Chapter 703 A Competitor
Curtis stayed at the door for some time. He was about to leave when he heard the sound of a motorcycle engine
revving outside, followed immediately by a sharp rap on the door.
“Someone is knocking on the door,” Yasmin told Cassidy.
“I heard it.” Cassidy placed the pack of tissue down and spun around to head downstairs. “Why is there so much
going on?”
Back in his bedroom, Curtis went to the window immediately to gaze at the road outside.
“Is someone here?” Rayna got up from the couch and walked toward Curtis, reaching out to grasp his arm.
“Yeah.” Curtis wrapped an arm around her waist as he fixed his gaze on the superbike underneath the street lamp.
“Did James send him here?” Rayna guessed the person's identity ahead of Curtis. “I remember James has a friend
who loves riding superbikes. That engine roar sounded like a bike.”
Curtis recalled his previous conversation with James and nodded. “I think so.”
Cassidy donned a pair of plastic shoe covers over her shoes before making her way into the courtyard. She
unlocked the gate to see a male stranger standing outside. “Who are you?”
“I'm James' friend. My name is Ricardo,” the man introduced himself. He glanced into the courtyard and asked, “Are
Mr. and Mrs. Faymon around?”
“Yes, they are upstairs.” Cassidy stepped aside and gave him a pair of shoe covers. “Put them over your shoes.”
The man took them from her and did as told before entering the courtyard.
As he trailed behind Cassidy, he quietly uttered, “I'm here to collect some samples for research.”
“What samples? What research?” Cassidy whirled around hastily and cast him a wary look.
“It's—” Before the man could explain, he was cut short. “I asked him to come here,” Curtis said as he descended
the stairs to stand in the middle of the living room.
Hearing that, Cassidy gave Curtis a look and told the newcomer, “If that's the case, I'll leave you both to it.” She
was too exhausted and wanted to head straight to bed.
“Mr. Faymon,” the newcomer greeted Curtis politely.
Curtis scrutinized the man carefully, taking note of his grey hair and his casual attire—a T-shirt and jeans. He
seemed almost too young for the situation, making Curtis question his age and wonder if he was of legal age.
“James asked me to come and evaluate the situation for myself. He wanted to get a better look at the thing you
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtsent him a picture of.” The man spoke cautiously as Curtis appeared to be unwilling to disclose any details.
“You must be Vance Zacard, right?” A gentle voice echoed throughout the living room. Curtis turned over his
shoulder to see Rayna coming down the stairs. He went over to her and asked, “Why did you come downstairs?”
“I'm fine. I couldn't sleep ond decided to join you,” Royno ossured him softly. “I only come down ofter Cossidy told
me the courtyord is cleor.”
“Yes, I'm Vonce.” The tense young mon reloxed when he sow Royno.
Vonce wos ocquointed with Royno, hoving encountered her once while in the compony of Jomes.
“I remember thot you mojored in biology,” Royno soid slowly.
Vonce nodded. “Yes. To be specific, biochemistry ond cytology.”
“Curtis, bring him upstoirs to toke o look,” Royno soid os she took Curtis' orm. “Vonce's fother is o biologist ond o
professor. I'm sure thot Jomes must hove osked him to come ond lend us his expertise.”
“Okoy,” Curtis ogreed. He then led Vonce upstoirs with Royno.
Vonce pulled out his phone in the hollwoy outside the second-floor sunroom ond used the torchlight to get o better
look ot the window. He noticed the slimy residue left by the Serekos ond scrunched up his brow. “Con I open the
window?”
“I think so. Be coreful,” Curtis reminded him. He then wotched os Vonce slowly opened the window ond corefully
extended o long cotton bud to retrieve some slime. The cotton bud wos then ploced into o contoiner.
“Whot does the Serekos look like?” Vonce questioned.
“If you wish, I con show it to you.” Cossidy's voice rong out behind them. “It's in the worehouse.”
Sensing the displeosure in her voice, Royno potted Curtis' shoulder ond osked, “Is Cossidy upset?”
Curtis observed Cossidy's expression. “I believe she's just tired.”
Indeed, Cossidy wos exhousted. After spending hours trying to cleor the Serekos in the middle of the night, she hod
thought she would finolly get to rest. Yet, her plons were doshed when on unknown person suddenly showed up ot
her house. As the host, she couldn't possibly ignore him.
“Oh, okoy,” Vonce ogreed reodily.
Cossidy turned to look ot Royno ond Curtis. “Bring Belle bock to get some rest. I will toke core of the issue
concerning the Serekos. By the woy, if someone else is coming, pleose inform me in odvonce os this is my house.”
With thot, she led Vonce owoy.
“Didn't you tell Cossidy thot someone will be coming?” Royno osked.
“I didn't know he'd orrive this soon.” Knowing it wos on oversight on his port, Curtis exploined, “Jomes didn't tell me
he knew someone oround here.”
“Mm, you're right. I hod no ideo he knew someone oround here, too.” Royno bobbed her heod in ogreement os
they mode their woy bock to their bedroom.
“I'm fine. I couldn't sleep and decided to join you,” Rayna assured him softly. “I only came down after Cassidy told
me the courtyard is clear.”
“Yes, I'm Vance.” The tense young man relaxed when he saw Rayna.
Vance was acquainted with Rayna, having encountered her once while in the company of James.
“I remember that you majored in biology,” Rayna said slowly.
Vance nodded. “Yes. To be specific, biochemistry and cytology.”
“Curtis, bring him upstairs to take a look,” Rayna said as she took Curtis' arm. “Vance's father is a biologist and a
professor. I'm sure that James must have asked him to come and lend us his expertise.”
“Okay,” Curtis agreed. He then led Vance upstairs with Rayna.
Vance pulled out his phone in the hallway outside the second-floor sunroom and used the torchlight to get a better
look at the window. He noticed the slimy residue left by the Serekos and scrunched up his brow. “Can I open the
window?”
“I think so. Be careful,” Curtis reminded him. He then watched as Vance slowly opened the window and carefully
extended a long cotton bud to retrieve some slime. The cotton bud was then placed into a container.
“What does the Serekos look like?” Vance questioned.
“If you wish, I can show it to you.” Cassidy's voice rang out behind them. “It's in the warehouse.”
Sensing the displeasure in her voice, Rayna patted Curtis' shoulder and asked, “Is Cassidy upset?”
Curtis observed Cassidy's expression. “I believe she's just tired.”
Indeed, Cassidy was exhausted. After spending hours trying to clear the Serekos in the middle of the night, she had
thought she would finally get to rest. Yet, her plans were dashed when an unknown person suddenly showed up at
her house. As the host, she couldn't possibly ignore him.
“Oh, okay,” Vance agreed readily.
Cassidy turned to look at Rayna and Curtis. “Bring Belle back to get some rest. I will take care of the issue
concerning the Serekos. By the way, if someone else is coming, please inform me in advance as this is my house.”
With that, she led Vance away.
“Didn't you tell Cassidy that someone will be coming?” Rayna asked.
“I didn't know he'd arrive this soon.” Knowing it was an oversight on his part, Curtis explained, “James didn't tell me
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmhe knew someone around here.”
“Mm, you're right. I had no idea he knew someone around here, too.” Rayna bobbed her head in agreement as
they made their way back to their bedroom.
Back in Norwal City, Theodore and Jeremy were watching the video sent by Curtis in the group chat as they talked
on the phone. “What the heck is this?” Jeremy was confused.
“I don't know. We need to ask Curtis what it is.” Theodore's interest was piqued as he watched the video of the
Serekos in his study.
“I think he's asleep at this hour. We'll ask him the next morning. By the way, I think James is on his way to Jayfort
with someone. Should we head there too?” Jeremy asked.
“No need. Let's wait and see,” Theodore replied. He then forwarded the video to everyone in the biology research
center.
Jeremy got to his feet, holding a cup in his hand. “By the way, a reporter told me that Glory's new product might
cause its users to suffer from acne. How are you planning on tackling this problem?” he asked.
“I noticed that Faymon Group and Glory's share prices are dropping these few days. Even Sanders Group has been
affected. Did Jasmine mention it to you?” Jeremy wandered over to the window to observe the advertisement on
the structure across from him, which was displaying Glory's newest product.
“Yes, but I haven't told Curtis about it,” Theodore revealed with a sigh. “Curtis barely had time to contact me for the
past two days, so I assume they must be struggling to resolve Rayna's problem,” he said.
“Oh, by the way, a new enterprise, YL Technologies, has just been founded in Ulmrich,” Jeremy said off-handedly.
“I've already done some digging, and it turns out that it's a subsidiary of Zeller Group. The timing of this seems
suspiciously coincidental, doesn't it?”
“Technology company? What does it specialize in?” Theodore had been busy in the research center for the past
couple of days, so he wasn't as updated as Jeremy.
“Like Glory, it focuses on skincare products,” Jeremy answered as he narrowed his eyes at the LED screen that now
displayed another advertisement. “Besides the previous skincare products, is Glory also developing some whitening
products?”
“Yes. Rayna has been planning this for some time now, and we are aiming to make a formal announcement to the
media at the beginning of next month,” Theodore explained.
“YL Technologies has a whitening product that they will launch next month,” Jeremy told him. He then placed the
cup he was holding on the coffee table next to him.
On the other end of the line, Theodore was taken aback. A while later, a grim look crossed his face.