Chapter 103 Was Raymond Merely a Substitute in the Bedroom?
Raymond, though physically impaired, maintained a robust sense of self-reliance, seldom requiring assistance from others.
That evening, Paige invoked her exhaustion as a reason to rebuff Raymond's nocturnal overtures.
However, once she succumbed to the depths of slumber, she envisioned a pair of sturdy arms drawing her securely into an embrace.
Her consciousness still shrouded in sleep's fog, she was lifted by a tall, formidable man who gently deposited her onto the bed.
The imagery in her dream began to distort, and Paige found herself clinging to Raymond, who lay beside her, with the tenacity of an octopus.
Raymond had always been a light sleeper, so when Paige latched onto him with such intensity, her arms coiled tightly around his neck, it almost felt as though he was being strangled in his sleep.
Jolted awake by his struggle for breath, Raymond attempted to extricate Paige's hands, only to feel her grip tighten further.
She must have been restless in her sleep, writhing and turning, her silky nightgown's sash coming undone, her smooth skin making direct contact with Raymond's body.
Raymond felt his body temperature skyrocket. He had just delicately disentangled Paige's leg from around his thigh and set it down when, in the next moment, her leg swept back like an octopus’s limb, ensnaring his body once more.
Paige's hands, still clasped around Raymond's neck, tightened even further...
In her dream, the man was flawless, whole. She couldn’t discern his face in the darkness, yet their bodies seemed to meld together seamlessly.
Initially tense and vulnerable, Paige began to reciprocate the man's advances, despite some unbearable discomfort. As she gradually ascended to a state of ecstasy, she even began to experience an indescribable sensation.
Raymond, roused by her movements, was contemplating how to gently remove Paige's hand when she suddenly cradled his face and her lips found his.
Since breaking their vow of abstinence, Raymond had found it challenging to resist Paige, and now that she was taking the initiative, he lost all restraint.
"Paige..." he whispered her name tenderly in her ear before returning her fervent kiss.
After several impassioned exchanges, Paige murmured into Raymond's ear, "You... you haven't told me... your name…"
Raymond was taken aback.
Was she still asleep?
Dreaming?
What kind of dream?
The romantic sweetness was abruptly disrupted by Paige's sleep-talking.
Raymond had a gut feeling that the man in Paige's dream wasn't him!
The mere thought almost elicited a laugh from him. His wife, Carnegie, was ostensibly 'cheating' right in front of him, all while kissing him intensely.
Raymond's interest plummeted dramatically upon the revelation of his wife's subconscious infidelity.
But just as he began to distance himself, Paige's kisses pursued him, peppering his ear and lips incessantly, with Raymond angrily refusing to reciprocate.
Finally, Paige suddenly perceived a blinding brightness before her eyes, a white light illuminating her, yet still, she could not discern the man’s face clearly.
She strained to widen her eyes, trying hard until, at last... she opened her eyes to see a face hovering close to her own.
Upon finally gaining a clear view, Paige realized with a smirk that it wasn't the person she was expecting to see but rather Raymond, who had intentionally switched on a bright light and moved close to her face.
She vaguely recalled a scene from a place known as The Misty Tower—an encounter in a dream perhaps.
It must have been because it was the first time someone had deceived her since her release from prison, and she had lost more than just her dignity in the process.
Though she didn't know who the other person was, she sensed they had also been duped, dragging her into their first experience.
She had been angry then, leaving behind a coin and a note mocking the other's 'skill'—after all, she had been innocently drawn in, it wasn't voluntary on her part initially, and any response from her had been due to the effects of drugs.
Now, Raymond, her lawful husband, was right in front of her, and Paige knew she couldn't continue obsessing over that other man.
Cradling her throbbing head, she questioned Raymond, "What are you doing in the middle of the night? Sleepwalking or what? Playing some sort of prank and turning on that glaringly bright light—I need to sleep even if you don't."
Raymond was simmering with irritation, his jaw aching from the impact. The bewildering experience of being misidentified was enough to rattle him, but now Paige was launching accusations his way?
"Fine, I was sleepwalking, is that a crime?" he retorted.
Paige's brows knitted together in confusion. "Raymond, why this sudden outburst in the middle of the night?"
She was at a loss to comprehend Raymond's erratic behavior that evening. He had disrupted her slumber with the harsh glare of the light, and then there was the matter of his face being alarmingly close to hers—what on earth was he looking at?
The more Paige pondered over it, the more disconcerted she became. She found herself wishing she had opted to sleep in the study instead.
Raymond, exasperated, switched off the light and reclined on the bed. "Alright, I'm the unreasonable one here!"
Just as Paige was about to sit upright, Raymond yanked the blanket towards him with such force that Paige's side of the blanket was almost entirely pulled away, leaving her exposed.
Rising from the bed, Paige switched on the soft glow of the bedside lamp and fetched another blanket to wrap herself in. She muttered under her breath, "All this absurdity in the middle of the night..."
Raymond was on the verge of a breakdown, his frustration mounting. He had grievances, but no outlet to vent them.
The crux of the matter was that after years of marriage, he had just discovered that his wife, Paige Carnegie, still harbored feelings for another man. Who was this detestable man that had found a place in her thoughts? Could it be Louis? No, that was impossible!
In the dead of the night, sleep eluded Raymond. He was tormented by the question of who the man in Paige's thoughts could be. How could he possibly find rest without unraveling this mystery?
However, even though his initial suspicion fell on Louis, he quickly dismissed the thought.
If Paige still harbored feelings for Louis, she wouldn't settle for less; she would find a way to win him back.
The idea of taking Louis away seemed to have its merits.
Yet, Paige hadn’t made any moves in that direction. In fact, she had established a clear boundary with Louis, to the extent that Louis didn’t even have Paige’s contact information at one point.
Thus, Louis was ruled out by Raymond, but if not Louis, then who could it be?
After racking his brain and coming up empty, Raymond spent most of the night tossing and turning. By morning, his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep.
Paige, on the other hand, was utterly drained. Her pleasant dream disrupted, she quickly fell back into a deep slumber. Although she didn’t dream about anyone or anything, the first thought that crossed her mind upon waking was still: Who is that man, really?
Would he reappear in her life?
If he did, would he recognize her?
And if he did recognize her, would there be any entanglement or connection between them?
The thought was frustrating for Paige, as there were no answers to be found.
Turning her head, she noticed that Raymond's figure was no longer beside her.
After freshening up, Paige made her way downstairs for breakfast.
Pearl was there, ready to serve her. "Miss Xanthe, Raymond left quite early today. He was gone at the crack of dawn."
Paige was unfazed. "Did you forget? Today is a big day for Hawke Corporation; he had to be at the shareholders' meeting this morning."
Pearl nodded in agreement. On such an important day, it made sense for him to start early.
Paige was oblivious to the events of the previous night. Was Raymond’s schedule really so demanding that he needed to leave for a meeting so early? Meetings wouldn't typically commence at the break of dawn.
Today, Paige only had to work half a day. In the afternoon, she was scheduled to attend an anniversary celebration, so she decided to work from home in the morning.
Just as Paige had settled into her study, Pearl appeared with the satellite phone in hand.
"Xanthe, you have a call."
Paige glanced at the satellite phone, her brow furrowing instantly.
