Chapter 120The Incoming Call
Raymond's slumber was cradled by the warmth of Paige nestled against him. His peaceful repose was abruptly shattered by the insistent vibration of his phone on the bedside table.His hand instinctively reached for the source of the disturbance, his eyes flickering open to find Paige stirring slightly in her sleep. Her head had rolled out of the crook of his arm, her dreams seemingly undisturbed by the interruption.With a gentle lift of his now-numb arm, Raymond extricated himself from the bed, his phone clutched in his hand. He eased himself into the wheelchair that had become his constant companion and rolled out of the room to answer the call."Raymond speaking," he announced into the device.A response from the other end was met with a curt, "Understood."The call ended, and Raymond was tucking his phone away just as Charles made his entrance."You're up early," Charles noted.Raymond shot him a knowing look. "Jet lag not treating you well?"Charles responded with a grin, "Who needs time to adjust? By the way, I've arranged for that car you're fond of to be brought over. It should make getting around a bit easier, only..."His voice trailed off, his gaze drifting towards the bedroom.Raymond followed Charles's line of sight to the closed bedroom door. Charles lowered his voice, "The lady of the house wants to have your leg examined. I believe she'll be bringing in a specialist within the next few days. Do you think you can keep this from her?"Charles had observed the growing affection between Raymond and the lady of the house. If she discovered that Raymond had been concealing his leg condition, her wrath would be inevitable.Furthermore, if she were to become irate, it would likely result in a marital dispute, leaving Charles, as always, caught in the crossfire.Raymond, maneuvering his wheelchair, responded with a nonchalant, "Do you honestly believe there's a specialist?"Eager to assist, Charles began to push the wheelchair. "What do you mean? Didn't she bring you to Country M for treatment?"Raymond offered no response to Charles's query – it wasn't his place to do so.Charles pressed on, "Then why are we in Country M, Raymond?""Vacation," Raymond replied succinctly.Charles was taken aback. "Vacation? What's there to see in Country M? Oh... right, she hasn't traveled much since her release. This must be her first time here too. I should coordinate with Pearl and plan a trip."As Charles rambled on, Raymond remained silent, offering no objections.Indeed, it was preferable for Charles to be preoccupied rather than idle, making him less of a nuisance."Do as you please," Raymond finally said.Charles was overjoyed. "As long as we maintain our cover, a bit of sightseeing wouldn't hurt." This trip was shaping up to be more relaxing than he had anticipated!While Charles was lost in his musings, Raymond's expression grew serious.The villa was eerily silent, and as the evening deepened, Paige continued to sleep soundly in her room.However, the tranquility was deceptive. The future was uncertain.When the sky outside had been swallowed by darkness, Paige finally stirred from her slumber.She turned on the lights in her room and noticed Raymond's absence. Knowing his familiarity with Country M, she wasn't concerned about his whereabouts.After all, they were bound by marriage. Surely, Raymond wouldn't abandon her?Unless, of course, Raymond had prior knowledge, but that seemed unlikely. If Raymond knew the real reason she had brought him here, he certainly wouldn't have agreed to come.Even if Paige was confident that he still harbored feelings for her, he wouldn't risk his life for her.Paige rose from the bed and took a bath to clear her thoughts.Night had fallen outside, and she couldn't help but wonder if there would be news from the other end soon. As she descended the stairs, Sean approached her, “Xanthe, dinner is ready. Shall we start?”Paige glanced at her watch. “Let's wait a bit longer; a friend of mine will be arriving soon.”She had asked Pearl to arrange a flight for Sullivan, who should be nearing his arrival.Raymond joined them. “Who are we waiting for?”
Paige opened her mouth to speak, but then a thought occurred to her. "A specialist," she said, her voice trailing off, "someone with a particular knack for healing."Raymond nearly laughed at her words, but he managed to maintain a serious expression, nodding his agreement."So, this specialist," he ventured, "will be working closely with me over the next few days to treat my leg?"Paige's mind was elsewhere, her anxiety mounting as she awaited Sullivan's arrival. He was her right-hand man, a trusted confidant. Since the establishment of the lab a few years prior, Sullivan had been the driving force behind their operations.While Paige was an integral part of the lab, Sullivan was irreplaceable. Without him, she was swamped by the demands of Universe Group, leaving her with little time to dedicate to the lab.The thought of their adversaries discovering Sullivan's crucial role and potentially taking action against him made Paige's heart pound with worry, especially since he was yet to arrive."Yeah, something like that," she responded, her mind preoccupied with their pending deal in Country M.She couldn't leave before the deal was finalized, and the lack of contact information for the other party was proving to be a nuisance. Her only means of communication with them was through a single channel.Raymond could sense Paige's growing frustration and anxiety, and even Charles was beginning to notice.Attempting to lighten the mood, Raymond asked, "Is this your first time in Country M?"Paige's gaze drifted towards the window, and she almost let slip a 'no.'Luckily, she caught herself in time. "Yeah, you know, I grew up in the countryside, did my time in prison; naturally, it's my first time here."A small smile played at the corners of Raymond's mouth. Paige had a habit of averting her gaze when she lied to him.It seemed that her time in prison hadn't deprived her of opportunities to travel the world.Perhaps his understanding of prison life was somewhat limited.Charles chuckled at their exchange. "Raymond, what a question. Of course, it's madam's first time in Country M. Now that she's here, she plans to explore and enjoy herself. I've even prepared a travel itinerary."Raymond didn't challenge Charles's comment.Paige, however, was quick to retort. "What travel plan? We're not here for a vacation, are we?"Charles nodded in agreement. "Yes, we're here to treat Raymond's leg. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves. We can sightsee without any delays, really, no interference."Paige teased him, "When did I ever realize you were so fond of such merriment?"Charles looked taken aback. When had he become someone who was only interested in having fun?Their conversation was interrupted by a commotion outside.Paige immediately rose from the couch and walked over to investigate.Sean approached her with an update. "Xanthe, the car that went to pick someone up from the airport is back."Paige felt a wave of relief wash over her at the absence of any bad news.Sullivan entered the room, a small smile on his face as he caught sight of Paige. "I've arrived safely. There was a minor incident, so we're a bit late."Paige nodded, "As long as everything's all right."No sooner had Xena finished speaking than the ringtone of her phone filled the room. The tension that had momentarily eased in Paige's mind snapped back into place, her heart leaping into her throat once again...
