Chapter 413: Chapter 413

Amidst Rayna and Curtis’ bickering, lunch was finally ready after they had bustled around for an hour.

Kristie had long since finished the bread and cookies. When she adjourned to the dining room to eat, the fragrant aroma of salmon aglio olio had her salivate. She praised Rayna to the skies.

“Your cooking skills are superb, Rayna! I can finish everything here by myself!”

Even when she helped to take the forks, she rambled incessantly, “The man who ends up marrying you is truly lucky!”

With his face devoid of expression, Curtis shot her a look.

Acting entirely ignorant, Kristie continued clinging to Rayna, talking to her while enjoying the salmon aglio olio. She whined about her craving for cookies and begged the latter to bake more in the afternoon.

Rayna was initially worried that she made too much salmon aglio olio, and they couldn’t finish it. Unexpectedly, Curtis and Kristie’s appetites were great.

Not only did they finish the aglio oglio, but they even polished off the other dishes.

Eyeing Curtis, Rayna deliberately commented, “I thought you don’t fancy my cooking, Mr. Faymon.”

“The salmon aglio olio wouldn’t taste good reheated at night, and I didn’t want to waste it, so I reluctantly finished it. After all, Kristie likes eating freshly prepared food,” Curtis countered calmly.

At once, Kristie protested, “I’ve never said that! Evidently, you were the one—”

Curtis threw her a look.

Sensing a chill running down her spine, Kristie harrumphed but didn’t dare speak further. She shook Rayna’s arm. “Don’t make so many cookies later, Rayna. Just bake enough for me alone!”

Rayna patted her on the head. “Okay. You can have whatever kind you like.”

“Hmph! You’re not having any, Curt!” Kristie stuck out her tongue at Curtis.

Smiling, Curtis shook his head. He unlocked his phone, only to see that Jeremy had called an hour ago, but he missed it since his phone was on silent mode. Going over to the window, he returned the call.

“I’ve found James. He’s fine. His school is sending him on an assignment to Xyperia, and I drove him to the airport an hour ago,”

Jeremy reported as soon as the call was connected.

“Got it. You can come back now.”

“I can’t do so for the time being. The new location for the lab has been confirmed, so I’ve got to go there and take a look at things. Oh yes, where did you have the heart transplant surgery, Curtis? Do you mind telling me?”

Perplexed, Curtis went silent.

Jeremy continued, “I’d also like to have a heart transplant. Is there any brain transplant there?”

Cottoning on to the ridicule in his words, Curtis sneered, “Yes. Not only can you have a heart and brain transplant there, but they even offer you a free cemetery plot and coffin. I’ll bring you there when you come back.”

He must be itching for a round of beating that he even dared to tease me!

After lunch, Rayna prepared some ingredients again and baked several types of cookies. She baked more this time so that Kristie would have some for tomorrow. On top of that, she even made five mochi balls.

Wiping her hands, she saw that it was pretty late, so she made to leave.

However, Kristie ran over and grabbed her hand, refusing to let go of her. She gazed at Rayna pitifully. “You promised to make dinner for me as well, Rayna. Why are you leaving now?”

“I’m just going back to straighten up my place. I’ll come back at night.” Sitting on the couch, Rayna glanced at the man who was working.

In truth, she felt awkward being around Curtis.

Alas, Kristie promptly whipped out her phone. “I’ll hire someone to help you straighten the place.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ve already done that.”

“In that case, stay and keep me company, Rayna! I’m alone every day without anyone to accompany me,” Kristie lamented.

Rayna said nothing, so she continued begging, “Please, Rayna. Just this one day, okay?”

In the face of her plea, Rayna ultimately caved and nodded. “Okay. Let’s go to your room, then. Someone else wants to use the living room.

Kristie glanced over her shoulder. “Are you speaking of Curt? He’s busy every second of every day. His company isn’t going to go bankrupt even if he doesn’t look at his laptop for an afternoon.”

While saying that, she zipped over to Curtis and confiscated his laptop. “Play a game of cards with me, won’t you, Curt?”

“Cut it out. How are we to play a game of cards with two people?”

“Rayna is here, too! She’ll be staying the entire afternoon to keep me company.” Kristie pointed at Rayna before adding, “The previous time we played, you won a lot from me, and I’m going to win it back today!”

“Oh, really?” Casting his gaze in Rayna’s direction, Curtis arched his brow a fraction.

At that, Rayna rolled her eyes at him and declared with a snort, “I don’t want to see you either. I’m only staying to keep Kristie company.”

Once more, helplessness swamped Curtis.

I didn’t say anything. Is she really that averse to me?

Kristie had a set of poker cards, but she didn’t have a shuffling machine. Carrying the table from the living room to the side of the window, they poured the deck of cards out before shuffling them and starting the game.

Rayna knew how to play poker, but she seldom played and had never done so with Kristie or Curtis.

Since she had never seen the man playing poker, she reckoned that he wasn’t that good at it either.

To her surprise, he ended up winning every round, so much so that her blood boiled.

Shoving her chair back, she got up and snarled, “Swap places with me!”

“Ms. Garland, this is a matter of skills and has nothing to do with our places. Your skills are horrible, so you’re not going to win even if we swap places.”

“Are you going to do it or what?” Rayna brandished her fist at him.

“Okay, okay, I’ll swap with you.” Chuckling in exasperation, Curtis switched places with her.

After they had done so, Kristie started winning instead.

The tremendous loss had depression flood Rayna.

Having played for a round, Rayna inwardly rejoiced upon seeing that the hand of cards was rather good. Hopefully, I can win this round!

When she got a pair of aces, she called for a show hand right away.

“Ah, I won! Thank you, Rayna!” Kristie excitedly spread her cards out.

Crap! She got a straight.

The corners of Rayna’s mouth twitched.

“You’re welcome...”

Later, Curtis received a call from the office. He had a meeting with the executives as he played poker with them.

Sometimes, he would make the wrong move in a moment of inattention, and Rayna would capitalize on it.

By half past six in the evening, she had already won back her losses and even had a few thousand to spare.

Stuffing the money into her bag, she happily declared, “I’m going to cook dinner. What would you like to eat, Kristie?”

“Anything!”

When she had gone into the kitchen, Kristie instantly dashed over to Curtis and held her hand out to him. “Pay up, Curt.”

Alas, Curtis remained unmoved. “I didn’t win your money.”

“At the end there, you were helping Rayna all along. Do you think I was ignorant of that? If you don’t pay up, I’ll tell Rayna about it!” Kristie snorted.

Curtis pinched her cheek. “I’m feeding and clothing you, yet you’re blackmailing me?”

“Are you paying or not?” Seeing that he remained unmoved, Kristie made to go to the kitchen.

Curtis yanked her back and took out his wallet, querying helplessly, “How much?”

“Five thousand!”

Taking out the bills in there, Curtis gave them all to her. “This is all I’ve got.”

Kristie curled her lips, dissatisfaction deluging her at once. “Only three thousand and seven hundred? No, you’ve got to write me an IOU for the remainder!”

“You’ve got an eight-figure balance on your card. Do you lack this paltry sum of money?”

“Nope, but winning your money gives me a sense of accomplishment!” All triumphant, Kristie snagged a piece of pen and paper before handing them to the man. “Write an IOU. Otherwise, I’m going to tell Rayna all about your secret.”

Meanwhile, Rayna, who was preparing dinner in the kitchen, had absolutely no inkling of their conversation.

Dinner was macaroni and cheese.

Kristie ate two huge servings and was so full that she couldn’t get up from the chair. That gave Rayna such a fright that she swiftly took a digestive pill for her, afraid that her stomach might burst.