Reclaiming Her Heart

Selena couldn't care less about Tessa's performance and quietly finished her meal.

Raymond didn't bother looking across the table either. Instead, he rested his cheek on one hand, grinning as he watched Selena eat. It was like he found her eating to be the most amusing thing ever. When Selena was halfway through and reached for more, Raymond gently pressed her hand down with his fingertip.

"Don't overdo it with the king crab. You might get a stomachache," Raymond said.

Selena reluctantly put it down.

Raymond calmly grabbed a wet wipe, took her hand, and carefully wiped each fingertip, like her fingers were some kind of masterpiece.

He was so into what he was doing that he didn't notice everyone else staring at him.

Selena was just as absorbed, completely unaware of the weird vibe in the room.

After what felt like forever, Carter finally spoke up, "Raymond, Alex said Paul called you, but you didn't pick up. He wants you to call him back."

Raymond was still wiping Selena's hands and didn't hear Carter, but his words made everyone look their way.

Faces around the room showed surprise, jealousy, and disbelief.

It was one thing for Raymond to carry stuff for Selena, but now he was pampering her by wiping her fingers just because she ate some king crab, and he seemed to enjoy it. Couldn't she do it herself? 'Selena must have put some kind of spell on him,' Tessa fumed, her teeth clenched and her blood boiling with rage.

Tessa had always claimed she liked Raymond, and now, seeing him pamper Selena in front of everyone was a slap in the face for her, the proud daughter of the Smith family.

"Aren't you old enough to wipe your own hands?" Tessa's sharp words cut through the air, breaking the silence.

Raymond calmly folded the napkin, tossed it into the nearby trash can, and replied, "That's none of your business."

Raymond's curt response left Tessa pale and speechless.

Lawrence couldn't take it anymore. "Mr. Montague, Tessa didn't say anything harsh. I heard the Montague Group has expanded into the film market, and we might have a chance to collaborate in the future."

Raymond leaned back, his eyes meeting Lawrence's. "Mr. Smith, I get that you want to stand up for your sister, just like I want to stand up for my girlfriend. Selena has been respectful and hasn't said anything to Tessa. If Tessa can avoid making unnecessary comments, I'm sure we can all get along just fine."

Just as he finished speaking, Selena's phone rang. It was an unknown number.

Selena stood up, patted Raymond on the shoulder, and said, "I'll take this call. Don't say anything more. I don't think this Mr. Smith is a bad person."

Raymond's expression immediately darkened. He crossed his arms and let out a cold snort, his eyes growing colder.NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.

Lawrence had his first close encounter with Raymond. He had only known a bit about Raymond from his investigations in Vistalia.

However, no one could uncover more details, and no one knew how Raymond, in his teens, had managed to take over the underground fighting arena.

Lawrence wasn't fond of verbal confrontations, especially since Tessa genuinely liked Raymond, which put him at a disadvantage.

Lawrence frowned, and Alex quickly tried to smooth things over. "There's a recreation area inside. How about we play some bridge? Raymond, we need a fourth player. Join us!"

Everyone continued eating, and then Alex led Raymond to the recreation room.

The room had floor-to-ceiling windows and was filled with potted plants, giving the air a particularly fresh feel.

Several other people came in as well. Raymond sat in one of the seats, and Lawrence sat next to him.

Alex pulled another man over, and the four men started playing bridge.

But Tessa insisted on joining in. She stood next to Lawrence, constantly suggesting which card he should play.

Lawrence, being good-tempered, tapped her forehead with a finger. "You're such a chatterbox."

Tessa then sat down next to him, with Raymond on her left and Lawrence on her right.

She said a couple of things to Lawrence, then turned to look at Raymond, smiling sweetly. "Raymond, do you need any particular cards?"

The unfamiliar man on the other side chuckled. "Ms. Smith, you seem to have a soft spot for Mr. Montague."

Tessa immediately blushed. "Well, I do care about Raymond."