Dear Sweetheart

Chapter 55

Chapter 55 Such A Cheapskate

After Curtis left with Kristie, Rayna placed a hand on her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness they’re gone. It would’ve been so awkward. The food is amazing though, but it’s no surprise considering this hotel only hires the most renowned chefs. I should call Jessica and tell her that I’ll be bringing her lunch when Mr. Tylinski gets the bill.

Soon, a waiter came over with some food that had been packed up and handed them to her. “Here are the seafood spaghetti and desserts you ordered to be taken out, Miss.”

“Thank you.”

With a smile, Rayna turned around and was about to leave with the food when two women walked over from the opposite direction. One of them who had a long, tight-fitting dress on and was pushing a baby stroller turned out to be Astrid.

Rayna pretended not to see her, but as soon as she headed over, Astrid glanced up and noticed her. “Oh? You’re here too, Rayna?”

Rayna could only stop in her tracks and nod. “Julian and I are already divorced, so maybe you should just call me Ms. Garland.”

She had stopped contacting Astrid ever since she paid the latter a hundred thousand to help her film the incident where Rolanda had cheated in the card game. She had also helped Astrid move her brother to Norwal City.

Yet, here they were bumping into each other again.

Realization dawned on Astrid. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Garland. I forgot about the divorce. Anyway, would you mind staying for a chat? I have something to talk to you about.”

Despite sounding polite, she wasn’t giving Rayna a chance to say no and had already told her friend to give them some privacy.

She then pointed to where Rayna had been seated earlier. “How about we sit here, Ms. Garland?”

“If you have something to say, get to the point,” Rayna countered frostily with pursed lips. “I thought we became even after I helped you with your brother’s household registration details.”

“Oh, I’m definitely thankful for that,” Astrid replied with a chuckle. “But this time, I’d like to make a trade with you. Would you perhaps be interested?”

A waiter approached them with two glasses and poured them some tea.

Rayna took a seat facing Astrid.

“I saw what happened at the baby welcoming party,” the latter began while pushing the stroller gently in an attempt to let the baby sleep. “I saw Uncle Curtis come out of the girls’ restroom, and then you followed him out soon after.”

Rayna felt her stomach drop. I thought no one was there. She actually saw us?

However, she quickly composed herself. “Maybe Mr. Faymon went into the girls’ restroom by accident.”

Astrid shot her a glance and smiled faintly. “I’d believe that, but you know what’s weird? Would he have gone into the wrong restroom and come out with a lipstick stain on his shirt?”

Rayna thought back to the incident. My lips must’ve accidentally brushed against his shirt while we were hiding inside that tiny storeroom.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything either,” Rayna stated calmly. “It’s not like I’m capable of winning someone like Mr. Faymon over.”

“You have a point, Ms. Garland,” Astrid responded, smiling with a hint of disbelief and arrogance in her eyes as though Rayna was nowhere near how distinguished she was. “If you could even get Uncle Curtis’ attention, you wouldn’t have married Julian in the first place. Julian is nothing compared to him, after all.”

“If you have nothing else to say, I’m leaving.” Rayna wasn’t going to waste her time with this woman.

Who cares if she saw what happened that day? She’d only get on Mr. Faymon’s bad side if she decides to spill. She’s not that dumb.

“You’re a translator, aren’t you, Ms. Garland? I’d like your help with something,” Astrid continued. “My husband cinched a huge deal and will be shipping goods to Tyrandas, but as you know, the people there only speak Tyrandasian. My husband can’t speak it, so he’s looking for someone who does to go with him.”

While speaking, the woman reached into her tote bag and took out a heavy, black sack with both hands. “Here’s one hundred thousand in cash. You’ll get another two hundred thousand when you come back.”

“I’d get three hundred grand just from making a trip over there? Your husband sure has a lot to spare, huh?” Rayna scanned the sack being pushed toward her but chose not to touch it.

Three hundred thousand for a translation job was good money, but she wasn’t interested. NôvelDrama.Org owns this text.

That was because she had taken note of the main keyword: Tyrandas. Curtis was also going to take her there for some business deals. Something’s definitely up.

“Is it not enough, Ms. Garland?” Seeing Rayna refuse to accept the cash, Astrid let out a pretentious sigh. “My husband won’t make a lot this time around. Three hundred thousand is quite a huge deal already.”

Rayna’s lips curled.

Look at that. Now she’s making it seem as if I’m trying to take advantage.

Then, she spoke after a long while. “You know something, don’t you, Astrid? If your husband really needed someone to be his translator, you wouldn’t have come looking for me in the first place. You’re such a cheapskate that you’d rather keep all of this money for yourself, so why would you offer me this much?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Astrid’s expression took a turn, but she continued to feign innocence.

However, Rayna wasn’t having it. “Someone told you to approach me, didn’t they? The only person who can build up such a connection with you and Shawn would have to be his foster mother.”

Rayna had heard bits and pieces about the Faymon family after getting married to Julian.

Sienna Faymon had adopted Shawn into the family, believing in a superstition that doing so would cure her sick biological son. When her son did get better, she then continued to raise Shawn and give him the last name Faymon too.

Although she treated him well, she prohibited him from calling her his mother and only considered him a distant relative. That was why he could only refer to Curtis as Uncle Curtis, just like Julian did.

By now, Astrid was beginning to lose her cool and eyed Rayna several more times. “I didn’t think Julian would be so nice to you. It looks like he even let you in on the Faymon family’s secrets, huh?”

“That’s only normal,” Rayna answered blandly. “We were husband and wife, and I was part of the family too.”

“Yes, it was Ms. Sienna who told me to see you,” Astrid confessed. “She wants your help and says you’re free to charge however much you want.”

Rayna’s expression clouded over in an instant.

I knew it. Ms. Sienna, Mr. Faymon, and Jefferson all have the same goal, but only Jefferson is supposed to know that I speak Uronian. He came to Hawen to see me for that same business deal, so there’s no way he would’ve told Mr. Faymon and Ms. Sienna about this. How did they find out, then?

Rayna couldn’t figure it out.

“Did Ms. Sienna tell you what the deal is going to be?” she asked.

Astrid shook her head and couldn’t help but advise, “She may have said to name whatever price you want, Rayna, but I believe three hundred thousand is more than enough. It’s not like you’d ever make that much in a year as a translator, anyway. Also, I heard you’ve agreed to help Uncle Curtis, but what is he offering you in return? Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused Faymon Group because of your divorce from Julian? Uncle Curtis might just kick you out once the deal is done.”

“You’re such a cheapskate that it blows my mind, Astrid!” Rayna exclaimed in amusement. “First, you offered me only three hundred grand, and then you brought up the fact that Ms. Sienna’s given me the complete freedom to name my price only after you realized that I wouldn’t fall for your tricks. So, if I took this money, are you going to ask Ms. Sienna for the exact same amount in my name?”