Only after the wheelchair had been pushed away did Raymond Carnegie reluctantly avert his gaze. His eyes darkened with suspicion; that conniving woman was clearly in cahoots with Louis.
The fact that she declined to name her price, with a banknote peeking out from the suitcase she clung to, hinted that it was stuffed with money.
Did she not realize his fortune dwarfed his naïve nephew's? If it were about money, he was ready to pay her off.
Charles caught a glimpse too and said, "Raymond, was that Mrs. Carnegie?"
"Have someone follow her. Let's see what games she’s playing," ordered Raymond.
He had a small blanket over his legs and on top of it rested a gift Bradley had sent through him. He had planned to be punctual, but a traffic jam had delayed him.
No sooner had Raymond Carnegie entered the banquet hall than Margaret, alongside Xena, came to greet him.
Raymond had smoothly executed Bradley’s task of delivering a gift, and Margaret was taken by surprise. She hadn’t expected an elder from the prestigious Carnegie family to attend her birthday party. Without missing a beat, she personally escorted Raymond to the head table.
At the party, Raymond, in his wheelchair, was immediately the center of attention as he was escorted to the place of honor.
In Northwind, there were whispers and rumors about the man confined to the wheelchair.
Raymond Carnegie, the low-key scion of the Carnegie family, was said to be battling a stubborn illness, having spent years overseas in pursuit of a cure.
Before the Carnegie family recovered their missing third-generation heir, Louis, it was Raymond who, despite his health, single-handedly kept the Hawke Corporation afloat.
Yet, rumors painted a starkly different picture of Raymond, a ruthless man who'd orchestrated the car accident that wiped out his own brother's family, leading to Louis’s decade-long disappearance.
Since Louis’s return to the Carnegie family, Raymond had remained abroad.
For years, Louis had been the one managing the Hawke Corporation.
Raymond's appearance in Northwind, attending such a public event, set tongues wagging about potential upheaval at Hawke Corporation.
Raymond had just settled at the head table when Louis and Paige appeared at the entrance of the hall, arguing.
Catching sight of this, Xena couldn’t sit still. She grabbed a glass of wine and made a beeline for the pair.
As Xena approached, Paige sneered at Louis, “What now, Mr. Carnegie? Looking for a hug? Or maybe a goodbye kiss?”
Before Paige could finish, Xena splashed the wine from her glass onto Paige's face.
Paige closed her eyes, wiping the red wine off her face with a swipe of her hand. Seeing her white dress stained with wine, her anger flared.
Taking two steps forward, Paige, already a head taller than Xena, reached out and grabbed her by the hair.
“This was the last dress my mother bought for me!” she seethed.
The words had barely left her lips when Paige yanked on Xena's hair, pulling her head down as her knee thrust upward, connecting with Xena's belly with all the force she could muster.
Xena let out a howl of pain, and Louis hurried over to break up the fight.
As Paige released her hold, she swung her foot straight into Louis’s groin.
"Think I'm some pushover?" she spat out, her voice dripping with contempt, "You think you two lowlifes can intimidate me? Just try it!"
With those words hanging in the air, Paige grabbed the suitcase full of cash and strode away confidently.
In pain and caught off guard, Xena and Louis were unable to pursue. Meanwhile, Charles hurried over to Raymond and whispered something into his ear. Raymond glanced over at Margaret.
"Madam, I've got other matters to attend to. Please excuse me."
Earlier, Charles had witnessed Xena's malicious attempt to douse Paige with a drink. Seeing his boss’s lady humiliated, he didn't even stop for a second look before he rushed to report back.
Despite Raymond badmouthing Paige as a bad woman, the moment he heard she had been bullied, he instantly rushed over to come to her aid.
Margaret tried to keep them there, but Charles wheeled Raymond away without hesitation.
By the time Raymond arrived at the scene, Paige had already handled the situation and walked away with the suitcase.
Seeing her dress soiled with red wine made her blood boil.
In a fit of anger, Paige turned around and sauntered back to the last table in the hall, "Anyone got a smoke?" she asked casually.
A gentleman beside her passed her a cigarette, and she picked up a box of matches branded with the International Grand Hotel logo.
Cigarette perched between her lips, she carried the suitcase to the hall entrance. Nonchalantly, she tossed the suitcase down, delivered a swift kick to it, and sent the money flying.
But the scatter of bills didn't faze her. She struck a match, lit her cigarette, took a puff, and then casually tossed the burning match into the suitcase.
In moments, the money inside burst into flames.
Paige exhaled a cloud of smoke and strolled over to the nearest fire alarm, pressing it firmly.
Margaret's birthday party descended into chaos with the first shrill blare of the fire alarm.
All the guests scrambled for the exits, even Margaret herself, aided by Xena, hurried towards a safety corridor.
But Paige, cool as the breeze on a calm day, walked out of the hotel lobby.
Paige had barely taken a few drags of her cigarette when suddenly her hand was seized, her balance thrown off, sending her tumbling backward.
She thought she was being ambushed, but when she turned around, she found herself collapsing into an embrace with none other than Raymond Carnegie.
Before Paige could even process what was happening, the cigarette was swiftly plucked from her fingers by Raymond, who extended his arm to the side. Charles, ever so perceptive, passed him an ashtray. Raymond crushed the cigarette out and then scolded her, "Who allowed you to smoke?"
Paige's defiance melted into meekness, her rebellion quelled by bewilderment. "What...what are you doing here?"
Raymond didn't bother answering. Instead, he gave Charles a look, who immediately caught on that he had to address the little incident of madam causing a commotion in public.
Observing the wine stain on Paige's white dress and the damp strands of hair on her forehead and cheeks, Raymond simply said, "Let's get you cleaned up and changed."
Surveying the onlookers, Paige murmured, "People are watching. Put me down. I'm not hurt; I can walk."
It was then that Raymond finally responded, "You have a husband, Paige. Your husband is Raymond Carnegie. No one else can mess with you."
Paige almost forgot; they were indeed legally married, a legitimate couple.
Still...
They had only known each other for two days. Was such public intimacy necessary?
She tried to wiggle free, intent on getting down herself, but Raymond pulled her in even closer.
"No one can mess with me, I assure you. I've handled it," Paige insisted.
Raymond let out a cold chuckle. "Then what's this on your dress and face?"
Paige shot back, "It's like points. Once someone's errors with me accumulate enough points, they will get punished!"
Raymond burst into laughter. To him, her explanation was nothing but a feeble attempt to justify and excuse herself.
As for Raymond Carnegie, he wouldn't allow anyone to score points against him. He would nip their mistakes in the bud before they could even take root!
They talked as they left the hotel.
Meanwhile, Margaret, having figured out the cause of the fire alarm, was seething with rage.
Only Louis, upon seeing the suitcase full of burning money, gave chase without hesitation.
Separated by the revolving doors of the hotel, Louis caught a fleeting glimpse of a white dress hem being tucked into the custom Rolls-Royce Phantom belonging to Raymond Carnegie...