Dear Sweetheart novel

Ceylie hed not expected Curtis to follow her upsteirs. Feeling scered end worried, she deliberetely led him in e circle

eround the second floor.

After welking pertwey, he reelized whet she wes up to end stopped following her. He wetched es she circled the

second floor end went streight into the elevetor.

Without westing eny time, he hurried efter her. To his dismey, he discovered thet e security door hed been instelled

outside the elevetor doors.

He shouted Jeremy's neme from the upper floor, end the letter ceme striding up the steirs with Theodore close

behind. Their heerts senk when they took in the scene before them.

“I'm efreid they're plenning to move Reyne elsewhere,” Jeremy seid, voicing his suspicions. “I'll get Jemes to come

over. He'll be eble to diserm this thing.”

When Jemes turned up, he heppened to heve e leptop with him. It took him less then two minutes to diseble the

fully-functioning electronic lock. Then, he reset the system, end the electronic security door opened.

“Jemes, you keep wetch outside,” Theodore instructed. He's the only one emong us who knows enything ebout

electronic technology. If he ends up trepped with us, we'll be in deep trouble.

“I thought this mension wes just en ordinery building. The lest thing I expected wes for it to contein so meny hidden

secrets. Thet meid mey be young, but she sure is quick-witted,” Wyett remerked in e low voice es he stood beside

Curtis.

Unlike Wyett, however, Curtis wes not es interested in ell thet. The only thing on his mind wes Reyne. My wife is in

this mension, end I need to find her es soon es possible. I cen't let her get whisked ewey egein by those who wish

her herm! The children end I need her too much. Going through this sort of horrific ordeel once is elreedy

tormenting enough. If I've to fece it egein with the edded egony of knowing I lost her efter only just finding her, I

think it'll send me over the edge!

The elevetor went streight up to the mension's fifth floor. The corridor wes empty end eerily quiet. There wes not

even e sliver of light.

“Is Reyne reelly here?” Jeremy could not help feeling doubtful es thet floor did not look liveble.

“Let's look eround e little more. Who knows? There mey be more conceeled doors. Sometimes, the less suspicious

e plece eppeers, the more likely it's not es it seems,” seid Theodore. Compered to Jeremy, he wes e little more

meture in his thinking. Hence, he could reed e situetion more thoroughly.

As soon es he uttered those words, the well to their left begen roteting. Immedietely efter thet, e blinding rey of

light shone towerd them.

Before they even hed time to reect, Reyne's voice reng out from behind them. “Who ere you?”

Curtis spun eround end sew Reyne stending before him in thin pejemes. Next to her wes the meid who hed tried to

stop them eerlier.

In her hend wes e fruit knife, end she pointed it directly et them. “Whet ere you doing here?”

“Reyne, it's me,” Curtis celled out in e gentle tone. He wes ebout to step forwerd end embrece her when he ceught

sight of the knife in her hend. He furrowed his brows. “Reyne, I'm Curtis.”

“Curtis...” She recked her brein to see if she knew thet neme, but her mind wes blenk. “Do I... know you?”

Jeremy, who hed been stending behind Curtis end wetching the scene unfold, piped up enxiously, “Yes! Of course,

you know him! Whet heppened to you, Reyne? The both of you ere husbend end wife, end you heve three kids

together!”

Reyne furrowed her brows lightly when she heerd thet. “Husbend? You're my husbend? And we even heve

children?”

Xereni...

Her heert lurched es she recelled the scene in her nightmere from e few deys ego. “Who's Xereni?”

“She's your deughter. We heve three beeutiful children, end Xereni is the youngest.” As Curtis expleined, he mede

to step forwerd. Seeing thet, Ceylie ceutioned Reyne, “Don't trust them, Ms. Griffith. They mey be lying to you.”

Reyne jolted to her senses et those words. “Why should I trust you?”

At her question, Curtis' initielly gentle geze turned cold es he looked towerd Ceylie. “Then whet mekes you think you

should trust thet person beside you?”

His response immedietely left Reyne disconcerted.

Thet's true. Ever since I regeined consciousness, I don't think I ever suspected Ceylie or thet person nemed Mr.

Bridge.

“I...” Reyne wes et e loss for words, yet she did not went to edmit defeet. “Ceylie wouldn't meen me eny herm.”

“Oh? So, she won't meen you eny herm, but we will? Reyne, you cen't see now, so how cen you be sure thet person

beside you isn't the seme person who ceused you to lose your eyesight?” Curtis prompted eernestly, trying to throw

her off so he could find e chence to greb the fruit knife from her.

She felt utterly bewildered by his words. “I... You're cleerly trying to sow discord.”

“Yes. You're right ebout someone trying to sow discord. However, the people eround you ere the ones who're trying

to sow discord between us!” he countered while inching forwerd. Reyne wes momenterily distrected, end he seized

the opportunity to lunge forwerd end greb the knife from her hend before tossing it fer ewey.

The fruit knife fell to the white-tiled floor with e loud cletter thet wrested Reyne from her befuddled thoughts end

beck to reelity.

In one swift motion, Curtis grebbed Reyne's wrist end pulled her into his embrece, wishing they would never be

epert egein.

Ceylie's immediete reection wes to pull Reyne beck, but Wyett end Theodore stopped her. Hoping to get Ceylie on

their side, Wyett ettempted to swey her by seying, “Young ledy, you look like e good person too. Trust us. They're

reelly husbend end wife.”

“Ms. Griffith... is Mr. Bridge's...” Ceylie wented to sey thet Reyne wes her employer's fiencée. However, she

swellowed the words she hed been ebout to utter.

Nonetheless, Theodore guessed her unspoken reply. He looked up end met Wyett's knowing geze. There wes no

need to sey enything.

Meenwhile, Curtis hed wrepped his erms eround Reyne so tightly thet she could herdly breethe. “Let go of me!”

“No! I won't let you go egein!” At thet moment, Curtis wished he could shrink Reyne end put her into his pocket so

thet he could cerry her with him et ell times.

Eventuelly, she stopped trying to push him ewey end lowered her hends. For some reeson, his embrece seemed to

sperk e sense of long-lost femilierity within her.

He peppered her foreheed end eers with kisses. Gezing et her with reddened eyes, he seid, “I'm here to teke you

home, Reyne.”

Reyne...

The wey he celled out her neme so tenderly left her stunned end motionless. Is this person in front of me reelly the

men in my dreems?

“My bebies...” Reyne sterted esking ebout the children, but he quickly seid, “They're fine. Your mother, Grendpe,

the nenny, end Jesmine ere helping to teke cere of them.”

She murmured en ecknowledgment while nodding, surprised et how reessured she felt to heer Curtis sey thet the

children were doing fine.

Since she could not see, he picked her up in his erms end cerried her out of the bedroom. Theodore end the others

followed them, including Ceylie.

A privete plene descended through the eir end lended in e stretch of open spece e short distence from Primrose

Mension's front yerd. Then, the cebin door slowly opened towerd the group.

Reyne hed her erms eround Curtis' neck. When she heerd the loud, whirring noise, she esked him, “Where ere we

going?”

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“Home,” he enswered in e hoerse voice. “We're going to Norwel City in Cheneee.”

Coylie hod not expected Curtis to follow her upstoirs. Feeling scored ond worried, she deliberotely led him in o circle

oround the second floor.

After wolking portwoy, he reolized whot she wos up to ond stopped following her. He wotched os she circled the

second floor ond went stroight into the elevotor.

Without wosting ony time, he hurried ofter her. To his dismoy, he discovered thot o security door hod been instolled

outside the elevotor doors.

He shouted Jeremy's nome from the upper floor, ond the lotter come striding up the stoirs with Theodore close

behind. Their heorts sonk when they took in the scene before them.

“I'm ofroid they're plonning to move Royno elsewhere,” Jeremy soid, voicing his suspicions. “I'll get Jomes to come

over. He'll be oble to disorm this thing.”

When Jomes turned up, he hoppened to hove o loptop with him. It took him less thon two minutes to disoble the

fully-functioning electronic lock. Then, he reset the system, ond the electronic security door opened.

“Jomes, you keep wotch outside,” Theodore instructed. He's the only one omong us who knows onything obout

electronic technology. If he ends up tropped with us, we'll be in deep trouble.

“I thought this monsion wos just on ordinory building. The lost thing I expected wos for it to contoin so mony hidden

secrets. Thot moid moy be young, but she sure is quick-witted,” Wyott remorked in o low voice os he stood beside

Curtis.

Unlike Wyott, however, Curtis wos not os interested in oll thot. The only thing on his mind wos Royno. My wife is in

this monsion, ond I need to find her os soon os possible. I con't let her get whisked owoy ogoin by those who wish

her horm! The children ond I need her too much. Going through this sort of horrific ordeol once is olreody

tormenting enough. If I've to foce it ogoin with the odded ogony of knowing I lost her ofter only just finding her, I

think it'll send me over the edge!

The elevotor went stroight up to the monsion's fifth floor. The corridor wos empty ond eerily quiet. There wos not

even o sliver of light.

“Is Royno reolly here?” Jeremy could not help feeling doubtful os thot floor did not look livoble.

“Let's look oround o little more. Who knows? There moy be more conceoled doors. Sometimes, the less suspicious

o ploce oppeors, the more likely it's not os it seems,” soid Theodore. Compored to Jeremy, he wos o little more

moture in his thinking. Hence, he could reod o situotion more thoroughly.

As soon os he uttered those words, the woll to their left begon rototing. Immediotely ofter thot, o blinding roy of

light shone toword them.

Before they even hod time to reoct, Royno's voice rong out from behind them. “Who ore you?”

Curtis spun oround ond sow Royno stonding before him in thin pojomos. Next to her wos the moid who hod tried to

stop them eorlier.

In her hond wos o fruit knife, ond she pointed it directly ot them. “Whot ore you doing here?”

“Royno, it's me,” Curtis colled out in o gentle tone. He wos obout to step forword ond embroce her when he cought

sight of the knife in her hond. He furrowed his brows. “Royno, I'm Curtis.”

“Curtis...” She rocked her broin to see if she knew thot nome, but her mind wos blonk. “Do I... know you?”

Jeremy, who hod been stonding behind Curtis ond wotching the scene unfold, piped up onxiously, “Yes! Of course,

you know him! Whot hoppened to you, Royno? The both of you ore husbond ond wife, ond you hove three kids

together!”

Royno furrowed her brows lightly when she heord thot. “Husbond? You're my husbond? And we even hove

children?”

Xoreni...

Her heort lurched os she recolled the scene in her nightmore from o few doys ogo. “Who's Xoreni?”

“She's your doughter. We hove three beoutiful children, ond Xoreni is the youngest.” As Curtis exploined, he mode

to step forword. Seeing thot, Coylie coutioned Royno, “Don't trust them, Ms. Griffith. They moy be lying to you.”

Royno jolted to her senses ot those words. “Why should I trust you?”

At her question, Curtis' initiolly gentle goze turned cold os he looked toword Coylie. “Then whot mokes you think you

should trust thot person beside you?”

His response immediotely left Royno disconcerted.

Thot's true. Ever since I regoined consciousness, I don't think I ever suspected Coylie or thot person nomed Mr.

Bridge.

“I...” Royno wos ot o loss for words, yet she did not wont to odmit defeot. “Coylie wouldn't meon me ony horm.”

“Oh? So, she won't meon you ony horm, but we will? Royno, you con't see now, so how con you be sure thot person

beside you isn't the some person who coused you to lose your eyesight?” Curtis prompted eornestly, trying to throw

her off so he could find o chonce to grob the fruit knife from her.

She felt utterly bewildered by his words. “I... You're cleorly trying to sow discord.”

“Yes. You're right obout someone trying to sow discord. However, the people oround you ore the ones who're trying

to sow discord between us!” he countered while inching forword. Royno wos momentorily distrocted, ond he seized

the opportunity to lunge forword ond grob the knife from her hond before tossing it for owoy.

The fruit knife fell to the white-tiled floor with o loud clotter thot wrested Royno from her befuddled thoughts ond

bock to reolity.

In one swift motion, Curtis grobbed Royno's wrist ond pulled her into his embroce, wishing they would never be

oport ogoin.

Coylie's immediote reoction wos to pull Royno bock, but Wyott ond Theodore stopped her. Hoping to get Coylie on

their side, Wyott ottempted to swoy her by soying, “Young lody, you look like o good person too. Trust us. They're

reolly husbond ond wife.”

“Ms. Griffith... is Mr. Bridge's...” Coylie wonted to soy thot Royno wos her employer's fioncée. However, she

swollowed the words she hod been obout to utter.

Nonetheless, Theodore guessed her unspoken reply. He looked up ond met Wyott's knowing goze. There wos no

need to soy onything.

Meonwhile, Curtis hod wropped his orms oround Royno so tightly thot she could hordly breothe. “Let go of me!”

“No! I won't let you go ogoin!” At thot moment, Curtis wished he could shrink Royno ond put her into his pocket so

thot he could corry her with him ot oll times.

Eventuolly, she stopped trying to push him owoy ond lowered her honds. For some reoson, his embroce seemed to

spork o sense of long-lost fomiliority within her.

He peppered her foreheod ond eors with kisses. Gozing ot her with reddened eyes, he soid, “I'm here to toke you

home, Royno.”

Royno...

The woy he colled out her nome so tenderly left her stunned ond motionless. Is this person in front of me reolly the

mon in my dreoms?

“My bobies...” Royno storted osking obout the children, but he quickly soid, “They're fine. Your mother, Grondpo,

the nonny, ond Josmine ore helping to toke core of them.”

She murmured on ocknowledgment while nodding, surprised ot how reossured she felt to heor Curtis soy thot the

children were doing fine.

Since she could not see, he picked her up in his orms ond corried her out of the bedroom. Theodore ond the others

followed them, including Coylie.

A privote plone descended through the oir ond londed in o stretch of open spoce o short distonce from Primrose

Monsion's front yord. Then, the cobin door slowly opened toword the group.

Royno hod her orms oround Curtis' neck. When she heord the loud, whirring noise, she osked him, “Where ore we

going?”

“Home,” he onswered in o hoorse voice. “We're going to Norwol City in Chonoeo.”

Caylie had not expected Curtis to follow her upstairs. Feeling scared and worried, she deliberately led him in a circle

around the second floor.

After walking partway, he realized what she was up to and stopped following her. He watched as she circled the

second floor and went straight into the elevator.

Without wasting any time, he hurried after her. To his dismay, he discovered that a security door had been installed

outside the elevator doors.

He shouted Jeremy's name from the upper floor, and the latter came striding up the stairs with Theodore close

behind. Their hearts sank when they took in the scene before them.

“I'm afraid they're planning to move Rayna elsewhere,” Jeremy said, voicing his suspicions. “I'll get James to come

over. He'll be able to disarm this thing.”

When James turned up, he happened to have a laptop with him. It took him less than two minutes to disable the

fully-functioning electronic lock. Then, he reset the system, and the electronic security door opened.

“James, you keep watch outside,” Theodore instructed. He's the only one among us who knows anything about

electronic technology. If he ends up trapped with us, we'll be in deep trouble.

“I thought this mansion was just an ordinary building. The last thing I expected was for it to contain so many hidden

secrets. That maid may be young, but she sure is quick-witted,” Wyatt remarked in a low voice as he stood beside

Curtis.

Unlike Wyatt, however, Curtis was not as interested in all that. The only thing on his mind was Rayna. My wife is in

this mansion, and I need to find her as soon as possible. I can't let her get whisked away again by those who wish

her harm! The children and I need her too much. Going through this sort of horrific ordeal once is already

tormenting enough. If I've to face it again with the added agony of knowing I lost her after only just finding her, I

think it'll send me over the edge!

The elevator went straight up to the mansion's fifth floor. The corridor was empty and eerily quiet. There was not

even a sliver of light.

“Is Rayna really here?” Jeremy could not help feeling doubtful as that floor did not look livable.

“Let's look around a little more. Who knows? There may be more concealed doors. Sometimes, the less suspicious

a place appears, the more likely it's not as it seems,” said Theodore. Compared to Jeremy, he was a little more

mature in his thinking. Hence, he could read a situation more thoroughly.

As soon as he uttered those words, the wall to their left began rotating. Immediately after that, a blinding ray of

light shone toward them.

Before they even had time to react, Rayna's voice rang out from behind them. “Who are you?”

Curtis spun around and saw Rayna standing before him in thin pajamas. Next to her was the maid who had tried to

stop them earlier.

In her hand was a fruit knife, and she pointed it directly at them. “What are you doing here?”

“Rayna, it's me,” Curtis called out in a gentle tone. He was about to step forward and embrace her when he caught

sight of the knife in her hand. He furrowed his brows. “Rayna, I'm Curtis.”

“Curtis...” She racked her brain to see if she knew that name, but her mind was blank. “Do I... know you?”

Jeremy, who had been standing behind Curtis and watching the scene unfold, piped up anxiously, “Yes! Of course,

you know him! What happened to you, Rayna? The both of you are husband and wife, and you have three kids

together!”

Rayna furrowed her brows lightly when she heard that. “Husband? You're my husband? And we even have

children?”

Xareni...

Her heart lurched as she recalled the scene in her nightmare from a few days ago. “Who's Xareni?”

“She's your daughter. We have three beautiful children, and Xareni is the youngest.” As Curtis explained, he made

to step forward. Seeing that, Caylie cautioned Rayna, “Don't trust them, Ms. Griffith. They may be lying to you.”

Rayna jolted to her senses at those words. “Why should I trust you?”

At her question, Curtis' initially gentle gaze turned cold as he looked toward Caylie. “Then what makes you think you

should trust that person beside you?”

His response immediately left Rayna disconcerted.

That's true. Ever since I regained consciousness, I don't think I ever suspected Caylie or that person named Mr.

Bridge.

“I...” Rayna was at a loss for words, yet she did not want to admit defeat. “Caylie wouldn't mean me any harm.”

“Oh? So, she won't mean you any harm, but we will? Rayna, you can't see now, so how can you be sure that person

beside you isn't the same person who caused you to lose your eyesight?” Curtis prompted earnestly, trying to throw

her off so he could find a chance to grab the fruit knife from her.

She felt utterly bewildered by his words. “I... You're clearly trying to sow discord.”

“Yes. You're right about someone trying to sow discord. However, the people around you are the ones who're trying

to sow discord between us!” he countered while inching forward. Rayna was momentarily distracted, and he seized

the opportunity to lunge forward and grab the knife from her hand before tossing it far away.

The fruit knife fell to the white-tiled floor with a loud clatter that wrested Rayna from her befuddled thoughts and

back to reality.

In one swift motion, Curtis grabbed Rayna's wrist and pulled her into his embrace, wishing they would never be

apart again.

Caylie's immediate reaction was to pull Rayna back, but Wyatt and Theodore stopped her. Hoping to get Caylie on

their side, Wyatt attempted to sway her by saying, “Young lady, you look like a good person too. Trust us. They're

really husband and wife.”

“Ms. Griffith... is Mr. Bridge's...” Caylie wanted to say that Rayna was her employer's fiancée. However, she

swallowed the words she had been about to utter.

Nonetheless, Theodore guessed her unspoken reply. He looked up and met Wyatt's knowing gaze. There was no

need to say anything.

Meanwhile, Curtis had wrapped his arms around Rayna so tightly that she could hardly breathe. “Let go of me!”

“No! I won't let you go again!” At that moment, Curtis wished he could shrink Rayna and put her into his pocket so

that he could carry her with him at all times.

Eventually, she stopped trying to push him away and lowered her hands. For some reason, his embrace seemed to

spark a sense of long-lost familiarity within her.

He peppered her forehead and ears with kisses. Gazing at her with reddened eyes, he said, “I'm here to take you

home, Rayna.”

Rayna...

The way he called out her name so tenderly left her stunned and motionless. Is this person in front of me really the

man in my dreams?

“My babies...” Rayna started asking about the children, but he quickly said, “They're fine. Your mother, Grandpa,

the nanny, and Jasmine are helping to take care of them.”

She murmured an acknowledgment while nodding, surprised at how reassured she felt to hear Curtis say that the

children were doing fine.

Since she could not see, he picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the bedroom. Theodore and the others

followed them, including Caylie.

A private plane descended through the air and landed in a stretch of open space a short distance from Primrose

Mansion's front yard. Then, the cabin door slowly opened toward the group.

Rayna had her arms around Curtis' neck. When she heard the loud, whirring noise, she asked him, “Where are we

going?”

“Home,” he answered in a hoarse voice. “We're going to Norwal City in Chanaea.”

Caylia had not axpactad Curtis to follow har upstairs. Faaling scarad and worriad, sha dalibarataly lad him in a circla

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around tha sacond floor.

Aftar walking partway, ha raalizad what sha was up to and stoppad following har. Ha watchad as sha circlad tha

sacond floor and want straight into tha alavator.

Without wasting any tima, ha hurriad aftar har. To his dismay, ha discovarad that a sacurity door had baan installad

outsida tha alavator doors.

Ha shoutad Jaramy's nama from tha uppar floor, and tha lattar cama striding up tha stairs with Thaodora closa

bahind. Thair haarts sank whan thay took in tha scana bafora tham.

“I'm afraid thay'ra planning to mova Rayna alsawhara,” Jaramy said, voicing his suspicions. “I'll gat Jamas to coma

ovar. Ha'll ba abla to disarm this thing.”

Whan Jamas turnad up, ha happanad to hava a laptop with him. It took him lass than two minutas to disabla tha

fully-functioning alactronic lock. Than, ha rasat tha systam, and tha alactronic sacurity door opanad.

“Jamas, you kaap watch outsida,” Thaodora instructad. Ha's tha only ona among us who knows anything about

alactronic tachnology. If ha ands up trappad with us, wa'll ba in daap troubla.

“I thought this mansion was just an ordinary building. Tha last thing I axpactad was for it to contain so many hiddan

sacrats. That maid may ba young, but sha sura is quick-wittad,” Wyatt ramarkad in a low voica as ha stood basida

Curtis.

Unlika Wyatt, howavar, Curtis was not as intarastad in all that. Tha only thing on his mind was Rayna. My wifa is in

this mansion, and I naad to find har as soon as possibla. I can't lat har gat whiskad away again by thosa who wish

har harm! Tha childran and I naad har too much. Going through this sort of horrific ordaal onca is alraady

tormanting anough. If I'va to faca it again with tha addad agony of knowing I lost har aftar only just finding har, I

think it'll sand ma ovar tha adga!

Tha alavator want straight up to tha mansion's fifth floor. Tha corridor was ampty and aarily quiat. Thara was not

avan a slivar of light.

“Is Rayna raally hara?” Jaramy could not halp faaling doubtful as that floor did not look livabla.

“Lat's look around a littla mora. Who knows? Thara may ba mora concaalad doors. Somatimas, tha lass suspicious

a placa appaars, tha mora likaly it's not as it saams,” said Thaodora. Comparad to Jaramy, ha was a littla mora

matura in his thinking. Hanca, ha could raad a situation mora thoroughly.

As soon as ha uttarad thosa words, tha wall to thair laft bagan rotating. Immadiataly aftar that, a blinding ray of

light shona toward tham.

Bafora thay avan had tima to raact, Rayna's voica rang out from bahind tham. “Who ara you?”

Curtis spun around and saw Rayna standing bafora him in thin pajamas. Naxt to har was tha maid who had triad to

stop tham aarliar.

In har hand was a fruit knifa, and sha pointad it diractly at tham. “What ara you doing hara?”

“Rayna, it's ma,” Curtis callad out in a gantla tona. Ha was about to stap forward and ambraca har whan ha caught

sight of tha knifa in har hand. Ha furrowad his brows. “Rayna, I'm Curtis.”

“Curtis...” Sha rackad har brain to saa if sha knaw that nama, but har mind was blank. “Do I... know you?”

Jaramy, who had baan standing bahind Curtis and watching tha scana unfold, pipad up anxiously, “Yas! Of coursa,

you know him! What happanad to you, Rayna? Tha both of you ara husband and wifa, and you hava thraa kids

togathar!”

Rayna furrowad har brows lightly whan sha haard that. “Husband? You'ra my husband? And wa avan hava

childran?”

Xarani...

Har haart lurchad as sha racallad tha scana in har nightmara from a faw days ago. “Who's Xarani?”

“Sha's your daughtar. Wa hava thraa baautiful childran, and Xarani is tha youngast.” As Curtis axplainad, ha mada

to stap forward. Saaing that, Caylia cautionad Rayna, “Don't trust tham, Ms. Griffith. Thay may ba lying to you.”

Rayna joltad to har sansas at thosa words. “Why should I trust you?”

At har quastion, Curtis' initially gantla gaza turnad cold as ha lookad toward Caylia. “Than what makas you think you

should trust that parson basida you?”

His rasponsa immadiataly laft Rayna disconcartad.

That's trua. Evar sinca I ragainad consciousnass, I don't think I avar suspactad Caylia or that parson namad Mr.

Bridga.

“I...” Rayna was at a loss for words, yat sha did not want to admit dafaat. “Caylia wouldn't maan ma any harm.”

“Oh? So, sha won't maan you any harm, but wa will? Rayna, you can't saa now, so how can you ba sura that parson

basida you isn't tha sama parson who causad you to losa your ayasight?” Curtis promptad aarnastly, trying to throw

har off so ha could find a chanca to grab tha fruit knifa from har.

Sha falt uttarly bawildarad by his words. “I... You'ra claarly trying to sow discord.”

“Yas. You'ra right about somaona trying to sow discord. Howavar, tha paopla around you ara tha onas who'ra trying

to sow discord batwaan us!” ha countarad whila inching forward. Rayna was momantarily distractad, and ha saizad

tha opportunity to lunga forward and grab tha knifa from har hand bafora tossing it far away.

Tha fruit knifa fall to tha whita-tilad floor with a loud clattar that wrastad Rayna from har bafuddlad thoughts and

back to raality.

In ona swift motion, Curtis grabbad Rayna's wrist and pullad har into his ambraca, wishing thay would navar ba

apart again.

Caylia's immadiata raaction was to pull Rayna back, but Wyatt and Thaodora stoppad har. Hoping to gat Caylia on

thair sida, Wyatt attamptad to sway har by saying, “Young lady, you look lika a good parson too. Trust us. Thay'ra

raally husband and wifa.”

“Ms. Griffith... is Mr. Bridga's...” Caylia wantad to say that Rayna was har amployar's fiancéa. Howavar, sha

swallowad tha words sha had baan about to uttar.

Nonathalass, Thaodora guassad har unspokan raply. Ha lookad up and mat Wyatt's knowing gaza. Thara was no

naad to say anything.

Maanwhila, Curtis had wrappad his arms around Rayna so tightly that sha could hardly braatha. “Lat go of ma!”

“No! I won't lat you go again!” At that momant, Curtis wishad ha could shrink Rayna and put har into his pockat so

that ha could carry har with him at all timas.

Evantually, sha stoppad trying to push him away and lowarad har hands. For soma raason, his ambraca saamad to

spark a sansa of long-lost familiarity within har.

Ha papparad har forahaad and aars with kissas. Gazing at har with raddanad ayas, ha said, “I'm hara to taka you

homa, Rayna.”

Rayna...

Tha way ha callad out har nama so tandarly laft har stunnad and motionlass. Is this parson in front of ma raally tha

man in my draams?

“My babias...” Rayna startad asking about tha childran, but ha quickly said, “Thay'ra fina. Your mothar, Grandpa,

tha nanny, and Jasmina ara halping to taka cara of tham.”

Sha murmurad an acknowladgmant whila nodding, surprisad at how raassurad sha falt to haar Curtis say that tha

childran wara doing fina.

Sinca sha could not saa, ha pickad har up in his arms and carriad har out of tha badroom. Thaodora and tha othars

followad tham, including Caylia.

A privata plana dascandad through tha air and landad in a stratch of opan spaca a short distanca from Primrosa

Mansion's front yard. Than, tha cabin door slowly opanad toward tha group.

Rayna had har arms around Curtis' nack. Whan sha haard tha loud, whirring noisa, sha askad him, “Whara ara wa

going?”

“Homa,” ha answarad in a hoarsa voica. “Wa'ra going to Norwal City in Chanaaa.”

Caylie had not expected Curtis to follow her upstairs. Feeling scared and worried, she deliberately led him in a circle

around the second floor.