Chapter 1550 She Instinctively Hugged Raymond
He said nothing, just strode forward, grabbed her suitcase from the room, seized her hand, and headed straight for the exit.
Selena's phone chimed again, but she barely registered it, her mind consumed with how Raymond had arrived so quickly. Disoriented and feeling guilty, she remained silent as he led her away. The recent bout of nausea had left her feeling drained anyway.
As they reached the vehicle, her phone rang once more. The luggage was already stowed in the trunk, and Raymond had moved to the driver's seat while Selena answered the call outside.
"Selena, where are you? I told you not to wander off," came the voice on the line.
Selena froze, her mind suddenly razor-sharp with clarity.
"Raymond?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What?" The voice sounded urgent. "Why aren't you in your room? Where did you go?"
Terror gripped her heart as she instinctively stepped backward.
In the dim evening light, she could only make out the driver's silhouette. Even in her now-alert state, the man behind the wheel bore an uncanny resemblance to Raymond.
She recoiled as if struck, retreating several steps toward the hotel entrance. The man in the car turned to face her, his gaze penetrating. Not just his profile, but his full face resembled Raymond's—perhaps a seventy percent match. Raymond and his brother Mario shared only the faintest family resemblance, but this stranger... this was different.
He stared at her, his lips eventually curling into a sinister smile. Cold sweat trickled down Selena's spine until someone grabbed her hand from behind—the real Raymond this time.
But the car was already pulling away, her suitcase gone with it. Thankfully, it had contained only a few basic clothing items.
The warmth of Raymond's grip on her wrist instantly dispelled the chill that had settled in her bones, though the fear lingered.
She dared not tell Raymond about the incident—she had come here secretly, and if he knew, he would surely send her home immediately. She couldn't bear that thought.
"Why did you come down by yourself?" Raymond asked, his voice thick with concern.
"I needed some fresh air," she replied.
"Selena, I'm staying here with you. Lawrence will join us later. You can't wander off again—stay by my side, understand?" His words were firm but gentle.
Still shaken by the encounter, Selena instinctively embraced him. Raymond tensed momentarily before relaxing, a smile tugging at his lips.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly.
"Don't send me back, Raymond. I'll stay in the hotel the whole time if I have to."
Hearing her docile tone, Raymond couldn't bear the thought of sending her away. He'd simply have his men surround the hotel, ensuring no one approached her room.
"I won't send you back," he promised. "But you have to stay in your room. And I won't keep you in the dark—when Lawrence and I discuss business, you'll be included."
"Okay," she agreed, relieved.
Yet the memory of the mysterious man continued to unsettle her. Who was he? What was his purpose? Had someone cultivated a Raymond look-alike, just as Raymond had once arranged for her own double?
Raymond escorted her back to her room. Shaken and sweaty from the ordeal, Selena took a shower. When she emerged, she found Raymond at the desk, his laptop open.
A knock came at the door—the woman with the hat from next door. "Selena, are you asleep? I brought you a late-night snack," she called.
Raymond immediately tensed. "Who's that?" he asked, suspicion evident in his voice.
"Someone I met on the way here. She's looking for her brother," Selena explained as she opened the door.
The woman stood there holding a warm container. "I went out specially to find some meat broth for you. You only had oatmeal earlier—you need something more substantial."
"Thank you," Selena said, accepting the container.
The woman's gaze drifted past Selena into the room, locking with Raymond's. Her body stiffened, wariness instantly replacing her friendly demeanor.
"And who might this be?" she asked, her question mirroring Raymond's earlier suspicion.
"This is my partner—the reason I came here," Selena explained.
"I see. Well, get some rest," the woman replied curtly before closing the door.
Outside in the hallway, the woman's brow furrowed deeply as she stood motionless.
Inside, Selena carried the broth to Raymond's side. After everything they'd been through together, simply sitting beside him felt like a precious comfort.
Raymond eyed the container with thinly veiled distrust.
"Don't eat anything strangers give you," he said quietly. "That woman is more than she appears to be."
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