at work as an interpreter.

Cillian could only lament.

Forget it. A woman like Ms. Garland is out of my league anyway. She should be with the elites like Mr. Faymon.

 

Chapter 70 The Delusional Kristie

Rayna had the most peaceful sleep in her room ever since the day of the assassination. Previously, when sharing a bedroom with Curtis, she had been extremely cautious and dared not make any sound when she slept.

This time, she slept comfortably until half-past eight and felt refreshed.

Rayna changed into a casual shirt and a pair of cargo pants. Despite not looking devastatingly beautiful, she still appeared slim, pretty, and sophisticated. She left her room after applying some light makeup.

Cillian was no longer alone outside the door as there were two other unfamiliar faces.

The two lookout men greeted Rayna, and she smiled in return before turning around and knocking on Curtis’ door, which was next to hers.

She wanted to ask him about Julian.

Julian is a maternal cousin of the Faymon family, and his father passed away when he was young. After graduating, he was able to enter the Faymon Group thanks to the Faymon family members among the higher-ups who were looking out for him. But I don’t understand why he wishes to steal this partnership when he’s well aware that Curtis is not someone to be trifled with. Which member of the Faymon family is he siding with? Ms. Sienna?

“Good morning, Ms. Garland.” Gabriel walked over from the corridor just as Rayna rang the doorbell twice. “I just sent Mr. Faymon to Eleven Restaurant. He has an important business to discuss today,” he informed.

“Really?” She was slightly taken aback as she did not expect Curtis to have other businesses in Tyrandas. “I’ll go back to my room then. Let me know when Mr. Faymon comes back.”

Gabriel adjusted his glasses. “You’ve regained your voice entirely, Ms. Garland?” he asked.

Rayna nodded and rubbed her smooth neck as she replied, “I also didn’t expect that medicine to be so effective, as did the wound medication. The bruises on my neck are gone. Please thank Mr. Faymon on my behalf.”

“All right.” While Gabriel was saying that, he also felt puzzled deep down. The doctor prescribed the medicine a few days ago, but why is she thanking Mr. Faymon instead of the doctor?

Rayna excused herself after hearing Gabriel’s phone ring. “Go ahead with your work.”

Since she had not had breakfast yet, she went downstairs to do so before returning to settle her work.

Rayna went down to the restaurant floor and had just settled down to eat a plate of food she had chosen from a variety of breakfast options when Gabriel unexpectedly approached her.

“Ms. Garland, the interpreter we hired from the translation agency can’t come over today because of some issues. Since you happen to speak Sylvonican, can you go over and help? Of course, your salary for the day will be paid separately.”

Rayna nearly spat out the oatmeal in her mouth. She wiped the corners of her mouth with a tissue and said awkwardly, “I realized that Mr. Faymon is quite unlucky. Every time he discusses a collaboration, something will happen.”

Previously, it was errors in the document. This time, after arriving at Tyrandas, something happened to the interpreter.

“Stuff happens.” Gabriel adjusted his glasses before continuing, “When you finish eating, Ms. Garland, I’ll have someone take you there. The negotiation starts at ten, so you still have time.”

Rayna responded curtly since she could not refuse, “Okay.”

After all, I’m an employee of Faymon Group who accompanied my boss here for business, so if there’s anything that requires my help, I’ll have to take over!

After breakfast, she did not have time to change and hurried downstairs.

A taxi had just arrived at the entrance of the hotel. The driver rolled down the window.

“Get in, Ms. Garland.” The driver spoke fluent Anglandurn. “I’ll get you to Eleven Restaurant before ten.”

Seeing as the driver knew her surname and also the time and location, Rayna assumed that he was sent by Gabriel and got into the car without a second thought.

The car was locked with a click.

Rayna kept herself busy by taking out her phone and turning on the navigation to search for Eleven Restaurant, discovering that the place was not far and a forty-minute journey away.

The driver informed her that he was taking the side road to get there quicker since the main road was congested.

The taxi turned around following the turning of the steering wheel. However, Rayna noticed that the route on her phone had not changed, and her face slowly turned grim.

The fact that the route didn’t change means that the driver is lying and isn’t planning to take me to Eleven Restaurant.

She tried pressing the button to roll down the window but discovered that it was broken and that the door was also tightly secured. Her suspicion was reinforced when she sensed the car picking up speed at the same time.

The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror and smiled, still acting innocent. “Don’t panic, Ms. Garland. I did take the side road. We’ll arrive at the restaurant soon.”

“Am I panicking? I merely want to open the window to get some air,” Rayna replied, her red lips curled into a smile. While remaining calm, she fumbled in the corner where the driver could not see to make a call.

The smell in the car was getting worse and somewhat resembled diethyl ether.

Just as Rayna made the call and wanted to cover her mouth with her clothes, the driver in front had long covered his mouth and nose, and she passed out after inhaling too much ether.

She was sitting on a chair with her wrists and feet bound when she regained consciousness.

Someone was also seated on the chair in front of her, one meter away.

“Hey, are you awake?” Kristie seemed to like red very much as she was wearing a pretty red plaid skirt that day. She leaned against the chair lazily with her legs crossed, looking like an arrogant princess.

Rayna calmed down when she saw Kristie. Thank goodness it’s this spoiled lady. I’m in no danger.

“Ms. Winton, you can be frank if you wish to discuss something with me. There’s no need to tie me up,” Rayna said.

“Do you think you can discuss anything with me?” Kristie scowled as she got up and approached Rayna before digging her nails into the other woman’s face. “A person like you is not even worthy of

carrying my shoes!” she uttered through gritted teeth.

“I knew you were a vixen! Back in the country, you’ve had your eye on Curt, and since you arrived here with him, you’ve grown more daring. How dare you share a room with Curt?”

Kristie was enraged when she recalled what she had heard on the phone that day.

I’ve followed Curtis around for so long and have been to his mansion many times, but I can’t even get his keycard. However, this woman can swagger in and out of his mansion as if she owns it. In the past, Curt would take me with him no matter where he went on a business trip. But now, forget about taking me, he doesn’t even take his company secretaries with him, only this vixen!

She simply could not tolerate it, and the same evening that she attended the ceremony in Epea, she took a flight to Tyrandas.

I must teach Rayna a lesson and show her who’s boss!

“Mr. Faymon and I are nothing more than boss and employee, Ms. Winton.” Rayna’s eyebrow twitched. Kristie truly amazes me. There are so many women in the company, yet, she only sees me as her imaginary love rival.

Kristie looked scornfully at her. “Even if you keep repeating it, I won’t believe you. I must teach you a lesson today and let you know who Curt’s woman is!”

The aura of delusion that hit Rayna rendered her speechless and left her feeling suffocated.

“Rayna, I know that you’re rushing to assist Curt in negotiating a collaboration, but…” Kristie drawled, her eyes gleaming viciously. “I won’t let you go! I’ll make sure you won’t be able to appear in that restaurant today. If the collaboration doesn’t work out, Curt will surely kick you out of Faymon Group.”

Rayna curled her lips up slightly. “I don’t mind since an interpreter is sought after everywhere. It is you who would be miserable, Ms. Winton. If you mess up the collaboration, Mr. Faymon will surely be angry, right?”

“Hmph! It’s just a collaboration. No biggie.” Kristie made nothing of it. “I can earn back the money of the collaboration from the sales of a single movie!”

As she said that, she glared at Rayna. “It’s not as though I’ve never written an apology letter, so I’m not afraid of doing it again! In any case, I won’t let you show up at the restaurant today.”

Rayna spared Curtis a moment of silence.