Ch. 91..100

Chapter 91

Chapter 91 Introduce My Brother To You

Over ten hours later, the plane landed at Norwal City Airport.

Rayna dragged her luggage and walked out of the airport with Curtis. At the door, someone came to them.

“Mr. Faymon, Ms. Garland.” The lady, who greeted them, seemed like she was around twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She was dressed in a gray suit, and her hair was tied up in a clean bun—her entire being exuded a sense of shrewdness.

The woman introduced herself to Curtis. “Mr. Faymon, I am Naomi Gardner from the secretarial department. I am in charge of your schedule when Mr. Tylinski isn’t around.” She also took Curtis’ luggage from him.

Curtis hummed in acknowledgment and got into the Bentley parked by the road.

“Mr. Faymon, goodbye.” After they landed, Rayna saw Curtis taking a few calls. He seemed busy, so she assumed he was heading to his company straight away.

“You don’t have to avoid arousing suspicion. I’ll ask my secretary to give you a ride,” Curtis told her with the car door open. “The airport is a distance away from the city, and I don’t want you to travel alone.”

The secretary, Naomi, had already placed Rayna’s luggage into the trunk efficiently. Rayna could not refuse and thanked him before getting into the car.

The vehicle drove out of the airport and entered the expressway.

Naomi was reporting to Curtis about the matters at work in an unhurried manner. She didn’t even get emotional when she mentioned firing someone from the secretarial department after Jack Saunders

slapped her.

“Ms. Linnard asked Mr. Eyre from Northville out to a meal under Mr. Saunders’ orders. She got the Farmonix’s bidding documents for Mr. Saunders, who then sold it to Herald to fund his own pockets. Mr. Saunders also transferred an employee to the branch in Horington to be the sales manager there.”

Rayna could feel her temples throbbing when she heard Naomi’s report. She glanced at Curtis with her peripheral gaze and noticed he was staring at his tablet, his face devoid of expression. She couldn’t tell whether or not he had heard everything.

After talking to Jonathan at the golf course previously, Rayna learned that Edith belonged to Jack’s faction. She didn’t know Jack had so many informants in the Faymon Group.

He’s just a vice CEO without any shares, but look how arrogant he is. Imagine how audacious those who own Faymon Group’s shares can be!

The ambiance at the company had been weird recently. Rayna heard that some employees were transferred to other branches in different states. Furthermore, there was Jonathan’s matter. She could guess why Curtis came back to the country.

I’m afraid there will be turbulence in Faymon Group soon.

“Ms. Garland, we’re here.”

Rayna was still lost in thought when the man’s deep voice rang beside her suddenly.

She glanced out of the window to discover they had arrived at her residential area. Naomi was outside, helping her get her luggage out.

“Oh, okay.” Rayna quickly pushed the door open. Before getting out, she turned her shoulder to look at Curtis. Coincidentally, Curtis was also glancing at her. His legs were crossed, and he looked as calm as

ever.

When their eyes met, Curtis’ gaze turned dark as he asked, “Ms. Garland, anything else?”

“Mr. Faymon, I shall be honest with you. I came from a poor family, so my mother and sister depend on me to survive.” Rayna seemed hesitant. “You said we’ll be even after we return to the country. Are we even now?”

After a pause, she added hastily, “Back in Tyrandas, I did my best to help you. However, the accident in the village was unavoidable. You said our efforts weren’t in vain, as we managed to save six plants.”

Afraid he would reject her, she quickly tried to gain his pity. She wasn’t lying, for she did her best to help him whenever possible.

Curtis stared at her in silence.

His gaze wasn’t as sharp and indifferent as before. Seeing his gentle gaze, Rayna couldn’t stop her ears from turning red. She immediately put her guard up warily.

“M-Mr. Faymon, say something,” she urged.

Can you stop staring at me?

“Of course. I am a man of my word.” Curtis’ lips curled up slightly. “We’re even now, Ms. Garland. The three conditions I promised you still count.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Rayna relaxed as she finally paid off her debt of gratitude.

After bidding goodbye to Curtis, she entered her condominium, not knowing someone was gazing at her intently inside the car.

Curtis only looked away when Naomi entered the car.

Displayed on his ten-inch tablet were an email sent by Gabriel half an hour ago and a piece of economic news published in Yartran. Everything pointed to one person—Jefferson Hamilton.

Curtis knew Jefferson wasn’t to be taken lightly when he failed to find out the latter’s background. Initially, he was curious why Jefferson kept badgering his ex-girlfriend as there were plenty of gorgeous socialites around him.

After spending some time with Rayna, Curtis discovered that she was smart and appealing in every way.

He could understand why Jefferson couldn’t forget her.

One could find pretty ladies from the upper-class society and entertainment industry anytime, but it was rare to find a smart and pretty woman. Besides, Rayna wasn’t ambitious at all. She would’ve climbed to greater heights if she were an ambitious woman.

“What a naïve girl.” Curtis glanced at his tablet as a smile crept up his lips.

Get even? Impossible. It is hard to find a smart and quick-thinking woman. Of course, I want her for myself. Besides, I need her for the climax later.

In the elevator, Rayna suddenly shuddered as a blast of chilliness enveloped her. After stepping out of the elevator, she was welcomed by a gust of warm air. Assuming the temperature in the elevator was too low, she didn’t pay too much attention to it.

The condominium was clean without a speck of dust in sight, so it was clear Jessica cleaned up every day. However, the refrigerator was empty.

Rayna shook her head at the sight of the empty instant noodles boxes in the dustbin. She then took a shower and headed to the supermarket to buy some groceries. It was around five in the afternoon

when she finally arrived home with a few huge shopping bags in her hands.

“Oh, Nana! you’re back!”

Rayna was about to open the door with her key when Jessica stepped out of the elevator with a box full of chips. The box seemed heavy, for she was swaying as she made her way over to the door.

Rayna was curious. “You got off work before five?”

“There wasn’t much to do today, so I got off work earlier than usual.” Jessica was touched to see Rayna’s arms laden with groceries. “You had no idea how I lived for the past few weeks. I ate instant noodles and takeaway food until I got sick of them. If you don’t come back, I will soon become a shriveled corpse.”

“I don’t think so.” Rayna took a look at the box of chips she was holding and joked, “You can survive a week with these.”

“Oh, chips won’t make me full.”

They continued joking as they entered the house.

When Rayna was cooking, Jessica didn’t idle around and helped her wash the ingredients. She couldn’t stop chattering, too. “I bumped into the young hottie on the way back home. He got a little tanned but still looks hot! I chatted with him, but he was indifferent to me.”

“If he’s indifferent, go find other young hotties!” Rayna flipped the chicken wings in her pan. “He belongs to Ms. Winton, so you’d better stay away from him.”

She didn’t want to have anything to do with that spoiled young lady.

“But he’s so handsome!” Jessica let out a sigh and asked, “Hey, when do you think Kristie will replace him?”

Rayna was amused. “You know physiognomy, right? Don’t you know?”

“Physiognomy can only tell me someone’s fortune and stuff!” Jessica huffed. “I cannot tell other stuff through one’s physiognomy. Otherwise, I would’ve earned a lot through this.”

As Jessica was frowning as though she had been dumped, Rayna chuckled and offered, “Seriously? If you want a boyfriend, I can introduce my younger brother to you.”

Chapter 92

Chapter 92 Diamond Castle Not For Sale

“What?” Jessica’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You have a younger brother? How old is he?”

“He’s a few years younger than me and is still a student. I think he’s quite cute,” came Rayna’s answer. “It’s about time he finds a girlfriend. You can chat with him on WhatsApp.”

James previously told her that his schoolmates were mostly boys. There weren’t many girls around. Thus, Rayna was afraid he’d be led astray.

They will be dating, not getting married. It’s a good thing for them to get to know each other more.

“Oh, your younger brother must be similar to you!” Jessica gave Rayna a teasing push as a bright smile flitted across her lips. She was a sucker for attractive people and could accept the fact that he was two years younger than her.

During the meal, Jessica had already gotten James’ WhatsApp number from Rayna. She kept stealing glances at her phone anxiously, grumbling that James hadn’t replied to her.

Rayna grinned. “He’s at a boarding school with strict discipline and doesn’t get to look at his phone every day. Don’t worry. I’ll let him know when he visits during the weekend.”

Jessica placed her phone down reluctantly.

A while later, she couldn’t help but start chattering again. This time, it was about work. She told Rayna that the new planning department manager was Brooklyn Faymon.

“Wow, I only learned through gossip that Brooklyn Faymon is Mr. Saunders’ goddaughter. He was the one who transferred her back from the Horington branch. Edith from your department belongs to Mr.

Saunders’ faction, too, right? I can’t believe a vice CEO can be this powerful. He might be able to monopolize the entire Faymon Group!”

“Brooklyn is in Faymon Group?” Rayna narrowed her eyes.

Brooklyn was the second daughter of Alfred’s eldest brother and Julian’s first cousin once removed. She knew that much. A few years ago, Rayna went to the Faymon residence with Julian during the new year and met her once. She remembered Brooklyn as an ostentatious woman.

However, when Alfred was still in power in the Faymon Group, he left orders that there shouldn’t be too many Faymons in the upper management except for the board of directors. Thus, the Faymons were sent to the branches in different states.

Why does Mr. Saunders have the guts to transfer Brooklyn back to Faymon Group? What is he doing? Is he trying to sound Curtis out?

“Yeah. She came a few days after you went to Tyrandas,” Jessica revealed as she stuffed a boneless chicken wing into her mouth. Her cheeks were puffed up as she mumbled, “Edith is doing all she can to butter up to Brooklyn. She ordered high-end takeaway food to the planning department every day and did everything Brooklyn told her to do like a lapdog.”

“Of course, she would want to butter up to Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a Faymon, after all.” Rayna chuckled lightly. “Besides, she’s just an interim supervisor for now. Whether or not she becomes the manager depends on Brooklyn’s help.”

Jessica pouted unhappily. “She entered the company earlier and has a backer. That’s all. Your supervisor wanted to recommend you to take over his position before going to the Norham branch. Alas, something happened to him before he could say anything, so Edith took advantage of the situation.”

She leaned forward to stare at Rayna eagerly. “Nana, didn’t Mr. Faymon say anything? You’ve been at Tyrandas together for a long time. Didn’t anything happen? Will Mr. Faymon back you up?”

“No, it was a work trip,” Rayna replied in exasperation, cutting Jessica’s daydream short. “Stop imagining things. Nothing is going on between Mr. Faymon and me, so I don’t need him to back me up.”

The collaboration is completed, and I don’t owe Uncle Curtis anything now.

“Just work?” Jessica munched on her food, looking disappointed. “You used to be relatives. Why is Mr. Faymon this heartless?”

Rayna had no answer to her question.

“Brooklyn was parachuted into our department, and your department is also in a mess. If a few other people get parachuted in, will Faymon Group be done for?” Jessica asked.

“Shut up, will you?” Rayna couldn’t stand it anymore and stuffed a chicken wing into the woman’s mouth to stop her from talking. “That isn’t our business as long as we get paid on time. If you don’t stop talking, I won’t cook anymore tomorrow.”

Jessica chose to shut up so she wouldn’t have to order takeaway food tomorrow.

Right after Rayna said that, her phone on the coffee table rang. She went to the living room to get her phone and discovered it was a call from an unknown number.

Is Julian calling again?

Rayna answered the call. “Who is this?”

“Ms. Garland, this is Naomi Gardner, Mr. Faymon’s secretary,” a voice belonging to a female greeted her politely. “I’m at the entrance of your condominium. Can you come down now?”

“Sure.”

On the way downstairs, Rayna wondered, Didn’t Naomi send me back a few hours ago? Why is she here again? Did something urgent crop up? Didn’t Uncle Curtis and I get even?

Outside, Rayna saw Naomi waiting at the end of the stairs, looking as professional as usual. She was flanked by two men. There was also a tall box over one meter beside her.

“Ms. Garland, sorry to disturb you this late.” Naomi gave her a bow and stepped aside to reveal the huge box. “Mr. Faymon asked me to deliver this to you.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s pretty heavy. The deliverymen will deliver it to your doorstep.”

Rayna wanted to reject the gift as she didn’t want to have anything to do with Curtis anymore. Nevertheless, Naomi looked like she wouldn’t leave unless Rayna accepted the gift.

Her lips twitching, she showed them the way up.

A few minutes later, the box over one meter tall was placed in her condominium. Naomi left with the deliverymen while Jessica walked around the box with her bowl in her hands.

Curious, she asked, “Nana, what is this?”

“I don’t know.” The box was tightly sealed as though it contained an antique. Rayna got a pair of small scissors to cut the ribbon and wrapping it away. It took her a while before she successfully opened the box.

“Wow, I’m going blind!” Jessica gasped when the contents of the box were revealed.

Rayna was stunned, too.

After the box was removed, a glass case containing a diamond castle appeared in their sight. The castle was made from at least thousands of diamonds that sparkled under the light brilliantly. It was an enchanting sight.

After a stunned silence, Jessica was the first to regain her composure. She yelled excitedly, “Oh, my! Isn’t this the Disney diamond castle that isn’t for sale? Oh, my heart is about to melt! It is so pretty!”

Hearing that, Rayna finally recalled what it was.

She gazed at the diamond castle in the glass case blankly, refusing to believe that Disney’s diamond castle, which only appeared in exhibitions, was at her house.

Right then, her phone vibrated twice. Rayna unlocked her phone to see a new WhatsApp message.

Curtis: Ms. Garland, I hope the castle can give you a sweet dream.

It was a simple sentence, and Rayna understood every word. Nevertheless, she couldn’t stop the tip of her ears from going red. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt like she was made of sweet cotton candy.

“Oh, a text from Mr. Faymon.” Jessica had inched over with a cheeky grin on her lips. “Why did you tell me you have nothing to do with him, huh? Look at his gift. It means something, doesn’t it?”

“Perhaps it is a thank-you gift.” Rayna quickly regained her senses and shoved Jessica away. “After you finish eating, wash the dishes. I’ll head to my room now.”

“What about the diamond castle? Will it get stolen if we leave it in the living room?”

 

Chapter 93

Chapter 93 She Is Mine

In the end, Rayna and Jessica had to move the castle into Rayna’s bedroom together.

Rayna diverted her attention so she wouldn’t keep looking at the sparkling castle. Nevertheless, when she stepped out of the shower, she couldn’t stop herself from staring at it. In fact, she had the urge to touch it.

It’s just a diamond castle that I’ve seen before previously. Why am I so excited? But…

Rayna rolled over in bed to look at the diamond castle. The only source of light came through the gap from the window, but the castle was glittering brightly in the dark as though it could suck one’s soul in.

Oh, it’s gorgeous.

The business trip lasted for a few weeks, but Rayna quickly got over jet lag back home. She woke up early in the morning to prepare breakfast and lunch. After having breakfast, she went to the subway station together with Jessica to head to work.

“Oh, I’m sleepy.” Jessica kept yawning as she stayed up late last night to watch a drama. However, that didn’t stop her from scrolling on her phone.

Rayna was impressed.

“Nana, quick! Retweet this!” Suddenly, Jessica perked up and showed her phone to Rayna. “BC just released a new car model and has organized a giveaway. The prize is a car!”

Rayna took one look at it and snorted. “There’s nothing worth retweeting. If the prize is that attractive, they will give it to someone internally instead of nobodies like us.”

“Oh, just retweet it to lower their chances.” Jessica took Rayna’s phone and reposted it on her behalf. “I heard that BC is quite generous. Someone won a car a while ago.”

After retweeting the giveaway tweet on Twitter, Jessica returned Rayna’s phone to her gleefully. “Let’s wait for the announcement of the winner three days later!”

“You have nothing better to do, huh?”

They arrived at the company and went on their separate ways at the elevator. Rayna entered the translation department.

After a few weeks of not coming to work, Rayna couldn’t recognize her office as the change was pretty drastic. She glanced around and realized that there were some items that didn’t belong to her on her desk.

At the same time, Edith showed up in a tight-fitting red dress with a smug grin plastered on her lips.

“Edith, did you move my desk after changing the layout of the office?” Rayna raised her voice and flashed a cold smile. I went on an outstation trip with Mr. Faymon, but I haven’t resigned yet.”

Unfazed, Edith told her condescendingly, “Oh, I was afraid you might be busy and didn’t tell you we hired a few employees. There is a change of desks. Your desk is right there.”

She pointed at a desk, which was underneath the air conditioner and right in front of the windows.

Rayna’s gaze turned dark. Why? She’s sidelining me blatantly, huh?

“Edith, you’re nice enough to get me a desk that is warm in winter and cool in summer.” Rayna quickly shot her a smile. “Thank you, Edith.”

Her smile caused Edith’s heart to sink in fear. However, the latter quickly recalled that she would be taking over the supervisor’s position officially a few days later. Why would I be afraid of Rayna? She’ll be my subordinate soon.

Regaining her confidence, Edith stood straight and declared, “Of course, I won’t treat my subordinates badly. Now that you’re back, you have to get back to work. Chloe, hand over the work I assigned you earlier to Rayna.”

The person replied in the affirmative.

Rayna didn’t object. Her lips curled slightly as she said, “Okay.”

As Rayna went to her new desk calmly, Edith observed her for a while before returning to her office.

A while later, the colleague, Chloe Frost, came to Rayna’s desk with a stack of documents. The dozens of files looked like backlogs piled up for a month.

“Rayna, Edith wants these completed by next week,” Chloe told her. She picked two documents out and added, “These two are more urgent. She needs them by tomorrow.”

Glancing at the glass door, Chloe lowered her voice to say, “Rayna, just endure it. She will definitely get the position. Don’t go against her, as she’s a vengeful person.”

“I know. Thank you.” Rayna offered her colleague a warm smile for the kind reminder.

However, she wasn’t about to swallow her frustrations.

It was obvious Edith wanted to make things difficult for her. The documents that needed her attention weren’t processed before, so she had to sort out and add remarks for each term.

Rayna remained calm and completed two documents efficiently.

By then, it was already half-past eleven.

Assuming James had finished class, Rayna pulled her phone out to text him: James, can you use your phone now? I need your help to check something.

James’ school was strict, so he rarely got to touch his phone. Rayna usually had to wait for a long time before she received a reply. To her surprise, she came back from heating her meal to receive a reply from James.

James: Sure. My teacher gave us the entire afternoon off.

Hmm, his teacher is quite reasonable.

That was what Rayna thought. She had no idea James went to Tyrandas, too. He came back ahead of her and resigned from his bodyguard job but had yet to return to campus.

She sent the name of the restaurant, hotel, time, and Edith’s name to James so he could hack into the hotel’s security system and surveillance cameras to get something.

James: Rayna, did you get bullied?

Rayna chuckled. He’s quite astute, huh?

She replied: Yes. That’s why I need your help to investigate her so I can teach her a lesson.

James: I’ll revert back to you half an hour later.

Rayna was surprised to learn that he could do that in half an hour. She knew James majored in science and was a computer expert. That was why she asked for his help. It’s quite difficult to hack into a hotel’s security system, though. Can he do it in half an hour?

She got her heated meal from the pantry and returned to the office to see two police officers talking to a colleague.

The colleague spotted Rayna and parted her lips to tell the police officers something. She also pointed at Rayna.

The latter frowned, but the police officers were making their way over to her. After showing his ID and the warrant, one of them said calmly, “Ms. Garland, you are under suspicion of being involved in a murder case. Please come with us to assist in the investigation.”

Rayna asked, “Who did I murder?”

“Your department’s supervisor, Mr. Jonathan Lawson.”

“Mr. Lawson died from a heart attack. That has nothing to do with me.” Rayna’s frown deepened.

That happened a few weeks ago. Why are the police here for me?

“We can talk about that back at the police station.” As Rayna wasn’t about to cooperate, the police officers pulled out their handcuffs to arrest her.

The other colleagues in the translation department gathered to watch the commotion.

Rayna didn’t want to blow things up and affect the company’s reputation. After all, they only wanted to bring her back to the police station.

She stretched her hands out willingly.

The police officer was about to cuff her when an angry voice rang out. “Do you have the right to take away my employee at your will?”

It was Curtis, who strode into the office with a grim expression. His long legs looked especially slender in the gray slacks he was wearing. After entering the office, he gazed at the police officers.

Naomi was right beside him, looking just as intimidating as him.

“It’s you, Mr. Faymon.” The police officer who was about to cuff Rayna shot Curtis a nod. “We were informed by our superior that Ms. Garland is a suspect in a murder case. We’d like to bring her back to the police station to question her.”

“I know whether or not my employee has broken the law,” came Curtis’ answer. “She was with me at Grasim Hotel to discuss a collaboration the day Mr. Lawson died. I can be her witness.”

The police officers froze when they sensed the overwhelming pressure from Curtis.

“Mr. Faymon, even if Ms. Garland has an alibi, that doesn’t prove anything…”

Curtis grew impatient and glanced at his secretary.

Naomi promptly took one step forward and said politely, “Officers, Mr. Lawson died from a heart attack. It happened half a month ago, and the hospital should be able to provide a diagnosis report. If his death was related to Ms. Garland, you should’ve come to her right after Mr. Lawson died. Mr. Lawson has been buried as of now. His wife knows the reason he had a heart attack was that he often stayed up late. She had already accepted the fact. You shouldn’t tire yourselves by opening the case again.”

The police officers were rendered speechless by her sharp retort.

 

Chapter 94

Chapter 94 Falling Into The Trap Willingly

One of the police officers was still trying to make his point when Naomi interrupted him, “If you insist on bringing Ms. Garland back for interrogation, you must give our company and the public a proper explanation. That’s because our company shares will be affected once news of Ms. Garland being brought away by the police is out. Also, it will not look good on the police force in the eyes of the public and the media when Ms. Garland is released without charges later.”

The two police officers were stumped for words. They were not confident of this arrest either.

They could only blame their poor luck for getting this assignment. Everyone knew that Faymon Group could not be offended. If they really brought Rayna back to the police station for interrogation, they would be the ones to be scorned.

The two police officers exchanged glances with each other.

After a brief moment, one of them said, “Since Mr. Faymon is acting as Ms. Garland’s guarantor, then we have no reason to dispute that Ms. Garland is innocent.”

Curtis nodded his head in agreement.

Although the whole incident lasted less than ten minutes, Rayna was quite shaken by the dramatic twist of events. Some employees continued to linger around and gossiped among themselves.

“Ms. Garland,” Curtis called out to Rayna.

Rayna was brought back to her senses by Curtis’ alluring voice.

She glanced at Curtis and hurriedly lowered her head. “What’s the matter, Mr. Faymon?”

Curtis replied, “Mr. Lawson’s death has nothing to do with you. Thus, please don’t think too much about it. If the police come for you again, don’t leave with them. Just bring up my name. Understand?”

Feeling warm in her chest, Rayna was touched by Curtis’ words. “I understand. Thank you, Mr. Faymon.”

“You’re welcome.” With that, Curtis left the translation department with Naomi.

After Curtis’ departure, the translation department fell silent for a minute.

Soon after, the nosy parkers began to crowd around Rayna. Their faces and eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Rayna, you’re so amazing. Mr. Faymon actually came and spoke up for you.”

“You’re already divorced from Julian, yet Mr. Faymon still takes such great care of you. You’re so lucky!”

“Rayna, since you spent half a month with Mr. Faymon on a work trip, I bet the supervisor role must be yours now, right?”

Although everyone appeared to be smiling and teasing Rayna, their words were obviously filled with sarcasm.

Rayna was accustomed to such situations. She did not get angry but smiled instead. “Since everyone has such high praises for Mr. Faymon, let me find his availability and invite him for lunch and chit-chat with all of you.”

Everyone’s faces started to change. They tried to shrug it off by telling Rayna that they were only joking and that Curtis had always looked after her anyways.

Rayna chuckled in her heart.

These people don’t even dare to fart in front of Edith. Yet, they have no qualms about hurling all sorts of derogatory remarks at me. Do they really think they can walk all over me?

Meanwhile, James swiftly forwarded his findings to Rayna. Not only did he manage to get what Rayna wanted, but he also discovered that Edith had been paid by someone to create disputes among employees across a few departments in the company.

Rayna kept the two important videos away and sent the rest of the evidence to Naomi’s email address anonymously.

These documents were sufficient to thwart Edith’s dream of being promoted to the supervisor role.

The next morning, Edith entered the office with her head high up in the air. However, after attending a meeting, she walked out with a dejected face, as if she was drenched in a heavy downpour.

Seeing that, Rayna took some documents and went into Edith’s office.

“Edith, the documents that you wanted are ready.” Rayna had, in fact, settled them the day before, but she did not hand them in because she wanted to wait for this opportunity to see Edith’s despondent look.

“Well, Rayna, I didn’t expect you to be this capable!” Edith stared at Rayna, her eyes filled with rage.

In the meeting earlier, Edith had tried to hint about appointing a supervisor for the translation department. However, the management ignored her. Afterward, she heard about the incident involving the police and Rayna and how Curtis personally came to save her.

Rayna played dumb and asked smilingly, “Edith, what do you mean by that?”

Edith slammed her hands on the table and hollered, “You should know very well what I’m talking about! Don’t think that just because you rubbed shoulders with Mr. Faymon, you can have your way. This supervisor position will never be yours!”

“I’d never thought of sitting in that position.” Rayna looked her straight in the eye. “You’re the one coveting this position. But looking at your face, could it be that your hopes are dashed?”

“You…” Edith raised her hand and was about to hit Rayna when she stopped. She knew that hitting Rayna would only prove her right, and she would lose all her pride.

Edith moved her hand away to support her chin and glared at Rayna arrogantly. “Of course not! I’m the most suitable candidate for this role, and the management is aware of this fact.”

If the management really chooses you, they’re definitely foolish!

Rayna muttered to herself before smiling sincerely at Edith. “I also think that you’re the best person for the job, and I look forward to your guidance in the future. If there’re no other matters, I’ll take my leave.”

After Rayna left her office, Edith angrily kicked at a chair but ended up hurting her toe instead. Her face twisted in pain.

Edith had nothing but hatred for Rayna.

The latter joined Faymon Group after her but quickly proved her capabilities and earned praise from everyone. Even Jonathan was impressed with her. As if that was not enough, she even married Julian and became Curtis’ cousin-in-law!

Edith felt that her abilities were not that far off compared to Rayna’s. However, when it came to opportunities, she did not have any share at all. Even when Jonathan was reassigned to the office in Norham, the management only shortlisted Rayna to be his successor and completely disregarded her.

How could she not hate Rayna?

The more Edith thought about it, the angrier she became. She took her phone and rapidly sent a message before letting out a sinister grin.

At half past three in the afternoon, Edith approached Rayna at her desk.

“Rayna, stop whatever you’re working on now.” Edith threw a folder on her desk. “Mr. Simon Smith from Universal Investments Corporation is meeting a business partner from Faulkay for dinner tonight. He has requested a translator from us, so I’m sending you there.”

Rayna glanced at Edith suspiciously.

A few hours ago, she was staring at me as though she couldn’t wait to tear me apart. Now, she’s asking me nicely to help with a translation request? It must be a trap!

“Edith, I have too much on my plate at the moment. Please find someone else to do it.” Rayna pointed to the pile of documents on her desk and continued, “These documents are urgently required by you. I don’t dare to delay further.”

“No hurry, you can hand in these documents later,” Edith responded. “Rayna, is it because I’m only the acting supervisor, and that’s why I’m not getting your respect?”

Rayna knew that no matter what she said, Edith was insistent on her going.

“Okay, I’ll go over in a minute.”

Seeing Rayna agree, Edith finally let out a smile, albeit somewhat wicked. “Hurry along then. The dinner venue is Plum Blossoms in the eastern district. It’s quite a distance away!”

With that, Edith turned around and walked off.

Rayna stared at the document for a while, sighing.

She knew it was a trap that she was walking straight into, but there was nothing she could do about it.

It was already five o’clock when Rayna arrived at Plum Blossoms in the eastern district.

Although Plum Blossoms was well known to be a venue for business meetings, it was not the kind of secluded venue that one would envision. In fact, it was lively throughout the day. Other than dining, there were plenty of entertainment options as well.

As Rayna alighted the car and was about to enter Plum Blossoms, she could faintly hear a female’s laughter nearby.

The laughter was so familiar that she could not resist turning her head to take a look.

There and then, Rayna saw Meredith decked in branded clothes, exuding an aura of confidence and elegance. Her slender hand was holding onto the arm of a man who had just gotten out of the car. The man looked at least fifteen years older than Meredith.

Rayna thought Meredith had retreated from the scene after she was blacklisted from the finance industry. To think that she managed to find another backer so quickly after leaving Julian.

Well, it was not surprising. The Meredith that she knew was capable of much more.

As Meredith raised her head, her gaze happened to meet Rayna’s. In an instant, her eyes turned cold and vicious, like a cobra staring at its enemy.

 

Chapter 95

Chapter 95 I Am No Pushover

It’s all Rayna, that b*tch’s fault that I got kicked out from Faymon Group and blacklisted in the financial industry. But luckily, I knew many people when I was working at Faymon Group in the past, which was why it didn’t defeat me.

Despite that, she wanted nothing more than to rip Rayna to shreds when she saw the latter.

Seeing the frustrated look in Meredith’s eyes, Rayna naturally couldn’t ignore her. With a faint smile, Rayna greeted, “Ms. Jones, long time no see. How have you been?”

“I don’t work at Faymon Group anymore.” Meredith tried her best to keep her anger suppressed. Is this woman trying to humiliate me by addressing me the way she used to when we were working together? Besides, we aren’t close.”

Meredith gave Rayna the cold shoulder and spoke in a coquettish manner to the man, who linked arms with her before the duo entered Plum Blossoms.

Meanwhile, Rayna’s red lips curled into a smile. I thought Meredith would show off in front of me. Why did she leave in such a hurry? Did something happen?

Since Rayna was there to attend to something important, she promptly brushed off Meredith and entered Plum Blossoms. She headed to the private room to meet Simon under the waiter’s lead.

Simon Smith from Universal Investments Corporation was in his fifties and appeared courteous. Yet, his gaze lingered on Rayna from time to time. Not only that, he even took the opportunity to sit next to her and take advantage of her after the business partner had arrived.

It was then Rayna finally realized Edith had set her up.

Universal Investments Corporation was Faymon Group’s business partner. Therefore, Edith could use the opportunity to fire her if she caused Simon to feel displeased and delay the collaboration with Faymon Group.

“Mr. Smith said it’s twenty-five percent of profit.” Rayna smiled while speaking in fluent Falulkadian with the blond-haired man opposite her. “Mr. Smith is very keen to work with you.”

“Really?” The blond-haired man was taken aback. I estimated they would only agree on fifteen percent of profit, but unexpectedly, Universal Investments Corporation is this generous.

Then, he smiled and stretched out his hand toward Simon.

Although the latter couldn’t understand Falulkadian, he immediately shook hands with the man since the latter was courteous. After that, he asked Rayna, “What were you two talking about? Why is Mr. Mector so happy?”

Rayna answered, “I told him that he had made the right choice to collaborate with Universal Investments Corporation. Mr. Mector proposed to have twenty-five percent of profit.”

“T-Twenty-five percent?” Simon stuttered badly and grew anxious. “No way! No way! I’ll experience a great loss given that amount of profit. You should discuss it with him again.”

“Mr. Mector mentioned that the profit is decided after discussing with his team.” Rayna put on a troubled look. “He also claimed that he would consider other partners if you couldn’t agree with it.”

“But the profit…”

“Mr. Smith, it’s a golden opportunity to expand your company internationally.” Rayna whispered into his ear, “As you know, many people want to collaborate with Mr. Mector’s team. If you can work with his team and successfully secure the market in Faulkay, it’ll be much easier for you to venture into Epea’s

market in the future. I understand. Twenty-five percent of profit is slightly high. However, judging from the current situation of Universal Investments Corporation, you can only earn more money in the future if you devote everything to this collaboration. What do you think, Mr. Smith?”

Universal Investments Corporation had never been involved in global markets, and that was the first time they worked with the team from Faulkay. Since Simon was not familiar with the foreign market, he instantly got trapped in it by Rayna.

Simon fell into deep thought before he finally asserted, “All right. That’s a deal, then.”

Rayna flashed a smile when she heard that. Haha! I’m no pushover!

Rayna relayed the content of the agreement to Simon’s assistant. His assistant was so efficient that he brought two sets of contracts back within ten minutes. Then, both parties signed and stamped the contract.

The sky was already dark by the time they finished their meal and headed outside. Plum Blossoms was illuminated brightly, and the atmosphere was even more lively.

After sending the team from Faulkay off with Simon, Rayna wanted to leave. “Mr. Smith, I shall go now.”

“There’s no need to rush.” Simon chuckled. “Ms. Garland, I want to thank you for doing me such a huge favor. Coincidentally, a few of my friends are having a meal here. I’d like you to meet them.”

Rayna declined, “Don’t mention it, Mr. Smith. You’re the business partner of Faymon Group, so helping you is equivalent to helping the company. Enjoy the night with your friends. I shall take my leave first.”

“Ms. Garland, are you planning to turn me down?” Simon’s expression darkened, and he claimed in a harsh tone, “I’m giving you the opportunity to network because I respect you.”

Rayna knew Simon was determined to have her accept his invitation. If I reject his offer and leave, the old geezer will surely go to Faymon Group to complain about me. If that’s the case, Edith will be happy as her conspiracy against me becomes successful.

After giving it some thought, Rayna smiled. “Okay. Thank you for your kind intentions, Mr. Smith.”

“That’s more like it!” Simon’s lips curved into a smile, too.

Simon brought Rayna to the card room after they went into Plum Blossoms. The card room was vast and lively. Apart from the Epean-style living room, there were ten or so private rooms on both sides. Besides, one could see servers making their way through the crowd. People at the table dressed in suits and were covered in branded luxury goods as they were of the upper-class society.

When Rayna followed Simon to a private room on the right, she saw a few people sitting by the table playing poker. Most of the men had alluring ladies next to them. Their sultry laughter filled the room.

Rayna swept her gaze over and realized Meredith was there too. However, the man Meredith snuggled up to was not the man Rayna had seen at the entrance earlier. Instead, he was a sleazy balding man. He paid no heed to people around him as he touched Meredith all over her body without restraint.

The corners of Rayna’s lips twitched at the sight of that. I thought she had always been prideful. How could she tolerate a man like him? How courageous.

“Mr. Gibson, it’s been a long time since we last met,” Simon greeted with a smile as he walked toward the man Meredith cuddled with. It seemed that the man was Simon’s old acquaintance. “How many rounds of poker have you played? You’ve won a lot, right?”

The balding man named Gavin Gibson replied, “Nah, I’ve just started the game.” He glanced at the back, and his gaze fell on Rayna. “Oh? Your company has recruited a new employee?”

“No. She is a translator from Faymon Group. I borrow her from Mr. Faymon,” Simon answered.

“I see. Faymon Group’s translator.” The way Gavin looked at Rayna changed, and his gaze was filled with desire. Meanwhile, Meredith, who was in his embrace, spotted Rayna too. A scheme surfaced within her mind as she narrowed her eyes.

“Mr. Gibson, look at you. You can’t take your eyes off her.” Meredith pinched Gavin before she sweetly cooed, “If you don’t like me, I’m leaving now.”

With that said, she acted as if she was getting up to leave. Immediately, Gavin grabbed her and coaxed her gently.

Rayna only smiled and did not utter a word. Hmm. Mr. Gibson seems to be the head of the people, and Mr. Smith is on pretty good terms with him. When Mr. Smith arrived, people naturally made way for him to play poker at the table and served him wine.

Simon sat at one of the corners and patted the seat beside him. “Come here, Ms. Garland. Have a seat.”

“Thank you for holding me in high regard, Mr. Smith.” Rayna sat next to him before taking a glass of whiskey from someone and passing it to Simon, causing the latter to be delighted.

Gavin and the others played poker while chatting. They talked about business matters without hesitation.

After chatting for some time, the topic of their conversation changed.

Gavin cast a glance at Rayna and asked, “You look quite young, Ms. Garland. How long have you been working at Faymon Group?”

“Even though she looks young, she’s amazing!” Meredith, who was in his arms, chuckled with a baleful glance. “She’s not only an interpreter but also the wife of Mr. Faymon’s nephew.”

Gavin was intrigued by her remark. “Oh? She’s the one who married Julian Faymon?”

 

Chapter 96

Chapter 96 Pawn Myself

“That’s right.” Meredith glanced at the poker-faced Rayna and deliberately raised her voice. “Her husband pursued me because she has a sexual disorder. Am I right, Ms. Garland? Still, you’ve really opened my eyes, Ms. Garland. Because of your gentle appearance, I didn’t expect you to be so cunning, causing me to be dismissed from Faymon Group. Alas. If I had known this side of you earlier, I would’ve rejected your husband when he wooed me back then.”

Rayna sneered inwardly. This Meredith is certainly crafty with her words. She managed to whitewash herself while dragging me through the mud with just a few sentences.

“That’s right. Even the nicest person will retaliate when driven into a corner.” Rayna smiled faintly and parted her red, plump lips. “I merely defended my marriage using a normal method, so there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“You’re so full of excuses, Ms. Garland. If you wish to defend your marriage, you could’ve just divorced him. Why did you have to go to so much trouble?”

Rayna replied in resignation, “That won’t do. I might be forced to leave him without getting anything out of the marriage if I divorced him. You’ve trained my ex-husband too well, so I had to keep my guard up.”

Feeling humiliated, Meredith glared at Rayna. She’s becoming!

The other men sitting around the table merely laughed, listening to Rayna and Meredith’s argument.

They couldn’t care less about who was mistress in that complicated relationship as they were enjoying themselves like watching a show.

Gavin asked in amusement, “Ms. Garland, do you really have a sexual disorder? This is such a waste because you’re so gorgeous.”

Before Rayna could reply, Meredith uttered sarcastically, “Who knows if that’s the truth? After all, I heard rumors about sightings of her spending the night in a hotel with Mr. Faymon. I commend you for your diligence in working overtime, Ms. Garland.”

“Ms. Garland, we’re all close acquaintances, so we’re just joking around.” Simon chuckled and pretended to comfort Rayna, “Why don’t you take my place to play the game? I’m getting tired anyway.”

Rayna shook her head and replied tenderly, “Mr. Smith, you should find someone else. I’m not good at playing poker.”

Meredith took a quick look at Rayna as her mind raced. I’ve not seen Rayna giving Mr. Smith any advice from the moment she sat beside him. Julian also mentioned to me that Rayna is very terrible at playing poker.

Then, she inched nearer to Gavin and whispered something beside his ear. He nodded and shifted his eyes onto Rayna, staring at her lecherously as if he was yearning to strip off her clothes.

Meredith got up from Gavin’s embrace and chirped, “You shouldn’t refuse Mr. Smith’s offer since he’s being so kind to you. I’m not skilled at playing poker too. Will it be fair if I accompany you to play the game then?”

The other man sitting around the table quickly got up and vacated the seat after Gavin shot a look at him.

Then, Meredith took the seat.

“Go on, Ms. Garland.” Simon placed his hands on Rayna’s shoulder and forced her into the chair, seizing the opportunity to brush his hands against her soft skin. “You can keep the money you win while I cover your losses.”

Rayna glanced at Simon with a conflicted expression. “Is that really fine, Mr. Smith?”

“Go ahead and enjoy the game!”

Subsequently, she complied with their wishes and uttered shyly, “In that case, I shall join you all to play the game, Mr. Gibson. However, I hope you don’t disdain me because I’m terrible at playing poker.”

Gavin beamed at her. “That’s fine. This is just a form of entertainment anyway.”

After the cards were shuffled and dealt, Rayna moved the cards closer to her in an amateur manner. Meredith sneered at the sight of Rayna’s clumsy demeanor.

After the game was played for some time, Gavin revealed the river, to which Meredith showed the cards in her hands and chirped, “I’ve got a full house. I think I’m quite lucky today.”

Rayna bit her lip, seemingly feeling slightly defeated.

After a few rounds, the other players repeatedly won, while Simon had to cough up money after each game.

“Mr. Smith, I’m so sorry for making you lose so much money.” Rayna picked up the glass of wine on the table and gulped the content before throwing a tantrum. “How ominous. I know I’m bad at playing poker, but not to the extent of losing every round! Mr. Smith, let’s not have you pay for the losses anymore. I’ll use my own money. I don’t believe I’ll continue to lose!”

Simon filled her glass with more wine and replied cheerfully, “Sure. Play the game as you like.”

Rayna didn’t seem to have luck on her side because the cash in her wallet was depleted after a few more rounds.

Gavin’s and Meredith’s eyes glinted as they exchanged a sly look.

On the other hand, Rayna grew grumpier in reluctance to admit defeat, as if she was determined to gain the winning hand. Whenever her glass was filled with wine, she would swag the alcohol in frustration. In the end, she even pledged her earrings, rings, and necklace.

“Ms. Garland, I think that’s enough.” Taking in Rayna’s drunken mien, Simon knew she wouldn’t last much longer, so he put on an act to persuade her, “You’ve even used your necklace as collateral. You don’t have any more money to continue.”

Meredith was overjoyed, seeing Rayna’s pathetic appearance. She said, “Rayna, if you’re out of cash, I can loan you some. However, if we resume the game, I suggest we raise the stakes. Otherwise, the game is getting boring.”

Rayna got to her feet unsteadily as if she didn’t want to play anymore.

Still, she refused to accept the outcome of losing for the whole night. A hesitant look flashed across her reddened face.

“I don’t need to borrow money from you because I still have something that can be wagered.” She pointed at herself. “Let’s play one last round. I’ll pawn myself. I don’t believe I’ll lose again!”

Meredith curled her lips into a wicked smile as Rayna stepped into her trap. “That won’t do. You’re so drunk right now. What if you deny that you’ve made this bet when you’re sober and turn around to sue us?”

“Let’s sign an agreement then!” Rayna slammed her hands on the tabletop and announced, “I must win today. I don’t believe I’m that unlucky!”

Then, she shifted her gaze onto Gavin and Meredith and muttered, “Mr. Gibson, I’m pledging myself for this final round. What are you depositing as security? It wouldn’t be right for you to bet only your money, isn’t it?”

She wobbled and accidentally fell into Simon’s embrace.

“Oh. You’re here too, Mr. Smith.” Rayna grinned at him coyly and wrapped her arms around his neck alluringly. “Do you want to place a bet too? I-I’ll give you very good odds!”

Simon was aroused as he caught whiffs of her body fragrance. He was just about to grope her when she abruptly slid out from his embrace like a slippery eel.

He knew Rayna couldn’t escape his palm that night, so he uttered confidently, “Sure. I’ll pledge the mansion that I recently bought at Zenisan Villa. What do you think of my sincerity, Ms. Garland?”

Rayna feigned exasperation. “You’re so bad, Mr. Smith. You’re even betting your mansion worth hundreds of million. You’re just a lustful man who wants me to lose, right?”

Gavin laughed. “Fine. Since you’re being so generous, Mr. Smith, I shall wager my house at Yaleview and two percent of my company’s share.”

Rayna grumbled coyly, “Mr. Gibson, you’re just as naughty as Mr. Smith. Both of you want to see me embarrass myself.”

“Of course not.”

Seeing Rayna flirting with Gavin, Meredith was overwhelmed by the urge to rip Rayna to pieces. She’s such a pretentious woman. She’s so sl*tty that she’s even trying to seduce my man. If I do not ruin her reputation tonight, I’ll change my family name!

Meredith glowered at Rayna for a few seconds before looking away and saying with a grin, “I don’t have any mansion or company to stake, so I’ll wager two million. Is that fine?”

“Two million is too little.” Rayna frowned in displeasure. “No way. You must add something else. Don’t forget that I’m pawning myself for this round.”

Meredith gritted her teeth while maintaining the smile on her face. “What do you suggest then?”

“Four million plus an extra condition for you to run around Lunaria Lake naked for one day if you lose.”

Meredith’s facial expression changed drastically after she heard that.

Acting as if she hadn’t noticed Meredith’s grimace, Rayna mumbled in vexation, “Ah! This won’t do. I’ve not won once the entire night. Yet now, I’m placing such a huge bet against three people. There’s no way I can win.”

Chapter 97

Chapter 97 Let Gray Wolf Return

Feeling regretful, she told Gavin, “Let’s end it here. I’ve lost everything. I’m not continuing.”

“You can’t do that. You were the one who wanted another round. Moreover, Mr. Smith and I have already betted our mansions. You’re looking down on us if you go back on your word.”

Rayna forced a smile onto her face. “Mr. Smith, I don’t mean that.”

“Okay, I agree!” Meredith cut Rayna off. This woman has been losing all night. With such horrible card skills, she will never make a comeback. Ms. Garland, don’t rain on Mr. Gibson’s parade.”

“But I…” Rayna stuttered as if she truly wanted to stop playing and was afraid to lose.

However, Meredith would not give Rayna a chance to do so. After ordering a server to bring over a pen and paper, Meredith wrote down her bet and put her thumbprint on it. Then, she gazed at Rayna. “Ms. Garland, you’re the only one left.”

Taking the pen, Rayna hesitated for a while before gritting her teeth and writing down her bet. Then, she placed the document aside.

“Let’s play! I have been losing the whole night. It’s not like I can’t afford to lose!” Rayna shouted before ordering the server to close the door behind him when he left. “It’ll be too embarrassing if everyone sees me losing,” she continued.

Yet, Meredith refused and let the server keep the door open.

Gavin furrowed his brows and said in displeasure, “What if she goes back on her words if more people come later?”

“Mr. Gibson, don’t worry. That wouldn’t happen,” Meredith assured him, smiling viciously. “She was the one who placed her thumbprint on that document, so she can’t go back on her word. Moreover, so many people are watching. She won’t dare to go.”

Her fingers danced on his legs, and she continued coquettishly, “Mr. Gibson, I put in so much effort to get this woman for you. Regarding the collaboration with Fontane Corporation…”

Gavin squeezed her bosom and announced, “If tonight goes well, I’ll let you be in charge of the collaboration with Fontane Corporation!”

“Thank you, Mr. Gibson.”

Staring at the drunken Rayna opposite her, Meredith chuckled coldly internally.

Originally, I planned to ignore Rayna when I saw her just now, as I have many chances to get my revenge on her in the future. However, since she delivered herself to me on a silver platter, how can I not deal with her?

When the other customers in the big hall outside heard players in a private room had made huge bets, they immediately went over to enjoy the show. Soon, the private room was packed.

While this private room was filled with people, the door to the private room opposite it opened. A few men in suits walked out with a gorgeous woman in the middle. They seemed to have come to enjoy a few games.

The man wearing glasses smiled and said teasingly to Curtis, “I thought my card skills were not bad and wanted to win some money from you, Mr. Faymon. I didn’t expect you to win all the money from me.”

Another man beside him chimed in, “Exactly. The person you brought along is so good! We suffered a lot!”

Curtis shook hands with the man and smiled slightly. “You’re flattering us. Kristie is no match for you and Mr. Tyson. We were just lucky today, so we won more. Do bear with us.”

“Haha! Sure! Let’s play again soon!”

After Naomi sent their guests away, Kristie immediately grabbed Curtis’ hand and said happily, “Curt, they all praised me! I’m so amazing, right?”

To play poker well, she learned from a teacher Curtis hired and suffered for a year. She practiced well every day so that one day, she could make Curtis proud like today.

Other people’s praises were no doubt the greatest affirmation of her abilities.

“Not bad.” As he managed to settle a thorny business deal, Curtis was in a good mood, and there was a rare smile on his face. “You don’t lack any films or television shows to film nor endorsements. What else do you want?”

“I don’t want anything. I only want you to let Gray Wolf return,” Kristie declared, staring pitifully at him.

Stupid Gray Wolf. How dare he leave without uttering a word to me. He even blacklisted me. Am I a plague that he needs to avoid?

“He has already resigned. It is the same with Cillian by your side.”

“How is it the same?” Kristie shoved Curtis’ hand away and muttered unhappily, “He’s like a fool. He does everything I tell him to do. Even pigs won’t eat the food he cooks. Curt, make Gray Wolf return. He’ll definitely listen to you. I’ll stop targeting that foul vixen, all right?”

Curtis slid her a cold look. “You are there one targeting her from the start.”

“Curt…”

“There’s no room for negotiation. Cillian will be with you from now on.”

Regardless of Kristie’s tantrum, Curtis did not budge. She stomped her feet, and upon seeing the crowd surrounding the private room opposite, she sneered before walking over.

“Where are you going?” Curtis called after her.

“I’m irritated, so I’m going to play cards! I hope to lose all my money! I’m annoyed seeing them!”

At a loss for words, Curtis could only shake his head resignedly. Then, he called Cillian to ask the latter to pick them up, but when he turned his head back, Kristie was nowhere to be seen. He could only follow where she had gone.

“Excuse me! Excuse me!” As there was a large crowd outside, Kristie couldn’t see anything, so she tried her best to squeeze in.

After much effort, she reached the table. It’s that stinky vixen, Rayna, again! What bad luck. Why am I seeing her everywhere?

Kristie rolled her eyes and stood behind Rayna with her arms crossed, but she realized that the latter was holding to all her cards. Kristie couldn’t see a single card. “Hey, do you know how to play cards? Why are you holding all your cards? Are your card skills super bad?”

Upon hearing a familiar voice, Rayna turned back and saw Kristie pulling a long face as if immensely displeased.

“Ms. Winton, you’re playing here too?” Rayna glanced behind Kristie with her peripheral vision. Seeing it was just Kristie and no Curtis, Rayna sighed in relief internally.

Luckily, Uncle Curtis isn’t here. If not, he’ll laugh at me for putting myself as a bet.

Snorting, Kristie replied, “I can play wherever I want! This place isn’t owned by you anyway!”

Sweeping her eyes around, Kristie saw the document placed aside on the table. She immediately took it and was dumbstruck. “Foul vixen, you placed such a huge bet?”

Embarrassed, Rayna mumbled, “I played the whole night and even lost my necklace. I can’t accept this, and in the heat of the moment, I placed myself as the bet.”

Kristie outright laughed at Rayna. “I was wondering why you were holding on to all your cards. It turns out you really suck! If you call me ‘master,’ I’ll help you win this round!”

The faces of the other three around the table darkened.

Everyone in the business circles knew Kristie was Curtis’ love. No one in the entertainment industry could match Kristie’s status, as she had countless offers from films, television shows, and big brands. If she joined the game, things would be a mess.

Naturally, Meredith also recognized Kristie. Smiling, Meredith began, “Ms. Winton, this is our game with Rayna. You shouldn’t join in for fun. It won’t be good if Mr. Faymon hears about this.”

“Who the h*ll are you? So what if I want to join?” Already angered by Curtis’ curt refusal, Kristie exploded upon hearing Meredith’s words.

Giving Meredith a sidelong glance, Kristie sneered contemptuously, “I was wondering who you were. It turns out you’re that mistress who stole someone’s husband and made that woman look like she cheated instead!”

 

Chapter 98

Chapter 98 Honor Your Bets

The smile on Meredith’s face froze when she heard that.

“I thought you were blacklisted by the entertainment industry. How are you able to afford to come to a place like this?” Kristie asked. She then glanced at the people at the table and continued with a sneer, “Oh, I see… You’ve been working out to stay in shape, huh?”

The corner of Gavin’s lips twitched as he understood what she was implying.

He would not have forgiven anyone else that easily. However, he could not afford to offend her because she was Curtis’ woman.

“You don’t want me to play because you three were ganging up on her, right? I bet that’s the reason she’s been losing all her games tonight!” Kristie stated.

“What are you saying, Ms. Winton? We wouldn’t dare do such a thing! Ms. Garland just happens to be bad at playing cards, that’s all! Besides, she was the one who proposed the bet! If you don’t believe me, then ask her yourself!” Simon protested with a smile.

Rayna chugged a glass of wine and said, “Yeah, that’s right! I proposed the bet!”

“I’ve never seen anyone as stupid as you are! Go ahead, then! Play with them and lose everything you’ve got!” Kristie scolded her with a look of disdain on her face.

Unbeknownst to her, Curtis had made his way over.

Surprised that Curtis would show up, Gavin and the others quickly greeted him, “Greetings, Mr. Faymon!”

Rayna, who had her back facing him at the time, tensed up and instinctively lowered her gaze.

Oh, my goodness! Why is he here? This is so awkward!

As Curtis nodded and glanced at the table, his gaze instantly fell upon Rayna, who was trying her best to hide from him.

Kristie grabbed Curtis by the arm and exclaimed in frustration, “This woman has to be the dumbest one I’ve ever seen! She keeps on playing with them even though she has been losing all night! As if that wasn’t bad enough, she even went as far as wagering herself!”

Rayna simply kept her head low and remained silent.

Curtis ignored Kristie’s rant and glanced at Rayna’s bet on the table. If that business trip to Tyrandas has taught me anything, it’s that Rayna isn’t the kind of person who would do something so stupid!

With that in mind, he flashed them a smile and said, “Carry on, then. Finish the game.”

With that, the card game continued.

The atmosphere at the table was somewhat tense with Curtis around. Gavin and Simon were so afraid of him that they didn’t dare ogle Rayna anymore.

The people standing behind Meredith began gossiping among each other when they saw that the game was almost over. Meredith was grinning from ear to ear as she watched on.

Rayna, on the other hand, had a stressful frown on her face. As she kept her cards covered, no one could tell what her hand was.

“It’s your turn, Ms. Garland,” Meredith said with her chin held high.

Rayna took a deep breath as she nervously rubbed her cards together.

A few seconds later, however, the look on her face changed completely. She then shot Meredith an icy- cold glare that sent shivers down the latter’s spine.

“Sorry, but it looks like I won this round,” Rayna said while tossing her cards onto the table.

Everyone in the crowd gasped in shock.

Kristie got so excited that she jumped up and down as she screamed, “What? A royal flush? Oh, my goodness! You sure are a lucky one, you vixen!”

Curtis gave her a warning look, prompting her to cover her mouth and keep quiet.

Meredith leaped to her feet and exclaimed in shock and disbelief, “H-How is this possible? You suck at playing cards! How could you win?”

“I guess I finally lucked out after losing all my games tonight,” Rayna replied with a faint smile.

The look on Gavin’s face was as cold as ice.

I only bet such a huge amount because Meredith told me that Rayna was sure to lose! I can’t believe she won!

Simon was starting to panic as well. “That was a very impressive hand, Ms. Garland! Since we’ve all had a great time, how about we call it quits and go home now?”

He then reached out to grab the document on the table, but Curtis was faster.

“Oh, I don’t think so, Mr. Smith,” he said while placing his hand on the document. Curtis then positioned himself behind Rayna to show everyone she was under his protection.

“Ms. Garland has lost all of her games and ended up wagering herself as a result. I’m sure you and Mr. Gibson wouldn’t be happy if she tried to walk out on her bet after losing! Come now, don’t be such a

sore loser. It’s time to honor your bets.”

His tone was gentle, and yet, it managed to intimidate everyone at the scene.

“Yeah! You can’t just take the document away after losing the bet! That’s not fair! She’s an employee at Faymon Group! How dare you guys disrespect Mr. Faymon like this?” Kristie exclaimed.

Simon was sweating profusely as he said with a forced smile, “What are you saying, Ms. Winton? We wouldn’t dare disrespect Mr. Faymon! We were just… We…”

He tried desperately to come up with an excuse, but he couldn’t think of anything.

“I didn’t force you to put your fingerprint on that paper, Mr. Smith. You did it all on your own!” Rayna hiccuped and nearly fell into Curtis’ arms as she stumbled around.

After taking a moment to regain her balance, she took the document from him and waved it in the air. “We had a deal, remember? I agreed to play against the three of you at the same time. If I lose, you three will get to have your way with me. If I win, however…”

Rayna clutched the documents tightly against her chest as she continued, “I get to keep all of this! Everyone here has witnessed our little agreement. Isn’t that right, you guys?”

The onlookers nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we all saw it!”

“How could you guys gang up on a woman like that? It’s disgusting!”

“Yeah! I can’t believe you tried to walk out on your bets like that! Talk about dishonor!”

Gavin’s chest heaved as he was on the verge of exploding with anger. However, he knew he couldn’t lose his temper in front of all those people.

The patrons here are all wealthy businessmen. If I don’t honor my promise, word will spread about it, and my company’s reputation will take a dive for sure. More importantly, she has Mr. Faymon backing her up! My business will not survive if I get on his bad side!

It took less than ten seconds for Gavin to analyze the situation and make his decision. “Of course, Ms. Garland. It’s all there in writing, and you won fair and square,” he said while trying his best to suppress his anger.

Meredith went pale the moment she saw Gavin give in. “B-But I wagered four million, Mr. Gibson! I don’t have that much money!” she exclaimed while tugging at his sleeve.

Gavin brushed her hand off and said coldly, “You placed that bet of your own accord, so that’s on you! Ms. Garland is clearly skilled at playing cards! You’re the one who can’t play well!”

Rayna flashed him a faint smile. “Thank you very much, Mr. Gibson. I’ll collect the house in a few days.”

The corner of Gavin’s lips twitched slightly when he heard that. He then got up and left without saying anything.

“You’re really good at this, Ms. Garland. As promised, Zenisan Villa is yours!” Since Gavin had already agreed to honor his bet, Simon had no choice but to follow suit. He was so mad at Meredith that he shot her a furious glare before leaving.

So much for Rayna being bad at playing cards… She’s clearly just putting up an act! She was setting us all up right from the start! She pretended to be an amateur and deliberately lost all of her cash and jewelry, only to get back at us in the final round! I can’t believe she managed to win two houses and four million in just one game of poker!

With Gavin and Simon both gone from the private room, Meredith was the only one left.

She was on the verge of breaking down in tears at that point.

I have less than five hundred thousand on me right now, so how am I supposed to pay Rayna four million?

 

Chapter 99

Chapter 99 A Beautiful Victory

As four million was quite a large sum of money, Meredith decided to put her ego aside and said, “Hey, Rayna… We agreed that playing cards is all about having good fun, right? I know I was at fault for stealing your husband, but it was Julian who seduced me first! Besides, I’ve already resigned from Faymon Group, so we’re even now, right?”

Rayna let out a soft chuckle. “Is that so?”

There’s no way we’re even! Ever since I entered this private room, Meredith has been stealing glances at me and whispering into Mr. Gibson’s ear!

Thinking Rayna would let her off the hook, Meredith nodded profusely and said in the most pitiful way possible, “Yeah! I’m working in a small company right now, so I don’t even have a hundred thousand on me!”

“And how is that my problem?” Rayna asked.

Meredith went pale when she heard that.

Rayna waved the document in her hand as she continued, “I’ll give you one year to pay me the four million, Ms. Jones. However, I want you to get the naked run around Lunaria Lake over with as soon as possible.”

Infuriated, Meredith lost her temper and yelled angrily at Rayna, “You b*tch! You’ve been setting us all up right from the start, haven’t you? You put up an act and lied to our faces! See, that’s why you deserve that sexual disorder of yours! That’s why your husband left you! Do you think no one knows about your past? Well, think again! Honestly, your ex-boyfriend should’ve just strangled you to death!”

Meredith’s face was twisted with rage as she hurled all sorts of abuse at her. Rayna, on the other hand, remained completely calm.

With a smile on her face, she patiently waited until Meredith was done before replying, “I was trying to be nice by giving you a whole year to pay up. Since you insist on taking that attitude with me, I’ll shorten that duration to three months.”

Rayna then pushed her way through the crowd and staggered out of the private room.

“Ha! That’s what you get for mouthing off! Serves you right!” Kristie felt great when she saw Meredith lose to Rayna. Finally, I’m not the only one who lost to her!

She then wrapped her arm around Curtis’ and said, “Let’s go, Curt. The show’s over.”

“All right,” Curtis replied with a nod.

Before stepping out the door, he glanced at Meredith and reminded her, “You’d better remember what she said, Ms. Jones.”

The calm and emotionless look in Curtis’ eyes sent a shiver down Meredith’s spine.

Curtis is taking her side on this, so I have to pay Rayna the four million, or he’ll make my life as miserable as can be… Why is he so protective of Rayna? Is there something going on between them?

Having gotten no response from Meredith, Curtis repeated his question a second time. It wasn’t until Meredith nodded at him that he left the private room with Kristie.

Displeased with Curtis’ protective behavior toward Rayna, Kristie pouted her rosy lips at him and asked, “Hey, Curt! You’re already done with the negotiations for the contract in Tyrandas, aren’t you? Why are you still defending that vix— I mean, woman?”

“Because she’s an employee of Faymon Group.”

“No, don’t give me that crap! I’ve never seen you treat any other employee like this! You like her, don’t you? What’s so good about her? She’s neither as pretty nor as likable as I am!” Kristie exclaimed.

“Kristie.” Curtis stopped in his tracks and glared coldly at her. “Just because I always let you have your way doesn’t mean I’m okay with everything you do. That stunt you pulled in Tyrandas had better be the last one. If you do anything like that ever again, I will have you spend six months on an island in Nardor!”

Realizing from his tone that he was truly angry, Kristie quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, Curt. I won’t do it again.”

If I ever need to get back at that woman, I’ll get someone else to do it for me! She’s way too scary for me to handle!

The look on Curtis’ face eased up a little as the two of them left Plum Blossoms.

Cillian was already waiting for them outside with the engine running.

“Mr. Faymon, Ms. Winton,” he greeted them the moment they walked through the front door.

Not wanting to speak to him, Kristie simply let out a defiant snort in response.

Curtis nodded and had Kristie get in the car before saying, “Send her home. Naomi will come to pick me up later.”

“All right.” Cillian then glanced at the stairs on the side and asked hesitantly, “Mr. Faymon, is that Ms. Garland over there? Shall I send her home as well?”

Curtis arched an eyebrow in surprise as he turned around and saw a slender figure sitting on the stairs. The hem of her gray dress was splayed out on the floor beneath her, and her head was resting on her forearms.

She’s still here? I thought she went back long ago! Does she not have anyone who can send her home?

“I’ll send her home. You can leave now.”

“Okay.”

Cillian then drove off with Kristie in the car while Curtis made his way over to the stairs and knelt in front of Rayna. “Do you have a ride home, Ms. Garland?”

Rayna slowly lifted her head to look at him. Although her vision was a little blurry, she could still recognize his handsome face.

“Oh, it’s you, Uncle Curtis…” Rayna had been drinking a lot just to keep Gavin and Simon distracted, so she was pretty intoxicated and needed a quiet spot to rest while waiting for Jessica.

After taking a moment to clear her head, she nodded and said, “Yes, Jessie will come to pick me up. It’s getting late, Uncle Curtis. You should head on home.”

Those words had barely left her mouth when Jessica arrived in a taxi.

She was about to make her way into Plum Blossoms when she spotted Rayna and Curtis by the stairs.

Whoa! What’s Nana doing with Mr. Faymon? Hmm… They seemed to be having a great chat, so it’d probably be rude of me to interrupt their conversation.

After giving it some thought, Jessica turned around and hopped back into the taxi, which sped off into the distance.

Jessie, huh? I’m guessing she’s referring to Jessica. Still, there are hardly any cars on the road out there. I can’t just leave her here all by herself…

Curtis was snapped out of his train of thought when Rayna looked at him and asked in confusion, “Why are you still here, Uncle Curtis?”

“I’m waiting for my ride.”

“Oh, okay.” Rayna sniffled loudly before letting out a loud sneeze. Noticing that she was shivering in that thin dress of hers, Curtis took his coat off and draped it over her shoulders.

Rayna sobered up a little when she felt the weight of his coat on her shoulders and noticed a faint minty fragrance. “Thanks, Uncle Curtis,” she said with a slight blush.

“You’re welcome. By the way, that was a beautiful victory back there,” Curtis replied in a deep voice.

As Rayna buried her face in her knees, her nose rubbed against his coat, which caused her to blush even harder. For some reason, she felt really happy when she received his compliment.

“Oh, it was nothing! I was planning on leaving immediately after helping Mr. Smith with the deal, but he insisted on having me join him in the private room. I got mad when I saw Meredith in there, so I decided to do something about it.”

“Did Edith send you?” Curtis asked.

“Yes.”

“For an acting supervisor, she sure knows how to abuse her power! I bet she won’t even listen to me if I promote her to a supervisor!” Curtis exclaimed with a sneer.

“She works for Mr. Saunders, so she’ll only listen to him.” Rayna knew it wasn’t her place to ask, but her curiosity got the better of her. “Uncle Curtis, are you going to transfer some staff over from the branch in Norham?”

Now that Uncle Curtis is back, there’s no way he would let one of Mr. Saunders’ lackeys get that position.

Curtis looked at her and asked, “Do you not want that position?”

 

Chapter 100

Chapter 100 That Time Of The Month

“No,” Rayna replied honestly. Although Edith had been bullying her many times, Rayna was content with making sure Edith didn’t get that position. She never once wanted that position for herself.

I knew it was a tough position to hold ever since I chatted with Mr. Lawson at the golf course. Even to this day, I still don’t believe that he died of a heart attack. The workplace politics at Faymon Group is incredibly complicated. Most of the employees are either on Mr. Saunders’ or Mr. Grant’s side. They’re all fighting for power, whereas I just want to do my job and get paid. I want no part of this power struggle at all. I’ve already done my part by accompanying Uncle Curtis on that business trip to Tyrandas.

“I can tell you have no ambition, Ms. Garland,” Curtis said with a chuckle and stared at her in amusement.

Feeling uncomfortable by his gaze, Rayna asked, “W-Why are you still here, Uncle Curtis?”

For some reason, she would always panic whenever Curtis looked at her like that. Every word he said felt like a trap that was just waiting for her to walk into it.

Is Uncle Curtis trying to pull some kind of trick on me again?

“Well, you are an employee of Faymon Group. I can’t just leave you here all by yourself,” Curtis replied as he glanced at his watch. Half an hour had passed, and there was still no sign of anyone coming over to pick her up.

Eventually, it was Naomi who arrived to pick Curtis up.

“I don’t think your friend is coming, Ms. Garland. How about I send you home instead?” Curtis asked.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary! She’s probably stuck in a jam or something. Let me call her again…” Rayna replied after a brief pause.

As she bent over to search for her phone, she lost her balance and fell forward. Fortunately, Curtis had fast reflexes and managed to catch her in time. Rayna burned bright red as she looked up at him. She was about to say something but ended up burping all of a sudden.

The sweet stench of alcohol hit Curtis square in the face.

Rayna felt so embarrassed that she forgot to thank him for catching her.

Curtis couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement. She sure is an interesting one! I watched her outsmart a bunch of people with her wits, only to have her burp in my face like a child.

He then scooped her into his arms and said, “Don’t bother calling your friend. I’ll send you home.”

As Rayna had already declined his offer a few times earlier, she figured it would be rude to say no to him again. In order to mitigate the awkward feeling in her heart, she buried her face in his chest and kept quiet.

Curtis then placed her in the back seat of the car before closing the door. “Naomi, take Ms. Garland back to Cerulean Bay.”

“Understood, Mr. Faymon.”

Rayna was already feeling sleepy from all the drinking, so the comfortable temperature and dim lighting in the car caused her to fall asleep within minutes.

Curtis glanced at her and saw that she was sleeping with her head tilted to one side.

Her breathing was steady, her face was slightly pink from the intoxication, and her lips were slightly pursed. Although Rayna wasn’t exactly a stunning beauty, she had this charm about her that never failed to captivate him.

“Did you manage to find anything?” Curtis asked while draping a blanket over her.

“Yes, I did. Mr. Saunders intends to pin Mr. Lawson’s death on Ms. Garland. He already made arrangements with some of the police officers over at the station, but he didn’t expect you to speak up for her,” Naomi replied.

The look in Curtis’ eyes turned gloomy as he said in a cold voice, “Of course, I would. She’s my employee, after all. Mr. Saunders sure has crossed the line this time. He’s got some guts bringing up past incidents like that. If he keeps this up, people might just think he owns Faymon Group!”

“What do you plan on doing, Mr. Faymon?”

“We’ll talk about that some other time. Mr. Saunders is an old employee, so people are bound to be upset if I just fire him. There’s also been some trouble over at the branch in Norham, so I need to take care of it.”

Naomi simply nodded and kept quiet.

Suddenly, Rayna started groaning in pain in the back seat. The next thing Curtis knew, she had collapsed in his lap and was all curled up like a cat.

“Rayna?” It wasn’t until Curtis saw how pale her face was that he realized something was amiss. “What’s wrong?” he asked while patting her on the cheek.

“My tummy hurts…” Rayna mumbled while rubbing her tummy.

Curtis was about to have Naomi rush her to the hospital when his gaze fell upon the bloodstains on her dress. He tensed up as the faint smell of blood filled his nostrils.

I-Is she on her period?

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Curtis didn’t know whether to laugh or cry in response. First, she puked in my car. Now, she’s bleeding in it…

“It hurts…” Rayna groaned in pain as she drifted in and out of sleep.

When she felt his warm hand on her cheek, she instinctively grabbed it and placed it on her tummy.

“My tummy hurts! Massage it for me!” she mumbled with a pout.

Curtis frowned as he felt her tender body through her clothes.

“Let go, Ms. Garland,” he said while trying to pull his hand free.

“Come on, rub my tummy!” Rayna sounded like she was in a lot of pain as she curled up into a ball. “Rub it, Uncle Curtis… Pretty please…”

Unable to pull his hand free, Curtis gave in to her repeated pleas and gently massaged her tummy.

“Like this?” he asked.

“Mmm… Go a little lower…”

Feeling a lot better with his massage, Rayna was able to relax her body as she leaned against him. His dress shirt was all wrinkled from her squeezing, but all he gave her was a slight frown.

Naomi arched an eyebrow when she saw their interaction through the rear-view mirror.

I’ve gotten used to Mr. Faymon’s personality and behavior after working for him for quite some time. He’s cold, he rarely interacts with people unless he has business with them, he doesn’t talk much, and Ms. Winton is the only woman around him. Now, it seems he’s making an exception for Ms. Garland too. His attitude toward Ms. Garland has been different since I picked him up at the airport. He has been very sweet to her and seems to go along with anything she says. Right now, he’s even rubbing her tummy for her. There is definitely more to this.

Rayna was fast asleep by the time they arrived at Cerulean Bay, so Curtis had no choice but to ask Naomi, “You delivered something to her before. Do you know which unit she lives in?”

Naomi gave him Rayna’s floor number and unit number.

As Curtis carried Rayna out of the car, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. Her slim body was really light, so carrying her in his arms was a breeze.

After carrying her to her unit, Curtis rang the doorbell and waited.

Unbeknownst to him, Jessica had been watching from the balcony the whole time. When she saw that Curtis had brought Rayna back, she deliberately ruffled her hair to make it look messy. She even waited a minute before answering the door.

“Huh? Mr. Faymon?” Jessica let out a yawn to look like she had just woken up before she continued, “How come you’re carrying Nana home?”

Nana? What an interesting nickname…

“Ms. Garland got drunk. She gave you a call to have you pick her up, but you never showed up, so I decided to send her home,” Curtis replied.

“Ah, really? She did?” Jessica scratched her head and continued playing dumb. “I thought Nana was working overtime today, so I slept. Please come in, Mr. Faymon.”