Chapter 60 Paige: No More Pretense
Paige regarded Xena with a defiant gaze, flaunting her victory without any attempt to conceal it.
Such a minor triumph was barely worth mentioning for someone like Paige. Whatever choice Raymond made held no bearing on her future strategies.
But the fact that Raymond had chosen to defend her made Xena's distress quite enjoyable to Paige.
Paige's smug demeanor only made Xena even more infuriated, as if she was on the brink of exploding.
Louis had never been keen on marriage, and now that Bradley had broached the subject, he seized the opportunity to break free. He immediately called his mother, Francesca, who sensed that something was amiss and started heading their way at once.
Xena, meanwhile, wanted to call Margaret, hoping her grandmother could perhaps save the marriage.
However, Bradley had already beaten her to the punch, making every subsequent call from Xena meet with a busy tone.
Raymond gently brushed Paige's hair from her forehead, whispering seductively, "Let me take you to freshen up and change."
Charles had long since gone to buy clothes for Paige, which were now delivered to Raymond's room.
Paige initially wanted to refuse, but then again, she wouldn't want to miss the spectacle that was about to unfold.
Having already sabotaged the engagement between Xena and Louis, she had to ensure that her mother wouldn't suffer the wrath of the Sacklers, and that she'd need to keep up appearances with the Carnegies a little longer.
Paige nodded, gripping the handles of Raymond's wheelchair. Moving per his directions, she wheeled him out of the elevator and onto the third floor, heading straight for his room.
She knew his room like the back of her hand!
And Raymond was well aware that she knew, so well that she could unlock the door without a key if need be. Yet, he maintained a poker face, not uttering a word about it.
Pausing at the entrance to Raymond’s room, Paige hesitated before asking, "Is this your room?"
What were the odds?
"Yes, it's not my usual spot," Raymond replied nonchalantly.
Paige could confirm that this room wasn't regularly occupied.
But was that really the point?
In a house full of rooms, the most significant one belonged to Raymond.
Looking down at Raymond, who was seated in the wheelchair, Paige inquired casually, "I thought this villa belonged to the Jobs family. Why are you guys living here?"
Raymond glanced back and met her eyes, "Is that so? I usually don’t bother with property details."
Realizing she wouldn't uncover the history of the house from him, Paige dropped the subject. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the house would be linked to her husband's family.
Upon opening the door and ushering Raymond inside, he pointed towards the bathroom and hinted, "Freshen up. The evening promises more entertainment."
Squatting down in front of him, Paige looked up and forced a smile, “Mr. Carnegie, you are quite good at keeping secrets.”
Raymond gently took Paige's hand, “Marrying a stranger out of the blue...”
Before Raymond could finish, Paige interjected with a faint smile, “A test? Asking me for a divorce, was it because I failed the test?"
Raymond breathed deeply, "You didn't want to see Louis and Xena together either, right?"
Paige got it, "Let's put our own issues aside for now. It's time to present a united front! Mr. Carnegie, I'll be back in a moment after freshening up."
Well then, no need for more pretenses!
She made her way to the restroom for a quick touch-up.
Presumably, to quit her job as a maid, it was rather fortuitous that she was carrying her makeup, a custom creation offered by Pearl South, in her modestly priced bag today. When Paige reemerged, her hair was done, and she had applied a soft, subtle makeup that accentuated her natural beauty.
Raymond waited anxiously for Paige, who, though always gorgeous, now had an alluring appearance with a hint of elegance.
It's no wonder Louis, despite the myriad advantages of marrying Xena, was reluctant. Little did he dream that his trap would snare not only Raymond but Paige as well.
Noticing Raymond's gaze lingering on her, Paige boldly let him look.
"Mr. Carnegie, is it my beauty that's making you reconsider the divorce?" she teased, not having forgotten the divorce papers he had handed her that day.
Raymond took a deep breath; indeed, women never forget a slight.
"Men over thirty in a rush to find a wife can be rather impatient, my dear," he confessed.
"If Mr. Carnegie were truly seeking a wife, I suspect the young female elites of Northwind would be falling over each other to be considered," Paige retorted, thinking about the excuse she had believed before.
Men, she thought, can be incredibly deceptive when they choose to be.
Raymond handed over a parcel to Paige, "This brand should suit you well, why don't you try it on?"
Paige nodded, "Sure."
She wasn't one to fuss, so she took the clothes and went to change.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Louis's mother, Francesca, and Xena's grandmother, Margaret, had arrived.
Raymond barely had time to admire his wife's transformation when he heard a knock at the door. Sean came to inform them, "Raymond, Francesca and Margaret Sackler have arrived."
"Got it," Raymond acknowledged.
Raymond was admiring Paige. He didn’t care about the situation on the ground floor at all.
What troubled him was deciphering Paige's true intentions.
Out of the blue, Raymond asked, "You said you could fix my leg, is that for real?"
Paige glanced at Raymond. His question was unexpected.
Given the circumstances, making a commitment now would be imprudent—this was Raymond Carnegie, after all.
If she were just Paige, she could just acquire protection from Raymond, bask in the high life, and toy with the Sacklers whenever she fancied.
But the reality was different; she wasn’t Paige anymore; she was Xanthe Ellison.
A union between the Ellison and Carnegie families would certainly ruffle feathers.
With finesse, Paige responded, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Raymond's heart skipped a beat; her tone was vastly different from the one suggesting his resignation the night before.
He had an inkling; this woman was probably plotting her escape.
Louis was to blame for coming here suddenly and blowing his cover.
For a fleeting day, he had enjoyed being pampered by his wife and chauffeured to and from work. Yet, he feared those good days were already numbered.
As Paige propelled Raymond into the elevator, his expression grew dark and stormy.
Seeing them, Sean couldn't help but feel anxious for Louis.
