It was as though death loomed over the operating room. Everyone waiting at the entrance still hadn't returned to their senses.
Out of the blue, a flock of reporters rushed into the corridor and surrounded Rayna and the others in seconds.
With their cameras and microphones aimed inches away from Rayna and the other's faces, they asked, “I heard Mr. Lopez was injured and is currently being treated in the emergency room, Mr. Faymon. Is he in this operating room?”
A reporter shoved their microphone toward Rayna and inquired, “I heard the one who assaulted Mr. Lopez was Bianca's sister, Ms. Garland. According to my sources, you have a very close relationship with her, so I hope you can answer a question. Did she attack Mr. Lopez to avenge her sister?”
“Do you know anything about this matter, Ms. Garland?” another reporter questioned.
A third reporter inquired, “Are Justin's and his friends' deaths related to Bianca's sister?”
The flashing lights of the cameras were blinding Rayna.
In response, she held her hand up to block the lights and turned away, ignoring the reporters.
Upon snapping back to reality, Kristie and the assistant pushed the reporters away.
However, there were too many reporters, so their efforts were futile.
The reporters continued to interrogate Rayna. “Are you staying quiet because you already knew Bianca's sister was a murderer and tried to cover up for her? I heard she ran to the port after she attacked Mr. Lopez in hopes of escaping the country, but she leaped into the sea and committed suicide instead.”
Rayna raised her head upon hearing that and asked, “What did you say?”
Seeing that Rayna was talking to them, the reporter seized the opportunity to question, “Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know, Ms. Garland? The police are investigating a suicide case at the port right now. Because of that, no ships dare to leave right now. Some passengers on those ships mentioned they recognized the woman who committed suicide. They said she was the woman seen together with Mr. Lopez, probably Bianca's sister. Did she kill herself because she felt guilty for murdering Mr. Lopez?”
“I don't know what you all are talking about.” Rayna's hands were trembling. It was apparent she couldn't keep her cool anymore. “I don't know who Bianca's sister is! Please leave!”
I don't know where the reporters got their news from, but I need to verify whether they're telling the truth or lying. Since Jessica escaped in a hurry, she likely would've headed to the port to leave the country on a ship. However, I refuse to believe she killed herself! The more she tried to leave, the more the reporters refused to let her go.
When one reporter with sharp eyes noticed her unusually loose clothes and the bump hiding underneath, they yelled, “Are you pregnant, Ms. Garland?”
They even pointed their camera at her tummy.
The instant the other reporters heard that, they immediately directed their attention to her abdomen.
Then, upon noticing her obvious bump, they interrogated her, asking her when she got pregnant and whose child she was bearing.
Rayna felt her head spinning as she was bombarded with the reporters' questions.
Also, she was having difficulty breathing because there wasn't enough space for fresh air to pass through the tightly packed reporters.
Curtis glowered when he noticed her face paling. After his patience with the reporters ran out, he pushed them aside and carried her in his arms.
Then he glared at the annoying reporters and exclaimed, “Make way!”
He spoke so coldly and fiercely that the reporters felt chills running down their spines. They didn't even have the courage to meet his eyes as they shut up and stepped aside.
When that happened, fresh air was finally able to reach Rayna. Moments later, she looked a little better.
Instead of rushing to leave, he turned to Kristie. “Keep calling Jeremy and urge him to reach here soon. Call Gabriel to come here and help out too.”
Then he turned to Wyatt's assistant. “Confiscate all the reporters' communication devices. They aren't allowed to bring anything but themselves and their clothes out of this building.”
The assistant promptly lowered his head. “You can count on me, Mr. Faymon!”
A reporter protested, “There are so many of us here. Can you shut all of us up?”
Curtis glared at the reporter frigidly. “Then all of you better shut yourselves up! If I see anyone reporting what happened in the hospital tonight, you may all find your companies assimilated into Faymon Group tomorrow!”
That frightened the reporter and prompted them to lower his head.
The other reporters also zipped their mouths tight.
After Curtis brought Rayna away from the reporters, the assistant clamored, “You all heard what Mr. Faymon said! Leave all your equipment and devices here! You're only allowed to leave after I finish inspecting you!”
Upon leaving the hospital, Curtis brought Rayna to the passenger seat of his car. “I'll take you back first.”
“I don't want to go back!” She had already returned to her senses as she closed her eyes. “Drive me to the port!”
“You need rest, Rayna.”
Her hand quivered as she grabbed his arm and uttered in a shaky voice, “I'm fine. Just drive me to the port. I need to know whether the reporters were lying or not. Otherwise, I won't be able to sleep even if I return home now.”
Knowing nothing he could say would change her mind, he fastened her seatbelt. “Fine, we'll go to the port.”
Curtis didn't have the nerve to drive too fast because Rayna was pregnant.
Occasionally, he would shift his gaze to the passenger seat. His heart ached when he saw her biting her trembling fingers due to anxiety. Evidently, she somewhat believed what the reporters said.
In response, he held her hand and comforted, “Ease up a little, Rayna.”
She merely glimpsed at him and allowed him to hold her hand.
The car soon arrived at the port.
The moment it stopped moving, Rayna unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the vehicle.
She saw police officers and many other people surrounding the bright port.
Panicked, she darted toward a police officer, grabbed him, and inquired, “What's going on?”
The police officer glanced at her and explained, “We received a report saying a woman jumped into the sea. The search and rescue team have been looking for her for an hour now, yet she still hasn't resurfaced yet!”
When he saw Rayna was stunned, he thought she was startled and continued while shaking his head, “There are always a few people who commit suicide here every year. It's not an uncommon sight. Did you buy a ticket for a cruise trip? If you're thinking about boarding, you should come back here tomorrow morning at six. Right now, no ships in the port are allowed to leave.”
When Curtis arrived at her side, he saw her talking to the police officer while appearing as if she was going to collapse.
Just as he was about to hold her, she pushed him aside and stumbled toward the ticket counter.
Upon arriving at the counter, she spoke to the employee there in an urgent tone. “Hi, can you help me check the purchase records and see if a woman called Jessica Marsh bought a ticket?”
“Do you have her identification number?”
“Yes!” Rayna grabbed her phone, pulled up Jessica's personal information, and disclosed the latter's identification number.
“She bought a ticket for a cruise trip to Valmora. It's that ship over there.” The employee pointed at the port. “However, the ship can't leave because someone committed suicide. You can ask the people there if they saw her.”
Without delay, she rushed to the cruise ship and asked the person in charge of the vessel.
They checked the records and told her the ticket collector let Jessica through, but Jessica didn't board the ship.
“How is it possible she didn't board the ship after the ticket collector allowed her entry?” Rayna proceeded to describe her friend's appearance and asked, “Please think carefully again. Did you actually see this person?”
Before the person in charge could speak, a passing-by tourist remarked, “Isn't she the woman who jumped into the sea?”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: His Precious Love