Chapter 474: Chapter 474

With a fiery look in his eyes, Curtis tightened his grip over her hand.

“Rayna, enough.”

“What do you mean enough? What’s wrong with you?” Rayna struggled vigorously to free herself. “Do you know who Selena is?

What are we going to do once Carl finds out—Mmm!”

Curtis restrained her in his embrace while covering her mouth with his hand.

Failing to free herself, Rayna could only watch as Curtis’ men kicked open the door for Emma to rush inside.

All she could do at that moment was close her eyes and pray that the doctor had completed the abortion.

With her heart hanging in suspense, Rayna finally saw Emma emerge from the operating room with the crying Selena in her arms.

Emma was in the midst of calming the latter down with gentle words of comfort.

Nonetheless, it was clear from the relieved smile on Emma’s face that Selena was saved in the nick of time, a realization that caused Rayna’s heart to sink.

Thereafter, Curtis apologized to Emma, “Mrs. Xavier, I’m sorry that you and Ms. Young had to go through such a harrowing experience.”

As her smile faded away, Emma snapped back, “You’re lucky that Selena and the child are fine. Otherwise, her life wouldn’t have been enough to pay for what she has done!”

“You’re right.” Curtis nodded. “My men will send you home.”

“Forget it!”

Emma rejected him outright before helping Selena out of the hospital.

Upon watching both of them leave, Rayna struggled to break free from Curtis’ grip with all her might and attempted to give chase. Unfortunately, before she could even take a step, her arm was grabbed again.

“Curtis, let go of me!”

“Stop it, Rayna.” Curtis refused to let go with a grim look on his face. “The Xavier family and the Nicholson family are very close.

If anything were to happen to Selena, the Nicholsons will not forgive you.”

“If we can’t touch Selena, does that mean you’re going to forsake Jasmine?” Despite her entire body trembling violently, Rayna desperately tried to maintain her composure. “Selena is pregnant! Don’t tell me that you’re not aware of how it happened and whose baby she’s carrying?”

Curtis responded calmly, “She’s not going to have the baby. I’ll take care of that—”

“Do you think Mrs. Xavier will make the same mistake twice?” Rayna cut him off. “The first thing she would do now is to send Selena overseas until she gives birth!”

“Rayna, I’m doing this for your own good.” Curtis’ Adam’s apple bobbed. “You should just stay out of this.”

The thought of Jasmine’s tragic accident had caused him to worry endlessly about Emma trying to harm Rayna.

As the Xaviers and Nicholsons were two of the three families who controlled Norwal City’s military, destroying a particular company or killing someone was as easy as a snap of their fingers.

That was the reason why Curtis didn’t want Rayna to get involved.

Oblivious to his concern for her, Rayna retorted, “I’ve no interest in interfering at all. All I care about is Carl!”

Thereafter, she extracted her hand before turning to leave.

“I’ll be taking him in. There’s no need for you to worry about him anymore!”

As his eyes darkened upon a sudden realization, Curtis ran after her and picked her up, carrying her in his arms.

The abruptness of his action caused Rayna to grab his shirt by reflex as she fumed, “What are you doing? Put me down!”

“I’m taking you for a check-up,” Curtis flatly replied before carrying her to the gynecology department.

He wasn’t sure of the authenticity of the video, but he was certain that Jefferson’s condition had left him a few months to live.

Moreover, he didn’t get Rayna to take birth control pills during their trip to Jetroina.

Thus, the answer would become clear once he knew when the baby was conceived.

A check-up? What for?

Rayna was baffled. It wasn’t until she saw the gynecology department’s sign that her face turned pale from the sudden realization.

“Let go of me! Let go!”

Recalling the duck stew and the call with Jefferson, Rayna was suddenly filled with fear. She subsequently tried to free herself from Curtis’ arms, knowing that everything would be over once he found out.

I’m not going to let him abort the child. I can raise them myself!

Kicking and screaming, she even left two bloody scratches on Curtis’ face. Nevertheless, the latter didn’t even bat an eyelid as he gently carried her into the doctor’s office.

“Curtis, there’s no need to investigate any further. It’s not yours,” Rayna blurted when she finally calmed down.

Her words finally stopped Curtis in his tracks.

She then flashed him an icy smile. “Just think about the date of our trip to Jetroina. If the baby is really yours, my stomach would be so big that I wouldn’t be able to hide it. But, look at it now. Is the bump obvious? You had better stop with your one-sided fantasies.”

Curtis fell silent for a few moments, and all he could hear was Vivi’s voice echoing in his mind.

Mr. Faymon, Ms. Garland is pregnant, and the father’s surname is “Hamilton!” If she really loves you, would she go to such lengths to hide the fact from you? She’s just playing with your feelings, so you had better not be fooled!

Paralyzed by the thought, Curtis began breathing rapidly while his cheeks twitched.

After a brief pause, he gave the woman in his arms a grim look. “Rayna, look me in the eyes and tell me who the father is.”

Rayna felt a jolt in her heart the moment she locked gazes with him.

Worried that he would demand her to abort the babies, Rayna curled her red lips while suppressing the pain in her heart. “Mr.

Faymon, I know very well how long I am into my pregnancy. There’s no need for me to lie to you. As for whose baby is it, don’t you already know?”

After putting her back down, Curtis pinched her chin to force her to look up at him.

With trembling hands, he asked through gritted teeth, “Jefferson?”

“Yes—”

Before she could finish, her throat was grabbed by the man. She staggered backward, slamming against the wall.

Curtis was staring viciously at her with his bloodshot eyes.

“Rayna, you... you...” he murmured in a voice brimming with hatred. His chest was heaving violently as his fingers tightened their grip around her neck.

Strangling her to death was all he could think of at that moment.

Just a while ago, he was still holding up hope that the child was his by calculating the time Rayna got pregnant.

If he was indeed the father, he was willing to let the past slide and not hold her accountable for helping Jefferson. In fact, he would set aside his pride to reconcile with her and maybe even marry her.

But she has once again trampled upon my feelings for her! No wonder the waitress congratulated me when she handed over the umbrella while we were leaving the club. It also explains her sudden affinity for sour and spicy food. Let’s not forget the slight bump I noticed on the flight. This is all because she’s pregnant, but now, she tells me the baby isn’t mine. All this while, she has played me for a fool by keeping the truth from me!

“Curtis, let me go...” As Rayna began to suffocate, she tried to pry his fingers away with her hands. “Even if the child isn’t yours, there’s no need to be so angry.”

Her words were like a pail of cold water that was poured over his head, causing him to regain his senses.

She’s right. What’s there for me to be mad about? I have always been calm in the face of adversity. And yet, this woman has caused me to lose my sanity to the extent of feeling the urge to kill her. How far have I fallen?

Very quickly, Curtis regained his composure.

Retracting his hands with an indifferent look in his eyes, he declared, “This is the first and last time I allow myself to show such emotion.”

Rayna rubbed her painful neck, her lips pursed tightly while she listened to him speak.

Curtis flatly continued, “After thirty years of being alive, I have learned another life lesson that I will forever remember. Thank you, Ms. Garland.”

No sooner had he finished than Curtis turned to leave.

Within that few seconds, Rayna couldn’t resist looking up at him. The sight of the man’s forlorn silhouette disappearing quickly from sight triggered a painful squeeze in her heart.