Chapter 19: Mr. Raven, Let Me Treat You
Youth is a gift–Noah was already fast asleep.
Gemma awkwardly glanced at Cassius across the room.
“Mr. Raven, could you have someone carry Noah to his bedroom? I should leave now,
She wasn’t close to Cassius and had even challenged him earlier. Leaving quickly seemed like the best move.
Cassius gave her a deep, meaningful look.
“Noah has always had his own way. Since you’ve agreed, you should follow through.”
Gemma’s face was full of disbelief. “I didn’t agree
Cassius countered, “You tacitly did just now.”
She was speechless. “Couldn’t it be that I just didn’t have time to refuse?”
“You can wake him up and negotiate again.”
“L
Gemma looked down at the sleeping child and couldn’t bring herself to disturb him.
“Mr. Raven,” she conceded, “is there a guest room I could use?”
Cassius gestured, and a servant came in to carry Noah to his room and arranged accommodations for her. Gemma sighed.
Mr. Raven clearly cared deeply for this child; her room was right next to Noah’s
The bed was luxuriously soft. The moment she lay down, a layer of her exhaustion seemed to melt away.
Taking a deep breath, she murmured,
“This is what money smells like.”
It had been a long day of work, fun, and that unexpected incident at the amusement park. Her body and mind were drained.
Finding such a comfortable bed, she couldn’t waste a second. Sleep came quickly, a tribute to the value of wealth
Downstairs, Cassius still sat on the sofa.
His assistant, Brooke, entered with a group of men.
The men were forced to the ground.
Their mouths were gagged with cloth, their limbs bound in chains. They bore various injuries, their blood staining their clothes
Their faces were pale as they pleaded desperately.
Brooke kicked one of them.
“Say it, what else did THEY want you to do?”
Seeing one man eager to speak, Brooke yanked the cloth from his mouth
“Mr. Raven, we were wrong! Please spare us!”
Brooke kicked him again. “Cut the crap!”
The man kowtowed repeatedly.
“Mr. Raven, the old master said life or death didn’t matter. We had no choice. Please, show us mercy!”
Cassius’s face was icy cold, his presence alone enough to make the room feel like a freezer.
Shivers ran through everyone’s spines.
Finally, he waved a hand.
Chapter 19: Mr. Raven, Let Me Treat You
The men were gagged again and dragged out.
Their lifeless expressions said it all–whatever awaited them was worse than death.
After they were taken away, servants quickly entered and cleaned the floor.
In just a few minutes, the room was spotless, as if nothing had happened.
Cassius leaned back on the sofa, his fingers massaging his temples.
But even so, his expression was stormy, like a volcano about to erupt.
Suddenly-
There was a faint rustling sound
His eyes snapped open, sharp as blades, piercing straight through to the soul.
“Uh. ”
Gemma had come downstairs, thirsty and hoping to grab some water.
But she had walked in just as the men were being dragged out
Fear locked her legs in place like lead.
It took all her effort to muster some courage. Yet just as she made a move, she realized she’d been spotted.
That sharp gaze left her nowhere to hide.
She stepped out awkwardly, forcing a smile.
“I was just getting some water.”
The hostility around Cassius thickened, so oppressive it made breathing hard. Even though she was clearly just a weak woman trying to survive, he showed no hint of care
Gemma felt doomed.
Why did she agree to stay here? Was she courting death?
“Ahem… Mr. Raven, can’t sleep?”
When people are terrified, their mouths tend to run.
“I’ve studied insomnia a bit. Want me to help?”
She shuffled closer in tiny, hesitant steps.
Sitting across from him with a big, eager smile, she said, “We agreed on mutual trust, didn’t we? Mr. Raven, why not give me a chance?”
Mentioning “trust” seemed to bring them back to that day abroad.
That day, she’d nervously pushed her luck, bargaining for trust and equality.
He had agreed.
His gaze dropped slightly, the hostility in his demeanor casing considerably.
But Gemma, emboldened by his reaction, took it further and rested her fingers lightly on his wrist.
Trust
Equality.
His fingers twitched, but in the end, he didn’t pull away from her touch.
But.
Gemma’s brow furrowed deeply.
She pulled her hand back and cautiously asked, “Do you have trouble sleeping?”
In o
other words, chronic insomnia.
Cassius didn’t answer.
Her
guess was both right and wrong-
Chapter 1: Mr. Raven, Let Me Treat You
Some of his work required late nights.
Early on, when he was less emotionally stable, those nights stretched into sleepless mornings.
Over time, his body had simply adapted–or rather, suffered..
He’d gone through dozens of private doctors, none of whom could fix the problem.
“First off, you need a calming incense,” she said matter–of–factly.
Ignoring whatever look Cassius might’ve been giving her, she grabbed a pen and quickly scribbled down a prescription
“Mr. Raven, if it’s not too much trouble, could someone get these ingredients? It’ll take me about an hour to prep everything, and I guarantee you’ll sleep through the night.”
Cassius found her confidence almost amusing.
“Unnecessary.”
A man like him didn’t need to sleep deeply.
Doing so would be like handing his enemies a loaded gun.
“Oh, come on, Mr. Raven,” she said, her eyes full of anticipation, glinting like amber in the light. “Don’t be that guy who ignores his problems. Just try it, okay?”
Her hopeful gaze felt oddly… refreshing, as if the air had suddenly cleared.
“Brooke, Cassius said quietly.
At his word, Brooke promptly entered the room.
Gemma handed over the prescription with urgency. “Please hurry.”
Brooke didn’t even ask why. After Cassius gave a subtle nod, Brooke left and returned in just over ten minutes with the ingredients.
Gemma took them to the kitchen, grinding the herbs into a fine powder before carefully crafting them into incense with professional tools.
About forty minutes later, she emerged with the finished product.
Wisps of pale smoke rose lazily, filling the room with the gentle aroma of herbs.
Beneath the herbal scent, there was a faint sweetness.
For the first time in years, Cassius felt the pull of sleepiness.
His gaze on the incense burner deepened.
“Mr. Raven,” Gemma said, “just light this in your room when you’re ready to sleep. It’ll help you relax and rebalance your body.”
“As for your medication plan, I’ll need to think it over. Anyway, I’m heading back to my room.”
The smile on her face was forced.
After all, who wouldn’t be shaken after seeing a bunch of bloody bodies dragged out of the house?
She desperately needed a moment to calm down.
Thankfully, Cassius didn’t say anything, so she practically fled to her room.
Meanwhile, in the living room.
Brooke hesitated.
“Mr. Raven, this incense hasn’t been tested yet. You really-
Cassius was already on his feet, picking up the burner with a calm, steady hand.
“I gave
her
my
word. I won’t back on it.”
