Ch. 81..90

Chapter 81 A Job For Men

Unfortunately for Cillian, the spot he was standing allowed him to see Curtis poking his head out of the car window. At the sight of the latter’s stony expression and gaze, he shuddered. “Hi, Mr. Faymon!”

Curtis merely let out a grunt in acknowledgment. “Once you’re done talking, get into the car. It’s going to rain soon.”

Rayna looked at the sky and muttered under her breath, “The weather is splendid! Why would it rain?” Still, she stopped chatting with Cillian and put the box into the trunk.

Cillian then got into the car as well.

However, he scratched his head in bewilderment as he glanced at the jeep ahead. Why did Mr. Faymon talk in that tone? Is he in a bad mood?

As those eight jeeps drove past, they stirred up a thick cloud of dust from the ground. All of a sudden, the sunny weather disappeared, and the heavy rain poured.

Rayna was dumbstruck when she saw the rain droplets blurring the car’s windows. Uncle Curtis was right!

However, the rain did not last long as it stopped pouring at around half past five that evening. Despite that, the sky was still gloomy. By then, the jeeps had successfully gone past the mountain and arrived at another spot.

Upon getting out of the car, Rayna realized their surroundings were filled with shrubs taller than her. We’re surrounded by mountains. If it weren’t for the dirt road, I would’ve thought that we’d ended up in a primeval forest.

They seemed to have stopped on top of a slope. When she looked down along the dirt road, she could faintly see a village covered by plants. It seemed like the greenery had the buildings fully encircled.

“Cillian,” Curtis called out in a deep voice.

Like a monkey, Cillian rushed toward Curtis and asked, “How may I help you, Mr. Faymon?”

“Tell everyone to have a rest here and wait for the next instruction.” Curtis then looked up into the sky. The sky isn’t completely dark yet, so we still can’t make our move.

Before Cillian could say a word in response, Rayna piped up, “I’ll scout out the area first, Mr. Faymon. I know you want all of us to move in together after nightfall. However, you seem to have forgotten about something.”

Pointing at Cillian and the rest, she continued, “They’re filled with murderous intent, making them look nothing like commoners. Hence, they’ll scare the villagers. Everything’s going to fall apart before we can negotiate with them.”

Curtis mulled over it and questioned, “What do you have in mind, then?”

He had always been a decisive man. Since he brought Rayna, who knew Uronian, along, he naturally would want to get the negotiation done as soon as possible. Now that Rayna is offering an alternative, I’ll go along with it as long as it’s a good idea.

With a faint smile on her lips, Rayna took out the box she told Cillian to bring along from the jeep’s trunk. It was filled with clothing typically worn by the villagers and a makeup kit.

She then mixed a huge amount of liquid foundation with some dye before applying the mixture to her body. Soon, her porcelain white skin turned dark brown right before their eyes.

Cillian scratched his head and asked curiously, “Ms. Garland, what are you doing? Your fair skin is beautiful. Why did you make yourself look so tan?”

Curtis shot him a sidelong glance, shutting him up immediately.

Rayna tightened her belt and asked, “I look good, right?” After all, she was very impressed by her own makeup skills. “If I were to discuss with them now, everything’s going to be all right.”

After putting on the local attire and makeup on her face, she looked like a villager. Her eyes were so bright that they seemed like a pair of pearls shining brightly under the sun when she smiled.

Curtis gazed at her. It was then he finally figured out something that had been puzzling him. Although Rayna isn’t as pretty as Kristie, I always found her attractive. It turns out it’s because of her eyes. Her eyes always look so bright and determined, regardless of the situation she’s facing.

“Oh! You dressed up to fit in with the villagers, Ms. Garland!” The motive behind Rayna’s actions dawned on Cillian immediately. “Let me keep you company, then. Not only are you a lady, but you also don’t know how to fight. You might end up getting bullied.”

While speaking, he flipped through the box and found a set of male clothing. Just as he wanted to get changed, he heard coughs from beside him.

Cillian then lifted his head to look at Curtis and asked, “Do you have a sore throat, Mr. Faymon? I have some lozenges in the car.”

Curtis was rendered speechless.

After a few seconds, he took the clothes from Cillian and uttered flatly, “Stay here and take care of the rest. I’ll accompany Ms. Garland. The smell of blood on your body is too strong. If you go with Ms. Garland, you’ll surely scare people off.”

“What? Is it?” Cillian took a whiff of his shirt and felt a little aggrieved. I don’t smell blood, though.

Rayna initially planned to go alone, so she was befuddled when Cillian and Curtis wanted to tag along. “Mr. Faymon, I’ll go alone. A matter as trifle as this shouldn’t trouble you—”

“If I thought this was troublesome, I wouldn’t have come personally,” Curtis interrupted her.

The local male villagers’ clothing was relatively revealing. To change into it, he had to take off his shirt. Rayna watched as he undid the buttons of his shirt with his fingers. Soon, his sexy and seductive collarbone was revealed.

As he was unbuttoning, he suddenly stopped and rested his fingers on the fourth button to glance at her.

At that point, Rayna was still staring at Curtis’ collarbone, thinking that she could see more of him. After their gazes met, she smiled awkwardly and turned around.

Soon, Curtis was done changing. Due to his excellent body proportions, the attire made of woven fabric looked like it belonged to an internationally renowned brand when he wore it. His eyes were downcast, and the muscles on his arms were well-defined.

Rayna applied the liquid foundation mixture on Curtis’ body to make his skin tan. Afterward, she took out the contour palette, but he was too tall that she could not reach his face. “Mr. Faymon, I need to apply makeup to your face.”

Hearing that, Curtis furrowed his brows, and his expression turned grim. “Must you?”

“I must.” Rayna nodded. “If I don’t, the villagers will notice it. Perhaps you can do it yourself.” With that, she gave him the contour palette and told him which shade to use first.

Curtis only cared about all sorts of data, so he had never seen a contour palette before, let alone using one. Scowling, he stood still and stared at it for a long while. In the end, he had no choice but to bend forward.

When he lowered his head, Rayna’s face was only a few centimeters away from his.

“Go on,” he said.

She froze momentarily before picking up a brush to help him contour his face. They were so near to each other that she could feel his breaths on her face as well as count the strands of eyelashes he had.

Once she was done contouring his face, Curtis looked almost like a local villager. However, the regal bearing he possessed was unmistakable. At one glance, one could tell that he came from a wealthy family.

Obviously, Rayna could not do anything to fix that. She gathered some necessities before heading out with Curtis.

The dirt road was narrow and surrounded by shrubs. As they walked, they had to use a sickle to cut down the shrubs. Rayna brought one along, planning to open up a path for both of them.

Seeing that, Curtis took the sickle from her and said, “This is a job for a man.”

Rayna complied and followed behind him closely.

Occasionally, she would lift her head to watch Curtis swing his arm to cut the shrubs in the way. His broad shoulders make me feel like I don’t have to worry about anything as long as I’m with him. We haven’t known each other for a long time, but I’ve seen many sides of him. So far, I know he’s a workaholic and a picky eater. Since he’s a CEO, I’ve always assumed that he’d be high and mighty,

someone who’s detached from reality. Yet, this elegant man is now dressed in woven clothing and holding a sickle. Although he looks like a villager, it doesn’t seem weird at all!

As those thoughts raced inside her head, Rayna could not help but let out a chuckle.

Curtis turned around to shoot her a glance. “What’s so funny, Ms. Garland?”

Shaking her head in response, she asked curiously, “Mr. Faymon, you have so many capable subordinates. Why didn’t you just ask them to do this? Besides, a collaboration of one billion shouldn’t be anything major in your eyes. You didn’t have to come all the way here.”

Rayna knew Curtis was more focused on the foreign market. Back then, he hired quite a few capable employees. It was thanks to them that the Norham branch was established so quickly.

Yet, Rayna rarely saw Curtis even though she had been working for Faymon Group for many years. In fact, she never saw any of those elite subordinates return.

 

Chapter 82 Priceless

“That’s because I only feel alive when I’m working.”

Curtis’ voice was soft and flat. All Rayna could hear was the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind. “Mr. Faymon, what did you say?” she asked as she did not hear his response.

She wanted to lean in to hear him better but ended up tripping over some veins on the ground. Just as she was about to knock her head against his back, he turned around in the nick of time and held her firmly. It was as though he saw it coming.

“Ms. Garland, the ground is uneven,” Curtis said in resignation. Sometimes, I feel that she’s brilliant, and at times, I’d have the opposite opinion. Can’t she walk properly?

From then on, he held her wrist and moved forward while cutting down the shrubs with the other hand.

Rayna’s heart skipped a beat, and her ears flushed as she looked at her wrist that was within his grip.

Around ten minutes later, they finally reached the village and saw that the surrounding buildings were simple but solid. With various vegetables growing around them, the place looked full of vitality.

“Wait!” Rayna shouted at Curtis. Then, she grabbed two handfuls of soil and rubbed them on her face and arms before doing the same for him. Her actions caused him to knit his brows tightly.

“We can’t just go in like this. Let’s pretend we got lost,” she explained.

Curtis was at a loss for words.

“Someone’s coming, Mr. Faymon!” Seeing a man approaching with a hoe over his shoulders as if he was out to farm, Rayna whispered into Curtis’ ear, “Think on your feet.” With that, she proceeded to lie

on the ground, acting as though she had fainted.

Curtis did not respond.

When he noticed that the man was heading in their direction, he quickly squatted down and carried Rayna into his arms. She looks like a fugitive with her face covered with soil. A look of amusement flashed across his eyes.

Once again, he was impressed by her.

Seconds later, the man, who was usually an alert person, put his guard down upon seeing how disheveled Curtis and Rayna looked. He then spoke to Curtis in a foreign language.

The latter did not understand what the man was saying but nodded when he noticed him pointing toward the village. With Rayna in his arms, Curtis followed the man into the village, and they soon entered a house.

After a short while, a woman with a headscarf walked in with a bowl of water that looked as clear as spring water.

Curtis took the bowl of water from the woman and drank a few mouthfuls first, pretending to be parched. Upon ensuring that it was safe to consume, he fed it to Rayna.

Rayna played along by taking a few sips of the water before gradually opening her eyes.

“Oh, my goodness! We didn’t die!” she exclaimed joyfully as she leaned into Curtis’ embrace. Tears of joy even flowed down her cheeks.

Curtis’ eyebrows twitched. Kristie isn’t the only one who can act well! This woman is also quite impressive in acting.

Rayna did not hug him for long. Soon, she let go of him and wiped off the tears on her face. Acting as if she had just seen the woman, she asked curiously in Uronian, “May I know where are we?”

“Y-You can speak our language?” The woman looked at Rayna in shock. Slightly excited, she continued, “I thought only the people in our village knew this language.”

Because Uronian was a language that was close to extinction and the villagers could not understand the language spoken by outsiders, they relied on hunting for survival.

In response, Rayna answered, “My grandpa taught me the language. He told me he had grown up in the northern region. No matter where he went, he made sure to remember his origin. Unfortunately… my grandpa passed away when I was young.”

“May God bless you.” The woman pushed Curtis aside and held Rayna’s hands. Gazing at the younger woman as if the latter were her daughter, she asked, “You must’ve gone through a lot of hardships, right?”

Rayna nodded with teary eyes. “My dad wouldn’t accept Zahar because he’s poor and mute. Instead, he wanted me to marry a sixty-year-old man. However, Zahar and I are truly in love. I’m willing to do anything for him.”

Hearing that, the woman swept a glance at Curtis and asked, “Is he Zahar? Are you two married?”

“Yes. You saw how much he loves me, right? I eloped with him. But I didn’t expect my dad would get so mad that he kept jeopardizing our business. We couldn’t stay in Mapleton anymore, so we brought our goods here. We planned on selling the goods so that we could provide for our child. Unfortunately, we lost our way and our truck at the same time,” Rayna uttered.

“Where’s your child?” the woman asked.

“I just got pregnant not long ago.” Rayna caressed her abdomen and put on a pitiful expression. “I don’t care if my dad hates me, but this child belongs to Zahar and me. I want to raise our child well.”

Touched by Rayna’s words, the woman pulled her into her embrace and patted her back as an act of comfort. “Poor child. I’m a mother, so I know how tough it is to be pregnant. If you don’t mind, you and your husband are welcome to stay the night here,” she said.

“We wouldn’t want to trouble you too much,” Rayna replied. “Perhaps you could give us some food. That would be more than enough. Thank you.”

“You wouldn’t be troubling me!” The woman did not mind providing shelter for them. While looking at Rayna’s abdomen, she said, “Besides, you just got pregnant. You shouldn’t move around too much. Just stay here.”

Rayna did not reject her anymore. “You’re so kind. Thank you.”

The woman’s heart swelled with adoration. With a bright smile on her face, she tucked Rayna in and stood up to leave.

Before she left, she gave Curtis a look of admiration and pity.

Frowning, Curtis watched the door close before turning toward Rayna. He smiled when he saw the tears in her eyes. “Ms. Garland, your acting skills are marvelous.”

“Don’t talk, Mr. Faymon.” Rayna signaled for him to keep quiet. In a low voice, she said, “I told that woman we’re a married couple. We have a small business together, and you’re mute.”

Curtis’ lips twitched, and he voiced his confusion, “Why am I a mute?”

“To gain their sympathy, of course.” Rayna beckoned him to come closer. Once he did, she added, “We’ll stay here tonight and go out to see what the situation is like when tomorrow comes. By the way, what’s the thing that’s worth one billion?”

Curtis took out a plastic bag from his pocket and opened the layers of wrappers, revealing a withered plant kept within. A faint fragrance could be whiffed.

Does he take me for a fool? Rayna pointed at the flower and stared at him in shock. “This? One billion?”

He grunted an acknowledgment in response before explaining, “A component extracted from this plant can regenerate cells and delay the aging of the human body.”

“What’s so special about that?” she asked. “Now, medical researchers worldwide have already developed a lot of medicines to delay the aging of the human body. It’s just a matter of affordability these days.”

“The medicines available internationally can delay aging but can’t regenerate cells.” Curtis quirked his lips and added, “Cells have a short lifespan and cannot regenerate. This component, however, can make that happen. It can regenerate cells in the human body with a success rate of sixty percent. It warms and nourishes various organs in the body, and it also has a significant effect on heart diseases.”

Dumbfounded by his explanation, Rayna did not respond for a while.

Although she was not a biology student, she knew what he was trying to convey. Basically, the thing in his hand was akin to the medicine of immortality, capable of causing the whole world to go crazy for it.

“H-How is this thing only worth one billion?” Rayna held the plant and exclaimed in a trembling voice, “Things that can reverse aging are priceless!”

“But how is it possible that only a handful of people know about a treasure like this, Mr. Faymon?” she then asked.

“Didn’t you see?” Curtis jerked his chin up and uttered in a deep voice, “It can only be found in this place. Otherwise, why would I have brought you here?”

“That’s true.” Rayna smacked her forehead. How silly of me!

Chapter 83 Uncle Curtis Calls Her Darling

Rayna learned from Curtis that Gabriel was the one who discovered the plant after obtaining a piece of paper with the location from a local citizen in Tyrandas by a stroke of luck.

When he had derived its value, he immediately reported it to Curtis. Alas, the location indicated on the paper was written in Uronian, which was close to extinction. Therefore, they expended tremendous effort to find someone who could read the language.

Nevertheless, she merely felt like snickering at all that.

Well, but of course, they’ve expended much effort. After all, I’ve had a taste of Uncle Curtis’ interlocked stratagems!

As the sky outside the window gradually darkened, the woman with the headscarf came in again and offered to bring them out for dinner.

Unable to turn her down, Rayna left the house with Curtis.

Upon arriving at the courtyard, she found that it was exceedingly bright. It turned out that the huge rocks placed around the place had been coated with a layer of vegetable dye. At night, they were just like the moon.

Several blankets made of animal fur were laid out in the open space, with small tables on top of them. The men were sitting together and chatting, whereas the children sat at a table by themselves. Meanwhile, the women were preparing food.

The atmosphere was incredibly merry, and happiness was written on the face of every single individual.

“It’s really nice here.” Rayna could not help feeling envious of the scene before her that looked like a perfect picture, serene and heartwarming. Not only does one age slower here, but there’s also nothing to worry about.

“In that case, stay for a few more days,” the woman named Aisha urged smilingly.

She then led Rayna and Curtis over to a group of people. “Mr. Yildiz, this is Sumeyye and her husband, Zahar. They were out to do business when they accidentally got lost.”

The man she spoke to was the village chief, Murat Yildiz. He appeared to be about thirty years old with some wrinkles around his eyes, young and robust. If Rayna had not known about the plant, she would have mistaken him for a man in his prime.

Ever since she came out, she had noticed that there were basically no elderly people in the village.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Yildiz. Thank you for taking us in. We’re truly grateful,” Rayna gushed, having grown all the more proficient in the language. At the same time, she bowed to Murat.

Surprise flooded Murat. “Aisha was right. You can really speak our language. I thought no one else could converse in it besides those in this village of ours.”

He proceeded to arrange for Rayna and Curtis to sit beside him before talking up a storm.

Rayna had long since concocted a flawless background for herself and Curtis. She answered all the questions from Murat while acting pitifully from time to time. Throughout it all, Curtis sat at the side quietly since he was playing a “mute.”

A few minutes into their conversation, Murat suddenly asked, “So, what kind of business are you both involved in exactly?”

At that, Rayna plunged into a dilemma.

D*rn! I forgot to ask Uncle Curtis about this in the room earlier!

She promptly nudged Curtis with her elbow without turning to him. “He’s asking about our business, Mr. Faymon!”

Taking a piece of flatbread from the plate, Curtis fed it to her and replied in a low voice, “Vegetable and cotton seeds.”

His breath brushed against her ear, making her shudder. Rayna bit his finger in retaliation.

After hurriedly stuffing the flatbread into her mouth, she answered with a calm demeanor, “We sell vegetable and cotton seeds.”

“Vegetable seeds?” Murat’s interest was immediately piqued. The land in the village was suitable for cultivation, but they could not communicate with outsiders because of the language barrier. As such, they were unable to trade for those things.

Consequently, they lacked vegetables the most. All their food came from hunting.

Nodding, Rayna lamented sorrowfully, “My family is in such a business, but my father doesn’t like Zahar. I couldn’t sell off the seeds I took from home, so I could only bring them here to sell.”

“May God bless you richly. It so happens that we lack vegetables and cotton here. If you’re agreeable, I’ll trade for them with furs,” Murat proposed.

In response, she shook her head and uttered sincerely, “No, no, you’re behaving too much of a stranger with us, Mr. Yildiz. I’ll just give those seeds to you. If Ms. Aisha hadn’t given me some food, I would’ve probably lost my child. I owe you all a debt of gratitude. Regretfully, we lost our way, so I don’t know where the vehicle carrying the goods is.”

“It’s okay. Just have a good rest with Zahar tonight. I’ll send someone out to look for it tomorrow,” Murat declared.

“Thank you, Mr. Yildiz.”

When the conversation finally ended, Rayna breathed a long sigh of relief.

Seizing the opportunity while Murat turned to speak to someone else, she related the earlier exchange to Curtis.

After Curtis had listened to it all, admiration showed in his eyes.

Needless to say, they could not possibly agree to the trade. Ultimately, their goal was the plant, not the furs. If they were to give the vegetable seeds to the village for free, they would be doing them a great favor. At that time, the villagers naturally would not suspect their motive when they asked for the plant.

Hmm… The more I interact with her, the more I find her brilliant.

Soon, steaming hot food was served on the tables. It was all stewed meat, the fragrant aroma hitting them right in the face. However, there were hardly any vegetables.

Murat had someone carry out a few flasks of liquor they brewed themselves. He also poured a brimming glass for Curtis.

Picking up the glass, Curtis took a whiff of it. At once, his brows furrowed.

Noticing that, Rayna leaned over and inquired in a whisper, “Don’t tell me you can’t drink, Uncle Curtis?”

“No, but the alcohol content of this is very high. I rarely drink such type of liquor,” he explained.

In truth, it was because something would happen if he were to drink hard liquor. He had no idea what the aftereffects were, but Gabriel advised him against it.

“Then, I’ll drink it instead. It’s just a glass anyway.” Rayna picked up the glass before something occurred to her, and she voiced, “I told them I’m pregnant. Would I be giving the game away if I were to drink it?”

Hearing that, Curtis was rendered speechless.

At that precise moment, those at the other tables started cheering, raising the glasses in their hands one after another.

“How impressive, Ms. Garland. You’re even pregnant with my child.” Smirking, Curtis took the glass of liquor out of her hand and downed it in a single go.

A drop of liquor trickled down the corner of his mouth, running down his collarbone before disappearing into his shirt, rendering him sexy and seductive.

In a flash, the saying that went along the lines of “some people were the epitome of sexiness when they imbibed” flashed across Rayna’s mind.

At that moment, she was convinced of the veracity of that statement.

Curtis only drank that glass of liquor throughout the meal. The color of his face remained unchanged, but he seemed to be feeling unwell, massaging his temples every so often. His brows were also knitted together deeply.

“Mr. Yildiz, my husband isn’t feeling too well. I’ll help him back to Ms. Aisha’s house to rest first.”

“Sure! Go ahead.”

Rayna hastily supported Curtis. Upon seeing that his eyes were half-closed and he only seemed semi- conscious, she placed his hand across her shoulder. No sooner had she hoisted him up than she almost stumbled to her knees.

Oh gosh, how heavy!

Fortunately, Aisha’s house was merely a stone’s throw away, so she managed to help him back to their room. It was pitch-black inside. It took her groping around for a long time before she successfully removed the fur from atop the stone.

In an instant, the room turned as bright as day.

By the time she tossed him onto the bed, she was already panting heavily. Staring at the man who was dead asleep, she muttered, “I shouldn’t have said that I was pregnant. Otherwise, I could’ve drank that glass of liquor on your behalf.”

I’ve seen him drink liquor multiple times in the past, but he had always turned out fine. Why did he get drunk with just a single glass this time? Was it really because of the alcohol content?

While puzzling about the matter, Rayna went outside in search of water. After washing her face and arms, she retrieved a basin of water to wipe Curtis down.

As soon as she pushed open the door and stepped into the room, she was greeted by the sight of the initially slumbering man sitting on the bed with a blank expression on his face.

“Oh, you’re awake, Uncle Curtis?”

The moment Curtis spotted her, his eyes lit up. He instantly got off the bed and hurried over to her. Unlike before, he did not exude an oppressive aura as he stood before her at full height.

Rayna was wholly bewildered.

For some inexplicable reason, she felt as though the man standing in front of her was not Curtis. Instead, it was a massive dog.

His unfathomable eyes were locked onto her intently. As he had imbibed, his voice carried a trace of insobriety, and he looked incredibly docile with his downcast eyes.

“Darling.”

Rayna was so shocked that she loosened her grip on the basin, and the container filled with water crashed onto the ground with a clang.

 

Chapter 84

Chapter 84 There Is No Baby At All

W-What’s going on here?

A long while passed before Rayna found her voice. She gaped at Curtis tremblingly. “Uncle Curtis, did you drink too much… that you’re now not quite right in the head?”

But that’s not quite possible, no? I saw that he only drank a glass of liquor.

The man before her was Curtis, yet it was also not quite him, for his gaze and aura were entirely different.

After picking up the basin from the ground, Curtis put it aside. Before Rayna could gather her wits, he bent down, scooped her up, and gently placed her onto the bed.

“You’ve got to have enough rest now that you’re pregnant, Darling.”

Words eluded Rayna for a moment.

Nonetheless, his remark had her convinced that he was teasing her. A frown marred her countenance. “Stop joking around, Mr. Faymon. I was only lying when I said I was pregnant. Don’t you find it ridiculous to crack such a joke in the middle of the night?”

“I’m not joking, Darling. Be good and lie down. I’ll sing you a lullaby,” Curtis stated solemnly, grabbing the blanket and pulling it over her.

That had Rayna completely dumbstruck.

She gawked at the man before her, panicking slightly at the concern and indulgence in his eyes.

Oh, no! He seems to have lost his mind!

“Do you know my name, Mr. Faymon?” she asked tentatively.

“You’re Rayna Garland, my wife.”

Ignoring the latter half of his utterance, Rayna pressed, “Do you know where we are?”

In response, Curtis bobbed his head. “We’re in Tyrandas. I needed your help to negotiate a collaboration and set you up, so you had no choice but to relent. In the end, you came here with me.”

His answer only made Rayna all the more baffled.

I’m sure he’s not suffering from amnesia and remembers everything. So, what’s happening right now?

“Why am I your wife?” she asked.

“You’re just my wife. Must there be a reason?”

Following that reply, Rayna was at a loss for words.

While massaging her temples, she mumbled, “I think I’m the one who has gone mad. This must be my hallucination. Everything will be fine tomorrow, and things will return to normal.”

Curtis leaned over, his breath brushing past her ear. “What’s the matter, Darling?”

Instinctively clapping a hand over her ear, Rayna put distance between them and pointed at the edge of the bed. “N-Nothing. Sleep there, and don’t talk anymore.”

“Don’t you want me to sing you a lullaby, Darling?”

“No, it’s okay.”

Murmuring in acquiescence, Curtis returned to the bed like a meek kid. He then started taking off his clothes. In no time, he had stripped down to his birthday suit. Catching a glimpse of his solid muscles, Rayna jerked her head to the side.

She took a deep breath before ordering, “There’s no need to strip. Sleep in your clothes!”

“Okay.”

Rayna was accustomed to sleeping on a soft bed. Thus, sleep just would not come as she lay on the hard bed. Besides, there was Curtis, who had currently “gone off his rocker,” beside her. That made it all the more difficult for her to sleep.

What exactly is wrong with him?

She cast her mind back to the dinner earlier. He picked up the glass of liquor and took a sniff of it before saying that the alcohol content was high. Then, he appeared unwell after drinking it. Could it be that he can’t drink liquor with overly high alcohol content? But on second thought, brandy also contains high alcohol content. There must be at least a few bottles of brandy at high-end cocktail parties, so he can’t possibly avoid drinking when he’s in the business field.

Sometime later, the urge to pee gripped Rayna.

She strode over Curtis by the edge of the bed. No sooner had she gotten out of bed than the man’s voice drifted over from behind her. “Why aren’t you sleeping, Darling?”

Jumping in fright, she answered softly, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No, it’s okay.”

No matter what Rayna said, Curtis was adamant about accompanying her. He took out a small pebble from somewhere, the luminescence on its surface illuminating the entire room and the two of them.

Defeated, Rayna relented and allowed him to go with her.

The village was not big, and everyone lived together, so the bathroom was also shared. However, it was outside the village. After leaving the room, they headed out of the village, one after the other.

It was exceedingly quiet outside, with the only occasional sounds from unidentified animals. Apart from that, there were merely the rustling sounds of their shoes against the dirt road.

When they had almost reached the bathroom, Curtis handed the pebble to Rayna. “Be careful, Darling.”

“Can you please call me something else, Mr. Faymon?”

This address of his simply gives me a peculiar feeling!

Curtis seemingly asked her why with his eyes before murmuring, “Sweetheart.”

Feeling wholly defeated, Rayna whirled around and went to the bathroom. When she came out after a few minutes, she saw Curtis standing by the sink with a big wooden cup.

“Here, wash your hands, Sweetheart.”

Once more, Rayna was dumbfounded.

After washing her hands, she made her way back with great strides, hoping to quickly fall asleep upon returning to the room. Then, she would wake up the next morning to a normal Curtis.

Matching her pace, Curtis urged, “Be careful with the baby, Sweetheart.”

Gah! There’s no need to be careful, for there’s no baby at all!

Rayna did not pay her surroundings any mind when she came out, but she then noticed that the shrubs on both sides of the road were glowing with twinkling lights like stars in the sky.

Halting in her tracks, she moved closer. “These fireflies are so beautiful.”

It’s been a long time since I’ve last seen fireflies.

She crouched there with her chin propped in the palm of her hands, gazing at the fireflies for an eternity to the point. In fact, she was so immersed in watching them that she forgot all about her surroundings until a hand reached out and captured a few fireflies.

“Here, this is for you, Sweetheart.” Curtis handed a round glass jar to her. There were several fireflies in it, casting a bright glow on her face.

Rayna was stunned for a moment. As she took the glass jar from him, she asked, “Why did you catch them?”

“Because you seem to love them, Sweetheart,” Curtis admitted. Even crouching, he was still half a head taller than her. She was all that was reflected in his indecipherable eyes.

“They can’t live long in a sealed environment.”

“Even if I don’t catch them, their lifespan is only three days. They’ll still die after that. If they know they can make others happy, it’ll make their death worthwhile.”

Rayna was entirely stumped.

Leaning over, Curtis brushed her scattered hair to the back of her ivory ear and stated somberly, “As long as it’s something you like and wish to own, Sweetheart, I’ll do everything in my power to get it for

you. If you want the stars in the sky, I’ll have someone build an observatory. If you want penguins, I’ll have someone buy two and rear them at home…”

He rambled on and on, his mouth never once closing. As Rayna gazed at him, her heart skipped a beat.

I merely took a double look at the fireflies, and he caught some and placed them into a jar for me to look at as much as I liked. In fact, he vowed to immediately get me anything I wanted with a single word from me.

Verily, that offer of his touched her.

I always thought he was cold and indifferent. How could he be so approachable and appealing?

“Curtis.” For the very first time, she called out his name. His countenance gradually took shape before her eyes. Lifting her head, she kissed him, the kiss scorching and frenetic.

Without an ounce of hesitation, Curtis cradled the back of her head and took over as the aggressor. The shrubs on both sides of the road lit up like the day as though they were surrounding them.

On a mountain a near distance away, Cillian, who was patrolling with binoculars after finding a vantage point, happened across that scene.

Crying out in shock, he almost threw the binoculars in his hands away.

“What the h*ll is wrong with you that you’re screaming as though you’re being slaughtered? Do you want to be blasted to pieces?” James, who was crouched beside him, shot him a dark look.

 

 

Chapter 85

Chapter 85 Even Kristie Never Dared

“Nothing will happen since there are a few of us patrolling below,” Cillian reassured. Handing the binoculars to James, he urged, “Quick, take a look at Ms. Garland and Mr. Faymon, James!”

James took the binoculars from him and looked in the direction of the coordinates given.

A couple appeared in the lenses, kissing while crouching by the roadside. The man was none other than Curtis, but up at that angle, one could only see the woman with her head tilted, her features indistinguishable.

He merely took a single look before tossing the binoculars back to Cillian. “You’ve got quite a wide range of hobbies that you even like spying on Mr. Faymon! Why don’t you snap a picture of it?” he mocked with a sneer.

In response, the latter chuckled. “I was merely concerned about his safety and happened to see that. I told you there must be something between Mr. Faymon and Ms. Garland. I was right, huh?”

“Has that got anything to do with you?”

“Nope, not at all! I was just being nosy! Anyway, James, before you arrived, Ms. Garland even asked me about you, saying that she wanted to see you. Say, what did she mean by that?” Cillian questioned.

Wiping the gun in his hand with a cloth, James drawled, “I’m not interested in that.”

My main task is to ensure Mr. Faymon’s and that Ms. Garland’s safety. As for what she looks like and why she desires a meeting with me, I can’t be bothered to know, nor do I want to see her.

“But I can’t shake off the feeling that—”

Rubbing his head, Cillian wanted to speak further, but James snarled lowly beside him, “Shut the f*ck up! Go over there and look around. Do you not want to get paid anymore?”

“Aye, aye, I’m going over right away.” Cillian swiftly scrambled away with the binoculars in hand.

He patrolled the other end of the mountain with the binoculars. As the binoculars swept over the distant forest and ground, there was a fleeting glimmer of light. At once, he turned them back and took another look.

“There’s movement, James! There are two incoming jeeps!” Cillian reported in a low voice, not daring to take things lightly.

Crawling over, James grabbed the binoculars from his hand.

Two jeeps were traveling on the road a distance away, one after another. After adjusting the binoculars, he glimpsed a familiar figure in the backseat of the vehicle in the front, and the man seemed to be holding a map in hand.

“It’s Julian .” It was then James recalled him to be Rayna’s ex-husband. He had been to their house a few times in the past, but the man was too arrogant and pretentious, so neither he nor Roxanne liked him.

Why is he here?

“It seems to be Mr. Faymon’s cousin. I think he’s a relative of the Faymon family,” Cillian commented.

When he turned and saw James’ dark and murderous expression, he shuddered violently. “Do you have a grudge against him, James? Your expression right now is downright terrifying.”

“Of course!” James sneered. Ignoring Cillian, he moved further away with his firearm in hand to find a hidden spot. Using the shrubs as cover, he propped up his gun.

It was a Granatanolan JKM2876, the best killing weapon at night.

He thought Rayna and Julian divorced amicably because they could no longer live with each other. Later, he found out from Roxanne that Julian cheated on Rayna and even wanted to accuse her of betraying their marriage vows.

If it were not for his worry that the school would ferret him out should he make a move within the country, thus resulting in the matter getting to Rayna’s knowledge, he would have finished Julian off for real.

Now that he has offered himself up to me on a silver platter, it’d be foolish of me not to make my move.

“Whoa! Calm down, James! That’s Mr. Faymon’s cousin.” Cillian quickly crawled over, fear inundating him at the sight of James gearing up to shoot.

“Why didn’t he stay within the country obediently but come here instead? Mr. Faymon has given me the authority to deal with newcomers however I want as long as they aren’t part of the list he mentioned,” James replied.

After pondering upon it, Cillian felt that it made sense. Still, he was a touch worried. “James, how about —”

He had not finished speaking, but James no longer had the patience to listen and pulled the trigger. A muted whizz split the air, only to be promptly replaced by the buzzing of some unidentified insect.

Cillian hastily picked up the binoculars. He saw that the two jeeps on the road had already descended into a panic. The car window of the vehicle ahead had already shattered, and the man in the backseat had taken a bullet to the arm, blood gushing out uncontrollably.

Subsequently, another bullet shot through the air, puncturing the left rearview tire of the jeep.

A few heads poked out of the vehicle with their hands trembling despite holding weapons before drawing back at lightning speed. Then, both jeeps turned around and sped off as though the hounds of hell were after them.

“Whoa! They took off just like that?” Cillian’s jaw dropped open. I thought they were incredible since they came in the middle of the night with firearms, but unexpectedly, just two shots had them fleeing in fright.

James put away his gun nonchalantly, feeling much better after shooting Julian in the arm earlier.

Such a scumbag isn’t worthy of my sister!

When Curtis woke up the next morning, he sensed a weight on his chest. In the next instant, he saw a fair and delicate foot with light-colored nail polish resting on his chest.

The man was at a loss for words.

In all my years, even Kristie never dared to be so impudent with me.

With a dark expression on his face, Curtis moved the foot away. After getting up, he found Rayna sprawled on the other end of the bed in an awful sleeping posture. The linen skirt she was wearing had hiked up, baring her fair legs.

He reached out and pulled her skirt down.

His initial plan was to get up right after doing that, but he ended up leaning close and patting her on the face lightly. “Ms. Garland.”

“Hmm? What time is it now?” Rayna muttered, sitting up on the bed with much difficulty. Her face had been pressed against the wooden bed, so two long marks were left on her face, making her seem comical and amusing.

Curtis failed to stifle a laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” Rayna was completely bemused by his laughter. In the next moment, she stared at him with wide eyes. “H-Have you sobered up, Uncle Curtis?”

“Yeah, I’m likely fine.” Getting out of bed, Curtis straightened his clothes and inquired, “Was I horribly drunk last night? Did I do anything?”

“N-No.” Rayna coughed remarking calmly, “I didn’t know you have such a low alcohol tolerance, Uncle Curtis. You got drunk with a single glass of liquor. It took me much effort to help you back here.”

He eyed her skeptically. “Really?”

After a brief silence, she muttered in disgruntlement, “Shouldn’t you thank me for not tossing you to the ground to sleep, Uncle Curtis? After all, men and women should observe a certain distance. Yet, you’re actually doubting my words.”

Curtis went silent.

He pinned his ebony eyes on her for a whole ten seconds.

In the end, he left the room without saying anything.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Rayna brushed a finger against her lips as she recalled the kiss under the starry sky last night.

Never had I seen him so tender and cute. Well, I’m contented with keeping that kiss hidden deep in the depths of my heart.

It was not until Rayna caught sight of her face in the water in the basin when she went out to wash her face that she knew why Curtis laughed. She rubbed at her face for a while, hoping that the mark would

disappear as soon as possible.

By then, the women in the village had already prepared breakfast. It was fragrant flatbread and stew. While they were eating, Murat told Rayna that he would be going out with Curtis and a few other men later to search for the vehicle carrying the goods.

The few jeeps were parked together. Afraid that the villagers would see them, leading to her previous lie being exposed, she found an opportunity to ask Curtis about it furtively.

“Don’t worry; I’ve handled everything,” the man asserted.

Incredulity washed over Rayna.

We didn’t bring anything when we came to the village, and he was with me the whole of last night. How did he handle everything? Could it be that he had anticipated all this when we came?

 

Chapter 86

Chapter 86 She Is Simply Too Smart

In no time, Curtis, Murat, and a few other villagers left after breakfast. Rayna stayed at the village. When she saw Aisha doing laundry, she offered to help.

“You’re pregnant, so stay still. Just sit there and hand the clothes to me,” Aisha stated.

She had always kept in mind that Rayna was pregnant and had to be careful, making the latter exceedingly embarrassed. In the end, Rayna found a rock to sit on, where she chatted with Aisha as she watched her doing laundry.

“How long have you all lived here, Ms. Aisha?”

“It’s been almost thirty-nine years.”

“That’s quite a long time,” Rayna commented. Her curiosity was piqued, and she queried, “There are many villagers like you here, but why are there still so few people when you’ve all lived here for decades?”

Logically speaking, the population here should have increased by half after over thirty years since they would have a prolonged lifespan thanks to the plant that can regenerate cells. But I didn’t see many villagers last night. Even kids seemed pitifully few.

“We have no idea why either, but everyone dies at the age of fifty,” Aisha admitted.

Rayna was stunned for a moment. “Fifty?”

I’ve never heard of an age limit for death.

“Yes, it happens to every family. When a child is born, those over fifty years old will die peacefully. For that reason, the number of people in the village hasn’t changed much in the past few decades,” Aisha explained.

“Have you all never considered leaving here? It didn’t seem that far of a journey when we came by car. You should go and have a checkup at the hospital. Perhaps it’s a health problem,” Rayna suggested.

However, Aisha shook her head with a smile. “This place is perfect, and everyone is happy. Why should we leave? Not only will we have to buy land, but we’ll also have to raise a slew of kids if we do so. Furthermore, no one understands our dialect.”

At that, Rayna did not say anything further.

That’s true. Putting aside the matter of education and healthcare, this place is indeed paradise on earth. One can be self-sufficient without having to worry about anything. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn’t want to leave either.

When Aisha had finished washing a bucket of clothes, Rayna helped her hang them out. Afterward, the older woman brought her to the vegetable garden at the back.

There was a simple shed made of wood in the garden. When one wanted the sunlight, one could remove the wooden plank at the top. Besides some mustard leaves in there, the rest of the place was filled with a particular plant.

At the sight of the two whole rows of bright green plants, Rayna’s heart pounded wildly.

Gosh, all these are priceless treasures!

Conversely, Aisha did not pay them much mind. She casually plucked two of them and tossed them into the vegetable basket, saying to Rayna, “Despite Mr. Yildiz’s looks, he’s already forty-eight years

old. Everyone in the village eats this plant, so we look very young. I’ll use them to boil some soup for you later.”

“S-So incredible?” Rayna stammered, almost losing the ability to speak. “This is the first time I’m hearing that someone’s age can be reversed in all my years.”

Aisha giggled and replied, “Yes. This is a gift to us from God. However, this plant can only survive in this place. Someone from the village wanted to sell it outside, but it withered and died during the journey.”

Ah, I see.

Finally, Rayna understood why no one harbored any thoughts of selling the priceless treasure. It turned out that it could not survive elsewhere.

If this plant can’t be taken out, it means that Curtis will have to send a research team here. Several factions had been targeting us before we even came here. If a research team were really to be stationed here… Well, this seemingly inconspicuous plant is capable of having the whole world go crazy over it. Humans are selfish. Bound by the restraints of mortality, they would surely want to have it to themselves when they learn of its existence. Wouldn’t that be tantamount to bringing devastation upon this village?

A chill went down her spine, and she dared not continue thinking along those lines. Leaving with Aisha, she asked airily, “How does this plant grow again, Ms. Aisha? Does it also rely on the roots to absorb nutrients?”

In response, Aisha nodded. “Yes. Its reproduction capabilities are amazing. If you cut off the leaves and water it for a few days, it’ll grow back perfectly.”

“Really?”

Rayna glanced over her shoulder at the plants in the shed. An idea took shape in her mind.

In the afternoon, Curtis, Murat, and the others came back.

Curtis drove a jeep. Rayna noticed that the hooded vehicle had been modified. There was tremendous space at the back with all sorts of food.

“Do the few jeeps following behind carry the same things at the back?” She pulled him aside and inquired of him while the villagers were distributing the goods.

Curtis grunted in assent and explained, “After receiving the location you translated, I had someone buy all that was necessary. They don’t need money here, merely food and seeds.”

Rayna pursed her lips. Without warning, she toppled backward.

His expression promptly changed. Swiftly wrapping an arm around her waist, he hurriedly scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the house with no time to spare for the villagers around. Just as he placed her on the bed, she opened her eyes.

He was promptly stupefied.

Is she playing a prank on me?

“You remember the clothes I wore last night, yes? They’re hung outside and have probably dried. Go and take them in,” Rayna whispered.

Upon seeing that she did not appear to be joking, Curtis spun on his heels and went out. Shortly after, he returned with the clothes in his hand.

“Close the door. Keep it shut.”

Again, he was confounded.

When Rayna received her clothes, she immediately removed her earring and used the tiny hook to pick the threads of the flower embroidered on it. A piece of customized paper and some dye were hidden in the unraveled flower.

Straightening the curved earring hook, she dipped it into the dye and used it as a pen to write a few strings of numbers on the paper.

With a single glance, Curtis deciphered her message. “The density of glass? Why are you suddenly writing this? Did something happen?” he questioned.

“Our thinking was too simple in the past,” Rayna answered. She then narrated her conversation with Aisha, telling him about the plant’s survival rate.

“I think it must be an issue with the soil. If we want to transport it out, we need customized glass jars. Figure out a way to go out again and hand this to Mr. Tylinski, Mr. Faymon.”

Hearing that, Curtis frowned deeply.

I’ve never considered that, nor have I ever imagined that there’s such a plant that can only grow in a small part of the land in the same area. If I’d known about it earlier, I would’ve devised a countermeasure.

A long moment passed before he remarked, “In that case, we’ll need to stay here for a few more days.”

“You’re right. We just need to find a chance to puncture the jeep’s tire. I don’t want to destroy someone else’s paradise for the sake of making money,” Rayna murmured.

Lifting his eyes, Curtis stared at the woman in front of him. She was a head shorter than him and had dark brown dye on her face and body, yet she appeared like a tiny sun, emitting light all over. His heart abruptly skipped a beat.

She’s simply too smart.

“M-Mr. Faymon? Is there dirt on me or something?” His gaze was so scorching that Rayna felt like she was some prey under a predator’s watch. A sense of fear pervaded her.

Shaking his head, Curtis stated solemnly, “The three wishes I granted you still hold true, Ms. Garland. Just say the word if you want anything, and I’ll make it happen as long as it’s within my power.”

“There’s nothing I want right now. I’ll think about it after we head back to our country.”

“Sure.”

Rayna had no idea what excuse Curtis used, but he went out again with Murat and the others later in the day. While no one was paying attention, she punctured the jeep’s tire with the hook of her earring.

 

Chapter 87

Chapter 87 We Are Now Husband And Wife

The villagers were pleased that Curtis brought a truck full of food to the village, so they allowed Rayna and him to stay for a couple of days since the vehicle’s tires went flat.

After turning down their offer out of courtesy a few times, she eventually accepted their offer.

In the late evening, Curtis, the village chief, and a few other villagers returned with a load of wild animals. It looked like they had a fruitful hunt.

Meanwhile, the ladies set up the cooking station. They even served the mustard leaves they only consumed on special occasions and whipped up a sumptuous meal for the crowd.

The well-lit courtyard was as bright as day. Laughter filled the air as some villagers entertained the crowd by singing their unique folk songs.

As usual, wine was provided.

Last night’s experience had prompted Rayna to remind the village chief. “Mr. Yildiz, my husband is allergic to alcohol, so I’m afraid he’ll have to sit out the drinking session.”

Upon hearing that, Murat took away the wine glass as he did not want to pressure Curtis.

Curtis knew what Rayna did. While the villagers were enjoying themselves, he approached her and whispered in her ear, “Nothing bad happened to me last night, right?”

“Of course, something happened to you. You were allergic to alcohol,” Rayna explained, “I almost forgot you had red spots all over your body. I guess you’re not aware of it, too, right?”

“Really?”

Rayna gave him a sincere nod. Yet, a line still formed between Curtis’ brows. Is that why Gabriel always stopped me from drinking heavy liquor?

Somehow, he felt something was not quite right.

Curtis and Rayna stayed in the village for the next few days. When the former went for a stroll around the area, Rayna would remain in the settlement and chat with the women.

Most of the children were boys under the age of ten. As they were all considerably obedient, Rayna enjoyed teaching them the Tyrandasian language by writing words on the rock.

The children’s curiosity boosted their learning abilities. They were able to write a word after repeating it six times.

Rayna opined that they could enjoy a more meaningful life had they received formal education in the city. The fact that the life expectancy in this village is only around fifty years old might have something to do with their health. Therefore, she believed they should go for regular checkups at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the custom-made glass jars arrived five days later.

After dinner, Rayna went to look for Murat. “Mr. Yildiz, Ms. Aisha told me a plant that can prolong a person’s longevity could be found in the village. She also said all of you would make soup out of it.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Murat said, “we consume them daily. And that’s why we’re as fit as a fiddle. Those in their forties tend to look like they were in their twenties or thirties.”

He then let out a sigh. “But somehow, many of us won’t live past fifty-one years old. This also makes us question the effectiveness of the plant. Why do you ask? Would you like to try it?”

Rayna nodded. “To be honest, I’m tempted to bring some home after learning about it.”

“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed,” Murat responded with a frown. He continued, “In the past, villagers tried growing it elsewhere but failed. The plant can’t seem to grow outside the village.”

“No worries. As long as you’re willing to give me a few plants.” Rayna gave him a grin. “My husband and I bought a few jars when we drove past Ackleton. The locals told us we can store anything in it.”

“All right. Feel free to collect as many plants as you wish.” Murat chuckled while expressing his gratitude. “You and your husband have given us so much. In the last few days, we’d been scratching our heads to think of the best gift to repay your kindness.”

“Don’t mention it, Mr. Yildiz,” Rayna responded with a smile.

Last night, Curtis thought he had successfully hidden the glass jars in the car without anyone noticing them, but somehow, Rayna seemed aware of it. She went to the car today and retrieved five of them.

After that, Rayna and Murat went to the shed.

After unfastening the jar’s cover, she dug out the plants with some soil, placed them in the containers, and fastened the lids.

In a matter of minutes, she filled all five glass jars with the plants.

Murat looked at the containers and asked Rayna, “I can’t tell what is so special about these jars. Are you sure they can keep the plants alive?”

“I hope so.” Rayna wiped off the sweat droplets on her forehead.

She might have instructed Gabriel to custom-make those glass jars, but she had no idea if they could keep the plants alive.

The moment they stepped out of the shed, Curtis arrived.

“Look at you. Are you worried that something bad might happen to your wife when she’s only here in the shed for a while?” Murat teased him. “Though you always carry a deadpan expression everywhere you go and tend to give people the cold shoulder, you seem to dote on your wife.”

Curtis did not fully understand what Murat said, but when he noticed the expression on his face, his lips began to twitch. He must be saying nasty things about me.

Rayna, who was standing behind Murat, could not help but giggle. Well, that’s because Curtis’ identity as a villager is fake. Anyone who gets to see him smile should count themselves lucky.

“Mr. Yildiz, please don’t mind him. He has been like that since he was a kid,” Rayna said.

Murat immediately put on a stern face and said, “That’s not good! Men should always treat their wives well! You should stay here with us. My son is twenty years old too, do you know that?”

“You flattered me, Mr. Yildiz.” Rayna felt the situation was spiraling out of control. After hooking her hand around Curtis’ arm, she continued, “Trust me, he has improved tremendously under my guidance. Moreover, I’m pregnant with his child.”

Murat had no choice but to give up. “All right, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. I’m going to go now.”

Once Murat left, Curtis stared at Rayna deeply. “What were you two talking about? You seem like you’re having fun.”

“Mr. Yildiz wanted me to stay and told me his son was twenty-three years old.” Rayna skipped the comments Murat made about him. “And he wants me to be his son’s wife.”

Curtis glanced at his arm and knew what she was trying to do. “So you used me as a shield?”

“Of course. We’re now husband and wife!”

Her remark left him bereft of words.

“Here. Take a look at these precious babies.” Rayna lifted the ropes she used to tie the five glass jars.

Curtis took one of the jars and studied the plant closely. “It looks fresh.” To him, there was nothing unusual about it. “Anyway, we should leave the village tonight if there’s nothing else we need to do.”

Rayna bobbed her head in response.

All of a sudden, something hit the shed, and a buzzing sound emerged from a distance.

Curtis’ brows twitched after he noticed a tiny object glittering in the sun. Out of instinct, he lunged at Rayna, and they fell to the ground.

Rayna, who had no idea what was happening, accidentally tossed the glass jars when she fell. She immediately grabbed the ropes and pulled the containers back.

In a split second, the shed exploded. The explosion was so powerful that it sent all the broken pieces from the building flying up the trees and onto the ground at lightning speed.

Rayna’s ears started buzzing before losing her hearing for a moment.

After the explosion died down, Curtis helped Rayna up. They did not sustain injuries as they were in a safe spot.

Curtis gently stroked Rayna’s cheeks. “Rayna?”

Rayna shook her head repeatedly. It took her a while to regain her hearing. “What just happened?”

Curtis looked behind her with a grim expression. Rayna followed his line of sight and noticed the shed was ravaged. The explosion even left a two-meter depression on the ground.

“Look away. The bomb is toxic.” Curtis cupped Rayna’s nose with his hand and brought her out of the scene.

The explosion had also drawn the villagers’ attention. They all ran out and were stunned by the depression on the ground.

Murat, who also came to check on the shed, asked, “W-What just happened?”

Rayna pursed her lips and remained silent.

She felt something was amiss, as the last few days had been exceptionally peaceful. She knew Jefferson, given his personality, would not give up easily when he lost the deal. Apparently, he hasn’t conceded defeat. He was merely waiting for the right time to blow us into pieces.

Though they had walked away from the shed, they could still smell the musty stench in the air. The explosion had destroyed the entire garden, turning it into a barren land.

Chapter 88

Chapter 88 Being A Relative Of Curtis

Rayna handed the glass jar to Curtis and walked toward Murat. “Mr. Yildiz, do you have a moment?”

Murat glanced at her.

Then, he seemed to understand something, turned around, and walked toward the courtyard. Rayna followed him behind.

After entering the house, Rayna found a place to sit down. She looked calm and told Murat why she was there, including taking things in exchange for the plants. They were all within her plans.

After listening to what she said, Murat slammed the table furiously and said, “It has been over a decade since we have had visitors at our place. I was feeling strange upon seeing your arrival. You… You guys have caused me so much trouble!” He then continued, “Look what you’ve done! Our home is destroyed!”

“I’m so sorry. We didn’t expect this to happen.” Rayna felt guilty. She knew that no amount of talking would quell Murat’s anger for losing a home. “That bomb contained poisonous gas. I’m afraid this backyard has become barren. Mr. Yildiz, this place is not suitable for long-term stay anymore. We still have a few more cars out there, and we hope to take you guys out with us.”

“Take us out? Out where?” Murat hurled the wooden cup at Rayna, which grazed her face and left a bloody scratch on her cheek, and the latter frowned.

However, she did not get angry but responded, “Don’t worry about the language barrier. I’ll take care of that. After moving out, we will arrange a comfortable place for you guys to stay and let the kids go to school as well. Mr. Yildiz, the reason that each of you could only live fifty years might be because of physical illnesses. If we move out, everyone can do a medical checkup at the hospital and receive

adequate treatments. I can sign the contract with you. As long as you and the villagers are still alive, we will take care of all of you and let the kid receives the best education.”

“You guys are killing us…” Murat sighed.

He also knew that it was pointless to be angry at Rayna at this moment as this place was already ruined.

It had been a while before Murat spoke again. “We’re old, and we don’t want to learn anything new. We only hope for our children to be well. As long as they’re doing well, then I’ll accept your offer.”

Seeing that there was room for discussion, Rayna heaved a sigh of relief. “I’ll take the children to the hospital when we’re out. I will let them receive the best treatment no matter how much it costs. Don’t worry. I’ll teach them the common language used outside before I leave. We’ll also take care of all of your accommodation, food, and school for the children.”

Murat nodded.

The negotiation took no more than ten minutes, and then the two walked out.

When Curtis saw the bloody scratch on Rayna’s cheek, his eyes turned dark as he walked over. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” Rayna touched the wound. The corner of her lips twitched a little from feeling the pain before regaining her composure again as she relayed the conversation with Murat to Curtis. “Mr. Faymon, I’m sorry for making these decisions without asking you first.”

In response to her apology, Curtis said, “You spoke my mind. I wanted to move them out the time when I came over, and Gabriel had even found a place.”

Rayna was taken aback. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Our whereabouts were not completely unnoticed, and others will likely come over after we leave. I don’t want to ruin someone’s home because of a business deal,” said Curtis.

Hearing that, Rayna felt a touch of warmth fill her heart.

Only did she realize that they had been thinking the same thing. Furthermore, he already had everything set up silently.

Murat gathered all the villagers and smoothed things out by telling them they could not stay there anymore and had to leave. In the beginning, many villagers were reluctant to do so, but they agreed later after learning that their children could receive an education.

There were tons of food in some of the SUVs they drove over, and the space was limited. A vehicle could only take three people, so they took the children first and planned to pick up the rest of the villagers in recreational vehicles the next day.

Fearing that the children would feel unfamiliar with the new environment, Rayna wanted to go with Gabriel.

As she was about to leave, Curtis stopped her again.

“Mr. Faymon, what is it?” asked Rayna.

Curtis looked at the scratch on her cheek and took out a band-aid to help her with it carefully. His warm fingers brushed across her cheek, and he instructed her in a deep voice, “Be careful on your way back.”

“Okay… Mr. Faymon, I… I have to go!” Rayna scrambled into the car, and she blushed in embarrassment.

Right after they left, James and Cillian arrived.

James’ camouflage uniform was full of sludge, looking as if he had been to war. When he faced Curtis, a look of chagrin appeared on his face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Faymon. It was my fault.”

Besides the night after Julian came, it had been peaceful after that. James had nothing to do, and so he let his guard down. He did not expect to be ambushed from all corners in the morning and even let those people throw a bomb at the village.

“Mr. Faymon, James has always been doing his job. I was the careless one.” Cillian exclaimed, “Mr. Faymon, I’m prepared to receive the punishment!”

James shot him a side glance. “Shut up!’

“You guys are not the ones to be blamed on this matter,” said Curtis, without the intention to reprimand them. “The six of you had been on the lookout these days, and I understand it’s not an easy job. Our opponents were just too patient.”

James still could not let it go. “Mr. Faymon, even if you don’t blame us, it’s still our fault that we’ve failed to perform our duty. I’m unworthy of getting such high pay because of my sloppiness.”

“Did anyone escape?” asked Curtis.

“Mr. Faymon, all of them were killed!” Cillian answered, “James is good at shooting. Those people could not escape from him!”

“Since they’re dead, it proves that you guys did not fail in your duty.” Curtis’ thin lips lifted slightly, and he smiled. “If you truly feel sorry about it, stay with me for a few more days then.”

He did not want to lose his talents because of a small accident.

“Yes, Mr. Faymon!” James straightened his back and said firmly, “If you have any orders in the future, just let us know. I’ll do anything I can to help you out, even if it means I have to go through pain or risk my life!”

“Me too, Mr. Faymon!” Cillian chimed in and continued, “James, don’t you think you’re going too far with your last sentence? How about waiting for me to marry a wife first?”

James nudged him hard with his elbow.

“Ouch!” Cillian bent down and covered his abdomen. His face contorted in pain. “Is that the only method you know, James?”

“There’s still another one. Do you want to try?”

Cillian shut up immediately.

Looking at the two young men fighting, Curtis smiled helplessly. He then seemed to think of something, and he raised his brows and asked James, “Do you have any other family members?”

Cillian was just about to reply when James shot him a glance.

“My parents divorced when I was a kid. I’m living with my mom.” James continued, “Mr. Faymon, my mom is in good health and working a job. Thank you for your concern.”

He remembered Rayna told him that she was working at the Faymon Group. He did not think Curtis could possibly know her, and he did not want to let Curtis know much about his family.

Curtis could feel the wariness in his words, so he did not probe further.

“Hey James, why didn’t you mention your two sisters?” After Curtis left, Cillian could not hold it back and asked, “Don’t you want to be Mr. Faymon’s brother-in-law?”

“Now that you mentioned it, I kind of want to.” James wrapped Cillian in his arms and exerted some force on his neck that almost broke his bones. “How about this? I’ll give Mr. Faymon Rayna’s WhatsApp. What do you think?”

“I was wrong! I was wrong!” Cillian grimaced in pain and slapped himself. “I’ve only gotten to speak to your sister, and I wish to continue having conversations with her.”

James hummed in response and warned him in a deep voice, “Don’t talk to Mr. Faymon about my family in the future, okay? Otherwise, I’ll rip your head off and kick it as a ball!”

Cillian felt a chill down his spine as he nodded repeatedly.

 

Chapter 89

Chapter 89 He Called Me Babe

On the way back to the city, Rayna got to know through her chat with Gabriel that, a few days ago, Curtis had instructed him to buy a factory for the villagers to stay in.

“He bought a factory? Isn’t that a bit too much?” Rayna asked.

“It isn’t. When we came to Tyrandas two years ago, Mr. Faymon was already thinking of buying that factory,” Gabriel shared before continuing, “Having a factory would make it easier for Faymon Group to set up a branch here. It was just an unexpected surprise that we were able to use it to help the villagers as well. The school is located pretty close to the factory, so it would be convenient for the kids to go to school.”

“I see,” Rayna replied briefly.

She thought that Curtis had specially purchased a factory for the villagers, but it turned out to be her wishful thinking. However, it made sense for a businessman to think in terms of profits and gains. Besides, it turned out well for the villagers to be under the Faymon Group’s protection.

As the woman recalled that night when Curtis was drunk, her heart skipped a beat. Testing waters, she asked, “Mr. Tylinski, you’ve been working for Mr. Faymon for a long time. Do you know if there’s anything wrong with his health?”

After thinking about it for a second, Gabriel replied, “No. Mr. Faymon goes to the hospital for a health checkup every three months. He’s very healthy.”

“Are you sure?” Rayna had a doubtful expression on her face as it did not seem to her that Curtis was putting up a pretense that night. “How about allergies? For example, is he allergic to alcohol?”

“Alcohol…” After a brief moment of contemplation, Gabriel seemed to have remembered something. “That’s right. Mr. Faymon has a low alcohol tolerance. It’s a problem if he drinks too much.”

“What problem?” Rayna questioned further.

Gabriel cleared his throat before answering, “Mr. Faymon would become very obedient and would do anything others asked him to do. That’s why I would always make sure I’m with him whenever he goes drinking. I’m worried that he might get into trouble.”

After saying that, he turned to look at the woman and asked, “Ms. Garland, did Mr. Faymon drink?”

Rayna nodded.

“Did he do anything after he drank?”

“Umm… No.” Rayna decided that it was best not to tell Gabriel about their kiss under the stars. “Like what you said, he was just really obedient and followed me wherever I went. He… He had even called me Darling…”

“Oh, that’s just normal.” Although it was not easy for the woman to say those words, Gabriel did not think it was a big deal. “Mr. Faymon tends to spout nonsense after drinking too much alcohol. He had even called me babe when he was drunk previously!”

“B-Babe?” Rayna widened her eyes in disbelief.

“Yeah! I was also stunned when I heard that and took Mr. Faymon to the hospital to see a doctor. The doctor told us that some people tend to be in a dream state when they have an allergic reaction. During that time, they would only remember certain things that happened earlier. I found out that Mr. Faymon had watched a movie at home the night before he drank. The lead actor had a cousin whom he called

babe. I guess that character had left a deep impression on Mr. Faymon, and that was why he ended up calling me babe when he was drunk.”

“But that character is a female, and you are…” Rayna sized Gabriel up and continued, “You don’t look like a woman to me. Then, why would Mr. Faymon call me Farling?”

Gabriel shrugged and replied, “Beats me. Maybe it’s because you’re pretty?”

The factory named “Apexi” was located to the north of the city. It was very clean and much bigger than Rayna had expected. After passing by the courtyard, there was a stand-alone dorm and a cafeteria located at the back of the factory.

Rayna took the kids to the cafeteria for lunch.

As they were used to eating wild game when they were living in the village, the children were delighted to see a sumptuous spread of dishes and ate to their satisfaction.

Later that afternoon, Rayna took the kids out shopping.

Being in a foreign city and walking along a crowded street filled with skyscrapers, the children were curious about everything they saw. They followed Rayna from store to store and emerged with bags of purchases.

Rayna knew that she would not be there for long. Hence, after getting the teaching materials, she headed back to the factory with the children and started teaching them Tyrandasian, starting with the vowels. The children listened attentively and were very serious about learning.

Compared to the more commonly used Anglandurn or Ferropenian, Tyrandasian was easier to learn as the pronunciation of the words was more straightforward. Moreover, as the kids were used to speaking

Uronian, which was similar to Tyrandasian, the new language was rather easy for them to pick up. In fact, it only took them one night to finish learning the basics.

It was already past midnight, and Rayna was still going through the children’s assignments. They were progressing faster than she had expected. It would not take more than a week before they could start attending school and interact with the other students with ease.

A while later, Rayna was so tired that she dozed off at her desk while marking the papers.

At the break of dawn, the metal gates of the factory opened, and a bus drove into the factory before stopping in front of the dorm. The village chief and the other villagers alighted from the bus.

The villagers and their families had lived in the tiny village for generations. As they did not speak any other languages, very few of them had ever ventured outside. When they saw the building in front of them, they were dumbfounded.

Gabriel, who did not speak Uronian, asked, “Mr. Faymon, should we get Ms. Garland here?”

“Prepare some food at the cafeteria, and let them have breakfast first. They haven’t eaten anything yet,” Curtis instructed before continuing, “Let her sleep a while more. At least wait till the sun is up.”

“Understand.”

Gabriel showed Curtis to his room before he tried to communicate with the village chief using hand gestures. After a while, he finally managed to take the group of fifty people to the cafeteria.

The facilities in the dorm were rather decent, except that the bathrooms were shared. Curtis could no longer tolerate the dye on his body and headed to the bathroom on the third floor to shower.

Even though the lights were not turned on in the communal shower area, Curtis could hear the sound of water, and it seemed like someone was showering.

He tried to turn on the lights, but the switch did not seem to be working. Fortunately, there was a window that allowed some light to pass through, which was enough for the man to make his way around.

Curtis hesitated for a moment but still decided to enter the shower area as he could no longer stand the smell of the dye on his body. He headed into the nearest cubicle and turned on the shower.

At the same time, Rayna was showering in another cubicle six cubicles away from Curtis.

She had accidentally switched off the fan while sleeping at her desk the night before and woke up drenched in sweat at five-thirty in the morning. As such, she went for a morning shower in order to feel refreshed.

After getting a hot shower, Rayna felt much more relaxed. She wrapped herself in a towel before walking out of the cubicle.

She had left her clothes in the locker outside.

When she left her cubicle, she spotted a figure walking out from another cubicle that was closer to the entrance. Judging by the person’s tall stature, she reckoned it did not seem like a woman. Rayna stiffened immediately and said in Anglandurn, “Umm… Hi. Did you enter the wrong room?”

Before Rayna entered the room, she had taken a clear look at the sign outside and made sure it was the female communal shower. Hence, it was likely that the other party was in the wrong place.

After hearing her voice, the person turned around at once. When he saw Rayna, he froze for a few seconds before a crease appeared between his brows. “Ms. Garland?”

“Oh my goodness!” After looking closely at the man’s face, Rayna ran her hand down her face and said with her lips twitching, “Mr. Faymon, didn’t you see the huge sign outside that says ‘Ladies’?”

With an awkward expression on his face, Curtis replied, “I didn’t notice, as it was too dark just now.”

Rayna was completely speechless.

Just then, the joyful laughter of girls was heard coming from outside. It sounded like there were three to four girls. Curtis and Rayna exchanged glances, not knowing what to do next.

The situation had become even more awkward.

Curtis was the first to snap out of his shock. He remained calm as he approached Rayna before pulling her into one of the cubicles and drawing the curtains. The next moment, the girls entered the room.

 

Chapter 90

Chapter 90 My Previous Boyfriend Is Loaded

Since the room was small, the two were almost pressed against each other. Moreover, they were so close that they could feel their rapid breaths mingling.

At that moment, Rayna was still stunned, her heart beating wildly. Next to her, Curtis had already turned on the shower to make it seem like this room was occupied. The water from the fixed showerhead poured unbidden onto Rayna’s head, drenching her completely.

Rayna was rendered speechless by that.

Wiping the water from her eyes, Rayna glared at Curtis and said in a low voice, “Why do you have to turn on the shower? And why aren’t you outside, Mr. Faymon? Don’t you know people will misunderstand if they see you like this?”

She was so wet as if she had gotten another bath, and her bathrobe was heavily laden with water. Worst of all, she could hardly keep her robe tied up.

“Well, people will see us like this if I don’t turn on the shower,” Curtis explained. Although he was grabbing her arm, he managed to maintain a respectful distance between her in that small space. He left a small gap between their bodies, so they were not tightly pressing against each other.

Honestly, the first thing he saw when he entered was her. What would happen if I wasn’t the one who entered? Doesn’t this woman know how to protect herself?

Time passed by in awkward silence.

Suddenly, they heard the pitter-patter of footsteps outside, and a tiny hand slipped in. It grabbed the curtain and tried to pull it open.

Curtis’ expression changed, and Rayna’s heart leaped to her throat.

Immediately, Rayna grabbed the girl’s hand before she could open the curtains. Then, she stuck her head out and saw a girl from the village, about five to six years old, standing outside.

Rayna forced a smile and said, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Rayna!” the little girl exclaimed happily after she saw Rayna. Blinking her large doe eyes, she said, “I can’t find Bubbles, so I’m looking for it here.”

“Bubbles? What’s that?” Rayna asked patiently since she was fond of the little girl.

“That thing that will make bubbles when you put it on your body,” the girl said as she raised her head and looked around.

At once, Rayna knew she was talking about the shower gel, so she quickly took the bottle from the shelves and handed it to the little girl.

“Thank you, Rayna,” said the little girl as she hugged the bottle. However, she didn’t leave and asked curiously, “Why do you need to pull the curtains? We don’t use them here.”

“I don’t want the water to splash and wet the tiles, causing people to slip and fall. So, you must close the curtains when you shower, all right?” Rayna said.

“Okay,” the girl nodded cluelessly before curling her lips upward in a big smile. “Thank you, Rayna. I’ll be going now. Bye-bye.”

Without delay, the girl left with the bottle in her arms, and Rayna sighed a breath of relief.

The two did not say anything and listened to the joyful laughter and cries of the girls outside.

Not long after, the girls finished bathing. So, Rayna sneaked out and surveyed the area before informing Curtis to get out of there.

“That was my mistake, Ms. Garland.” Curtis lightly coughed. “And thank you for your help.”

Rayna’s face reddened in embarrassment. Awkwardly, she said, “Next time, look carefully before you enter. If you accidentally enter the women’s shower again, people might think you’re a pervert.”

Curtis nodded solemnly.

After breakfast, Rayna and the factory manager got to work and arranged a place for the villagers to stay.

Murat was quite pleased with the place they had given him. Moreover, his anger dissipated when he heard that he could work and be paid a monthly salary. He even smiled when he talked to Rayna.

Curtis seemed to be very busy as he left with his assistant.

Meanwhile, Rayna taught the children in the temporary classroom. She taught them how to write in the mornings and brought them out to chat with the locals in the afternoons. Ultimately, she wanted the children to practice their speaking skills. Occasionally, she would also teach the locals how to write their names in Tyrandasian.

In just one week, the children’s learning progress increased tremendously since they could now converse fluently with the locals. In addition, Curtis arranged for two additional teachers, especially for the children’s care at the school.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for them to return to the country.

As the children were still in school, only the villagers saw Rayna and the rest off.

Murat was beyond grateful for their help. Holding Rayna’s hand, he said, “I can’t thank you enough. You have given us new life. If you need any help, please let me know. I’ll do my best.”

“You don’t have to thank me, but thank my employer instead.” Rayna pointed at Curtis, who was standing next to her. “My employer made all these happen, and I’m only carrying out his orders. Stay here with Ms. Aisha and the rest. When the doctor is free, you must remember to take the children to the hospital for a check-up. But don’t worry, as my employer will pay the medical fees.”

Murat nodded in understanding.

Then, turning to Curtis, Murat also held his hands tightly with an expression of gratitude. Curtis did not mind it as he merely smiled. Afterward, Curtis got in the car with Rayna and went to the airport.

On the journey, Rayna looked out the window as the trees whizzed past. She could not believe she had already stayed in Tyrandas for half a month. It would take months for her to process what had happened.

As she recalled the village, a regretful expression appeared on her face. “Too bad only six plants were saved.”

“Six is enough,” Curtis said. He was not worried at all. “Faymon Group’s research team will find the best environment for them to grow.”

Rayna glanced at him. “Can they do it?”

“Nothing is impossible. After all, it’s a big world. I’m sure they’ll succeed.” Curtis reclined his head against the headrest, revealing his chiseled jawline. He was indeed a feast for the eyes.

After stealing a few glances at him, Rayna turned away and calmly watched the scenery outside the window.

Finally, I don’t owe Uncle Curtis anything now.

Soon, the car arrived at the airport, and they entered the VIP waiting lounge.

Curtis was standing by the window while listening to a call. After hanging up, he called Gabriel over. “You are going to stay here. Do what I’ve ordered you to in Norham and inform my brother that it’s time to come back.”

“Mr. Faymon, have you found the person?” At first, Gabriel was still confused. “Can that person be trusted?”

Curtis slightly tilted his head.

As Gabriel looked in the direction Curtis was seeing, the former saw Rayna sitting on the soft couch, reading something on a tablet. Her ebony black hair rested on her shoulder, and her expression was calm and serene.

The corner of Curtis’ lips curled up, and he flashed a knowing smile. “Why, of course. She can be trusted.”

“Mr. Faymon, must it be her?”

“Yes, it must be her.”

Gabriel instantly knew what Curtis wanted and nodded his head. Before the former left the VIP lounge, he took a quick glance at Rayna.

Sensing someone’s gaze on her, Rayna raised her head and saw Gabriel staring at her. So she nodded at him, and he smiled before he left.

Hmm. Where is Mr. Tylinski going?

As Rayna wondered, the mention of the name “Terblanc” entered her ears. She looked down at the screen and saw an image of an elegant man in a dark gray suit.

In the video, the host introduced the man with unconcealed excitement. However, Rayna could only hear a loud ringing in her ears as she tried to pick up the keywords. Then, her brain pieced these words into coherent sentences.

The Terblanc family was an ancient family in Yatran. Back in the nineteenth century, they invested in lucrative businesses like banks, the petroleum industry, and the firearms industry. Fast forward to today, they had amassed enough wealth to rival a country, and they were also important guests of the royal family.

Calbert Terblanc, alias Jefferson Hamilton, was the second in line to the succession of the Terblanc family. After disappearing for over twenty years, he revealed himself to the public and announced to the media that he would invest a billion to start a company in Chanaea.

Rayna stared at the man on the screen as if she was looking at a stranger, her lips twitching involuntarily to one side.

Wow. My ex-boyfriend is loaded.